Many dog enthusiasts love German Shepherds because of their cleverness. However, their shedding is a headache.
Why is my German Shepherd shedding so much? There are many reasons behind this problem. You can check his diet, environment, bathing schedule, and even mood to find the correct answer.
We will discuss the nine most common causes for fur loss in your pet. You can also learn how to solve the problem. Let’s read on to discover!
Why Is My German Shepherd Shedding So Much?
There are several causes to blame for. Please check carefully and determine what happens to your German Shepherd.
Extra loose fur
All kinds of dogs have to drop their extra loose hair. Hence, it’s normal for your German Shepherd to shed.
To reduce the shedding, you can brush your pet’s hair often so that he always stays well-groomed.
You should be aware that this breed has a double coating. As a result, your dog may lose his hair more than other dogs.
Underneath the hair, there is a visible layer. Invest in a slicker brush and a coat rake to keep your dog well-groomed. You’ll have to vacuum a lot if you don’t brush the hair regularly.
- Your pet has some extra loose fur (Link)
Diets
German Shepherds, like humans, demand a nutritious diet. Apart from the environment, pets’ health has a significant role in reducing hair loss, and their diet is an important factor here.
Meat-based dog food is far healthier than cheap food, including uncertain additives.
Although a meat-based diet is more costly, selecting the best for your pet’s health is essential.
You can add oil with omega-3 to your pet’s diet. These nutrients help reduce shedding and promote coat texture.
Omega-3 oil also soothes irritated skin and helps prevent hair loss by reducing scratching and dandruff.
Besides, feeding your German Shepherd with some human food is advisable. You can try apples, lean meat, and moisture-rich foodstuff.
These foods can keep your pet hydrated. The nutritional ingredients will keep his hair shiny, preventing it from dropping.
- Do you feed your dog correctly? (Link)
Dehydration
Scarcity of moisture can lead to hair loss in German Shepherds. Dehydration causes dry skin, which leads to increased shedding.
To solve this problem, make sure that your dog can access clean and fresh water both outside and inside your house.
If your pet doesn’t drink enough water, feed him wet food instead. This food contains up to 78% water, helping hydrate your pet.
Allergies
If your dog is dropping hair more than usual, it might indicate allergies triggered by the environment or by foods. They can result in irritation and itching.
If your pet scratches a lot, he will shed even more hair. In this case, take him to the vet and check his health to identify any allergies.
Irregular baths
You can’t stop your pet from losing his hair. However, you can reduce it to a minimum by giving him frequent baths.
Bathing a German Shepherd differs from bathing a person. The good news is that your dog only needs bathing once a month.
Yet, guaranteeing that these washes regularly will help minimize his shedding.
With a frequent bathing schedule, you won’t any longer vacuum every corner of your house to clean the hair drop.
- Plan a proper schedule to bath your pet (Link)
Overbathing
Overbathing can also result in a lot more hair loss, or at the very least, make the problems worse.
Overbathing your pet is not advisable since it can drain its hair from natural oils. Moreover, it may leave the dog’s skin dry, resulting in excessive fur drops.
Parasites
Parasites and fleas may be annoying for both your pet and yourself. Fleas cause itchy and dandruff, making your pet drop more fur. As a result, you will spend hours cleaning.
Fortunately, you can fix this problem by taking your dog to the vet and getting the anti-flea vaccines.
The vet will also give you some advice on dealing with the parasites and fleas effectively.
Depression
Your pet, like us humans, may drop his fur more than usual as a result of stress and depression.
Your dog may get bored with his food. Sometimes, when you change his environment, he will also feel depressed and need time to adapt.
In this case, spend more time with him. It would be best to train your dog and let him do outdoor exercises every morning.
Health problem
If your dog drops his fur too much and scratches excessively, he may be suffering from an undetected health issue.
The best and only thing you can do for him is immediately taking him to the vet. You need to detect the problem and cure your dog to avoid severe health issues.
- Your dog may be suffering from undetected health issues (Link)
When Does A German Shepherd Shed?
German Shepherds lose their fur throughout the year since they react to the daylight naturally.
The dogs shed the summer coat and form a winter coat as the days become shorter, and winter comes. You should prepare for a large amount of shedding in the autumn.
Likewise, you must prepare carefully if your pet blows its fur in the spring since the days will be longer, and you have to get rid of the winter coat.
How much?
Because these breeds drop much fur, expect your house to be blanketed with dog hair throughout the shedding period.
Handling this breed’s coat falling might be daunting, and it will need a lot of patience and effort.
If you want a German Shepherd, though, you may plan for their hair loss and take steps to get ready.
Although you won’t be able to stop your pet’s shedding permanently, there are a few things you can do to reduce it.
How long?
The shedding happens all year long, but German Shepherds only blow their fur twice a year. It takes ten days or more to lose their undercoat at this time.
- Fur loss is quite common for this breed (Link)
How To Keep Reduce Shedding In German Shepherds?
Shedding is unavoidable, and there is no way to prevent it permanently. However, you can handle it with strategic plans.
Brush your pet regularly.
Double-coated animals like German Shepherds need regular brushing, which is especially important if your dog sheds a lot.
Brush your dog twice a week. When he starts to drop fur more than usual, remove the loose hair with an undercoat rake.
You can learn tips to brush your German Shepherd properly from this video.
Never cut your pet’s coat.
If you notice your dog’s coat growing longer, you may want to shave or cut it. But, never do that unless the vet asks you.
The coat protects the animal from harmful external elements and, more significantly, controls his body temperature.
When you cut the top coat, the undercoat will be open to the cold in the winter and the severe sun rays in the summer.
- The coat protects the dog from external elements (Link)
Bathe your pet
German Shepherds do not require frequent bathing owing to their thick coats. To eliminate all loose and dead fur from their undercoat, bathe them every six to ten weeks.
Provide a hygienic environment
It’s essential to keep your pet’s habitat hygienic. Parasites and fleas are no longer a concern for your dog.
If your dog gets infected, it may have health issues as well as excessive fur loss. Then, try to remember the last time you washed his bedding.
Feed your pet properly.
Reducing your dog’s fur loss is also a matter of nutrition. His coat will be healthy if you give him a well-balanced diet.
You may consult your vet about the best food and supplements to offer your dog. Remember that grooming and preventing excessive fur loss will be much easier if a pet is healthy.
Use only high-quality grooming tools.
Use only the highest-quality tools to brush your pet. You mustn’t harm your pet’s coat.
An undercoat rake is a must-have item for removing loose hair. It can be unpleasant for your pet if it’s still there. You will also find it harder to brush your dog next time.
There are wide spaces between the teeth of an undercoat rake. Hence, this tool doesn’t give a harsh sensation that will hurt your pet.
Conclusion
German Shepherds are brave, loyal, and easy to train, but they are also famous for their hair loss.
Thankfully, handling your pet’s shedding will not be a huge problem if you follow appropriate grooming practices and use only the top grooming products.
Hopefully, you will have a more fun time with your dog. If you need any further information, please feel free to ask. Thank you for following this post!
See more: Do German Shepherds Shed A Lot?
