Do Springer Spaniels Shed? + 4 Ways to Stay on Top of It

Springer Spaniels are one of the best family dogs you could ask for with their kind, loving soul and playful nature.

However, as nice as it is to have a loving Springer in your home you will also have to deal with shedding.

What is shedding you ask?

Shedding is when your dog's dead hair falls from their coat and onto your clothes or home. Anyone who has owned a dog that sheds will tell you how much of a pain that can be to stay on top of. You really will find it everywhere!

In this article, we are going to talk about Springer Spaniel shedding and offer some practical advice on how to manage it.

Do English Springer Spaniels Shed?

Yes, English Springer Spaniels shed.

The American Kennel Club class this breed as moderate shedders with a 3/5 rating. This means you will need to actively take action to mitigate the amount of hair that ends up around your home.

Why Do Springer Spaniels Shed?

There are many reasons a Springer Spaniel might shed. Most of the time it will just come down to it being a natural process at most breeds have in some form. But there can be a few other reasons for it too.

Let's run through the main causes.

It's a Natural Process

Shedding is a natural process that allows a dog to get rid of dead or loose hair. It can also happen as a result of stress, pests, or even just a bad diet.

Stress

More than normal shedding can be one of the first signs of a nervous dog. A spike in Epinephrine (the dog's stress hormone) is what is triggering the hair to release. In this situation, you may want to calm and reassure your dog a bit and try to work out what is causing the stress.

Pests

With pests, there can be a number of little nuisances your Springer could pick up and cause them to shed more. It could be parasites and pests that were picked up in a walk in the forest. Ticks can be a real pain here.

It's actually really easy to sort out a tick at home yourself though with a tick removal tool. Super cheap and really handy to have around just in case. Be careful removing the tick though, you don't want to break it. A few YouTube videos will help there though.

Diet

Your dog eating a poor diet is another reason for increased shedding. A Springer Spaniel's diet needs to be well balanced with protein, carbs, fat, vitamins, and minerals.

If you are choosing cheap or low-quality dog food then there is a good chance it may be a factor if you see increased shedding.

How Often Does a Springer Spaniel Shed?

An English Springer Spaniel with shed year-round.

You will notice more shedding during the shedding seasons which are spring and autumn. The reason for this is the dogs coat getting ready for the next season. In spring the coat becomes a bit lighter in anticipation of the warmer summer ahead and in autumn a bit heavier with winter around the corner.

Dog's coats are smart, right?

Can you Stop your Springer Spaniel from Shedding?

No, it's not possible to stop your Springer Spaniel from shedding. As previously mentioned this is a natural process that helps a dog keep a healthy coat and adjust to changing seasons.

Shedding is just a part of life with a Springer Spaniel. It can be easily managed though which is what we will be getting on to next.

How To Keep on Top of Springer Spaniel Shedding

I'm not going to lie, shedding can be a pain.

It takes active effort to keep your dog hair in good condition. You'll need regular grooming, brushing, baths, and a solid diet.

The chances are you are at least doing some of these things, if not all already, but let's just run through what is involved in each step.

Regular Brushing

Regular brushing will be the key activity required to keep your dog's dead hair from landing all over your home.

You'll want to give your dog a good brush every other day, but at a bare minimum of once per week. To brush your Springer you'll want to use a slicker-style brush that has thin metal bristles. The benefit of this style of brush is that it can reach through to the dog's undercoat and remove any dead hair with ease.

If you have a young dog try to get them used to this as soon as possible. It will make everything easier later on.

Grooming

Every 8-10 weeks you will need to groom your English Springer Spaniel. It's possible to do this at home or with a professional groomer.

This haircut will take care of any lingering loose hairs for you. And as an added bonus your Springer Spaniel will look and smell great after it's done.

The amount your dog sheds will be influenced by the style of coat you choose for your Springer Spaniel. For less opt for a puppy cut which is short all over.

Some Spaniel owners prefer one of the more elaborate Springer Spaniel coat styles and will find that they have a lot more hair to deal with.

Baths

Giving your Springer Spaniel a bath won't be a very regular occurrence. Washing your dog too often can lead to the natural oils in their skin being stripped out which can lead to dry skin and irritation.

You can also use specific de-shedding dog shampoo to make sure you get all that loose hair out.

We try to time this to be the midpoint between the grooms since they will wash your dog before cutting their hair anyway.

Diet

English Springers also need a balanced diet to have a nice strong coat. Poor quality kibble will leave your dog without many nutrients they need to be healthy leading to a weaker coat that is more likely to shed.

A quality diet goes a very long way in many aspects of our dog's life!

Keeping your Home Dog Hair Free

As you will know by now an English Springer Spaniel sheds quite a bit and some will end up throughout your house. Your regular cleaning regime will go some way towards taking care of this but it just won't manage to pick up it all, especially on the carpet.

When cleaning pay extra attention to anywhere your dog spends more time. A regular hoover will get the most of it but it really won't do it all as you'll see in the image below.

All of this hair came from my staircase from my Spaniel shedding for a few months. It's hoovered twice a week!

Top Equipment to Manage Shedding

This is the equipment I use in my own home to stay on top of my Spaniels shedding above the usual cleaning.

First is the lint remover which can pull the dog hair out of a carpet with ease. Really surprising how effective it is seeing it's so cheap. Costs less than a cup of coffee!

Then we have a small robot hoover. Again this one is on the lower end price-wise but still gives the house a quick clean through the week.

Aside from those we have a pet-friendly hoover. It was designed specifically to deal with the challenges of having a furry friend at home.

Do Springer Spaniels Shed more than Other Spaniel Breeds?

Using the American Kennel Club's ratings for how much the breeds shed we can say that the English and Welsh Springer Spaniels are some of the heaviest shedders out of the Spaniel breeds matched with how much the Boykin and Cocker Spaniel sheds.

The American Water Spaniel and King Charles Spaniel scored a 2/5 while the Irish Water Spaniel had an impressive 1/5 rating for its lack of shedding.

Conclusion

So, do Springer Spaniels shed?

Yes, the Welsh and English Springer Spaniels are well known for their shedding. A dog's shedding is really easily managed by taking care of their coat and ensuring that they have a highly nutritious diet.

There are also quite a few nice tools you can employ to help take care of your home ensuring that pet hair doesn't find its way over your house.

Also, you need not worry about your home if you take our advice above. There will be that little hair that anyone visiting your home won't even know you have a dog!