German Shepherd Shedding: How Much Shedding and How to Take Care

Introduction

German Shepherd head image

German Shepherd

Popularity: №4
Origin: Germany
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Shedding is one of many biological processes that occur inside a dog’s body, and in this case, it goes throughout the year.

There are a couple of reasons behind dog shedding, which are quite logical and self-explanatory. For example, every 2 times a year they either gain more fur or lose it to keep up with the weather effects (temperature, humidity, etc.).

This can also be seen as a dog changing its clothes. Another, more regular reason for light shedding is hair replacement. Like human gradually replaces old skin layers with new ones, dogs replace old hair with new ones.

Shedding in German Shepherds

German Shepherds, quite unfortunately, are much more susceptible to shedding than many other dog breeds, as opposed to many rumors. As such, they drop off or gain a lot of hair extremely fast, and it might seem very weird at first.

How often does this happen? It is almost exactly 2 times a year, every summer or winter season (not including the “refreshment” shedding). At those times you will have to take care and groom your Shepherd more thoroughly than ever.

Be cautious! Sometimes shedding may happen because of bad care and other uncontrollable events.

Grooming the dog while it is too young, and its hair is not strong enough is not beneficial at all. Let the hair get more rigid first:

  • using low quality grooms etc.;
  • scratching the skin while grooming;
  • and many more.

Long Haired Shepherds

Although most Shepherds shed at a very fast rate, special long-haired breeds are less common to do so. When some don’t classify them as pure German Shepherds and more as a mix of different dog breeds, they have pretty much the same characteristics.

So, if you are unable to care for your dog when it is actively (and very strongly) shedding, perhaps long-haired Shepherds are your choice. Overall, they require a bit more grooming because of the amount of hair, but it is balanced throughout the year.

But remember! Fleas prefer long hair, as it makes for a warm and dark hideout. Also, they are much harder to spot with a plain sight.

How Much Shedding?

There is also one important factor that you should take into consideration. While German Shepherds do shed quite a lot of hair quite often, the amount almost fully depends on other things. Those are:

  • Hydration. A dehydrated animal will shed more, as the skin beneath its hair will get very dry. Obviously, a bad thing, isn’t it?
  • Allergies, fleas and other skin irritations. If in any way the skin gets irritated, it may drastically increase the shedding amount. The biggest problem and the most common problem of them all are fleas. To prevent them, make sure your dog is cooled down, and doesn’t sweat too much. Inspect its coat every day for signs of any parasites.
  • Diet. The better it is – the less hair you need to deal with. Even though it doesn’t have a direct impact on the shedding, it does improve fur and skin quality, and that already decreases shedding itself.

Tips

When shedding occurs (or is about to occur), it is best to deal with it correctly, otherwise, you will find a lot of hair lying around your household.

There are many good deshedding techniques and devices that will make life easier for you and your German Shepherd:

  • Before grooming, ensure that your Shepherd is on a flat surface, e.g. a table.
  • Don’t be too hard when grooming, Not only your dog definitely won’t like that, but it also may harm its skin and result in even more shedding.
  • Play with your dog a bit while grooming. Improve your relations with it! It will also create a very good grooming habit, as your pet will visualize it just as a game.

And finally, thank you for reading and good luck.

9 Photos of the German Shepherd Shedding: How Much Shedding and How to Take Care

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Author of 1001doggy.com Silvia Brown
Written by Silvia Brown
Glad to see you, my friends! I started this blog several years ago as a hobby and continue to write articles about dogs.
I'm a dog lover and the proud owner of two wonderful dogs: French Bulldog Maya and Beagle Tom. It's been more than 10 years since I had a dogs and worked closely with them. I've raised four dogs throughout my life and have experience assisting in the births of two dogs. At least once a week, I volunteer with friends at a dog shelter AMA Animal Rescue and Animal Care Centers of NYC in NY.

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