Do Great Danes Shed And How to Control Excessive Shedding

Do Great Danes Shed: Great Dane shed their short-haired coat in the spring season, they don’t shed excessively and didn’t need much grooming.

Great Danes have a beautiful short-haired and single-layered coat, this smooth coat of Great Danes comes in many colors. Great Danes didn’t require much grooming but they need regular brushing. This dog breed doesn’t shed a lot but some puppies and old ones could shed sometimes, there may be other reasons for their excessive shedding. If your Great Dane sheds like crazy then you are at the right place. Here we will discuss Great Dane shedding. 

What is Shedding?

Shedding is the process by which a dog loses its old hair, mostly dog sheds to keep their body temperature low during hot seasons and they also shed during the change of season.

Not only Great Dane almost all dog breeds sheds, but some of them also shed higher and some sheds lower.

The season during which dogs shed higher is called the shedding season of dogs.  Some of the dog breeds shed higher in spring and fall whereas some dogs shed all year round moderately.

How much and When do the Great Danes shed?

Great Danes have a beautiful short-haired single coat that looks shiny and looks stunning on them. Great Danes are moderate shedders.

Shedding season of Great Danes

Danes are known to be shed all year round moderately but they shed heavily in the Spring season.

Factors on which shedding of a Great Dane dog depends

There are many factors on which the shedding of Great Danes depends-

• Diet & Nutrition: Diet plays a major role in determining the health of the dog. The Diet of dogs should be nutritious enough to maintain its daily nutritional requirement. If the dog is not getting enough nutrition in his diet it may result in the weakening of the roots of the hair. Example- The absence of Omega-3 fatty acids and zinc can cause high shedding.
• Season or weather: Season plays an important role in determining the shedding of the dog. Most Dogs usually shed their hair to keep their body cool and light in warm weather. Example– Great Danes sheds heavily in a specific season of spring.
• Health state of the dog: There are some health conditions that could cause high and abnormal shedding in Great Danes. Many diseases like Atopic Dermatitis can cause abnormal shedding in dogs. Pregnancy also causes the dog to shed excessively.
• Age: The age of the Great Dane could also determine the amount of shedding. Usually, old dogs shed higher than Adult ones because the roots of the hair of older dogs get weaker and thinner as they grew up.
• Lifestyle: The Lifestyle of the dog also decides the amount of shedding. A Great Dane who has an active lifestyle and loves to play outdoors would definitely shed higher than a dog who loves to rest indoors.

How to control Excessive Shedding in Great Danes

The first thing that all Great Dane owners should understand is that it is not possible to stop shedding in dogs completely however it can be controlled or reduced.

By Brushing your Great Dane regularly

Brushing could help in controlling shedding as it removes all dead and weak hair from the body of your dog, and it prevents the hairs from scattering on the floor all over the house.

But then the question arises which brush is good for Great Danes. According to the short hair and single-layered coat of Great Danes, Bristle brush and Rubber curry brush would be good.

The coat of Great Danes should be brushed weekly but in shedding season (spring season) you can brush them once every couple of days. 8 to 10 minutes of brushing would be fine for them but before Brushing makes sure your Great Dane is dry.

By using de-shedding tools

You can also use de-shedding tools like Furminator or King Komb on your dog, as they help in removing all the extra hairs from the coat of your dog.

By Bathing your Dog

By bathing your Great Dane you can control shedding as it helps in washing away dirt and dead fur from the coat of your dog.  Bathing also helps in getting rid of fleas and reduces the chances of getting fungal or bacterial infections.

Before bathing your Great Dane make sure you are using a good dog shampoo that is good for the coat of Great Danes. You should discuss your vet for it.

You must know the bathing requirements of your Great Dane. As Great Danes are moderate shedders and they don’t their coat doesn’t smell much you don’t need to bathe them too frequently, you can bathe your dog once every month.

You can also bathe them according to the activity level of your Great Dane; if he gets dirty easily you can bathe him a little earlier.

By feeding your dog a proper diet

A diet plays an important role in determining the quality of your dog’s hair. The diet of your Great Dane should contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals which are necessary for gaining hair strength.

You can add Eggs, salmon, and tuna to the list if your dog sheds excessively.

Also avoid feeding your dog too many vitamin supplements, as it may affect your dog’s digestion and may lead to side effects.

Add omega-3 fatty acids to your dog’s diet. You can give your dog Cod liver oil capsules, it improves the texture and reduces shedding.

By keeping your dog hydrated

Make sure your Great Dane drinks plenty of fresh and clean water and stays hydrated all the time, as heavy shedding could also be caused due to dehydration. Drinking water could also help your dog in removing toxins from his body.

By checking your Dog’s Health

A Great Dane is prone to many health issues; some of them could also cause heavy and abnormal shedding (For Example- Hypothyroidism).

Regular health checkups are very important, especially for Great Danes. So you should take your dog to the Vet for monthly health checkups as it could help in reducing the risk of your dog getting serious diseases and health problems.

A Vet can identify whether the abnormal hair loss of your dog is an early sign of some health problems or not.

Reasons for abnormal and excessive shedding in Great Danes

• A sudden change in your Great Dane’s surroundings or Environment can cause too much shedding.
• Some Hormonal changes could also lead to abnormal shedding of Great Dane.
• Food allergy and Stomach infections could also lead to increased shedding.
• Pregnancy could also lead to abnormal shedding.
• Sometimes dog sheds heavily when they get affected by Immune diseases so an owner should always monitor the eating habit of his dog.
• Parasites like Fleas or lice can be the reason for excessive shedding of the dog because itching caused by them makes the dog scratch and bite itself.
• Skin problems like Atopic Dermatitis can cause abnormal shedding in Great Danes
• Heavy unnatural shedding could also be the symptom of many diseases and health issues like Hypothyroidism. You should take your dog to the Vet for monthly health checkups to avoid risks.

When should you take your Great Dane to the Vet?

If you observe the following signs in your Great Dane then you should immediately take your Dog to the Vet.

• Bald Spots and Rashes
• Decreased Appetite
• Redness, Bumps, and Flaky skin
• Increased Itching
• Too many Parasites
• Hair turning grey
• Peeling of skin
• Constant licking skin
• Inflamed skin