How on earth do you minimise fur in and around your home when you own a German shepherd?
You brought home this gorgeous, fluffy dog. The picture of regality, mixed appropriately with a total goofball.
But then they shed, shed more, you’re left daunted at how much floof one dog can create and then seasons change.
And the shed increases again.
How?!
I know your pain.
Whilst you cannot stop the shed, you can help minimise it.
Do German Shepherds Shed?
Yes. They shed every day of the year, both their undercoat (usually lighter in colour and fluffier), and their guard hairs (the top, slightly more wiry coat). But, the shed increases at certain times of the year, particularly spring and autumn as their winter and summer coats change from one to the other.
Groom the right way.
There is a balance to be struck. Over-grooming can be just as problematic as under-grooming.
Brushing your German Shepherd
Pick the right tools! Personally, I use the kong zoom groom and a pet teezer.
I avoid furminators because typically they damage the coat as the ‘deshedding’ blades pull live and dead hairs alike, and to make it worse, they damage the guard hairs that remain…Whilst this may not be what products advertise? It’s definitely the case.
I went and grabbed a wonderful groomer friend of mine, Anna from the Dog House Leicester, who is also a German Shepherd mum, who helped me to isolate some great tools for grooming. I’ve now ordered a coarse comb and an undercoat rake- so I’ll let you know how good it is!
Kong Zoom Groom
I love this for guard hairs and for the actual bathing process
Coarse Comb
Tails and delicate areas are great!
Undercoat Rake
Love this for the main bulk of brushing.
Bathing your German Shepherd
I see this a lot. I don’t bathe my boy that often because it’s a pain to get him dry. But, regular bathing with a good quality deshedding shampoo can really help contain the problem. Starting there is a good plan.
Anna from the Dog house recommended Madra Mor Canine Spa Treatment – so I’ll be giving that a crack too! I’m quite excited about this one.
Feeding
Great quality food will always help in terms of coat maintenance. Adding in omega-3 right oily fish is a great start. Krill oil, salmon oil and even feeding things like sardines and mackerel are great examples of omega-3 rich fishes.
Invest In A Good Vacuum
We use the Shark Liftaway, it’s an old model now, but so far? It’s keeping up with Indie’s fur with relative ease. It still involves regular cleaning, but I’m quite pleased with the power behind it. But, having had other vacuums, with my German shepherd, this is by far the best I’ve put my paws on.
Robot Vacuums
What about a Vacuum Assistant? I’ve been using the Roomba i650 for a few years now, and whilst it’s far from perfect, it takes the load off a little. The reason it’s not perfect is because of the maintenance. It does require a lot of maintenance because German Shepherd fur gets caught in all the wheels and casters, twisted around the brushes.
Blankets
Blankets are a great way to control fur. it means it can go in your washer much easier and be cycled through. Personally? I think Dog Blankets are a scam. Head into TJ Maxx or similar, and go grab an enormous king size blanket for your sofa.
Then, on a semi-regular basis (depending on the shed season), put them in for a wash.
Line Dry
Hanging out blankets, dog bedding, toys and similar on a clothesline is a wonderful way to save a little energy, add in a lot of freshness and whip out a lot of the dog hair that will linger on your blankets through a wash.
Washable Dog Beds
I love a bed that’s washable. And especially an easily washable bed like the Big Barker Bed (Also specifically designed for big dogs too, so perfect for your big woofer!) because it really helps with fur containment. Picking the well-made dog bed will make you happier in the long run.
Air Filters
A good air filter, that’s made to help pet parents, will do exactly that. I find that it helps decrease the amount of floof floating in the air, which in turn minimises the fur that ends up on my floor. It’s all a small piece of the puzzle, but it really does help in the long run (not to mention the benefit of air cleaner of pet dander!).
Summary
It’s all about maintenance. Regular vacuuming, regular grooming, and regular bathing all helps to contain your dogs shed, from the skin up.
It has to be a holistic approach
Author, Ali Smith
Ali Smith is a professional, qualified, and multi-award winning trainer is the founder of rebarkable. She has always believed animals deserve kindness and champions force free methods. Believing that dog guardians will all choose the kindest options if proper information is provided, she aims to help all dog guardians who need it and make dog training as accessible as possible
Ali lives win Maryland, US with her husband and her three dogs.
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