The pointers have a single short, smooth coat that sheds negligible hair all year round.
English pointers coats come in different shades ranging from black, white to orange, and with proper grooming, you’ll hardly notice when they shed.
As a pet parent, you can’t run away from shedding since it’s a natural process; however, your efforts in handling it determine how much of the hair lies on your fixtures.
This article will examine the English Pointers shedding rate and how to manage it.
How Much Do the English Pointers Shed?
English pointers are low shedders; their thin, short, and smooth coat allows them to lose minimal hair even during their heaviest shedding season.
English pointers are among the lowest shedding compared to other breeds in the pointers variant.
This is because the dog’s purpose was to give chase during hunting; as such, they wouldn’t hold a double coat that would add to their weight and affect their speed.
The English pointers are easy to groom, which, if done well, also contributes to their low shedding.
So if you detest dog hair lying around your house, this is the dog for you.
Despite being low shedders, your efforts are necessary for controlling the shedding among the pointers.
To keep it in check, apply these best practices:
Proper Diet
Dogs are like humans.
They will be weak and sickly if you don’t feed them the right diet.
Feed the English Pointers nutritious foods for their overall well-being and to control shedding
Any meal your dog ingests ought to be beneficial to its system.
Malnutrition will make your dog sick.
Consequently, the dog will be stressed out, and you’ll have stress-oriented shedding.
If you want to improve the state of your dog’s coat, you need to feed it meals that will moisturize the coat, leaving it glossy.
This is because a dog coat has natural oils that must be well saturated to remain healthy.
Some dog meal options are well placed to boost the health of your canine friend’s coat, such as those rich in Vitamin E or fatty acids like Omega 3 and 6.
If you could work around your dog’s meals and ensure that what you feed them boosts the distribution of the natural oils on their coats, you’ll be halfway through managing the shedding.
Brushing
One sure way to control shedding among the English Pointers is to brush them regularly with the right tools.
Since the dogs have a short soft coat, a bristle brush or a rubber mitt will serve the purpose.
Brush the dog frequently, like once or twice a week that way, you will have minimal dog hair strewn around your house.
Since the Pointer’s coat features short hair, the cycle of its new hair growth is short, so you need to brush the dog to help remove the dead ones constantly.
Brushing also helps saturate the natural skin oils keeping the fur intact.
Bathing helps tackle shedding in that if the dog was playing in the mud and the coat got all dirty, you need to wash it out and remove the clumps of hair that could be holding together.
Ensure you use the right products as the wrong ones could be counterproductive and increase the shedding.
For instance, using human shampoo on the dog will dry its coat, making it itchy.
Unlike brushing, don’t bathe the Pointer regularly as this can make the skin dry, triggering irritation, leading to itching and consequently aggravating the shedding.
After bathing, dry and brush the dog properly to eliminate all the dead hairs.
Immediately you get the dog out of the water; naturally, it will shake off the excess water, after which you can dry and brush it.
What Leads to Excessive Shedding in English Pointers?
Since English pointers are low shedders, if you notice hairs all over your house, that should raise the alarm.
Some of the main causes of heavy shedding include:
Allergic reactions
Skin infections
Internal organ failure
Emotional stress
Pregnancy
Lactating females
Over licking
Parasites
Some of these aspects you can easily resolve without a vet’s intervention, such as maintaining high levels of hygiene to tackle parasites.
Some like pregnancy and lactating female pointers will be over and done once the dog returns to its normal life.
You, however, need to consult the vet for professional help handling other factors such as skin infections and allergies.
To avoid excessive shedding, you need to be proactive and do the best on your part, like grooming and ensuring the dog has a balanced diet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are English Pointers Hypoallergenic
No, they are not hypoallergenic.
Since they shed albeit minimally, they can trigger a reaction, making them not the best breed for people allergic to animals.
Do the English Pointer Puppies Shed?
Yes, the pointer puppies will shed their baby coat gradually as they adopt their more mature look.
Hi, my name is Megan Turner and I have worked in a dog’s shelter for four years now. It is truly my dream job, and I see hundreds of dogs every month being united with new owners to give them a loving forever home.
Unfortunately, handicapped dogs are much more likely to be ignored when a family is picking out their new pet. Handicapped pets need more care than non-handicapped pets, so it is understandable why they are often harder to rehome.
