Can you tell me if my dog will shed?

Broadly speaking, shedding in dogs is controlled by 2 genes: MC5R and RSPO2. 

MC5R can be thought of as being most directly responsible for how much a dog might shed- a result of, “TT” at this locus suggests light shedding, while a result of CC or CT suggests heavier shedding.

RSPO2, which is mainly responsible for conferring “furnishings” (the mustache, beard, and eyebrows we associate with a terrier-like coat and the curls we associate with a poodle-like coat), it can also affect how much a dog sheds. A result of “FF” or “FI” generally suggests lighter shedding in addition to the other common furnishing traits.

Importantly, furnished dogs (testing FF or FI at RSPO2) tend to be lighter shedders regardless of their result at the “shedding gene” (MC5R). 

Other genotype interactions can also impact shedding as well as other coat features. Click “Expand all” on your dog’s Traits page and read the description of each locus to learn more!

For more information, please see our blog: Dog Shedding Explained