Is It Normal For My German Shepherd To Shed So Much
The first thing to get out of the way is that, yes, it is normal for your German Shepherd to shed. Unlike some other breeds, German Shepherds will shed all year long. During certain times of the year, their shedding will increase even more as your dog blows their coat.
German Shepherds also have a double coat which is two separate layers of fur. As each layer sheds, there appears to be even more fur than usual.
You should only be worried about your German Shepherds shedding if you notice bald patches on your dog or if their skin appears to be scaly or patchy. Dull fur or your German Shepherd itching itself constantly can also be indicators that something is wrong.
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.
Video Answer: How To Brush And Deshed A German Shepherd
6 Steps I used to alter Charley’s excessive barking
But in short, it’s a great way to keep your German Shepherd’s mind off inappropriate nipping.
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What Time Of Year Do German Shepherds Shed
Your German Shepherd will shed in the late fall when the days get shorter. They will be losing their summer coat which is a finer hair. In the spring, your German Shepherd will have their “blow out” shedding. It will be the clumpy, thick hair from the thick winter coat. In addition, they will also shed all year round because of their double coat.
Is It Normal For My German Shepherd To Shed A Lot
We cant help but laugh when folks ask Do German Shepherds shed a lot? The simple fact is, this breed sheds heavily. While a certain amount of shedding is natural, there are other factors such as stress, poor diet, skin allergies, and dehydration that can make it even worse.
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Cooling Down For Summer
In the springtime, your German Shepherd will rid itself of the thick, winter coat their bodies worked so hard to produce. Knowing the warm weather is on its way, your dog will once again leave tufts of soft hair everywhere as their thinner, summer coat comes in. This coat is responsible for helping them regulate their body temperature when the summer heat is in full effect outside.
Do German Shepherds Shed A Lot
Almost all dog breeds shed, but it seems like thats all your German Shepherd ever seems to do! No matter what time of year, no matter what the weather, no matter what hes doing, theres always a pile of hair beneath him every time you pet him.
German Shepherds do shed a lot. As a double-coated breed, they are naturally heavy shedders and will molt their fur all year round. They will also blow their coat in the fall and spring. This is when they change their undercoat, ready for the new season ahead, and shedding is particularly heavy.
So, to understand this a little better, lets take a more in-depth look at the type of coat that German Shepherds have.
German Shepherds are double-coated, having two layers of fur. The thick, soft, woolly undercoat protects them from the cold and heat and regulates their temperature. The outer coat is dense and coarse and protects the skin from water, dirt, and other external environmental factors.
This is why German Shepherds are good outside dogs and working dogs, as they can tolerate many different weather conditions.
What you might not know is that the shedding habits of the German Shepherd follow a schedule, in a sense. In fact, twice a year, German Shepherds blow or change their coats. Thats why they seem to shed a lot more during certain times of the year.
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Lets now take a look at the molting habits of German Shepherds so you can understand how to reduce and control shedding.
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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:
How To Reduce Shedding In German Shepherds
Now, you cant entirely prevent your dog from shedding twice a year, but there are several steps you can take to reduce the amount of your German Shepherds shedding and your constant cleaning up.
I believe that its best to target your German Shepherd shedding from all angles. Thats why Ive developed a list of seven tips for reducing your German Shepherds shedding habits that you can start today!
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Malinois look very similar but aren’t nearly as intelligent and are a neurotically driven breed that have a much higher activity level than a Shepherd. Their coat is much easier to manage and they shed much less frequently. Malinois don’t make good family dogs because this breed always has to do something.
German Shepherds shed a lot, and they do it all year long. Of course, there are variations in shedding even among the same breed, but the general rule is yes, German shepherds are heavy shedders. There are certain factors that can influence the amount of shedding. For example, poor diet, stress, dehydration or skin allergy and irritation.
This massive shedding is called coat blow, which can last for weeks with German shepherds. Overall health. Even though its completely normal for this breed to shed a lot, it can be increased because of other factors stress, health problem etc.
Is There A Permanent German Shepherd Shedding Solution
While theres no permanent German Shepherd shedding solution there are tips to decrease hair fall.
No, unfortunately, theres not a permanent shedding solution for your German Shepherd since they lose hair every day, all year round. However, many of the shedding solutions listed give you the steps you need to understand how to stop German Shepherd hair fall in huge amounts.
Weather, season, your dogs health, and even your home environment play a significant role in how much your dog sheds, but these tips provide a German Shepherd shedding solution that decreases hair loss.
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What Are K9 Dog Dryers
K9 Dog Dryers are the largest-selling dog dryer brand in the USA. They offer a wide range of high-performance, high-velocity dryers that are essential in dog grooming. Their models range from small single-motor dryer to twin-motor dryer which is perfect for drying your dog and controlling its shedding.
Make Sure Your Dog Is Getting Enough Exercise
Regular exercise wont stop your dogs hair falling out, but a healthy dog is likely to develop healthier skin and hair. Not to mention, adequate exercise can help reduce stress and anxiety in dogs, which are linked to higher than normal levels of shedding. Especially if they become self destructive by biting and scratching themselves as a result.
In any case, all dogs need exercise, but some need more than others, so this is naturally going to be more or less important depending on the breed and individual dog.
For example, English Bulldogs are known as a fairly relaxed breed, so a walk each day should be more than enough to keep them happy. Whereas Border Collies are very high energy dogs that need lots of room to run, and plenty of stimulation.
So how much exercise your dog needs can vary greatly depending on the breed. Either way, exercise can help dogs thrive and reduce stress levels, which in turn may result in a healthier, stronger coat and lower levels of shedding.
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Massage For Stress And Shedding Reduction
- Sit next to your dog on the floor in a quiet, comfortable room.
- Using very light hands, stroke your dog softly from head to tail for 15 minutes.
- Do this every week.
- Not only is this relaxing for your dog, but petting a dog is shown to decrease your blood pressure and increases bonding.
- Its also a great time to notice any health concerns in their body, like lumps or bumps, sore areas, or unusual smells.
Use these double-duty grooming gloves for extra hair removal. The innovative design features the perfect combination of rubber nodules on the fingers and palm, which feels like a massage, and helps to promote bonding.
But
Theres even more to these practical grooming gloves!
They work specifically as a heavy-duty de-shedder to capture hard to reach hair. And, the hair wont stick to the gloves whether used wet or dry.
Plus, its a useful tool to have since it is so gentle even puppies enjoy being brushed!
While this seems like a simple shedding solution, proving a massage with the right type of grooming tool reduces stress in your German Shepherd and goes a long way to keep them healthy.
How Much Do German Shepherds Shed
When looking at getting a German Shepherd, remember this: on a scale of one to ten, German Shepherd’s shedding rates about a nine. They shed their coat year-round, which is unlike many dog breeds who mainly shed a summer and winter coat.
While they do shed all year, when the days get shorter, their body will react to the amount of sunlight they are exposed to. While they grow the thicker winter coat in, the finer summer hairs will fall out. In the fall, there will be a period when your German Shepherd seems to shed quite a bit more than usual.
In the spring, German Shepherds have a period called “blowing out,” which is what happens when they lose that thick winter coat. It will be worse than the summer hair coming out because the winter coat is twice as thick.
If you notice that your dog is shedding more than usual when their seasonal coats are not being shed, do be aware that there can be medical reasons for this. Just follow up with your vet if you notice that along with excessive shedding, your dog is itching or getting bald spots.
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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 Should You Increase Brushing Frequency
When the seasonal shedding begins, you need to increase how often you brush your dog. With German Shepherds, it is best to do this at least once a week. This can seem like a lot of work but it will keep your home much neater.
You will not have to do this all the time, only when your dogs shedding increases. During this period, you should also use the Furminator or other de-shedding tool at least once a week. This will help to cut down on how much brushing you do.
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The Bottom Line: Shedding Is A Way Of Life
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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German Shepherd Shedding Seasons
Like most double-coated dogs, German Shepherds blow their coats twice a year.
In the fall, they blow their undercoat to make way for a thicker, denser winter coat that will keep them insulated throughout the cold season. Then, during the spring, theyll blow out their winter coat to get rid of excess insulation and keep their bodies cool during the warmer summer months.
Coat blowing can go on for several weeks depending on how thick your GSDs coat is. During these times, youll notice tufts of fur that easily come off. Youll need to step up your grooming habits as well as your cleaning schedule during this time.
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