Menu

Stay in Touch
Sign up for ENews
Subscribe Now

Unlimited access >

Menu

Help me control my dog's shedding!

The Menagerie
#1

This is my first experience with a long haired dog (German Shepard) I knew this would come up, but holy crap he is shedding like mad! It’s everywhere all over the furniture and my clothes! I will vacuum the couch and an hour later it will be covered in dog hair again! :eek:

We’ve given him baths with shed less shampoo, I brush him every night (I could build a whole other dog with the hair I pull of the brush each night) it’s still just EVERYWHERE. I use both a shedding brush and this doggie rubber curry comb thing.

Any ideas? Should I feed some sort of supplement in his food? More frequent baths?

#2

Sorry to laugh at your pain but hahahahahahhahahaha. Nothing on this earth sheds more than a German Shepherd. Seriously. I grew up in a household that raised rough collies, they’ve got nothing on the Shepherds!! I now have a 3 year old Shepherd who’s hair is everywhere. I vacuum every. single. day. Sometimes twice a day :wink: One thing that helps a lot is a really good food. He’s been on Blue Buffalo and sheds alot less than when he was on 4 Health. I’ve just recently switched him to Merrick grain free and expect to see even less shedding. I also sent him to the groomers for the first time ever last August, made a HUGE difference, they got alot of undercoat out…he goes about every other month now for a bath, blow out and brush…that REALLY helps. I wouldn’t bathe more , you don’t want dry skin on top of the shedding…I add an egg to his dinner one night and then a dollop of olive oil the next, not sure if that helps or not- but I would really say a good quality food, regular brushing and the groomer every other month are your friends! Love my GSD, worth eating dog hair in dinner every night lol.

#3

Lol thanks! I knew there would be shedding but this is crazy! I’ll come home and let him out of the kennel and there are just big tufts of hair in and around it! I won’t lie, I tried vacuuming the dog and that didn’t work out to well. :lol:

#4

Oh yeah. Shedding - know all about it. Have a border collie mix and an Aussie mix, and we have tumbleweeds EVERYWHERE.

If you don’t have a furminator, get one. Ditto on changing the diet up. Adding fish oil to the food also helps their coat.

#5

Baths and special shampoos aren’t really going to help with the shedding. It’s natural for him to shed and to blow out his undercoat. You just need better tools, and to brush more often. Like every day, or twice a day. No joke.

The best product for this, imo, is the Furminator (the knock-offs work just as well or better, btw - I have 2 and love them). You can brush and brush with slickers or curries, and they simply WILL NOT get as much of that undercoat out as the Furminator. No matter what other “shedding” blades, brushes, etc. you buy, and whatever their claims, nothing will work like the Furminator.

A good diet is another important component to coat health, but honestly it’s just normal for them to shed and blow out their undercoat. Even the healthiest Shepherd with the best food is still going to shed A LOT.

#6

Change the diet to something grain free with oils in it- salmon or flax oils. Maybe take him into Petco for a bath and shedless treatment? They let the conditioner sit out there and force dry the coat. The force dryer blows the undercoat out. I work there and this actually works well. When the dog is dry they use the furminator tool to get out even more hair.

#7

You can definitely make a difference with food and baths (with blow dry and brush). If my dog shed 10lbs a day (exaggerated obviously lol) when I changed to Blue Buffalo, he shed 7 lbs a day…when I started taking him for regular bi monthly baths in addition, he shed 5 lbs a day…with the big difference going to Blue buffalo, I’m expecting the Merrick (a better food than BB) to drop another lb a day… he sheds less than half of what he used to and I don’t brush him every day- maybe twice a week…used to get another dog’s worth of hair and now it’s maybe two brush-fulls. It’s still alot but it’s way less than what it was.

#8

[QUOTE=Kadenz;7391238]
Baths and special shampoos aren’t really going to help with the shedding. It’s natural for him to shed and to blow out his undercoat. You just need better tools, and to brush more often. Like every day, or twice a day. No joke.

The best product for this, imo, is the Furminator (the knock-offs work just as well or better, btw - I have 2 and love them). You can brush and brush with slickers or curries, and they simply WILL NOT get as much of that undercoat out as the Furminator. No matter what other “shedding” blades, brushes, etc. you buy, and whatever their claims, nothing will work like the Furminator.

A good diet is another important component to coat health, but honestly it’s just normal for them to shed and blow out their undercoat. Even the healthiest Shepherd with the best food is still going to shed A LOT.[/QUOTE]

Do you have a link to a furminator knock off? I looked at the real thing and $60?? :eek: I’ve seen the demonstration videos so I mean if I really need to shell out that much I will, but I’d rather not. :lol:

#9

If you do get a regular furminator, it will last practically forever though. I think I’ve had the same one for 8 years.

#10

I would love the link to a knock off as well! Mine migrated to the barn, and I’d love an extra for at home. :smiley:

#11

[QUOTE=AffirmedHope;7391326]
Do you have a link to a furminator knock off? I looked at the real thing and $60?? :eek: I’ve seen the demonstration videos so I mean if I really need to shell out that much I will, but I’d rather not. :lol:[/QUOTE]

Well, I bought my first one about 3 years ago (then thought I lost it) and bought the second one about 2 years ago (and then promptly found the “lost” first one, of course). Bought both at Tractor Supply or Farm & Home, although I do not see them on the TS or F&H webpages right now. If I recall correctly, they were still around $20-25 (for the largest size). They’re both in great shape still.

When I get home I’ll see the brand name is on them anywhere. They’re grey, I know that much! :lol:

ETA: Just did some monster Googling and I see a lot of knockoff Furminators (see http://www.dhgate.com/wholesale/deshedding+tool.html) but not the ones I have.

#12

Just make sure you do not drop the furminator tool. If one of the blade teeth cracks you have to toss it because then it can cut your dog. I think the one I use I paid $45 not $60. Just get the orange handled one, you don’t need the large one.

#13

AHA!

It’s the Evolution ShedMagic, although I do not see it listed under their current products. They have the rakes with the longer, curved blades, but mine looks more like a clipper blade attached to a handle. Maybe they changed the style?

Here is the exact one I have: http://www.amazon.com/Evolution-Shed-Magic-Large-De-Shedding/dp/B00280MC3S

http://www.mypetstore.com/coastal-W6168-evolution-deshedding-dog-cat-large.html

#14

Find a local groomer that knows how to really “blow out” a coat - best money I ever spent :lol:

#15

Yes, professional help in the form of a deshedding treatment at the groomers.
We use the furminator conditioner and furminator comb for our fosters that shed a lot.
Nothing does shed quite like those double coated dogs, gsd/corgis/huskies… My lab isn’t exactly low shedding (lol!) but it’s a different kind of beast from that fluffy, tufty undercoat!

#16

Controlling Dog Shedding & Reducing Hair Pollution

[QUOTE=AffirmedHope;7391164]
This is my first experience with a long haired dog (German Shepard) I knew this would come up, but holy crap he is shedding like mad! It’s everywhere all over the furniture and my clothes! I will vacuum the couch and an hour later it will be covered in dog hair again! :eek:

We’ve given him baths with shed less shampoo, I brush him every night (I could build a whole other dog with the hair I pull of the brush each night) it’s still just EVERYWHERE. I use both a shedding brush and this doggie rubber curry comb thing.

Any ideas? Should I feed some sort of supplement in his food? More frequent baths?[/QUOTE]

Having owned and trained a variety of dog breeds with many of them living in the house with me, I know this can be a big problem and there are several factors affecting how much a dog sheds. Sometimes it is a lack of dietary oils that causes skin inflammation, they scratch and hair gets released. Other times it is hormonal or a reaction to medications (internal and those placed on the skin / coat. And indoor temperature can affect shedding too-- if it’s too warm inside, they’re more likely to shed. So, checking these three areas and adjusting accordingly can help a lot.

Regarding the hair being everywhere, having a good pet air purifier can make a huge difference. But make sure it is one with a HEPA filter and one that has at least 200 CFM for output. Anything less won’t clean the air as well and won’t be able to move those airborne hairs quickly to the filter instead of landing on the furniture.

Hope this helps!

Rex Murphy
Indoor Air Quality Specialist
Air Purifiers and Cleaners.com
http://www.airpurifiersandcleaners.com/pet-air-purifiers
800-701-2513

#17

You really need a strong high velocity dryer if you want to make any decent dent in the shedding.If you dont want to spend the 500 to get one then a pro grooming would be your best bet.

1 Like
#18

That is why we call them German Shedders!
Sheilah

1 Like
#19

Buy a high velocity dryer for dogs. Owning a gsd, it will be worthwhile. Nothing will get fur out like one of those will.

#20

[QUOTE=IdahoRider;8633978]
That is why we call them German Shedders!
Sheilah[/QUOTE]

I actually laughed out loud at this one…that’s hilarious and accurate! :smiley:

Although GSDs are prolific shedders, I was thrilled at the lesser amount of shedding by our past GSD.
Probably because most of my previous dogs were Malamutes! :wink: To me, the shedding of the GSD was quite a bit but nowhere as impressive as Malamutes turning your house into a snow globe most of the year and an avalanche during coat blowing, LOL!
OP, GSDs can shed a lot more with dry skin. And they’re not unknown for having skin issues/allergies. Not a huge deal, but next normal scheduled vet visit maybe ask the vet to give your dog a good once-over on his skin. Our late, great GSD’s shedding reduced dramatically after he started allergy shots for his various allergies. Might not be your dog’s issue, just a suggestion. He could be just shedding normally if you’re not used to double-coated dogs exploding fluff all over your house. :wink:
And yes, the shedding can be annoying but the GSD personality makes up for it. Mostly. :slight_smile: :wink:

Get your Digital Subscription here - only $21.95 / year

Subscribe here
See gift options

Sign up to our monthly newsletter!

By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.

Copyright © 2023 The Chronicle of the Horse