# How can I manage all the shedding?



## miro2010 (Mar 11, 2010)

Hey everyone!

I was aware that German Shepherds shed a lot but I had no idea it was this much!

I brush Miro's hair every day and it's still not helping. Any advice on how to minimize/manage the shedding and spreading of hair all over the place?

Thanks a ton! 

Maria


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## GSDSunshine (Sep 7, 2009)

What kind of brush are you using? Some seem to work better than others. Right now a lot of the GSDs are blowing their coat right now, so there will be extra shedding. 

Do you have an undercoat/ shedding rake? 








Or a shedding blade?


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I have that first brush and it sucks. So I went and bought a Furminator on Ebay and it is amazing!


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## clearcreekranch (Mar 18, 2010)

A second vote for the furminator.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

I take my dogs to the groomer when they blow coat, because nothing works like a forced air dryer 

However in between I strongly prefer the undercoat rake over the furminator. In my experience using the furminator too much breaks the coat. I'll run through with an undercoat rake, then a pin brush and maybe a slicker at the end. I have also been known to vacuum the dogs.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Jax hates the furminator or slickers. Jax tolerates the rake. She does seem to like the zoom groom. I think the furminator is pulling and breaking her hair rather than combing the loose out.

Furminator works great on the boxers though.


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## Vinnie (Sep 4, 2001)

Jax08 said:


> Jax hates the furminator or slickers. Jax tolerates the rake.


Same at this house. They all hate the furminator. Jake (blk lab) loves the slicker but hates the rake. I think his hair is too short for the rake. Jess & Dalton love the rake but the slicker does nothing with their coats.


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## dianefbarfield (Apr 12, 2010)

I took my dog to the vet and they brushed her twice and bathed her. I took her home and clouds of hair was falling out....I brushed her twice more the same day and it looked like she had never been groomed. she can run through the house and big balls of fur roll all over the floor. i sweep and swiffer every day and brush her. It is like currying a horse in the spring. I hope it slows down soon.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I have an air force blower, can't live without it,,it's definately worth every penny)


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

I also have a air force dryer, love it.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Furminator! Best shedding tool EVER!!!


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

LaRen616 said:


> I have that first brush and it sucks. So I went and bought a Furminator on Ebay and it is amazing!


I've never used the Furminator, but with a rake, it's important to get one with 2 rows of teeth. I have a single and it's worthless. 
Using the shedding blade followed by the undercoat rake and then the slicker brush is the only way to make any decent headway.





http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.h...32754-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325


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## valreegrl (Nov 11, 2009)

I think we have found a solution for this.....

I bathe Timber first, dragging my fingers through him well and pulling the dead hair off. Then I let him air dry. 
Outside we go and I brush, and brush, and brush getting everything as loose as possible. 

Then, out comes the shopvac! I hold Timber and my husband turns the hose around so it blows, not sucks. It blows all that loose hair off. Beware, hair flys everywhere! But when we are finished, he is good to go. Minimal shedding afterwards for a good while!


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

JKlatsky said:


> I take my dogs to the groomer when they blow coat, because nothing works like a forced air dryer
> 
> However in between I strongly prefer the undercoat rake over the furminator. In my experience using the furminator too much breaks the coat. I'll run through with an undercoat rake, then a pin brush and maybe a slicker at the end. I have also been known to vacuum the dogs.


Ditto and ditto. When it's really bad I use the self-serve dog washes at the pet store, they have a professional high velocity air dryer.

I've seen a dog over-Furminated and it makes the coat look horrible. The Furminator works no different than any shedding or dematting blade. It's a _blade_ so it not used correctly or if over used, it rips and breaks the top coat.

All I use on my GSDs is the rake. $7 at Target and I've never needed anything else.

Also I think diet plays a HUGE role in coat condition. To be honest I rarely brush my dogs. Maybe 3 times a year if they are really blowing, and a once-over before a show or trial but that's really it. I spend more on a high quality food, so the coat is naturally healthy, strong, and shiny.


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## emusdad (Apr 14, 2010)

Metro Motorcycle Air Force Blaster

is that it?


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## TxRider (Apr 15, 2009)

I don't brush my girls but a couple of times a year if they are really blowing literal wads of fur.

They eat good grain free food, have great coats, and I have all ceramic tile floors, all leather furniture, and a good vacuum cleaner. I also don't wear many clothes that attract and hold dog hair, that's how I manage.


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## ingenerate (Mar 24, 2010)

A furminator has been my best friend during these few weeks it has been warming up. I have not come across a better solution yet.


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## EchoGSD (Mar 12, 2010)

I take Echo to visit a friend of mine who has a forced air blower -- we groom outside and when the fur flies like a snowstorm, all the birds in the area love it: they swoop down and grab bundles of fur to line their nests with. Echo never looks better than after one of those afternoons! At home I use a pin brush and a slicker. Sometimes I use the furminator where her coat is really thick and wooly (back of her legs, under her tail, throat), but I find that it tends to break the coat on her sides & back.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

where do you get a forced air dryer? And how much? Never heard of one....until now having a GSD puppy


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Liesje said:


> Also I think diet plays a HUGE role in coat condition.


Definitely. Miro, what do you feed? You can also add fish oil for coat and skin. 

How much do the forced air dryers cost? I would love to have one.

I like the furminator if I need to get a lot of dead hair out fast, like a quick brushing with it before going to a store to prevent shedding there. But otherwise I use a slicker and rubber curry to get the loose hair out. I use a pin brush and undercoat rake though on my LC.


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## jillian (Mar 5, 2010)

The Furminator is the best invention ever!!! I use it in conjunction with the shop vac Although... I will have to look into the blower, I could just reverse the shop vac


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## ZAYDA (Apr 22, 2010)

I just purchased a furminator a couple months ago and I think it great BUT you could go over board and damage you pets hair also so I feel as good as it is it has it's place.

Now this blower I don't anything about probably because I wuldn't be able to get near my girls with such a thing. LOL But I would like to hear more about it.

PS. I would concern myself with my dogs diet and supplements if I had a bad shedding problem.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

ZAYDA said:


> I just purchased a furminator a couple months ago and I think it great BUT you could go over board and damage you pets hair also so I feel as good as it is it has it's place.
> 
> PS. I would concern myself with my dogs diet and supplements if I had a bad shedding problem.


I also noticed that you can go overboard with the Furminator but I still think it is a great brush.

I noticed that when I switched Sinister from Solid Gold Wolf King over to Blue Buffalo Blue Wilderness he started shedding less, his coat is shiney and there is no more flakes.

Is that because I switched him to grainless?


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