So you would like to know the answer to these two questions, do Bullmastiffs shed – how to stop the Bullmastiff from shedding? Frankly, you’ll probably get the answer or read it online that Bullmastiffs are moderate shedders.
Can I be candid with you? Being told a Bullmastiff is a moderate shedder doesn’t give you the whole picture. A Chihuahua is an average shedder, just the same. Needless to say, there’s a vast difference between a Bullmastiff and a Chihuahua.
In this article:
Bullmastiff Shedding – What to expect?
Bullmastiffs are massive dogs; they grow to a height of 27 inches and can weigh between 110 and 130 pounds (50-58 kg). That’s a lot of dog and what’s more, with an enormous amount of hair which will eventually fall on your furnishings, carpets and your clothes.
We’re not talking about excessive shedding; that’s an entirely different situation and relates to a possible health issue. However, we’ll be covering health conditions that can cause unusual amounts of shedding later in the article.
Bullmastiff’s coat
A Bullmastiff’s coat is short and dense, offering excellent weather protection; they will shed hair all year round, particularly when the seasons change. If you’re lucky enough to have a Bullmastiff in your family, you probably experience heavier hair loss around the home when your dog loses the winter coat to prepare for the less dense summer coat.
Short hairs from your Bullmastiff are likely to stick to everything they land on and will only be easy to remove by vacuuming. If you’re not the kind of dog owner that enjoys hair on your furnishings, then using the vacuum daily is a genuine necessity.
Why Do Bullmastiffs Shed?
Strictly speaking, all dogs shed; even when a dog breeder claims their dog is hypoallergenic and doesn’t shed, they undoubtedly lose hair.
Bullmastiffs must get rid of dead or damaged hair; somehow, it can’t stay attached to their body forever. In addition, a dog needs to replace those hairs with healthy new growth.
Dog hair must go through several growth phases, and shedding is part of this growth cycle. There are three distinct phases of a dog’s hair growth:
Anagen: is the active growth phase; a dog’s hair will grow to its genetically determined length.
Catagen: This phase is transitional from anagen to telogen.
Telogen: The resting phase. Once the growth phase is over, the resting phase begins until the dog’s hair falls out.
Type of coats – Did you know?
An interesting situation is with dogs that have continuously growing hair; how do the three phases work with those dogs. Dogs like Poodles and Havanese, for example, whose hair would never stop growing, so they always have hair trims. These dogs stay in the anagen phase for years until the hair has finished growing to its genetically natural length.
When the hair stops growing, it immediately enters the telogen phase, and the hair is shed, making way for new anagen hair, entirely bypassing the Catagen phase. Hence the reason why those breeds always need their hair trimming.
You might be wondering how this works for Bullmastiffs with their short coats; good question!
Bullmastiffs have a telogen-dominated phase and a short anagen phase lasting anywhere up to one year. This ultra-short anagen phase is just long enough to produce the dog’s short hair.
Like every dog, the Bullmastiff’s type of coat, phases, hair length, and how much they shed; are genetics questions.
Why Does My Bullmastiff Shed So Much?
Once you become accustomed to the amount of hair your Bullmastiff loses through the year and during the seasonal changes, you might begin to notice an increase in the amount they are shedding.
If this happens and you feel it’s becoming excessive hair loss, you need to go to your local vet and take your Bullmastiff. A heavier than usual amount of hair loss can often be a factor in allergies and a lack of the correct nutritional needs.
In addition to allergies and nutrition, your vet might need to factor in adverse health conditions, exercise, and the age of your Bullmastiff.
The types of health conditions your vet will be looking for include:
- Fungal and bacterial skin infections
- Allergies; either environmental or food-related
- Parasites, such as the usual suspects, fleas, ticks, mites, and lice
- Skin irritations
- Sunburn
- Severe health conditions such as kidney and liver disease, cancer, or hypothyroidism
- Immune disorder
- Adverse reaction to medications
Sadly all of these conditions can affect any dog breed, but I want to mention hypothyroidism in particular because Bullmastiffs are prone to this disease.
Bullmastiff Shedding Due To Hypothyroidism
What Is Hypothyroidism In Bullmastiffs?
Hypothyroidism is a hormonal disease and, simply put, means the Bullmastiff’s thyroid hormone levels are too low. While the condition is not life-threatening, it will have a profound effect on the life quality of your Bullmastiff; any dog affected will begin to show signs from 2 to 3 years of age.
Clinical Signs Of Hypothyroidism In A Bullmastiff
If your Bullmastiff exhibits any of these signs, you should take him along to your vet as soon as possible; lack of energy, mental slowness, a hard time exercising, putting on weight, but not eating more.
In addition, and one of the first indicators you’ll notice is changes to your Bullmastiff’s skin and coat. Excessive hair loss will occur, but not because the dog is constantly scratching; you’ll just begin to notice a great deal more hair wherever the dog has been.
There’s a typical pattern to the hair loss and will be symmetrical, encompassing the chest and stomach area, shoulders, and the body sides, but excluding the lower legs and the dog’s head. Sometimes, you will also see hair loss on the tail.
There can be changes to the skin, becoming darker, quickly bruised, and slow to heal if scratched or cut. Because the Bullmastiff’s immune system is compromised, you will see persistent skin infections (pyoderma); these infections will be itchy, causing the dog to scratch constantly.
How To Stop a Bullmastiff From Shedding
First of all, you cannot stop your Bullmastiff from shedding; as mentioned previously, it’s an entirely natural process and needs to occur for the dog to get rid of dead hairs.
However, you can do things to minimize the amount of hair fall on your furnishings, carpets, and floors, and of course, on your clothes.
Bullmastiffs might have a short, single coat, but they will lose a considerable amount of hair. As we mentioned, most dog experts seem to class the dog as a moderate shedder compared to some long-haired dogs; however, you will need to groom a Bullmastiff practically every day to keep hair loss down to a minimum.
In some respects, short hairs can be more of a nuisance than long hair because they stick to soft furnishings and become embedded into just about everything else around the home. Bullmastiff’s hairs even appear in places where your dog has never been, simply because you have them on your clothes and you deposit the hairs yourself.
Why Brush A Bullmastiff?
Regular daily brushing can reduce the amount of hair that falls in and around the home; it isn’t going to stop hair fall. But it’s an important step, and it also has some added benefits for your Bullmastiff.
Brushing your Bullmastiff will help to:
- Circulates the dog’s body oils to moisturize the skin and coat
- Stimulates the blood flow
- Reduces the amount of hair around the home by capturing hair before it falls
- Removes dirt and loose debris
- It prevents any mats from forming
- Creates a unique bonding experience between you and your Bullmastiff
- Removing dirt can also reduce foul odors
- Reduces the need for too frequent baths
How Often Should You Brush A Bullmastiff?
What’s the ideal frequency for brushing your Bullmastiff to reduce hair loss, stop their hair matting and get rid of nasty odors?
We recommend spending daily brushing for at least thirty minutes. Of course, you can brush for longer than that, but thirty minutes will ensure you’re collecting dead hairs and keeping the coat free from debris and mats.
Frequent brushing like this is crucial; however, you’ll still need to bathe your Bullmastiff every two to three months.
Bullmastiff Shedding Control Tools
Regular brushing your Bullmastiff is the first consideration, but the second is the tools you will use; selecting different tools is the best option.
Here are some quick ideas depending on the amount of time you want to spend grooming your Bullmastiff.
Bullmastiff Grooming Glove: These are an excellent option for a quick brush down when time is a factor. The glove works exceptionally well, and silicone tips grab and remove loose hairs on the coat’s surface while gently massaging the dog.
Rubber Curry Brush: These brushes resemble the glove and grab the loose hair and debris from the coat’s surface. You can use a curry brush, wet or dry. The brush is also useful when bathing your Bullmastiff to massage the shampoo into the dog’s coat.
Bristle Brush: A dense bristle brush is perfect for short-haired dogs like your Bullmastiff. These are for when you have plenty of time for grooming because the brush will effectively remove loose hair, eliminate tangles, dander, dust, and trapped dirt from your dog’s coat.
A Nutritious Diet To Reduce Bullmastiff Shedding
You can also help reduce excess shedding by making sure your Bullmastiff is getting a nutritious diet. A balanced diet of lean meat, some added fresh vegetables. Cheaper dog food brands include many fillers in the food, such as corn and grains; dogs have a tough time digesting some of this stuff.
Quality dog food offers a more suitable and natural diet, especially when meat is the first few ingredients.
The nutrients obtained from meat-rich dog food are easily absorbed and help reduce hair loss and dry skin conditions. It’s essential to note diet will not stop shedding; however, diet-related hair loss is common for Bullmastiffs with food allergies and other sensitivity issues.
You should also ensure your Bullmastiff has a ready supply of cool, clean drinking water at all times. Lack of hydration can be a cause of excessive shedding as well as causing dry, flaky skin, which the dog will make worse by scratching.
Supplements For Bullmastiff Shedding
Providing your Bullmastiff is healthy, there’s no reason why some supplements might help reduce the amount of shedding; however, you might like to run it by your vet first.
A lack of dietary fats can often cause excess hair loss in Bullmastiffs; adding oils to your dog’s diet might help.
Supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids can help moisturize your Bullmastiff’s skin. You might also consider looking for foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E or simply add them as a supplement.
Providing supplements like these can help dry skin conditions, which will prevent unnecessary hair fall.
Best Bullmastiff Shedding Supplement
Nutri-Vet Shed Defense for Dogs
It is an all-natural soft chew shedding defense supplement. This Bullmastiff coat-support incorporates salmon oil for those crucial omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids, also containing flaxseed and Brewers Yeast.
Your Bullmastiff will love the great taste of natural smoked hickory flavor while the supplement helps protect skin creating a shiny and healthy coat.
Conclusion
You shouldn’t be surprised by the amount your Bullmastiff will shed; it’s perfectly natural. Bullmastiffs are massive dogs, and while their coat is short, there’s a considerable amount.
Hopefully, you’ve done your research before buying a Bullmastiff puppy, so the hair loss comes as no surprise.
However, by being proactive and understanding the needs of your Bullmastiff, you will take the best care of their hair, coat, and skin. Not only will you see less hair fall, but you’ll be doing your Bullmastiff an enormous favor.