Pitbulls can shed too much because of allergies or a sudden change in their diet. Other possible reasons for excess shedding include anxiety, over bathing, or pests.
Are you constantly finding Pit bull fur around your house? Perhaps your worried that your bully is suffering from an abnormal shedding problem? In this article we’ll take a close look at why some pit bulls shed too much, and what you can to stop it.
How much do pit bulls shed naturally?
Pitbulls are one of many single coated dog breeds. Healthy Pitbulls shed low to moderate level all year. During spring and summer months they may shed more than average. A Pitbull’s coat is made up of thin short hair, making their shedding one of the least noticeable among many other dog breeds.
The reason pit bulls shed less than other breeds is because they have a single coat, and lack an undercoat. Double coated dogs shed especially heavy during their coat blow out season. This is when their over coat and under coat go into shedding overdrive. Luckily Pit bull parents don’t have to worry about this like other dog owners!
Why does a pitbull shed excessively?
Skin allergies
Pitbulls are susceptible to an immune system disorder that can lead to skin allergies. Not all pit bulls will develop a skin allergy, in fact most dogs won’t. Even among those that do, the severity of the allergy and skin irritation can vary widely.
In more extreme cases allergies can lead to excessive shedding.
Skin allergy symptoms
- Irritated eyes (usually look red, puffy, or swollen)
- Itchy skin
- Vomiting or Diarrhea
- Coughing
- Runny sneezing and or running nose
- Ears swollen or warm to the touch
If you notice any of these symptoms along with excessive shedding, then your dog likely had an allergy. You should consult vet for recommendations on how to alleviate the symptoms and treat the condition.
Your dog’s diet
The old adage “you are what you eat”, is true for dogs just like it is for humans. A lack of proper nutrition doesn’t always result in allergies or excessive shedding, but it is definitely something you should consider.
If you recently made drastic changes to what your pit bull eats, then this could contribute to the shedding problem. In this case try reverting back to the previous dog food and see if the level shed changes at all.
If your dog’s diet hasn’t changed recently, then it could be that his or her diet lacks proper nutrition and has resulted in a problem with your dog’s coat. A proper diet should include plenty of omega fatty acids and protein to help replace old hairs with new healthy ones.
Try switching to a high quality dog food good for allergies.
Some owners have claimed that switching their pit bull to a raw diet has helped alleviate uncomfortable symptoms such as abnormal shedding.
Dry skin
Not all excessive shedding is because of allergies. Dry flaky skin is as uncomfortable for your pit bull as it is for you. If your pup has dry skin then he’s going to scratch at it (a lot). All the scratching will lead to less hair on your pit bull and more around the house.
What causes dry skin in pit bulls?
Sometimes the environment is to blame. If you’ve recently moved to a dry arid climate, or if the temperature outside changed drastically overnight, this could affect your dog’s skin.
More often than not though, the dryness is caused by too much bathing. Pit bulls should bathed as much as once a month or as little as once every several months. Because of their short hair Pit bulls do not need to bathe as much as over breeds.
To much bathing can strip single coated dogs of their natural oils and cause the skin to become dry.
You also might might want to take a look at which shampoo you are using. If you’re using a natural dog shampoo, the odds are that it’s not the issue. However if you’re using human shampoo or some other kind of soap you might want to switch to a dog shampoo.
Unwanted pests
If your pit bull is scratching their hair off and leaving it everything, then they might have an unwanted hitchhiker.
Check your dog for ticks, fleas, mosquito bites, and bites from other bugs. Remember pit bull terriers have a short coat, so it doesn’t provide much of a barrier between their skin and insects.
Contact with unwanted plants
It could be that your furry friend brushes up against poisonous plant. If you’ve ever had poison ivy, oak, or sumac then you know it’s not fun. Your pit bull won’t think it’s fun either!
Anxiety or stress
Anxiety takes its toll on canines just like it does on people. A perpetually anxious pitbull can exhibit physical symptoms. In some causes this could be excessive shedding or scratching. If your pit bull is anxious try to get to the root of the problem. Usually a sudden change in their environment is the trigger for their anxiety. This could be anything from unexpected travel to a change in their daily routine.
How Do I Stop My Pit bull From Shedding Too much?
Manage Pit bull Shedding with Brushing
Routine brushing is one of the best ways to reduce manage your pit bull’s shedding. As we mentioned before pit bulls don’t require much in the way of regular grooming. But if your dog is shedding more often than normal than you should think about brushing your bully on a regular basis.
A single weekly brushing with a good pitbull shedding brush is a good starting point.
Benefits of brushing pit bulls
Brushing removes dirt and loose fur. This mean your pitbull’s hair will end up on the brush and not all over your living room. In addition to getting rid of unwanted dog hair, regular brushing help distribute the natural oils in your dog’s skin. These oils help support a healthy and shiny coat.
Give more baths
If you want to try to cut down on the pitbull hair in your house, then you can consider stepping up the bath schedule. A healthy pitbull without skin issues or shedding problems only needs to bathe every month or so (sometimes they can go as long as three months).
It can bathe more often to try to get the shedding under control, but you probably don’t need to bath your pitbull more than once a week. If you do decide to give your pup baths more often, you should use a gentle shampoo that won’t dry out your pit bull’s skin and exasperate the shedding problem.
For dry sensitive skin try a pet moisturizer
Pet lotions and balms are a great option for dogs with dry skin. Most local or online pet stores will carry some type of moisturizing agent. Option range from shea butter to petrolatum.
Consult a vet
If the dog fur problem continues then you should talk to your vet. Your pit bull’s perpetual shedding season might be caused by something that you’re unable to diagnose or treat yourself.
If your American pit bull terrier is suffering from allergies then your vet will be able to prescribe medication that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to give to your dog yourself.
