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How To Stop German Shepherd From Shedding Hair

Provide A Healthy Diet For Your German Shepherd

German Shepherd Shedding Remove Hair Without a Furminator

A proper diet is key for a lustrous, healthy coat. Omega fatty acids play a big role in coat health and provide a whole host of other benefits. Most of the time, your German Shepherd will get plenty of Omega fatty acids through his normal food, but in some cases it may be necessary to give him a little boost with a supplement like fish oil thats specifically formulated for dogs.

If you do want to boost your German Shepherds fatty acid intact, .

Bath Your Dog With A Proper Dog Shampoo

Bathing is a great way to loosen and remove the old, dead hairs on your dogs coat, before they have a chance to fill your home, and to help keep his skin and hair in optimal condition.

However, there are some important caveats to this.

First, its important to use a good quality shampoo that doesnt contain a bunch of harsh chemicals that could dry out, or irritate, your dogs skin. This is why I personally avoid using a human shampoo, and stick with using one thats designed for dogs. Some are even designed specifically to loosen and remove the dead fur, while also reducing future shedding.

You could even try a homemade dog shampoo, like one made from oatmeal for example, if you want something thats really gentle on your dogs skin and one that adds moisture.

Second, try to avoid over-bathing. Because even if youre using a proper dog shampoo, bathing too frequently may diminish the natural oils on your dogs skin and lead to dryness.

How often you should bath your dog depends on a number of factors such as the breed, how messy he gets, what shampoo youre using and your own preference.

However, as a general rule, shorter haired dogs can be bathed less often than longer haired dogs that are more prone to mats and tangles.

In any case, bathing is a great way to manage shedding, just be selective about which shampoo you use, and how often you bath, to avoid drying out your dogs skin and hair.

How To Stop Excessive Gsd Shedding

You cant stop any dog from shedding completely, this is a normal and natural process that most dogs go through. However, you can reduce excessive shedding and minimize how much of the hair ends up floating around your home.

And, in a healthy GSD, this mostly comes down to grooming him properly and making sure his diet is optimal. So lets explore each of these further.

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Bathe Your German Shepherd Sparingly

Youll hear a lot about bathing a dog to reduce shedding. However, this is not often recommended for the German Shepherd.

A dogs skin is not made to be bathed much. Even if youre using a gentle shampoo, too much bathing can quickly cause the skin to dry out. You cant lotion a dogs skin, after all.

Dry, itchy skin will likely lead to more shedding. But this increased shedding will often be the least of your problems. If your dog itches their skin too much, they may cause sores to develop. Secondary infections can be contracted and may require veterinary attention.

We do not recommend bathing your dog weekly or even monthly in most cases. You should only bathe your dog when they are truly dirty, such as after rolling around in the mud.

For the most part, a regular grooming session will pull much of the excess dirt and dust from their fur.

At What Age Do German Shepherds Start Shedding

5 Effective Ways To Decrease German Shepherd Shedding ...

Older German Shepherds can go all year round, but younger ones typically start in the spring.Oddly enough, German shepherds tend to shed one of two times throughout the year- either during winter or during summer months, never at any other time of year. This seems counter intuitive until its realized that each season is different for dogs due to temperature changes and various makeup events which change how they react to their environment.So what gives? Well because when a dog gets hot it sheds more by becoming much drier from evaporation and then smells stronger as a response mechanism which also wards off insects that nobody wants around them in large quantities. The same goes for cold weather except that instead the dryness.

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How Can I Regrow My German Shepherd Hair

Hear this out loudPauseAccording to most groomers, an average dog will usually have its full coat back on by four to six months before it comes back for a reshave. You can also help your German Shepherds hair grow faster by gently brushing the shaved area with a boar bristle brush. Hold your horses or rather your dog!

What Is The Coat Of The German Shepherd Like

The German Shepherd was developed in an area and during a time when dogs were necessary to help herd flocks of either sheep or cattle.

These dogs were bred in the often harsh northern European climate, and many of them had double coats as a result.

The German Shepherd Dog is one of these such sheepherding dogs. Ironically, although these dogs had an undercoat, the topcoat of fur was often less likely to pick up burrs, making care easier for the shepherds and farmers.

The German Shepherds topcoat is also resistant to dirt and grime. Furthermore, snow, rain, nor mud was able to penetrate the water-resistant undercoat of the German Shepherd Dog. This insulation of sorts gave the GSD a means of protection when working outdoors.

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Use A Dog Hair Blower

A dog hair blower is something many professional groomers use as part of a comprehensive, three-part, grooming routine involving bathing, blow drying and brushing.

Its definitely not essential to use one of these, but if you have a heavy shedding dog, like an Alaskan Malamute or German Shepherd for example, these are worth every penny.

They basically look and work like a vacuum, but in reverse. They are designed to blow air in a safe and effective manner, and in such a way to blast the old fur right off the coat, including the undercoat. Which makes them ideal for heavy shedding dogs with a thick coat.

Not only that, but they can save you a lot of time too.

Especially if you use it after bathing and before brushing. Because for one thing, they can save you time hand drying your dog after a bath. And second, they tend to blow so much fur off of the coat that when it comes time to brush, most of the work is already done.

That said, I would only recommend an air blower if you have a heavy shedding dog, otherwise it may be hard to justify the cost. And some dogs dont like the noise, so its worth being selective about which one you get, otherwise using it effectively could prove difficult.

German Shepherd Nail Care

How to manage German Shepherd shedding

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.

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Healthy Dogs = Less Shedding

Finally, their diet can be a huge culprit when it comes to excessive shedding.

Do your homework and choose a high quality dog food which is best suited for your German Shepherd based on age, activity level, and any health concerns such as allergies. Talk to your vet about supplementing their food with omega fats or selecting the right dog food.

Besides food, German Shepherds are active dogs that require daily exercise and mental stimulation, along with a stress-free environment.

Can You Reduce Your German Shepherds Shedding

Heres some bad news. Theres nothing you can do to specifically reduce how much your German Shepherd sheds either. Aside from keeping them healthy, as a healthy GSD will shed less than one experiencing health concerns.

But if youre sensitive to dander and love German Shepherds, there is still some hope. In fact, there are a few effective ways of controlling how much your German Shepherds shedding impacts your life.

There is no way around a German Shepherd shedding, but you can face it head on and reduce its impact by:

  • Keeping up a regular coat maintenance routine
  • Purchasing a quality vacuum and regularly using it
  • Keeping some locations in your home off-limits to your GSD
  • Restrict play time to outdoors
  • Keep your environment hygienic

Try implementing these and you can reduce the dominion that your German Shepherds fur will have over your life and lungs. You dont have to do everything at once, but you can slowly introduce these habits into you and your dogs life.

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What To Do When Your German Shepherd Blows His Coat

German Shepherds have two coats: a longer, firm outer coat with coarse hairs that usually shed out as single hairs and a softer, fluffier undercoat that sheds in big clumps. The German Shepherd loses or blows his ample undercoat twice a year .

GSDs need regular grooming year-round, but the grooming that takes place during the time a German Shepherd blows his coat needs to be more intensive than usual.

Youll notice your German Shepherd is blowing his coat when you start to see clumps of light-colored undercoat coming out when you brush him or her.

This is a good time to give your dog a once-over with the brush and run a warm bath. Warm water, as well as the skin massage that comes with a bath, helps to loosen the dead hair so it will fall out more easily. Use a large rubber grooming brush in a circular motion to both shampoo and rinse during the bath .

After the bath, towel your GSD thoroughly to remove excess water from her coat. If your pup will tolerate blow-drying, use a high-powered dryer or a hair dryer on the cool setting along with a pin brush or comb to blow out the loose hair as your dog dries. An easy way to clean up after the brushing process is to groom your dog while hes standing on an old bedsheet when youre finished, simply pick up the sheet and dump the hair in the trash. Shake the sheet outside and it is ready to put in the washing machine.

Photo Credit: spencerdax via Compfightcc

The Bottom Line: Shedding Is A Way Of Life

5 Effective Ways To Decrease German Shepherd Shedding ...

At the end of the day, German Shepherds shed for their entire life no matter what you try to do about it. As a German Shepherd owner, you can only do your best to minimize it, but theres no stopping it. Hopefully, this article has provided you with a handful of tips for that matter.

If you have any other suggestions, feel free to share them with us in the comment below.

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    What Does It Mean That The German Shepherd Blows His Coat

    When a dog blows his coat, this means that at least twice a year, the dog will undergo a huge shedding during which all his hair will be shed at once.

    Now, this does not mean that the dog will be hairless. What that means is that all the winter fur will be shed as new spring and summer fur replaces the old coat.

    Some individuals refer to this as getting a new coat. Again, the German Shepherd will not be without fur during this time. However, you will notice much more hair than usual on your furniture or maybe on your clothes.

    German Shepherd Shedding: Do They Ever Stop

    Find out everything you need to know about German Shepherd shedding, including how long it lasts, how bad is it, and know what you can do to keep it under control.

    The German Shepherd is one of the mostpopular dog breeds for many reasons. And lets face it, who wouldnt want suchan intelligent, courageous, and loyal canine companion!

    But before you bring a German Shepherdhome, you should know that their thick and plush double coat sheds, a lot!While having a dog that sheds might not be a deal-breaker, you should find outwhat exactly youre getting yourself into.

    How bad is German Shepherd shedding? German Shepherds shed all year long, which has earned them the nickname German shedders. They also go through seasonal shedding twice a year, when they shed their undercoat, losing a huge amount of hair. Shedding cant be stopped, but it can be reduced with regular brushing and a high-quality diet.

    To keep the shedding under control you will have to brush your German Shepherd at least three times a week and daily during the shedding season. However, excessive shedding can also be a sign of an underlying health condition so read on to find out more!

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    What Size Furminator For German Shepherd

    Choosing the correct size FURminator for your GSD is not hard. FURminators come in various head sizes and for both short and long fur. For an adult German Shepherd, the large FURminator for short hair would be appropriate. The Large Short Hair Dog FURminator deShedding tool is specifically designed for dogs from 51-90 lbs. with coats shorter than 2 inches. For a puppy, or juvenile dog, you should choose a smaller size, such as the medium size.

    How To Keep German Shepherds From Shedding

    How to deal with German Shepherd shedding issues

    On the Internet, there are many stories and magic recipes to stop hair loss in German Shepherds.

    It is good to tell you that you should not waste time applying all those strings of lies and myths, because it is practically impossible for you to modify the natural physiology of your German Shepherd.

    In fact, trying to keep German Shepherds from shedding is as much as trying to prevent them from sleeping or pooping.

    What we can advise you so that you do not suffer from the shedding of your German Shepherds hair is the following:

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    How Can I Improve My German Shepherds Hair

    German Shepherds have a double coat of hair, with a short, thick undercoat and longer guard hairs on top. The characteristic wirehaired look is created by a single layer of thicker guard hairs. If you brush your dogs coat thoroughly every day with a slicker brush or metal comb, the wires will stand up on their own, which can decrease shedding quite dramatically.If youre not comfortable dealing with tangles yourself for any reason, it may be time to take your dog to the groomers more frequently or hire an in-home grooming service that specializes in long haired breeds. In addition to removing tangles and loosening the platelets in the outer layers of fur , most reputable.

    Feed Your German Shepherd With A Meat

    One of the most effective ways of reducing shedding is to feed your German Shepherd with high-quality dog food.

    Cheap dog food is largely made of ingredients such as corn and grain that is difficult for any dog to digest.

    Look for dog food that has meat as the main ingredient. Sure, it costs more, but it is beneficial to your German Shepherd in lots of different ways.

    Dog food with meat as its main ingredient is easier to digest and absorb.

    Not only will it help to maintain a healthy coat and reduce shedding, it is also good for the overall health of your German Shepherd.

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    Signs Of Heatstroke In Dogs

    • Lethargy and weakness
    • Foaming or drooling from the mouth
    • Increased panting and labored breathing
    • Vomiting or diarrhea
    • Seizures

    Any or a combination of these symptoms is a reason to suspect heatstroke has struck your German Shepherd.

    You can confirm this by consulting a vet with the symptoms your dog has.

    So, the vet confirms your suspicion that your German Shepherd has heatstroke. What happens next?

    Well, your vet will give you some advice on how to help your dog immediately.

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