How Often Should You Brush A German Shepherd

How Often Can You Bathe German Shepherd Puppies

Avoid bathing your German Shepherd puppy when they are too young. Some owners will wait until their puppies are several months old before bathing them.

On average, wait until your puppy is three or four months old before giving them a proper bath. If they have been given a vaccination, wait at least a week or two before immersing them in water.

It is best to avoid bathing your puppy unless necessary. If they get dirty often, try wiping them down with a damp cloth to get rid of the muck.

Just because you cant bathe your puppy doesnt mean you shouldnt get them used to groom, however. Make sure that your puppy is comfortable with you brushing and handling them. This will make bath time a lot easier.

German Shepherd Nail Care

The frequency of nail trimming for your GSD will depend greatly on the kinds of surfaces on which your dog runs or walks. For those dogs who routinely walk on pavement, their nails will often wear down to a normal length naturally. Walsh finds that she never has to trim the nails of her dogs who walk on pavement, but those on other surfaces need a trimming at least monthly.

Wilson recommends trimming nails whenever needed, and agrees that it will depend on environment. She has observed, for instance, that her dogs who spend time on carpet and grass need a nail trimming every two to three weeks.

Walsh says the conformation of GSDs feet is wide-ranging, with some dogs having very thick, wide nails that are more difficult to cut and others having thinner, claw-like nails that are much easier to clip. For some dogsparticularly those with thick nailsshe has to use a Dremel tool for nail grinding in addition to clippers.

Regardless of conformation or growth rate of your dogs nails, it is important to expose them to nail clippers and the process of nail trimming early in puppyhood. Walsh begins handling her puppies feet as early as three days of age. Both breeders say that nail trimming, like coat care, can be done at home, and Walsh advises not to overdo it with the clippers: If you never cut their nails too short, they wont get funny about their nails.

Why Does My German Shepherd Hate Being Brushed

A: German Shepherds are very sensitive to being brushed, so they may feel uncomfortable and try to avoid it. You can try using a different type of brush or brushing the dogs stomach instead of its back.

The can you over brush a german shepherd is a question that has been asked by many people. You cannot over brush a German Shepherd, but if you do, it can lead to problems with the dogs health.

Watch This Video:

• deshedding brush for german shepherd
• how often should you brush a german shepherd puppy
• furminator for german shepherd

You May Like: Collars For German Shepherd Puppies

The Zoom Groom: Best Brush For Wet And Dry Grooming

The Zoom Groom is perfect for both dry and wet use!

The Zoom Groom brush works great for getting shampoo and conditioner onto the skin of thick-coated German Shepherds.

Massaging bristles work through deep undercoats to work products into the coat and hair without discomfort. With gentle rubber tips, this tool is also perfect for dry brushing German Shepherd puppies!

Use the gentle and soft rubber Zoom Groom to work up a cleansing lather of shampoo or to helps reach your dogs skin through their dense fur if you need to apply any treatments.

The wet and dry brush is a convenient tool to keep on hand for times when you need both a brush in the bath and after the bath.

How To Trim Dogs Foot Hair

Brush up long hairs between the toes then use scissors to trim the hair around the top area of your dogs foot and the paw. You should only use blunt-nosed safety scissors when trimming your dogs fur.

Avoid trimming the hair between the toes.

If this is the first time youre trimming your dogs hair, and youre unsure, its better to bring them to your local vet clinic or groomer for assistance.

Other body areas that may require regular trimming include:

• Eye area.
• Hair around the chin and lower jaw.
• Hair mats and tangles.

Don’t Miss: Good Names For German Shepherds Female

Our Recommendation For The Best Brush For German Shepherd

Whether you are planning to groom your dog yourself or they have a standing appointment with the groomer, it is vital that you brush your German Shepherd at least once a week. Choosing the right type of brush to do this is vital. Not all brushes made for dogs are going to work for your dog. Its best to find a brush that is meant to be used with a double coat dog.

Rake brushes are designed specifically to remove tangles from long-haired dogs. The long pins are meant to reach your dogs undercoat, while some other brushes wont reach it at all. Slicker brushes are also great for German Shepherds because they have short, fine bristles that are meant to get rid of any knots or mats that may have formed.

There are some other basic rules to follow when looking for the best brush for German Shepherd dogs. Dont get anything too sharp. Brushing out knots and mats can hurt, but its important to stay away from sharp brushes that may scratch or irritate their skin.

Also, you want to make sure that the brush is comfortable for you. Youre going to be using this brush a lot to keep up with your dogs long hair, so get something that will be easy to use and wont hurt your hand.

Snow Flakes Are Okay Skin Flakes Are Bad

Like most breeds, your German Shepherd Dogs skin produces natural oil that moisturizes their skin.

Global K9 Protection Services, a company that specializes in training Shepherds, recommends not bathing GSDs too often to avoid drying out their skin.

Dry skin can lead to itchiness, redness, and hot spots that they can start chewing.

Read Also: How To Calm Down A German Shepherd Puppy

Nail And Teeth Care For German Shepherds

Now that we know how to care for a German Shepherd’s coat, there are other aspects of their hygiene we need to consider. Brushing a dog’s teeth is an often overlooked aspect of grooming. We need to use a specialized dog toothbrush and toothpaste. We must never use the ones designed for humans. We should brush a dog’s teeth an average of twice a week. However, we need to check with a veterinarian in case they have any dental diseases or issues which may require us to do it more.

Clipping a dog’s nails is something we should do whenever they are too long. We can tell if a German Shepherd’s nails are too long if they grow past the paw pad. We may notice this if they walk over a hard surface and we hear the nails knocking against the ground.

When the dog’s nails are too long, we need to use a canine nail clipper. We need to be very careful not to cut too short as they may cut the quick which is very painful. To know how to cut a dog’s nails, check out our article on clipping a dog’s nails properly or check out the video below. If you are at all unsure, take them to a groomer to have it performed professionally.

If you want to read similar articles to Does a German Shepherd Need a Haircut?, we recommend you visit our Fur care category.

How Often Should I Brush My Gsd

This answer depends on what tools you are using to brush your dog. A rake or a comb should be used more often than a dematting brush. Generally, rakes and combs can be used every day because they handle every day dirt and tangles that dogs naturally accumulate. At the very least, you should use these every other day to keep shedding and tangles at a minimum.

Dematting brushes are a little different. Undercoats generally do not need to be groomed every day. It is generally recommended that deshedding and dematting brushes be used 1-2 times per week for maximum effectiveness. Your dogs undercoat isnt going to grow much in just one day. So it is reasonable to only brush it out once or twice a week.

Ultimately, how often you brush your dog is up to you. Just keep in mind that a well groomed coat is a lot easier to manage than a matted coat. So, do your best to prevent mats and tangles from happening by brushing your German Shepherd regularly.

Read Also: Can A Chihuahua And A German Shepherd Mate

Detecting And Preventing Early Health And Skin Problems

German Shepherd health and skin problems such as hot spots, dry skin, and hair loss can be caused by various factors like an allergic reaction, poor diet, bug bite, and underlying disease.

Regular grooming can help alert you when there is something wrong hidden beneath the furry surface. For example, you can spot if there are fleas and ticks living invisibly in the dogs hair.

Even the understated untangle matted hair can go a long way to keep your dog stays healthy. Matted hair, when ignored, can progress from mild irritation to infected wounds.

Cleaning A German Shepherds Ears

Due to the way German Shepherds ears stand up, they can get a lot of dirt in them, which unfortunately makes them more prone to infections. To avoid this, a German Shepherds ears should be cleaned weekly.

Specially made dog ear-cleaning solution contains ingredients that helps to break down and remove wax, as well as anti-bacterial agents that soothes inflammation and prevents infection.

You should apply this solution to a damp cotton ball and gentle wipe the inside of the ear and check for any injuries, infection, inflammation or scrapes.

If you notice something unusual, apply antibiotic ointment and go to your vet in order to seek further advice.

Handy Hint: Around the same time you will also be potty training your GSD. Heres how to do it.

Read Also: Can German Shepherds Eat Raw Meat

How Often Do You Groom A German Shepherd

Whether medium or longhair, a German Shepherd will need a moderate amount of grooming. Some dogs are very prone to tangling and have fine hair which required daily brushing. A German Shepherd should be brushed about 3 times a week. There are different reasons we need to brush a German Shepherd’s coat:

• One of the main reasons for brushing their coat is because they will drop dead hair. If this is not brushed, it will collect in their coat and threaten their hygiene. It will also lead to hair accumulation on furnishings and floors in the home. Dogs will molt much more hair during shedding seasons.
• Brushing also helps us to distribute the natural oils of a dog’s coat to protect them from the elements and other threats to its condition.
• When we brush a German Shepherd’s coat we can check for injury and parasites. We may not be able to spot a small wound, skin condition or parasites such as fleas from looking at them. Once we get in close by brushing we can monitor for issues which threaten their well-being.
• Brushing a dog’s coat helps to remove tangles and knots. This is something which will affect long haired dogs more.
• When we brush our German Shepherd’s hair we also encourage our bond. If they are sheepish about brushing, we need to get them used to the practice. In doing so, we foster a sense of security with them.

If you want more advice, you can take a look at our article on how to brush a dog’s hair properly.

Nailing Down The Truth

Dogs nails are always growing. If they walk on pavement or gravel often, their nails may get ground down from those surfaces.

German Shepherds nails are usually black, so it is difficult to clip their nails without hitting the nerve.

The goal is to cut the nails down without hitting the nerve in the nail. Nails that are too long can make your dogs foot align incorrectly when they walk.

This can lead to foot and joint issues later on. When clipping their nails, high praise in a calm environment will give you the best results for them to get through it in the most positive way.

Read Also: How To Draw German Shepherd Face

How Can You Prevent Them From Getting Muddy

The main reason German Shepherds need more frequent baths is that they get muddy. This is why it is best to keep them inside on rainy days. Only let them out if you can keep an eye on them and prevent them from playing in the mud or puddles.

If you are taking them for a walk, keep a good grip on their leash and stick to proper paths, instead of heading out onto the grass.

How To Find A Dog Groomer To Hire

As with other professionals, friends, and family will become my first source of referrals. You also can ask your neighbors or veterinarians who they recommend. Websites such as the AKC GroomerFinder are also a great place to research and compare grooming services in your area.

Once you have narrowed your choices, the next step is to find out if this is the right person to groom your dog. Here are a few questions that you may want to ask potential groomers.

1. May I see your facility?

How does the facility look and smell? Is this a place youre comfortable leaving your dog?

2. Do you have any credentials?

Although a license isnt a requirement in all states, he/she should have proper certification by a recognized grooming school such as AKC S.A.F.E Grooming or other grooming continuing education programs and have at least two years of professional working experience.

3. What is your policy if an accident or emergency occurs?

An accident can happen unexpectedly during grooming, even to the most professional groomers. Thats why its essential to ask the groomer about their safety policy and their past accident reports or client complaints whenever possible.

The first aid kit should be readily available in the event of an emergency, and liability insurance is a plus. It will give you peace of mind knowing that any medical expenses that arise will be covered in the unfortunate event of your dog getting injured.

4. Are you comfortable with German shepherds?

Also Check: Haircuts For German Shepherds

How To Brush Your German Shepherd Teeth

First, pick a toothbrush designed specifically for dogs. Then brush your dogs gums gently with toothpaste formulated for dogs, baking soda, or water.

You just need to brush the outside surface your dogs tongue will naturally clean the top and inside surfaces.

You may also want to give your dog dental chew toys. In this way, they can satisfy their basic needs to chew and clean their teeth at the same time.

The Benefits Of Regular Dog Grooming

There are at least three major benefits that your dog can get from getting groomed regularly:

• It keeps your dogs coat look sleek and shiny, preventing all the mats and tangles from your dogs coat.
• It helps to detect early health issues and skin problems before you know they exist.
• It helps to manage your dogs shedding.

Also Check: At What Age Are German Shepherds Fully Grown

Do German Shepherds Need Grooming

All dogs need grooming, including German Shepherds!

Grooming is important to prevent the dogs coat from becoming matted. Grooming keeps your dogs skin healthy and allows you to check for any lumps and bumps, sore patches, or parasites.

A thorough brush removes dead and loose hair from their coat, helping to keep the fur healthy and shiny.

Grooming also massages your dogs skin, helping to improve his circulation.

Best of all, regular grooming strengthens the bond between you and your dog and is a pleasurable experience for both of you.

German Shepherd Shedding Tips

I question I often get asked is do German Shepherds shed a lot? and also how much do German Shepherds shed?

The answer depends on what type of German Shepherd you own and also on what time of year it is. Generally your dog will shed most in spring and fall because thats when he will lose his undercoat. Long coat German Shepherds also tend to shed the most because they have thicker coats.

German Shepherds shed quite heavily all year round, but they blow their undercoat twice a year thats the dense, thick fur that youll see under your dogs coarse top coat.

Don’t Miss: Biggest Breed Of German Shepherd

Cleaning A German Shepherds Teeth

Transform Your Dogs Behavior. Transform Your Familys Life.

Discover the online program that more than 57,000 dog owners have used to rapidly transform their dog into a well-behaved, obedient furry friend.

Cleaning a German Shepherds teeth is very important to your dogs overall health. Check your German Shepherd’s teeth frequently and have your vet check the teeth during all your vet visits.

The GSD’s teeth will accumulate tartar over time, the same as yours or mine, and will need to be cleaned occasionally. During grooming sessions is an additional opportunity to do this as well.

A dog needs regular dental care just like any person. Feeding your dog dental snacks will also help to keep your dogs teeth and gums healthy. Chew toys are a very good way to help your dog keep its teeth clean too.

In most cases the typical GSD will also need to have their teeth brushed on a regular basis using a canine toothbrush and toothpaste. Try to brush your German Shepherd’s teeth several times a week – daily if possible because cleaning a German Shepherds teeth is an important part of their dental, and overall, health.

It is important to train your GSD from an early age to accept having it’s teeth cleaned and to follow the steps below to get your dog used to a tooth brushing routine. Dog training does help with cleaning a German Shepherds teeth as well.