Cleaning up dog hair from your couch and every other surface of the house is one of your least favorite activities, so you’ll naturally be curious about how much Pit Bulls shed. I’ll tell you in this article.
Do Pit Bulls shed? Pit Bulls shed, but how much depends on the breed. Most breeds are moderate shedders due to their short coats and will undergo seasonal shedding twice per year. The American Staffordshire Terrier and American Bully shed less than their Pit Bull brethren.
In today’s article, I’ll discuss the shedding propensity for each Pit Bull breed so you know what you’re getting into before you adopt one of these wonderful dogs. You won’t want to miss it!
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Are Pit Bulls Heavy Shedders?
As I’ve talked about recently, the term Pit Bull is a catch-all. A Pit Bull dog is one of five breeds but not a dog breed in and of itself.
As a whole, I wouldn’t call the five Pit Bull breeds heavy shedders but more moderate shedders instead. Allow me to elaborate.
American Bulldog
First is the American Bulldog or American Bully, a breed related to the Old English Bulldog that might have landed on American soil in the 17th century.
To allow the dog’s impressive musculature to shine through, the American Bully has an exceptionally short coat.
Here’s the thing about short-coated dogs, though.
Dogs with shorter coats tend to shed more than longer-coated dogs.
Why is that?
Dogs undergo a four-stage hair growth cycle that infinitely repeats. The four stages are anagen to catagen, then telogen, and finally, exogen.
Anagen is a period of growth, catagen is a transitional phase, and telogen is a period of rest. Exogen is when the hair comes out.
Since an American Bully’s hair never grows that long to begin with, it breezes right through anagen into catagen.
Before you know it, exogen occurs and the hair comes out.
Thus, no matter the season, you should expect a fine mist of fur around your home if you have an American Bully.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Next, let’s look at the shedding habits of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier or Staffy.
The Staffy dog comes from the Black Country of Staffordshire, hence the name.
Much like the American Bully, the Staffy has a very short coat as well.
What this means for you, prospective dog owner, is that throughout the year, you’re going to clean up moderate yet consistent amounts of dog hair.
This will be sprinklings of hair rather than tufts or piles, but the Staffy dog’s shed fur can still coat every surface if you’re not too careful.
That’s not all. The Staffy also blows its coat.
What does this mean?
Well, twice per year, some dogs undergo seasonal shedding.
The first time of the year that you’ll see this shedding spike is in the late spring and early summer. Although your Staffy dog’s coat looks thin anyway, it can always be thinner, this dog says.
To prepare for several months of unrelenting heat, the Staffy will release that old, bulky winter fur and display a lighter coat.
You get a reprieve until the late fall when the Staffy will blow his coat again. This time, it’s in preparation for the colder season.
The Staffy will shed that lighter summer coat so he can grow a bulkier one.
This cycle repeats every year twice per year. When a dog blows its coat, it will be for several weeks at a time.
The higher rate of shedding can be aggravating, as you must be more diligent in your cleanup efforts.
Just remind yourself that the seasonal shedding spikes are temporary. Your Staffy dog’s rate of shedding will return to normal soon.
American Staffordshire Terrier
Now it’s time to look at the American Staffordshire Terrier or AmStaff, a mid-sized Pit Bull breed that likely comes from the British Isles. AmStaffs are Bull and Terrier crossbreeds.
Compared to the rest of the Pit Bull breeds I’ve discussed, the AmStaff sheds less throughout the year.
Why is that?
Well, it’s interesting, especially considering that the AmStaff’s fur is not any shorter or longer than the American Bully or the Staffy dog’s respective coats.
Instead, it’s all about fur texture.
In the case of the American Bully and the Staffy, they both have short, smooth coats. An AmStaff has a short, wiry coat.
Wiry-coated dogs do not shed as much as smooth-coated dogs, at least not usually. Some breeds break the rule, of course.
Should you decide to adopt an AmStaff, you wouldn’t have to contend with quite as much cleanup compared to owning the Pit Bull breeds I’ve discussed already in this guide.
However, it’s not all a walk in the park. The AmStaff will blow his coat twice per year as well.
You already know what this means. For several weeks in the summer and winter, your dog will shed ferociously and you’ll need every grooming brush and pet vacuum you can get your hands on.
American Pit Bull Terrier
The American Pit Bull Terrier has ancestry attributed to the British Isles. This Pit Bull breed is about eight inches and 35 pounds heavier than your average Staffy.
Does the American Pit Bull Terrier shed as much as a Staffy dog?
Not exactly.
Don’t get me wrong. The American Pit Bull Terrier will shed consistently throughout the year, much like other Pit Bulls.
However, this breed does not blow its coat, so its rate of shedding won’t change as the weather ebbs and flows.
That makes for a more predictable grooming and cleanup schedule throughout the year, which is one reason of many to adopt this Pit Bull breed.
American Bully
The last of the five Pit Bull breeds I want to talk about is the American Bully, which no, is not the same as the American Bulldog (I know, confusing, right?).
The American Bully is not technically an American Kennel Club-accepted dog, nor does The Kennel Club recognize the breed as of this writing. Nevertheless, this newer breed is considered among the five Pit Bulls.
The American Bully is considered a lower-shedding breed since he doesn’t blow his coat.
Still, with the Pit Bull coat length and texture, you should expect some shedding out of an American Bully, just less than other Pits.
Are There Pit Bulls That Don’t Shed?
Perhaps you have a pet dander allergy, which high-shedding dogs exacerbate (since the dead skin can travel with shedding fur). Maybe you’re just tired of the cleanup.
Either way, you want a low-shedding or even no-shedding dog. Do any of the Pit Bull breeds meet that criteria?
Unfortunately, no, they don’t. All pit bull’s shed some of their coat.
One of the factors that dictates how much a dog sheds is the length of its coat.
I talked in the last section about how Pit Bull breeds have short fur that comes out faster since they go through the hair growth cycle speedily.
A dog’s coat texture is another determining factor. Most Pit Bull breeds have smooth coats, which also increases the dog’s rate of shedding.
What if you already adopted a Pit Bull breed and you’re concerned with how much your dog sheds?
I would recommend focusing on these areas.
- Brushing: Combing through your canine’s coat is one of the best ways to control shedding. You’re pulling out loose fur before it can come off your Pit Bull. Plus, you spread skin oils that keep the skin moisturized and healthy, not dry and itchy. Use a rubber curry brush and prioritize brushing your dog every few days. Increase the rate of brushing to daily if your Pit Bull blows its coat and until that shedding spike ends.
- Bathing: A clean dog is a happy dog. If your Pit Bull is outside all the time, you might bathe him once a month. You can also bathe as infrequently as every six months. Use a dog-friendly shampoo. Bathing too often can dry out the dog’s skin, which can make him shed more.
- Diet: To ensure your Pit Bull grows up strong and muscular, he needs a well-rounded diet full of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and nutrients. If your dog is eating primarily filler, a nutrient deficiency could cause him to shed more. It’s not a bad idea to consider nutrient supplements if your vet agrees.
- Allergies: From pollen allergies to food allergies, dogs can experience many of the same itchy, annoying symptoms of allergens that we do. Your poor swollen Pit Bull can target itchy spots obsessively, which leads to bald areas across his body.
- Fleas: If your Pit Bull isn’t on a flea preventative medication or treatment, speak to your vet. Fleas can also make your dog bite and scratch, losing fur along the way.
- Diseases/conditions: At least once per year, take your Pit Bull to the vet for a checkup. Everything from Cushing’s to cancer and conditions of the thyroid, liver, and kidney can increase your dog’s rate of shedding.