As dog owners, we’ve all been there. You give them a bath, dry them, and run a brush through their fur to weed out the floor, and out comes torrents of doggy fur enough to cover and bury you.
And god forbid you lax out on the brushing because then you will start finding trails of fur on everything! The couch, the cloth hampers, and the washing machine collect more fur than lint. And let’s not forget, the bigger the breed, the bigger the mess!
But this is familiar and expected territory for all dog owners, and as annoying as it is, we love our hyperactive goofballs at the end of the day. While smaller breeds are much easier to tackle, bigger dogs like Great Danes will be an absolute handful.
So if you are a Great Dane owner, this article will tell you the WHYS and the HOWS of managing your big dog’s excessive shedding.
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Why Is My Great Dane Shedding Like Crazy?
There are a number of possible reasons why your Great Dane might be shedding a lot more than usual. But remember, Great Danes are heavy-shedding dogs and it might just be natural in some cases.
Also Read: Cane Corso shedding
Here are some of the most common reasons:
It’s The Weather
If the weather has suddenly become warmer from a very cold period, you will notice A LOT of shedding. Dogs need to regulate their body temperature, and Great Danes have massive body that requires such regulation.
They will put on a lot of fur during Winter, but will quickly let go of it in Spring, which may alarm you but fear not, it is perfectly natural.
A Nutrition Problem
A healthy diet, with all the necessary nutrients, is vital for a Great Dane (or any dog for that matter) for it to have a great coat.
If your Great Dane is shedding way too much (more than it already does) it could mean that the dog is suffering from a deficiency in a particular nutrient like Omega 3 or Omega 6.
Also Read: Omega 3 for dogs
Infections Or Other Medical Issues
Another reason your Great Dane might be shedding like crazy is because of an underlying health issue.
Infections, allergies, parasites, and even sunburns can cause excessive shedding. It’s always best to take them to a vet to determine if there is something wrong.
You’ve Skipped Out On The Bathing And Brushing Days
You have to keep track of the bathing and brushing of your Great Dane, especially the brushing.
If you do not do it at the recommended intervals, you will have a rather messy awakening to tons of stray hair all over your house!
Your Great Dane Is Stressed
Great Danes eventually get used to their surroundings and the activities they have to do on a daily basis.
And soon, they start having certain preferences for some activities like going for a walk, and like to avoid others such as going to the vet or living in a very loud neighborhood.
As the dog owner, you must see if there are certain activities that have been happening that may stress your dog, or if you haven’t been doing the activities it likes, enough.
When dogs are stressed, it negatively affects their shedding process as well, so it’s important to make sure your dog is healthy, and also happy.
How To Manage Your Great Dane’s Excessive Shedding
Here are some things you could do to try and minimize shedding:
Bathe It Often
Bathing your dog is an important step in managing the shedding process. However, it has to be noted that Great Danes tend to easily get dry skin and dry skin eventually leads to excessive shedding.
So, bathing your dog often means that the damaged and old hair easily washes away. It is recommended that Great Danes are bathed once every week.
A good scrub and a proper shampoo tailored for dogs, with a proper pH level (do not use your own shampoo for your pets!), will ensure that most of the fur is washed away.
Rubbing some coconut oil on after the bath would also be good.
Brush Your Great Dane’s Hair
The next step is to brush your dog’s hair. This can be after a bath, or whenever you feel like it. It would be wise to invest in a good de-shedding brush for this step.
Plus, brushing your dog’s hair can be a wonderful bonding activity for the two of you as well, and it will ensure that the stray hairs will come right off. This will also help with getting out any bugs and other parasites that might end up causing further hair loss.
It will also give you a moment to inspect the skin for any bumps or wounds.
It is recommended that you brush your dog’s hair for 5 to 15 mins depending on the amount of fur that keeps coming off. You must take care not to brush too hard as that will harm the skin and also pull at healthy hairs, affecting the quality of the Great Dane’s coat.
Take Care Of Its Nutrition And Hydration
As mentioned earlier, nutrition directly affects a dog’s coat, and it’s no different for a Great Dane. Great Danes need a lot of protein, so it is best that you stick to a mainly protein diet. And a lot of it too, because big dogs can get really hungry.
Also Read: Are Great Danes good guard dogs?
And to digest all of that protein, while also supporting their massive body, Great Danes need to be kept properly hydrated as well. Especially if you are living in a dry climate.
You can also give additives like Omega 3 fatty oils in pill form, which will provide additional support to maintain a healthy coat and prevent over-shedding.
Bottom Line
Your Great Dane could be shedding like crazy for a lot of reasons, including health and nutritional issues or psychological issues like being stressed.
Still, there’s a good chance it’s just the weather that’s causing it. Or if you have been skipping bathing or brushing days, that’s probably why it is shedding a lot.
Bathe your Dane once a week, brush their coat and rub some coconut oil and that should reduce shedding. And also make sure they are getting all the proper nutrients it needs. If nothing seems to stop it, it’s probably time to take them to a vet.
Helpful Resources
Are Great Danes good guard and protection dogs?
