How to Compare Dog Hair & Human Hair

While human hair and dog hair may look similar to the casual observer, several key factors serve to distinguish the two. Most observations regarding differences in hair types require a microscope, but there are a few things you can do without the aid of equipment to spot a dog hair. Spotting different kinds of hair is critical for investigators and scientists alike.

Things You'll Need

  • Microscope
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Instructions

    • 1

      Bend the hair. Human hair is soft and pliable, while dog hairs are usually firm and tough.

    • 2

      Examine the hair using a microscope. Human hair is much thinner than dog hair and the difference will be obvious when magnified.

    • 3

      Look at each segment of the hair. Human hair has larger segments than dog hair and presents in a uniform fashion.

    • 4

      Magnify the hair so that the roughness between segments is more easily noticed. Human hair is much rougher than dog hair.

    • 5

      Examine the hair for differences in pigmentation. Human hair is usually the same color from root to tip, while colors on a dog hair may change several times over the length of the hair.

    • 6

      Roll the hair in between your fingers. Human hair is much thinner than dog hair and you should be able to feel a difference between the two.