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The short answer: you cannot stop a healthy dog from shedding — it is how hair renews itself, and it is driven mainly by daylight, not temperature. What you can do is get the loose hair out on your terms instead of your sofa's. Four things make the real difference: brushing with the right tool for the coat (daily during a blow), a bath and thorough dry at the start of a shed, a diet with enough of the right fats (fish-oil omega-3s have the best evidence for coat quality), and ruling out a skin problem when the shedding is not normal. Bald patches, itching, red or flaky skin, or a thinning coat are not shedding — they are symptoms. This page covers all of it, including what we make, what it does, and what it does not.
Written by Marc Brannigan, Co-Founder & CEO of HempMy Pet. Last updated 10 November 2026.
Why Dogs Shed: It's the Light
Understanding the trigger explains why your dog sheds the way it does.
Every hair grows, rests, and then falls out as a new one pushes up behind it. The biggest signal telling a dog's follicles when to release hair is day length. As days lengthen in spring, dogs drop the winter undercoat; as they shorten in autumn, many shed again to make way for a thicker coat. That is why outdoor and working dogs shed in two predictable bursts.
Indoor dogs live under lamps and screens for hours after dark, which blurs that signal. The result is not less hair but hair spread across the year: in an Embark health survey, almost 47% of owners said their dog sheds all year round. Stress, hormones (after a heat cycle or having puppies), illness and diet change the picture further — which is why a dog can suddenly blow coat after a stressful vet visit or a house move.
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Normal Shedding or a Problem?
The most useful table on this page. If anything in the right-hand column fits, brushing will not fix it.
| Normal shedding | A problem to get checked | |
|---|---|---|
| The coat | Evenly full; hair comes out in tufts or clumps of undercoat, more in spring and autumn | Bald patches, thinning over the back or tail, a coat that looks patchy or moth-eaten |
| The skin | Normal colour, no flakes, no smell | Red, scaly, greasy, darkened, smelly, scabby, or with spots and bumps |
| Itch | Little or none | Scratching, chewing, licking paws, rubbing the face, scooting |
| Pattern | All over, worse at coat change | The same pattern on both sides of the body (often hormonal), or one area (often parasites, infection or licking) |
| The dog | Otherwise well | Weight gain or loss, drinking more, low energy, a pot belly — thyroid or adrenal disease can show up in the coat first |
A board-certified veterinary dermatologist puts it simply: normal shedding should never cause bald patches. If yours does, see your vet. Our guides to dog itching and hot spots cover the itchy side of things.
The Shedding Calendar by Coat Type
What to expect, and how much brushing that means.
| Coat type | Examples | When and how much | Brushing | Best tool |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double coat, heavy | Husky, Malamute, Samoyed, German Shepherd, Akita, Pyrenees | Big blows in spring and autumn lasting several weeks; moderate the rest of the year | Daily during a blow, 2–3 times a week otherwise | Undercoat rake, then a slicker brush; high-velocity dryer after baths |
| Double coat, short | Labrador, Corgi, Beagle, Pug, Shiba | Steady all year plus seasonal surges; often more than owners expect | 3–4 times a week; daily in a surge | Rubber curry brush, deshedding tool used gently |
| Single coat, short | Boxer, Dalmatian, Pit Bull types, Greyhound | Small hairs, steadily, year round | Weekly | Rubber curry mitt or grooming glove |
| Continuously growing | Poodle, Bichon, Shih Tzu, Yorkie, doodles | Very little hair on the floor — it tangles into the coat instead | Daily to every other day | Slicker brush and metal comb, plus regular professional grooming |
Hair that comes out on the brush is hair that does not come out on the couch.
The Four Things That Actually Reduce It
1. Brush on a schedule, with the right tool. This is most of the answer. Loose undercoat sits in a double coat for days before it falls; a rake or deshedding tool pulls it out in minutes. Brush outside if you can, in the direction the hair grows, in sections, down to the skin. Stop if the skin goes pink — deshedding blades used too hard or too often damage the guard hairs.
2. Bathe and dry at the start of a blow. A warm bath with a gentle dog shampoo and conditioner loosens dead undercoat; a thorough dry — with a pet dryer on cool, or a towel and brush — blows a startling amount out at once. Once or twice during a heavy shed is plenty; bathing too often dries the skin.
3. Feed the coat. Hair is protein, and coat quality depends on essential fatty acids. A complete diet covers most dogs, but the strongest evidence for supplements is for fish-oil omega-3s: in a randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 24 dogs with poor coats, daily EPA and DHA improved coat scores from about day 60, and the benefit faded after it was stopped. That is a two-month commitment, not a quick fix. See fish oil and krill oil in our glossary.
4. Fix what's underneath. Fleas, allergies, a skin infection or an underactive thyroid all make dogs lose more hair. Treat the cause and the shedding usually settles.
What Doesn't Work (or Makes It Worse)
- Shaving a double-coated dog. The undercoat insulates against heat as well as cold, and in some dogs it grows back patchy or not at all. It does not stop shedding; it just makes the hairs shorter.
- Bathing every week. Strips natural oils and can make skin dry and flaky, which some owners then mistake for a coat problem.
- Biotin or a hair-skin-nails supplement on a complete diet. Useful when a dog is truly deficient; little evidence it adds anything otherwise.
- Expecting coconut oil to stop shedding. Coconut oil contains very little of the omega fats linked to coat quality, and the veterinary evidence for it on dogs is thin. At most it is a small-amount topical moisturiser for dry patches — more on that in our dog dry skin guide.
- Shedding blades every day. They work, but they also cut and break healthy guard hairs if overused.
Where Hemp Fits — and Where It Doesn't
We sell hemp for dogs. It is not a shedding cure, and we would rather say so up front.
Nothing you feed a healthy dog will stop a coat that is renewing itself on schedule, hemp included. Brush, bathe and feed the coat.
If hair loss comes with scratching, the itch is the thing to treat. In a randomised, placebo-controlled trial of 32 allergic dogs, a CBD/CBDA oil at 2 mg/kg for four weeks reduced owner-rated itch compared with placebo — though not the skin lesions themselves, and four of 17 dogs had a liver-enzyme rise. That makes it a possible add-on to your vet's plan, not a replacement.
Our 100mg and 500mg jars are full-spectrum hemp in a coconut oil base. Used in small amounts on dry elbows, paw pads or a flaky patch, that is the use the evidence supports — a light topical moisturiser — and dogs who lick some off get a little hemp, not a lot of calories.
If you use it: start small, patch-test any topical on a small area first, and check the serving guide. If your dog is on Apoquel, Cytopoint or any other medication, read what the research shows about combining them and talk to your vet.
For itch and dry patches, this is where owners start
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Side effects are mostly mild — drowsiness, loose stool, and a liver-enzyme change seen in several published trials. Every published finding is in hemp and CBD side effects in dogs.
When to See the Vet
- Bald patches, thinning, or hair loss in the same pattern on both sides
- Red, scaly, greasy, smelly or scabby skin
- Persistent scratching, chewing or licking
- Shedding that suddenly gets much heavier with no seasonal reason
- Coat changes alongside weight change, thirst, low energy or a pot belly
- Fleas you cannot get on top of
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggers shedding in dogs?
Mainly day length. As days get longer in spring, dogs drop their winter undercoat, and many shed again in autumn as days shorten. Indoor lighting blurs that signal, which is why many house dogs shed all year. Stress, hormonal changes after a heat cycle or pregnancy, illness, poor diet, parasites and allergies can all increase shedding on top of that.
Which vitamins are good for reducing shedding in dogs?
The best evidence is not for a vitamin but for fish-oil omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), which improved coat quality in a placebo-controlled trial after about two months of daily use. Omega-6 linoleic acid also supports the skin barrier. Vitamin E, zinc and biotin matter for skin and hair, but a complete commercial diet usually supplies enough, and extra rarely helps unless a dog is deficient. Ask your vet before adding several supplements at once.
What home remedy can I give my dog for shedding?
The most effective home remedies are not things you give but things you do: brush with the right tool for the coat (daily during a heavy shed), give a bath and a thorough dry at the start of a blow, keep the dog on a complete diet with adequate fat, and keep fleas under control. A fish-oil supplement, given daily for at least two months, has the best evidence among things you can add to the bowl.
What months are the worst for dog shedding?
In the northern hemisphere, spring — roughly March to May — is usually the heaviest, as the winter undercoat comes out, with a second, often smaller shed in autumn around September to November. Each blow typically lasts a few weeks and longer in heavy double-coated breeds. Indoor dogs often shed moderately year round instead of in two clear bursts.
How can I stop my dog from shedding so much?
You can't stop healthy shedding, but you can cut how much ends up in your home: brush outdoors on a schedule, use an undercoat rake or deshedding tool on double coats, bathe and dry at the start of a blow, feed a complete diet with enough fat, and vacuum the dog's favourite spots often. If the shedding comes with bald patches, itching or skin changes, see your vet — that is a skin problem, not shedding.
Why is my dog shedding so much all of a sudden?
Common reasons are a seasonal coat blow, recent stress (a move, boarding, a vet visit), a heat cycle or recent litter, a change in diet, fleas, allergies, or an underlying condition such as hypothyroidism. Sudden heavy shedding with no seasonal explanation, especially with itching or bald patches, is worth a vet visit.
Does coconut oil help with dog shedding?
Not much. Coconut oil contains very little of the omega-3 and omega-6 fats linked to coat quality, and veterinary dermatologists note the evidence for it on dogs is limited. It can work as a small-amount topical moisturiser for dry patches, but for shedding, brushing and a diet with adequate fish-oil omega-3s do far more.
Does CBD help with shedding?
Not with normal shedding. Where it may help is the itchy dog: one placebo-controlled trial found a CBD/CBDA oil reduced owner-rated itch in allergic dogs as an add-on to their usual treatment, though it did not improve the skin lesions. If your dog is losing hair because they are scratching, a vet diagnosis comes first; hemp can be part of the plan after that.
The Short Version
Shedding is set by daylight, so you are managing it, not stopping it. Brush with the right tool — daily in a blow — bathe and dry at the start of a shed, feed enough of the right fats (fish-oil omega-3s have the best evidence), and never shave a double coat. Bald patches, itching or skin changes are not shedding; see your vet.
Hemp will not change a healthy coat cycle. Where it can earn a place is the itchy dog, as an add-on to a vet plan, and as a small-amount topical for dry patches.
Shop Hemp Coconut OilDog Dry Skin: What Helps →
Dog Dry Skin · Dog Itching · Hot Spots · Paw Licking · Serving by Weight
Marc co-founded HempMy Pet in 2016 with his business partner Natalie Mondine, the company's COO. HempMy Pet breeds its own hemp genetics, grows them on its own Colorado farm, and formulates every batch in-house under human-grade standards — seed to sale, nothing sourced overseas. Every batch is third-party tested and the certificates of analysis are published. More about us.
HempMy Pet ran its own 90-day study of 37 dogs with chronic joint discomfort. Of the 32 that completed it, 30 (93%) showed a benefit, and 94% of owners reported their dog's quality of life had improved. It was overseen by Dr. Robin Downing, DVM, MS of the Downing Center for Animal Pain Management, with Lori Kogan, Ph.D. and Peter W. Hellyer, DVM of Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, and published in the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. Read the methodology.
Why Dr. Downing: in 2005 she became only the third veterinarian in the world credentialed as a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pain Management. She founded the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, is a Diplomate of the ACVSMR, a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner and a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner, and was the AVMA's 2020 Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year. Read the published paper (PDF).
This article is general information for dog owners, not veterinary advice. It is reviewed and updated as new peer-reviewed evidence is published, and where the evidence is thin or negative we say so.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This article is general information, not veterinary advice. If your dog is unwell, contact your veterinarian.
