Dog Shedding Season: When It Happens and How to Manage It

If there are certain times of year when your home seems to fill with dog hair overnight, you are witnessing shedding season. It is completely natural — but that does not make it any easier to manage when there is fur on every surface. Understanding when it happens, and why, is the first step to keeping it under control.

Here is what drives shedding season, which dogs are affected most, and how to manage the hair without resorting to the one thing you should never do.

When is shedding season?

Most dogs shed year-round to some degree, but double-coated breeds have two big seasonal "blowouts" — typically in spring and again in autumn. In spring, they shed the dense winter undercoat to cool down for summer. In autumn, they shed the lighter summer coat to make way for a thicker winter one. These transitions are when you will notice the tumbleweeds of fur drifting across the floor.

Which dogs shed the most?

Double-coated breeds are the heaviest seasonal shedders, including:

• Huskies and Malamutes
• German Shepherds
• Golden Retrievers and Labradors
• Border Collies
• Pomeranians, Samoyeds, and Corgis

Curly-coated breeds like Cockapoos and Poodles shed far less, but their coats trap loose hair rather than dropping it — which is why they need regular grooming to prevent matting instead. Our guide on grooming frequency by coat type explains the difference.

How to manage shedding season

• ✓ Brush more frequently during spring and autumn — several times a week for heavy shedders.
• ✓ Book a groom at the start of each seasonal change — normal de-shedding is part of the right groom for double coats.
• ✓ Use the right tools — an undercoat rake reaches what a normal brush cannot.
• ✓ Keep your dog well-hydrated and their skin healthy to support a normal shedding cycle.

Why professional de-shedding beats home brushing alone

Home brushing helps with surface hair, but standard brushes cannot reach the dense undercoat where seasonal shedding starts. A professional de-shed combines a de-shedding shampoo, high-velocity drying to blow out loose fur from deep in the coat, and specialist raking tools — removing far more loose undercoat in one session than weeks of home brushing. For double coats it is part of a regular Bath & Style or our large breed grooming service, with an extra charge only when the coat is overdue or unusually heavy. Breed tips: German Shepherd, Husky & Malamute and Labrador. Our guide on why de-shedding is essential for double-coated breeds covers exactly how it works.

The one thing you should never do: shave a double coat

It is tempting to think shaving a heavy shedder solves the problem — but for double-coated breeds it makes things worse. The coat is natural insulation that keeps them cool in summer and warm in winter, and shaving can lead to sunburn, altered coat regrowth, and even increased overheating. De-shedding is the safe answer. For more on this, read our summer grooming safety tips.

FAQs