How To Deal With My Dog's Coat Shedding

[GSDowner]

I realise that german shepherds come from a much colder climate

therefore there is a shedding problem.

I brush my dog once a day - is it enough?

Doesn't matter how long I brush him there is always hair coming out

He likes his slicker brush, but (I think) dislikes his fumig brush,

it probably pulls his hair and hurts him.

I love the breed and wish to manage this shedding problem.

He brushes against me and I find so much hair on my clothing;

there is hair on the carpet, in the kitchen on the floor just after

I have vacuumed.

I would be most appreciative for your advice

Edited January 15, 2012 by GSDowner

[mita]

I have tibbies & they, too, shed. Overall, I've accepted this.

But what I've done is to have polished floors with cotton mats that can be put in the washing machine.

Only one room, a guest bedroom, has carpet & the dogs don't go in there.

Like you, I frequently brush out loose undercoat. The good groomers I take the dogs, too, were very generous in showing me how to do this. Specially so I can do it as well as possible, without making it a painful experience for the dogs.

Edited January 15, 2012 by mita

[newfsie]

I vacuum once a day and brush the dogs at least every second day.....i find the fumigator brush gives them split hairs (roughens the coat) so i only use my comb and slickers. i also have a pin brush which I use a lot, dogs love that one.

And going fro frequent swims really helps.

I also blow my dogs with our dryer......It gets rid of lots of loose hair and dander :)

[dancinbcs]

The short, dense, double coats of breeds like GSDs and Labs shed 360 days a year, one hair at a time and it works it's way into everything. Nothing will stop the dog shedding. The only thing that will help to reduce the amount of hair shed in the house is to wash and dry the dog regularly with a good force dryer. Either pay a groomer to hydrobath and dry the dog at least every 4-6 weeks or buy a good dryer and do it yourself. A good force dog dryer will remove large quantities of hair in one go so the quantity shed in the house is less.

[minxy]

Yup, I can't recommend a force dryer enough! You can get them on Ebay very cheaply. They are wonderful at getting out dead hair.

[GSDowner]

Thank you so much everybody.

I find this forum so helpful and learned so much about dogs.

I am bit worried that my dog will run away from a dryer

He can't stand our vacuum cleaner.

[dotdashdot]

Maybe a brush like a Coat King would help too? I've seen them in action on malamutes, huskies, border collies, poms etc and until I saw it i was a bit sceptical - no more!

Maybe see how it works, it would definately help cut down on the amount of hair if you did it regularly.

[Nekhbet]

Get yourself something like a Furminator/Noahs Deshedding tool etc. I would also be looking into diet, my youngest Malinois barely sheds and I think I've only brushed her 3 times since I got her?! My older one is going through stress and illness so sheds maniacally. You will always have a little shedding but if its a massive amount it means you need to give the dog a more thorough brush with the right tool (slicker is just for fluffing coats, not removing undercoat on double coated breeds)

Conversely pay for the dog to be professionally brushed and blow dried out a couple of times a year.

[WreckitWhippet]

Buy a force dryer and there's no need to bath , just turn it on and blow the hair out. I often by dry my dogs when they are already dry.

[LizT]

The short, dense, double coats of breeds like GSDs and Labs shed 360 days a year, one hair at a time and it works it's way into everything. Nothing will stop the dog shedding. The only thing that will help to reduce the amount of hair shed in the house is to wash and dry the dog regularly with a good force dryer. Either pay a groomer to hydrobath and dry the dog at least every 4-6 weeks or buy a good dryer and do it yourself. A good force dog dryer will remove large quantities of hair in one go so the quantity shed in the house is less.

I use a 'rake" brush on the under coat of my GSD. It gets alot of hair out and reduces what is left lying around. Then slicker or pin brush to finish the top hairs.

I used to take my GSD to those coin dog washes (often seen in a corner of a coin car wash) before I got my own high velocity dryer and they have a high velocity dryer set up which will help. But really you need to brush out as much as you can of the undercoat before you wash him. Washing will loosen up heaps more, then the dryer will help blow alot of it out and then you brush/rake him again. :D

[Clyde]

Buy a force dryer and there's no need to bath , just turn it on and blow the hair out. I often by dry my dogs when they are already dry.

This is what I do with my Maremmas each week. It blows all the dirt out of them too.

Don't use a Coat King. They cut the coat too much and it grows back spikey.

Unfortunately it's just one of those things with some dogs. My female Maremma doesn't shed a great deal but the male sheds everywhere, constantly.

[Mason_Gibbs]

I use a rubber horse brush on mu lab everyday , seems to help

[westiemum]

My westies are low shedding - but the white fur still shows against my clothes - I just call it part of my uniform... :rolleyes:

[Esky the husky]

Yup, I can't recommend a force dryer enough! You can get them on Ebay very cheaply. They are wonderful at getting out dead hair.

Do you have a link to the one you bought?

I could really go for one.

[minxy]

Yup, I can't recommend a force dryer enough! You can get them on Ebay very cheaply. They are wonderful at getting out dead hair.

Do you have a link to the one you bought?

I could really go for one.

Can't find it on there anymore sorry Esky, but I only paid about $80 for mine on Ebay and it's been brilliant.

[Jumabaar]

Buy a force dryer and there's no need to bath , just turn it on and blow the hair out. I often by dry my dogs when they are already dry.

This is what I do with my Maremmas each week. It blows all the dirt out of them too.

Don't use a Coat King. They cut the coat too much and it grows back spikey.

Unfortunately it's just one of those things with some dogs. My female Maremma doesn't shed a great deal but the male sheds everywhere, constantly.

I agree with this- about the dryer and the coat king.

I will also add that I turn the dryer onto the house and blow dog hair out of my carpet- making it easier for the vacuum to pick it up :)

[Crisovar]

Definitely go for a high velocity dryer, you can get reasonably priced ones on Ebay. I find a good quality metal comb the best tool and an undercoat rake. Slicker brush is useful on the carpet or floor mats, but IMO hard floors are the way to go with shedding breeds :laugh:

[minxy]

Buy a force dryer and there's no need to bath , just turn it on and blow the hair out. I often by dry my dogs when they are already dry.

This is what I do with my Maremmas each week. It blows all the dirt out of them too.

Don't use a Coat King. They cut the coat too much and it grows back spikey.

Unfortunately it's just one of those things with some dogs. My female Maremma doesn't shed a great deal but the male sheds everywhere, constantly.

I agree with this- about the dryer and the coat king.

I will also add that I turn the dryer onto the house and blow dog hair out of my carpet- making it easier for the vacuum to pick it up :)

Yea, we use our force dryer to blow out hair under/behind furniture too. :laugh:

[LizT]

I use a rubber horse brush on mu lab everyday , seems to help

Wouldn't be much use on a GSD, but I can see how it would do wonders with a lab.