Everything You Need To Know About Belgian Malinois Shedding Habits

Belgian Malinois originated in Belgium to help herd sheep. This is a smart, highly energetic breed that is now more often used in professional capacities such as police work or as a guard dog.

They are hardworking, loving dogs that require a lot of training. However, as with all dogs, shedding is a factor that needs to be considered.

So do Belgian Malinois shed?

Belgian Malinois is considered to be a dog breed that sheds a moderate amount of fur. So they will shed more fur than a bichon frize, but less fur than a Cardigan Welsh corgi.

However, Belgian Malinois tend to shed more fur during two points in the year, which is considered to be seasonal shedding. It typically happens in the spring or fall and will last for around 2 to 3 weeks.

You may be surprised to learn that this seasonal shedding, sometimes referred to as “coat blow”, is a process that most double-coated dogs go through.

It’s nothing to be overly concerned about. This is just your dog’s body preparing itself for the change in seasons.

So you’ll notice that your Belgian Malinois tends to shed their heavier coat in the spring, as they don’t need as much insulation in the warmer weather. 

How Long Do Belgian Malinois Shed?

When your Belgian Malinois starts to shed their winter or summer coats, you may be wondering how long you will have to put up with the excess hair for.

While they will continue to shed at a normal amount throughout the rest of the year, the good news is that you won’t have to worry about putting up with it for long periods of time.

Typically, your Belgian Malinois will only shed more of their fur for around 2 to 3 weeks. So once this period has elapsed, they should go back to shedding their fur for a normal amount of time.

So, it’s not an issue that you will have to put up with for too long.

Why Is My Belgian Malinois Shedding So Much?

You may be wondering why your Belgian Malinois is shedding so much of their fur.

If this isn’t purely for the reason that we’ve covered in more detail above – that this is their normal seasonal shedding twice a year – then it could be because of the fact that your Belgian Malinois is a double-coated breed.

Not every dog has a double coat. Most working dogs such as the Belgian Malinois have been bred to have this double coat so as to protect them from the elements.

A double coat typically features an outer coat of straighter hairs, which serves to keep the undercoat dry and protected. The undercoat is much denser, and is very soft.

This works to insulate the dog’s body, which can be highly beneficial when they’re out in all weathers.

When the Belgian Malinois was first bred to help herd those sheep in the Belgian mountains, this would have kept them protected during the harsher winter weather.

The good news is that there are a couple of methods you can use to manage the amount of fur that your Belgian Malinois sheds.

You can brush your dog roughly two days a week to maintain their regular shedding.

When they start to enter their seasonal shedding period, you may need to increase the amount of brushing to around 4 to 5 times a week. Their fur is relatively short and fairly easy to groom.

Brushing your Belgian Malinois’ fur will help to remove any loose or dead hair, which will then save you from having to collect it from your floor.

It will be much easier for you to do if you do this on a regular basis.

If your dog is going through their seasonal shedding, you can brush them outside to prevent any excess hair collecting in your home.

Are Belgian Malinois Hypoallergenic?

Belgian Malinois aren’t considered to be hypoallergenic, no. This is because they shed a decent amount of fur, which will contain allergens.

So if you are allergic to dogs, it’s not recommended to opt for a Belgian Malinois.

This frequent shedding will only irritate your allergy further.

Even though they only shed a moderate amount of fur during the majority of the year, you will find that your allergy will get worse during the seasonal shedding period.

It will be best to opt for a dog breed that is considered to be hypoallergenic if you suffer from a dog allergy.

Do Belgian Malinois Need Haircuts?

Your Belgian Malinois won’t need to have a haircut or be taken to the groomers on a regular basis. This is because their fur is relatively short, so won’t need as much maintenance as a breed that has longer fur. 

The only maintenance they will need is for you to brush their fur regularly. This is a job that you can do yourself, and therefore save yourself the expense of taking your Belgian Malinois to the groomers.

If you ensure to make this a regular habit, then the brushing likely won’t take as long.

As we’ve already mentioned above, your Belgian Malinois will only need to be brushed once or maybe twice a week.

When they start to shed their winter and summer coats, you may need to up this to around 4 or 5 times a week.

If you make sure to brush your Belgian Malinois fairly regularly, then you should notice a reduction in the amount of hair around your home.

In Summary

So there you have it! Belgian Malinois do shed their fur. This is a regular occurrence throughout the year, and they are considered to be moderate shedders.

However, because they are a double-coated breed, they will start to shed their fur more than twice a year. This is when they are removing the heavier or lighter coats that they don’t need.

If you want to reduce the amount of fur that you find around your home, you should make sure to brush your Belgian Malinois weekly. 

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