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Why Is My German Shepherd Shedding So Bad

Easy German Shepherd Shedding Solutions To Reduce Hair Loss

Why does my German Shepherd shed so muchð?º

Did a pile of dog hair just whirl past your feet like a tumbleweed from the Wild West?

Are you struggling to find a German Shepherd shedding solution that works?

Youre in luck!

Ill show you exactly how to use these easy shedding tips to take back your house, clothing, furniture, and sanity.

Excessive shedding might be a fact of life, but you can learn how to help control a German Shepherd losing its hair while keeping your dogs skin and coat healthy.

Lets get started with these helpful, quick tips for German Shepherd hair loss to make both of your lives easier.

Routine Grooming Also Keeps Your German Shepherd Odor Free

If you keep up with housekeeping chores, and you make sure your veterinarian treats ear infections, then you should have relatively minor problems with German Shepherd odor.

There is still a certain amount of work involved in keeping dog odor in check.

Lets take a look at specific canine care concerns to reduce dog odor, starting with the obvious.

How Bad Is German Shepherd Shedding

German Shepherds go by the alias German Shedders, which gives even a novice an instant understanding of how much they shed. These breeds of dogs shed all year round but shed more twice a year. They lose a substantial quantity of body fur during this period. German Shepherds are double-coated they have two coats of fur on their skin. The first coat is known as the Undercoat. The German Shepherd sheds its undercoat during summer to help the dog feel cool during the summer heat. The second coat is the Outercoat, and the German Shepherd sheds this skin during autumn in preparation for the cold days of winter.

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Do German Shepherd Dogs Shed

German Shepherd Dogs are large working dogs that were originally developed in Germany to herd sheep. Today, however, these smart, obedient and courageous dogs are better known for working with law enforcement and spending time with family.

And yes, they do shed a LOT.

German Shepherds have a medium length double coat that sheds constantly throughout most of the year, and even more for about 2-4 weeks during spring and fall as they blow coat. You cant stop them from shedding, but regular brushing can help limit how much hair they drop around the home.

Lets take a closer look at how much GSDs shed and what sort of effort is needed to maintain their coat and keep your home as fur-free as possible.

Why Is My German Shepherd Scared Of Everything

Why is my German Shepherd so nervous?

Even large dogs like a German Shepherd can experience phobias even strange ones like fear of the dark or your vacuum. While this might seem kind of cute at first, its actually critical that you learn the signs of fear in your Shepherd as soon as possible so that your dog will be confident and less likely to act unpredictably from their fear.

Today well take the mystery out of why your dog is afraid by telling you what signs you can look for, as well as common fears for Shepherds and what you should do about them.

Lets explore why your Shepherd is so scared!

  • In Closing: Identify The Fear And Help Your Shepherd To Be More Confident
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    German Shepherd Hair Loss And Baths

    Be sure to brush your dog thoroughly before bathing them to remove any loose hair, dirt, and make the application of the hair fall shampoo easier. After bathing your dog, towel-dry him to remove excess water. A damp coat is a breeding ground for bacteria on the skin which can increase hair loss!

    As your dogs coat dries, brush your dog to help eliminate the loose hair as they dry. Keep brushing and wiping them with the towel until they are no longer damp.

    Why Do Dogs Bark

    Before we dive into why your German Shepherd is barking, its important to understand the behavior of barking in general. A bark is one of your dogs main forms of communication, and is how they vocalize some of their many emotions.

    Just as you and I have our words to express how we are currently feeling, our dogs have their bark. Whether your dog is trying to communicate with the dog across the street or greet you when you get home from work, a bark is a great way to do just that.

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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.

    Hair Loss Signs In Dogs

    Frequently Asked Friday – German Shepherd Shedding!

    Even though there are many reasons for fur loss in dogs, they all have some common signs that you can keep an eye out for. Your dogs hair feeling brittle or dry can be the earliest sign that something is wrong. Usually, this means that the natural oils from your German Shepherds skin are not properly being distributed to their fur.

    Shedding more than normal and the appearance of bald patches can further indicate a serious problem. This is especially true if these patches are accompanied by small, scaly red lesions or inflamed skins and rancid odor.

    Look also at your German shepherds overall conditions and behaviors. Do they lose weight even though they have been eating the same amount as usual? Do you notice a drop in their energy levels? Do they whine or yelp out in pain?

    Learn to identify these signs and get your German Shepherd checked by a vet as soon as possible if you notice any of them.

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    German Shepherd Coat And Skin Care

    GSDs do shed, so one of the first things nearly every breeder will tell you is to invest in a good vacuum cleaner! But there are several ways to cut down on the shedding. AKC Breeder of Merit Wendy Wilson of St. Ledgers Shepherds recommends brushing every other day, and says that by doing so, you wont have balls of fur lying around your house.

    Wilson advises using a Furminator for this brushing routine, which she likes using for the GSDs double coat because it can reach the undercoat and remove loose hair easily and safely. She finds that a de-shedding brush alone is enough for routine brushing and de-shedding when used correctly. If used incorrectly, the tool can damage your dogs coat.

    AKC Breeder of Merit and professional dog trainer Lisa Walsh of Loyalville German Shepherds also recommends the Furminator, which she uses weekly most of the time, increasing in frequency to daily during heavy shedding periods. Like Wilson, she finds the de-shedding tool is enough for routine brushing, although, when she is showing a dog, she will use a slicker brush just before going into the ring.

    Wilson advises GSD owners to do the de-shedding outside, due to the amount of fur that will be released from your GSDs coat during a good brushing with this tool. Walsh echoes this sentiment, saying, Its amazing what you can get out in five to ten minutes with a de-shedding tool.

    Ways Your Gsd Regulates Body Temperature

    Dogs control their body temperature in several ways.

    And their fur is as important in hot weather as it is in cold weather

    Panting Panting helps dogs cool themselves through evaporation. Dogs sweat differently from humans.

    They only sweat through their paws, which does them little good in terms of cooling.

    When your dog pants they breathe in and trap moisture. When they exhale through their mouth, heat is released.

    This effect is increased when they pants. And the evaporation of saliva from their tongue helps to increase this cooling effect.

    In cold weather, dogs keep their mouths closed. And breathe in and out through their nose to conserve heat.

    Conduction In conduction, heat is transferred from one surface to another. This is why your dog will lie flat on a cool tile floor when it is hot, but prefers carpet in colder weather.

    Convection This is the process of heat regulation when air passes over an object. Sitting in a breeze is a prime example. This is one of the reasons that dogs love sticking their heads out of the car window!

    Radiation This is a natural process of the body releasing heat into the environment. Dogs naturally cool themselves in summer as heat is released from their bodies.

    In the winter, dogs like to be near heat-radiating objects. My dogs sleep in a sunny spot or next to the radiator or the wood stove in colder weather.

    Fur Fur is great at preventing heat loss in the winter and acts as a shield from heat and sun in hotter weather.

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    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.

    Why Is My German Shepherd Shedding So Much

    Pin on German Shepherd Tips

    Not everyone likes the sight of the pile of hair that a German Shepherd leaves when you pet it or place it on your couch. For some people, they find fur of their German Shepherd everywhere in the house the rooms, the bedsheet, their clothes, or even on their body. Shedding protects the German Shepherd from diseases and injury and also regulates its temperature. German Shepherds are known to be prolific shedders, which means they shed in abundance, and this is because they are double-coated, signifying that they have two coats of fur. This double layer of fur helps them to regulate their body temperature in cold weather.

    Meanwhile, in the hot weather, they tend to shed their coat to adjust to the temperature. This is why German Shepherds are acceptable external dogs and working dogs as they can endure a wide range of climate conditions. The outer coat is thick, coarse, somewhat wavy, or straight, and it ensures the dog’s skin can withstand water, soil, and other outside natural components. The fact that German Shepherds are heavy shedders is the primary reason why they shed so much. It is their nature to shed. However, there are other causes of excessive shedding in German Shepherds some include:

    • Change in Season
    • Health Issues

    When a dog is not healthy, it can increase the rate at which the dog sheds. You might need to look for symptoms of these health issues or visit a vet. Some of these health issues include

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    How Do You Calm A Scared German Shepherd

    German Shepherd training, in their article entitled The 7 Golden Rules & Basic Commands advises that one of the simplest ways to deal with fear is to call them to you if they are playing and are suddenly looking fearful.

    Teaching your Shepherd to come to you like this can even save their life or yours someday, so teach them to come to you and then to sit down when they are scared.

    Diagnosing Hair Loss In Your German Shepherd

    Most of the time, German Shepherds will lose their fur naturally without any underlying medical conditions. However, there are cases when a more serious condition is responsible for your dogs fur falling out. The best way to find out if this is the case is through proper diagnostic tests.

    There are a variety of methods a vet can use to diagnose the cause of your dogs hair loss, such as a physical examination, a blood test, a urine test, skin biopsies, skin scrapping, and an elimination diet.

    After diagnosing the cause of your dogs hair loss, your vet will work with you to choose an appropriate treatment option based on their age, heredity, breed, medical history, and other factors.

    In some cases, your vet may prescribe anti-parasitics, antifungals, antibiotics, or steroid treatments to cure the hair loss condition. Other times, a cure for the cause of hair loss may not be available if the cause is a genetic problem or auto-immune disorder. In these cases, the most that can be done is to help manage the symptoms and slow down hair loss.

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    How To Get Your German Shepherd To Be Less Afraid Of Things

    Dont worry, there are plenty of ways that you can help your dog to deal with their fears. Most commonly, your dog is just going to need some positive conditioning by means of love, reassurance, and an active effort not to reinforce bad behaviors.

    Weve outlined some common options that can help in the sections below.

    Bathing With Deshedding Shampoo & Conditioner

    How to manage German Shepherd shedding

    If your German shepherd is going through a spell of profuse shedding, a treated bath can be the best way to manage the situation.

    The use of deshedding shampoos, as well as conditioners, treat the fur, allowing for easier removal. The bathing process doesnt change, you will only include deshedding treatments.

    Here is how you can give your shepherd a deshedding shampoo/conditioner bath:

    Step One:

    Shampoo your pooch with the best deshedding shampoo. Wet your dogs coat with water, then apply a generous amount of shampoo and work it into a good lather. The shampoo will need to set for 5 to 10 minutes. Make sure you rinse all the shampoo with water.

    Step Two:

    Condition your German shepherd with a high-quality deshedding conditioner. After rinsing off the shampoo apply an adequate amount of the condition and work it into her entire coat. As you are working in the conditioner, you are going to be lifting up a lot of loose hair.

    Allow the conditioner to set for 5 to 10 minutes. You can give your shepherd a full body massage while you are waiting for the conditioner to soak properly. Then completely rinse all the conditioner.

    Step Three:

    Once your pooch is dry use a deshedding tool to remove all the excess fur. You are going to get a ton of hair. Therefore, dont be alarmed. Its normal since thats what the tool does. Alternatively, you can use a high-velocity dryer to get rid of excess fur while drying her coat.

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    Do German Shepherds Shed Constantly

    Unfortunately yes German Shepherds shed constantly, year around. While their shedding is especially intense during the spring and fall, they can and will lose their undercoat during the remainder of the year as well.

    Managing your dogs shedding will be an everyday task just like feeding and walking your dog. By making it a routine, it will be easy for you and your dog to keep up with it.

    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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    Do German Shepherds Shed More In Winter

    German Shepherd Shedding Season When winter approaches, your dog will begin to shed a lot of his summer hair, to give a room for this winter coat to grow thus you may notice a big increase in shedding for a few weeks during the winter season. And during summer that old winter coat is no longer necessary.

    Which Months Do Dogs Shed The Most

    Why is my German Shepherd so annoying?

    For dogs that shed seasonally, youll notice that most shedding occurs in the spring and fall. In the spring, your dogs coat will become lighter, in preparation for the warm weather. Similarly, in the fall, in preparation for winter, you will see a change in your dogs coat and a higher incidence of shedding.

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