Grooming GSDs

* About brushes

— Brushes are scratchy, so be gentle and loving. And treats are always appreciated!

— Puppies: a “self-cleaning” brush works for young puppies, before their hair gets too thick and they start getting an undercoat.

— When the puppy brush can no longer get down to the skin you’ll need to graduate to a dog brush/rake when needed. We like the kind that has two rows of pins that are free to rotate and go up and down a little.

— Shedding – we brush more and treat because all this brushing gets pretty scratchy on the dog’s skin. Baths can help remove loose hair, but can also clog drains.

* Clipping nails

— You can use dog clippers or a Dremel. Clippers are quicker and easier if the dog has a tendency to move around at all but leave sharp edges unless you clip each nail at different angles. The Dremel are pretty rough for young puppies, but can nicely polish off the edges of adult nails.

— You can use regular human nail clippers for small puppies.

— Lots of treats! This isn’t a naturally positive experience but you need the dog to have a habit of not resisting.

— If you doubt the sharpness of your clippers, get a new set and compare.

— Wear a headlamp so you can see clearly.

— Clip the nail vertically to a standing pup. It seems like the nail isn’t as strong sideways so that hurts the dog more.

— How much to clip?

— There’s no hard and fast rule, but less is better when you’re unsure. Your job is to stop well before the quick, which has the nerves and blood supply. The dog will tell you when you get too close. Nails vary and it depends on how long the nails are and when they were last trimmed. Here’s a good post on the subject.

— White nails are easier because you can see the quick. With black nails you have go slowly and learn. A styptic pencil speeds coagulation when you make a mistake. Dogs are forgiving up to a point, but have lots of treats handy.

— With larger nails, many small clips may be better than one big one. Changing the angle and making a couple of small clips can also reduce sharp edges.

— As you clip nails the blood supply recedes. If your dog’s nails are too long, clip a little every 5 days.

— Clacking on floors means the nails are too long which can cause painful paw problems. Get clipping, and easy does it!

— How often? The nails of different dogs grow at different rates, and more active dogs may wear their nails down. We’ve had dogs that needed trimming weekly, and others that could wait a couple of weeks. Biking with dogs in the summer on pavement wears their nails down, but don’t overdo it – remember they’re running bareoot!