Do Long-Coat German Shepherds Shed More or Less Than Stock Coats?
One of the questions we hear surprisingly often is:
“Doesn’t a long-coat German Shepherd shed more because it has so much more hair?”
The answer may surprise you.
In our experience, long-coat German Shepherds often appear to shed considerably less around the home than their stock-coat counterparts.
That sounds almost impossible when you look at that beautiful, full coat.
But there is a reason.
More Hair Doesn’t Automatically Mean More Shedding
A long-coat German Shepherd obviously has longer hair.
You see the beautiful feathering around the ears, chest, tail and legs, and it is easy to assume that all of that extra coat must mean extra shedding.
But coat length and shedding rate are not the same thing.
The gene responsible for long hair in dogs is associated with variants in the FGF5 gene, which affects hair length.
Shedding itself is influenced by other genetics, including genes such as MC5R and RSPO2.
In other words, simply having longer hair does not automatically mean that a dog sheds more.
Anyone who has owned different types of dogs also knows that short hair certainly does not mean “no shedding.”
The American Kennel Club notes that owners are often surprised to discover that some smooth and short-coated dogs can shed more noticeably than many longer-coated dogs.
Why Can a Long-Coat German Shepherd Seem to Shed Less?
This is where coat structure can make a big difference in everyday life.
With many stock-coat German Shepherds, shorter loose hairs release from the coat very easily.
They can end up everywhere:
• Floors
Furniture
Clothing
Car seats
Dog beds
Upholstery
And sometimes it seems like those little hairs are simply floating through the air.
Shorter hairs also have an impressive ability to work their way into carpeting, fabric and upholstery.
With a long coat, loose undercoat and dead hair can remain caught within the longer outer coat instead of immediately falling onto the floor.
That means much of the loose coat can come out during brushing, rather than gradually decorating your entire house.
So when you brush a long-coat German Shepherd, you may look at your brush and think:
“Where did all of THAT come from?”
But that is exactly the point.
A good portion of that loose hair was being held within the coat until grooming removed it.
Longer double coats need brushing that reaches through the outer coat to remove loose undercoat before it becomes tangled or trapped.
The American Kennel Club recommends grooming tools capable of reaching beneath the outer coat for longer, double-coated breeds.
Do Long-Coat German Shepherds Still Shed?
Absolutely.
We never tell families that a long-coat German Shepherd is a non-shedding dog.
German Shepherds are a shedding breed.
Both long-coat and stock-coat German Shepherds can experience seasonal periods when they “blow” their undercoat, especially as the seasons change.
German Shepherds have a double coat, and that undercoat naturally goes through shedding cycles throughout the year.
There can also be significant differences from one individual dog to another.
Factors that can affect how much a German Shepherd sheds include:
• Genetics
Coat density
Age
Hormones
Nutrition
Overall health
Climate
Time of year
Grooming routine
Because of those variables, it would not be accurate to say:
“Every long-coat German Shepherd sheds less than every stock-coat German Shepherd.”
But from a practical owner’s perspective, there can be a very noticeable difference in how that shedding is experienced inside the home.
What We See With Our Own Long-Coat German Shepherds
After living with, breeding and raising German Shepherds for many years, one thing continues to surprise families:
How manageable the long coat can actually be.
Many people look at a gorgeous long-coat German Shepherd and immediately think:
“That dog must shed like crazy.”
Then they live with one.
And very often, they discover the opposite of what they expected.
With regular brushing, much of the loose coat can be removed at once instead of constantly dropping throughout the house.
Yes, you may end up with an impressive pile of hair after a grooming session.
But we would much rather have that hair in the brush than all over the couch.
Do Long-Coat German Shepherds Require More Grooming?
A long coat requires different grooming, but it does not have to be difficult.
For most long-coat German Shepherds, a good brushing several times per week can help keep the coat beautiful, clean and manageable.
Pay particular attention to areas where longer hair is more likely to tangle:
• Behind the ears• Around the neck and mane• Chest feathering• Backs of the legs• Hindquarters• Tail• Areas where collars or harnesses regularly sit
During a heavy seasonal coat change, more frequent brushing can help remove loose undercoat before it accumulates.
Should You Shave a Long-Coat German Shepherd?
We strongly recommend never shaving a German Shepherd’s double coat simply to reduce shedding.
The double coat provides important protection and insulation.
Shaving can also interfere with the coat’s natural growth cycle and may affect how it grows back.
Rather than shaving, regular brushing and proper coat maintenance are a much better way to manage shedding.
Long-Coat vs. Stock-Coat German Shepherd: Which Is Better?
Neither coat type makes a German Shepherd a “better” dog.
When choosing a German Shepherd, factors such as temperament, health, structure, genetics and responsible breeding are far more important than hair length.
Both coat types can produce exceptional German Shepherds.
But if you have always loved the spectacular appearance of a long-coat German Shepherd and avoided one because you thought:
“I could never handle all that shedding…”
You may be pleasantly surprised.
That luxurious coat does not necessarily mean more hair covering your home.
In fact, many long-coat German Shepherd owners find the shedding much easier to live with than they expected, and often noticeably easier than the shedding they previously experienced with stock coats.
And once you have watched a magnificent long-coat German Shepherd moving across the yard with that full mane, feathering and flowing tail...
Well, some of us never go back.
Learn More About Haus Neufus German Shepherds
At Haus Neufus German Shepherds, our focus goes far beyond coat length.
We are dedicated to producing German Shepherds with the health, temperament, structure, intelligence and character the breed is known for while preserving the striking beauty of the long coat.
Haus Neufus German ShepherdsDevoted to Family. Born to Protect.
