# Black Shepherds Don’t Shed??



## January (Sep 15, 2019)

A local breeder claims that their Black German Shepherds don’t shed but twice a year. They claim it’s because of the black colouring. There are a number of red flags for this registered breeder and we won’t be purchasing a puppy from them, however I’ve serious doubt about pure GSD not shedding year round and wanted to double check with you guys ?


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

I have an all black female, and she sheds constantly. Twice a year she blows her coat as well, which makes normal shedding seem like nothing! Smart of you to look elsewhere for a puppy!


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## Pytheis (Sep 23, 2016)

Yeah, that’s a ridiculous claim! I have a solid black male pup, and even he sheds constantly. My blankets are covered in a layer of black hair, and since he’s still a baby, he hasn’t even begun his real shedding!


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

I have a solid black GSD and he sheds significantly less than any of my other GSDs in the past that were mainly sable.


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## Shane'sDad (Jul 22, 2010)

I've had two and both shed year around.......I guess the breeder was talking about twice a year when they blow their coat maybe ??...during that time you'll think you're fighting a loosing daily battle when it comes to brushing ....i can see if the dog is just an outside dog it may not be as noticeable but if the dog spends time inside a house where you can see the hair.....yep year around shedding....


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## Frisco19 (Aug 12, 2019)

How long does it take to blow the coat? Weeks, months? i.e. - how long will the torture last?


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## Hineni7 (Nov 8, 2014)

Blowing costs can be weeks.. Guard hairs are continual.. So brushing or taking to a groomer to 'blow out' the last season coat can help reduce time and shed... But, unfortunately, German Shepherd is German Shedder


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

They don’t? I have a short hair all black dog and I clogged three vacuums with dog hair. Search for my thread. This was the worst summer I can remember. He looked like an old pillow that is losing its stuffing no matter how often I brushed him.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

That’s a lie.


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## Damicodric (Apr 13, 2013)

They shed less; don’t care about the science as to why. It’s all anecdotal, anyway. 

Now, less is also relative. 

If black n tans are at a 10, for instance, blacks (my blacks) would be a 7.


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## BigOzzy2018 (Jan 27, 2018)

I will say Ozzy does shed but not much. Compared to my others who were sables he sheds way less. He has a short coarse coat so not sure if that’s the reason.


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## January (Sep 15, 2019)

No, they clearly state that unlike other shepherds, their black coated dogs only shed twice a year and no other times. They weren’t referring to blowing their coats . I read it a couple times to make sure lol. They make a couple other claims I’m not sure I would personally bank on, but I wanted to check into this particular one. Interesting how someone does experience less shedding with their GSD black male!


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## January (Sep 15, 2019)

Love the idea of less shedding though and if it’s true or theirs shed less than most they will totally be on to something!


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

Black dogs bred to black dogs for repeated generations tend to start having shorter and thinner coats with less shedding, less bleed through and often have blacker coats sometimes referred to as lacquer blacks.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

In my experience, shedding is directly related to diet.
So if you want less shedding, research dog nutrition and feed either a raw or home cooked diet that is balanced and meets the dog’s nutritional requirements.
Kibble fed dogs will shed more because of a permanent state of dehydration. 
There is no such thing as a dog who doesn’t shed.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

I have had two solid black males, different breedings, bred for 3 to 4 generations black on black and they both shed a lot less. I also had a blue and tan bitch that was essentially non shedding. My current blacks with at least one sable parent shed like any other GSD.


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## January (Sep 15, 2019)

Interesting! Thank you everyone for the replies! Sunflowers, my title was misleading but I clarified in my OP- they claim they only shed twice a year instead of year round. Definitely no dog that doesn’t shed at all ?. Perhaps it is more a case of shedding very minimally year round and then when they “blow their coats” they shed enough to be noticed. Very appealing trait!


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

I never knew my blue to ever seasonally blow her coat. The brush always came up empty after a grooming session no matter the time of year.. I would be curious if anybody with a blue shared the same experience.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Mine is black to black and had horrible shedding this year, but he was also suffering from allergies. When I changed his diet the amount of shedding went way down. It was also late summer.


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## sebrench (Dec 2, 2014)

It's true, German shepherds only shed twice a year. Unfortunately, it lasts for 6 months each time.


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## GSDchoice (Jul 26, 2016)

Ha ha! 

Mine is half-husky and he TRULY blows twice a year. During the blows, which my husband has entitled "Furmageddon", we have tumbleweeds drifting in every corner of the house, we go through a pack of lint rollers, and the back car seat is covered in a thin haze of fur. I can pull off large handfuls of fur, it just comes out in my fingers.

The rest of the year (like now) - I can run a brush over him and nothing comes off in it.
I think this is a typical Husky blow pattern...
but the shedding times are truly amazing - can fill grocery bags with fur easily!!
( Was advised to save it all and my cousin would knit a sweater out of it, LOL. )


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

Frisco19 said:


> How long does it take to blow the coat? Weeks, months? i.e. - how long will the torture last?


i plan for a full month.
brush daily instead of twice a week and bathe them towards to end to use the forced air dryer. oddly, my boys aren’t on the same schedule so i deal with it 4 months out of the year.


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

MineAreWorkingline said:


> Black dogs bred to black dogs for repeated generations tend to start having shorter and thinner coats with less shedding, less bleed through and often have blacker coats sometimes referred to as lacquer blacks.


That's interesting! My dog's parents were bi-color, and black and tan, so yeah, bleed through on the inside of the front legs and every bit as much shedding as any other GSD I've ever known...


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

IF my black shepherd sheds less than my black and tan, it's because she's a working line, and has much less coat than my B&T who's a show line. Show lines are bred for thicker, plusher coats so they look nice in the show ring. 

sebrench has it right: regardless of the colour, they are German shedding dogs! I've been cleaning my floors every day/second day since mid August, and they aren't done yet, though I can tell from the way their coats are looking, the winter coats are nearly in, and the end of the heavy shed is in sight!

That breeder is spouting total B.S.!!


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