Do Australian Shepherds Shed? (Find Out Now!)

The Australian Shepherd is a beautiful dog with unique coloring– No wonder so many people want to welcome them into their home.

However, people tend to overlook the frequency with which a particular dog breed sheds or if it even sheds at all. Therefore, that begs the question, do Australian Shepherds Shed?

Australian Shepherds shed just as any other dog does; however, due to their double coat, they shed quite a bit, especially in late spring and late fall.

This is because their bodies automatically prepare for the weather changes. However, if you stay on top of the grooming, it should minimize the fur around your home. 

This article will tell you about the Australian Shepherds shedding habits so that you can be prepared in the event that you adopt one of these beautiful herding dogs into your home.

You don’t want to be caught off guard when these babies hit shedding season, that’s for sure. It’s best to know what to expect.

Australian Shepherd Coats

Australians have two coats. They have an overcoat and an undercoat, in other words.

The density of their undercoat will vary according to the season. In the wintertime, it becomes denser to defend against the weather.

In the summer, it gets thinner to cool them down. Due to the fact that double-coated dogs shed much more than single-coated dogs, your Aussie is more prone to shed than Maltese or even other single-coated types.

Australian Shepherd Coat Colors

Aussies are available in various coat colors. Australian Shepherds are available in a multitude of color options. Black and Liver, with copper patterns, are two of these colors. They can also have tri-colored coats, with black, liver, and white.

Merle patterns are also popular among Aussies. They can also be entirely tan, entirely copper, or completely white. Australian Shepherds are frequently confused about Border Collies due to their similar coat colors and appearance.

Shedding Frequency

As previously stated, Australian Shepherds lose a considerable amount of their fur. Because they are a double-coated variety, you can expect a healthy quantity of dog fur in your household and on your clothing throughout the year.

Since they are double-coated, they undergo two periods during the year when their fur drops a lot more. You’ll have to keep up with your Aussie’s care in the summers and winters and purchase a high-quality de-shedding tool.

During these periods of heavy shedding, this will help to keep useless and excessive fur at bay. Deshedding tools aren’t typically required year-round.

These devices are most helpful throughout seasonal shedding if you keep up with routine maintenance.

Different Reasons Australian Shepherds Shed

Additional fur loss can be caused by a variety of circumstances. If your Australian Shepherd has recently begun shedding much more than usual, there might be multiple causes for this.

In most circumstances, a little extra thinning isn’t a reason for worry. If your dog is elderly or their attitude has altered, there may be untreated pathological or psychological concerns that need to be handled.

Here are a few factors why your Aussie may be shedding more than usual.

Anxiety And Stress

Aussies are fearful animals. They carry their hearts on their sleeves, but if they’re anxious, you’ll notice that they begin to show strange behavior.

You may see your dog pacing, becoming nervous, or shedding profusely.

This is frequent after the introduction of a new pet, the birth of a child, or other stressors. Fur loss is likely to be transitory if you’ve experienced a life-changing incident.

Changes In Routine

Changes in regimen add to tension and anxiety. Adjusting your dog’s schedule, rather than introducing a new dog, cat, or child into your home, may cause shedding.

This may be somebody establishing doggie daycare or going to work. Excessive fur loss might result from significant changes in habits.

Skin Allergies

Shedding may happen if your pet has suddenly acquired a skin allergy to grass or the other perennial plant. This is most certainly something that you should discuss with your vet.

If it’s something with a short season, it’s probably nothing to be concerned about. Your veterinarian may also write prescriptions to help cope. It’s also possible that your dog has mites, which are curable.

Dog Food Additives

Certain dog food additives cause allergies in some dogs. Peas, potatoes, and some grains are all significant allergens. This is something you must keep an eye on if you just modified your dog’s food.

Excessive shedding can be caused by a variety of illnesses, including cancer. Book an appointment with your vet if your pet’s attitude has altered and they’ve become reclusive to get to the bottom of the matter.

Managing Your Aussie’s Shedding

There are a number of strategies to prevent fur loss in your house if you follow a constant practice. Now that you know what a regular shedding regularity is and why an Australian Shepherd may be shedding much more usual, it’s time to sort out how to deal with it.

The Australian Shepherd is a beautiful family dog. Their shedding tendencies should not be the only factor in determining whether or not they are the ideal breed for your household.

All of their sheddings can be controlled if you stick to a grooming schedule.

Bathing

Every three to four weeks, bathe your Australian Shepherd. Anything above that will deplete your dog’s oils, which are found on his skin and in his coat.

Brush your dog shortly after he’s been bathed for the most pleasing effects. Bathing loosens part of the undercoat’s more delicate fur, making it easier to eliminate with a brush once the bath is complete.

Shampoo

For your Aussie, use an organic dog shampoo. We do not advise using an Anti-Shed shampoo unless it’s comprised entirely of natural ingredients.

Because these cleaners can be rough on your dog’s skin, choosing a natural alternative is usually advisable.

Because Australian Shepherds have more delicate skin than other varieties, relaxing substances like oatmeal can help guarantee that your pup’s skin isn’t irritated.

Brushing

Grooming your puppy on a regular basis will keep fur off of your apparel and out of your house. Brush your Australian Shepherd at least weekly.

But it’s best to brush them 2-3 times a week, ideally outside. You can keep fur out of your house this way. We suggest using a pin brush to apply the Aussie’s luxurious double coat.

Bristle brushes don’t get into the second layer of fur, so you’ll still have a lot of undercoat lying about, particularly during shedding season.

You should own a Deshedder and use it at least once or twice per year during shedding season, in addition to brushing.

Diet

When it comes to weight loss, nutrition is sometimes disregarded. Diet, on the other hand, is a simple solution. You should provide your Australian Shepherd a dog food that is high in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids.

There are pet food options that do not contain peas, lentils, or legumes if your canine has a pea, lentil, or legume sensitivity.

If your pup is allergic to poultry, there are lamb or red meat-focused canine diets available that do not include poultry or poultry by-products.

Grains are also a prevalent cause of sensitivity in a variety of animals. You’ll have to allow your dog sometime to acclimate to their diet plan, but double-checking food might help you figure out why your Aussie is shedding.

Supplements

Supplements are also vital to the health of your coat. Yes, vitamins may not instantly alleviate your dog’s shedding issues.

Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, on the contrary, are beneficial to both skin and coat development. Your dog’s skin and coat will be healthier if their diet has the correct amount of Omega fatty acids.

While picking up a supplement to help with coat conditions may be irritating, many of these are now accessible in a chewable or liquefied form that can be sprinkled on your dog’s meals.

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Heather Robbins

Heather is an animal lover that has many of them herself. She currently has her Blue Nose Staffy named Bootsie, but she’s catered to many animals over the years including guinea pigs, alpacas, cockatiels, cockatoos, bunnies, chinchillas, hedgehogs, and more. She believes that knowledge should be the foundation of caring for any pet.