Thoroughly Brush And Detangle Your Dogs Coat Before Their Bath
Brushing before bathing removes excess hair and helps decrease the time you spend bathing your GSD. Brushing also keeps your drain from becoming clogged with extra hair.
And matted hair adds extra weight to your dog and can inhibit their natural movements . So a deep brushing is a must!
Use a Spray Detangler to gently remove loose fur, clumps of hair, knots, and make brushing easier. Spray the detangler on your dogs coat and spend at least 10 minutes brushing out their coat.
You dont need a drawer full of tools to brush your dog. Or fancy expensive brushes that wont suit your dogs unique coat.
While the German Shepherds fur is naturally designed to not get large mats, sometimes the fur does tend to clump or stick together. For these clumps, use a de-matting tool that gently removes the clumps and helps make their fur tangle-free.
Follow with a rounded-tipped rake brush, which removes loose guard hairs and the shedding undercoat.
It Is Important To Make Sure That Your Dog Is Safe From Stains
There are a couple of ways you can prevent your dog from staining when they get wet. The first is to try to remember to pet dry them after they get out of the water.
When you pet dry them, you will still be able to feel moisture on their fur and skin, but it will not transfer onto anything else.
Another method that many people use is using sprays or conditioners before getting them wet. This has the effect of keeping their fur dry and clean, but also adds a bit of body conditioner.
If you want to be able to wash your dog in your kitchen sink, it is important to have a kitchen sink that is wide enough that no water can fall through it.
If you feel this is all too much or you cant do it, you should consider going into a pet store and asking for help.
The staff in pet stores are very qualified, and can offer lots of tips and information about grooming German Shepherds.
You will be amazed at how much more knowledgeable they are than other people, which will make them a great person to consult with when getting started.
The results of bathing your dog are that you will be able to get all the dirt out, and you get a dog that is cleaner than it has ever been.
You will also help keep your dog regular because the feces and urine is no longer deposited in your house.
The whole process from beginning to end will only take about fifteen minutes, during which time you can still play with him in order to improve his confidence.
What All Does At Home Grooming Involve
Though grooming is often categorized as brushing and cleaning of the coat only, there is much more that you can do to maintain your German Shepherds outward appearance.
A well-rounded grooming of a GSD includes maintaining their coat, trimming their nails, cleaning their ears, keeping up with their dental health, and a few other tips that we will discuss in this article.
Though this may sound tedious, it is all made easier if you follow a simple routine. By setting aside days and times for grooming, it can all begin to flow naturally throughout your day.
If you want to make sure you are taking care of all of your dogs grooming needs, then take a look at some of the tips below.
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How Often Should You Brush A German Shepherd
Are you meeting your German Shepherds brushing needs?
Brush your dog at least 3 to 4 times a week for 10 minutes each session. During the coat blowing season in spring and fall, daily brushing of at least 10 to 15 minutes is preferred. At each brushing, make sure you pay special attention to areas prone to clumping, like under the belly, the back of the legs, the length of the tail, and behind their ears. You can brush your German Shepherd puppy every other day with a gentle brushing glove that introduces them to grooming.
A GSD is a double-coated breed that needs routine grooming. If your dog is very active and outdoors a lot, make sure you brush more regularly, especially after swimming or running through trails and tall grass.
Follow these 3 German Shepherd brushing tips to decrease shedding and help your dog stay healthy:
- brush regularly
- brush for a set time to get your dog used to grooming
- choose the right tools for brushing that are gentle
Youll also want to keep your dog on a set brushing schedule to maintain their coat health. Heres a good schedule for you and your dog.
Cleaning For The Gsds Ears
German shepherds are more prone to sickness because their ears point higher. Therefore, you should clean German shepherds ears weekly to prevent this. In addition to antibacterial chemicals that reduce discomfort and prevent infection, a well-prepared dog ear-cleaning solution also contains components that break down and remove wax. Examine the ear canal for signs of infection or discomfort using a wet cotton ball. Apply antibiotic ointment and see your veterinarian if you see anything out of the ordinary. Then, your GSD can be potty trained simultaneously.
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How Often Should You Have Your Dog Groomed
Lets face it, Pet Parents are busy people. And while getting in the routine of feeding, playing, and taking out the dog is something most pet parents have perfected, many dogs are missing out on a consistent grooming schedule.
Having your dog groomed is a great way to keep your dog healthy, looking good, and it helps keep your dogs coat, skin, ears, paws, and sanitary areas cleaned. After rolling out our new Grooming program, many pet parents began asking us how often they should groom their dogs, and we have an answer for you!
While the timing can differ between dog breeds, according to the American Kennel Club, for most breeds you should have your dog groomed once a month. Consistent grooming for your dog will help prevent matting and knots. Typically, if left untreated, matting can quickly worsen when moisture that is trapped underneath a matted coat progresses into skin irritation or infections. Thus, grooming is a preventative activity that should not be overlooked.
Grooming, however, is not a one-size-fits-all service, and some dogs may need more grooming upkeep than others. So heres a quick reference guide to help you determine how often your dog may need to be brushed, bathed, or fully groomed.
Veterinary Care For Your German Shepherd
Routine preventative care plays a huge role in your dogs grooming process. If you dont have the proper preventative measures in place to fight off disease or parasites, your at home care will fail to work. Some preventative care that is important for your dogs routine maintenance includes:
- Flea and tick prevention: Fleas and ticks can wreak havoc on your German Shepherds skin. They can lead to skin itching, irritation, redness, bald spots, and self-mutilation from the pain they cause. Getting your dog on a monthly flea and tick prevention will prevent them from any complications that result in a skin parasite infection.
- Physical exams: Routine physical exams are essential in catching diseases and complications at an early stage. For example, demodex is a type of mange that German Shepherds can suffer from, and it can spread to different parts of their body fairly quickly. Vets know the signs to look for, and can easily test a section of the skin that causes a concern. When catching this condition early, it can be treated before it affects a dogs entire coat. This is true of many other conditions as well.
- Anal gland expression: Anal glands are the tiny sacs that hide under the base of the tail in a dogs rectum. When anal glands are full, they can begin to excrete a foul odor. By keeping up with your dogs anal gland expressions at your veterinarians office, you can help to keep this foul smell out of your home.
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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.
German Shepherd Ear Care And Dental Care
GSDs have tall, alert ears that stand up by the time they reach about four months of age. These ears are a signature feature of the breed and can be prone to infections if you dont keep a watchful eye on their care. Walsh uses hypoallergenic baby wipes to clean her dogs ears, noting that the wipes are easy and gentle to use.
Wilson also recommends cleaning your dogs ears and checking regularly for ear infections. Go to the vet if you notice one, she says, as such infections can be serious and require the care of a veterinary professional.
For dental care, a wide variety of oral care products are available now for dogs. Dental care you can do at home includes the use of disposable dental wipes or dog-friendly flavored toothpaste . The best course of action, though, is to consult with your veterinarian about which dental hygiene routine will be best for your dog.
Yasmine S. Ali, MD, is a cardiologist and writer based in Tennessee, where she lives with three Canine Good Citizens, including an AKC-registered German Shepherd Dog.
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When Should I Start Grooming My German Shepherd Puppy
The answer to this question is: the sooner, the better. German Shepherd puppies have a lot of hair, and you want to take control of their grooming from the start. Here is the logical sequence of events we recommend:
- Step 1: You see the German Shepherd puppies for sale post,
- Step 2: Your heart melts, and your eyes water. You immediately buy the little buggers and bring them home,
- Step 3: You get the grooming equipment while you are bringing them home. Not after, but immediately, if you know whats best for you! .
If you do not trim and brush your puppys coat, then you will find that their beautiful fur will become clumpy and matted. So, you need to groom regularly to keep your German Shepherd puppys coat silky and smooth.
It is important to have your puppy get used to having their coat trimmed and brushed. This way, they will get used to being groomed later on in life. It is also a good idea to clean your German Shepherds ears, clip their toenails and regularly bathe them.
All of these things will help your puppy get used to having someone pick and poke these areas so that the next time you make your veterinarian visit, your dog does not feel scared or uncomfortable.
A question that many first-time dog owners ask is How often should I groom my German Shepherd Puppy?
Well, the answer to that is it depends on what their coat is like. But three to four times a week is recommended. You can spend about 10 minutes brushing the fur each time.
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.
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How Often Should You Groom Your Gsd
Unlike humans, dogs dont need to bathe or groom daily. On the contrary, bathing/grooming your dog daily can strip their coat of essential oils, leaving them with dry and flaky skin!German Shepherds are moderate shedders and need to be groomed twice a week. If your GSD is active and plays out every day, then brushing their coat after play would be a good option to keep them clean and not stinky!
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.
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Why Its Important To Avoid Overbathing
The main issue with bathing and using shampoo is that it removes a certain amount of the natural essential oils from the skin and coat each and every time. The more often you bathe, the more oils you remove, until virtually all oils are stripped. When theres a lack of oils in the coat and skin, the following issues happen: Dry and flaky skin Itchiness Greasy coat Smelly coat
You may be wondering how their coat becomes greasy if its supposed to be dried out? Well, when the body realizes that the natural oils are no longer present, it rushes to produce more oil. The downside to this is that through this kind of emergency reaction to produce oil quickly, it nearly always produces too much! This results in a dry coat, quickly going to a very greasy, overly oily coat. Shortly after this, the coat will start to smell. This will lead you to think you need to bathe her again repeating the unhealthy process all over again.
This is original content produced and published by The Puppy Mag | www.thepuppymag.com
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When To Start Brushing A German Shepherd Puppy
You can start brushing a German Shepherd puppy as young as 6 to 8 weeks old IF you use the right tools .
You can start brushing your German Shepherd puppy when they are 6 to 8 weeks old using a gentle grooming glove that doesnt pull the fur. Since German Shepherd puppies have a soft and fluffy puppy coat you dont need lots of brushes. Use the grooming glove to brush your puppy in short sessions of only 1 to 2 minutes in the beginning. This gets your puppy used to being handled and brushed and makes later brushing much easier on both of you.
Work up to 3 to 5-minute sessions daily using the grooming glove before introducing the undercoat rake when their adult coats grow in. Use plenty of rewards and positive training to teach your German Shepherd puppy how to like being brushed.
Go slowly with brushing your puppy since the first introductions to being brushed by you will set up their later expectations for a grooming routine.
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How Often To Bathe A Dog
Different breeds have extremely different bathing needs, so make sure to bathe your dog accordingly.
Short-haired Dachshunds, German Shorthaired Pointers, and dogs of similarly short coats can go a very long time in between baths. Their coats naturally shed excess dirt and oil, and they will rarely smell.
Oilier breeds, like basset hounds, may need to be bathed up to once a week. Their natural oils may also protect their skin from overdrying.
Retrievers and other dogs with water-resistant coats should be brushed clean, and you should avoid over-bathing to maintain their coats natural oils.
Similar practices should be used on breeds with a double coat, like the Akita, Chow Chow, and the smaller American Eskimo. The brushing also helps to distribute their natural oils and maintain healthy skin.
Rule of thumb: You can bathe your dog about once a month unless they seem smelly/dirty, or you notice it over-dries their skin.
Note: Be sure to avoid over-bathing. Dry skin caused by over-bathing can be very uncomfortable. Dogs need a certain amount of oil to maintain a healthy coat and skin.
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How To Bathe A Dog
No matter what breed your dog is, youll likely be bathing her soon enough. The following steps detail exactly how its done.
Brush Start by brushing out your dog from head to tail. Youll be removing excess fur and loosening dirt. Brushing also removes knots and matted fur from longer coats that may hold water and irritate their skin.
Use warm water, not hot Make sure you run your dogs bath like you would for a baby. Dogs skin is quite sensitive to heat and using the same temperature water you use will likely be uncomfortably hot for your dog.
Use the right shampoo As described above, select the appropriate shampoo for your dog and use it sparingly. Massage it into their coats and focus on areas with thick fur or places that tend to be dirtiest. Avoid their eyes, nose, and mouth.
Rinse thoroughly Make sure to rinse out all of the shampoo. Anything left behind will likely dry her skin. Be gentle when getting your dog wet and when rinsing. Most dogs dont like being sprayed.
Towel or air dry Dont use a blow dryer. Most dogs dont like it, and the risk of burning your dogs skin is high. A nice pat down with a towel will do just fine. Then let them air dry in a comfortable place.
Reward them Use lots of soft tones and a happy voice to help your dog through their bath. When youre done, be sure to give them lots of praise and even a little treat for putting up with such an uncomfortable behavior.
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