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Here are some Facts About Chihuahua Shedding in case you are considering the breed for a pet and are concerned about possible allergy or housecleaning hassles. Because the Chihuahua is a miniature dog, most first-time dog owners and breeders will wonder if the breed actually sheds fur at all.
This is just one of many things a prospective owner should investigate about any breed before making a commitment. There are many ways to research various breeds, such as through the Internet, from books, or from animal experts themselves.
Facts About Chihuahua Shedding
The basic truth is that all breeds do shed, even if only a little, with the exception of breeds that are hairless. Dogs’ shedding power varies from heavy to light, and as for this Mexican cutie, it falls in the middle as a medium level shedder. Shedding also depends on which kind of Chihuahua: smooth coated or long coated ones have slight differences.
Chihuahuas shed all year long, but you will mostly find them shed more in spring and fall, with the spring being the heaviest shedding. These seasons are when their coat changes. But just because they shed doesn’t mean they will be a fur nuisance in the house. Due to their miniature size, they do not really shed as much hair as regular-sized or large dogs – good news for fur-allergic owners and family members, plus, cleaning efforts are reduced.
But there can be times when the Chihuahua sheds too much hair for you to clean up, and you feel like it’s really a hassle. Even though you really wanted to have a Chihuahua, you may not like the fact that they do shed. Because of that, here are some tips to minimize dog shedding and cleaning time.
- Groom them during the shedding seasons, particularly in the spring. This may not really stop or minimize the shedding, but it does help you minimize the amount of fur you need clean up inside the house. It also prevents the fur from getting into unwanted places such as the kitchen or your clothes.
- Try using the Furminator, which is a special grooming tool that gathers dead hair and helps in reducing the shedding in your dog. It works for all breeds and coat types. They work effectively when you use them with special de-shedding shampoos that go along with the product, and are bound to lessen your worries on dog fur around the house.
- You can choose from a variety of grooming products, which include undercoat rakes, combs, slicker brushes, and pin brushes to groom your dog.
- Here are some tips in getting rid of dog fur from your furniture: try using vacuum to suck up the hair. Or you can use hair rollers with sticky tapes. There is also the expensive pet hair magnet if you really want to get rid of hair in your curtains.
As a conclusion to the Facts About Chihuahua Shedding, Chihuahuas really do shed fur, but not near as much as normal dogs with thick coats.
Most Chihuahua owners that I know really love the breed. What do you think of it and its shedding? Is its shedding more of a problem than other breeds? Share your thoughts below.
Diane Cowling
Oct 29, 2021 at 8:56 pm
My chihuahua sheds hair I brush her but can’t seem to control help needed thanks
Clemence
Oct 1, 2021 at 1:42 pm
WE LOOOOVE OUR CHIHUAHUA ,,,,, she is such a loving little girl…
The hair drives me nuts… we have all these fancy tools… just bought another kind of shedding shampoo… will try that today… Man Oh Man sure hopes its does the trick….
Alia
Aug 31, 2021 at 8:42 am
Well, dang, I had a toy poodle for almost 14 years and he never she’d at all. Knew my chihuahua would shed, but really wasn’t anticipating all the fur on my slacks! And bed! I know other dogs shed tons more, but I was spoiled having a poodle. BLAH for shedding fur babies!
Marsha McLean
Jun 14, 2021 at 11:15 am
My long hair chihuahua sheds as much as a Husky. Driving me crazy!
Mary
Mar 9, 2021 at 9:02 pm
Very useful info
trevor lane
May 1, 2020 at 3:12 am
I adopted my first long hair chihuahua at 8 weeks old. My first chi weighed 4.5lbs with a short coat, i very rarely noticed her hair anywhere. She also was a nest builder and was always under a pillow or mound of clothes(her favorite) lol anyways my new pup weighed 4.2 lbs at 8 weeks! Not sure if her current weight yet her booster apt is next week but boy has she grown. The owners swore she was all chihuahua but I thought she looked mixed at first, mostly because of her size and floppy ears. Anywho, as of recent I noticed her hair stuck to my dry hands, and often in my mouth which grosses me out, or tickling my nose. Her hair is extremely soft and fine so it almost seems to float in the air waiting to attach to the next thing that comes near it haha I have given her a bath every week but not combed her while her fur was wet. I just got the furmimator and it seems to work very well. I went through a roll of lint rollers which she enjoyed but it was ineffective because they would fill so quick. I love her to pieces no matter what her hair does!
Suzanne
Jan 13, 2019 at 12:23 pm
I have a 3-1/2 yr old rescue Chihuahua from Texas. Short-hair and she sheds like crazy – her hair gets all over the house. I’m constantly cleaning up after her and I don’t mind at all. I love her, she loves me and everything she does is worth the efforts. If you’re going to complain about any animal you have and can’t cope with such menial issues, such as hair, then you don’t deserve to have an animal. Period. Good day!
Susan
May 20, 2019 at 4:36 pm
I have a Chihuahua mix rescue. He is short haired and looks to be maybe part min pin and dachshund also I have been told by the vet. However he looks like a extra big deer head Chi to me. I have had him about a year now and his Spring shed has been going on for 2 months now. I bathed him and scrubbed his fur up and down, then rinsed and let him dry. I got out the Furminator and WOW did I rake off the fur. The bath really loosened it up. That was 2 weeks ago and I just got through with yet another Furminator session. Who knew a short haired dog could have so much fur? It is kind of fun raking my dog. I just put him in my lap with a trash can beside us. I keep adhesive rollers in my bedroom, kitchen, purse and car. His Fall shed was nothing like this. I have gotten use to this being part of my life now and he is totally worth it!
Judy Pennell
Dec 7, 2018 at 9:10 pm
I have found that if you brush your dog daily, it helps stop most shedding. I never really noticed it as being a problem. They show us so much love that to me it is worth a few hairs to have such a sweet breed. Judy Pennell
Lynn
Mar 22, 2020 at 4:45 am
We have a three yr old long haired n a one yr old short haired diva
Long haired is a dream just brush take off excess but short haired right now (March) awful but who cares she a darlin n wouldn’t change her for the world
Don’t notice till she sits on ur lap which is all the time if she cud and I tend to wear black n she is white so u can imagine lol
Barbi
Dec 2, 2018 at 4:46 pm
I have had and fostered several different breeds of dogs over the years even a wolf and I personally think Chihuahuas shed more than any other breed I have had. But my husband loves them so I tolerate it
Destanie Danielle Marie Cooper
Sep 21, 2018 at 1:31 pm
I have a 2 year old chi and for the first year she didn’t shed but then we moved which stressed her out and now she sheds constantly, giving her a bath only makes the shedding worse and she hates being brushed. Dog hair is gross and a headache.
Allen
Dec 13, 2018 at 2:46 pm
I have 2- one year old Chi brothers and one is the Boss and keeps the Smaller one Nervous and it Sheds Really Bad, All the time
allen
Dec 13, 2018 at 2:50 pm
I have 2-one year old Chi brothers and one is the Boss and keeps the other Stressed and it Sheds Bad..
Amanda
Jan 6, 2018 at 12:13 pm
We have a 7 year old short hair female and she sheds so much. I’ve had many dogs and dog breeds in my life but her shedding is the WORST! There is hair everywhere…even places she can’t reach. It is disgusting and I am a super clean freak. No amount of brushing or bathing will stop it. Hair us everywhere all over our clothes, bedding, furniture, ect. I am constantly washing then re washing our clothes and using lint rollers and cannot get it all. This chihuahua is far worse than the shitzhu, labs, and weiner dogs I’ve had in my life. I will never again get a chi.
Bonnie Berry
Jun 29, 2018 at 2:33 pm
I love My Chihuahua’s. The best Guard Dogs I have ever Had.
Kay Lewis
Jan 11, 2019 at 5:40 pm
Yes the shedding is completely bad especially when he is stressed and we stay away from home long hours. Our chi is white so his hair is deposited all over the house. I love him so much but the shedding is continually in my eyes and all over our cloths and on my Brown wood floors! It never stops working around the clock cleaning sweeping dusting etc. it’s a great deal of work but we love him
barcelona
May 27, 2017 at 1:05 am
wow, awesome！
Lyndaleen Hampton
Dec 5, 2016 at 3:56 pm
I have 4 Chihuahuas, 2 blondes, 1 brindle, 1 blue. The brindle barely sheds and is short haired. One blonde has thicker, softer hair and sheds a bit more than her shorter haired sister. My blue beauty has thick, very soft hair and shed like the blonde. I love these dogs with all my heart.
NOTE: STRESS seems to coincide with the degree of shedding the most.
velma howell
Oct 27, 2016 at 8:33 am
my Chihuahua is mixed with daschound and the shedding is terrible I have to clean my floors at least 2 times a day that’s after brushing her she is 3 what can I do
Joe buddens00
Apr 26, 2016 at 1:49 pm
I’ve owned alot of dogs. I’ve owned alot of pitbulls as well, as in like 8 at once full grown. I have a little Chihuahua now that has stolen my heart.I’m a grown man and just wanted to add to this post. I have noticed, although my Chihuahua is going on six months he ,in springtime, is shedding heavier now. It’s mostly because I know dogs shed and he sheds like other dogs to me and when summer hits,I’ll know if it’s a forever thing. I doubt it is because he is shorthaired and dogs usually shed heavy in spring. I buy those big lent brushes sold at any pet section,super wide like a paint roller,and I keep up with my stuff and do the best. I wouldn’t ever give my little guy up. Best tempermant, very loving, lives to see me, listens very well, hangs by my side all the time. My best friend that happens to shed in spring moderate I would say. Leaning more toward slightly heavy but he’s white so it will show everywhere. Sorry about rambling on but I love this little guy, his digging before he lays down or outta knowhere. So that’s where I stand with shedding and the little guy… thanks
Connie Barbarino
Apr 25, 2016 at 6:42 pm
I have a 2 year old chiwahau and he sheds too much, he didn’t shed when I bbought 3 months ago, my vet suggested changing his diet to hills brand of pet food. I love him dearly but I am so frustrated, vacuuming is pointless.
Shelly
Apr 14, 2017 at 12:23 pm
youre in for the long haul. long hairs shed and in the spring they shed BIG time. Do pre-emptive brushing to try and get the hair before it gets on everything every day.
Mary Jane
Oct 22, 2015 at 6:41 pm
I have a 3 year old,chihuahua, her shedding is awful
I am already highly allergic living in the
desert. Am elderly and on pain pills that
also cause allergies….can hardly see to
read and watch TV….eyes watery, chronic
Sinus, etc. I do love her …What to do?
Debbi
Dec 3, 2014 at 12:13 am
Mine does the same and she is the same mix. What can we do?
betty dietz
Oct 5, 2014 at 9:12 pm
I have a chihuahua n she is 1 yr. old. she sheds a lot and when she sits in my lap I get hair all over my clothes. I brush her and she still sheds hair. I don;t know what else to do. But she is very smart and I love her a lot. I used the puppy training pet apartment to train her to use the paper and she caught on to that very quickly. Other than the shedding everything is great.
Eliza lyon
Feb 18, 2017 at 10:39 pm
i agree having a dog is great but having one is a hassle.
Sharon Bryant
Sep 11, 2014 at 5:39 pm
Help I have had my Tucker for 3yrs sorry need to get rid the shedding to much. What should I do
Audrey
Aug 8, 2014 at 1:57 pm
I have a 2 and a half year old Jack Russel Chihuahua mix. His name is Tippy. I’ve had him ever since he was weaned. And yes he was a wallmart dog. Someone was trying to find good homes for these cute little puppies and I got the last little boy. Even though he is just like a child to me and I love him dearly, his shedding is absolutely aweful! I take him to get him groomed every 3-4 weeks (what the groomer suggest) and brush him on a daily basis, but nothing seems to work. When before I go out to my car I have to use a lint collector all over my outfit. And one I get out of my car I have to do it again. I used to let tippy ride in the car when I did my errands but the hair was so had to get out of my cloth seats , so now when we travel he has to ride in his dog crate. I hate it because he can’t see out the window (one of his favorite things) and he wines because he wants out. His shedding is really the only thing I could complain about. Other than that he is my whole world and the positive far outweighs the negative.
Debbi
Dec 3, 2014 at 12:06 am
Mine does the same and she is the same mix. What can we do?
Brittiany Gipson
Jun 19, 2014 at 10:49 am
I have a 1 year old Chihuahua and he is shedding extremely bad this spring! 🙁 there is hair everywhere. he has short thick coat black hair and it is EVERYWHERE in my apartment. He sheds as much as my mothers pit bull!!!
Brandon
Jun 13, 2014 at 1:57 am
I have a two year old light brown chihuahua he is very nice and loyal to me and my family he does have a little anger issues but only when you annoy him or bother us he does she’d a lot and it’s a struggle sweeping up big balls of hair everyday and also his pet bed get full of hair and it’s kind of hard to take it off his bed when I wash it my vet told me to shower the dog less so that he will shed less he told me to shower him twice a month he is very playful but I’ve noticed that he also has many mood swings he listens to us always and I have noticed that he dosent run away we’ve tested him to see if he does like we went to the room and left him in the living room with the front door opened and thankfully he didn’t run away so I would say that he loves his home
guy nelli
May 13, 2014 at 3:08 pm
i have a short hair (creme colored) she seemed to shed after a couple of years old. i tried everything nothing helps. i could brush her for a week straight and the hair would just keep coming. believe me i have honestly thought of shaving all her hair off, but i really don’t think it would help very long.
Heather
May 23, 2014 at 4:56 pm
My little blonde guy sheds like you wouldn’t believe too– you wouldn’t think a four pound dog could leave THAT much hair everywhere. I found that using a ZoomGroom (made by Kong I think) is great for pulling out the loose dead hair all over most of his body. Or I just grab a paper towel to put the hair on to throw out and pull out the loose hair when I’m watching TV and it keeps it from being all around the house for awhile!
Heidi
Feb 27, 2014 at 10:29 am
I love my little vinnie he is 15 weeks old had him for 8 weeks he gets on great with my female dog she is a King Charles cavalier of 12 yrs, he is still chewing but I keep on top of that and is good when told he is trained for number ones but seems to do no twos where he wants need to put him out the garden has much has possible he don’t like the cold lol ! His so comical and really couldn’t imagine life without him And just today his other ear is finally up
Brittiany Gipson
Jun 19, 2014 at 10:52 am
Enjoy those days! like boys puberty hits and EVERYTHING changes.
Melanie
Jan 24, 2014 at 7:53 pm
I have two chis. Both short haired. I bathe them twice a month in the winter and once a month in the summer. I put flax seed oil with omegas, a tsp on top of their dry food. I don’t mix it, they just lap it up. They don’t shed as much since I’ve tried this. Usually you don’t bathe chis twice in a month but my vet said to do that in the winter
And it with the oil has helped a lot”
Judy
Nov 2, 2014 at 5:52 pm
Just curious if there is a special flax seed oil for dogs or do you use the one for humans?
clare
Jan 19, 2014 at 9:54 pm
I have a mix-length chihuahua; her mom was a long hair, her father was a short hair.
She sheds like crazy year round! I’ve tried Omega 3, Furminator brushing, and vacuuming to no avail……gave up and just living with it. Since she is 5 pounds there’s not much of her to shed…..
Gail Pet
Dec 25, 2013 at 2:33 am
Black currant oil works wonders and is healthy for them as well. It is also works for people with thinning or losing hair. I can testify to the results!
Debbie
Feb 18, 2014 at 5:03 pm
Hmmmmm. Do you put it on them? Or is it a supplement ? Do you get it at the pet store or health food store?
Sarah
Mar 6, 2014 at 3:15 am
I have the same question as Debbie about the black current oil.
Diane hutchins
Dec 19, 2013 at 8:17 pm
I have one Chihuahua, I am
at my wits in with all the shedding. She has short hair but her hair is everywhere and its all year long.. What can I do? I am fed up…
Gail Pet
Dec 25, 2013 at 2:35 am
See my comment below on black currant oil
Adrienne
May 19, 2020 at 10:10 pm
I just got an I-robot vacuum. I run it in different rooms every day. I am shocked at how much hair it picks up. There’s always more coming, but at least I have an ally in my I-robot.
Shari smith
Oct 3, 2013 at 4:47 pm
i have the most beloved long haired chihuahua, Lola. She has the best temperament, is very chill but so happy to see us. She is loyal and cuddly, smart and beautiful with a pink nose and green eyes. She sheds but I could not care less! I do not like to leave her alone and have thought about getting another for her company but worry she will be upset. At 5 1/2 years old she is used to all the attention. What do you think?
Ksilva
Oct 17, 2013 at 9:01 pm
Chihuahua’s do have a tendency to get jealous. You just would have to make sure that you give them both the same amount of attention. Due to the fact that you have a girl, this will greatly lessen the aggression. If you want to get another, it is best to get another Chihuahua. They tend to get along and gravitate towards other dogs that are the same breed as them. If you get another, she will most likely feel very motherly towards it. I’d say go for it!
Cilla
Jun 11, 2014 at 8:58 pm
Yes indeed get many. We started with a make & when he passed my husband could not leave the breeder without a mismatched sister pair. Like a light they won us over, some six Weeks later he was looking in the paper & saw a chihuahua mix female puppy needing a good home & promptly had me call. She was adorable and she came home too. I had them meet on neutral ground & instant sisters they all became. Shedding has always been an issue with these three with our mix Litl’ Bit turning out to be a chihuahua & jack Russell mix being a whopping 20 pound shedding machine. Nothing helps it, it’s just her. As they all grew older and started acting it too, we have added new chihuahuas to the pack as puppies and they have all been received with joy A little jealously expected. It has been 11 years and we lost one of the original sisters last year bringing us back to 4. The shedding is awful and a never ending battle, wear grey & no one notices, but their cheerful loving faces greet us all day everyday & let us know we are right. Well, we are waiting for the puppy in ChiChi to grow up before growing our family again. Another Chihuahua girl it will be for us.
Gigi
Aug 29, 2013 at 12:29 pm
Just some additional advise…I have 2 chi’s…one is 15 and a short coat and the other is a “medium” coat and is 9. The short coat sheds much more than the other but I use the sticky tape lint roller on them every day to remove the loose hair…works wonders. I also have their doggie beds inside human pillow cases to be able to take them off for frequent laundering without ruining the beds, thus keeps the hair down as well. I also have special beds when they are on the couch…all these items are hair free thanks to the lint roller!….hope this helps!
daniela
Aug 28, 2013 at 1:41 am
I am so happy I am gonna adopt a baby Chihuahua but I need some advice how to take care of it
Sheena
Aug 4, 2013 at 10:10 am
I am gonna have a chihuahua as a present from a friend i barely know anything about this breed and i want to be a good owner any advice on how to care for it properly ?:)
joy
Jun 21, 2013 at 5:59 pm
i have 3 year old chihuaha dog he bit shedding bit fur on his back it bit of bold on back thank let me kown all tell where i look on here for some pic
ara
May 23, 2013 at 9:14 am
Hello, I adopted a black chiahuaha, a larger sized dog almost two months ago (it is now end of May) and he has started to shed. the floor is covered with black hair and it comes out all over everything, it is a fine hair that blows in any wind easily. I have never seen so much hair, and i brush him every day for 20 mnutes, give baths, everything. I didnt know they shed. I am hoping he does not have a vitamin deficiency. I had a pom before and she did not shed, she had a thick undercoat that could be combed out, but it did not shed all over. I feed the dog extremely well. Is this normal? I am considering having him shaved and letting it grow back, any responses? Ara
Debbie
Feb 18, 2014 at 5:00 pm
I thought about it too. Too much hair!!!!! I was going to talk to the groomer when I take my Yorkies in. I have 2 Yorkies. I love Chloe that is my chihuahua, but not used to all the hair. Y
Vicky
May 20, 2013 at 8:15 am
I have a girl Chihuahua short coated and white and she is shedding like crazy. I am at a loss of what to do. She likes to sleep on my bed and it is not a pretty sight all those white hairs everywhere. My floors look like a snowfall…. Well, not really but she does shed a lot and it never seems to stop. What can I do?
Debbie
Feb 18, 2014 at 4:57 pm
Sounds like Chloe lol
Lynn
May 14, 2013 at 1:26 am
I use the furminator shampoo, conditioner, comb and spray and my dog still sheds a lot. I also give her vitamins. Anything else I can try?? My husband is highly allergic to him but I will not give him away. Maybe my husband but not my little Luke.
Lynn
Debbie
Feb 18, 2014 at 4:56 pm
Shedd x. It is omega fish oil. I have a white chihuahua. She just started shedding really bad. I have been giving her this in her meals and a food supplement twice a week. She still sheds but not near as much. I was wondering about getting her shaved at the groomer but not sure what would become of her coracle hair. Better or worse? Do you know?
Patti
Mar 14, 2013 at 11:57 pm
I have had 2 Chihuahuas. They shed a little bit, but not that much. I now have a yorkie, & she doesn’t shed hardly at all.
Louisa Estrada
Feb 3, 2013 at 1:20 am
I have had a chihuahua for the past 4yrs and I’m beginning to notice she is shedding more than she has ever shedded. Can it be her diet as well? It does not matter how many times in a day we comb her out her shedding is way out of hand! What are some suggestions that might possibly help?
Cheryl
Nov 19, 2012 at 1:25 pm
I have had 4 Chihuahuas, and out of the 2 that I now have, the white male sheds all the time. I vacuum and wash couch covers and bedding weekly, and bathe both of them every other week. I saved 2 of them from being euthanized, so I don’t really care about them shedding.
Wendy Porter
Jul 2, 2012 at 4:38 am
I’m sure my Chihuahua sheds, but since the rest of my family is comprised of a Pomeranian and seven cats, I would be hard-pressed to tell you where. xD
As for what I think of the breed, well, this is my first time having a Chihuahua. I’ve met many that were friendly only with one person, or their immediate family, but mine loves everyone. She was a gift, and has brought a great deal of love and happiness into my life.
Linda Moore
Jul 1, 2012 at 8:16 am
I have a white Chihuahua. She is a short coat, but her hair is a little bit coarser then a smooth coat and she sheds all the time and quite a lot, at that. If you are wearing black pants, and she jumps on your lap, look out! I bathe her about once a week and brush her almost every day. She is the first Chihuahua that I have owned that has shed this much. And I’ve owned several.
Lynn Smith
Apr 12, 2013 at 10:07 pm
I have 2 chihuahuas,one have short soft fur that shed very little and other one have short coarse fur but shed excessively and also have a problem with dry skin. I don’t know if that cause of the excessive shedding but I use oatmeal moisturizing shampoos olive oil and tea tree oil in addition to the Furmantor which seems to help some. Good luck.
Cyndi Fritchen
Jan 13, 2014 at 11:22 am
I have the same issue my Rose is 9 months old with white fur ? I tent to wear black a lot and was just wondering a solution. It’s winter here and she’s shedding up a storm . I’m brushing her daily now hopefully it helps she loves the brush..