boston terrier shedding

Do Boston Terriers Shed? – 3 Simple Tips To Minimize It

For any new pet owner, the one question they should familiarize themselves with is “does our new pet shed”. If you never owned a dog or a cat, you would probably know that these animals are walking fur balls that can and will leave their hair practically everywhere they go.

What about the Boston Terrier? Do they shed their fur as much as, say, a Golden Retriever? Is there a way to control their shedding, or is nature going to take the wheel?

How Much Do Boston Terriers Shed?

Boston Terriers do shed. In fact, most dogs shed. Shedding is a natural process where dead hairs fall off and are replaced by new, healthy hair. Boston Terriers, however, don’t shed as bad as other breeds. This is due to their much shorter coats, where the hair is shorter and less likely to cause trouble.

boston terrier shedding

Boston Terriers are hypoallergenic, meaning the hair that their shed will not cause allergic reactions. This is a good thing if you want a dog but are allergic to dog fur. Boston Terriers shed their fur all year long, but only in the late-fall and early-spring will their shedding be heavier compared to the rest of the year.

How Do I Prevent A Boston Terrier From Shedding?

You can’t. A Boston Terrier, like any dog, will shed their fur regardless of what you do. That being said, you can assist your Boston Terrier with shedding so their hair doesn’t end up all over your floor and couch! For assistance, keep in mind the following three points.

1. Healthy Diet

The first thing you’ll want to do is provide your dog a diet that’s rich in proteins, fat fibers which shouldn’t be confused with regular fat, along with either omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids. The fatty acids, in particular, are what keeps their coat healthy; the healthier the hairs, the less likely they are to die and fall off.

Along with this diet, you should always provide plenty of clean drinking water. This should be a given, but water is as important to coat health as it is regular health! If a rich diet might seem too, well, rich for your Boston Terrier consider providing them these special foods during the more heavy shedding months.

At the very least, you can also add fatty acid supplements to their food every day.

2. Regular Grooming

Second to a Boston Terrier’s diet is good grooming behavior. Let’s face it, terriers are never the most patient dogs to groom. Even still, they need to be groomed regularly to ensure that their coat is healthy. Plus, it gives you and your pooch plenty of time to bond! To start out, brush your Boston Terrier at least two times a week. If you can manage every day, that’s better.

While brushing, keep your eyes out for any fleas, ticks, or other parasites along with open wounds or blisters. Anything that could cause irritation and scratching. This leads to the second grooming tip, which is a bath once a month. You can bathe them more, and some even like baths, but once a month should be the bare minimum.

If you happen to notice your Boston Terrier has any fleas, ticks, sores, or anything of the like providing them with a bath is a great way to alleviate the urge to itch, and also allows you to apply medicated shampoo. If your Boston Terrier doesn’t have any of these problems, just wash them off as usual with your standard dog shampoo.

3. Less Stress

The last major tip, and which comes to a surprise for many pet owners, is that stress is commonly linked to excess shedding. Much like us humans and pulling our hair when angry or frustrated, it seems dogs will shed their fur if feeling the same way.

For a small dog like a Boston Terrier, there is a lot to be stressed over. A move, sudden change in diet, the loss of another pet, or the addition of a new one, a new person in the home, etc.

Despite their cheerful nature, it doesn’t take much for a Boston Terrier to become stressed. You should always provide them with affection and give them plenty of toys to play with which will help take their minds off more stressful matters. Exercise will also help alleviate stress, along with keeping their energy down as an added bonus.

boston lying on rug

What If My Boston Terrier Is Shedding Excessively?

If you notice that your Boston Terrier is shedding more than usual, up to the point that bald spots are showing up, contact your veterinarian right away. Excess shedding could be caused by a variety of medical issues including parasites, possible skin cancer, or it could be a genetic defect. Your vet will have to run tests before they can give you an answer.

There is nothing on your end you can do besides the three points above to prevent excess shedding. Boston Terriers, as I established, aren’t known for shedding, so any issues are not a case of you doing something wrong, but instead, there is a medical problem that needs to be addressed.

And by bringing this to your vet’s attention, you already made strides in keeping your dog happy and healthy.

That’s all there is to say on Boston Terriers shedding. These dogs are hypoallergenic, making them perfect pets for those with allergies on top of their charming personalities. Like all dogs, they will shed but you can keep this manageable by following this guide. And lastly, if you notice anything strange or different with their shedding contact your vet right away.

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