How to stop corgi from shedding

How Do I Stop My Corgi From Shedding?

So, you want to stop your corgi from shedding all over the place.

The short answer? You can’t.

The long answer? You can reduce the amount of fur (or “corgi glitter”) that’s shed.

The most you can do is alleviate some of the shedding by practicing various techniques that we’ll cover in this guide.

Last updated: 12/25/19.

You can’t stop the shedding

You can't stop corgi shedding as they need a double-coat.
Corgi fur is unlimited.

First and foremost, we need to address something that many new owners struggle with.

Making a corgi stop shedding is like asking a human to stop growing hair. It’s not going to happen, so you need to get out of that mindset.

If you purchased a corgi and had no idea that they shed so much surprise!

(And this is why people need to do their research before adopting a corgi or rehoming one.)

Corgi shedding is one of the top complaints from new dog owners and some poor corgies end up for adoption because the owner failed to do their due diligence.

Okay, so now that we got that out of the way, let’s go over some tips to reduce the shedding.

Why do corgis shed so much?

Corgis are actually one of the dogs that shed the most. For a dog that only stands at 12″ maximum on average, they sure do release a lot of fur for their size.

Some dog owners have even been able to collect enough corgi hair to make a life-sized corgi just from all the fur lying around.

They shed constantly throughout the year, with major shedding twice a year when the seasons change.

Changing seasons

They have a double-coat with very dense fur because they were evolved as a herding dog. The coat allows them to herd various animals in the cold and also swim in cold waters.

Corgis have two coats:

  • The thick undercoat (where most of the hair is shed)
  • The thinner guard coat

Most of the fur you’re dealing with comes from the inner coat. When the seasons change, this is when you’ll find everywhere (including your dinner!).

Corgis shed “twice” a year

Corgis shed for the spring and autumn.
Corgis shed like crazy, especially when the seasons change.

When someone says that “corgis shed twice a year” this is exactly what they mean.

During the process, you’ll be cleaning up extra corgi fur around the home. There’s not much you can do about it as you can’t control the seasons.

The rest of the year, during off-peak season, there will be constant shedding as new hair replaces old hair. This is a natural process that occurs in nearly all dogs with hair.

Corgis shed once during the spring and again in the autumn. This is what people mean when they say “twice” a year.

But in reality, it’s more like all year long. Some areas may be very hot and another very cold, so the actual timeframe blurs.

You’ll probably notice some periods of the year where your dog sheds more than others. You should take note of these and mark them on your calendar so you know when to expect heavy shedding.

  • The inner coat is used for the colder months, which is shed during the spring.
  • The outer coat is used for the warmer months, which is shed during the autumn.

When do corgis shed?

They shed all year round, but especially during autumn and spring.

Winter

Corgis respond to changing temperatures and as days get colder in the winter, their fur coat will start producing MORE hair to prep them for the coming cold season.

Their coat becomes thicker and dense to shield them from colder temperatures.

Summer

After the cold season is over, they’ll shed off this extra coat to prepare for the warmer months.

After all, their coat can detect the change in temperature and will “blow” off so they don’t overheat in the hotter months.

Each change in season only lasts about a month and this is the peak time of year when they’ll blow their coat.

How to make your Corgi shed less

Corgi lying on beach with plenty of fur.
Even though this feat isn’t possible, here are some things you can do to help.

Here are some tips you can do right now to reduce the amount of hair your dog sheds.

1. Groom more often

This is the most effective technique to reduce corgi shedding, believe it or not. You’re probably saying:

  • “But I already groom- twice per day!”
  • “I take my corgi to professional groomers!”
  • “I can’t groom any more!”

While you may already be on a regular grooming schedule, more grooming is always the answer.

The whole point of grooming is to remove dead and loose hair so it doesn’t get all over the place. The more you groom, the more you trap these hairpieces before they fly off the dog.

Rather than following a routine schedule, consider breaking up your grooming sessions into smaller ones, more frequently throughout the day.

So instead of one long session in the afternoon, do three smaller sessions focusing on different parts of the dog. Or three sessions covering the entire dog, but not as “in-depth.” Or if time isn’t an issue, do MORE sessions with MORE detail.

You don’t want to sacrifice how detailed you get with grooming just to do more sessions. The whole point is to get more grooming time with the same or more level of detail.

However, you can fit this into your schedule will benefit the dog and reduce the hair. It’s not rocket science.

The more you groom, the less loose hair is shed all over your home.

Here are some grooming tips:

  • Groom with long strokes
  • Don’t skip out on sensitive areas (neck, legs, etc.)
  • Start with a detailed groom, then retrace your steps with a broad groom
  • Brush your corgi’s coat at least once per day, twice with even hours split apart if possible

2. Bathe your corgi regularly

Corgis don’t need baths that often, as it removes beneficial oils and vitamins that they need.

However, this doesn’t mean you should keep putting it off and never bathe him until he’s had a day out in the rain.

You should stick to a routine bathing schedule, such as once every month.

During the bath, be sure to do “everything that you can” to remove dead hair and debris from the coat.

This process helps to alleviate some fur that’s caught and you may have missed when using a brush.

You’ll be able to do a “deep clean” to dislodge any dirt and hair that’s caught on your corgi’s coat.

Because you can only bathe every so often, take the opportunity to really get in there and clean up your corgi!

Here are some bathing tips:

  • Use an organic or natural shampoo that has essential vitamins for corgis
  • Check for deshedding shampoos
  • Use your hands, fingers, and brushes during the bath to remove excess or lodged hair
  • Use conditioners to provide the coat a nice finish that’s silky smooth
  • Don’t skip out on the hair drying- use a hairdryer to remove water and blow out excess hair

3. Exercise your corgi

Corgis were made to move and are not fit for a sedentary lifestyle.

As you probably know, corgis need to be walked daily and a round of extreme exercise that gets your corgi tired out.

By blast4310.

Simply walking the dog from point A to B isn’t going to cut it. They need to be physically and mentally stimulated. Every single day.

Think of playing fetch, getting the newspaper, frisbee, or maybe even chasing the ball out of an automatic fetch machine.

Anything that keeps the dog occupied, thinking and moving will be sufficient.

The benefit of this exercise is that it keeps the dog’s physical health in check, which directly affects the quality of the coat.

A corgi that’s healthy can easily be seen in the coat.

Yes, you can actually see if a dog’s unhealthy just by checking out the coat.

  • Healthy dogs have healthy coats that are smooth, fluffy, and shine. They also shed less because each their coat has healthy hair follicles with the right amount of skin elasticity.
  • Unhealthy dogs have patches, dead hair, matting, and dull, lifeless coats. They also tend to shed more due to these unhealthy habits.

Keeping your corgi healthy by regularly giving it the exercise it requires will directly help improve the coat quality, which will help reduce shedding.

4. Feed your corgi a high-quality diet

Just like exercise, ensuring that your corgi has a good diet will also contribute to a healthy coat. Choose a high-quality dog food made with natural or organic processes.

Some dog foods have additives and nutrients made just for helping dogs get a healthy coat. You can consider these dog foods, just be sure to do your research.

Poor nutrition or low-quality dog foods will affect the coat with time. Your corgi’s skin and coat are very sensitive to their nutrition, and you need to make sure you have the right amount of protein, fatty acids, and omega nutrients.

Did you know that up to 30% of your corgi’s daily protein intake goes to making new hair?

5. Hormones affect how much your corgi sheds

Hormones can also affect your corgi’s shedding. If your dog is pregnant, going into heat, or has been spayed or neutered recently, this can affect the coat.

A change in hormones has a profound effect on your dog’s coat, mainly because estrogen and testosterone both directly influence the hair follicles.

The good part about hormonal changes it that your corgi should return to normal shedding in a few months. If it continues, consult a vet.

6. Check for fleas

Fleas and ticks can both contribute to excess shedding. These will make your corgi start scratching uncontrollably, which will just lead to more and more shedding.

You should always be checking for fleas and ticks on your dog’s coat and look for the telltale signs of a flea problem.

If you’re unsure, take your corgi for a professional vet checkup.

7. Assess your corgi’s health

If you noticed that your corgi seems to be shedding more than usual lately, and it’s not a peak season, look for other signs that your corgi may be sick.

Sickness and stress both contribute to excess fur shedding, so if you notice that your corgi is showing signs of sickness, take him to the vet for a checkup.

Some common signs of corgi sickness:

  • Change in behavior
  • Lethargy, fatigue, or avoidance
  • Unexpected aggression
  • Excess drooling
  • Constant pacing
  • Straight or lowered tail

8. Check for allergies

Corgis can be allergic to specific objects or foods, which can be difficult to see at first.

Allergic dogs can result in additional shedding, which could explain why your corgi may have random fluctuations in how much it sheds over time.

If your corgi constantly scratches itself, has watery eyes, sneezes, or has patches of missing hair, these could be signs of allergies.

You’ll want to try to see what’s causing the allergies and eliminate it. Consult a vet for professional help.

When do corgis get their full coat?

Corgi with a full coat.
Corgis get their full coats within a few years. And then you’ll regret it.

Adult corgis will get their full coat twice a year, depending on how you define full. The shedding kicks in right around the seasons change. Because temperatures vary by state, there’s no exact time.

For most corgis, the two shedding periods take place from August to December, and then again from February to May.

The inner coat is for the colder months and this means the outer coat will be shed. This happens around autumn.

The outer coat is for the warmer months and the inner coat is shed. This happens around spring.

Both are considered “full” coats, but most people refer to the autumn coat for the winter, which usually happens right before the colder months.

Younger corgis may take a few years to develop a full and complete coat. You may notice short, finer hairs slowly change into fluffy coats.

Why is my corgi shedding so much?

This is likely because your dog is entering one of the two peak shedding seasons.

Either the inner coat is being shed to get ready for summer, or the outer coat is being shed to get ready for winter. If you’re not in either season, it could be due to allergies, hormones, exercise, stress, pain, grooming habits, bathing, or nutrient deficiency.

Do corgis ever stop shedding?

Corgis never stop shedding.
That’s a sarcastic question.

No, they never do. Corgis shed all year long with two peak periods where they’ll shed extra hair. This is just a fact of corgi life.

Learn to embrace the hair

There’s really nothing you can really do to stop the shedding.

You can reduce the amount of hair shed, but it’s definitely not feasible to constantly be brushing your corgi all day, vacuuming every hour, and exercising the dog every minute. It’s just not practical to stop the shedding because there aren’t enough hours in the day.

You’ll have to learn to embrace the hair (just call it corgi glitter and leave it at that), as trying to stop the hair won’t do a thing.

This is part of corgi ownership and should be something owners need to expect.

Further reading

Some additional resources that you may find useful are contained here. Feel free to check them out.

Did you reduce the amount of corgi glitter?

A fluffy corgi outdoors.
Don’t stop the fur. Embrace the fur.

This tutorial should get you started on some actionable tips to help you get your corgi to shed less.

There’s no real way to directly stop your corgi from shedding.

You’ll need to learn to embrace the corgi hair!

However, with these tips, you can reduce the amount of fur that’s shed.

If you have any questions, leave a reply and I’ll get back to you with my thoughts! Or if you find inaccurate information, let me know also!

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Roger Stotts
3 years ago

I have a new corgi pup due to come to our home around 7/20/20. He will be 8 weeks old at that time. Have not been a puppy owner for over 20 years. I am a senior citizen. Just lost my 12 year old black lab few months ago to cancer. I am still heart broken. Were best buds. Breeder has 2 males left. Son bought one and I am buying the other. They will be living in same location so they will be able to socialize with each other. IS IT TRUE….that Corgi’s have a different mindset different from other puppy breeds? If so, are they more difficult to train over a say…:Poodle? Any comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Roger Stotts, Phoenix, az