# Need Grooming techniques for an indoor shepherd



## RogueRed26 (Jul 15, 2010)

My shepherd puppy Texas is completely an indoor dog, you could say she's even a urban apartment shepherd. Though, I was wondering if someone could help guide me in properly grooming my shepherd. Also, how I can desensitize that outdoor dog smell.

I understand that German shepherds should not be bathed often. So, I bathe my shepherd every 3 - 4 weeks ( I have had her for almost 4 months now). We jog everyday and go for long walks (including bathroom breaks), so by the time we come home, she always smells. What can I do to reduce the stench without bathing her often? Does anyone recommend any perfumes, powders, etc?

Also, she is beginning to shed A LOT, and I understand that this breed sheds excessively but its a lot more than compared to my Persian cats. I brush her with a slicker brush three times a week, but I still find clumps and clumps of hair everyday. Should I increase the brushings? Would this only be rough on her coat? Also, do you think this shampoo called the furminator shampoo is something I should look into? The groomer at Petsmart is always telling me how wonderful it is, but then again she could just be trying to sell it to me. 

Thank you for taking time in reading this. I greatly appreciate it.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

my dog an indoor dog but he has no offensive odor. my
has had maybe 4 baths in 3.5 yrs. i brush (try to brush)
my dog 3 to 4 times a week. i use an undercoat comb first
then i smooth him out with a slicker. when i comb i comb in all directions.
i use Earthbath shampoo.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

What's your dog eating? I always ask this when someone says their dogs smells because nutrition or an allergy to something can cause a dog to stink.

I bathe my dog about 3-4 per years and that's just to do it and not because they smell. 

I will second doggiedad's recommendation of the earthbath shampoo though. That stuff smells really good and is definitely a quality product.


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## RogueRed26 (Jul 15, 2010)

> What's your dog eating? I always ask this when someone says their dogs smells because nutrition or an allergy to something can cause a dog to stink.


I feed Texas Bill Jac Large breed puppy and all her treats are Bill Jac as well from peanut butter to liver treats (with the exception of two treats, one is a kong brand and the other looks like bacon). I feed her this brand, since I was told the company actually uses chicken and organs in their products vs. beaks and other animal left overs. 

Also, thank you Lucy Dog and doggiedad for your recommendation of the earthbath shampoo. I will look into it online. Do you have any recommendations for a certain scent?


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

RogueRed26 said:


> (with the exception of two treats, one is a kong brand and the other looks like bacon).


Have you checked the ingredients to see if either of those have garlic or garlic powder in them? 

We do pretty much the same as the other posters btw, seldom bathe and brush often. No bad smells here except when Annie finds something in the woods that she _has_ to roll in before I can stop her.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Below are the food's ingredients. A doggie smell and hair falling out is often a sign of poor nutrition. I would try a better quality of food and see if your dog smells better. My dog spends all of his time inside with me except for 2 hours a day when we're out exercising. He doesn't smell at all (remember, dogs don't sweat the way humans do) and I bathe him only once or twice per year. 

Chicken-By-Products(organs only, including chicken liver), Chicken, Corn, Chicken-By-Product Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Brewers Dried Yeast, Cane Molasses, Egg Product, Salt, Sodium Propionate(a preservative), DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Chondroitin Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride(Vitamin B-6), Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganous Oxide, Inositol, BHA (a preservative), Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Cobalt Carbonate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

That Bil Jac food looks like junk. Byproducts, corn (sorry sable123 if you read this), not much meat, sugar, salt, etc. Yuck!

I'll bet anything if you upgrade her diet that her doggie smell will really improve.

Oh and about the earthbath shampoo... i think i use the oatmeal one, but just go with whatever smells best to you. It's a good product so just go with what smells best to you.


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## RogueRed26 (Jul 15, 2010)

I checked the treats right now and the ingredient list does not show any garlic. 

So maybe I should change her diet then, if it might be a nutrition issue. The other brand I use is Royal Canin, but for my cats; I have yet to try it on her, since its very high in protein and have heard that too much protein could be bad for her. My sister feeds Blue to her shih tzu. Do you think Blue would be a good diet change? Here are the ingredients.

Blue Buffalo - All Natural Chicken and Brown Rice Puppy Food


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## RogueRed26 (Jul 15, 2010)

> Oh and about the earthbath shampoo... i think i use the oatmeal one, but just go with whatever smells best to you. It's a good product so just go with what smells best to you.


Yes, I love the smell of oatmeal. =-) I currently am using an oatmeal shampoo for her, an antifungal one for her leg (she got demodex from her breeder's kennel, but that's another story), and a boysenberry black shampoo to help bring out her color.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

I'm not really a big fan of royal canin either. For the price you pay, you don't get the best ingredients. You can pay the same amount that you pay for royal canin and get a much better product.

It really all depends on what you want to spend and what's available to you. My favorite and the brand I use is Orijen. In my opinion, it's the best kibble on the market. Some other brands I recommend are Wellness, Acana, Solid Gold, and Blue Buffalo are a few I can think of off the top of my head. 

If you're on a budget and have access to a costco near you, they've got their own kirkland brand for a really good price. I've heard tractor supply stores have some good deals too but I don't know since i've never been to one.


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## RogueRed26 (Jul 15, 2010)

Thank you for the advice Lucy dog; I really appreciate it. =-) I will look into the brands you listed. The only one I recognize is blue buffalo which is available in my area, but I am not sure about the others. I will call into a few feed stores in my area and see if they carry any. Thank you again.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

You can always order from websites like petfooddirect.com if a brand isn't available in your area. They have pretty much every brand you can ever think of. Plus they always have 15%-20% off coupons which is nice.

Oh and great avatar you got there. Definitely one of my favorites.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Agree that the smell is most likely related to what you feed. Bathing a GSD every few weeks is not recommended, unless you have dog that is always rolling in mud! 

To answer your questions for a grooming routine:

I bathe my dogs once or twice a year -
to help with that doggie smell, improve the diet. I feed a raw diet, and NO SMELL. I have two large dogs in an 800 sq ft house, and you wouldn't know it except for the dog hair!

If I were to feed kibble, it would be Orijen, no contest. 

In addition to a slicker brush, try an undercoat rake (best to do this outside). During shedding times, I rake everyday. I find my dogs like the undercoat rake over the slicker brush.


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## Sunstreaked (Oct 26, 2010)

Our pup is on Wellness puppy right now and I'll be switching her to Orijen as this large bag runs out. 

I admit, I bathe her whenever I think she needs it due to her activities. I use a soap-free dog shampoo and dilute it in another bottle, just enough to be a bit soapy. She sleeps in our bed, often coming up near our faces, and I don't want to have a dog in my bed who is full of sand, or dirt, or dog slobber from playing with my daughter's English bulldog or other slobbery dogs. 

Basically, I bathe her based on her condition, not on a smell, so to speak. She also gets salmon oil in her food, along with an egg twice a week.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Yeah, puppies have a talent for getting dirty! They often do need more baths. And the soft puppy fur doesn't shed dirt out as easily as the adult fur, so they do tend to carry the outside dirt in more.


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## Sunstreaked (Oct 26, 2010)

Castlemaid said:


> Yeah, puppies have a talent for getting dirty! They often do need more baths. And the soft puppy fur doesn't shed dirt out as easily as the adult fur, so they do tend to carry the outside dirt in more.


Oooh! Have a question about the puppy fur. When do they start really getting their adult coats? 

Eva has a strip of longer fur down the middle of her back. It's coarser and when she is excited it stands up like a mohawk! The rest of her, however, is super soft puppy fur. She's 17 weeks today, so when does the rest come in by?


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I love your puppy's name! 

I agree with the others, a healthy, indoor GSD shouldn't stink. My money's on the Bil-Jac being a cause of the odor. If you're feeding Bil-Jac, that means you're buying from PetSmart? Look into the Blue Buffalo and Wellness that they carry. 

If money is an issue try 4Health at Tractor Supply or Kirkland at Costco. 

As for the shedding, get a Furminator brush.


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## GSDAlphaMom (Jul 20, 2010)

I haven't read the entire thread so hope I'm not duplicating. I do agree you are bathing way too much, that can break down the oils. It probably is the food, Bil Jack is junk...notice the by products. Make sure when you change you do it gradually.

Brushing several times a week works well except during the 'blowing' season which is typically twice a year. this is when they blow their undercoat which can take several weeks. During this period you will need to brush daily.


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

I'll be the odd one out and say I DO bathe my dogs often. Currently about once every 2-3 months because it hurts my back to bend over the tub at home and it's too cold outside to bathe them with the hose. (I do bathe Zoey about once a month but she is small enough to put in the kitchen sink) Once it gets warmer, I'll go back to at least once a month for both. It's SO gross thinking of Chance sleeping in my bed when he hasn't had a bath since October. *gag* So he has recently been sleeping on the floor. Not really that he STINKS, just that the IDEA of a dirty dog grosses me out. When I was working in a grooming salon where I could bring my dogs to work, I bathed them every other week.  I never have had a problem bathing my dogs often and the dryer I used at the salon was AWESOME for blowing out the dead coat. You can actually buy a portable dryer for home for about $100. (You can use it to blow out the coat without needing to give a bath btw. It doesn't blow heat so you wont dry out the skin or burn your dog like a human hair dryer would)

Personally, my favorite brand of shampoo is Espree. But I've heard many wonderful things about Earth Bath. I also love the Tropiclean lines.


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## RogueRed26 (Jul 15, 2010)

> You can always order from websites like petfooddirect.com if a brand isn't available in your area. They have pretty much every brand you can ever think of. Plus they always have 15%-20% off coupons which is nice.
> 
> Oh and great avatar you got there. Definitely one of my favorites.


Thank you for the suggestions and link; I greatly appreciate it Lucy Dog. Also, thank you for the compliment. Your dog is beautiful and cute as well. =)

I am definitely looking into transitioning her into a new dog food still. Though, kirklands is starting to sound tempting, I just need to find a supplier since I don't have a costco nearby. Orijen is second on my list. Just waiting to get paid first. =/



> As for the shedding, get a Furminator brush.


Emoore, I have seen the furminator in action on Texas at the groomer's, and it does wonders! I was just about to purchase the brush, till I spoke with a sales associate who said I would be stripping and breaking a lot of her hair and could possibly create bald spots, since she has such short fur. She also said that the groomers were just trying to sell me an expensive brush to just make sales. =/

*Could it really damage their fur? What are your experiences with the furminator?*


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

I personally DON'T like the furminator. It breaks Chance's coat and while I've had dogs (Especially Goldens and Huskies!) that it worked FABULOUS on, I've also had dogs it didn't work so well on. And you -do- have to be very very careful using it. You can seriously tear up a dogs skin if you're too hard on it. (And yes, you can cause bald spots)

I go through Chance's coat with....a flea comb. He doesn't HAVE fleas but it grabs the dead hairs really well without damaging his coat. For a thicker haired dog (Since his is fairly thin) I'd recommend a grooming rake like this: http://www.petworldshop.com/pictures/rakes-soft-grip-handles.jpg


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## Valkyrierider (Jul 21, 2010)

Used improperly, I suppose it could. I've been using one for over a year and boy what a difference. Never any damage or bald spots. My girls hate the slicker, but if I pick up the Furminator they come running and push each other to be first. Use the slicker to pick up the hair off the carpet. I just checked the Furminator web site and they now have one designed for short coats.


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

Oh and slickers are also great. x)


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

RogueRed26 said:


> I am definitely looking into transitioning her into a new dog food still. Though, kirklands is starting to sound tempting, I just need to find a supplier since I don't have a costco nearby. Orijen is second on my list. Just waiting to get paid first. =/


You can't get Kirkland anywhere but Costco, it's their in-house proprietary brand. 

Interesting that you're considering Kirkland and Orijen. Kirkland is about half the price of Orijan. Most people are either at one end or the other.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

All my dogs live inside....We only bathe 2-3 times a year usually around coat blowing time. I like a grooming rake to get a lot of the hair out, but I'll also use a pin brush for my more sensitive dog, and a slicker. Second the Forced air dryers- excellent for getting rid of dead coat. I don't like the furminator. Yes it takes out hair...but I feel like it also really takes out the guard hair which I do not care for. It's the undercoat I want gone!

No one smells- with maybe the exeption of the old guy in the summer who dribbles his water all over his crate and likes to lay in it and he drools a surprising amount. He sometimes has a little bit of a wet dog funk to him. 

I would look at the food (We feed Taste of the Wild) and I would also look at the teeth and the ears. Most of the time it's not the coat...but some dog breath (either from plaque on the teeth or as a result from the food- I don't know how to explain it exactly but when Anka was a pup she was on Chicken Soup and her breath just stank...) or ear yeast/gunk that can create a smelly dog.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Lucy Dog said:


> I'm not really a big fan of royal canin either. For the price you pay, you don't get the best ingredients. You can pay the same amount that you pay for royal canin and get a much better product.
> 
> It really all depends on what you want to spend and what's available to you. My favorite and the brand I use is Orijen. In my opinion, it's the best kibble on the market. Some other brands I recommend are Wellness, Acana, Solid Gold, and Blue Buffalo are a few I can think of off the top of my head.
> 
> If you're on a budget and have access to a costco near you, they've got their own kirkland brand for a really good price. I've heard tractor supply stores have some good deals too but I don't know since i've never been to one.


Agreed, get off Bil-Jack ASAP. My dog spends most of her life indoors too, although she gets a LOT of outdoor exercise.
She sheds very little, a lot less than expected. I give credit to Orijen.


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

Diet definately does contribute to a dog's smell. Victor used to have a funk to him when I first got him. He just smelled and no amount of baths or sprays seemed to help. He had a poor coat and scabs also. Previous owners fed him Pedigree. 

I immediately changed his diet to BB and TOTW. The funk went away,skin healed and he sheds less too. I have since stopped feeding BB though. It is TOTW all the way now. I also add salmon oil everyday to his food. His coat is gorgeous and it shines. 

I use just a regular undercoat rake once a week. He loves it. I also use it on Jamie. She sheds very little also. Both coats are shiny and neither of them smell bad.


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