Do Poodles Shed?

For the longest time, people thought that Poodles don’t shed. In reality, they do. But instead of falling to the floor, their hair gets stuck in their beautiful curly coat. Shedding is normal, and just like humans, the Poodle’s hair will fall naturally at the end of the growth cycle and as you brush them.

All dogs shed. However, compared to other popular breeds like Alaskan Malamute and Golden Retriever, Poodle is considered a low shedding breed.

Take note that this article is not just isolated to Standard Poodles. This also covers the questions, Do Toy Poodles shed and Do Miniature Poodles shed.

Why Do Standard Poodles Shed Less?

There are a few reasons why your Poodle sheds less than most breeds.

Poodles are Single Coated

Double-coated dogs shed a lot compared to single-coated dogs. We have to emphasize that the Poodle breed has a single coat. Therefore, the shedding is less.

When a dog is double-coated, it experiences both normal year-round shedding. In addition to that, their undercoats go through extreme seasonal shedding.

Longer Growth Cycle

Shedding happens not just for dogs but for all mammals. Our hair goes through a cycle, and it will fall naturally once it reaches the end of its process. For Poodles, this cycle is longer than most dogs, making them shed lesser.

Their Coat Traps the Loose Hairs

The dense and curly coat of Poodles can effectively trap their hair and prevent it from falling. Instead of seeing these hairs around your home or on your furniture, you will see them as you brush their coat.

Take note that this is not just isolated to Standard Poodles. This also answers the questions, Do Toy Poodles shed or Do Miniature Poodles shed.

Are Poodles 100% Hypoallergenic?

The truth is, no breed is 100% hypoallergenic.

With Poodle, they are light shedders, and they produce minimal dander than most breeds. For people with allergies, they are easier to tolerate. To determine if you have pet allergies, you need to spend time with Poodles in their home environments.

How Much Do Poodles Shed?

We’ve been talking about low-shedding in this article, but what does it exactly mean?

It would be illogical to literally count your Poodle’s fallen hair. But what you need to remember is that larger dogs shed more because of their larger coat area. If you worry about this, it is best to get a Miniature or Toy Poodle.

Since Poodles have hair instead of fur, they shed only once every few weeks. For dogs with heavy fur, expect that they will shed after three of four days.

How to Deal When Your Poodle Sheds?

Grooming is necessary to maintain a healthy coat. While it doesn’t shed too much, experts consider Poodles to be a high-maintenance breed. Here are a few things you need to do for your Poodle.

Brushing

You need to brush and comb your Poodle’s coat to prevent it from matting. If you plan to keep your pet’s full coat, you will have to go down to the skin using quality grooming tools.

Bathing

You must bathe your Poodle every 2 to 4 weeks. They don’t have the typical dog odor smell, but regular bathing is also healthy for their coat. Others are even giving their pets a weekly bath to remove debris and to loosen up mats.

Look for shampoo specifically designed for Poodle. Also, do not attempt using human shampoos. Apart from shampoo, you also need to apply conditioner. This will keep your Poodle’s hair soft and tangle-free. What we recommend is to get a brand that has PABA ultraviolet sunscreen. This protects your pet from UV radiation when your dog is outdoors.

Other products that will benefit your Poodle are Finishing Sprays and Coat Dressings. These can make their coat’s shine and could help repel dirt.

Avoid overbathing as this could also lead to skin irritation, dryness, and excessive shedding.

Proper Diet

Remember that when your dog gets the proper nutrition, the hair follicles become healthier. This minimizes extra shedding brought undernourished hair.

Understandably, you would want to get the cheapest pet food available. But that might lack the essential nutrients that your Poodle needs. On average, quality food should cost you around $4 a pound.

Friendly Environment

Stress can also cause excessive shedding. There are different reasons why your Poodle might get stressed. For example, there’s a change in their routine. Another reason is if you welcome a new pet and person in your home.

Clipping

Next, clipping or cutting down your Poodle’s coat is important to ensure less space for loose hair to stick. To keep them comfortable, you should cut their coat to 1 to 2 inches all over. But, there are other styles to choose from depending on how you would like your Poodle to look.

Best Cuts for Your Poodle

Here are a few ideas that can help you pick the right cut for your Poodle.

Puppy Clip

This is the best option for Poodles under one year old. But if you wish to use it for your adult Poodle, it’s good too. It’s where the hair in the body is trimmed with scissors. As for the head, paws, and tails, these are shaved.

Sporting Clip

It’s a cut almost the same as the Puppy Clip. However, there’s a puff left on the top of the head. Plus, you leave a pompom on the tip of the tail.

Continental Clip

This is where certain areas of the body are shaved closely, and the rest are left long and fluffy. You can find pompoms on the legs, hips, and tail tip.

English Saddle Clip

With this type of cut, you get to shave different areas of the body, but it is less close than Continental Clip. More parts of the body are sculpted and trimmed.

Asian Style

The Asian Style is getting more popular by the minute and is perfect for Miniature and Toy Poodle. This will give your Poodle a Teddy bear-like appearance.

Today, we’ve seen a lot of Poodle owners maintaining a short cut. This is easier to manage and more efficient too. And while you can do the grooming on your own, there are a few pet owners who prefer to take their Poodle to professional groomers.

What Happens If You Don’t Groom Your Poodles?

As we’ve mentioned, you have to groom your Poodle every day. Because of the dog’s natural curls and long hair, it could lead to tangles and could invite unnecessary debris. If you will not brush your pet daily, it can cause more serious problems and could be unhealthy for their skin.

Hair Loss, Female Poodle

When it comes to female Poodle, their coat may become thinner and may experience hair loss when in heat. If this happens, you will notice that the skin will be exposed in various areas. Usually, it will take four months for the Poodle’s hair to grow back. However, it will be at the same time that they will enter another heat cycle.

If you have no plans to breed and your female Poodle suffers from severe hair loss, it is best to have them spayed.

When to Take Your Poodle to the Vet?

If your Poodle loses more hair than usual, it’s best if you take it to the vet right away. They may be suffering from skin conditions. Here are a few things that could cause hair loss:

• skin infections
• hormonal imbalances
• inflammatory diseases
• nutritional deficiencies

When your Poodle suffers from a health condition, and it causes the hair to be thin, there’s a possibility that it will never grow back. The condition is called alopecia.

Puppy Coat vs Adult Coat, Poodle

The coat that you see from your puppy will be different when they grow older. Initially, Poodle puppies will have a soft and wavy coat and will change into curly and thick one as they age.

Specifically, for Toy and Miniature Poodles, the changes will start at nine months old and could take about another nine months for the whole process to finish. In total, their full adult coat can be seen in 18 months.

For the Standard Poodle, their coat will change between nine to 16 months. And for other cases, it will be 24 months until you can see their full coat.

Expect that their coat will be matted, and this can be avoided when you regularly brush your Poodle.

Cleaning Your Home When Your Poodle Sheds

Even if Poodles are hypoallergenic, you must clean your home regularly. Use vacuum, dusting broom, or even paper towels to pick up the hair. Lint rollers are also effective for removing hair from curtains.

Conclusion

Like all dogs, Poodles shed too. But it’s not as much as other breeds. Yet again, it is high maintenance, and you have to groom it or brush it every day.

At the onset, you must observe your Poodle. Check if they shed too much. If yes, then you must consult your vet and see if there health issues that need to be addressed.

Always remember that no dog is 100% hypoallergenic. However, this particular breed is the closest you can get. To ensure minimum shedding at your home, get smaller dogs like the Miniature and Toy Poodles.