# Caring for a long hair GSD



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Just brought home my first-ever longhair foster GSD. Do I care for his coat the same way I would a standard coat? Does he need a different type of brush or anything? He does have an undercoat.


----------



## kiya (May 3, 2010)

I like using a rake


----------



## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

Our long stock doesn't shed anywhere near as much as our stock coat but I have to watch behind her ears for mats. I just have to brush her a little more often, it's no big deal. 
The only other problem is her tail, it's a magnet for dead leaves etc.


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Nothing different in grooming, except more of it, especially behind the ears, on the rear legs, and tail, where the hair will tend to mat if not brushed out regularly. A slicker brush and a comb or rake will be your favorite tools.


----------



## Rott-n-GSDs (Jul 7, 2010)

kiya said:


> I like using a rake


I love this rake, and it's super cheap.  I use the above rake, a wood pin brush, and a wood comb for my dogs. Luna has a standard short coat and Nova, while he's not a long coat, definitely has a longer coat than "normal."

I also use the Zoom Groom but that works better on Luna and my Rottie than on Nova.


----------



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Thanks for the tips! I'll pick up one of those brushes this week.

Here is Bandit:


----------



## Scarlettsmom (Jul 12, 2011)

Whiteshepherds said:


> Our long stock doesn't shed anywhere near as much as our stock coat but I have to watch behind her ears for mats. I just have to brush her a little more often, it's no big deal.
> The only other problem is her tail, it's a magnet for dead leaves etc.


 
The dreaded dog debris! Scarlett has been coming in with sweet gum balls dangling off her tail like Christmas ornaments. REALLY, the long stock coat doesn't shed as much as a stock coat?? I didn't know that...so besides the debris, we have LESS hair to clean up. I suppose that's a bonus.


----------



## kiya (May 3, 2010)

Apache's tail is the worst, I try to stop him at the door and pull out the leaves & twigs out of his tail.

That coat looks nice, thin & soft thats easy brushing to me! Probably doesn't even shed much. It seems my long coated dogs never shed as bad as the short coats.


----------



## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Scarlettsmom said:


> REALLY, the long stock coat doesn't shed as much as a stock coat?? I didn't know that...so besides the debris, we have LESS hair to clean up. I suppose that's a bonus.


Actually, long coats shed just as much as short coats, but the loose hair doesn't fall out as easily... it has a tendency to hang up in the rest of the fur (and form mats). That's why it's important to brush a longcoat regularly, even when you don't see hair falling off.


----------



## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

His coat looks like Jinx as far as not being a ridiculously long coat but longer. I have not noticed her picking up tons of junk and we are in the woods all the time occassionally she'll get a pricker branch but it generally falls when I grab it and leaves I just let her tag her tail and it falls out on it's own I've never really had anything stuck in the coat I had to grab out before coming inside. I don't care for the rakes they just don't work on her coat I use a slicker brush which works great especially for the ear fluffs and BTW hers don't get matted and I don't even brush her every month the only time I got a few little mats was when she needed ear cleaner and ointment twice a day for an infection so between them getting wet and sticky then being rubbed vigorously the fluffs on the back of her legs don't really get matted but are really thick andd can be a bit of a pain to get through but I've found a few coat tricks if you wanna message me I'll be glad to give them to ya works for other dogs also helps get silky smooth soft coat love it.


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Thank you for taking him in! He is gorgeous, and his coat isn't really that long.
You can use corn starch to work out mats, prickers from a long coat. 
I tend to cut out the mats and check often for them(underbelly/rear legs are where they seem to happen. I use an undercoat rake and then a bristle brush on Kacie.


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I use a horse mane and tail brush for daily brushing. Hondo likes it better than the rake. I use the rake on areas that tend to mat - behind the ears, the butt puffs, and close to the tail area. But I don't use it as often. Only for serious grooming sessions. 

Hondo is intact. I have to pay special attention to the area around his testicles. If that area gets a mat....well, Hondo isn't a happy camper. I make sure I brush his butt puffs, tail, and belly/testicle area at least twice a week throughly. I never use the rake on his testicle area....well, never will again. (Sorry boy....)


----------



## badcalorie (Oct 6, 2011)

I have an entire arsenal of brushes for my girl Kona. She is very long-haired and it varies in texture. By the head its extremely fine and I use a metal comb to keep the knots out. Other parts of her coat require a undercoat brush first, followed by a pin brush. I brush her at least twice a week to keep it under control. If I don't, I end up having to cut out mats.


----------



## GSDAlphaMom (Jul 20, 2010)

So glad you pulled him, he's one lucky boy (handsome too). You know he would love that purrrrdy girl up in Prague!


----------



## FG167 (Sep 22, 2010)

Emoore said:


> Thanks for the tips! I'll pick up one of those brushes this week.
> 
> Here is Bandit:


Ohhh I like him! I hope Kastle turns out like that!


----------



## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

I use a rake and a pin brush as mentioned in other replies. I find that with two long coats, it takes the better part of the day to get them brushed out really good. I have to watch for mats on my male not only behind the ears but in the groin area too. He is super sensitive there so I often cut any mats out rather than put him through the agony of trying to rake them out. My girl doesn't get mats nearly as bad as he does. Their tails are definitely the worst for bringing in all kinds of yard debris. I use wood chips in my kennel and they are easily tracked in by my fuzzy butts(and their tails)!


----------



## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Stosh doesn't shed much at all- but I do need to comb the fur behind his ears and underarms- that motion of his lags seems to mat the fur a little bit, but it's so long ans silky that it combs out easily. Other than the tail being a giant feather duster that collects leaves and twigs, he doesn't require much work


----------



## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

Another place to check carefully for mat formation is his "armpits".


----------



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Thanks for the info everybody.


----------



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Whoa! I just brushed him with a slicker brush and he looks like a different dog! So shiny! I'll have to get my husband to hold his collar so I can do his tail and back leg "poofs" though. He kept turning in circles and trying to sit down for that part.


----------



## [email protected] (Apr 24, 2011)

*Long Coat Shepherds*

They need raking and brushing every day. I use a Furmigator first and get out the loose hair. Then a slicker brush all over her and finish with a regular bristle brush. I also bathe her twice a month in a good oatmeal shampoo and conditioner. And use Wild Grizzley salmon oil as directed in her food every day. She just shines...
And yes, long hair shepherds do shed. Their hair is longer so it looks like more than a short coat would shed but it really is not.


----------

