There’s no denying how much joy a dog can bring into our lives. Unfortunately, not all of us have the luxury of enjoying our pets without constantly sneezing, rubbing itchy eyes and dealing with everything else that comes with pet allergies.
It is understandable why some people need to find out whether Springer spaniels shed their fur.
The answer: yes, Springer spaniels do shed their fur, and this happens throughout the year. In fact, Springer spaniels shed even more hair during spring and autumn.
What does this mean for people with pet hair allergies?
Unfortunately, Springer spaniels might not be the best dog for you. While there might be ways to manage the impact of hair these dogs shed, there is no way to actually reduce it as it is a natural part of their lives.
Let’s Take a Close Look at the Springer Spaniel Coat
Both the English and Welsh Springer spaniels have medium length coats of various colored spots that are made up of two layers. The first layer, which is the inner coat, is soft and has a thick texture. The second layer, which is known as the outer coat, can be wavy or straight.
Why two layers of fur?
This is actually an ingenious way to help Springer spaniels endure very harsh weather and to protect them from debris. It is also a great way to add some type of water resistance to their coats. All of this is necessary because Springer spaniels were used for working out in the fields and to go hunting with their human companions.
Why Do Springer Spaniels Shed?
There are some very good reasons:
These breeds need to release all of that excess fur from their bodies. Shedding helps to do this. In fact, besides getting rid of excess fur, shedding also helps in removing tiny dust particles and other types of debris that gets caught up in the hair.
In fact, it is this fine dust from the shedding hair that triggers pet allergies.
There is another reason:
As Springer spaniels have a double layer of fur, they need to be able to deal with this during the hot and cold seasons. During the hot seasons, they shed their fur in order to keep them cool, and then they regrow more fur once the weather gets cooler.
While I did mention that there is no way to stop a Springer spaniel from shedding, there is a kind of way:
You could consider crossbreeding. The idea is to select a breed with positive traits in order to null out some of the negative ones. One of the popular choices are poodle cross breeds as it could produce a hypoallergenic mixed “Springer” breed.
But then again, it’s not really a Springer spaniel, is it?
How to Lessen the Impact of Shedding
While you’re not able to stop shedding, there are a few things you can do to manage this problem, which is really your problem and not the dog’s. Never forget that!
This will be an ongoing endeavor throughout the year, so prepare yourself. Another thing to keep in mind is that during certain seasons, more grooming will be necessary.
To start with, it really depends on how much your Springer spaniel’s hair bothers you. Some people recommend daily grooming while others weekly.
A good quality brush is necessary for grooming. This is important, because besides removing any of the loose hair, the brush’s task is also to keep your dog’s fur tangle free and to remove dirt and debris as well.
Regularly brushing your Springer spaniels hair will also help to prevent matting. This is important because matting is known to produce excess shedding.
The idea is to remove the potentially loose hair before it lands on your carpets, couch or bed. However, keep in mind that no matter how much you brush, there will still be a few loose hairs that getaway. There is always going to be some evidence of shedding.
Once you’re done brushing, trim the outer coat hair as this is normally longer and is more prone to picking up all of those extra pieces of items such as thorns, grass, twigs and other unwanted materials from the outdoors.
Be sure to put all loose hair straight into the trash. The most effective way to get rid of the hair with the least amount of fuss is by brushing your dog’s hair while you’re out on a walk or in your garden.
But again, make sure you throw the hair away and don’t just leave it lying around on the ground; being considerate is always good.
A popular brush to use is one that has thin wire pins with plastic or rubber on the tips. This will ensure that the grooming process is enjoyable for your Springer spaniel.
Like I mentioned before, while grooming helps a lot in managing the shedding problem, you will still need to do more to lessen the impact.
Vacuum your home as often as possible and buy yourself a lint roller. Lint rollers are excellent because they are able to remove a lot of the hair that even your vacuum cleaner can’t remove, especially when it comes to removing dog hair from your clothes, couch or bed.
You might also want to consider investing in furniture covers. They will make your life a whole lot easier as you would simply need to remove the covers, wash them and then reuse them. However, I would still suggest that you vacuum and lint-role those covers before throwing them in the wash.
If you routinely follow these steps, you will find it very bearable to live with your Springer spaniel. However, that really does depend on just how bad your allergies get, and the only person that can answer that question is you.
What If My Springer Spaniel Is Shedding More Than Normal?
While it’s natural for your dog to shed throughout the year, if you notice that there is far more hair than what is normally shed, there could be an underlying problem that could be caused by an illness, stress, not enough sleep or exercise, air conditioning and many other factors.
In this case, the first thing you should do is take your dog to the vet to help rule out any illness that is causing the problem.
Also, keep in mind that your dog will shed more than usual during spring and autumn, so factor this in as well.
Conclusion
Springer spaniels are wonderful dogs and can bring a lot of joy into your life. While shedding can be an annoyance, keep in mind that it’s natural and a needed process for your dog to be healthy. If you have the right mindset, you can turn those grooming sessions into bonding sessions; a time where the two of you can sit outside, enjoying the sun and moment together. It’s definitely a time to take full advantage of.
