Yes, it’s a given. Dogs shed. Some dogs shed one layer of fur and others shed a more downey undercoat. Whichever kind of dog you have, you’re probably dealing with vacuuming up dog hair at least twice a year.
Here’s a question: Are you thinking of adding a dog to your family or even getting your current dog a playmate? If you are, we’ve put together a list of the 10 breeds that shed the most hair to help in your decision-making.
Akita
These dogs grew up in the mountains of Japan. If you love watching the winter Olympics, you may remember when they were in Sapporo which is in the region where the Akita originated. Because of this mountainous terrain and cold weather, the Akita’s coat is very thick and sheds year round.
Alaskan Malamute
Because this dog was bred to pull heavy loads across the arctic Alaskan frontier, they also have a thick double coat like the Akita and shed nearly year round.
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American Eskimo
No, we’re not talking about the natives in Alaska. This is a dog that originated in Northern Europe and is related to a breed called the German Spitz. They have long white fur that sheds continuously.
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Yes, Queen Elizabeth’s favorite breed of dogs are shedders – the Cardigan Welsh Corgi. We’re sure she has staff to vacuum up all the dog hair but they are another double coated breed that sheds hair all year long.
Chow Chow
Originating from Northern China, this black tongued pooch sports a lot of hair. The Chow Chow is beautiful, don’t get us wrong, but they have a large double coat as well and need to be brushed daily.
German Shepherd
This is the number two breed in popularity cited by the American Kennel Club. Typically, German Shepherds do something called “blowing” their coats twice a year. This means that they shed a lot of their coat usually in spring and fall. While these two periods of time show the most shedding activity, you will probably see your German shepherd shed her coat regularly.
Great Pyrenees
The Great Pyrnenees is a beautiful, large dog breed who were bred in the Pyrenees Mountains of France and Spain to guard livestock. As a result, their coats are long and thick to protect them from the cold.
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever may seem like its short coat shouldn’t cause a shedding issue but it does. The reason is because they are water retrievers and, so, they have a thick coat that keeps them warm. It’s the undercoat that sheds continuously.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Like her sister, the Cardigan, this breed was originally created to drive cattle and needed a very thick coat to keep them clean and warm during harsh English winters.
Siberian Husky
The Siberian Husky should be no surprise in the shedding department because they were bred and raised in Siberia where it’s very cold and they need a heavy, thick coat for protection.
There you have it, the top 10 breeds that shed the most hair. Just a little something to think about as you ponder your next furry BFF.
Image credit: istockphoto.com