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How Often Should You Bathe German Shepherd

Long Haired German Shepherd Temperament

How Often Should you Bathe your German Shepherd? | German Shepherd Grooming |

You may be surprised to know that the long-haired German Shepherd retains all of the intelligence and obedience that the breed is known for, while maintaining a much better general temperament than a standard German Shepherd. This makes them much more diverse in terms of compatibility as they will be suited to all different types of people and home environments.

Along with a much more playful and calm temperament, the long-haired German Shepherd is very affectionate and sociable. They enjoy the company of humans and are always looking to be in contact, which makes them ideal house dogs for families. Theyre extremely loyal and still retain the protective instinct that German Shepherds are known for. Their soft and playful nature means that they get along well with children so you wont have to worry if you plan on bringing one into the family.

Just like any other herding breed of dog its important that the long-haired German Shepherd gets enough room to grow. Theyre naturally full of energy so they need to be taken on plenty of walks and given the chance to get a lot of exercise. Due to their playful nature you may find that their energy will be used to chew up your favourite shoes if you dont give them enough exercise.

Grooming During The Shedding Season

German Shepherds are sometimes called, German Shedders!

That will tell you all you need to know about their grooming requirements during the shedding season!

When your dog is shedding in the spring and fall, youll need to brush him every day.

Heavy shedding happens in spring to allow the dog to get rid of his winter coat so that he wont overheat during the warmer weather.

In the fall, the lightweight summer fur is shed to make way for the dogs thick winter coat.

Indoor-dwelling German Shepherds may not shed as heavily as outdoor dogs.

Thats because your central heating and living in your house will keep your dog nice and warm, negating the need for the thick underfur that an outdoor living dog would need.

Many German Shepherd owners report that their long-haired dog sheds less than his short-haired relatives. But why is that?

Well, the reason for this odd phenomenon is that the German Shepherds fluffy undercoat gets trapped by the longer outer fur as it sheds.

That means less hair on your furniture, but it also makes your dog more susceptible to developing mats in his coat.

Also, although a short-haired German Shepherd is less prone to matting, you will find more of his hair on your clothes and carpets.

Therefore, both long and short-haired German Shepherds require plenty of grooming, although for different reasons.

Grooming Your German Shepherd

If you decide to welcome a German Shepherd into your family, you must be prepared to devote time to the ritual of grooming him.

Youll need to groom your dog at least twice a week throughout the year, and every day during his two heavy shedding periods in spring and fall.

Your basic German Shepherd grooming kit should comprise a de-shedding tool or de-matting tool, a pin and bristle brush, and a slicker brush.

Do you have a German Shepherd?

Tell us all about your grooming routine, and share your tips with other readers in the comments box below.

Affiliate link disclosure: Links in this article marked with an * are affiliate links, and we may receive a small commission if you purchase these products. However, we selected them for inclusion independently, and all of the views expressed in this article are our own.

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Do German Shepherds Smell

The answer to this question depends on the dog as dogs as a species do not as a matter of course smell offensive. In saying that, dogs with skin ailments or those dogs who havent been bathed regularly will have a stronger smell about them. The main reason for this is that dirt and bacteria can get trapped in the dogs fur and it works its way into the dogs oil glands that are found at the base of each hair. So dogs do not smell as a rule, however, dogs with skin problems have a higher chance of smelling bad..

Gently Wet Your German Shepherds Coat

How often should you bathe your German shepherd? The ...

The first step is to gently wet your dogs fur with the shower orsink sprayer. When doing this, you need to keep an eye on two things: the waters heat and intensity.

The water should be lukewarm: not too hot and not too cold, and if youre using the shower, you dont want to scare them off with the jets! I would only turn on the shower/sink sprayer halfway, so what you have is a gentle trickle rather than an intense spray.

It is incredibly important to get the temperature and the consistency of the water right, because not only do you risk harming your German Shepherd with burns, but you also risk scaring them and making them associate baths with unpleasant memories, feelings and sensations making it incredibly difficult for you to give them baths in the future.

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Choosing The Best Shampoo For Your German Shepherd

You will literally find a full display of hundreds of dog shampoos. You will find shampoos for every type of skin and coat: black coats, white coats, short coats, long cats, single coats, double coats, just name it.

You will find shampoos filled with every imaginable scent: vanilla, lemongrass, coconut, lavender, jasmine, and so on. There are dog shampoos with and without conditioners. You can find medicated shampoos for all types of skin problems .

When faced with a huge selection of dog shampoos, you want to find one that has several qualities.

The first being that you pick a shampoo that is formulated for dogs. I know it may sound obvious, but I still find some people that use human shampoos on their dogs. Dogs have different pH balances than humans using human shampoo on your shepherd can actually damage his skin and cause it to be dry and irritated.

The second quality is it should be tearless. Tearless shampoos will not burn or irritate your shepherds eyes if it gets in his eyes. Although it will still be uncomfortable, it will make the overall bathing process much more manageable.

The third and equally important quality is that the shampoo should be designed for dogs with sensitive skin. Many German shepherds have skin problems that can be exacerbated by using a pet shampoo that is too harsh. Even if your shepherds skin is in good condition, using a gentle, soothing shampoo will only benefit your dog.

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Cleaning Your German Shepherds Face

Cleaning your dogs face must not align with how often to bathe a German shepherd. It would help if you did this frequently, and when you do, it is essential to take precautions to prevent water or shampoo from going into their eyes.

On the other hand, you can apply ophthalmic ointment to your dogs eyes before bathing. Finally, it would help if you used a cloth soaked in lukewarm water to wash your German shepherds face thoroughly. These include ear flaps and the corners of the eyes for recurrent tears.

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Here Are The Top 6 Reasons To Give Your Dog A Bath:

1) It Revitalizes Your Dogs Coat: regular baths can help keep your dogs coat shiny by removing dead skin cells, loose hair, and bacteria that cause them to smell bad.

2) It Keeps Your Dog Healthy: dogs often pick up nasty infections from unsanitary parks or places where they are swimming. By keeping your dog clean, they stay healthy and free of diseases.

3) It Helps Control Fleas and Ticks: keeping your dog clean and fresh helps to remove the eggs of fleas and ticks and prevent any future insects from hitching a ride on your dog.

4) It Helps Ease Oily Skin: keeping your dog clean helps keep their skin from becoming too oily.

5) It Decreases Odor: regular baths help to decrease the smell of your dog by rinsing away all the dead skin cells that collect underneath the fur.

6) Because you are touching your GSDs whole body when you bathe them, you may find a health-related problem that you might not have noticed until the fur was wet.

Best Brush For German Shepherds: Easy Owners Guide

How Often Do German Shepherds Need To Be Brushed?

Luckily, you only need a handful of grooming tools to brush your GSD.

The Shepherds fur generally doesnt mat and tangle.

The hair can clump, but combs out easily and doesnt need harsh tools to maintain a healthy coat. However, there is a rare occasion you might find a tangle from a seed, stick, or other items that need special attention with a comb to remove.

While theyre known as a high shedding breed, their coats are low odor and are easily maintained through a brushing routine that you can start when theyre puppies

Right at home!

Use this guide to check that you have the best brushes for grooming your German Shepherd.

Tool Name
Makes brushing easier for puppies Simply brush your puppy with the glove and they think youre petting them

Here are the best brushes for German Shepherds, even puppies.

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How Much Sleep Do German Shepherds Need

Its not the length of sleep that matters, but the quality. A dog of any breed needs 8 hours of good sleep every night. This includes the German Shepherd. A healthy German Shepherd should sleep for seven to 8 hours per day. If you are wondering, how much sleep do German Shepherds need?, the answer is as much as any other breed. However, German Shepherds are one of the most active dogs and they do require more sleep than the average breed. This is because their metabolism is much higher than that of other dogs..

How Many Times A Week Should I Bathe My Puppy

Bathing a dog should be done on an as needed basis, usually when the dog gets dirty or has accidents. The frequency of bathing for these situations occurred in 8% of the respondents who bathed their dogs at any point during the year and 20% who bathed their dogs more than once a month. For routine bathing, one survey respondent bathed their dog every week to keep him looking good and another did so every two weeks just because its nice..

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What If My Dog Has A Skin Condition

If your dog has any form of skin disease or an allergy, it’s important you consult your vet before washing your pooch.

Depending on the condition, your dog may be better off with no washing, or may need more regular bathing.

For dogs with some forms of skin disease, the washing process can dry out the dog’s skin and should be avoided, says Dr Hilton.

“The danger is dogs with allergic skin disease commonly have a defect in their skin barrier, which manifests as drying of the skin and that contributes to their misery,” he says.

“And using harsh shampoos harsh being anything that strips any further lipid layer off the skin or damages it potentially makes the itch worse.”

Avoid any products intended for use in humans, as human skin is very different and less sensitive than a dog’s, says Dr Hilton.

Also, stay away from products containing coal tar or harsh strippers such as selenium or benzyl peroxide, products designed to treat scale/seborrhoea if this is not present, as well as cheap or unknown brands.

A vet can point you towards the right options for your pet’s skin.

On the other hand, dogs with bacteria and yeast infections, or with an accumulation of dandruff scale, do need to be bathed to remove “the pathological build-up of stuff on the skin,” Dr Hilton says.

But if you do bath a dog with skin disease, you should almost always use a medicated conditioner afterwards, as recommend by their vet.

How Often Should You Bathe Your German Shepherd The German Shepherd Wash Guide

How Often You Should Bathe A German Shepherd?

In this article we are going to review all things German Shepherd bathing, including how often should you bathe a German Shepherd? A German Shepherd with healthy skin and a healthy coat only needs to be washed with dog shampoo once every 4-5 months. Yes, youve read that right. Those semiweekly baths should be semiannually! However, bathing your German Shepherd in water alone can happen more frequently.

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When Might You Need To Shampoo Wash Your German Shepherd More Frequently

More than the average dirt: Lets face it, at one point or another your German shepherd is likely to get themselves coated in something unpleasant such as raccoon poop Dogs love to roll!

When this happens you are going to require a little more than lukewarm water.

If you do need to shampoo in-between the recommended semiannual wash it is recommended you use a shampoo which is ideally both natural and moisturizing.

Medical reasons: Some German Shepherds may have a health condition which requires them to have baths more frequently.

If this is the case a vet will often advise using a medicated dog shampoo which is designed for this purpose.

The most common medical reasons which may cause your German Shepherd to need more regular baths include:Allergies: Canine allergies are actually more common than a lot of people think. It is estimated that around 1 in 7 dogs suffer from some form of allergy.

Most humans allergies manifest in itchy eyes, runny noses and coughing, whereas dog allergies mainly manifest in their skin.

Symptoms of a skin allergy in dogs include:

  • Hair loss
  • Chronic ear infections
  • Excessive licking, scratching or rubbing

The three most common skin allergies in German shepherds are caused by flea bite hypersensitivity, environmental allergies and food allergies.

These allergies can cause your dog to scratch and chew at their raw, itchy and irritated skin.

  • Hair loss
  • Flakey or crusty skin
  • Brittle or misshapen nails

Who Needs To Bathe The Dog More Than Once A Month

If your German Shepherd has any sort of skin problems, they need to be washed more than once a month. I know several owners who have dogs that are allergic to fleas , and they wash their dogs top to toe at least once a week with an anti-flea shampoo.

We also have a German Shepherd that gets episodes of severe itching and scratching. If we use an anti-itching shampoo, her bouts of itching and scratching decrease tremendously.

So my point is, make sure your dog doesnt need to be bathed every day or two, because if they do, its time to invest in the right shampoo or soap for their skin.

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Five Easy Tips On How To Make Bath Time Fun For Your German Shepherd

The first bath is always the most challenging. If your German Shepherd pup takes unto the water right away, youre incredibly lucky! But if he is feeling a bit anxious or unsure, this is completely understandable. Dogs dont understand the concept or need of taking a bath, so its our job as pet owners to help them make it into a positive experience.

Here are five easy tips on how to make bath time become fun time for you and your German Shepherd:

  • Give him a treat every time he does something good. If he steps into the tub by himself, give him a treat. If he doesnt panic when the water wets him, give him another treat, If he stays a good boy throughout the whole thing, give him another tip. Rewards, praises, and constant reassurance are needed for a puppys first bath. Once your pup gets used to bath time, you can feed him less treats and reward him with pats on the head instead. Remember that overfeeding with treats can also lead to canine obesity.
  • Bring along his favorite toys as a distraction. Keeping him occupied with his favorite ball may take his mind off the fact that he is getting a bath. Having a chew toy can also help as this can lessen his anxiety and helps keep his teeth and gums too! The important thing is to channel out his nervous energy into another object so that he wont panic or freak out during bath time.
  • Pin And Bristle Brushes

    How Often Should You Bathe Your Dog

    Pin and bristle brushers are double-sided, featuring a soft-bristle brush on one side and a mat of plastic-tipped pins on the other.

    These are handy, and they save you the expense of buying a separate soft-bristled brush.

    You can use the pin brush to get rid of loose undercoat, debris, and dirt. The soft brush side can then be used to pick up any loose hair from the top of the coat, leaving it with a lovely shine.

    The Safari Pin & Bristle Brush for Dogs* is a best-seller on Amazon.

    This well-made brush has round-ended pins that are designed to be easy on your dogs skin, and soft bristles to slide smoothly over the coat.

    Another pin and bristle brush we like is the best-selling HaloVa Professional Double Sided Pin & Bristle Bamboo Brush*.

    The HaloVa is a superior-quality brush that does an excellent job.

    The brushs round-ended pins are made from durable plastic, and its bristles are manufactured from all-natural material.

    Whats more, its back and handle are made from responsibly-sourced wood.

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    How Do You Clean German Shepherd Ears

    Squeeze a veterinarian-approved ear-cleaning solution to fill your dogs ear canal and massage gently at the base of the ear for about 30 seconds. You will hear a squishing sound as the product dislodges debris and buildup. Dont let the tip of the applicator touch your dogs ear, as this can introduce bacteria.

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