How Often Should A German Shepherd Be Groomed
Your German Shepherd should be brushed 3-4 times a week, eradicating any loose, dead hairs and keeping the fur soft and shiny. Like other breeds, you should be careful of overbathing your German Shepherd, too many baths can cause dry, irritated skin which leaves them exposed to other health issues. With the German Shepherd breed you should also be checking their toenails at least once a week, otherwise you could be leaving your pup prone to injury.
German Shepherd Health Issues
Unfortunately the long-haired German Shepherd is prone to suffering from the same health conditions and potential illnesses of it’s short-haired cousin. They are a medium sized herd dog which means they’re liable to suffer from hip or elbow dysplasia as they get older. Conditions like this are often down to genetics so its a good idea to look into the lineage of your pooch and try to find out how susceptible they are to dysplasia.
Although things like joint conditions are hereditary, there are certain things you can do to help reduce the effects and prolong the amount of time before they strike. Maintaining a healthy diet, rich in minerals and vitamins will help to increase the quality of your furry friends joints. It’s also important to keep their weight at a healthy level. German Shepherds who are overweight have been known to develop hip dysplasia earlier in life due to the extra strain put on their bones and joints.;
Other illnesses that can develop in long-haired German Shepherds include digestion issues, eye diseases and skin conditions. These can be caused by bad breeding techniques but also as a result of careless grooming and a poor diet. Be sure to regularly groom your dog to help maintain a healthy coat, improve blood flow and reduce the risk of dry or irritated skin. Regular check-ups are also vital if you want to make sure your four-legged friend is kept happy and healthy.
Can You Shave Your German Shepherds Coat
Thats a big NO! No matter how annoying a German Shepherds shedding can be, you should not be shaving their coats! In fact, we strongly advise against shaving any dog that has a double coat.
It might seem like an easy way to get around spending time caring for your dogs coat. But, it is quite the opposite.
Shaving a dog with a double coat can lead to a range of problems. Theres no guarantee that the coat will grow back the same. Not only do these put your German Shepherd at risk, but they will defeat the purpose of shaving your dog in the first place.
Contrary to popular belief, shaving a German Shepherd does not make him cooler. The coat of a GSD protects the dog from environmental elements, such as heat or UV rays. So by shaving a dog with a double coat, youre exposing him to these elements.
Overall, it is not beneficial to even trim or cut your German Shepherds coat at all. Instead, let their fur grow at its natural rate. Its far more beneficial to simply have a good coat maintenance routine no matter how troublesome it may be.
Owning a German Shepherd is no easy task. And there are no shortcuts around it. The only thing to do is to embrace the shedding by providing them with the proper fur care. Otherwise, we suggest you pick a hypoallergenic or hairless breed.
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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.
Grooming A German Shepherd Basics
The German Shepherd was originally a breed used in herding sheep. And of course, today, it is a breed often used in a variety of working dog capacities. But the German Shepherd is also a very popular choice as a household pet known for its intelligence, loyalty and ease of training.
You will want your German Shepherd to look as striking as possible which usually goes hand-in-hand with optimal health.
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The German Shepherd Coat
Your German Shepherds has a double coat. The outer coat of guard hairs is straight, with dense coarse fur that lies close to their body.
The fur on your dog’s neck is longer and more dense than the fur on their body.
And they have an undercoat which is soft and thick kind of like the down on a goose.
So your German Shepherd has a beautiful coat designed to withstand the cold and heat of the elements.
German Shepherd coats come in four lengths:
- Short with an undercoat
- Medium with an undercoat
- Long with an undercoat Fur feathers on the ears, back of the legs, and tail.
- Long without an undercoat Fur feathers on the ears, back of the legs, and tail. The outer coat is softer and finer than the above three lengths.
Grooming Is Beneficial For All
German Shepherds are beautiful dogs that deserve to be treated well. Just like we become uncomfortable if we dont take care of our hair and skin, so too do dogs.
These grooming techniques should help make sure that you and your dog are both happy and comfortable. With the proper training, practice, and enough love, your dog will come to love its grooming sessions, and the two of you can use them as a bonding experience.
Hopefully, this article has been helpful, and we hope that you and your dog have a happy relationship!
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Circulation Of Cool Air Inside
If youre keeping your dog inside, its essential that you make sure cool air is circulating through your house. Keeping the windows and doors open when possible is best for achieving this, with fans also effective.
When youre at home, keeping both the back door and front windows open will create a really efficient air circulation system.
Provide A Paddling Pool In The Shade
The vast majority of German Shepherds love water and will readily immerse themselves in a small paddling pool to cool off. These pools are extremely affordable and easy to maneuver around your back yard or garden. If youre struggling to find anything suitable, most kids pools will easily fit a large German Shepherd.
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German Shepherd Nail Trimming Tips
There are many reasons why trimming your German Shepherds nails is important. Failing to trim your dogs nails as often as needed can in certain rare cases, cause irreversible damage.
In many cases, however, it can cause pain and sensitivity in your GSDs paws and this may cause them to be less active.
In other cases, if you do not trim your dogs nails, the nails can grow out long enough they splay to the side of the toes and keep going.
The nail forces the toes to turn in the direction the nail is curving in, splaying the foot as it goes. This is an example of irreversible damage that can be caused.
Not only is it important to trim your dogs nails, its important to know how to do it properly as well! In this guide, we provide some tips to help you keep your shepherds nails healthy.
Benefits Of Trimming Your German Shepherd Nails
- Dogs with trimmed short nails are known to be healthier and happier. Short nails help your pup maintain proper hygiene.
- Trimmed nails enable your German Shepherd walk, move, run and play freely without pain or injury.
- Short nails help your German shepherd maintain a healthy posture by keeping the foot in correct alignment.
- The nails are safe and will hardly cut off with things around the dog.
- Trimming your German Shepherd nails helps you overcome the risk of splitting, injuries, bleeding and also averts secondary infection.
- If your dogs nails are cut short, they are free to play around people without scratching them or causing injuries.
Nail Cutting for German Shepherd is essential to keep your dog healthy and saving him from suffering the pain that could have resulted from various complications associated with long nails.
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The Bathe And Blow Method
This method takes more work. But it’s fantastic if your GSD has an exceptionally thick coat like my male Zè.
Step One Bathe your dog in warm water. Lather them up and then let them sit for a few minutes before rinsing. This helps loosen the undercoat.
Again, use a shampoo for sensitive skin.
Step Two Rinse them off thoroughly. It will take much longer to rinse than it did to shampoo.
If you don’t rinse properly, your pooch will start scratching like crazy. So dont rush the rinsing.
Step Three Use a high-velocity dryer is this next step more on the dryer later.
Youll want to do this outside. Unless you want your house to look and feel like a meadow at the height of Goldenrod season!
Seriously though!
You’ll be breathing in dog fur and scratching at your face so definitely do this outside!
Step Four Work from the back to the front. This lifts the guard hairs and blows at the undercoat. Which is what you want.
Use an undercoat rake as you dry, this helps to loosen the undercoat.
For those hard-to-reach places like their chest and belly, sit below your dog.
If you have never used a high-velocity dryer on your dog, there will be a learning curve for both of you.
Slow and easy is the way to go. As with anything new and scary to my dogs, I turn it into a game and reward them with treats.
You want to make this a positive experience for them. Once your dog gets over the noise of the dryer, it should feel really good to them to be blown out in this way.
Do Long Haired German Shepherds Have An Undercoat
Its the luscious long coat that’s is the biggest difference. The longer haired dogs dont actually have an undercoat which can make their fur look a lot more sleek and shiny than an average German Shepherd’s. This is one of the reasons why breeders and trainers all over the world favour these genetic miracle dogs, however the lack of an undercoat comes with certain problems.
Long-haired German Shepherds are less resilient to harsh weather conditions such as heavy rain and harsh winds. They will tend to get colder a lot easier and will struggle to withstand the elements if they’re outdoors for too long. For this reason they are not really suited to the line of work they’re traditionally known for. If youre looking for a herding dog or a hunter, you’d be better suited to a short-haired German Shepherd.
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Under What Conditions Can I Shave My Gsd
If you feel that your GSD is overheating, you can shave it. Factors that may contribute to your GSD overheating are poor ventilation of your GSDs double coat, excessive tangling or matting of its coat and regular GSD exposure to hot and humid environments.
Shaved German Shepherds are also only viable if they have a medical condition or if other family members may be suffering from shed fur from your GSD.
Provide An Elevated Bed
Elevated beds provide extra cooling as they dont absorb any heat from the ground. This allows air to flow over your dog, decreasing their body temperature.
These beds are generally inexpensive and come equipped with skid-resistant feet to prevent the bed from sliding across the ground. This is ideal for homes and outdoor areas with super-smooth floor surfaces.
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How To Groom A Long Haired German Shepherd
The long hair of this dog means that there is a lot of extra grooming that youll have to do compared to a standard German Shepherd. If youve never seen the amount of hair that a long-haired German Shepherd sheds, you may be in for a bit of a shock. After a full brushing youll be left with what looks like another dog on the floor, so be sure not to leave it too long between brushes.
Because of its length, your dogs hair can easily become matted and sticky if left uncleaned and ungroomed. This means youll need to keep on top of your poochs grooming schedule and make sure they’re brushed regularly to avoid irritation and overheating from a build-up of fur.
Long-haired German Shepherds constantly shed their fur so you may want to invest in a decent vacuum cleaner as youll be using it a lot. We all know how dog hairs have a habit of getting everywhere so make sure you have plenty of lint rollers to hand so you can de-fur your clothes before you head out.
As well as brushing your pooch its important to maintain well-trimmed nails, so regular manicures are vital. There are many health benefits to keeping your long-haired German Shepherds nails neat and trimmed. It can be an awkward task if youve never done it before so be sure to check out our guide above.;
So What About German Shepherds
Interestingly, when it comes to German Shepherd dogs, they are one of the many breeds who dont need to have their hair clipped as extensively as other breeds do.
Although you may have good intentions, like wanting to reduce the amount of hair thats going to shed when they lose their winter coat during summer or because you are worried that they will get too hot in the heat of summer.
However, its important to understand the impact clipping your German Shepherds hair too much will have on its coat.
Some of the reasons why you should avoid shaving your German Shepherd includes:
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How To Groom A German Shepherd For Summer
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You don’t have a German Shepherd!
You have a German Shedder!
But you already know that.
And you’re here today to learn how to groom a German Shepherd for summer. Right?
So, think about your GSD’s coat for a moment
They were bred;to herd sheep and protect the shepherd in Europe.
Now think about Europe’s weather conditions for a second
Cold, icy, and wet in winter. With some sweltering hot summer months
It makes sense that your German Shepherd is bred with such a unique coat. That should be taken care of correctly.
If you’re in a rush, check out my top choices for grooming tools;on Amazon
Brush Your German Shepherd
One of the best ways to help with your dogs natural process of shedding dead and loose hairs is to adopt a good habit for brushing their hair. Use a combination of a dematting comb with a deshedding tool and slicker brush to achieve the best results. Do this immediately after a bath and a few other times throughout the course of a week and youll notice a vast improvement in how your dog looks.
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But How Much Will One Cost
Long Haired German Shepherd Price
At the time of publication, we looked at the prices of both short and long haired German Shepherd puppies.
We found long haired puppies ranging from $275 to $1800.
In contrast, short haired puppies ranged from $250 to $4495.
So, while the starting price of both types are similar, the top price for a long haired German Shepherd puppy is much more reasonable.
Wash/bath Your German Shepherd
As well as getting rid of any dead and loose hairs, washing your dog will also help soften their hairs for when it comes to brushing them. Obviously, you need to be careful not to wash your dog too many times or you will do worse than good by removing a lot of the natural oils found in his or her fur. Always look to use dog-friendly, organic and natural products.
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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.
What Color Are German Shepherds When They Are Born
German Shepherd puppies are born black, gray, and white, though their coat will take up to eight weeks to change into its final color. Generally, a puppy that is born black will stay black. However, their coats final color will depend on what genes interact with the pigments eumelanin and phaeomelanin.27 Sept 2020
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Your Long Haired German Shepherd
The only difference between a long haired German Shepherd and a short haired German Shepherd;is the length of their coat.
The breed standard specifies that the ideal German Shepherd has a double coat of medium length.
But German Shepherds that are not destined for the show ring will often have coats much shorter, or longer, than that ideal.
The majority of German Shepherds have a double coat meaning that underneath the tough and dense outer coat, is a layer of much softer fur.
Some German Shepherds, of both the long and short haired varieties, have a single coat only.
So, if you choose to bring a long haired German Shepherd into your life, then you will find that their grooming requirements are significantly higher than some other breeds. And that can be especially true of the long haired German Shepherd.
So lets take a look at grooming next.