Their outer coat consists of coarse hair that helps protect them from cold weather and from biting insects like ticks and mosquitoes.
Mastiffs are an excellent choice for those who live in areas where temperatures change drastically throughout the year.
They are also great companions, especially while living in an area that experiences extreme weather conditions during the winter, such as rain or snow storms.
Their undercoat is softer fur that keeps them warm during colder temperatures.
The Mastiffs’ guard hair stays more or less the same throughout the year.
For this reason, you wouldn’t find clumps of hair all over your home when they shed their undercoat.
Instead, you will only see the shed hair stuck to furniture, clothing, and carpet.
It can be most noticeable in the spring when their undercoat dramatically blows out (which can be somewhat problematic).
Mastiffs don’t require much grooming either due to their moderate shedding.
Just brush out their coats so that the dead hairs come out before they end up on your clothes or furniture.
Therefore, if you’re looking for a big dog but don’t want piles of fur all over your house, this breed might be right up your alley.
What Causes Mastiffs to Shed Hair
If you have a mastiff, you should expect to lose some hair from time to time.
Mastiff dogs shed their hair for a variety of reasons, including:
The season
Your Mastiff will shed more than in the winter during the summer months.
It’s a natural part of their body cycle.
Like other breeds, Mastiffs have an annual shed that lasts anywhere from 2 to 4 months.
During this time, they may lose up to 100 hairs per day.
Dogs produce more oil during the colder months to keep their skin and coat healthy.
In the summertime, this oil has less chance of being absorbed by your dog’s fur follicles, so it ends up on the ground or your furniture.
It’s normal and should not cause concern unless it is excessive or your dog is losing a lot of fur.
Thus, keep your dog’s coat conditioned during these times to avoid excessive shedding.
Too Young for its Breed
If you’ve adopted a puppy that hasn’t yet reached maturity, it may shed more than usual while it grows into its coat.
The same is true if you’ve adopted an adult that hasn’t yet reached full maturity; it may still be growing into its coat and will shed more than usual while it does so.
In addition, when they’re young, dogs have a lot of energy.
They need to burn off some of that energy.
Thus, they can shed more than adult dogs.
Puppies also have immature skin glands and don’t produce enough sebum (the skin’s oily substance).
It makes them more susceptible to dry skin and dandruff than adult dogs are.
As a result, they shed more.
After Giving Birth
If your female Mastiff has recently given birth, she may shed more than usual while nursing her litter.
Moreover, she will often need time to recover before getting pregnant again.
This can cause them to shed more than usual during this period.
Allergies
Some dogs are allergic to certain foods or ingredients they shouldn’t eat.
So, they will start shedding after ingesting them.
Additionally, allergies in your home, such as dust mites or pollen, can affect your dog’s skin and coat, leading to shedding.
Change in Diet
A change in diet can cause excessive shedding.
If you’ve recently switched your dog’s diet or introduced new food into their diet, this could be the culprit.
Are Mastiffs Hypoallergenic?
Mastiffs are not hypoallergenic because they have a short double coat that sheds moderately. Hypoallergenic means dogs’ dander and saliva are less likely to cause allergic reactions in people. If a dog is hypoallergenic, they produce less dander (dead skin cells) than other breeds. However, even if a dog produces less dander than others, it still sheds.
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.
