Some people believe that shaving a German Shepherd poses little to no risk of skin or health issues.
However, nothing could be further from the truth!
Shaving your German Shepherd may have significant consequences, mainly if you believe you’re helping your dog remain calm in the summer.
The truth is that if you shave your Shepherd, you must consider the issues you will encounter.
Is it necessary to shave my German Shepherd?
Should your German Shepherd be Shaved?
Are you considering shaving your German Shepherd? First, learn about the issues with shaving them!
No, it would help if you didn’t shave or trim your German Shepherd regularly for grooming purposes or because they’re too hot. The coat takes too long to regrow, may grow shorter or lighter in colour, exposes them to bites and parasites, and offers a required and natural heating and cooling system in the elements, which you modify when shaving them.
According to your veterinarian, you should only shave for medicinal reasons.
What Happens If My German Shepherd Is Shaved?
What happens if your German Shepherd is shaved?
Understand the dangers of shaving your GSD.
While many people believe that shaving their German Shepherd is the simplest way to groom them, concerns are involved.
Before committing to a full shave, think about the following points.
1. Shaving your dog in the winter makes him chilly and hot in the summer
The undercoat and guard hair assist in keeping them warm in the winter and cool in the summer by creating a ventilation system. Consider their double coat to be an automatic heating and cooling system.
Shaving them in the summer puts your dog in danger of overheating. The many fur layers work as an air conditioning system by enabling air to flow across the skin, resulting in a cooling effect.
The sun’s rays immediately sear into your German Shepherd’s shaved body without the longer hairs to circulate the air against the skin.
The more extended guard (outer) hair keeps the cool air close to the skin while keeping the heated hair away. This saves you from overheating.
Unless your veterinarian recommends otherwise, it’s best to look for alternative ways to deal with your dog’s thick coat. Dogs left outside are more likely to have health problems and develop different skin problems.
2. Sunburn and skin damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation are more likely in a shaved dog.
Unless you shave your double-coated dog, they will not be exposed to harmful rays.
Sunburns are unpleasant, and licking the skin to soothe the discomfort may cause skin irritation and hot areas. Sunburns may lead to hyperthermia and sunstroke when your dog is left outside for lengthy periods.
Even when the hair has completely grown back, your dog may develop scaling or dandruff due to the inflamed skin.
Did you know that a dog’s skin only has 6 to 10 layers, but human skin has 16 to 20 layers? Consider how much harm and agony a sunburn may do your dog right now.
3. Shaving your dog makes him more attractive to mosquitoes and other parasites.
Because their fur is shorter or nonexistent, parasites may bite directly into their skin, and ticks can cling to them more readily.
When you shave your GSD, they lose their natural layer of parasite protection and their ability to prevent bites.
This is particularly crucial in mosquito-infested regions.
4. Shaving may destroy the coat’s texture and style.
The lighter outside hairs may never grow back to full length, giving your dog’s coat a unique appearance and texture.
New fur that grows in may not be as thick or long-lasting as the previous coat. Furthermore, their skins will not be as attractive throughout the regrowth phase.
5. Growing guard hairs becomes more difficult as a dog grows older.
When your dog’s fur has finished growing in, shaving them may cause varying effects on the length of their guard hairs.
Hair production and development slow as a dog mature, resulting in thinner coats. If you shave a senior dog with sluggish hair development, their guard hairs (the top layer of fur) may not grow as readily as they were younger.
6. Shaved hair is more difficult to remove.
The guard hair, or outer layer of coarser fur, sheds, which some owners find inconvenient. On the other hand, shaving your dog will not halt the shedding!
Your GSD will continue to shed, but the hairs will be shorter and blunter. This causes them to cling to your clothing and furnishings much more than if they had their hair shaved! It will be more difficult to remove their shorter, blunt shaved hair than their longer, unshaved coat.
7. Shaving a German Shepherd might result in significant matting.
Shaving the undercoat causes it to grow quicker than the topcoat in many German Shepherds. This is because the coat isn’t designed to shed much. Therefore it develops pretty slowly.
This undercoat is now tangled in the slower-growing topcoat, providing you with even more grooming and brushing labour!
Because the fur is various lengths than usual, your dog’s hair seems fuzzy and varies in size all over their body. The topcoat will usually get longer when the undercoat sheds away with appropriate brushing and the following shed cycle.
Meanwhile, you’ll have to make sure your double-coated breed doesn’t develop big mats of hair that irritate the skin and make brushing more difficult.
Grooming a German Shepherd in the Summer
If you’re concerned about how hot your dog will become throughout the summer, think about alternate options that can assist your dog stay cooler.
A thorough grooming practice at home might help them shed their hair more quickly and feel more at ease.
Summer grooming for German Shepherds entails:
Use a moisturizing or anti-itching shampoo on them.
To remove the dead hair, use special brushes.
Apply a conditioning and de-shedding spray to them.
Increase your brushing practice in the summer to maintain their skin healthy.
Provide kids with cooling choices, including shade, wading pools, frozen snacks, and fans.
I’ve developed an essay to assist you in reducing German Shepherd shedding and preserving coat health throughout the summer months, so your dog can keep calm and healthy.
Summer shave for a German Shepherd? First, try these alternatives!
summer shave of a german shepherd
Use alternate cooling methods instead of shaving your German Shepherd in the summer.
Your dog does not chill down the same way you do. Because they cannot sweat, they rely on their coats to provide a cooling mechanism to protect them from overheating.
The undercoat aids in cold air circulation, while the topcoat protects against sunburn. When you shave them, you remove their insulating system, exposing their skin to the sun’s damaging rays.
Consider their undercoat and topcoat to be similar to the insulated beverage cup you use in the summer. Despite the layers, your drink remains cool and refreshing.
So, instead of shaving your German Shepherd for the summer, try these cooling techniques. When other options keep your dog healthy and safe, shaving your dog isn’t necessary.
To keep their fever down, give them a cooling mat.
A cooling mat absorbs their body heat and disperses it more quickly with a gel composition. A giant self-cooling mat is a lovely spot for some German Shepherds to relax and rest throughout the summer.
Please provide a little pool where they may rest and wade outside in the shade.
Most GSDs like water and will gladly rush to your tiny pool to cool down. These pools are low-cost and straightforward to transport to your yard or garden. Most child pools readily accommodate a giant German Shepherd and provide a safe cooling alternative.
Purchase a modest fan that you may direct toward the locations where they often lay down.
When I directed the fan toward me, my GSD intentionally lays in front of it, so I bought a second fan for her. With her lover, she goes asleep faster and remains asleep longer.
Give your dog some cold, refreshing treats.
These may include dog-friendly ice cream or other handmade goodies. Several recipes are available to provide you with a range of cooling treats.
The Pooch Creamy Birthday Cake Dog Ice Cream Mix is a hit with my German Shepherd. Add water, mix, and freeze before serving to your dog on those hot summer days! Watch as their faces light up with delight!
Outside, particularly, add ice to their water dish.
If you’re going to keep them outdoors for an extended amount of time, fill a two-litre container with water and freeze it. Allow a brief amount of time to thaw before removing the ice block. The ice block will keep your dog cool for longer and provide something to lick.
Set up an elevated dog bed for them.
A raised dog bed enables air to circulate across your German Shepherd during the summer. This breeze helps to cool them down by lowering their body temperature.
The beds are affordable and have non-skid feet to keep them from sliding around the floor. The bed’s non-slip feet make it a good option for interior floors.
Try this raised bed with great reviews for hot heat and giant breeds: Frisco Heavy Duty Elevated Dog Bed.
Brushing should be increased.
During the summer, they should brush more often. Brushing thoroughly eliminates dead fur and debris.
This makes their skin more robust and more resistant to the summer heat. Brushing also distributes the skin’s natural oil, forming a protective barrier against the elements.
Brush your German Shepherd regularly if you use a mild rounded tip brush, and don’t dig too deeply into the skin.
You can remove more hair with the second row of brush tips on the Grip Soft Undercoat Rake.
During the warmest parts of the day, keep your dog indoors. If they reside outdoors, make sure they have a shaded space to use the cooling suggestions. Heat is brutal for dogs since they do not sweat. If you leave them outside, provide them with locations and methods for staying calm.
Should Your German Shepherd Be Shaved or Not?
Shave your German Shepherd only if it is medically necessary or if your veterinarian requires it.
While their hair will come back, it may not grow back as you expect, may look or feel different, expose your dog to the outdoors, and hinder them from cooling themselves properly. Shaving a German Shepherd may be dangerous. Understand the dangers and your alternatives.
Consider alternate options if you appreciate the way your Shepherd’s coat looks but are concerned about your dog’s safety in the summer heat.
Why risk having a dog with a wrong coat or, worse, a dog that is now susceptible to heatstroke and parasites when you may provide them with various types of heat relief?
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