Do Irish Wolfhounds shed?
Yes, Irish Wolfhounds shed, though their coat behaves differently to a short, smooth-coated breed. Their rough, wiry double coat sheds fairly steadily rather than in one dramatic seasonal blowout, and it tends to release fur in tufts and clumps caught in the coat rather than as fine hair that clings to everything in the house.
What an Irish Wolfhound's coat is actually like
The breed carries a harsh, wiry outer coat over a softer undercoat, which is a different structure to the smooth, short coats of breeds people often picture as the classic heavy shedders. That wiry texture means loose hair tends to get trapped in the coat rather than falling out and scattering everywhere on its own, which changes how the shedding actually shows up around the house.
Because the loose hair often stays caught in the coat rather than dropping, regular brushing does more work here than it would for a smooth-coated dog — without it, a wolfhound's coat can look increasingly untidy and matted even though the shedding rate itself hasn't necessarily gone up.
What that means day to day
Expect a fairly steady, low-level presence of loose hair around furniture and floors rather than the sudden, heavy seasonal coat-blow some double-coated breeds go through. A wolfhound's sheer size means even moderate shedding is more noticeable in absolute terms than the same shedding rate would be on a much smaller dog.
Owners who find the breed's shedding manageable are usually the ones who brush regularly and accept that some hair around the home is part of living with a large, coated dog — this isn't a breed suited to someone who wants an entirely hair-free house.
Grooming that actually helps
A slicker brush or a similar tool designed to work through a wiry double coat, used a few times a week, pulls out the loose hair that would otherwise stay trapped and eventually mat. Hand-stripping — plucking out dead outer coat by hand or with a stripping tool — is the traditional method for wire-coated breeds and keeps the coat's texture correct, though it's a specialist skill many owners choose to have done professionally.
Regular grooming also gives you a chance to check the skin underneath a coat this dense for anything unusual, which is harder to spot on a quick glance than it would be on a short-coated dog.
What to expect around the home
A good vacuum and a lint roller become fairly permanent fixtures in a household with a wolfhound, in the same way they would with most double-coated breeds. Washable throws on furniture and a designated drying towel by the door for muddy walks make the practical side of ownership easier without changing anything about the dog itself.
None of this makes the breed high-maintenance in the way a constantly-clipped breed is — it's more that the sheer scale of the dog means ordinary shedding is simply more visible than it would be on a smaller breed with the same coat type.
Kit for this breed
Things we stock that owners commonly reach for here. Nothing on this page depends on you buying one.
Reusable Washable Puppy Training Pad
A quilted, machine-washable training pad that absorbs accidents and locks in moisture with a leak-resistant base. Reusable for puppy toilet training and senior dogs, in several bone and paw prints.
From£7.99
Ice-Silk Cooling Dog Bed with Bolster Edge
A breathable ice-silk cooling bed with a soft bolster edge and a cool-touch centre panel that helps your dog stay comfortable through warm weather. No need to freeze or refrigerate, it cools naturally on contact.
From£12.99
L-Shaped Bolster Sofa Dog Bed
A supportive L-shaped sofa bed with a raised bolster back and side for your dog to rest their head. The thick padded base cushions joints, and the soft rose-velvet cover is removable and washable for easy care.
From£44.99
Plush Checkered Dog Car Back Seat Bed
A quilted checkered car bed that turns the back seat into one flat, cosy platform for your dog.
From£11.99
Common questions
- Are Irish Wolfhounds hypoallergenic?
- No. No breed is truly hypoallergenic, and Irish Wolfhounds shed a coat and produce dander like any other dog, so they aren't a suitable choice for someone with a significant dog allergy.
- How often should I brush an Irish Wolfhound?
- A few times a week is a reasonable baseline for most wolfhounds, more often during a heavier shedding phase. Regular brushing prevents the loose hair in their wiry coat from matting rather than just reducing visible shedding.
- Do Irish Wolfhounds need professional grooming?
- Many owners do use a professional groomer periodically, particularly for hand-stripping the coat to keep its wiry texture, though regular home brushing between visits is still worthwhile.
- Do Irish Wolfhounds shed more at certain times of year?
- Like many double-coated breeds they can have a heavier shedding phase around a seasonal coat change, but it tends to be less dramatic and more spread out than the sudden 'coat blow' seen in some other double-coated breeds.
- Is an Irish Wolfhound's shedding worse than a Labrador's?
- Not necessarily worse, just different in how it shows up — a wolfhound's wiry coat traps loose hair until it's brushed out, while a Labrador's short coat sheds more visibly and constantly onto floors and furniture without needing to be brushed loose.
Related
Sources
Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.