Home is where the dog hair sticks to everything but the dog. Shedding is a necessary process to get rid of damaged or old hair. This is a natural process in dogs which happens a lot.
If you are new to owning a dog, please increase your patience level, for you will have to put up with dog hairs all over the place. If your dog breed is an English bulldog, then are probably wondering do English Bulldogs shed and if so, how much?
Do English Bulldogs Shed?
A muscular body with a wrinkled face. And yet, hairs all over the place. English bulldogs are no different when it comes to shedding. However, the level of shedding can vary, and mostly, they shed lesser as compared to other dogs.
The level of shedding also depends on the age of bulldog as well. The grown-up bulldogs shed much lesser hair as compared to the baby bulldogs. So you can categorize the English bulldogs as average shedders.
Spotting the shedding can also be a little tricky as the hair of the English bulldog is not too long or too thick.
This discussion aims at exploring the finer aspects of the shedding process, the reasons which influence shedding and then linking these findings to shedding in English bulldogs while discovering practices that can minimize shedding as this also important.
So if you want to save yourself from dog hairs, this piece might just be the thing you are looking for!
Why Is My English Bulldog Shedding So Much?
Veterinarians are the best people to answer this question. However, there are certain reasons which can be the cause of excessive shedding in the case of your English bulldog.
Age and disorder are two prime reasons for disproportionate shedding in bulldogs. But a closer look tells us that there might be other reasons involved as well. These include:
1- Parasites
The prime suspects of excessive shedding in dogs are parasites. In the case of English bulldogs, parasites are the most potent factors of shedding as compared to the other factors which we will discuss further in the article.
Parasites home-in on the body of the bulldog and use it as a shelter for their growth. In doing so, a damaging pathogenic environment develops, causing not only excessive shedding but also certain other diseases as well.
The most common parasites involved in this pathogenesis are fleas, lice, and mites.
2- Nutritional Imbalance
Nutrition affects not only your health but also your bulldog’s health as well. Improper nutrition is also a principal reason for extravagant shedding, especially in the English bulldogs.
Poor food quality leads to certain diseases which can result in unnecessary hair falling from your dog. Overfeeding and underfeeding is also an element of improper nutrition. Usually, this issue is resolved by using high-quality dog food.
3- Allergies
Your bulldog could be suffering from allergies which can be a big factor in your bulldog. Usually, an English bulldog suffers from allergies of two kinds.
Either it is the contaminated air that they are inhaling, this can be a variety of things like mold, dust or pollen grains. The second main thing could be the substandard dog food which can cause a severe sensitivity reaction, resulting in disproportionate hair fall. English bulldogs have have a sensitive stomach and can be more often then not be allergic to more food then other dogs.
4- Infections
These infections are mostly bacterial or fungal by nature. English bulldogs are more prone to fungal reactions, some of these reactions can dramatically escalate the rate of hair fall.
Some of these infections include ringworm, candida, and pyoderma. You should always visit your veterinarian straight away if you suspect this.
5- Medication
Sometimes, a medication may seem to work for a certain health issue. However, it might result in some other detrimental effects on the bulldog.
Some medications can lead to unwarranted hair loss, hence seeking a professional vet’s recommendation is always advisable before administering medicine on your own.
6- Sunburn
It is not too difficult to spot the sunburns. These cause red patches on the body of your pet and are quite painful. Apart from pain, these sunburns can also result in an extremely quick loss of body hair.
7- Licking
Watching your dog lick its body on a lazy Sunday morning is just as common as the Sunday paper. But if the licking is a little too much, then it is time to worry folks. Excessive licking can be because of some infection which might lead to excessive hair fall.
8- Toxic Contact
English bulldogs are extremely sensitive to caustic or reactive powders and substances. Some of these substances can cause a reaction which can lead to excessive hair fall.
9- Pregnancy
Pregnancy and lactation are also an answer to the question do English bulldogs shed, this is asked a lot when dogs are pregnant.
10- Cancer
Sadly, cancer can be a reason why your dog is shedding as well, us humans are not the only ones that can get this heartbreaking disease.
In most cases, dog owners won’t know their dog has cancer until they take them to the vet because they have noticed their loved one has been acting differently.
De-Shedding an English Bulldog
There are many ways of de-shedding an English bulldog, some of which work and some of which don’t. Hence, it is prudent to discuss only those methods which have proven to be most effective. These de-shedding methods include:
Creating a balanced diet plan
Eliminating the uncommon and unpopular elements from your bulldog’s diet must be the first step in this regard. A diet rich in protein always helps in restoring that shiny hair coat which made your bulldog so adorable!
The protein content in a meal must be around 30% at least, to achieve this objective. Avoiding grains, sweeteners and other byproducts are highly recommended as well.
To get the best-balanced diet for your dog breed and dog’s medical problems, ask your vet the next time you see them.
Oatmeal baths
Oatmeal baths are much gentler as compared to the general pet shampoo baths. These are also helpful in marinating the pH balance. However, excessive oatmeal baths are not advisable. Too much oatmeal can drain natural skin oils from an English bulldog’s body.
Brushing
Such an easy, effective and yet so underrated method when it comes to de-shedding a dog. For this purpose, use a soft hairbrush with soft bristles. You will have to be consistent if you want this method to show its result in a good time.
Supplements
Omega 3 fatty acids can endow your bulldog with a lot of health benefits. And a great, shiny fur coat is one of these benefits.
If you are finding it hard trying to incorporate omega 3 into your dog’s diet, you can use omega 3 supplements as well. These are available online as well; you can easily find them on reputable stores.
When Is It Time to See the Vet?
Dogs lick, and some love licking. But licking becomes a worrying sign if it becomes extremely violent and intense. This is just one of the initial signs of a skin problem that might lead to shedding in your bulldog.
Hence, it is always recommended to not delay matters too much. Your dog might have a shedding problem if one of the following signs is present:
- Redness, scabs or bumps on the surface of the skin. These eventually lead to skin irritation.
- Open sores, which can be because of infection or injury.
- Baldness, thinning of the fur coat.
- Weakened hair that pulls out with the minimum effort.
- Consistent scratching
- Violent foot licking.
Grooming Tools You Might Want to Try
This can turn out to be an extremely efficient approach in preventing excessive shedding. Some of the grooming habits you could employ in this regard include:
Nail Clipping
In the case of canines like bulldogs, nails are the best homing site for germs. These germs can cause various diseases, some of which can lead to the problems we have been discussing in this article.
Hence, clipping the nails can potentially reduce the chances of shedding problems that your English bulldog might have to face otherwise!
Their Collar
It seems like a petty thing, right? One might even wonder, what has a dirty collar got to do with the shedding problem?
And there lies your answer, in the word dirty! A dirty collar around the neck can lead to extreme irritation around the neck area.
What does your bully do in such a scenario? He scratches vehemently to get rid of the itch. And in doing so, the hairs are pulled out too. A clean collar can be an important de-shedding tool.
Bathing Shampoo
We mentioned oatmeal baths earlier and discussed why they are better than the general pet bathing shampoos. Generally, Oatmeal’s soft effect is further enhanced by using it in conjunction with coconut oil. Coconut oil can destroy viruses, bacteria, and fungi from the body of any dog.
Conclusion
Hopefully, by now, you can easily identify when your dog is losing hairs a little more than normal, and what to do if the dog is suffering from the disorder which is causing this excessive shedding!
The first step in de-shedding your English bulldog is to identify the reason. Once that’s sorted, treating this problem becomes very easy. But again, you must remember that self-medication isn’t a great option.
There might be an underlying issue that you are not aware of, and which your vet can detect with ease. Visiting a veterinarian is the most recommended thing to do in this regard.
