Doberman Pinscher Shedding Guide – How Much?
When it comes to Dobermans, we can’t help but recognize how aggressive they are and at the same time, adorable. The reason we find them adorable is partly because of the neat, shiny, and simple coat that covers their body. By mere looking at it, it is easy to conclude that their shedding will be little and won’t constitute a mess around the house.
In this article, you will find out how skewed this idea is as we will be examining how their shedding process take place. You will also find out why there may be excessive shedding sometimes and some tips you can follow to guard against that.
Before we proceed, you ought to know that Dobermans tend to shed moderately unless there is an anomaly of some kind. But we will burst the myth that dogs with short and thin coats don’t shed as the ones with full and long coats.
Reasons for Shedding in Dobermans
Below are the common reasons why a Doberman will shed its fur:
- Hereditary: If the Doberman comes from a family where they shed more, it will surely keep shedding even if there is no visible cause.
- Diet: Just like human beings, the way the body of your Doberman will function is dependent on the quality of food it eats. There are essential nutrients for the maintenance of healthy skin and hair, and therefore, when a dog lacks these nutrients, it will show in incessant hair loss.
- Weather: When summer is about to come to an end, it is common to see the dog shed its fur so that it can grow a new one for the coming winter season.
- Skin Allergies: There are several skin diseases and allergies that could facilitate the shedding of the skin in a Doberman. Therefore, you should pay keen attention to the dog’s body so that you can tell when something is going wrong.
- Over bathing: Your Doberman will shed more than usual if you bathe them too much. You are not expected to wash them more than six times a week.
- Insufficient Grooming: Doberman, like every other dog, require proper grooming of their fur. You should ensure that you clean them up with a brush regularly. When they are not properly groomed, their coats may start to shed incessantly.
What Time Do Dobermans Usually Shed?
Apart from the coat that is found around the neck of Dobermans, they are generally single-coated. Unlike another breed of dogs that only shed around specific seasons, Dobermans can continue to shed throughout the year. In the same vein, if all the conditions that can make it shed are taken out of the way, they can go a whole year without shedding. As mentioned earlier, they can shed rigorously in one season to grow new hairs in preparation for another season.
Amount of Shed by an Average Doberman
Doberman is not known to shed much except on rare occasions. Normally they shed a small quantity of hair throughout the year and much more when the season is about to change. Due to the thickness and short length of their hair, Doberman hair does not usually get stuck to clothing like that of other dog species.
During a recent survey conducted featuring different Doberman owners, only about 9% complained about excessive shedding. 57% of the owners stated that they witnessed low shedding, while 34% agreed that they saw moderate shedding in their dog.
There are three main types of Dobermans, including red, blue, and black. Amongst these, the blue Dobermans are known to shed more and at risk of skin issues.
How to Regulate Shedding in Your Doberman
Below are a few things that you can do to help control the way your dog sheds.
Regular Grooming and Brushing
As we stated earlier, your dog’s hair will fall off when you return to groom it properly. There are several grooming tools that you can purchase, and by brushing its fur a few times a week, you will help safeguard them from shedding. Beyond protection from shedding, regular brushing will allow for the distribution of skin oil and proper blood flow around the body. This will altogether cause the dog to have shiny and smooth hair.
Use Clean Wet Cloth to Wipe the Fur
Wiping your dog’s fur with a wet cloth two times a week will help clean off dead hair.
Pay Attention to Health Concerns
Paying attention to your dog’s behavior for any sudden or unusual change will help you detect when there is an underlying sickness. A sharp increase in hair loss around the front leg and chest area could be a pointer that your dog is suffering from Demodectic Mange, usually caused by a red mite.
Make Him Take Part in More Exercise
Exercising will help your dog maintain a healthier physique and encourage blood circulation. With will reduce the risk of shedding.
Add some drops of olive oil to their food.
Due to the richness of omega 6 and 3 in Olive oil, it will help your dog maintain a healthy coat and protect it against heart disease at the same time.
When Do Dobermans lose Their Puppy Coat?
There are three coat changes that take place in a Doberman during its lifetime. They lose their first coat around the same time as their teething. They lose the second one when they are around 9-11 months old and the final one between 14-18 months.
Are Hair of Dobermans Hypoallergenic?
There are no animals that are completely hypoallergenic anywhere. Doberman is also not a hypoallergenic species. What this implies is that in case you are one that suffers from allergies when you come in contact with dogs, Doberman will not be a suitable species for you. Instead, you can go for Doodleman, which is a cross between Poodle and Doberman. This is a hypoallergenic species since it inherits the trait from the Poodle parent. However, Doodleman may not be entirely like Doberman; you’d be safe from allergies.
