Yes, dog whiskers grow back. If a whisker is cut, falls out naturally or is trimmed during grooming, it will regrow from the same follicle as long as the follicle isn’t damaged. It usually takes a few weeks to a few months to reach full length again.
Finding the odd whisker on the floor is nothing to worry about. Like the rest of your dog’s hair, whiskers go through a growth cycle. Old ones fall out from time to time and new ones grow in to replace them.
How long do dog whiskers take to grow back?
It varies from dog to dog and with how much of the whisker was lost. A whisker that was trimmed short will often look normal again within a few weeks. A whisker that has fallen out completely has to grow from scratch, so it can take a few months to reach full length. Dogs also don’t lose or regrow all their whiskers at the same time, so you’ll usually see a mix of lengths.
Is it bad to cut a dog’s whiskers?
Cutting doesn’t hurt. The whisker itself has no nerves, so it is a bit like trimming your own hair. It also won’t cause any lasting harm, because the whiskers grow back.
That said, I don’t recommend trimming them if you can avoid it. Whiskers are sensitive touch receptors, and some dogs seem a little less sure of themselves around their face while they’re short. Some owners and groomers trim whiskers for a neat look, particularly with clipped breeds like Poodles and Schnauzers, or for showing. If you’d rather keep your dog’s whiskers, just ask your groomer to leave them.
Does it hurt if a dog’s whisker is pulled out?
Yes. Never pull your dog’s whiskers. Unlike the whisker itself, the follicle it grows from is packed with nerve endings, so pulling or plucking a whisker hurts. Whiskers that fall out on their own during the normal shedding cycle don’t cause any pain.
Do dog whiskers have nerves?
The whisker doesn’t, but its root does. Each whisker sits in a deep follicle with a rich supply of nerves and blood vessels. When something touches the whisker, or it moves in a draft of air, the whisker acts like a lever and passes that movement down to the nerves in the follicle. The skin around whisker follicles contains specialised touch receptors called Merkel cells, which help make the muzzle one of the most sensitive parts of a dog’s body.
Why do dogs have whiskers?
Whiskers, also called vibrissae, are thicker, stiffer and more deeply rooted than ordinary hair. On a dog they grow on the muzzle and upper lip, under the chin and above the eyes. Some dogs also have a few on the cheeks.
Their job is to give your dog extra information about what’s close to their face:
- Sensing nearby objects. Whiskers pick up contact and small movements of air. This helps a dog judge what’s right in front of its muzzle, an area that is hard for a dog to see clearly.
- Protecting the eyes. When something brushes the whiskers above the eyes, such as long grass or a branch, a dog tends to blink or pull its head back.
- Helping in low light. Whiskers add touch information when it’s hard to see. Dogs with poor eyesight, or blind dogs, rely more heavily on touch, smell and hearing to get around. If you care for a dog with vision loss, see leaving a blind dog alone.
Do Poodles have whiskers?
Yes. All dogs have whiskers, but some dogs have far more noticeable ones than others. Poodles often look whiskerless because the traditional Poodle clip shaves the face and muzzle clean, whiskers included. They grow back after each shave. Many owners now prefer a teddy bear style face, which leaves the hair and whiskers on the muzzle.
Why are my dog’s whiskers falling out?
Losing the odd whisker is normal shedding. Talk to your vet if your dog is losing a lot of whiskers at once, or if whisker loss comes with:
- hair loss or bald patches elsewhere on the face or body
- red, scabby, swollen or itchy skin on the muzzle
- pawing or rubbing at the face
- whiskers that break off short instead of falling out whole
These can point to a skin problem, an infection or parasites, which your vet can check.
More about how your dog’s body works
If you’re curious about what other parts of your dog do, and what grows back, you may also like:
Very interesting article and it taught me a lot. Our 7 year old Shih Tzu’s jaw whisker seems to be causing a scratching reflex where her hind leg does a scratching motion lasting 5 to 10 seconds. Could the Merkel Cells, you mentioned, be the cause? Our vet treated her for a possible ear infection, but that made no difference.
I understand if you don’t have time to answer questions. Again, a great article and thanks
That is a good question. I guess that by stimulating the nerve ending they can cause a reflex elsewhere in the body. My guess is it is probably more to do with the ear infection. You often see dogs have a reflex action when a sore ear is touched. Perhaps double check with the vet to ensure the ear issue is completely healed. Thanks
Thanks for your help, David. I may have to do that