Before deciding on a dog breed, potential owners do a lot of research. For example, if you are thinking about getting a Great Dane, you might wonder, do Great Danes shed? The Great Dane breed is definitely a shedding dog breed, but just how much will this breed shed, and how can you stop it. You can find all of these answers and much more here.
Do Great Danes Shed?
Yes, the Great Dane dog breed is a moderate to heavy shedder. The Great Dane naturally has a single coat which helps cut down on the shedding compared to other dog breeds that have double coats.
Keep in mind that the Great Danes is one of the largest dog breeds, which means it is going to have a lot of hair. So if you are trying to decide if you want to get a Great Dane, you need to be prepared for your dog to shed hair.
Is my Great Dane Shedding Bad?
The shedding may look like a lot, but it actually could be a normal amount. Great Danes are very big and can reach up to around 120 pounds and span 30 to 32 inches in height. This is a huge dog so imagine how much hair will actually fall off of this giant dog. You may think that it is a bad amount of shedding; in reality, it might just be the normal amount for this breed.
If you are worried or see bald spots forming on your dog’s coat or skin, then that concern should be brought up to your vet. A groomer can also give you an insight if you feel like your Great Dane is shedding more than normal. It is most likely the regular amount and just a lot because you have a big dog.
How Often Do Great Danes Shed?
Your Great Dane is shedding in the first place because the hair goes through growth cycles. There are four major growth phases: the growing, transition, resting, and new dog hair phases. Below you will find more about each phase.
Growing Phase or Anagen Phase – This is the beginning stage of growth where the hair starts to push through on your dog’s skin. This is a very active stage of growth.
Transition Phase or Catagen Phase – When your dog’s hair hits this phase, the hair follicle has finally stopped growing and reached its desired length.
Resting Phase or Telogen Phase – During the resting phase, the hair is not growing, but it is also not yet shedding.
New Dog Hair Phase or Exogen Phase – This is when the hair has finally finished all its phases and will fall out to start the entire cycle over again. When this hair falls out, another hair is already growing and needs the extra room to grow, pushing the hair out.
Every dog breed is different and will spend longer in these phases than others. For example, great Danes also shed more during different parts of the year. There are some other dog breeds out there that follow this pattern, like the Great Dane.
How Much Does your Great Dane Shed?
Great Danes are moderate shedders, but it may seem like they shed a lot due to their giant size. This breed does, however, shed more during certain seasons than normal. When drastic changes in temperature are going to occur, your Great Dane will go through a blowout, which is a change in your dog’s coat, whether it is getting ready for the summer or winter.
During the Spring and Fall, your dog will shed its coat much faster, and there will definitely be more hair laying around your house and coming off your dog. This happens because your Great Dane is preparing for spring and summer by replacing its winter coat. However, there are things you can do to help your dogs shedding from getting all over your house.
How Do You Stop Great Danes from Shedding?
You will never be able to stop your Great Dane from shedding completely. However, it is a natural and healthy process your dog must go through to have its coat regulate its body temperature.
How to Manage your Great Danes Shedding
There are many ways that you can help manage your Great Danes shedding. With these steps, you can reduce the amount that falls on your furniture and around your home.
Grooming
One of the easiest ways to help reduce shedding is by giving your Great Dane a consistent grooming routine. When I say grooming, I mean brushing your dog on a regular basis. Sometimes the shedding fur is loose but hasn’t completely fallen off of your dog yet. A brush can help catch those loose hairs before they get all over your home.
Another option is to purchase a de-shedding brush which actually helps to remove hair. This is an excellent tool that can help shed out your dog’s fur or hair that is loose that would already fall all over the place. You can do this outside or even just during the spring and fall months when your dog is about to shed more. In addition, a consistent grooming routine can help lessen the shedding that can happen inside of your home.
Baths
Even when you have a consistent grooming routine, your dog can still have hairs that get trapped in the coat. Bathing your dog can help remove loose hairs and bring back some moisture into your dog’s coat. However, if you over bathe your dog, it can do the opposite, which means it can actually dry out your dog’s skin.
Make sure you always use a dog shampoo made specifically for dogs. You shouldn’t use a human shampoo on your dog because it can make your dog’s skin sensitive and isn’t formulated for dogs.
Diet Changes
Diet has a lot to do with your dog’s shedding. In fact, if your dog is eating a healthy and balanced diet, it can reduce the amount of shedding your dog is doing. Omega 3’s is one of the best things for your dog because it is known to help promote healthy skin and a healthy coat. Your dog can get this from its dog-formulated food and from proteins such as fish.
More Cleaning
During the spring and summer months, you will need to face the fact that you will have to clean up more around your home because there will be more hair than usual. Sometimes pet hair can be very overwhelming, but there are a lot of cleaning products on the market that are made to help clean up dog hair. Even special vacuum cleaners are made to clean up dog hair exceptionally well.
Health Conditions
If you are already doing all of these things on this list to help minimize the shedding inside of your home and it still isn’t working, it can be a sign of a health condition. Of course, you can always speak to your dog’s veterinarian to see if your dog may be allergic to something or have a health condition causing your Great Dane to lose hair.
Overall
Do Great Danes shed? They definitely shed, and it will seem like a lot due to their gigantic size. However, you can easily manage the shedding that comes from your dog in a variety of ways. Generally, Great Danes are moderate shedders, but they are a huge dog breed, so their shedding hair can be quite alarming. Let me know in the comments how much your Great Dane sheds.