Do Border Collies Shed? [+2 Easy Tips on How to Stop It]

Border Collies make excellent pets, especially for those who need help in herding tasks. Thus, if you plan on getting one, you may probably ask if this pet has downsides. Of course, one of the everyday things you need to know is shedding.

So, do Border Collies shed? Yes, Border Collies do shed. These dogs are moderate shedders, which means they shed from time to time the whole year. Moreover, they undergo seasonal shedding, which can be quite heavy. For this reason, you may need to prepare yourself in dealing with loose and dead hair if you take this dog home.

Border Collies are dogs with a thick double coat. It changes throughout the year in moderation. However, as the season changes, they tend to change it entirely.

With moderate to heavy shedding, these dogs need help when it comes to maintaining their coat. Don’t worry, though. They are hardworking dogs, so a bit of grooming reward shouldn’t hurt.

Let’s get into it more!

Do Border Collies shed a lot?

Border Collies are dogs that shed in moderation throughout the year. Moreover, they can do so heavily as they undergo seasonal shedding.

Since this breed comes with that thick double coat, they have quite an attractive appearance. Of course, due to such, these dogs need frequent grooming sessions.

For this reason, a Border Collie needs more attention to keep its coat looking good.

Since this dog is hardworking, it’s always ready to help with your tasks. All it needs in return is a little bit of care to maintain a good appearance.

Unlike other dog breeds, you may need to brush this pet at least once a week to maintain a good condition.

However, if you can do it more times in a week, it would result in a shiny and healthy fluffy coat.

The good thing about this breed is that they won’t have that strong doggie odor if their coat gets brushed often.

Also Read:

• Do Greyhounds Shed?
• Do Chow Chows Shed?
• Do Dachshund Shed?
• Do Shih Tzu Shed?

How do I stop my Border Collie from shedding?

Shedding is a part of a dog’s life cycle. As I said, Border Collies are moderate shedders. Thus, it shouldn’t come as a surprise for you to deal with loads of loose and dead fur.

Although it’s impossible to stop a Border Collie from shedding, you can still do something to control it. By brushing and bathing, you can help your pet deal with its shedding.

Brush the coat.

Brushing your Border Collie removes its loose and dead hairs. If you do it as frequently as possible, it will result in a healthy and shiny one less likely to shed.

It is a good idea to brush a Border Collie at least once or twice a week. This way, you can control the amount of loose and dead hairs and lessen the mess during seasonal shedding.

If your pet sheds way too much, it would be best to give it a bathing session.

Bathe your pet only during seasonal shedding.

It’s not a good idea to give Border Collies frequent bath sessions. In general, you’ll only need to bathe your pet once every three months.

However, if your pet sheds too much, it would be best to give it a bathing session and make it longer than usual.

Baths will help lessen the excessive shedding. By doing so, it removes loose hairs that are about to fall already.

Thus, instead of all loose hairs falling simultaneously, bathing would lessen such by removing them.

In general, regular baths and brush sessions helps lessen shedding. It removes loose hairs from the coat and keeps it free-flowing. Lastly, it also maintains good skin health by removing dead hairs.

Why are Border Collies shedding?

First, it’s important to remember that Border Collies are moderate shedding dogs. Thus, it’s part of their nature to shed their coat too much and quite often. They do so for many reasons.

Border Collies shed to replace their old coat with new ones.

Like all other dogs, Border Collies shed to allow new fur to replace the dead and loose ones. It’s a part of every dog’s life, and this breed is an excellent example of such.

Since these dogs have a thick fur coat, they shed more than any other dog breeds. Thus, it would be best to prepare to deal with such heavy shedding if you plan on getting this dog.

Border Collies shed to adapt to changing seasons.

Aside from the primary reason, Border Collies also shed their coats to adapt to different seasons.

For instance, these dogs shed their coats to replace them with thicker ones during winter. They do this to keep themselves warm amidst the cold season.

As they experience summer, they shed as well to replace the thick ones with thinner coats. They do this to withstand the heat and prevent themselves from feeling too hot.

Since shedding takes quite some time, they do so before the peak of the season. Thus, such a process usually happens during spring and fall.

How long do Border Collies shed for?

Border Collies will shed all year long. However, they would undergo a seasonal shedding twice a year. During this time, they would change their coats entirely to adapt to the upcoming season.

Like all other dogs, this breed produces a thicker coat as temperatures start to drop and daylight happens quicker. Thus, it would usually occur during fall or autumn.

As the temperature rises again and daylight happens longer, they start losing their thick coats to prepare for the summer heat.

During such seasonal shedding, your pet may shed entirely in the course of more or less eight weeks.

During the said weeks, your pet may experience heavy shedding, which is entirely normal.

Thus, it would be best to help your pet in its shedding process by giving it more care and attention.

Try to up its bathing and brushing session. This way, your pet can pass through such a time with ease.

When do Border Collies shed the most?

Border Collies shed the most during shedding seasons, which are usually during spring and fall.

Shedding seasons is when dogs like Border Collies shed their entire coats. They replace their coats to help them prepare for the coming season.

It may take up to eight weeks for your dog to entirely change its coat, as I said earlier. For this reason, you may want to help it during such times.

Border Collies usually shed during spring to prepare for the coming summer. During this season, they shed their thick coats for something thinner. This way, they can prepare and prevent themselves from getting too hot from the summer heat.

They may also shed during fall or autumn to prepare for winter. This time, they replace the thin coat with thicker ones. It will help them stay warm amidst the winter’s cold.

What to do if your Border Collie is shedding excessively?

Border Collies and shedding go hand in hand. Thus, if you worry about your pet shedding too much, don’t. It’s an ordinary occurrence for this breed.

Thus, while you can’t stop it from happening, you can still do something to deal with it.

The best way to deal with it is to remove all those loose and dead hairs in your pet’s coat. You can do such by bathing and brushing your pet.

As I said earlier, shedding is when the old and dead hair gets replaced by new ones.

Thus, if your pet sheds excessively, it means the season is about to change and that it needs to change its coat.

Bathing your pet helps you remove those loose and dead hair without creating a big mess. Moreover, it will help you quickly take those loose hairs away in one washing.

Lastly, it will keep your pet’s coat clean and its skin healthy. This way, you’ll worry less about your pet shedding on your place.

Another thing you can do is to give your pet a brushing session as it sheds. By brushing, you help your pet eliminate the hairs that need replacement.

This way, you’ll lessen the shedding time and will help the replacement process to be quicker.

As a general rule of thumb, shedding is a part of a Border Collie and all other dogs’ lives. Thus, it’s not something you can prevent, but you certainly can do something about it.

Are Border Collies hypoallergenic?

The short answer is no. Border Collies are not hypoallergenic. Thus, you may want to think twice about getting one if you’re allergic to fur and other things that this dog carries.

Now, if you already have a Border Collie and you just find out that you’re allergic recently, don’t grieve. You can still do something about it.

Read on to know what you can do to deal with your pet if you have allergic reactions they can trigger.

What to do if I am allergic to my Border Collie?

You can do many ways to test yourself if you’re allergic to your Border Collie. Now, if you already think you are, here are some things you can do to deal with it.

Give the brushing duty to other people.

If you are allergic to your Border Collie, brushing it on your own may not be a good idea. Moreover, it would be best to have your pet’s brushing session outside. This way, you’ll prevent dog danders from staying inside the house.

Regular brushing would prevent danders and other factors that may trigger allergic reactions. Still, it’s not something you need to do yourself.

If you keep, it’s coat short, brushing at least thrice a week lessens your chances of allergies.

Wipe your pet clean.

Using grooming wipes help keep your pet clean and prevent it from being an allergy trigger.

Three things can cause allergic reactions. These are dander, urine, and saliva. Thus, removing such things immediately with wipes would lessen your allergic reactions.

Of course, nothing beats an old-fashioned bath. However, bathing isn’t something you can do all the time. If your pet needs some immediate cleaning, a wipe will surely come in handy.

When using wipes, always give a run all over the body. Wipe up below to clean the specks of urine. It would be best if you also went for the face and neck for saliva and the rest of the body for dog danders.

Wiping is ideal, especially if your pet recently got back from playing outside.

Limit access for very allergic people.

If you or a family member is very allergic, it would be best to keep your pet from entering that person’s room. It would also be best not to let the pet access the room where that person spends most of its time.

Wash hands frequently.

The best way to prevent allergic reactions is by washing your hands. Most allergies get triggered through contact with their face. Moreover, a person may touch his face as frequently as we can imagine.

For this reason, washing hands is the best way to prevent such allergic reactions from happening.

If you’re allergic to your pet, it would be best to clean your hands or even clean your body after handling it.

This way, you’ll lessen your chances of suffering from your allergies caused by your pet.

Purify your air.

Cleaning your atmosphere lessens the chances of triggering allergic reactions. By using an air purifier, you can get rid of particles that can cause allergies.

It’s something ideal for people who suffer from seasonal allergies. If you get a good-quality cleaner, you can remove those dog danders, dust, and even mold spores.

Summary

A Border Collie is a moderate-shedding dog. Thus, you may need to prepare to deal with loose hair. Due to their double coat, they need more attention and grooming than other breeds.

Shedding happens in Border Collies not only to replace the old coat with new ones. Moreover, they need to replace their fur to adapt to the season.

You will experience shedding throughout the year with this breed. Moreover, these dogs would shed heavily at least twice a year, and it’s likely during autumn and spring.

As a general rule of thumb, all dogs require proper grooming, such as bathing and brushing. As long as you do so regularly, you can lessen your pet’s shedding and even avoid allergic reactions.

Resources

Image credits – Canva

[1] Border Collie – Wikipedia

[2] Dogs Are Shedding… Light on Human Health – NIH

[3] Dog allergen levels in homes with hypoallergenic compared with nonhypoallergenic dogs – NCBI