Excessive Shedding and Scratching: Is It Normal?
How Do I Know if My German Shepherd is Shedding and Scratching Too Much?
Some skin conditions can cause your dog to shed and scratch more than normal, you may need to know what to look for to identify the issue. Here are some things to watch for:
- • Skin that is flaky and dry
- • Excessive Shedding
- • Excessive Scratching
Why is My German Shepherd Shedding and Scratching So Much?
GSD’s have what’s called a double coat. It’s an undercoat that consists of woolly, soft fur and an outer coat made up of long, thin protective hairs. The double coat protects them from injury, disease, and infection, which is why it’s so important for them to maintain their healthy skin and coat! If you notice excessive scratching and shedding, here are some things you can do to help:
• Change Your Dog’s Diet
If your dog’s food is not nutritionally balanced, certain ingredients in their food/treats may not be digested well and can result in dry, itchy skin. There’s also a chance that your dog is allergic to certain ingredients in the food/treats you’re currently feeding them.
If you’re noticing excessive shedding and scratching, slowly taper off your dog's current food and ease them into a new brand that is more nutritionally balanced and doesn’t contain the ingredient(s) you suspect your dog may be allergic to.
Recently, our GSD, Rocky, was scratching more than he normally does. It turned out that our neighbor was giving him milk bones, he was allergic to the wheat in them and experienced a reaction.
• Give Your Dog Plenty of Water Daily
Dry skin is a great indicator that your dog’s not getting enough water. Make sure your dog always has access to plenty of clean water to avoid dehydration.
• Regular Grooming
Regularly brushed your GSD to remove extra fur and bathe them regularly to wash away loose hair. Just keep in mind that your dog only needs about 3 to 4 baths per year with a moisturizing dog shampoo.
What Else Can I Do to Help My Dog if the Excessive Shedding and Scratching Doesn’t Stop?
We always advise a vet visit to ensure there aren’t any major issues such as acute allergic reactions, facial swelling, or difficulty breathing. But, after personally spending thousands of dollars on allergy testing, expensive prescription medications/lotions, etc. (just to find out our dog wasn’t getting the right nutrients in his diet) we took it upon ourselves to come up with an easier solution for the average person that can’t afford to spend an arm and a leg on vet bills.
Over the years, we’ve invested our own hard-earned dollars into the research and development of a simple, proven pet supplement that gives dogs the proper nutrients needed to maintain healthy skin and a beautiful coat.
Today, our dogs, our family’s dogs, our friend’s dogs, and thousands of dogs all over the country take our Maximum Skin & Coat Supplement to help reduce excessive shedding and scratching. Our delicious chewable tablets are made with natural ingredients in an FDA Registered Facility right here in Florida. We stand behind our products and offer a 100% money back guarantee.
Excessive Shedding and Scratching: Is It Normal?
While a certain amount of shedding and scratching is natural, there are other factors such as stress, poor diet, skin allergies, and dehydration that can make shedding and scratching even worse.
How Do I Know if My German Shepherd is Shedding and Scratching Too Much?
Some skin conditions can cause your dog to shed and scratch more than normal, you may need to know what to look for to identify the issue. Here are some things to watch for:
- • Skin that is flaky and dry
- • Excessive Shedding
- • Excessive Scratching
Why is My German Shepherd Shedding and Scratching So Much?
GSD’s have what’s called a double coat. It’s an undercoat that consists of woolly, soft fur and an outer coat made up of long, thin protective hairs. The double coat protects them from injury, disease, and infection, which is why it’s so important for them to maintain their healthy skin and coat! If you notice excessive scratching and shedding, here are some things you can do to help:
• Change Your Dog’s Diet
If your dog’s food is not nutritionally balanced, certain ingredients in their food/treats may not be digested well and can result in dry, itchy skin. There’s also a chance that your dog is allergic to certain ingredients in the food/treats you’re currently feeding them.
If you’re noticing excessive shedding and scratching, slowly taper off your dog's current food and ease them into a new brand that is more nutritionally balanced and doesn’t contain the ingredient(s) you suspect your dog may be allergic to.
Recently, our GSD, Rocky, was scratching more than he normally does. It turned out that our neighbor was giving him milk bones, he was allergic to the wheat in them and experienced a reaction.
• Give Your Dog Plenty of Water Daily
Dry skin is a great indicator that your dog’s not getting enough water. Make sure your dog always has access to plenty of clean water to avoid dehydration.
• Regular Grooming
Regularly brushed your GSD to remove extra fur and bathe them regularly to wash away loose hair. Just keep in mind that your dog only needs about 3 to 4 baths per year with a moisturizing dog shampoo.
What Else Can I Do to Help My Dog if the Excessive Shedding and Scratching Doesn’t Stop?
We always advise a vet visit to ensure there aren’t any major issues such as acute allergic reactions, facial swelling, or difficulty breathing. But, after personally spending thousands of dollars on allergy testing, expensive prescription medications/lotions, etc. (just to find out our dog wasn’t getting the right nutrients in his diet) we took it upon ourselves to come up with an easier solution for the average person that can’t afford to spend an arm and a leg on vet bills.
Over the years, we’ve invested our own hard-earned dollars into the research and development of a simple, proven pet supplement that gives dogs the proper nutrients needed to maintain healthy skin and a beautiful coat.
Today, our dogs, our family’s dogs, our friend’s dogs, and thousands of dogs all over the country take our Maximum Skin & Coat Supplement to help reduce excessive shedding and scratching. Our delicious chewable tablets are made with natural ingredients in an FDA Registered Facility right here in Florida. We stand behind our products and offer a 100% money back guarantee.
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