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Jasper’s Take on Grooming Your German Shepherd
Hi this is Jasper! I’m a dog. A German Shepherd dog to be precise. Grooming your German Shepherd is a very important topic. We German shepherds are, of course, naturally handsome but that doesn’t mean we don’t need a little help to look our best! So let’s get into the down and dirty of German Shepherd grooming!
The First Step
First of all it is very important to teach your new puppy to be comfortable being touched. I didn’t know this. I have to say I did find it a little puzzling when Mom did stuff like sniff my ears and paws. 😯 But hey, it came with cookies and what did I care if Mom wanted to practice sniffing. After all, you humans have really poor sinffers so I figured she probably just needed the practice!
The Saga of Jaspers Nails
I didn’t really like having my paws touched. What can I say, I have sensative feet!. But that Mom just kept touching my paws and giving me cookies and after a while I figured what the heck, this isn’t so bad. I will say I was a little taken aback when she started looking between my toes and sinffing them.
German Shepherds have webbed feet you know. Actually I think all dogs do but I’m not sure because my sister Dottie won’t let me get close enough to check. I tried and she bit my nose! That wasn’t very nice! Mom says Dottie is old and I need to leave her alone but she smells really good being a female and all. Sigh. Anyway, I definitely have webbed feet!
It was all going pretty well and I was getting into the “touch-get a cookie” game. I like cookies. A lot. But then mom brought out a nail clipper and a buzzing thing-a-ma-gig. It went downhill from there. Mom clipped my nail and it hurt! I mean she said she was sorry and all, but it hurt! 😥
So I was really on gaurd the next time. I didn’t want anything to do with that clipper or that buzzing thing! But Mom said it has to be done Jasper. I didn’t know Mom well enough to know when she says that you might as well roll over and give up because she isn’t going to. Anyway we had a “come to Jesus meeting.” I don’t know what that is exactly but I did decide maybe I better just take my cookie and be happy. I am still a little bit jerky when I get my nails trimmed. But I do get really good treats and Mom hasn’t hurt me any since that one time. This article belong to germanshepherdresources.com published 10-15-23
German Shepherd Ears
As for ears, mine are exceptionally handsome even for a German Shepherd. I was the first one in my litter to have my ears stand up. Mom says I’m just advanced like that. Of course she is correct! Anyway, my ears don’t need much care, just wipe them out. Oh and sniff them. I don’t know why but thats what Mom does so I guess it must be right. The most important part of ear care is to scratch them in just the right spot. That feels good. Mom says my ears are like velvet. What’s velvet? It must be a good thing because Mom smiles she says that. She rubs my ears a lot. I like that.
German Shepherd Baths
I love to swim in the creek and I have even learned to swim in the pool so you’d think I’d like baths. I don’t. At all. Whats the purpose of taking a bath anyway? I’m just going to go roll in the dirt when you are done. If I’m lucky I may find something stinky to roll in! Thats always a bonus. Anyway every now and then I have to have a bath but its only when I decide to roll in the mud. Thats a lot of fun!
If you are going to bath your German Shepherd be sure to use a soap for dogs and rinse all the sopa out otherwise we will get all itchy. Yuk!.
Teeth
I have very big teeth, see. Big choppers. Thats only right since after all I am a German Shepherd. I don’t much like having my teeth brushed but its better since Mom quit using that yucky beef flavored toothpaste. That stuff is NOT beef. I would know as I have a very good nose. I think thats false advertising but Mom says they just said it was beef “flavored’ , not actually beef. Still, I think thats pretty sneaky, don’t you? I’m pretty sure wolves don’t brush thier teeth. I did point that out to Mom but she said wolves chew on very big bones and I’m not a wolf. Sigh.
Anyway, Mom say brush your dogs teeth once a week. But you don’t have to use the yucky toothpaste unless you want to. Maybe one day some nice human will come up with a beef flavored toothpaste that actually smells like beef!
Also, I really like bully sticks a lot and that helps. I wouldn’t mind having a really big bone to chew on. Addy says she get big bones from the butcher for her dogs. Moms going to check in to that because she sasy keeping me in bully bones is making her go broke. I don’t get it. Oh well.
Brushing Your German Shepherd
Finally, something I actually like! German Shepherds have double coats. That’s so we can stay warm easier when we are out in the cold watching sheep. We are a little like postmen I guess when our job is guarding sheep we have to be out there in rain, snow and sleet so we need a warm coat. I’d still like to meet a sheep someday. Do you have any sheep?
Anyway, when Mom brushes me she gets a real determined look on her face. Like she’s getting ready for war or something. She also has a bag because apparently I shed. A lot. She will brush and brush looking for the end of my hair but she never finds it. Poor Mom! That must be frustrating! But as I really like to be brushed I’m OK with that.
After she gets done brushing, she starts sweeping because my hair escapes and ends up rolling around under chairs and stuff. It’s kind of funny watching her, but don’t tell her I said so.
Anyway that’s all I’ve got for now. Jasper the GSD signing off! Woof!
For more on German Shepherd Grooming check out Mom’s article here.
