Do Border Collies shed a lot? (+ tips to minimize)

Before buying a Border Collie, you usually inform yourself extensively about the breeds. First and foremost, we like a dog because of its appearance. But then you have to check if the different character traits, the urge to move, and the care requirements fit you. In this article, I will discuss if Border Collies shed a lot and how to minimize extreme shedding.

Do Border Collies shed a lot? Border Collies are herding dogs from Great Britain that spend all day outside in wind and weather. This makes it necessary for them to have a thick protective coat and a dense undercoat. Border Collies shed throughout the year. Twice a year, during the coat change in spring and fall, Border Collies shed especially heavily.

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How much do Border Collies shed

Border Collies originally come from Great Britain. More precisely, from the border region between England and Scotland.

They are still used today for herding sheep since the region is not known for overly sunny weather; the Border Collie needs a thick coat that protects him from cold and wet.

However, their activity, intelligence, and friendliness make the Border Collie more and more popular as a family dog.

If you buy a Border Collie, you will not only need a lot of time to keep the dog busy, but you will also have to deal with more hair on the furniture or clothes.

Border Collies shed old dead hair throughout the year so that new hair can grow back.

In spring and autumn, the coat change occurs, and the hair shedding is increased again.

Border Collie sheds extremely

Even though Border Collie sheds throughout the year, extreme shedding can occur.

There are many reasons for this, but you can usually do something about it. Below are some reasons why your Border Collie may shed more than normal.

High-quality food against heavy shedding

Good food can lay the foundation for your Border Collie not to shed excessively.

If you have a poor quality dog food and your Border Collie is not sufficiently supplied with all the essential nutrients, a deficiency will occur, resulting in a lot of hair.

There are many good dog foods. One of the best is, in my opinion, the dog food from Orijen*. It has a high meat content and no unnecessary additives.

Good dog food gives him a chance to shed less, but I think the benefit shows up in old age when you still have a healthy and fit dog.

Stress can lead to excessive hair.

Stress is generally a health risk. Stress is generally a health risk. Stress also causes high levels of cortisol in dogs. Cortisol is the “stress hormone.”

Border Collies need plenty of exexercisesIf you don’t keep your Border Collie busy enough for a long time; it can cause boredom and stress. A wide variety of situations can trigger stress. One symptom of too much stress could be extreme shedding.

So make sure that your Border Collie always has enough exercise and activity.

Besides too little exercise, staying alone can also be a problem. No dog likes to be left alone.

If you have not accustomed your Border Collie to being left alone slowly and sensibly from the beginning, it can be very stressful for him to be left alone.

Diseases

Various diseases can cause your Border Collie to shed heavily. If you notice increased hair loss in your Border Collie, you should talk to your vet to rule out diseases.

hair Border collies
© Mikkel Bigandt-stock.adobe.com

Coat care for the Border Collie

The coat of the Border Collie is semi-long and requires a little more grooming here and there than a short-haired breed to keep it from matting. However, the amount of grooming can be described as “normal.”

Brushing now and then, especially if you were out in the woods and something got stuck in the fur. But all in all, the care effort is manageable.

Good brushes to groom your Border Collie are the Bluepet® dog brush* for longer hairs to loosen tangles and remove dirt and other stuff from the coat and the Bluetpet® undercoat brush* for longer hairs to remove the dense undercoat.

Good dog brushes are also a great tool to help your Border Collie shed. When brushing, you are already removing loose hair that your dog would otherwise shed on his own.

This means that he will not shed on your couch every hair you brush out of your Border Collie; he will not shed on your couch.

If you brush him sensibly 1 to 2 times a week, you have made a big step to make your Border Collie shed less.

Plus, brushing relaxes most dogs and strengthens your relationship.

Bathing your Border Collie

In exceptional cases, you can also bathe a Border Collie. Generally, you should avoid it if possible because the coat has dirt and moisture repellent protective film, which is attacked by too frequent use of shampoo.

However, if your Border has rolled in a dead animal, for example, it makes sense to bathe him not only because of the smell.

Shearing Border Collie

The undercoat has a protective function. On the one hand, it protects against cold and wet, but on the other hand, it protects against sunburn, insect bites, and also against heat. It’s not recommended to shear dogs with a dense undercoat, such as the Border Collie.

However, if your Border has a lot of fur, the advantage of clipping your dog may outweigh the disadvantage here and there. Sometimes you have to choose the lesser of two evils.

While it’s not ideal to shear your dog, the fact that less fur is more relaxing and more comfortable in extremely hot months is a huge benefit.

It would be best if you sheared your Border Collie in the spring, not when it is hot. This way the skin can slowly get used to it.

Also, make sure that there is enough fur and undercoat to protect your Border Collie.

It is best to consult a professional dog groomer.

Conclusion: Do Border Collies shed a lot?

Border Collies shed relatively heavily. This is simply due to their long coat and dense undercoat. Dogs shed old dead hair so that new hair can grow back. Twice a year, during the coat change, Border Collies shed extremely. With good dog food, you can avoid excessive shedding, and with regular brushing, you can help your Border with the daily coat change and ensure that a lot of hair stays in the forest.

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