Hello Everyone,

I apologize if this comes off as a silly question but I can't seem to find satisfactory answers on the Web, and I have the paranoia of a typical first-time dog owner. I am a little concerned about how scant my GSD's tail is looking after blowing her coat a few weeks ago.

My 4 year old intact female blew her coat late last month to early Oct, lasting about 2.5 weeks or so. It was a pretty epic shed, probably heralded by the fact we had just moved to where the climate is hotter and drier. She is raw fed with joint and skin supplements.

However, this is the first time that it seems like her tail is blowing out too. It is not bad where there are bare patches but the plush is gone, and is thinned out especially the upper half (towards the base) of her tail

Is it typical for GSDs to blow out their tails too?

Also, how long does it normally take for them to grow their coat back?

I should know these things, but I never paid much attention till this time around when her tail thinned out. I do know she looks threadbare for a while, just not sure for how long.

Thanks,
Rei n Janka

Have you checked for fleas?

Is her coat thin anywhere else?

Is she itching?

Generally, in my experience the coat isn't as thick along the top line, including the top of the tail, but it shouldn't look thin, even after a major shed. New hair is growing in, which causes the shed, so the dogs should never really look naked/threadbare... just maybe not in full coat. The only notable exception that I can think of would be some females after a heat cycle. (and I've always seen that more in plush coated breeds- Rough Collies for example)

Did you use a Fuminator or other blade type tool on her while she was shedding?
Sometimes these tools take off way too much undercoat AND topcoat, If you're not careful.

Rei, can you take a pic so we can see what you mean?

@ Kelly Byrd: Yes, I had checked for fleas and ticks and she is parasite free, and her coat feels thin.

@ Cindy Shepard: No, I have never used a Furminator actually. I use an old-fashion German rake. Hehehe.

@ Kelly: That is a good suggestion. I had thought about doing it but laziness got the better of me. I will attempt to upload it once I try to get a good picture of her tail, with a before and after.

This was taken ~3 months before she blew out her coat, and unfortunately the best picture I could find that gives one an idea of how plushy her tail was.





These were taken today, about 2 weeks after I noticed she stopped shedding hard. I am not sure if you can see, but the belly looks thinned out and that area was hit hardest as far as the undercoat coming off.

I apologize for the mediocre quality. She does not chew on her tail or put it through any sort of abuse. It was literally quite a surprise ... she was wagging her tail at something and I happened to notice it and was all, "JANKA! What the heck happened to your tail?!!"

Edited by Rei Chee (10/28/2011 03:54 PM)
Edit reason: removed signature pic cos it was getting old

Hi Rei,

I just now got back to this thread.

My Mals will blow every bit of their undercoat twice a year. They will only have the guard hairs left. They look really sparse, and feel coarse when they do it. I call it molting, because they completely turn their coats. (Even their tails shed out)

To be honest, it's quite embarassing to take them to training during "the shed" because they look and feel so mangey. For them, though, it's normal.

It takes my Mals about 3 weeks or so for their coats to get back to being as "plush" as it was before (when it comes back they are SOOOO SOFT!!!).

I wouldn't worry about it, though. It could be related to the climate change, or her heat cycles (some females will shed heavily 2 months before their cycles).

BTW, she's a beautiful girl - even naked

--Kel

My female has a bushy tail and nice full coat also but with the first full shed after she whelped she looked really sparse everywhere - including her tail. I was hoping this wasn't the price she/we would have to pay - It wasn't. I am keeping all fingers crossed that your gals coat will return to normal too...

Bless you for loving her so much.

Sorry it took me a while to reply. I had trouble with my login when the board switched over, and it took me a while to contact the webmaster ... (Thank you, Bobbie!)

Thanks for the input.

I had to laugh at Kelly's reactions to her Mals' seasonal shedding. I empathize though because Janka was looking like a cat dragged her into the bushes for a while. Thank you for the compliment and sharing your knowledge with me.

Thank you, Marsha. Our dogs are such an integral part of our lives, aren't they? Glad your female grew her coat back. My friend's GSD also lost much of her fur when she had puppies to the point where she was really looking threadbare but it eventually grew out.

Regards,
Rei