Dog Breeds that Molt Less than Others

The length of a dog's coat does not determine how much shedding you can expect. German Shepherds can shed an awful lot of hair because of their dense undercoat. The outer hairs hold the undercoat in until it falls out or is brushed out. Short haired dogs, such as Labrador Retrievers, can shed as much (if not more) than longer haired breeds such as Rough Collies. Dobermans and Beagles don't have a very heavy undercoat, but you can still expect a fair amount of shedding to occur.

A healthy diet and daily brushing will cut down tremendously on the amount of hair that you see around the house. During the twice a year intense shedding of undercoat (also called "blowing coat") you may need to brush twice a day. Vacuuming your dog's coat, using the regular hose attachment, is also an excellent way to remove dead hair. There are even special "pet" attachments made for some vacuum cleaners!

Dogs that don't have much of an undercoat, or have the type of coat that needs to be clipped, still shed but it is about the same amount of hair that you shed, which is hardly noticeable.