Big Paws Only Dog Forums

Shepherds => German Shepherd Discussions => : zanie February 02, 2007, 04:12:53 PM

: Oh My Goodness!!!
: zanie February 02, 2007, 04:12:53 PM
 :o :o :o  Is anyone else experiencing a coat blowout at this time of year?  With my grooming blade, I just took enough hair off Dell to make another dog!  My carpet is covered in hair, my clothes are covered in hair, my hair is covered in hair!  It's driving me crazy!

This is the first time I've seen his hair come out like this.  Does shepherd hair usually come out in clumps? 

Maybe I'll collect the hair and have it spun into yarn.  didn't someone here have a hat made out of their dog's fur?

: Re: Oh My Goodness!!!
: schelmischekitty February 02, 2007, 04:18:53 PM
i dunno about shepherds but i know i just took an entire wal mart bag of hair off of axle, and am not given the "gift" of knowing it's not all out yet ha ha.
: Re: Oh My Goodness!!!
: zanie February 05, 2007, 05:42:12 PM
 ??? ???

Dell is now shedding giant clumps and is looking about as motley as I have ever seen a dog. 

Any other GSD owners out there whose dogs shed like this?  I've never seen such a terrible mess before!
: Re: Oh My Goodness!!!
: chaosndestruction February 05, 2007, 06:35:17 PM
Arisha did a full coat blow out a month ago...there is still hair covering out front yard.
: Re: Oh My Goodness!!!
: zanie February 05, 2007, 06:36:31 PM
I have been wracking my brain trying to remember if he's been fed anything other than his ususal Canidae with an occasional cheese stick treat and there is nothing.  He isn't itching and doesn't seem to be uncomfortable.  there are no hot spots and he's not acting unusual or sick. 

I know shepherds experience blow out a couple of times a year so I wasn't too concerned but thought I would see if there are any GSD owners experiencing the same thing.
: Re: Oh My Goodness!!!
: schelmischekitty February 05, 2007, 06:37:17 PM
does he have bald patches, or does he still have hair?
: Re: Oh My Goodness!!!
: zanie February 05, 2007, 06:41:34 PM
No bald patches and still tons of hair.  My imagination was running away with me at 3:30 this a.m.  All I could think of was that he MUST be sick to lose hair like this and how was I going to afford to pay for treatment and then what was I going to do?

Why yes, I AM a drama queen.  Why do you ask?   ;D
: Re: Oh My Goodness!!!
: chaosndestruction February 05, 2007, 06:43:02 PM
Arisha is malamute/husky...haha she tend to blow her coat in January and again in august/september...we just think she'd odd...
: Re: Oh My Goodness!!!
: schelmischekitty February 05, 2007, 06:45:33 PM
ha ha ha, don't feel bad, axle (my akita) was my first big paw, and my first dog with a double coat.  the first time he blew OMG he had that wild dog look b/c i didn't know i could take him and get him blown out.  i would brush and brush and nothing worked right!  anywho, axle blows coat usually about august and then in january just like arisha.
: Re: Oh My Goodness!!!
: zanie February 05, 2007, 06:47:07 PM
How do you have them blown out?  Is it something I can do at home?
: Re: Oh My Goodness!!!
: schelmischekitty February 05, 2007, 06:50:39 PM
you can get a shop vac and put it on "blow" setting instead of  the vacuum setting.  if you do this to keep hair from going all over the place, sud them up them do it and the hair sticks to the floor then rinse them and dry again and it won't make such a mess.  or you can cheat and bring them to the groomer and ask them if they have a blower to get all the hair out and  it usually doesn't cost extra, or if it does not much at all!
: Re: Oh My Goodness!!!
: zanie February 05, 2007, 06:53:24 PM
I think I may go the groomer route.  The thought of that much dog hair wafting around my house doesn't appeal to me.  The shedding blade works great but I think we need a more aggressive approach.

Thanks for the suggestions.
: Re: Oh My Goodness!!!
: schelmischekitty February 05, 2007, 08:09:00 PM
i agree, the groomer is so much easier.  i used to be the groomer... i hated blowing out dogs until i started doing it while they were sudded up ha ha.  talk about feeling stupid ;)  it does work great, but it's not a miracle cure for shedding either though.  it does get them back to looking normal and shedding gets to almost normal, depends on how good of a job they do.
: Re: Oh My Goodness!!!
: bluskygirl February 06, 2007, 09:03:09 AM
I used to have have two GSD mixes, and they do shed like that.  Sometimes, if they were laying down in one spot for a while, when they got up HUGE clumps of hair would be left on the carpet where they were laying.  It's crazy, but normal, so don't worry!  Bella is shedding right now too, and I have been coming to work everyday with hair all over me. It sucks, but it's life with a dog I guess! 
: Re: Oh My Goodness!!!
: Thelma April 01, 2008, 08:29:19 AM
Yep...got a whole laundry basket full off of just one
of my Saints
: Re: Oh My Goodness!!!
: AltDeutsche April 01, 2008, 09:28:25 AM
I always took my White GSD to the groomers. He loved it there and was spoiled rotten. Plus his coat was easily managed. He was also pretty and white again! It wasn't that expensive. I payed 32 every two months.