House of Hair: How to Manage & Clean Pet Hair in the Home
As much as we love our four-legged friends, they can certainly leave a whole lot of mess in their wake. From shedding fur to bringing in mud from outside, it’s fair to say most pet owners spend their time following their pet around with a vacuum.
The best cordless vacuums for pet hair
Whilst keeping your home clean with pets may sometimes feel like a full-time job, it doesn’t have to be, thanks to the Shark Cordless Vacuum. But what would a pet-friendly home look like in a non-Shark vacuumed household?
Showing exactly that, we present to you House of Hair.
![Shark Stratos Anti Hair Wrap Plus Pet Pro Cordless Vacuum [Single Battery] IZ400UKT product photo](https://res.cloudinary.com/sharkninja/image/upload/v1741862902/Shark/IZ400UKT/GALLERY%20-%20NEW/IZ400UKT_01O.jpg)
![Shark Stratos Anti Hair Wrap Plus Pet Pro Cordless Vacuum [Single Battery] IZ400UKT product photo Side New M](https://res.cloudinary.com/sharkninja/f_auto,h_270,q_auto,w_270/v1/SharkNinja/IZ400UKT_02.jpg)
Pet survey
We surveyed 2,000 UK adult pet owners to reveal the most common ‘petiquette’ behaviours and discovered the popular dog and cat breeds that shed the most so you can enjoy a paw-fect (and less hairy) home.
The popular dog breeds that shed the most
Giving a whole new meaning to the hair of the dog, we’ve discovered the dog breeds that shed the most hair.
| Rank | Breed |
|---|---|
| 1 | Akita |
| 2 | Alaskan Malamute |
| 3 | American Eskimo |
| 4 | Bernese Mountain Dog |
| 5 | Cardigan Welsh Corgi |
| 6 | Chow Chow |
| 7 | German Shepherd |
| 8 | Great Pyrenees |
| 9 | Labrador Retriever |
| 10 | Pembroke Welsh Corgi |
As one of the dog breeds that shed the most hair, Akitas have a very thick double coat that sheds constantly to keep them warm due to their mountainous regions of origin. Like the Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamutes have a thick double coat to protect them from the cold Alaskan climate, which results in heavy shedding. Despite the name, American Eskimos originated from northern Europe and have a cloud-like, fluffy coat that sheds frequently.
The popular cat breeds that shed the most
Cats may be known for their hygiene, but this doesn’t exempt them from leaving a trail of hair in the home. Here are the most popular cat breeds that shed the most hair.
| Rank | Breed |
|---|---|
| 1 | British Shorthair |
| 2 | Maine Coon |
| 3 | Persian |
| 4 | Ragdoll |
| 5 | Siberian |
| 6 | Norwegian Forest Cat |
| 7 | Himalayan |
| 8 | Turkish Angora |
| 9 | Exotic Shorthair |
| 10 | Scottish Fold |
Don’t be fooled by the name - British Shorthairs have a dense, plush coat that sheds moderately year-round, with heavier shedding during seasonal changes. Their thick fur requires regular brushing to control loose hair. Maine Coons have a long, thick double coat that sheds heavily, especially during spring and fall when they "blow" their coat. Frequent brushing is needed to manage the shedding. Meanwhile, Persians have an extremely long, dense coat that requires daily brushing to prevent matting and control shedding. Their fur sheds heavily year-round.
UK’s pet habits
We launched a survey to uncover the nation's pet habits, from cleaning to where our pets sleep. Most UK pet owners have their pets sleep or sit on their sofa (72%), while just under half (44%) let them sleep in their bed—we’re not judging! In fact, cat owners are more likely to let their pet into bed (72%) or on the sofa (47%) than dog owners, where one in three refuses to let them onto the sofa, and only 41% allow their pooch into bed.
What about taking your pets to places outside the home? Over ¼ UK adults think that pets should be allowed at weddings (28%), and 22% think pets should be a part of the ceremony (Dog of Honour, anyone?), but the majority think it’s best to leave your pooches at home (51%).
The UK’s pet icks
What do you consider acceptable petiquette? The biggest no-nos when it comes to pet behaviour from our survey are people who let their pet eat off their fork (64%), share a bath with their pet (61%), share a cup of tea with their pet (56%) or kiss their pet on the mouth (56%) - no puppy love around here. Most UK adults also agree that pets shouldn't be given food from the dinner table (49%).
How to keep your house clean with a dog
Nearly half of UK pet owners vacuum the sofa of pet hair before guests visit the home (49%), 38% clear the garden of animal mess, and 37% use a spray to remove pet odours.
23% of UK pet owners would research a breed's moulting rate before adopting a pet, while 8% admit to only getting a pet that doesn’t moult.
If you are struggling to keep your house clean and free of pet hair, we have lots of helpful guides available!
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Methodology
We surveyed 2,000 British pet owners on what they really thought about bad pet habits and pet etiquette. We asked questions about what they deem an acceptable pet owner behaviour vs what makes them uncomfortable. We also asked questions about their relationships with their pets and how they feel about the mess that can be created by pets throughout the home.
To create the list of popular dog and cat breeds that shed the most, we carried out research across online resources focused on dog breeds and pet care, such as veterinary websites, breed information databases and pet care websites. Breeds were identified based on consistent identification as an excessive shedder, then ranked based on their popularity as pets, the frequency being referenced as a popular shedder and breed characteristics.