Even though grooming and deshedding your German shepherd isn’t a difficult task, many German shepherd owners still adopt the wrong techniques when trying to keep their pet clean and healthy. German shepherds have what is known as a double-coat, which is a soft downy undercoat next to their skin and an outer coat of coarse guard hairs. German shepherds also tend to be very active dogs who like to spend a lot of time outdoors. Their outer coat tends to get dirty and needs to be brushed daily if your dog spends a lot of time outside. Even if your dog spends more time indoors, you should still be grooming it at least once a week.
Grooming Your German Shepherd
The key to grooming your German shepherd is keeping it calm and relaxed. The brushing can be a pleasant experience for your pet, but not if it is too stressed out. Make sure that it is on a flat surface in a quiet area away from people. Since shepherds shed a lot throughout the year, you will need a lot of space for the fur that gets brushed out of the coat. Be gentle with your German shepherd, and talk to it throughout to keep it calm. Use a soft brush at first, and then move to a slicker brush to remove any loose hair.
If your dog is getting to anxious or isn’t cooperating with you, slow down and offer a treat. Never get angry with an anxious dog while grooming, as that will only stress it out more. Stay calm, and keep reassuring and praising your dog when it is cooperating with you. Remember that the grooming experience should be enjoyable for your dog; it shouldn’t feel like a chore for either of you.
Finally, start grooming your German shepherd at a young age, preferably while it is still a puppy. This will not only give your shepherd a chance to earn your dog’s trust, but it will also allow your shepherd to get used to being groomed. If you’ve adopted an older shepherd or you didn’t groom your dog a lot when it was younger, you might have a more difficult time with your grooming sessions. Just remember to stay calm and be patient with your dog. You can still build up a level of trust and teach a slightly older German shepherd to love its regular grooming sessions.
