How to tell if your dog is shedding too much?

The fluffy appearance of dogs is really adorable, but the problem of shedding often troubles their owners. Judging whether a dog is shedding excessively requires both scientific professional knowledge and careful observation in daily life with the beloved pet. Next, we will deeply analyze how to accurately determine if a dog has abnormal shedding.

In the daily life with the dog, you may have already gotten used to its fur quietly falling into the gaps of the sofa and among the fibers of your clothes. However, when the original "minor episode" turns into a "soap opera", you will find that your once tidy home seems to have become a "battlefield" of fur. The most intuitive way to judge whether a dog is shedding too much is to observe the amount of fur left at home. If, at the end of the day, the floor and the surfaces of the furniture are covered with a noticeable layer of dog hair, and when you sweep it with a broom, you can gather a large clump of hair, and you even need to use a vacuum cleaner frequently to clean it, then you should be vigilant.

We can also judge by observing the state of the dog's fur. The fur of a healthy dog should be smooth, shiny, and evenly distributed. When you stroke it, if it feels rough, and you can even feel dry tangles, or a large amount of fur remains on your hand during the stroking process, these are not normal phenomena. Part the dog's fur and check the skin. The normal skin should be pinkish, without red spots or dandruff. If you find that the skin is red, there are small pieces of dandruff, or there are scabs and bald patches, it means that the dog may have health problems, leading to abnormal shedding. For example, when a dog is infected with fungi and gets ringworm, the fur in the affected area will become brittle and easy to fall off, forming round or oval bald areas, and there will also be scales and scabs on the skin surface. When a dog is infected with parasites such as fleas and mites, after they bite the dog's skin, it will cause severe itching. The dog will scratch and bite frequently, which will not only lead to local hair loss but also may cause skin damage and infection.

The breed of the dog and seasonal factors are also important aspects that must be considered when judging the shedding situation. Different dog breeds have significant differences in their fur characteristics and shedding patterns. Dog breeds with a double coat like Huskies and Samoyeds will experience obvious molting periods in spring and autumn. A large amount of old hair falls off to make room for the growth of new hair, which is a normal physiological phenomenon. During the molting season, you will see them behaving like "dandelions", shedding hair wherever they go, and you can even collect the hair to make a small ball. In contrast, curly-haired dog breeds such as Poodles and Bichon Frises have continuously growing fur, and the amount of shedding is relatively small. Under normal circumstances, there is hardly any significant shedding. Seasonal changes also affect a dog's shedding. In spring and autumn, the temperature changes greatly, and dogs will molt to better adapt to the environment. In spring, as the temperature rises, dogs shed their thick winter coats and replace them with lighter summer coats. In autumn, as the temperature drops, they will grow thick winter coats to keep out the cold. In these two seasons, the amount of hair shed by dogs will be significantly more than usual, but as long as it is within a reasonable range, there is no need to worry too much.

In addition to external manifestations, the dog's behavior and living conditions can also provide clues for judging the shedding situation. If the dog scratches its body frequently, bites its tail, and rubs against the corners of the wall, showing restlessness, it is likely caused by skin itching. And skin itching is often related to excessive shedding, which may be caused by allergies, infections, and other reasons. Moreover, the dog's diet and living environment also have an important impact on the health of its fur. Long-term consumption of nutritionally unbalanced food, lacking key nutrients such as protein, vitamins, and minerals, will make the dog's fur brittle and easy to fall off. For example, a lack of B vitamins will affect the skin's metabolism, leading to an increase in dandruff and dry hair. A lack of Omega-3 fatty acids will make the fur lose its luster and become rough and easy to break. A humid and unhygienic living environment is prone to the growth of bacteria, fungi, and parasites, causing skin diseases and thus leading to hair loss. If you find that the dog's shedding situation suddenly worsens after changing its living environment or diet, you need to adjust it in a timely manner and create more suitable living conditions for it.

When you find that your dog is shedding too much, don't panic. Instead, calmly analyze and find the reasons from multiple aspects. If it is a dietary problem, adjust the dog food in a timely manner and provide the dog with nutritionally balanced food. If it is a skin disease, take it to a pet hospital as soon as possible and follow the veterinarian's advice for treatment. At the same time, comb the dog's fur regularly. This can not only reduce the fur scattered at home but also promote blood circulation in the skin, which is beneficial to the health of the fur.

Judging whether a dog is shedding too much requires us to observe and pay more attention in daily life. Every dog is a unique little angel. They accompany us with unconditional love, and we should also pay attention to their health and protect their beauty with care and patience. I hope that every pet owner can, through scientific judgment and proper care, enable their furry kids to always have healthy and shiny fur and run happily in the sun.