GSD Grooming - Page 1

Hello Gang, I'd like to hear some suggestions on grooming. Methods, products, etc. I keep a 7 month old female here at my home, and I typically bathe with Bio Groom natural oatmeal shampoo and their oatmeal creame rinse, about every 3-4 weeks. She spends the nicer days outside in my fenced yard, so she has a tendancy to get dirty. Between bathings I sometimes use Bio Groom's Waterless Bath spray, followed by their Mink Oil. I brush daily, starting with a pin brush, then an undercoat rake to remove the loose hair, and finally smooth things out with a slicker. I use a horsehair brush for the face and nose. She seems to stay fairly clean and manageable with this process, and hasn't had any itching or hot spots. Any suggestions? Also, I am also interested in doing some basic grooming for show. I understand that mousse is often used to fluff up the coat, especially the shorter, stiffer coat that females often have. Chime in with some suggestions on the proper procedures. Best Regards, James Coats www.gsdpups.com

Hi Jamcoats, reading your article, first thing i was r¿thinking was....does this guy or girl has a GSD or a poodle??? You are right .....some insane peopel think, that if they bath their dog with this & that they might look better..... still aint a better dog !!!! What ever you do....your dog is not getting any by bathing it every 3-5 weeks !!! No matter what breed you own !! A GSD is a working dog, at least that it is what it meant to be, how it smells or how it looks is secondary..... Just my 5 cents Good Luck Ulli

what i do for my dogs is bath them once a month (more because they really smells bad after rolling in everything than for looks. when it comes to keeping their coat in good condition, a good diet is best, i also use an emu oil spray every couple days...makes the coats look very good...and smell good too. however when i need my dogs looking their best i bathe them about 3 hours before whatever (pictures, visiting, or shows) i use either a shampoo that is just going to make them squeaky clean (sometimes if their coats got real gunky from something i mix a lil dawn soap with the reg. shampoo-works wonders)or sometimes a color enhancer shampoo (when going to take pics usually...or just when i have to whim too-however use sparingly as these shampoos tend to dry out hair!) then fully rinse. i like to use a horse conditioner next....use a light amount-mixed with water, and i usually just use this on their back and necks. then rinse. towel dry, then use a blower to spray excess water from coat-on the legs, tail & butt i blow the hair in opposite direction of growth, for the sides & neck i blow in opposite, and then w/ the growth. and for back i just blow with the coat. sometimes i finish with a hair dryer if i need them dried fast. but usually don't. i always finish with emu oil spray to restore moisture to coat and skin

Hi Oskar1, Thanks for you reply. I agree with you, no amount of grooming can make a low quality dog a good quality dog. However, grooming certainly does make all dogs look (and smell) better. The pup I am referring to spends a lot of time in the house, and I keep her brushed to avoid a lot of the shedding. I bathe every 3-5 weeks to keep her dog smell from being ingrained on my furniture. I have also noted that she tends to pick up foreign substances on her coat in the outdoor environment that has a tendancy to make her itch, and the bathing with oatmeal shampoo cures this effectively. There are at least three distinct realities in the world of the GSD. The Working dog, the Show dog, and the Pet. And a dog can be more than one of these. Granted, all GSDs are bred to a working dog standard, and that is great. Breeding under SV requires Shutzhund training, and meaning "protection dog", this certainly is a form of "work". Often however dogs are SchH trained for breeding purposes, and never see any protection duties afterward. (They do have the ability, however.) You also have the differing bloodlines, Show versus Working, and the various regions these groups come from. All of the dogs that I deal with are West German Showlines. The reality of the matter, I think, is that although the GSD is a working dog, how many actually see working duties? The vast majority do not. I certainly don't have any sheep for mine to herd. In theory, the GSD is a working dog. In practice, most often it is not. Soo... mine is a show-line working dog, that is my pet. If that makes any sense? Best Regards, James Coats

Hi gsdgirl, Thanks for your reply. I feed Royal Canin's German Shepherd 24 formula, and I have had good results with it both here at my home and at my family's breeding facility with all of our dogs there. Seems to keep all of their coats in good shape. I will keep your grooming suggestions in mind. The horse conditioner is something I hadn't considered, and I may try that out. I do have a blower, and like you I find it beneficial to blow opposite first. Not only fluffs up the coat but rids any leftover loose hair. Best Regards, James Coats www.gsdpups.com

As a rule your dog does not need to be shampooed. GSD has a tendency to develope skin problems and they have a fur not well suited for bathing. Every 4-5 weeks is to often. Maybe 2 times a year is better. GSD smells of dog when they spend to litle time outdors. In my opinion any shampoo for use to babies are as good and cheaper if you need to wash your dog. But dont wash as often as you do.

Hi Jam Coats, No offense, But why in the world do think the smell of your dog is important ?? Point 1 : To keep the dog smell away from your furniture ? Darn, i do not breed, i just love GSD, but it never popped to my mind, that my dog had to adjust to my circumtansces !! To bath a dog every 3-5 weeks is against all natural habbits of dogs. Point 2 : Do you want a pet that fits your needs ? Point 3 : You are right, period...... They are working dogs, trained to work, and often thats it..... Despite.....you go out at night, some stranger comes up to you, your dog reacts in the proper way.....just trained ??? Please do not think that i want to offend you....i just think our breed is more than a pet !! I appolligise, my English is not to good. Regards Ulli

Here is my two cents.Dogs are too often overbathed.Its not a show/work or pet issue.Odor is generally coming from the inside of the dog to the outside of its skin..If there is a predominant odor,It means that either the dog is not on the right diet or it is not digesting properly the food given.I rarely bathe my dogs and their coats are beautiful with no odor.They are outside and inside.Instead of spraying your dog with Mink oil or Emu oil..which is just a topical fix.Use a little peanut oil in the diet..or peanut butter.Try just rinsing the coat instead of washing all the natural oils out of the coat.Forget the creme rinses etc..