# Shedding - GSD vs. Aussie



## Rangers_mom (May 16, 2013)

I know that German Shepherds are nicknamed German Shedders but I have noticed a marked decrease in fur around the house since we lost our Aussie. It is amazing how much less fur there is. Is it the time of year, is there less GSD shedding at particular times of year? Is there something else going on or do Aussies shed that much more than GSDs?

All you Aussie owners please weigh in.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

My Aussie had two big sheds - fall and spring. Whereas my GSD seems to shed off and on bit by bit throughout the year.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Autumn seems to be increasing on her shedding as she matured.

She has a (beautiful I may say) longish silky over coat and this denser wooly type undercoat. 

Her hairs tend to float or fly more then the GSDs whose coarser hairs drop to the floor.

So I have to say definite uptick in the dog hair dust bunnies with Autumn.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

my shorter haired aussie would shed more than my longer 'show' aussie, you'd have to pull the hair off her  

When I had the two, nope, I still found my gsd's shed way more than the aussies. 

Now that I have 1 gsd, I just blew her out last week, the weird weather was making her blow coat big time! My mini aussie, she has gotten her adult coat yet, so I'm not seeing any shedding from her


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## osito23 (Feb 17, 2014)

Of my 4 dogs, these 2 are my shedders. I honestly couldn't tell you who sheds more - there's plenty to go around! I try to keep up with regular brushings and the dyson, but I feel like they're always one step ahead.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Same with Autumn, I think she's got the 'show' type coat(?). Longer silky over coat but the under coat will get matted underneath. So I had start using an undercoat rake on her to help her shed that undercoat out. Bit more maintenance then I had expected but she is very worth it, little smart, sneaky, happy, wiggly pup.


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## Rangers_mom (May 16, 2013)

Thanks to all of you for your responses. Buzz was a big Aussie, about 75 lbs. when he died but that was after losing some weight to old age. I was told that he was originally from California where they breed big show aussies. He was gorgeous, like literally stop traffic gorgeous. More than a few times people stopped there cars to ask about him. He had a long blue merle coat. He shed continuously and his fur balls were in every corner of the house everyday. Now that he is gone There is very little fur in the house.

I had considered that perhaps Ranger (my GSD) is mourning and it has somehow caused him to stop shedding so much? Think that is possible? Like maybe there is a stress or anxiety hormone that impacts shedding?


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

None of the Aussies I've ever known would even compare to the german SHEDDERS. Even the husky didn't compare - at least he just fully blew his coat twice a year and that was it, none of this year round crap 

That being said, Zeke sheds a LOT more than berlin, because he has a much thicker undercoat


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

I'm sorry for your loss, too.

I've heard that stress can cause more shedding, I don't know if the opposite is true.




Rangers_mom said:


> Thanks to all of you for your responses. Buzz was a big Aussie, about 75 lbs. when he died but that was after losing some weight to old age. I was told that he was originally from California where they breed big show aussies. He was gorgeous, like literally stop traffic gorgeous. More than a few times people stopped there cars to ask about him. He had a long blue merle coat. He shed continuously and his fur balls were in every corner of the house everyday. Now that he is gone There is very little fur in the house.
> 
> I had considered that perhaps Ranger (my GSD) is mourning and it has somehow caused him to stop shedding so much? Think that is possible? Like maybe there is a stress or anxiety hormone that impacts shedding?


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## Rangers_mom (May 16, 2013)

Now that Buzz has been gone for a couple weeks and Ranger is still hardly shedding at all I think I have a new theory. Perhaps Ranger was under a great deal of stress during the last few months of Buzz's life as he watched his buddy slowly decline. Likewise Buzz himself was shedding more than usually because of his illness. Now that Buzz is gone Ranger is sad but not as stressed. His stress level may actually be much lower than it was before Buzz passed. Just a thought.


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