How Long Does It Take for Dog Whiskers to Grow?

Dogs occasionally shed a whisker here and there, and new ones will replace them. As with other fur on a dog's body, each whisker grows from an individual hair follicle. But dogs' whiskers are longer, more stiff and thicker than the rest of their fur. They're also rooted in the skin three times deeper than the rest of the fur, and the follicle of each whisker is flooded with blood vessels and nerve cells.

Whiskers are not just stray hairs; they're like GPS systems for dogs. These navigational tools can sense touch and vibration, helping a dog distinguish objects, wind and sound immediately surrounding his head. This is useful in determining the size of any enclosure, including a prey's den or a small indoor enclosure. Whiskers also protect the dog's face; if dirt, a thorn or any other unwanted object touches his whiskers, he will blink, shielding his eyes.

Because they're so vital to a dog's life, whiskers shouldn't be cut. However if this happens by accident, a dog needs whiskers cut for surgery, or you notice a whisker or two has fallen out, it's reassuring to know they grow back. Hair growth rates vary by breed, but exact rates are not certain. In fact, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville College of Veterinary Medicine says very little information exists about dog hair growth rates.

The National Institutes of Health's National Center for Biotechnology Information helped clarify dogs' hair regrowth rates with a study of 11 Labrador retrievers. They clipped the dogs' fur and watched to see how long it took to grow back. On average, it took 13.6 to 15.4 weeks to get back to pre-clipped length. Because so little information exists about precise regrowth rates, dog caretakers may anticipate that whiskers will grow back at the same rate as their fur.