7 Things You Can Do To Reduce Shedding

German shepherds shed, a lot. They shed their medium-length, double coat, year-round and twice a year they blow their coat, or shed more profusely than normal leaving tumbleweeds of undercoat everywhere they go.

German shepherds are easy to groom but do need to be groomed often or your house, car, clothing, and furniture will be covered in dog fur. German shepherds with long fur don’t shed more than dogs with traditional coats; the fur is just longer and silkier.

German shepherds are often lovingly referred to as German shedders by their owners. Although keeping up with their shedding can be work, they are worth everything single vacuum you’ll burn through during their lifetime

Although shedding is normal, what is not normal is a dog whose fur has become so thin that you can see the skin or has bald spots. If you notice more hair than usual for your dog, bald patches, irritated skin, dry skin, inflamed skin, sores, hot spots, increased flaking, overly greasy, smelly, patchy, or increased itchiness, your dog could have an underlying health problem.

Assuming your dog is healthy, how can you keep up with their constant shedding? Here are some of our best tips:

1. Feed A Healthy Diet

German shepherds tend to have sensitive skin. A top-quality diet packed with the nutrients they need will help keep their fur soft and skin barrier healthy. By providing them with good nutrition, you can help reduce health-related skin and coat problems and unwanted hair loss due to poor health. A healthy dog food formulated for sensitive skin and stomachs can help nourish them inside so that their skin and coat stay in good shape and keep them in good health, overall.

2. Brush Often

You will want to brush your shepherd several times a week to remove excess fur. This will help keep your house cleaner and your dog happier. Brushing often will also help distribute the natural oils on their skin and coat and remove dead skin flakes as well as hair. By using an undercoat rake, you can easily remove the dense undercoat to keep it from matting and a slicker brush can help remove the loose top fur.

3. Bathe Occasionally

Most German shepherds need a bath every 3 – 4 months unless they get wet or very dirty or have a skin issue and need a treatment shampoo. However, a regular bathing schedule can help you remove excess fur and keep their skin and coat healthy. A grooming tool such as a Magic Coat Curry Brush can help make bath time faster by quickly removing loose fur and a gentle anti-shed shampoo can help keep skin healthy by conditioning with oils and preventing excess shedding.

4. Blow Dry your Wet or Dry Dog

Even if you don’t completely dry your dog, blowing them off with a dryer after a bath can help get rid of the last of their loose fur. Between baths, blowing them off with a dryer set on a cool setting can even help remove any loose fur after brushing to help keep their shedding under control.

5. Go to the Groomer

If you don’t have the time to do it yourself, an occasional trip to a good groomer can be a lifesaver as far as controlling shedding. Since they’re professionals, they have all the tools to get the job done and can usually perform hygiene trims and clip nails, too. If dropping your dog off is not your thing, developing a relationship with a mobile grooming service can be helpful and give you peace of mind since you’ll be close by.

6. Add Supplements to Their Diet

Omega oils can help promote healthy skin and coat and also have many other health benefits, such as they are anti-inflammatory and offer immune system support. Good-quality fish oil contains EPA, DHA, and Omega-3 fatty acids, all of which can reduce excess shedding and help relieve allergy-related itching and promote healthy skin.

7. Visit the Vet

If your dog suddenly starts shedding more than usual or having changes in their skin, and they are not blowing their coat, you might want to get them checked out by a vet. Many health problems can contribute to shedding, such as:

• Allergies to the environment or food
• Topical irritants, contact dermatitis
• Fleas and other parasites
• Fungal or bacterial infections
• Kidney disease
• Liver problems
• Thyroid or adrenal issues
• Anxiety or stress
• Cancer
• Auto-Immune diseases
• Certain medications
• Nutritional imbalances

We hope these tips will help you reduce the shedding in your dog. Although they shedders, their love and devotion are worth every strand of fur that somehow sneaks its way into the most obscure places.

There is just nothing like the love of a German shepherd and by helping de-shed them, you can help them feel more comfortable and keep your house cleaner. As always, please feel free to share with your friends.

You might also like: How To Groom Your German Shepherd For Summer