You can be forgiven for thinking that the Beagle does not shed much. It is true that this breed’s hair is not the longest of all dogs. Moreover, Beagles do not have particularly fluffy coats. So why should they shed much?
Beagles shed all year round, and especially heavily during their shedding season. Their shedding season happens twice a year. The Beagle is a working dog and has the characteristic double coat that many working dog breeds typically will have.
In a double-coated dog, the upper layer of its coat is weather-resistant, while the undercoat helps to keep the body warm. Dogs that have double coats are known to shed more intensely than other dog breeds, and the Beagle is not an exception. This article discusses all you need to know about Beagle shedding. Also, if you are a Beagle owner seeking to know how best to groom and take general care of your doggo, this article is for you.
Is It Normal For Beagles To Shed A Lot?
It is perfectly normal for healthy Beagles to shed a lot and especially intensely, during their shedding season. Shedding is a continuous process for these dogs because they keep losing hair all the time.
Beagle shedding comes from the need for your pooch to get rid of old, damaged hair from its body. It then grows new hair to replace fallen hair. Hence, the Beagle is not the most hypoallergenic of dogs.
Beagle Shedding Levels
The rate at which your hound loses hair varies throughout the year. While it sheds moderately for most of the year, there are two periods in the year, namely fall and spring, when you will notice intense shedding in your furry buddy. In fact, during these periods, known as the shedding seasons, your Beagle may lose all of its hair.
Towards the end of fall, your doggo will shed the coat it grew during the warm months. In the place of this ‘summer coat,’ it develops a thick ‘winter jacket.’ The winter jacket helps it to keep warm during the cold winter months.
By springtime, the cold has left, and the weather becomes much warmer. Your furry friend no longer needs the heavy-duty winter coat and therefore needs to replace it with a lightweight coat.
These changes that happen to the coat of your pooch are thus accompanied by intense shedding. For periods outside these shedding seasons, shedding is often less pronounced.
However, should excessive shedding still take place outside during these periods, this shedding level is said to be anomalous. Below, we discuss some of the factors that can trigger anomalous shedding in your canine companion.
Skin Infections
When your dear Fido begins to lose hair excessively out of season, it can be a sign of skin infection. Beagles have sensitive skin. They are particularly vulnerable to viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections.
If your pooch is losing too much hair, it can be afflicted by parasites such as fleas, ticks, and mites. Otherwise, yeast, ringworm, impetigo, and severe folliculitis are microbial infections that can result in hair loss around the infected area.
Stress
Hair loss can be a sign of stress in your dog. A new dog may struggle to adapt to a new environment. This can lead to stress. Apart from that, Beagles are jealous, and the addition of a new dog may cause your Beagle to fret.
Allergies
Beagles famously have few congenital conditions. They are also better immune to many diseases than most dog breeds. However, they are prone to skin allergies due to their sensitive skin. The food they take, the environment, and exposure to certain chemical substances (such as pollen and grooming products) can trigger an allergic reaction in Beagles.
These allergens can cause flaky or dry skin, itching, and dandruff. In some cases, your hound can lose hair in response to them.
Other Underlying Issues
Immune disorders and skin tumors are underlying conditions that can also cause your four-legged buddy to lose hair excessively. It is important to schedule regular appointments with your vet to detect these issues on time.
Also, you can take DIY actions to prevent your pet from shedding too much. You’ll learn about these in the next section.
How Do I Stop My Beagle From Shedding So Much?
You cannot completely stop your Beagle from shedding because it is a natural process that Beagles and other dogs go through. This is very similar to how humans lose hair every day and regrow hair eventually.
Grooming Routine
However, if a grooming routine is in place or if you groom your dog properly and regularly, you can reduce its out-of-season shedding. Ideally, you should be grooming your Beagle once a week.
Effective grooming requires proper grooming tools. A good kit set should include a quality deshedding tool. This is what you will use to remove dead, loose hair from your canine’s body. If you do a bad deshedding job, the unremoved hair can clog the skin pores and lead to irritation in your four-legged companion.
This is why we recommend the FURminator Undercoat Tool. One of the best around, it is a de-shedding tool that you can rely on for the best results. It comes with an ergonomic handle that facilitates a quicker brushing session your Beagle may have to sit through.
Other materials that you should have are a bath brush, quality bath products, and a nail clipper or grinder.
How To Take Care Of Your Beagle?
Taking care of your doggo involves keeping it healthy. This means you have to provide it with a high-quality diet, take it out regularly for exercise, and keep it clean at all times.
We talk about each of these aspects in detail below.
Diet
Your dog’s diet is very important. A good diet will keep it strong and healthy. Additionally, a proper diet can enhance its coat while making its hair flourish – remember, lack of proper diet may cause your Beagle to lose hair.
Beagles do best with quality dry food. If you’re looking to get food with the appropriate dietary requirements for your Beagle, look no further than Pet Plate. They make quality dry food that you can easily ration for your doggo.
Also, Beagles like to eat a lot. To avoid obesity, you must not indulge your canine companion. You must regulate its food intake. Ideally, a cup (about 3 oz) twice daily should suffice for your pooch. Meanwhile, you must ensure it doesn’t go about foraging in-between meals.
You can also supplement your dog’s diet with multivitamins such as Omega-3 and vitamin A, both of which boost immune health and skin health for your Beagle.
Exercise Routine
Beagles like to exercise. Regular exercise keeps the dog happy. This helps to keep stress and anxiety levels – factors that encourage excess shedding – at a minimum. Not exercising your Beagle for a long time may leave it bored, vocal, and with a destructive tendency.
Take your dog on two 25-minute walks daily. Hounds are adventurous, and their strong sense of smell means they can easily pick up a distracting scent. Therefore, you should leash your Beagle while outside to prevent it from wandering off.
General Hygiene
It goes without saying that you should keep your Beagle clean at all times. Good hygiene will prevent infestation by parasites while also reducing the risk of microbial infections of the coat and skin. And when they show, you can easily spot them early on.
Is It OK To Shave A Beagle?
It is not okay for you to shave your Beagle. If you are shaving to reduce its shedding level, then you don’t need to shave your pooch. This is because shaving a Beagle has no effect on the shedding rate, but this damages its double coat in the long run.
The undercoat hair will usually regrow at a rate faster than that of the upper layer, causing drastic changes to the coat texture and a “patchy” appearance in the end. This also disrupts the thermoregulating properties the double coat will have on your Beagle during cold and warm seasons.
Shaving As A Last Resort
If you don’t have time to groom your canine companion regularly, shaving it as a last resort won’t be a bad option. Not brushing your pet’s hair for a long time will leave the coat thick and matted.
Matted hair makes it very easy for the coat to absorb and retain moisture and dirt. Moisture and dirt combine to create an environment that supports parasitic, fungal, and bacterial invasion. In addition, matted hair can create a lot of discomfort for your Beagle due to irritation.
Beagles have sensitive skin, and you certainly won’t like your Fido’s reaction to these germs. Hence, you can find a good time in early summer to shave him.
A shaved Beagle takes the color of its undercoat, which is usually paler than the upper layer. You won’t get accustomed to this ‘naked’ sight of your furry buddy; it begins to grow new hair after two weeks. But it can take the hair up to a year to grow to its full length.
How Often Should I Bathe My Beagle?
The recommended interval for bathing Beagles is once every 2 to 6 months. However, Beagles can be smelly, even when they look clean.
Why Do Your Beagle Stink?
The thick double coat of your Beagle supports dirt and moisture buildup underneath. This is an invitation for germs to fester within the coat layer that does not smell pleasantly with time.
This foul smell is also exacerbated by the natural secretions from the sebaceous glands of your four-legged furry friend. Therefore, bathing your pooch twice or thrice a year may not be practical, especially if your Beagle loves outdoor activities.
While you can’t bathe your hound too often because of its sensitive skin, you should not allow it to get too dirty, as this can be detrimental to its health. The best option is to bathe it as soon as it begins to emit an unpleasant odor.
To bathe your Beagle, wet the entire body and massage its coat with quality shampoo. We recommend the Pro Pet Works All Natural 5 in 1 Oatmeal Shampoo, a hypoallergenic shampoo that is quite common among Beagle owners. After applying the shampoo, rinse its body thoroughly and dry it with a towel.
Related Questions
Do Beagles Shed More Than Labradors? Beagles shed more than Labradors. Despite both dog breeds having short double coats, Labradors only shed seasonally, whereas Beagles shed all the time.
Do Beagles Need Haircuts? Shaving Beagles is not a common practice. They have sensitive skin and the feel of a clipper running on their skin may not be such a pleasant experience for them. Grooming your Beagle regularly is a better option.
Why Is My Beagle Getting Bald Spots? Bald spots are usually your pet’s way of responding to external elements. They can be a symptom of allergies. They may also indicate the presence of yeast, ringworm, mange mites, and bacteria around the affected areas.
