Do German Shepherds shed?

I get this question a lot? "Do German Shepherds shed?" All I can tell you is yes. Some GSDs shed more than others but all German Shepherd Dogs shed - just as do most other dogs and dog breeds.

Some people call them "German Shedders" but I don't really even notice the shedding as a real issue. I have dogs inside so I do expect dog hair in my home too. That's pretty much common sense to me but if given the choice between dog hair or my dogs - I'd choose my dogs and all their hair every time.

FURminator deShedding Tools - Large

But I can tell you right now that if you are offended by dog hair in your home and have a "clean freak" type personality, then do not get a German Shepherd Dog because you will have to deal with dog hair a lot.

Let me make this as clear as I can for people thinking about getting a German Shepherd and for new owners too in case you're wondering, "Do German Shepherds shed?" Let's take a minute to discuss their coat so you'll kind of know what is going on with your dog. The German Shepherd is a "double-coated" dog breed meaning that its coat consists of stiff guard hairs on the top and a fluffy undercoat underneath that helps insulate the dog.

Now here's the important thing that you need to keep in mind about the German Shepherds coat - those top guard hairs on the outside of its coat will shed, on and off, all year long. And that fluffy undercoat? It will shed too. About twice a year - once in the spring and again in the fall as the seasons change that undercoat will go and probably almost all at once. This is called "blowing coat" - so if you hear that term you'll now know what it means.

JW Gripsoft Undercoat Rake, Regular Teeth

When they do "blow coat" you'll be surprised just how much hair your dog will shed. So during this shedding process do yourself a favor and get yourself a Undercoat Rake, also called a shedding rake. This is the best grooming tool of all time for removing all that dead hair. Oh yeah, vacuum as necessary.

So what about long-coated German Shepherds?

A lot of people own the longer haired German Shepherds. In fact, I've owned several of them myself as well and have two right now. Keep this in mind, however, their longer coat does need more grooming overall to keep it in tip top shape.

Let me take the time to tell you that in my observations of owning both long and short coated German Shepherds that it seems that my longer coated German Shepherds seem to physically shed less than my shorter coated GSDs - but the trade off is that they need more hands on grooming each session to prevent mats.

So, if you think you want a German Shepherd - really, really want a German Shepherd, then just get used to the idea that you're going to have to deal with a dog that sheds all year too. So get some new bags for your vacuum cleaner or buy a good broom and dust pan because if you're wondering, "Do German Shepherds shed?" now you'll know - because German Shepherds do shed! A lot.

Return from Do German Shepherds shed to Grooming the GSD