# GSD Long Hair Fur Maintenance



## Dutch1911 (May 30, 2015)

Ok so I have a long history with large breeds. I've raised for guide dogs for the blind and raised Boxers for many years. 
I've never had a large dog with long hair. I'm at a loss with all the brush options and being a state employee I don't want yo be throwing money away on trial and error. 
Please help... 
I was already directed to the Furminator Rake. 
Ideas... please...


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## Quinnsmom (Dec 27, 2008)

On my guy I use a regular undercoat rake for the long parts, butt, hips, neck ruff and tail on him and a paddle style brush with rounded tips for the rest. Every long-coat has a different type and distribution of hair so you have to find by experience what is best for yours. I have Quinn trimmed once or twice a year on the front leg feathers and butt puffs to keep the grooming more manageable. I never use the Furminator but others on this forum do. I trim the hair around his toenails and pads myself to keep the tracked-in mess minimized in the house.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

I would also TRIM (not shave down!) my long haired dog around their feet (up to that bump right above their foot on the back of the leg for the front, and up to the bend in their back leg). Also below their tail, straight down in a narrow strip to help when they poo . 

Other than that, I had a Shetland Sheepdog when growing up, and frankly, the only thing that really got the undercoat out without stripping and tearing the fur is a nice metal comb. I will lay my dog down on their side on the floor, get a good tv show on , and with the dogs spine toward me, start at the spine and combing tiny strip of hair towards me (width of the comb) then pullling a bit more in, and more... moving slowly up the dog and around towards the belly. Hm just learned what I do is called "line brushing (only I use a comb  )".

If you have a large table, that would save your back 











At 2:45 you can see how you gradually move thru the dog's fur, I go parallel with my dog's body to start (this would be perpendicular?) .


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

I've been groomer for 38 years, and I use the same brush and comb on everything. A decent slicker brush - my favorite is the Miracle Coat slicker - and a greyhound type comb - my favorite is the Chris Christensen Buttercomb. And I line brush, just like the sheltie video that was just posted.  Brush, and then comb. Brush and then comb. Repeat.


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## Wolfenstein (Feb 26, 2009)

MaggieRoseLee said:


> Awesome Post


If I could "Like" this, I would! Great idea with the sheltie videos! If you can do a sheltie coat, you can handle a long haired GSD. 

I just wanted to throw out there that the Furminator is pretty bunk as far as a long coated dog is concerned. The little teeth are just too short to do any good, and honestly, wider teeth tend to be better for a long coat. So a good comb is my go-to, also. I use the wider teeth first (with a slicker to help with any stubborn stuff) and then go through with the fine end. If you're still getting resistance with the comb, you're not done, that means there's still coat that needs to be worked out. The only exception to this is that the winter coat will be thicker than the summer coat, but you'll still get a good sense of it over time.

By absolute favorite grooming advice I've ever gotten is, if you're gripping your tool so hard it couldn't easily be knocked from your hand, you're using the wrong tool (or using it wrong). You should be using light, gentle swipes to slowly work your way down to the root. If you yank too hard too fast, you're going to hurt your dog and they're going to start hating the process!


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## Waldi (Jun 14, 2013)

I have long hair GS female and we always had issue brushing her as her hair tangles and is hard/painful to untangle, especially, around /behind her ears. Things get even worst around time of coat change which is pretty much right now. I have to use scissors to cut off knots. She absolutely hates brushing but is very patient with cutting (obedient in this case LOL). Ordered sheers to use for trimming problem areas, as I spotted huge clumps of hair on inside of her hind legs that are very hard to brush (painful, she seems to be very sensitive to touch there) and hard to cut with scissors. Wonder if anyone had any experience with electric sheers/clippers.


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## Wolfenstein (Feb 26, 2009)

Unfortunately, any cutting, and especially clippering, is going to make your situation worse. The way the hair grows back, with the undercoat growing more rapidly than the undercoat, it's MUCH easier to mat up. If there is absolutely no other alternative, clippers are safer than shears (and I'd suggest the Andis AGC Super 2 Speed). However, if your dog is experiencing pain, that has more to do with technique than it does with the hair itself.

Like I'd said in my last post, it's absolutely vital to make sure you're using the right tools and that you're using a very light touch. If you feel like you have to yank, you're doing it too hard. Use a hard, curved slicker to gently break up the dense undercoat/mats. Once it feels sufficiently loosened up, you switch to your comb, first the wide end, then the fine end. Mats behind ears, underbelly/privates and toes are best clippered out. With experience you might be able to get them, but if you're having trouble it's not worth it.

If you're reasonably sure of your technique, and sure you have the right tools, you'll want to work on counter conditioning with brushing. Your dog has likely had a lot of experience with tugging hair or too hard brushing on the skin, so do frequent, short short short sessions. Seriously, even if you make zero progress on the actual coat, just do a tiny bit. Try to stop before your dog goes over the edge, then make a HUGE DEAL out of being all done and go get a super delicious, only at brushing time treat. Over time, your dog will start to realize that brushing isn't so bad because there's a great reward at the end, and it doesn't hurt. Even better, a lot of times the dogs will realize that they actually feel BETTER afterwards because they're rid of so much undercoat!

Good luck!


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

MaggieRoseLee said:


> I would also TRIM (not shave down!) my long haired dog around their feet (up to that bump right above their foot on the back of the leg for the front, and up to the bend in their back leg). Also below their tail, straight down in a narrow strip to help when they poo .
> 
> Other than that, I had a Shetland Sheepdog when growing up, and frankly, the only thing that really got the undercoat out without stripping and tearing the fur is a nice metal comb. I will lay my dog down on their side on the floor, get a good tv show on , and with the dogs spine toward me, start at the spine and combing tiny strip of hair towards me (width of the comb) then pullling a bit more in, and more... moving slowly up the dog and around towards the belly. Hm just learned what I do is called "line brushing (only I use a comb  )".
> 
> ...


Note to self: Do not even consider getting a sheltie ever.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

It's usually easier to brush out a coat if it's not dry. A leave-in conditioning spray is helpful. At the shop we use Quicker Slicker, and we also dilute down some EZ DeMatt conditioner in a spray bottle, and use that to brush out matted coats.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

selzer said:


> note to self: Do not even consider getting a sheltie ever.


lolol


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## Dutch1911 (May 30, 2015)

Wow! I didn't check back right away because I honestly didn't think I'd get all this great response! Thank you all so much! You just saved me from over spending on a Furminator today!


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

selzer said:


> Note to self: Do not even consider getting a sheltie ever.


 I "used" to think the same thing, ever one I had ever met was rude obnoxious and out of control!!

And then...I found myself with one on my hands, rescued from my stupid neighbor! I contacted a rescue, said I would foster in place. And my call was.."well since I have this "stupid" herder dog, I would train her!

Long story short the dog was brilliant easy to train or I'm that good? 

No matter, we found her a new home and I was really sad to see her go! As is usually the case with lots of bad examples of "whatever breed" it's not about the dog it's about the owners!


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## Wolfenstein (Feb 26, 2009)

dogfaeries said:


> It's usually easier to brush out a coat if it's not dry.


See, I've always found it to be the opposite. A good bath, or even just getting wet and a good rubdown at the root, will loosen the hair, but from what I've experienced, if the coat is wet or even damp, the undercoat likes to be stubborn. Whenever I'd wash my husky at work I'd blow him out really good at first, but then just stick him with a fan until I left as I liked working on him at home. He was never fully dry because I just never bothered to put him through it. I'd always get a decent amount of hair out at first, but I never REALLY got him good until the next day when he was REALLY good and dry. See it all the time at work, too. A lot of the time when I'm getting someone new working on a double coat and they're having a problem with it or yanking on it too hard, I have them dry it more and the undercoat just falls out. REALLY what the best thing is (for me anyway) is to take the force dryer and pop the nozzle off, and use that with a hard slicker. 

Now I really miss doing double coats, the shop where I work hardly takes any anymore, haha! It's my absolute favorite.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

OK here's my mantra: Cornstarch. Worked in like powder. Matt splitter if matts present or just on heaviest undercoat areas. Regular rake, special metal comb (it does make a difference - not all metal combs work on all coats), top off with slicker. With the Barker Sisters the First (both long coats) I got really good at this. Could get them prettied up in no time.

Corn starch makes the job easier and faster. Really does. And brushes out along with the undercoat.


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