# Do GSD need grooming or special care?



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

They should get a slicker brush, furminator or a coat rake to pull out the loose undercoat. Doing it once or twice a week should be plenty and will help keep that hair from ending up all over the house. Peeves loves getting raked out! Clipping or dremeling nails of course is important too. 

I would also remind everyone that it is worth touching all parts of a puppy (and adult dog)every single day to keep them used to having check ups and grooming readily accepted. We play games every day still with each dog where we ask them to show their snarly teeth while lifting their lips/opening their mouths to check teeth. We also play "caught your _________ (nose, ears, tail, foot (each one))" virtually every morning.


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## Beautiful Blue (Apr 24, 2017)

Excellent recommendations.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Socialization, a lot of socialization! To people, to places, to moving objects, and especially to other dogs and small animals!!! Beautiful, loyal, dogs if trained correctly......and with patience and understanding of the breed.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

That too Molly. Peeves had tons of social exposure when he was young and he has never developed the aloofness around strangers that GSD tend to be known for.


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## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

My first show dogs were GSDs. That was in the 1960s and 70s. I loved them dearly, but showing them was too much. When I met a standard poodle I fell in love and the GSDs eventually faded out.

I really, really agree with MollyMuiMa about the importance of socialization. Certainly many, if not most, GSDs are temperamentally sound, but there are more than a few that are fearful. A fear-biter is a truly dangerous dog. I suspect most of the fearful ones were not properly socialized and trained.

We bought our first GSD while we lived in Scotland. She was half British breeding and half German breeding. She absolutely LOVED children and protected them. Since we lived in Scotland, she was able to go everywhere with us - trains, boats, restaurants, shops - everywhere. 

I was in a laundromat once when a lady started paddling her child for misbehaving. My dog came out from under the bench on which I was sitting and snarled at that woman - clearly telling her not to hurt a child! That dog would challenge strange adults, but she let children use her for a pillow. She was named by my son and was his constant companion.


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