Why is my 2-year-old German Shepherd shedding so much? Is it normal?

Dogs typically have a heavy shed in the spring and fall, but they do lose hair all year. Brushing daily to remove the dead hair helps, and giving a fatty acid supplement for the skin and coat will reduce the shedding. This is normal unless you are seeing bald spots or Rex is chewing off the hair. During times of stress they often shed more, like going to the veterinarian. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Some dogs do shed minimally, but Arjun is still young. You will see some shedding when his adult coat starts to come in, and you may see shedding during specific seasons such as spring and summer when it gets warmer.

I would not recommend shaving her as it will not resolve the underlying skin problem and may not regrow. I would start with a good quality oral parasite prevention such as bravecto, an omega fatty acid supplement and a medicated shampoo such as malaseb to address yeast overgrowth and surface infections. If not improving over 10-14days a full vet check will be required

It sounds like Garry may be shedding due to seasonal changes which is perfectly normal. I find that the best way to combat seasonal shedding is daily brushing - you may want to look into using an undercoat brush if his coat is very thick. If he is shedding so much that you can see bare spots, if his skin seems irritated, or if his coat is dull I would recommend seeing your veterinarian to make sure he doesn't have a skin condition or parasites.

Shedding fur, even seemingly large amounts, is completely normal for most dogs. If your dog has never shed like this in the past, or if she is losing so much fur she is having bald patches, then I would be concerned. Poor hair growth and cost condition can be due to poor nutrition/diet or an underlying medical condition like hypothyroidism. If you feel like the amount Soska is shedding is abnormal I would recommend a visit to your veterinarian to have her examined and possibly to have blood work performed. In the meantime you can supplement her diet with some fish oil (specifically omega 3 fatty acids) and see if that helps her coat. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck!

Hair falling out can be pathological if it is related to an infection or fleas. It can also be due to normal shedding, which German Shepherds tend to have a thick under coat and the hair often falls out in clumps. I recommend to check the skin for redness, scaling, excessively dry skin, fleas or bleeding. If you see this, then you know it's pathologic. If there are not skin abnormalities, then hopefully it's normal shedding but without being able to see it, its hard to say. Your veterinarian or a groomer would be a good resource to know if this is normal hair loss or not. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction. Please feel free to post any additional questions!

A low thyroid is definitely a possibility that is contributing. Allergies from something in the environment, fleas or food can also play a role. The dark pigmentation with the creases on the legs can also be a secondary yeast or bacterial infection that is making this worse. he needs to see a vet to have the thyroid checked and address the skin infection. From there a medicated shampoo in a weekly bath is helpful. They can see what might be the underlying cause and get you appropriate medicine to try to stay ahead of it in the future.