Proper Ways to Groom a German Shepherd

Caring for your German Shepherd doesn’t require a lot of bathing, but it is essential to have regular grooming. If you maintain proper grooming procedures you can provide your German Shepherd with a shiny coat and prevent them from contracting skin problems. When it comes to grooming your German Shepherd you should do moderate grooming for eight to twelve weeks and maintain it every night. Regularly brushing and combing at least twice a week will manage the double coat present on a German Shepherd.

During the shedding season you may want to use a shedding blade since the German Shepherd sheds all year round, but during the shedding season it gets excessively worse. However, you need to be trained in the proper use of a shedding blade to use it. Another option is to use the metal rakes to help take out the matted undercoat that typically occurs around the neck, chest and thigh areas. Instead of hand fluff drying it is better to use a modern high velocity dryer to remove excess water after bathing. Always remember to brush in the direction of hair growth. When grooming your German Shepherd you may want to give them a haircut. You can use a pair of scissors to remove the long hairs that you find under the feet as well as the stray hairs around the feet. Rather, if you want a fluffier or fuller looking coat, you should brush the hair in the opposite direction of growth and then do light brushing in the direction of hair growth.

An alternative to the haircut is to use thinning shears to give the dog an overall neater appearance. Selective thinning is a good way to make your German Shepherd look heavier boned. Grooming isn’t just limited to the coat because you also need to focus on the toenails, ears and teeth. While brushing be sure to check the nails and trim them regularly as needed in order to avoid split or broken nails that will occur when they are left unattended and grow too long.
Grooming your German Shepherd allows you to make sure that the oils in the fur are evenly distributed which helps prevent matting and tangles from occurring. It also helps to remove the dead skin cells and loose hair, which can clog the coat and take away from the neat appearance. Just be careful not to cut or scratch your dog’s skin while you are grooming them. Use a combination of brushes and brush heads in order to make sure you tackle all parts of your dog’s coat.

For the German Shepherd it is best that you select the right shampoo as well, since they can be easily affected by wheat and may have other allergies as well. Oatmeal shampoo is one option but it can cause material to build up faster, which means you will have to bathe the dog more often. If you don’t have to worry about fleas then a shampoo with aloe is a good idea. By constantly using proper grooming techniques you can keep your German Shepherd looking well-groomed all the time.

An owner of two German Shepherds, Jan Ryan knows the proper grooming procedures for the breed. Even though a lot of grooming isn't required, you need to follow the right procedures when doing proper German Shepherd grooming. Your dog will look great all year round if you follow proper German Shepherd grooming tips.