If you’re deciding whether or not to get a Pitbull, one thing to consider is they do shed and they are not hypoallergenic.
For some people, this could be a reason to rule out this breed but for other people the Pitbull temperament: strong, affectionate, loyal and courageous, outweigh their tendency to shed.
When considering any dog breed, one factor that may influence your decision is does this dog breed shed? I wasn’t sure if all the different types of Pitbulls shed or how much they shed, so I did some investigation to find out.
Pitbull shedding is a natural process that happens all year round. But there are other reasons Pitbulls will shed:
- Dehydration
- Change in diet, poor nutrition or food allergies
- Stress from separation anxiety, change in routine or other reasons
- Bathing with the wrong shampoo
- Skin conditions (which bulls are prone to)
- Parasites like mites, fleas etc.
This article will explain the best tips for dealing with your Pitbull’s fur and will provide information about shedding, including which bully breeds shed the most to how anxiety can influence their coat.
Pitbull Shedding – Why They Have The Upperhand
Yes, Pitbulls naturally shed but they definitely shed less than other dog breeds.
Why is that?
- They have hair rather than fur. The shorter growth cycle of fur means that fur sheds more easily and in greater volume than hair.
- They have a single coat instead of a more shed-prone double coat.
Coats
As you can see from the table below, all Pitbull breeds have a smooth coat with short hair.
That short hair means their hair is less noticeable on clothes, floors and soft furnishings than dogs with long hair.
The short hairs on their smooth coat are of equal length.
| Pitbull Breed | Coat Type |
| American Bully | Short coat, stiff, smooth and shiny. Hair smoother and wavier than the others. |
| American Pit Bull Terrier | Short coat, shiny and soft to touch with hair close to the skin. |
| American Staffordshire Terrier | Short coat, shiny. Coat is similar to the American Pit Bull Terrier. |
| Staffordshire Bull Terrier | Short coat, smooth, close to the skin. Hair tends to be less stiff than the other Pit Bull breeds. |
A smooth coat is the easiest dog coat type to look after.
Although it’s the easiest coat type to look after, some grooming is required.
We’ll explore grooming later in this article.
Colors
There are more than 23 color variations of Pitbull breeds with the base colors being red, black white, blue, buckskin, tan, fawn, seal, tricolor and reverse brindle.
What has this got to do with shedding?
Since all pitbulls shed equally, if you are planning on getting a Pitbull, being more selective with the color may give you less of a headache with cleaning up your home.
If you have dark carpets, then the hair of a Pitbull in a darker color will show up less on that carpet.
The same goes if you wear dark clothes for work like business suits.
If you have a light-colored lounge, getting a Pitbull in a lighter color makes more sense.
Why Do Pitbulls Shed?
1. The natural process
Just like humans, dogs shed naturally as a cycle to get rid of old or damaged hairs.
Pitbulls shed consistently most of the year but shedding volumes peak in the fall and spring as the number of daylight hours change.
These peaks allow the Pitbulls to prepare their heavier winter and lighter summer coats.
The reason for their shift in shedding during the seasons is actually due to the hours of daylight, not due to the changing temperature.
Their fur is designed to protect their skin from any elements, including the sun.
When there’s less sun outside, their coat will grow thicker, and the same in the summer season.
2. Dehydration
Not having enough water on a consistent basis can cause your Pitbull to shed an excessive amount of hair.
If you’re looking for a new stainless steel bowl to store water for your dog indoors, or outdoors, we recommend:
Always make fresh water accessible inside and outside your home.
The best way to keep water fresh is getting a dog water fountain. And we recommend the Bergen Autowata, especially for the outdoors.
If you live in an area where the water in dog bowls freezes over in winter, Farm Innovators offer a heated dog water bowl.
Let’s say your bully has a chicken-based diet then you suddenly switch to fish or beef, some dogs will react with an abundance of dead and loose hair.
But wait a month to determine whether the change in food is the actual cause of the shedding.
If you want to change your dog’s diet, make it a gradual process rather than a sudden change and notice if excess shedding still occurs.
A diet that is poor quality and low in nutrition can also cause your dog to shed excessively.
Change up the food to a better quality variety with more nutrients. Ask your vet for guidance if you’re not sure.
Furthermore, your dog may be displaying an allergy to their food with excess hair shedding.
Have you recently changed your dog’s food? It’s best to discuss this with your local vet.
3. Stress
Have you recently changed your routine which impacts your Pitbull?
For example, maybe you need to leave home earlier for a new job with a longer commute to and from work? This means you are spending less time at home, eating into dog and family time.
Maybe your grown-up children recently left your home to go to college and they were very close to your Pitbull?
A common cause of stress is separation anxiety, which dog training celebrity Cesar Milan talks about in the video below.
Maybe your regular dog walker isn’t available so walking your Pitbull is a bit touch and go.
So your dog’s routine and who they are/aren’t with, has changed.
Have you recently moved home?
This could definitely upset your Pitbull which could lead to shedding of excess dog hair.
4. Bathing
Have you recently changed your dog shampoo?
This could also cause your Pitbull to shed more hair than normal.
This reaction could be combined with your dog having dry, flaky skin or scratching their skin more often.
Have a chat with your vet to find a shampoo that’s more gentle.
5. Skin conditions
Allergies make a dog’s skin itchy and Pitbulls are prone to allergies.
This can affect their belly, skin folds, feet and ears are common areas.
Pitbulls can lose hair as a result of these skin conditions.
Don’t let these skin conditions unchecked – visit your vet!
Even sunburn could cause your Pitbull to lose excessive hair.
These dogs are known to have quite sensitive skin, using certain laundry detergent or air freshers can ever irritate them.
Skin irritation can cause more shedding and your dog biting at this area resulting in losing more fur.
It’s best to seek a veterinarian for advice if your dog is suffering from a skin allergy or irritation.
6. Parasites
Pitbulls can react to the presence of fleas, mites, scabies, and even fungal infections with excessive loss of hair.
In addition to loss of hair, there are other symptoms that would confirm if your Pitbull has a flea infestation. Read this article for a comprehensive guide on how to handle fleas.
Don’t get the presence of fleas mixed up with a simple case of dry skin. You can read more about this distinction in this article.
How Often Does A Pitbull Shed?
Pitbull’s shed year-round, but during the fall and spring season, they shed the most to get rid of the winter and summer coat.
Due to their single-coat, they do not shed an undercoat; but will still have daily shedding.
In the winter they will get more hair to help them stay warm for the colder seasons, this requires their lighter summer coat to fall out.
Similarly in the spring when it’s time for warmer weather their heavy coat falls out and they can remain cool throughout the summer season.
What Happens During Shedding?
During the shedding season, you’ll find more dog hair around the house; your pet shouldn’t be affected by losing their hair.
Monitoring them to make sure it’s not excessive falling out, this could be a sign of an underlying health condition.
Daily brushing
The best way to handle their shedding is with daily grooming.
Daily brushing can get any excess hair before it falls out onto the ground.
In addition, this is a great way to spend some quality time and bond with your dog.
Besides grooming the extra fur out, this is a prime way to look out for any fleas or ticks that might be on your dog.
Our following recommendations represent the best alternatives for brushing dogs like the Pitbull with their short hair.
Curry combs or brushes
These devices massage the skin as well as pull loose hair from your Pitbull’s coat.
They are made with waterproof material so it’s perfect to be used during bath time to help the shampoo and conditioner to penetrate more deeply into the skin to cleanse and hydrate.
The FURminator Curry Comb is the best pitbull shedding brush on the market and it’s very affordable for the cost-conscious dog owner. And it has a handle making it easy to use.
As a runner-up, we would recommend the KONG Dog ZoomGroom multi-use brush. It’s also perfect for deshedding, massaging, and bathing. But it does not have a handle like the FURminator.
Traditional bristle brushes
If you prefer the more traditional brush, the combination brush is a great choice. It’s 2 brushes in one, delivering more value. The pins help remove loose hair from your Pitbull and the nylon bristles softly massage the skin, redistributing oils.
We recommend the Hartz Groomer’s Best Combo Detangling Dog Brush as the best deshedding brush for Pitbulls.
I would use the curry comb for bathtime and the Hartz combo brush for the daily hair brush.
Bath regularly
With Pitbulls, it’s important to bathe them regularly.
Let’s say once a month, ideally.
This can help keep the amount of shedding they do to a minimum.
Also, you can buy an anti-shed shampoo that can help reduce the amount of shedding during the seasons.
Here’s our top 2 picks of the best anti-shedding shampoo.
FURminator deShedding Ultra Premium Dog Shampoo. Recommended to use on a monthly basis. It contains natural soothing calendula extract, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, and papaya leaf extract.
If your Pitbull has sensitive skin or allergies, then the Burt’s Bees Natural Shed Control Shampoo is a gentler anti-shedding shampoo. It contains 97% natural components that are dye-free, sulfate-free and fragrance-free too.
A good brush after a bath can catch the loose fur before it gets around the house.
Use supplements
Vitamin E and Omega Fatty Acids can greatly benefit your dog’s fur but also help their coat stay soft and healthy during shedding season.
During the heavy shedding times of fall and spring, you may want to supplement your Pitbull with the Vets Best Healthy Coat (chewable tablets) to help your dog maintain normal shedding levels and a nice healthy coat.
Best Ways To Get Rid Of Dog Fur
Vacuuming
The best way to handle all the fur during shedding seasons is daily cleaning around your house, a good vacuum to get all the hairs that have dropped.
It might be a good opportunity to invest in a strong powered pet hair vacuum to get all the fur.
Best vacuum cleaners for pet hair
To effectively remove Pitbull hair from around your home, you need a powerful vacuum cleaner specifically built to remove pet hair (cat and dogs).
So here’s our recommendations.
| Best Category | Brand/Model | Buy |
| Best overall | Dyson Ball Animal 2 Upright | Check latest price on Amazon |
| Best Canister Vacuum Cleaner | Miele Classic C1 Cat and Dog Canister | Check latest price on Amazon and reviews |
| Best Upright/Best For Heavy Hair Shedders/Best For Hard Floors | Shark APEX AZ1002 DuoClean with Self-Cleaning Brushroll Lift-Away Upright | Check latest price on Amazon and reviews |
| Best Cordless Stick (great for hard floors too) | Dyson V8 Animal Cord-free Stick | Check latest price on Amazon and reviews |
| Best Handheld For Big Jobs (stairs, car, couches and other big pieces of furniture) | Shark Rocket Corded Handheld | Check latest price on Amazon and reviews |
| Best Handheld (runner up) For Small Jobs (dog beds, chairs) | Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Handheld | Check latest price on Amazon and reviews |
Best carpet rakes
If you have carpets or shag rugs, and you want to maximize the removal of your Pitbull’s within your home, use a carpet rake to remove pet hair.
This rake combs deep through your carpets and rugs to pick up dog hair.
They also fluff up your carpets as you use them which is great for high traffic areas like hallways and stairs.
Not all carpet rakes are great for pet hair so that’s why we’ve made the small selection below.
- For low pile carpets – The Universal Pet Hair Remover. It’s ergonomic handles extend 4 feet which allows you to get into those challenging areas to clean like under furniture, corners and stairs.
- For all carpet types and shag rugs – The Grandi Groom Rake.
Lint rollers
This is the cheapest and best option is the best way to get rid of fur on clothes and furniture.
Purchasing a pack of lint rollers and keeping them around the house and in your car can be a lifesaver when getting the pesky hair off.
The number one best selling lint roller for pet hair on Amazon.com is the ChomChom Dog Hair Remover. You can use this to remove your Pitbull’s hair from comforters, beds, blankets, and couches.
If you are looking for a lint roller for more personal use, like removing hair on your clothes, we recommend the Flint Retractable Lint Roller that comes with refills.
Covers for furniture
Covering your furniture doesn’t get rid of your Pitbull’s hair but it does minimize the amount of hair on your furniture.
The budget and easiest option is to use old towels and throws that you can whip off when you have guests visiting to reveal a clean couch.
However, if you are more fussy about the decor in your home, consider purchasing a cover for your couch and armchairs.
These covers fit your furniture like a glove and do a better job at keeping out your Pitbull’s dog hair when they shed.
These furniture covers also protect your furniture from wear and tear over time, especially if you have a family.
The most popular options for furniture covers are the:
- Sofa Shield Original Reversible Sofa Slipcover (best budget option); and
- RHF Reversible Couch Cover.
Given there are so many options depending on your taste, decor and sofa styles, configurations and colors, we have thrown the covers below to try and reduce the time you could spend shopping that are specifically for keeping out dog and cat hair. Note some are waterproof and others are water resistant.
- Tewene Sofa Cover (Velvet Couch Cover Anti-Slip Sectional Couch Cover)
- Mighty MonkeyPremium Reversible Large Sofa Protector (for seat width up to 70 inches)
- Easy-Going Sofa Slipcover Reversible Sofa Cover (water resistant)
- SureFit Deluxe Pet Cover (with arms).
Conclusion
Pitbulls are amazing pets to own; they tend to be very loyal and friendly dogs that go against society’s ideals of them. Like most dogs, they shed their fur, but due to Pitbulls single-coat, they do shed less than other dogs. With daily grooming and a good vacuum for their shedding season, Pitbulls are simple dogs to own and love.
Mad About Bullys? So Are We!
Pitbulls of all sorts, make great dogs to have fun with when outdoors. So we’ve written several articles about Pitbulls that you may enjoy reading.
- Pitbulls and their drooling
- Hunting and your Pitbulls: are they good at it?
- Does your Pitbull have a strong bite?
- Should you go hiking with your Pitbull?
- Thinking about buying a Blue Razor Edge Pitbull: read our guide here
- Looking for a Blue Pitbull: read our guide first
- Our best ever guide to breeders for the Red-Nosed American Pitbull Terrier.