Dogs, especially those with long or fine coats, are often affected by broken hair, hair loss or shedding in various places. The reasons for this can be varied, as can the solutions!
In this blog post, we'll tell you what you need to know about this topic.
Important: If broken hair or hair loss in dogs persists over a longer period of time and is accompanied by other symptoms such as severe itching, skin inflammation or wounds, veterinary advice should always be sought.
How does dog hair grow?
There are five basic phases of hair growth in dogs:
- Anagen phase - this is where the dog's hair continues to grow.
- Catagen phase - here the dog's hair begins to recede.
- Telogen phase - this phase is the resting phase of hair growth in dogs and it begins to die off.
- Exogenous phase - in this phase the dead dog hair falls out.
- Cenogenic phase - this is the resting phase of the dog's hair follicles. They are only reactivated when the winter coat needs to be formed.
Causes of hair breakage in dogs
When hair breaks, the individual hairs split, swell and eventually break off. This can lead to unsightly, dull and bald patches in the dog's coat. In addition to the aesthetic aspect, hair breakage is usually accompanied by an unpleasant feeling for the dog. The severity of this varies depending on the cause of the hair breakage. As the causes of hair breakage in dogs are very varied, we have summarized some of the most common reasons here.
Hair breakage and hair loss in dogs due to collars
A common and fortunately easily remedied cause of hair breakage in dogs is mechanical rubbing caused by too tight or unsuitable dog equipment.
If the collar sits too tightly on the dog's neck, there is a wide contact surface. Every time the dog moves or the collar is jerked, the collar and fur rub against each other, which can lead to brittle, ruffled fur and hair breakage. Dogs with long or fine fur that wear wide collars are particularly affected.
One way to prevent this is to switch from a flat collar to a chain collar with long links.
Why does a chain collar help with hair breakage?
The long, airy links allow even long and fine dog fur to move flexibly around, through and over the chain links. This reduces the contact surface and results in less friction and therefore less hair breakage.
In addition, chains usually sit more loosely on the dog's neck than other collars, as they are only pulled tighter around the dog's neck up to a fixed or flexible pull stop when there is actual tension on the leash.
Our blog post on the topic tells you about the other advantages of chain collars for dogs!
Other causes of hair loss in dogs
Although mechanical damage is the most common cause of hair loss in dogs, there are other causes that occur quite frequently.
Hair loss in dogs due to allergies
Hair and skin problems in dogs, as in humans, are often caused by allergies. If you already know that your dog is generally sensitive to certain substances and/or materials and hair breakage is now also occurring around the neck, a reaction to the material of the dog collar could well be possible. Many dogs react to the nickel contained in metals in particular, which is often expressed by discoloration of the coat.
Our recommendation for particularly sensitive dogs and dogs with nickel allergies are our CUROGAN chain collars. These are made from a special 100% nickel-free material.
You can find out more about our CUROGAN material in our blog post on the topic!
Important: If new symptoms suddenly appear in dogs with allergies/sensitive dogs, it is always advisable to seek veterinary advice.
Hair loss in dogs due to stress
If the hair loss does not occur in an area that can be affected by mechanical friction from a collar or dog harness, an unfortunately common cause is stress.
Stress leads to increased production of cortisol in the adrenal glands. This has a negative effect on the entire organism. In this case, the contraction of the blood vessels due to the increased cortisol level leads to an insufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients to the hair follicles. They therefore die and fall out.
If you are unsure yourself where your dog's stress is coming from, we always recommend working with an experienced dog trainer.
Hair loss in dogs during shedding
One type of hair loss that no dog can completely avoid is shedding. Twice a year, it is completely normal for your dog to shed large amounts of dead fur - in fact, it is particularly important to support this correctly! Only if dogs can shed their summer and winter coats according to the current season are they equipped to cope with environmental influences and thus avoid overheating in summer or hypothermia in winter.
For older and sick dogs in particular, it is important to monitor the shedding process closely and support it with care or food supplements as required.
Important: If bald patches suddenly appear in your dog's coat during the shedding season, a visit to the vet is also advisable!
Prevent hair loss and breakage in dogs through proper coat care
Proper grooming is not only important during the shedding season: dogs of all coat types should be combed or brushed at least once or twice a week.
This not only strengthens the bond with your dog, but changes to the dog's coat or body are noticed more quickly and can be treated at an early stage. The coat remains shinier, more elastic and more resistant - so hair breakage can be prevented before it occurs.
You can find out more about shedding and coat care in our blog post!
But there is more to consider:
Especially in the warmer months, the dog should also be checked closely for ticks, as these can transmit extremely dangerous diseases and like to hide in particularly warm and hidden areas of the dog's body, such as between the toes.
For dogs with long ears who do not want to miss out on splashing around at any time of year, special attention should be paid to the care and control of the ears in addition to general coat care.
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