Great Danes are adorable dogs. They’re one of the largest dogs in the world so it’s impossible not to notice them.
Interestingly, Great Danes don’t seem to realize they’re large: they love cuddling.
However, it seems like their gigantic size is somewhat a blessing and a curse. This is because their huge size makes them vulnerable to a wide range of health complications such as:
- Hip dysplasia
- Osteoarthritis
- Hypothyroidism
- Gastric dilation volvulus (Gastric torsion)
It’s also common knowledge among dog lovers that Great Danes have a short life span, they live an average of 6-9 years with a few getting up to 12 years.
With such knowledge, it’s understandable when a Great Dane parent starts freaking out when their baby sheds too much fur. They can’t help but ask themselves,
“Could my baby be sick?”
“Is it normal for my dog to shed this amount of fur?”
By the time you’re done reading this article, you’ll understand:
- What shedding is
- When shedding is normal and when it isn’t.
- Factors that cause excessive shedding in Great Danes
- Why Great Danes shed so much
- How to control Dane’s shedding
To the first question,
What is Dog Shedding?
Shedding is a common phenomenon that occurs in dogs. It’s the process in which old and tangled fur falls off to make provision for new hair to grow. Shedding is simply your dog losing its old body hair to create room for new hair.
Great Danes are single-coated dogs with smooth and short furs. They’re moderate to heavy shedder. However, the larger the dog, the more fur that will be shed from time to time. This is why they’re seen to shed so much hair.
Shedding in dogs occurs more during warm temperatures such as spring. This is because the dog coat becomes thinner during that period.
Naturally, the fur on your dog’s body helps to regulate the body temperature and protect your dog from hyperthermia or hypothermia.
This is why more hair is shed during spring in preparation for summer. Dogs don’t need that much hair on their body during this period, they won’t catch a cold because the weather is warm.
On the other hand, less hair is shed during autumn in preparation for winter. Dogs need a thick coat during this season to protect them from cold.
Now that you understand the seasonality of dog shedding, let’s look at possible reasons why your dog is shedding excessively.
Do Great Danes Shed?
The answer to this question is YES. Great Danes shed hairs, and this is fine. This can only be a problem when it losses excessive hair.
5 Possible Reasons Why Your Great Dane is Losing Excess Body Hair
Poor Nutrition
If your dog isn’t properly fed with protein-rich meals it can result in some deficiencies. This can in turn affect the rate at which fur is shed.
Heath Compilations
Unfortunately, Great Danes are susceptible to a wide range of health challenges. Your dog losing excess body hair might just be one of the symptoms of a larger health issue.
Seasonality
Dogs generally lose more hair in spring and less hair during autumn. This is because dog coats start to thin in during warm weather.
If you notice your dog is losing more hair when the weather is warm, don’t panic. It’s normal.
Allergy
An allergic reaction could be another reason why your dog is shedding excessively. Maybe it’s reacting to the new bath soap you tried out on it or it’s the new trendy diet you started feeding it.
If you notice that your dog started shedding excessively after you tried out a new product on it, it’ll be wise to stop. If the shedding persists after you’ve stopped, you’ll need to visit the vet.
Size
Your dog is a Great Dane, it’ll surely shed more than its smaller colleagues. Larger dogs have more fur on their body so they shed more than smaller dogs.
When Should I Get Worried About the Amount of Fur My Great Dane Sheds?
It has already been established that the larger the dog, the more body hair it will lose from time to time.
However, the loss of excessive body hair or excessive shedding can be an indication of a larger health issue or a diet imbalance.
So if your dog is losing excessive body hair during a cold season, it might be time to visit the vet. Hopefully, it might not be anything serious, but it’s better not to take chances.
Now that we’ve established that shedding is an important part of your Dane’s existence, let’s look at ways of controlling it.
5 Effective Ways of Controlling Dane Shedding
Regular Grooming
Make it a habit to regularly groom your dog. Don’t just brush its teeth and trim its nails, thoroughly brush its fur. This helps to get rid of old hair that’s just hanging on. You’re taking it out before it sticks to your couch or clothes.
Give Your Dane a Bath
Danes naturally have dry skin so regular baths might cause the removal of essential oils from its skin. Which will in turn lead to chappy and itchy skin.
To avoid this from happening, Danes are given a bath every few weeks. Whenever you decide to give your dog a bath, just make sure you do a thorough job.
Even though constant brushing is good, it can’t beat a good bath.
Balanced Diet
Do not joke with your dog’s diet. Always makes sure your dog is fed protein-rich food. Proteins are easier for Danes to digest.
As tempting as it might be, don’t change the diet plan of your dog if you don’t need to. And make sure your dog drinks a lot of fresh water, this helps to clear its system of toxins
Regular Checkups
Your dog doesn’t need to present symptoms before you consider taking it to see a doctor.
Remember, Danes are susceptible to a wide range of health challenges, don’t wait till they fall sick or show signs of falling sick before you take action.
Regular Housekeeping
No matter how proactive you’re, you can’t stop furs from falling in the house. You’ll occasionally see them trapped on your clothes and other household furniture.
There is nothing you can do but clean up! Make a habit of thoroughly cleaning your house. You won’t always outsmart the furs.
Conclusion
Shedding is a huge part of any dogs life. You might not like it but if you love your dog you have no choice but to accept it.
However, you need to be observant to notice when the shedding process becomes excessive and take appropriate action.
If you found this article helpful, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it with other Dane parents.