# Shedding CONSTANTLY



## DieselPup (Aug 13, 2013)

My boy is almost 11 months old and we live in So Cal. The weather has been crazy lately, over 100 last week and 75 this week. Diesel has been shedding non stop for the last 2 weeks or so and it continues to get worse. 

I know shedding is normal, but we brush him and just when he walks he has more hair falling off and if you touch his back more comes off. 

It is mostly in his butt area. He is going to the groomer for a bath and brush, but how much shedding is normal?


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## Diesel7602 (Mar 12, 2014)

DieselPup said:


> My boy is almost 11 months old and we live in So Cal. The weather has been crazy lately, over 100 last week and 75 this week. Diesel has been shedding non stop for the last 2 weeks or so and it continues to get worse.
> 
> I know shedding is normal, but we brush him and just when he walks he has more hair falling off and if you touch his back more comes off.
> 
> It is mostly in his butt area. He is going to the groomer for a bath and brush, but how much shedding is normal?


What kind of brush are you using?. I use a rake brush to get the under coat, and another brush to brush and shine. 

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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

DieselPup said:


> but how much shedding is normal?


 Is this your first GSD? Welcome to Shed Land. Extreme and constant shedding is one of the hallmarks of the breed. Some shed more than others, and some shed seasonally while others shed year-round, but all GSDs will shed heavily at some point. As long as your dog still has hair, and it isn't missing in big bald patches, it's normal.

Frequent brushing, occasional Furminating, and a good bath every few weeks will help keep the shedding under control. Baths are best done at a professional groomer's, since they have equipment (high velocity dryers) that will take out more dead hair than you ever could at home. Plus you don't have to deal with the mess!


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## Diesel7602 (Mar 12, 2014)

I know some pet cleaners do a shedding soap. And they even take the under coat out to help shedding. I don't know how good it is. But when my boy gets his rabies shots I will be taking him to the cleaner ever 8 weeks, But brush him every day.

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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Diesel7602 said:


> I know some pet cleaners do a shedding soap. And they even take the under coat out to help shedding. I don't know how good it is.


 There are some de-shedding shampoos out there, most of them contain a cosmetic-grade silicone that makes the hair slippery, thereby helping the dead hair slide out more easily. Compared to regular shampoo, I think the de-shedding shampoos *might* be marginally better for shedding, but I'm a professional groomer and I think the key to de-shedding is the HV dryer. It will blast out a ton of hair no matter what kind of shampoo you use. 

For thickly coated dogs that are heavily molting, I will use a leave-in conditioning rinse which contains silicone. Just a capful of it to about two gallons of water, and I add about 2 cups of vinegar to the solution as well. I soak up the dog in this solution and let it dry without rinsing. The combination of vinegar and silicone helps the dog dry faster, gives the hair more "slip", thereby making brushing easier, cuts any remaining shampoo residue, and leaves a healthy pH level on the dog's skin that discourages yeast/bacteria/fungus. And it leaves the coat very shiny.

If you bathe your dog at home and don't have the luxury of an HV dryer, the de-shedding shampoo may make more of a difference and will be a heck of a lot easier than trying to soak the dog with a conditioning rinse. 

If I didn't have access to professional grooming equipment, I'd never try to groom a GSD at home--I'd go to another groomer! In fact, I have taken my own dog to other groomers when I was between salons. Doing it at home can be back-breaking, time consuming work, and very messy. Having a groomer do it will be the best $50-60 bucks you've ever spent. I say this both as a groomer and a GSD owner!


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## Cara Fusinato (May 29, 2011)

Hey from Central CA -- We are on the same weather crazy train as you. How much shedding is normal? A LOT! A WHOLE LOT! 

Seriously, I run a roomba every day for 90 minutes -- emptied twice. I vacuum about once a week the upstairs -- 2 empties. My car -- thrashed. I had it cleaned and refused to take the dog anyplace for like a couple months just to enjoy it. Annual vet visit, thrashed.

Sheltie shedding? Not a single strand! Sigh.


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