When welcoming a new dog into the family there are many different things to consider such as their character, as well as what their personality is like, especially if you have little ones in your home. But one thing that people keep forgetting to look into is how bad a dog sheds.
Blue Heelers shed twice a year, however, this depends on the temperature where they live. For instance, warmer climates will see a lot more shedding from this breed whereas cooler climates may not see any significant shedding at all. Regardless, there are some steps to take to minimize the amount of fur around your home.
In this article, we will talk about the shedding habits of Blue Heelers so that you can decide whether this is a good breed for you to adopt into your home.
The Blue Heeler, often known as the Australian Cattle Dog, has a double coat. This implies they have a short guard coat, about one and a half inches long, that protects them from rubbing up against non-shedding objects.
The undercoat is the second coat. In colder weather, the undercoat’s purpose is to keep them warm. They shed this undercoat as the temperature warms up with the changing of seasons, keeping them cooler.
They shed twice a year on average. This, however, varies depending on the temperature in which they live, whether they are indoor or outdoor dogs, whether they are neutered in the event of a male, and the overall health of their coat. Some Australian Cattle Dogs even shed throughout the year.
A neutered male will often only shed once a year. After being in heat, an unspayed female will normally shed. This usually happens twice a year. Female dogs come into season less frequently as they get older.
The undercoat of the Blue Heeler can be extremely dense, and they shed a lot of fur. When a double-coated dog sheds heavily, the coat is said to be “blown.” This indicates that the coat is clumping.
Regularly brush your Blue Heeler
Something that’s not just important but critical for double-coated dog breeds like blue heelers is regular brushing. Brushing your pet loosens up fur ready to shed, catches excess shedding, and even distributes dog’s skin oil throughout their coat.
Just like frequently brushing your hair keeps it shiny and healthy, frequent grooming of your blue heeler keeps their coat in tip-top shape while helping you control how many stray hairs you find at home.
Sudsing up doesn’t just keep your blue heeler from getting stinky; it also gives you another chance to loosen and wash away extra hairs that would otherwise end up in the air or on your furniture.
Regular baths also help promote healthy skin and a strong, moisturized coat, which helps your dog’s fur break and shed less.
Most experts recommend you bathe your furry friend every 4-6 weeks, or more frequently if they begin to smell or appear visibly dirty.
Be sure not to bathe your dog too frequently, as it can dry out their coat and skin. If you’d like the baths to be more effective, consider investing in dog shampoo or other grooming products designed for blue heelers and other dogs who shed heavily.
Routine grooming is a useful recommendation to control shedding both in and out of the shedding season. When your blue heeler is blowing his coat, daily grooming with a steel comb and a wire brush will be necessary to control the free-floating hair in your house. One or two warm baths with a quality dog shampoo will also help eliminate loose hair during this time. Outside of shedding season, combing and brushing only needs to be done a couple of times a week and baths can be limited to an as-needed basis, like if your heeler gets into something extremely dirty or smelly.
If youve got an active lifestyle and are inclined to take your dog along for the adventure, blue heelers are up for whatever exciting activity you have in mind. Also called Australian cattle dogs, theyre working dogs who need a lot going on to keep them occupied. They arent exactly high maintenance in the grooming department, but knowing what youre in for with blue heelers and shedding will make grooming easier to deal with.
Blue heelers have a double coat. They have a dense undercoat beneath an extremely short outer coat that typically grows only to 1 1/2 inches in length. Blue heelers coats dont appear to be as thick as they are because the outer hairs rest close to the undercoat. If you like dogs of unusual color and markings youll approve of the blue heelers appearance. Coloring can range from blue to red or blue speckled, blue mottled or even a combination of these.
Theres no getting around it: any dog with fur will shed. Dogs with thicker fur tend to shed a bit more, especially in warm climates. Blue heelers, in general, will shed moderately under normal circumstances. Yes, this means hell leave hairs on your pant leg when he leans in for a pat, and if he reclines on the sofa, therell be evidence of his presence there, as well.
Aside from the usual shedding that can be expected, if you adopt a blue heeler be prepared for his twice yearly “coat blow.” For one or two weeks every spring and possibly one additional time each year, blue heelers blow their coats, shedding their undercoat in tufts and clumps. How often your heelers coat undergoes this major shed depends on the climate and whether he has been neutered or not. Altered males typically only blow their coats once a year. If you have a female heeler who isnt yet fixed, though, you can expect her to go through a major shedding after each time she goes into heat.
How Do I Stop My Blue Heeler From Shedding?
You’ll never be able to entirely eliminate shedding in a Blue Heeler or any other double-coated dog. The amount of hair they leave around the house or on your clothes, on the other hand, can be reduced. These are some suggestions for reducing the amount of coat shed by your Australian Cattle dog.
FAQ
Are Blue Heelers high maintenance?
The main thing you can do to reduce shedding is regularly brushing your dog. Brushing helps to remove excess and lose fur. It also redistributes your dog’s skin oil into the fur helping it to stay in place.
Do Blue Heelers make good house dogs?