Let’s cut to the chase: Australian Cattle Dogs are big shedders during shedding season. If you can’t deal with the thought of finding clumps of dead fur lying around your home daily or are severely allergic to dog hair, consider adopting a different dog breed. The dog’s double coat – particularly its thick undercoat – is to blame for this.
If you are non-plussed by this heavy shedding warning, read on as we detail all you’ll need to know as a Blue Heeler owner regarding shedding!
As we’ve already established, you need to prepare yourself for moderate to heavy shedding when you adopt an Australian Cattle Dog. Owners of Cattle Dogs claim that the dog never stops shedding, meaning that continuous cleaning is necessary to keep their house clean.
If you’re lucky, your Blue Heeler may only shed moderately. Many dog owners have also noted that this breed sheds considerably less than other popular dog breeds, such as Labradors and German Shepherds.
The exact amount of hair your Blue Heeler sheds depends on where they are located worldwide and how often you comb and bathe them.
Yes – despite the whole year feeling like one long shedding season, this herding dog sheds their double coat excessively twice a year. This excessive shedding normally falls in the spring and autumn of each year. In spring, the Blue Heeler blows its thick winter coat to make way for its lighter summer coat, and vice versa in the autumn.
These two shedding seasons may differ in extent depending on the climate of where you live. For example, if your summers are moderate, a Blue Heeler may only shed so much of its winter coat. Another factor that impacts the dog’s shedding rate is whether they are in an indoor or an outdoor dog. If kept indoors most of the time, they may not experience seasonal shedding.
Puppy Australian Cattle Dogs shed just as much as adult Australian Cattle Dogs. There’s nothing to suggest that the breed sheds more during puppyhood. As soon as the dog grows hair, you can expect it to start shedding.
Given the amount of shedding you’ll have to deal with, you should familiarise yourself with the type of hair you’ll be cleaning up daily.
The outer layer of a Blue Heeler coat features extremely short hairs, which measure less than 4cm each. The hairs on this layer protect the dog’s skin from UV rays and allow rainwater to run from the body. It is the outer layer that sheds continuously, so for most of the year, you’ll find very short, straight hairs.
The inner layer of the dog’s coat consists of longer, denser fur, which keeps them warm in the winter. It is this inner layer that produces loose hair during the heavy shedding season.
Given how much an Australian Cattle Dog sheds, you’re probably wondering if there are any preventive measures to reduce the amount of loose fur lying around your home. Here’s how to control the heavy shedding of Blue Heelers:
Bathing doesn’t totally stop Blue Heelers from shedding, but it does help reduce the amount of hair they leave around your home. Throughout the year, we’d recommend only bathing your Blue Heeler once every three months, but during heavy shedding season, you can increase this amount to help soften and remove dead fur.
Brushing is essential to curbing excessive shedding. It depends on the individual dog, but brushing once per week and then a few times per week during heavy shedding season will help remove dead hair from your dog’s coat.
Australian Cattle dogs shed a lot, so they can’t be classed as being anywhere close to a hypoallergenic breed.
Blue Heelers shed a whole lot throughout the year and more so twice per year. The dog’s shedding rate can depend on many factors, including the climate of their location, the amount of time they spend outside, and even the dog food you feed them. Generally, as a Cattle Dog owner, you can expect to find clumps of hair lying around throughout the whole year.
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