Excessive Shedding in Collies

Collies are medium-sized dogs with pointed snouts. Females are around 22 to 24 inches tall, while males are 24 to 26 inches in height. These dogs are broadly categorized as rough collies and smooth collies, which show similar traits except for their temperaments and coats. You can easily distinguish a smooth collie from its cousin because of its short, dense and flat coat. The rough collie, on the other hand, has a long, well-fitting and harsh-textured coat all over, except for on its head and legs. In England, the two are regarded as different breeds; however, in the United States, they are treated as members of the same family, and owners can interbreed them. Many pet owners complain about shedding in their collies. Rough collies tend to shed more compared to smooth collies.

  1. Normal Shedding

    • It is a misconception that collies need frequent baths and grooming. As with any other long-coated breed, coat care varies based on the season and the volume of hair. Brushing a rough collie in full coat once or twice every fortnight is sufficient to take care of normal shedding. Dogs in summer coat need less grooming compared to ones in full winter coat. On average, males shed their hair once every year in summer or around their birthday, while females shed their coat twice, four months after each heat cycle.

    Collie Coat Care

    • Brush your collie every day when it sheds its coat. Also, bathing your collie will get rid of the shed hair and prevent it from sticking to furniture and upholstery. It takes two weeks to a month for the shedding to stop. Alternatively, you can get the coat professionally groomed. Rough collies require more brushing and maintenance than smooth collies. The breed is very clean and tends to have no "doggie" odor.

    Undercoat Removal

    • The thick woolly hair that acts as an insulator and protects the dog from heat and cold is called the undercoat. To keep your collie cool in the summer, you can remove the loose undercoat hair with an undercoat rake. There are a few specific zones in which a rake is particularly handy, such as the dog's rear, directly in front of the hind legs, right behind the front legs and around the neck. Avoid putting too much pressure on the rake, as it will pull the dog's hair and hurt your pet.

    Excess Shedding in Collies

    • Shedding and dry flaky skin are commonly seen in collies during fall and winter -- when owners have their heating turned up it causes your collie's skin to become dry. Use humidifiers or place water pans on radiators to add moisture to the environment to reduce these problems.

      Another aspect to shedding is light. Home-kept collies shed year-round, as they are constantly exposed to artificial light in homes, while dogs that are usually outdoors shed their undercoat mostly in the spring when the days are longer and sunlight is available in abundance. Further, collies kept outdoors shed again in fall when there is less sunlight and temperatures begin to drop. This is in preparation for winter, as the shedding makes way for the growth of the thicker winter coat.

      Nutrition plays a major role too. To minimize your collie's shedding, provide it with a diet that is nutritious and easily digestible. Give your collie a complete meal with a combination of fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and proteins. Include fatty acids such as Omega 3's and Omega 6's in the dog's diet. Hormonal changes, which occur after spaying and neutering or soon after a female has whelped or finished a heat cycle, can also cause shedding.

    When to See a Veterinarian

    • If your collie suffers from excessive shedding to the point of baldness, visit a vet immediately. Hair loss can be caused by many reasons, from hormonal imbalances to tumors. Hypothyroidism, Cushing's disease, tumors appearing on reproductive organs, alopecia X, alopecia areata, mange, fungal infections and stress are some of the common causes of excessive shedding in collies and other dog breeds.

      Improve the nutrition quality of or add nutritional supplements to your collie's diet as prescribed by your vet. Keep your dog happy and stress free. If a tumor is present, removal of the affected organ is usually suggested. For other hormonal conditions, hormonal therapy may be recommended.