So you are thinking of getting a new Border Collie or perhaps you have already welcomed a new puppy into your home, and you are wondering if Border Collies shed. Or do you already own a border collie and you want to know effective methods to minimize shedding in your Border Collie? In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about shedding in Border Collies.
Do Border Collies Shed?
Yes, border collies do shed. However, Border Collies do not shed as much as some high-shedding dogs like Huskies. Also, Border Collies shed more than low-shedding dog breeds like the poodle and the American Hairless Terrier. Compared to all dog breeds, shedding in Border Collies is average. However, there are steps you can take to reduce shedding in your Border Collie to a level you can tolerate.
If you own a Border Collie and you do not take extra steps to minimize shedding in your Border Collie, very quickly you will discover mountains of hair gathered in the corners of every room in your home, under your sofa, and any other crevice it can sneak into.
Minimizing your Border Collies fur shedding is always at the top of every owner’s list of things to do. Border Collies are one of those dogs that require a little bit of extra coat care to keep them looking glossy and healthy and to stop you from ending up surrounded by so much hair you feel like you should be stuffing cushion covers with it. We will later discuss how to take care of Border Collie coats to stop excessive shedding.
Why Border Collies Shed
Border Collies are a herding dog breed originally from the Scottish-English border hence the border in their breeds name. Well sought after for their speed, agility, and how easy they can be to train. They are not only a popular working dog but also very popular in show circles. They can also make loyal family pets.
Since, Border Collies were bred specifically to work out in the elements herding farm stock, like sheep, their coats are well suited to the Scottish weather extremes. Their coats are designed specifically to keep them warm during the winter months and cool during the summer months.
Border Collies are a breed that has a double coat, which means they have two types of fur on their bodies. They have a harsher topcoat, which tends to be the longer fur of the two with a slightly rougher texture. They also have a softer undercoat, which grows shorter but much faster than the topcoat.
Your Border Collies coat can feel like it has a mind of its own at times. Sometimes you might even question how your dog even has any fur left on its body when you look at how much you are brushing off of it during your grooming sessions.
So to help you on your way we have created this guide that will give you some great tips on how not to tear your hair out as your dog drops his by minimizing your Border Collies shedding and keeping you and your puppy happy.
What is Shedding in Border Collies?
Shedding for Border Collies is their body’s way of getting rid of the damaged hair and fur, making way for new, healthy growth.
This is the same process we humans experience when we lose our hair when we brush it or wash it.
Firstly you have to know there is no such thing as a non-shedding dog. All dogs, no matter the breed, shed a certain amount of hair all the time. The only exception to this rule would be the few hairless breeds you can get. It is just some dogs shed far more than others.
Let us take the Maltese Terrier as an example. The Maltese Terrier is a dog regularly bred for its hypoallergenic traits. This only means that these dogs shed far less than some other breeds. Many prospective dog owners, especially those with dog allergies, will opt for a breed such as the Maltese because they see them as a non-shedding and hypoallergenic dog breed. However, this only means that that particular breed sheds little fur and allergens in comparison to its brother and sister breeds.
Now you are probably wondering, ‘What are allergens?’ so we will give you a little rundown of how shedding works. Most people are under the wrong assumption that if you are allergic to dogs, it is because you are allergic to their fur. However, that is not the entire truth.
Anyone allergic to dogs are allergic to a protein that is found in a dog’s saliva and urine. These proteins then stick to the dried flakes of your dog’s skin, called dander, and then as the dog sheds this protein is spread around the home making it almost impossible for the allergy-suffering person to avoid contact with the protein.
So this leads us as to why there can be no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. You can reduce contact with dander and the protein that causes an allergic reaction in sufferers with a dog that sheds less. What you can’t do though is avoid this kind of contact completely.
Do Border Collies Shed more than Other Dog Breeds?
Border Collies are considered to be a moderately shedding breed.
Here is a list of dog breeds that shed a lot, and the Border Collie is not on this list of high shedding dogs. On this list are heavy-shedding dogs such as the Afghan hound, the Bernese mountain dog, the Beagle, the Pug, the Samoyed, and the Siberian Husky to name but a few.
On the other hand, here is a list of low-shedding dog breeds, and the Border Collie is not on the list of low-shedding dogs. On the low-shedding dog list, you can find breeds like the Poodle, the Bearded Collie, the Border Terrier, and the Mexican Hairless dog.
Compared to all dog breeds, shedding in the Border Collie is average. However, the high intelligence and elegance of the Border Collie makes up for its shedding.
Although it might not feel as though your Border Collies shedding is only considered average when a ball of fluff the same size as your dog appears in the corner of your kitchen practically overnight. But in reality, Border Collies do not shed excessively.
Blow-Out (Seasonal Shedding) in Border Collies
The seasonal shedding that occurs in Border Collies, is known as a Blow-out or ‘Blowing Out’. It occurs in Border Collies at least twice a year, usually in the spring and, again in the autumn. During a blow-out, Border Collies will heavily shed their Summer or Winter coats.
These shedding seasons are controlled by a hormonal reaction to the changes in daylight hours. This is usually the lengthening of daylight hours in the spring and the shortening of those daylight hours as we enter the Winter months. Seasonal shedding (blowout) doesn’t usually last much longer than a few weeks. There are a few simple things you can do to help the process along, like brushing and bathing your Border Collie.
If you want to get into the real nitty-gritty of seasonal shedding it can be handy for prospective owners to know that there is a difference in shedding between the genders. Male Border Collies can shed much more than their female counterparts.
There is also the difference between rough-coated and smooth-coated Border Collies, which can affect the level of visual hair you may find around your home. Rough Coated Border Collies have longer fur than Smooth Coated Border Collies, so although both shed a similar amount of hair, it will be a little less obvious and invasive with the smooth-haired dog.
Are Border Collies Hypoallergenic?
Border collies are not hypoallergenic. In fact, no dog breed is hypoallergenic. As we said before the idea of a hypoallergenic dog is no more than a marketing tool. A way to sell more dogs to people who previously thought they would never be able to own a dog.
There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog, although there are certain breeds that dog allergy sufferers can tolerate more due to lower shedding. In the case of the Border Collie, this is not the type of breed for someone who has an allergic reaction to the allergen dog protein. With their moderate year-round shedding and their seasonal shedding where they blow their coats, means unless you are ridiculously meticulous when it comes to removing hair from your home you will not be able to avoid contact with it.
How To Minimize Border Collie Shedding
Brushing your dog’s coat regularly is the first thing you should do to help stop excessive shedding in your Border Collie. It helps catch the shedding hair before it drops, saving your vacuum cleaner all that extra work.
We suggest that you should be brushing your Border Collie’s coat at least once a week. However, during their seasonal shedding, you could find yourself brushing them once or twice a day as you try to curb the number of hairballs you find in the corners of every room.
There are many popular and reliable brands of dog brushes that work wonders on double-coated and moderate to heavy shedding breeds like the Border Collie. A good example is The Furminator. This is a brand that is used by many Border Collie owners all over the world. They have a large variety of tools suited to different hair lengths, sizes of dogs, and even brushes that have been designed to get deep into the undercoat of double-coated breeds.
As a Border Collie owner, your choice of grooming tools will be determined by your dog’s hair type, the dog’s size, the sensitivity of their skin, and even their temperament. So google will be your friend as you search for the best brushes for your dog but we highly recommend The Furminator tools.
When choosing a brush for your furry friend, you must ensure that the bristles are hard enough to get right into the undercoat, leaving no loose hair behind and reducing the risks of mats without irritating your dog’s skin.
What to Feed Your Border Collie to Prevent Shedding
We all know your dog’s diet can affect the quality of your dog’s coat. Yet did you know your dog’s diet can also affect how much hair your dog can shed, to a certain degree? The process of shedding is your dog getting rid of their damaged and dead hair so they can replace it with a new bunch of glossy fur. However, if your Border Collie has a poor diet, the quality of their coat can be severely affected, resulting in even more shedding than you would have had otherwise.
Now, this is one of the biggest debates, not just in the Border Collie community but in the dog owners community in general ‘What should I feed my dog?’. From high protein, fish only, home-cooked, right through to a raw diet. You can even feed your dog a vegan diet now.
There are so many ways to get your dog the nutrition it deserves. Your task is to decide which method of feeding you can realistically keep up with. Raw feeding is a very popular dietary choice for dog owners. This involves feeding them a high-protein, raw animal product diet. The wonders of product creation today also mean that a raw diet doesn’t necessarily mean having to prepare raw chicken breasts and liver for your dog anymore as you can now get prepackaged raw dog food, saving you lots of time. The only downside to using prepackaged raw foods is that they may cost more than the former option.
There are also many varieties of high-quality kibble-type dog foods on the market now which aren’t stuffed full of non-nutritional fillers like they used to be. When it comes to purchasing dog food that will support your Border Collies healthy coat you will want to check the ingredients to make sure the first ingredient on the list is a protein source and not grains. These are generally used as a filler. Making sure protein is the first ingredient on the list will help support a healthy coat.
The high-quality kibble dog food that we recommend for your Border Collie is the Taste of the Wild Dry Dog Food available here on Amazon.
Bathing your Border Collie to prevent shedding
Bathing your dog is a fantastic way to help minimize its shedding. However, you have to be careful not to over-shampoo your pup. Washing your Border Collie too often can result in stripping too many of your dog’s natural oils away from the skin, which acts as a protective barrier. Stripping these oils away can give your dog skin conditions such as dry, flaky skin that can become sensitive and irritating.
Different dog breeds will have a variety of different bathing requirements. When it comes to the Border Collie, bathing them once a week is plenty enough. Even once a month outside of shedding seasons will do the job nicely.
Moreover, because of the Border Collies double coat, it is strongly recommended not to shave your Border Collie. Shaving your dog will not make shedding seasons easier on yourself. Shaving a dog with a double coat can interrupt its natural growing process. Since the double coat is how your dog controls its body heat during extreme temperatures, you can hinder your dog’s ability to cool themselves down or warm themselves up. Doing this can have dangerous consequences and is something you will want to avoid.
How often you wash your Border Collie will also be determined by your lifestyle. If you take regular walks through muddy puddles, your dog is an avid ocean swimmer or he spends all day herding sheep you will be more likely to wash your dog that little bit more often as the level of dirt your dog will gather on its coat will be far more substantial than that of a more pampered pooch. Although many Border Collie owners do find the more their dog is out in a strong breeze during shedding seasons the less hair they seem to blow in the home. This could be down to strong winds blowing a lot of the loose coat away.
Best Shampoo for Border Collies
When it comes to shampoo products you can’t use any old shampoo, it has to be a shampoo specifically formulated for dogs and their needs. There are plenty of options out there, such as regular cleaning shampoos and shampoos for dogs with existing skin conditions.
Some shampoos even claim to help minimize shedding in your dog. Sticking to a well-known, reputable brand is important when choosing the product you will use. Such as The FURminators DeShedding Ultra Premium Shampoo which helps maintain a healthy coat in your dog and claims to prevent excessive shedding or Shed-X which not only claims to reduce shedding but reduce the appearance of allergens and dander.
Regularly treat your dog for fleas and ticks
Fleas and ticks are another mass shedding culprit. A dog that is troubled by fleas or ticks is more prone to licking and scratching, this will then cause more hair to fall out and more dander to get stuck to the loose hair from the excessive licking. So it is important to keep your dog protected from fleas and ticks using the appropriate medications recommended by your vet.
If you find that your dog does get a little tick or flea infestation you must treat it as quickly as you possibly can. Prolonged exposure to fleas or ticks can make your dog very uncomfortable. Introducing skin conditions and can even make them very ill. So it is not something to be taken lightly when it comes to the health of your pet.
More ways to minimize Border Collie Shedding
As mentioned earlier, keeping a healthy coat is the key to minimizing shedding in your Border Collie. Another way to ensure your dog has a healthy coat is to introduce a daily supplement into your dog’s diet. Dog supplements work similarly to how we humans take multi-vitamins. Giving your dog a dietary supplement can help you make sure that they are getting all the vitamins and minerals they will need to maintain a healthy coat.
Using a supplement formulated for dogs will also help support a healthy body, gut, and bones. Dog supplements come in a few different types. You can purchase supplementary powders, oils, and tablets for your dog. So it will be simple enough to find a form that is easy enough for you to administer to your dog. Getting your vet’s advice, when it comes to what supplements your dog may need, is always an excellent place to start.
An Omega 3 Fish Oil is a fantastic supplement for your dog. Omega 3 supplements will aid healthy skin and hair growth. This is so important when trying to keep your dog healthy and to minimize their shedding. Especially during the spring and autumn blow-outs. Zesty Paws is a popular dog supplement brand that has some excellent reviews. Shed-X Daily Supplement liquid is another supplement brand that is highly recommended by dog owners.
It is also a good idea to introduce some other grooming products into your grooming routine such as sprays. Most grooming sprays are to be applied to a dry coat and act much like a conditioning spray we would use on our children’s hair. It makes brushing your dog easier and leaves them with a super glossy coat. You can also get perfumed dog sprays, although not necessary, they can leave your pooch smelling like a fresh bouquet of roses which isn’t always a bad thing.
Conclusion on Border Collie Shedding
So now you are armed with a wealth of knowledge when it comes to minimizing your Border Collies shedding. In reality, it is all down to coat health. The more tired, dry, damaged, and dead your dog’s coat is the harder the shedding seasons will be with tumbleweeds of hair rolling across your sitting room floor. So regular brushing and bathing is key to not being overwhelmed by your dog’s loose hair. It is not possible to eliminate shedding entirely. This is one of the many wondrous things your dog does to keep himself healthy, but these few tips can help you reduce any excessive shedding from your dog leaving you both happy and healthy.
