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HomeExclusiveWhen Do German Shepherds Blow Their Coat

When Do German Shepherds Blow Their Coat

What Is The Coat Of The German Shepherd Like

German Shepherd Shedding – My Dog is Blowing her Coat Here’s What I Recommend

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.

Is There A German Shepherd That Doesnt Shed

While there is no purebred German Shepherd that doesnt shed, crossing them with Poodles will produce dogs that shed minimally.

The advantage of all Doodle mixes is that they get the non-shedding trait of their Poodle parent. In the case of the German Shepherd, this mix would be the Shepadoodle.

As with all dog breeds however, you should never decide on a puppy due to his coat quality alone.

Grooming and dealing with shedding is only one aspect of dog ownership and should not be the deciding factor in picking a breed.

Do German Shepherd Puppies Change Color

When choosing a companion dog, it is normal for coat color to be a major consideration. However, puppies dont always don their permanent coat and their appearance could change as they grow up. But how about the German Shepherd coat? Do German Shepherd puppies change color?

This article will discuss German Shepherd puppy coat coloring and how that coloring changes over time.

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Will Bathing My German Shepherd Dog More Frequently Help To Reduce Shedding

Yes, and no. You should give your dog a routine bath in order to combat shedding. Routine means that you give a bath on a regular basis whether that is once a week, once every two weeks, or once a month.

The bath itself may help to remove some of the loosened hair, but it will not remove all of it, nor is it a cure-all for shedding. However, it will help to prevent hair from just randomly falling anywhere and everywhere in your home.

It is of the utmost importance that you use a shampoo that is specially made for dogs, and that the shampoo is all-natural.

Look for a shampoo that is a dull yellow color, appears almost watery in consistency, and does not possess a very strong fragrance. Anything different from these criteria is likely to contain added chemicals that can harm your dogs skin.

Groom And Bathe Your German Shepherd 3

German Shepherd Blowing Coat And Flaky Skin

So, I already went over that your German Shepherd will blow his coat twice a year once in the fall, once in the spring. Though you cant stop the fur clumps from eventually coming out, you can help to get rid of more of it at once by bathing and grooming him during these periods.

Rather than allowing his undercoat to gradually fall out as the two-week blowing period progresses, you can loosen up any remaining fur and get rid of it at bathing time.

Never over-bathe as this strips your German Shepherds natural oils causing dry skin which then causes further shedding.

There are also specific de-shedding dog shampoos and conditioners you can get to release the undercoat during the bath. You can even find ones enriched with Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids, such as the FURminator deShedding Ultra Premium Dog Shampoo that help reduce shedding from Amazon, and Ill cover the benefits of these at number 7 below.

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Hair Growth Throughout The Year

German Shepherd hair grows throughout the year and individual hairs fall out and new hairs replace them.

The new hair emerges from the hair follicle when the old hair is about to be shed, so the dog keeps the same amount of hair, even if it seems that it is shedding so much that it will run out. This is a natural process for all dogs and is dramatic with German Shepherds due to their thick, double coats.

German Shepherd Hair Loss Thats Not Normal

Does your GSD show any of these signs?

Its important to remember that shedding is a normal and necessary function of your dogs life. Regular hair loss is designed to maintain your German Shepherds coat and skin in healthy condition.

But how and when this hair loss takes place depends on your German Shepherds overall health, genetics, and lifestyle. German Shepherds are heavy shedders and their coat requires regular maintenance to show optimum health.

Watch out for hair loss and skin disease that needs to be addressed and treated by your vet.

Ger your dog evaluated by a veterinarian when you see any unusual hair or skin problems.

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Bathe Your German Shepherd

Since German Shepherds have such a dense coat, they actually dont need to be bathed very frequently every six to ten weeks is plenty unless they get exceptionally dirty.

Even though most German Shepherds enjoy a splash in the water, As we mentioned, bathing your German Shepherd too often can be counterproductive since it dries out their skin and can actually cause more shedding.

However, strategic bathing can be super helpful for quickly removing the bulk of your dogs undercoat. Just be sure to use mild shampoos that wont irritate their skin. You can also opt to use a deshedding shampoo to help lubricate the hairs, which makes it easier to remove the undercoat. One of the best options is this shampoo from FURminator who are the same folks that make the awesome brush I recommended above. Brush your German Shepherd with your undercoat rake while hes still damp.

Its easiest to perform this whole bathing/brushing operation outside, unless you want to spend an hour cleaning wet wads of fur out of your bathtub or shower after the fact.

You can take the spa day one step further with a professional blow-out after bathtime . This will not only cut down the drying time, but it will also help remove the undercoat quickly.

However, keep in mind that blow-drying your shedding German Shepherd will get hair absolutelyeverywhere, so it may be worth paying a professional to handle this entire bathing, brushing, and blow-drying task. Or, again, set aside some time for cleanup.

Reduce Shedding Through Proper Diet

How Often do German Shepherds Shed Hair?

Another way to reduce excessive amounts of shedding is to ensure your dog is eating a healthy, balanced diet. Dog foods made from high quality ingredients, that are rich in vitamins and minerals, and that contain things like Omega-3, may help promote a healthier coat.

Its not that you need to buy some fancy, expensive dog food to stop shedding. You dont. But a quality dog food can make a difference to the condition of his coat and therefore how much it sheds. And like most things in life, you get what you pay for.

In addition to a healthy, balanced diet, there are also some great shedding supplements out there. And I dont just mean the ones that are marketed as dog shedding remedies. Some people with high shedding dogs even find that simple things, like adding a small amount of oil to their dogs food occasionally, helps. Whether it be virgin olive oil, fish oil, or coconut oil.

Of course, these arent guaranteed to work, and you should never alter your dogs diet without first consulting a qualified veterinarian. But some find these are helpful in addition to a healthy, balanced diet.

Does Olive Oil Reduce Dog Shedding?

At the end of the day, if you live with a German Shepherd, you are going to notice some hair around the home. Theres no way to avoid this completely. But with proper grooming and making sure hes as healthy as possible, you can keep it to a minimum.

Check out this guide to reducing shedding if you want to learn more.

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Reduce Shedding Through Proper Grooming

German Shepherds are fairly easy to groom. Brushing several times per week, along with the occasional bath, is usually enough to maintain their coat.

However, they are a double coated breed that sheds a lot. So if you want to keep as much fur out of your home as possible, it may be worth brushing him daily, especially during shedding season.

Brushing can help in a couple of ways.

First, it removes the loose hair from his coat before it falls out and onto your furniture. So daily brushing, even for 10 minutes or so, can make a big difference and significantly reduce the amount of time youll need to spend vacuuming. And second, brushing can help spread his natural coat oils, which in turn can help promote a healthier coat.

What sort of brush should you use?

Well, like any dog, the sort of brush you use really depends on what sort of coat they have. As in, how long the coat is and the texture of the hair.

According to the American Kennel Club breed standard, German Shepherds have a medium length double coat. The outer coat is made up of dense, straight, coarse, and close lying fur which comes in a variety of colors. And the undercoat is thick and dense.

What I have found is that, for dogs with thick coats like the GSD, a combination of a slicker brush and metal comb works well. A slicker brush is a type of dog brush made up of fine wire bristles with plastic tips on the ends. And a simple metal comb with wider teeth on one end and narrower teeth on the other, is ideal.

Medium Stock Coat Plush

Somewhere in between short stock-coated dog and the long stock-coated dogs lies the medium stock-coat or plush coat. This medium stock coat is most preferred by the American Kennel Club standards and is now appearing more frequently in West German show rings. Medium stock coats have longer, thicker hair on the neck, underbelly and along the back of the thighs. Their undercoat tends to be more dense than that seen in the short stock coats of West and East German working lines. Additionally, these dogs do not have the traditional ear fuzzies commonly seen on the long stock-coated dogs. Medium stock coats require additional grooming to keep their coats in optimum condition. Note also that medium- and long-coated dogs do not shed more than their short stock-coat counterpartsthe hair shed is just longer.

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At What Age Does A German Shepherd Puppy Start To Shedding

My German Shepherd puppies. I usually start to see shedding start between four and a half months to six months is when Ill start brushing them regularly, meaning three times a week, or when needed.

Do German Shepherd blow coat in winter?

Yes, German Shepherds will blow their summer coat when the winter undercoat starts to come back in.

What is the best shampoo for a German Shepherd puppy?

I like to use a regular oatmeal shampoo Conditioner for my German shepherd puppies and older dogs. Ive had great luck with the oatmeal with a conditioner that keeps my dogs skin healthy and shiny. You can find this shampoo at any pet store. I like to buy all my supplies at Amazon. I love the prime shipping deals you can get. Heres the mink oil I like to use.

How often do you bathe a German shepherd puppy?

This is a question that many people have different opinions on.

I like to bathe my puppies twice a month. When my puppy at 6 months of age I go to once a month. If we do more than that were taking a chance of drying out a dogs skin and we do not want that to happen because we want to keep the natural oils in our dogs skin to flow naturally, because it could dry their fur out and cause dandruff.

German Shepherd Grooming kit:

Whether youre a new German Shepherd owner or an experienced German Shepherd owner. I thought it would be a good idea to put together a little grooming kit of the tools, I use for grooming my German Shepherds. These are the tools you will need to groom your dog.

When They Shed The Most

German Shepherds blowing coat

German Shepherds shed equally year-round but will shed more in the winter and summer months. They are a double-coated dog breed, which means they have two layers of dog fur. Their top-coat protects against the elements, including water, ice, and wind. Their shorter underlayer helps keep them warm. It also means they will shed a lot and need regular grooming.

Because this is a double-coated breed, they will blow their coat twice per year. This is slang for when a dog sheds their outer coat in the summer to keep cool, and again in the wintertime to allow a new undercoat to come in to protect from the cold. During this time, dog fur will be everywhere. Wed recommend grooming your pup every day and using a deshedder, especially in the summertime.

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Create A Dedicated Fur Space

Obviously, its not fair to scold your dog for shedding all over your house when its something he cant control and its something you signed up for when you brought home a German Shepherd.

So, to reduce potential frustration for both of you, dedicate one area of your home where your dog can shed without reprimand, thats away from the main area of the house that you want to keep as fur-free as possible.

This can be as simple as a dog bed and a cozy blanket thats tucked away somewhere unobtrusive. That way you wont be walking through the area too frequently and can avoid stirring up a fur tornado with every pass.

Tips For Cutting Your German Shepherds Coat

  • No to ShavingBefore anything else, it is not advisable to shave your German Shepherds coat. Shaving will take away your German Shepherds protection from the cold and heat. Brushing and proper cutting will be sufficient. Shaving will affect your dogs natural protection from insect bites. Shaving will also affect the growth of both the topcoat and undercoat. You will see that it wont grow back in the same way, with the topcoat growing together with the undercoat. In effect, the dust and other particles get stuck in both layers now.
  • Use the Right Grooming ScissorsAlthough there really is no special dog hair cutter for German Shepherds, you can use a good pair of dog grooming scissors. If you are a novice, you may want to practice with curved scissors, especially as you notice, your GSD has a lot of curves. This can be used for the legs and feet, rib cages and the head area. There are straight scissors available too, for grooming dogs. But dont get the long one, such as the 7 or 8, as you might hurt your German Shepherd if youre not used to these scissors. Many prefer the shorter pair even if it is more time-consuming. As a quick summary, bathe, dry and brush your German Shepherd prior to trimming. Keep a steady hand and make sure too, that your dog is calm and ready for a trim. Simply trim parts to protect the double coat to finish off your German Shepherds grooming routine.
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    Keeping Your German Shepherds Coat Healthy

    Grooming is a great way to strengthen your relationship with your dog. Some people might think that German Shepherds are high-maintenance when it comes to grooming but they actually are not. Shedding is inevitable and you cannot stop it from completely happening. But with proper and strategic planning, you can manage it when shedding season comes. In order to deal with the shedding of a German Shepherd especially during the shedding seasons, below are some tips that you can follow:

  • Brush your dog regularly. Double-coated dogs such as the German Shepherd need to be brushed regularly. This is an important routine of your dogs grooming especially since it sheds its coat all year round. It is recommended to brush your German Shepherd at least twice a week during normal days. When shedding season comes, use an undercoat rake to remove all loose hair. Brushing is important to prevent the development of skin problems and remove any tangling of the coat which is also called matting. Always brush in the direction of the hair growth and not against it as this will damage your dogs skin. Do it gently so you will also not damage the topcoat.
  • Keep your dog in a hygienic environment. Maintaining a clean and hygienic environment for your German Shepherd is very important. This to make sure that your dog is free from parasites, ticks, and fleas. If your dog is infected, it might lead to health problems and excessive shedding. Make sure that your dogs beddings are properly cleaned.
  • Start Brushing With The Undercoat Rake From The Back And Hindquarters

    GERMAN SHEPHERD GROOMING: 6 TIPS FOR A SUPER SHINY DOG COAT

    Starting from the back of your GSD helps anxious dogs to remain calm. Go over the body areas a few times with longer, lighter strokes.

    Brush through the feathers on the back of his legs, the thick coat around his neck , and on his back legs and the long hairs of his tail.

    Did you know that most of your German Shepherds shedding when they blow their coats come from the undercoat of their fur?

    So, you want to remove as much loose fur and dirt as possible with the undercoat rake brush during the seasons they blow their coats. Doing this first step is paramount to grooming your German Shepherd and keeping their fur and skin healthy.

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