Stress or upheaval
A move, a new baby, boarding, fireworks or a vet visit can all trigger extra shedding, according to veterinary guidance published by PetMD. Shedding from a short burst of stress usually settles once life does.
Corgi guide
Do
Corgis shed?
Yes, Corgis shed a lot. Pembroke and Cardigan Welsh Corgis lose hair every day and blow their undercoat in heavier bursts once or twice a year, and no Corgi is hypoallergenic. Here is how much to expect, why it happens, what it means for allergies and how to keep the hair under control.
How much
Do Corgis shed
a lot?
They do, and more than their size suggests. The AKC rates the Pembroke Welsh Corgi a 4 on its 5 point shedding scale, where 5 means hair everywhere, and its breed profile says Pembrokes shed a fair amount every day, with even more in late spring and early summer. Cardigan Welsh Corgis have the same kind of double coat and also shed year round, with heavier seasonal sheds.
In daily life that looks like tufts of soft undercoat gathering in corners and under furniture, hair on dark clothes and car seats, and a brush that fills up every time you use it. Corgi hair is short and fine, so it works its way into carpet and fabric instead of sitting on top where a quick wipe would catch it.
The double coat
Why do Corgis shed
so much?
Because of the coat they were bred to wear. The AKC breed standard describes a short, thick, weather resistant undercoat beneath a coarser, longer outer coat. The undercoat is insulation, the outer guard hairs shed rain and dirt, and together they let a cattle dog work outdoors in any weather.
Every hair grows, rests and eventually falls out to make room for a new one. A coat this dense always has a great many hairs at the end of that cycle, which is why a Corgi drops a little hair every day. The undercoat also renews itself in bulk, which is the heavy seasonal shed.
Shedding is so much a part of the breed that the standard makes allowance for it. It states plainly that "this breed has a shedding coat" and tells judges not to penalize a show dog too severely for a seasonal lack of undercoat.
Coat blowing
When do Corgis shed
the most?
During a coat blow, when a large share of the undercoat lets go over a few weeks. Most Corgis blow their coat once or twice a year. The AKC puts the Pembroke's heaviest shedding in late spring and early summer, and veterinary sources describe double coated dogs peaking in spring and again in fall.
You will know when it starts. Tufts of undercoat poke out through the outer coat and pull away easily between your fingers, the ruff and the "pants" on the back legs thin out, and for a while the coat can look patchy. Afterward a Corgi can look noticeably sleeker until the new undercoat grows in.
A blow is the time for extra brushing: hair you rake out never reaches your floor. Our Welsh Corgi grooming guide covers the tools and the line brushing technique that gets through the thick ruff and pants.
Other causes
Why is my Corgi shedding more than usual?
A coat blow explains most sudden hair storms, but not all of them.
The wrong shampoo
Human shampoo is too harsh for a dog's skin and can lead to flaking, irritation and more shedding. Use a shampoo made for dogs and rinse until no lather is left in the dense undercoat.
Fleas and mites
Parasites make dogs itch, scratch and lose hair, and an early flea problem can look like a bad coat blow. Year round parasite prevention from your vet takes this cause off the list.
A health problem
Bald patches, constant scratching, red or flaky skin, a dull dry coat or heavy shedding outside the usual seasons point to something other than a coat blow. Allergies, skin infections and hormone conditions such as thyroid disease can all cause hair loss, so book a vet visit instead of reaching for a stronger brush.
Allergies
Are
Corgis hypoallergenic?
No. No dog breed is truly hypoallergenic, and a heavy shedder like a Corgi is one of the poorer choices for someone with dog allergies. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the proteins people react to come from a dog's saliva, skin dander, urine and skin oils. They become airborne and settle on clothing, carpets, furniture and walls.
The "hypoallergenic" label itself does not hold up well. A 2011 Henry Ford Hospital study measured the main dog allergen, Can f 1, in 173 homes and found no meaningful difference between homes with breeds marketed as hypoallergenic and homes with other dogs. A 2012 Dutch study found that some so called hypoallergenic breeds carried more Can f 1 in their coats, and its authors concluded there was no evidence to describe any breed as hypoallergenic.
Shedding still matters. The AKC notes that breeds that shed heavily are more likely to trigger some types of allergy. If anyone in your family is allergic, treat a Corgi as a breed to test carefully, not one to hope for the best with.
Living with allergies
Can you have a Corgi if you are allergic to dogs?
Mild dog allergies do not always rule out a dog, but they call for planning, and it is far kinder to find out before a puppy comes home than after.
See an allergist first
Skin or blood tests show which dog proteins you react to, and that detail matters. People sensitized only to Can f 5, a protein made by the prostate of intact males, may tolerate a female or a neutered male better. An allergist can also talk you through medication and allergy shots.
Spend real time with Corgis
Visit adult Corgis indoors, more than once and for longer than a quick cuddle, before you commit. A few minutes with a puppy outdoors tells you little about living with a grown dog's coat.
Keep the bedroom dog free
Make the bedroom a no dog zone from the first night, so you spend the night in cleaner air.
Filter the air and favor hard floors
Run a HEPA air purifier sized for the room and vacuum with a HEPA filtered machine. Carpeted homes have been found to hold more dog allergen than homes with hard floors, so washable rugs beat wall to wall carpet.
Do not count on baths
Bathing lowers the allergen on a dog's coat only briefly; the AAAAI notes that levels return within a few days. Frequent baths also strip the oils that keep a Corgi's coat weather resistant, so they are not a practical long term fix.
Living with the hair
How do you manage Corgi shedding at home?
You will not stop a Corgi shedding, but you can decide where the hair ends up.
Brush on a schedule
A session or two a week most of the year, and a few minutes daily during a blow. Brush outdoors or on a washable mat, always in the same spot, so the hair has one place to land.
Buy a vacuum built for pet hair
Look for strong suction, a sealed system with a HEPA filter and a brush roll that resists tangling. A robot vacuum set to run daily stops tufts building up between proper cleans.
Make fabric easy to clean
Cover your Corgi's favorite spots with washable throws, keep a lint roller by the door and lift hair off upholstery with a damp rubber glove. Run hairy bedding through a dryer cycle before washing so the lint trap catches the loose hair.
Choose fabrics that let go
Leather and tightly woven fabrics release hair easily, while loose knits, velvet and chenille hold on to it. A throw close to your dog's coat color hides what you miss.
Feed for the coat
A complete and balanced diet will not stop shedding, but a poor one can leave the coat dull and shedding heavily. Our guide to the best dog food for Corgis covers choosing one, and your vet can tell you whether an omega-3 supplement makes sense.
Bathe during a blow
A bath with dog shampoo during a coat blow loosens a lot of dead undercoat. Let your Corgi dry completely, as the AKC advises, then rake out what the bath has loosened.
Clippers
Should you shave a Corgi to stop the shedding?
No. A shaved Corgi still sheds, just shorter hairs. Dr. Jerry Klein, the AKC's chief veterinary officer, warns that shaving a coat to reduce shedding or keep a dog cool removes its insulating layer, makes the dog more susceptible to heatstroke, and can lead to improper regrowth and follicle damage.
The coat also protects the skin from sunburn and insect bites. When a double coat regrows, the undercoat tends to come back faster than the guard hairs and can crowd them out, so the coat may return patchy, with a different texture or even a different color.
We raise our puppies in Casa Grande, Arizona, so we think about heat a lot. The answer is a well brushed coat with the dead undercoat removed, shade, water and walks early or late, never clippers. Trimming the hair between the paw pads is fine, and anything more should be for severe matting or because your vet asks for it. Our guide on how to take care of a Corgi covers exercise as the weather changes.
Questions
Common questions.
Do Corgi puppies shed?
Yes, though less at first. Puppies start with a softer coat, and the AKC says most puppies lose it between four and six months, with some starting as early as 12 weeks and others closer to a year. Expect shedding to step up while the adult double coat comes in. Our puppies are handled and groomed from early on, so the brush is familiar before they leave.
Do fluffy Corgis shed more?
A fluffy, a Corgi with the recessive long coat, still has a double coat and still sheds. The longer hair tangles more easily and holds loose undercoat until it mats, so fluffies need more frequent brushing, especially behind the ears, in the armpits and on the pants. Our guide to Corgi colors and coats explains where fluffies come from.
Does spaying or neutering reduce shedding?
We know of no good evidence that spaying or neutering changes how much a Corgi sheds, and you will find owners claiming both more and less shedding afterward. Make that decision with your vet on health grounds. For allergy sufferers there is one related point: Can f 5, an allergen some people react to, comes from intact males.
Should I get a Corgi if I hate dog hair?
Probably not. Brushing, vacuuming and good habits keep the hair manageable, but they never make it disappear, and a Corgi will leave hair on you, your car and your couch for its whole life. If a hair free home matters a lot to you, a lower shedding breed will make you both happier.
Keep reading
More Corgi guides.
Next step
Deciding whether a Corgi suits your home?
See how the two breeds compare in our Cardigan vs Pembroke guide, read about Corgi temperament, or meet the puppies available now.