If you have a dog that sheds, spring can feel like a losing battle against fur. It is on your clothes, your furniture, your floors, and somehow in your food. The tumbleweeds of dog hair rolling across your hardwood feel endless. But spring shedding is a completely natural process, and understanding why it happens — and how to manage it effectively — can make the season much more bearable for both you and your dog.
Why Spring Shedding Happens
Dogs with double coats — an outer coat of guard hairs and an inner coat of soft, dense undercoat — shed their winter undercoat in spring as days get longer and temperatures rise. This process, often called "blowing coat," is triggered primarily by changes in daylight length rather than temperature, which is why indoor dogs who are exposed to artificial lighting may shed more consistently year-round rather than in dramatic seasonal bursts. The winter undercoat served as insulation during cold months, and as the body no longer needs that extra layer, it is shed to make way for a lighter summer coat. This is a healthy, normal process — but the volume of loose fur can be genuinely astonishing, especially in breeds with heavy double coats.
Double-Coat Breeds: The Biggest Shedders
The heaviest spring shedders are the double-coated breeds:
- Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes
- German Shepherds
- Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers
- Corgis (both Pembroke and Cardigan)
- Samoyeds and American Eskimo Dogs
- Australian Shepherds
- Great Pyrenees and Bernese Mountain Dogs
- Akitas and Shiba Inus
- Newfoundlands and Saint Bernards
These breeds can shed enough undercoat during spring to fill several grocery bags — and the shedding period can last two to four weeks. Single-coated breeds (Poodles, Yorkies, Maltese) and wire-coated breeds (Schnauzers, Wirehaired Terriers) do not experience this seasonal blow, though they may have minor increases in hair loss during seasonal transitions.
Professional De-Shed Treatments
The single most effective thing you can do during spring shedding season is bring your dog in for a professional de-shed treatment. This is not just a regular bath and brush — it is a specialized service designed to remove as much loose undercoat as possible in one session. A professional de-shed typically includes a pre-treatment with a deshedding shampoo that helps loosen the undercoat, a thorough lather and soak time to let the products work, a high-velocity dryer session that blows out massive amounts of loose coat, and a thorough brush-out with appropriate deshedding tools. The results are noticeable — a single session pulls out a large volume of dead, loose undercoat, which cuts down on the fur ending up around your home for weeks afterward. Many owners book a de-shed treatment two to three times during spring to stay on top of the seasonal blow.
Home Brushing During Shedding Season
Between professional treatments, regular brushing at home is essential during spring shedding season. For double-coated breeds, daily brushing with an undercoat rake or deshedding tool removes loose undercoat before it ends up on your furniture. Work in sections, brushing with the direction of hair growth, and focus on the areas where undercoat is densest — the ruff around the neck, the chest, the "pants" on the rear legs, and the base of the tail. A slicker brush after the undercoat rake smooths the outer coat and catches any remaining loose hair. Expect each brushing session to take 15 to 20 minutes for a medium to large double-coated dog during peak shedding.
The Diet Connection
A healthy diet supports a healthy coat cycle, and dogs with optimal nutrition tend to have more efficient, manageable shedding — a dog's coat says a lot about what's in their bowl. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, in particular, supports skin health and can reduce excessive shedding by strengthening the hair follicle and reducing inflammation-related hair loss. If your dog's shedding seems excessive even outside of seasonal transitions, it may be worth evaluating their diet — chronic year-round heavy shedding can be a sign of nutritional deficiency, allergies, or underlying health issues.
Thinking About Shaving to Beat the Shedding? What to Weigh First
Every spring, well-meaning owners ask about shaving a double-coated dog to "help them stay cool" or to cut down on shedding. It's a fair thing to ask about, but a double coat behaves differently from a single coat, so it's worth understanding the trade-offs before you decide. The undercoat insulates against heat in summer as much as cold in winter, and the guard hairs help shield the skin from UV. The American Kennel Club's chief veterinary officer has warned that shaving a double coat eliminates that insulating layer, leaves the skin more exposed to sun, and can lead to improper, patchy regrowth — we quote his full guidance in our guide to shaving a double-coated dog. In practice that can mean:
- Reduced ability to regulate temperature, rather than the cooling owners are hoping for
- More direct sun exposure on the skin
- Uneven regrowth — the undercoat can return faster than the guard hairs, leaving a patchy or fuzzy texture
- No real drop in shedding — the dog sheds the same amount, just in shorter hairs
For most double-coated dogs, a thorough de-shed gets at what owners are usually after — less loose fur and a lighter, cooler dog — without those trade-offs, which is why a lot of groomers and vets reach for it first. There are exceptions, though: severe matting or a medical reason your vet identifies can make a shorter clip the kinder choice. It's your dog and your call — we'll tell you what we're seeing in the coat and walk through the options at the appointment, and your vet is the right person for anything medical.
Spring shedding season does not have to be a nightmare. With the right combination of professional de-shed treatments, consistent home brushing, and good nutrition, you can keep the fur manageable and your dog comfortable. Book a de-shed treatment at American Puppy and let us help you get through shedding season with your sanity — and your furniture — intact.