That hairless doggie unicorn really doesn’t exist.
A dog may shed seasonally once or twice a year – or even year round. But there are some dogs that shed much less hair than others. The number of mixed breeds shedding depends on genetics.
What genes control hair loss in dogs?
Dr. Jerold S. Bell, assistant professor of genetics at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicinestates that there are several genes that control shedding in dogs, and they interact with each other.
When dogs have two copies of the highly shedding variant of the MC5R gene, they shed the most. Dogs with one high shedding copy and one low shedding copy are medium shedding dogs, and dogs with two of the low shedding genes are low shedding dogs. He said most Poodles have two copies of the shedding gene.
The interior decoration gene RSPO2 (which commands the beard and eyebrows) interacts with the MC5R gene. Dr. Bell said that because furniture gene is dominant, dogs with one or two clones have interiors (beards and eyebrows are longer), and dogs without clones have smooth faces. And if a dog has furniture in the house, it’s less likely to shed – especially with one or two copies of the MC5R less shedding gene.
The KRT71 gene, which controls curly and straight coat, also plays a role in shedding. Dr. Bell says curly is dominant, so it only needs one copy of the gene. Dogs with curly coats tend to have low shedding. Plus, there are other genes — like FGF5 for hair length — that also affect shedding.
Dogs shed less hair
While there is no true non-shedding mixed breed, or purebred for that matter, there is a low shedding rate.
Dr. Bell says that dog breeds with furniture are traditionally shedding less, and having a curly coat causes them to shed less.
Breeds that shed less hair include:
- Poodles
- Bichon Frize´
- Havana
- Schnauzer
- Brussels Griffon
- Portuguese water dog
Dr. Bell says when it comes to mixed breeds, it depends on the genetics of the parents, and there is no guarantee that relying solely on the breed will reduce shedding.
“There is no guarantee of little/no shedding, as some Poodles – and other curly breeds – only have a copy of the furniture or the curly gene,” he says. “Only half of their pups – when mated with a dog that doesn’t have the interior decoration gene – will have a curly, no/little shedding coat.”
Dr. Jessica Hekman, a New Hampshire behavioral geneticist and founder Functional cooperation dog (FDC) says dogs crossed with certain Poodle lines can have high or low shedding, depending on the version of the gene they inherit.
“Overall, breeds with ‘furnishing’ plus a long coat tend to produce dogs that shed much less hair than other breeds,” she said. “There is no true non-shedding dog breed. Hair will grow and eventually fall out. “
She says many breeders create multigenerational Oodles (Mixed Poodles), in which they select those with the lowest possible coat shedding using genetic testing. Dr. Hekman says Poodles mixed with Golden Retrievers produce lower shedding dogs than Golden Retrievers alone. But she emphasizes that it’s not so much about the breed by its furniture and long-haired genetics. So even a Poodle mix can suffer from high shedding depending on genetics.
Shine the light on the dog’s hair
Whether a dog sheds high or low depends on genetics more than a specific breed. A mixed breed may inherit genes that lead to less shedding – or more shedding. If you’re looking for a dog that sheds less, check with dog owners who specialize in less shedding. Or you could take a chance on a random mixed breed, and you could win the lottery. Or not.
