Do Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Shed? + How to Deal with It

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are beautiful, affectionate dog's who have many wonderful traits that owners love, but shedding isn't one of them.

Loose hair can get everywhere. On your clothes, sofa, and all over your house it can be quite a pain to clean up all the time!

Yes, this means King Charles Spaniels shed. But not that much. It will happen all year round but with a proactive approach it is easily manageable.

In this actionable guide, we will be looking at how much King Charles Spaniels shed, what can cause them to shed more, and what you can do about it.

If you have a Cavalier shedding problem and want to know what you can do about it or are just curious about how much this Spaniel breed shed, this article has all the answers you need.

How Much do Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Shed?

Out of all Spaniel dogs Cavaliers are do not shed the most they have a rating of 2/5 from the American Kennel Club for shedding. This means while King Charles Spaniels do shed its generally at a pretty low rate all year round.

You will still need to take care of your dog's hair to avoid loose hair from ending up everywhere, but you will see quite a bit less than you would from a Cocker or Springer Spaniel, for example.

Can Anything Cause your Cavalier to Shed More?

While Cavalier King Charles Spaniels do shed a bit normally there are actually circumstances or situations that can cause your furry friend to shed more than usual.

Some of the main reasons for increased shedding are stress, a poor diet, or fleas and ticks. Let's take a look at each of these individually in turn.

Stress

Stress and anxiety can cause hair loss in dogs. This is a result of epinephrine which is one of the main stress hormones for dogs.

Many situations could be the catalyst of stress shedding such as changes at home like a new pet, moving home, rides in the car, or even just strangers around and you Cavalier is uncomfortable.

Bad Diet

Feeding your dog a low-quality diet can result in your Cavalier shedding more than usual. It can also be a sign that your dog has some dog allergies to the food or perhaps has a sensitive stomach.

Feeding your dog a high-quality dog food is actually pretty easy, even on a budget. Good quality kibble makes it pretty easy and makes for a good protein filled diet. If you suspect your dog could have some allergies speak with your vet. There are many ways to solve these problems.

In rare cases it could even be a sign of other health issues.

Fleas & Ticks

If your Cavalier has fleas or ticks they will feel quite itchy and want to scratch quite intensely for relief. This constant scratching can cause your dog to shed more hair though leaving more dead hair lying around your home.

This one is very easily avoided by treating your dog for fleas on a monthly basis and by checking your dog for ticks after you come home from a walk. You'll need a special tool to remove ticks but this is really cheap to buy.

Just make sure you take care as you need to remove the whole tick and don't want to leave the head in. This could end with a trip to the vet!

What Time of Year do King Charles Spaniels Shed the Most?

King Charles Spaniels shed all year round a little. The season can influence how much your dog sheds. Dog's are incredible animals, right!?

Shedding can increase during autumn as your dog naturally prepares their coat for winter and in spring as they lose that slightly thicker coat to be a bit cooler in the coming hotter months.

Managing Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Shedding

Now that you understand how much Cavaliers shed and what can cause it to happen more let's talk about what you can do to effectively manage it.

Brushing

Brushing is the most effective way to remove dead hair from your King Charles Spaniels coat. You'll want to build this into their daily routine and start as young as possible to make it a normal part of life.

If you can't find the time to do this every day at least do it three times a week. You will see a noticeable difference when cleaning your home.

Any old brush won't do it for removing pet hair from your Cavaliers coat. You will need one that has been specifically designed for removing loose fur.

Baths

Giving your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel a bath is another great way to deal with dog hair before it ends up everywhere.

You won't want to do this too often though as it can remove natural skin oils from your dog and lead to dry skin which can become itchy and uncomfortable. This in turn leads to scratching as mentioned before and more hair everywhere.

Grooming

All King Charles Spaniels need to be groomed every so often. A good haircut for your Cavalier is a great way to deal with dog hair before it falls out.

There are two ways to go about this. Firstly you can book your King Charles Spaniel in with a professional groomer. They'll make sure your dogs coat is looking great. Alternatively, you can do it yourself at home if you are feeling up to it.

No matter which you choose its a great way to sort out this lovely dogs coat.

Conclusion

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels do shed but not quite as much as many other Spaniel breeds are known to. They shed a little all year round but can do it a bit more during autumn and spring as the seasons change

While there are reasons that could lead to excessive shedding in this toy Spaniel there are many things you can do to to effectively manage how much fur dogs shed.

Hopefully this guide to Cavalier King Charles Spaniels shedding has told you everything you need to know about this toy breeds shedding and offered some actionable tips that can help you stay on top of it.