Originally, the American Staffordshire terrier was known as a nanny dog for its good relations with kids and smaller pets. So, if you’re planning to get an American Staffordshire Terrier, but you’re concerned how much do American staffordshire terriers shed.
You’re worried that too much dog fur around the house might trigger an allergy. How much does a Staffordshire Bull Terrier shed? Are American Staffordshire Terriers heavy shedder or minimal shedder dog breed?
How Much Does a Staffordshire Bull Terrier Shed?
American Staffordshire Terriers are moderate shedders. However, they shed heavily once a year in either fall or springtime. If you suffer from allergies, the American Staffordshire terrier isn’t ideal for you. It’s not recommended for dog owners who don’t want to deal with dog hair.
Considering that you might not want to spend your time clipping and grooming dog’s hair, choosing a short-coated dog such as a poodle, Shih Tzu and an American Stafford terrier eliminates the need of constant grooming and rather spend that time doing exercises with your dog.
American Staffordshire Terrier Is a Moderate Shedder
As mentioned above, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier doesn’t shed excessively and it’s quite unnoticeable if it does. Typically, according to pet experts, American Staffordshire terriers score three out of five on the scale of dog breeds that shed less.. Thanks to its short coat and coat texture.
Additionally, like other pit bull breeds, the American Staffordshire terrier is single-coated, which sheds much less fur than double-coated breeds. Although, some dog owners experience excessive shedding twice a year, especially during springtime and fall.
Shedding occurs because your American Staffordshire terrier adapts to the changing season. Compared to a family pet with longer and thicker coats, the shedding of an American Staffordshire Terrier is barely noticeable.
However, compare a Staffordshire Bull Terrier to short haired dogs like a Greyhound, you’ll see the difference because the shedding is more obvious.This is the exact reason why an American StaffordshireTerrier is a moderate shedder – not really a heavy shedder but definitely not less than a low shedder.
In cases where an American Staffordshire Terrier shed more than the usual, it might be something serious like poor diet, fleas, stress, pregnancy in female dogs, cancer, sunburn or underlying health problems. Nevertheless, you’ll have difficulty identifying if it’s a problem or just part of the cycle. It’s best to see a vet for proper evaluation.
Can You Stop An American Staffordshire Terrier From Shedding?
Stopping your American Staffordshire Terrier dog from shedding is like stopping the earthquake – it’s impossible. However, keeping in mind that all family pet dogs shed you can manage the shedding. How?
- Start by providing your Staffordshire Bull Terrier food that is rich in Omega-3.Omega-3 improves the skin and coat of a dog. A healthy diet helps hair follicles to recover easily. Undernourished fur leads to extra shedding. Meanwhile, a strong follicle promotes healthy fur.
- Purchase dog foods with top-quality ingredients with the right ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrates.
- A dog’s dehydrated skin causes loss of hair. To manage a minimal shedding caused by dehydration, a staffy owner should change and put clean water in the dog’s water bowl.
- Like the other dog breeds you need to ensure that your American Staffordshire Terrier dog increases its water intake to rehydrate its skin.Your dog should take an ounce of water per pound everyday. For example, a dog that weighs 10 pounds needs to take over a cup of water per day.
- Although these dog breeds dislike bathing, regular bathing can help minimize the amount of hair in your house. Keeping in mind that these dogs shed most during and after bathing, it is advisable to brush its hair before bathing to loosen it.
- Some causes of shedding like fungal infections and parasites need special treatment from the vet. Other serious conditions can cause dog hair loss like hormonal issues that inflame the skin and cause brittle hair. These are the types of dog hair loss that require a vet’s diagnostics and treatment.
- Visit a professional groomer, as they tend to have specialized tools and right skills to loosen and remove loose hair from your dog.
How to Groom Your American Staffordshire Terrier While Shedding
Although in the opinion of pet experts the American Staffordshire terriers score three out of 5 in minimal shedding dogs scale you still have to manage it’s shedding by grooming. However, keeping in mind that it is a pit bull breed, this dog has a shorter coat that has minimal grooming needs.
Below are the steps on how to maintain an American Staffordshire Bull Terrier’s coat while shedding.
- Brush your dog with a glove or a soft bristle brush once per week to loosen the dead hair
- Brush the coat opposite to the direction of the hair and then back. Repeat the process several times. This step pulls and removes dead hairs from your dog while distributing the natural oil throughout the coat, improving the overall appearance of the dog.
- Wipe the American staffordshire Terrier with a moist cloth after brushing to ensure that the coat remains shiny.
- When the shedding is heavy, loosen the hair by massaging the coat in a circular motion and brush the coat in the direction of the hair growth.
Like other dog breeds, even if your American Staffordshire Terrier isn’t much of a shedder, it’s a must to groom your dog on a regular basis. Since an American Staffordshire Terrier dog is a minimal shedder, brushing the dog weekly or daily on its heavy shedding is very important.
What Are the Benefits of Managing Your Dog’s Shedding?
Even with other dogs, managing your Staffordshire Bull Terrier’s shedding creates quality time to bond together, especially when brushing your dog’s coat. Pet dogs enjoy the physical contact brought by being brushed or groomed. It also allows you to see potential skin problems such as dry skin, bumps or parasites.
Although brushing helps groom your staffy’s hair, it also massages your dog’s skin, helping in blood circulation. Since grime and dirt can collect on the skin folds and creases, brushing can help to clean out the dirt, making your dog comfortable and prolonging the period between baths.
Regular brushing also allows you to check for any signs of unusual growths, injuries, fleas and ticks. After bathing the dog, it’s advisable to trim its nails, check its ears and eyes. Early management of your Staffordshire Bull Terrier’s shedding will help you save time and money in the long run.
Related Questions
What Month Do Dogs Shed Most?
An American Stafforshire terrier dog sheds the most during spring and fall. Spring months are March, April and May, the dogs’ coats become lighter in preparation for the hot weather season. Meanwhile, the fall months include September, October and November and dogs shed in preparation for the cold winter season. The amount of daylight in fall and spring triggers the shedding of dogs
Is It Normal for American Staffordshire Terrier Puppies to Shed?
Like adult dogs, puppies also shed and it’s normal. They start to lose their coats when they reach the age of four to six months. However this time varies depending on the dog breed and might even start at 12 weeks. It’s a normal process because they need to naturally remove damaged or old hair.
Conclusion
So, Do American Staffordshire Terriers Shed? American Staffordshire Terriers shed moderately. It’s perfectly natural as the dogs need to repel the old and damaged skin.Like other dog breeds, you can’t stop their shedding but you can at least manage it.
Grooming and brushing your dog not only help in managing to shed but also create a deeper bond between you and your American Staffordshire Terrier.
