How to Groom a German Shepherd: 4 Important Steps to Follow

Many dogs have a specific need when it comes to their grooming. Significantly, some dogs require more grooming than others. Selective breeding is the main reason why different dogs require different grooming techniques.

German shepherds are a specific breed that is very energetic and unique. Ultimately, they are a popular dog and a favorite breed among many. But like other dogs, they have their own grooming techniques that you should follow. Overall, grooming them will not use the same approach as a beagle or a bulldog. There are different procedures to follow.

We are here to outline how to groom a German Shepherd while ensuring that you follow the proper steps to give them the best care. Additionally, we will describe some characteristics of German shepherds that help you understand why you need a different grooming tactic for them.

The German Shepherd Animal Profile

German shepherds typically grow between 49-88 pounds. Likewise, they will usually live for about 12 years. They are highly active and show little to no fear. Therefore, that is why police often deploy them as special K-9 dogs.

They are among the most popular dogs in the United States and are beloved by many. Amazingly, they have boundless energy and are highly intelligent.

There are several kinds of German shepherds, mainly hybrids. First, the Burnese shepherd is slightly larger than the German shepherd. The Saint Shepherd is also a larger hybrid, between a German shepherd and a Saint Bernard, that can weigh as much as 120 pounds. Meanwhile, the Gerberian Shepsky is a hybrid between a German shepherd and a Siberian Husky. The Golden Shepherd is a hybrid between the German shepherd and the Golden Retriever.

German shepherds are not aggressive dogs. However, as stated before, police officers do use them as K-9 officers. You can train them to be very friendly or aggressive, depending on their needs. However, they are generally friendly dogs.

Caring for the Coat and the Skin

German shepherds shed a lot. Therefore, you will need to find a way to care for the coat and their skin. You don’t want their fur to get all over the house. Likewise, you also don’t want them to have an unhealthy coat. Brushing your German shepherd every day can help prevent loose fur balls throughout the house, according to the American Kennel Club. Moreover, brushing their coat can help remove any debris that is on their skin. It also helps stimulate their skin and gets rid of dead hairs while keeping their skin shiny and beautiful.

You will need a specific dog-shedding tool that you can find in any online pet store or in any brick-and-mortar store. Ultimately, you should research which tool is best for your German shepherd. You want to ensure you get one that can brush the skin while removing hair safely. Regardless, it is important to understand the directions and do it correctly.

Your German shepherd’s skin quality will often depend on their diet. Therefore, feeding your dog a good diet is important to prevent skin or coat issues. The best foods for your German shepherds include Omega-3 acids. Likewise, Omega-6 acids are great. Omega-3 is also a good option. Vitamin A, Vitamin E, copper, and Zinc are also good for your German shepherd’s skin. Some of the foods that contain all these include chicken fat, chia seeds, liver, fish, eggs, almonds, coconut, carob, oatmeal, and sweet potatoes.

Why You Should Not Shave Your German Shepherd

Do not ever shave your German shepherd’s coat! The coat helps insulate their skin, and it helps German shepherds keep themselves cool in the summer while also keeping them warm when the winter comes along. Unfortunately, the coat may not grow back properly if you shave your German shepherd.

Instead of shaving their coat, you should trim their fur instead. Ultimately, the best way to start with the trimming process is by implementing a special, organic shampoo that is good for their fur. Bathing them helps make their fur softer, which makes it better to brush. Once you are finished bathing them with the organic shampoo, you can dry them with a special dog-hair blow-drying machine.

When caring for your dog’s fur, you must find special scissors. Significantly, curved scissors will be the best option based on the curves of your German shepherds. While you should never shave your doing, trimming it with particular care will be the best course of action.

Nail Care is Important

You never want to let your German shepherd develop long nails. Furthermore, you also don’t want dirt or grime to build and fester into your dog’s nails. The best action would be to check their nails monthly and trim them. But before you do that, you need to understand the best mechanisms and methods for doing this.

You also need to determine nail care based on where your German shepherd walks. Sometimes, they will walk through cement or pavement. When this happens, their nails will not have an abhorrent growth spurt. Instead, their nails will grow naturally.

But if your German shepherds walk on grass or any other type of surface, you might need to trim them. Moreover, their environment will dictate how often you trim their nails. If German shepherds walk on carpet or grass, you might need to trim their nails every two to three weeks.

When German shepherds have nails that thick and wide, it becomes challenging to cut them. Ultimately, you want them to have thinner nails. You don’t want to cause panic in your dogs. Therefore, it is best to start clipping their nails when they are puppies to get them used to them.

Ear Care and Dental Care

German shepherds have ears that pull up when they turn four months. Sadly, their ears can also fall prone to infections. Caring for their ears and ensuring that these infections do not spread is incredibly important.

The first thing you must do is clean your German shepherd’s ears. Significantly, you can do this with simple, hypoallergenic baby wipes. It is imperative to check your dog’s ears often. If you don’t, an infection may pop up, and you may not catch it. You can notice if there is an infection in their ears or if you notice some redness or inflammation. Another sign of infection is a bad odor that may pop up.

But dogs get inflammation in their ears, which is pretty common. You can usually tell if your German shepherd has an infection because they will start to scratch their ears. Thus, it is your first warning that something is wrong, and you should clean them. Infections that are not stopped quickly can spread.

You should also care for their teeth. Ultimately, there are numerous products you can use for proper dental care for your German Shepherd. There are dog toothbrushes and even dog-flavored toothpaste that you can use to care for your German shepherd’s teeth. However, you should never ever use human toothpaste to clean your dog’s teeth. The ingredients in human toothpaste can become toxic for any dog and can harm your German shepherd.

Conclusion

Caring for a German shepherd requires plenty of work. You must take certain precautions to ensure your dog has the best care possible. Grooming your German shepherd correctly can go a long way toward ensuring they live a long and happy life.