HAIR YE! HAIR YE! (On shedding, grooming & all the hairy things)

Are Miniature American Shepherds (MAS) heavy shedders?

This is one of the most common questions we are asked. The answer is yes and no. Twice a year adult MAS blow their coats to prepare for a new season. This phase can last from 2 weeks to about a month, depending on the individual dog, and grooming habits. If your MAS lives indoors, this is a time you will want to brush daily. Or you may opt for taking them to a groomer to have them blow out the dog's coat and help manage her. While the MAS breed requires very little grooming, beyond the occasional bath and weekly or twice weekly brushing -- or daily, if you prefer -- when they blow their coat you may want to take them once, twice, or --if you are really determined to have little to no hair -- a weekly visit until shedding season is over will help. (Honestly, we don't know anyone who goes this often. We're just saying you have options).

Whistling RIdge's Stud, Wolfe Oliver (See Current Litters to see what babies we have right now)

How often should I bathe my MAS?

The MAS breed does not require frequent baths. All dog owners have personal preferences for bathing frequency. This may be to keep dirt out of the house, or to keep the dog smelling fresh, or both. But all dogs are not equal on the body smell and holding dirt front, anymore than they are on the shedding front. The MAS is generally a very clean dog. This is one fo the things that makes them so easy to housebreak, if using the crating method we recommend in the brochure we provide adoptive families. They love their space to be clean. That said, often they do like to play in water and dig in the dirt, if given opportunity and lacking other activities. The love to go hiking, and some love to swim, especially if introduced early in life. All of this plays into their bathing needs. But, if your MAS is an indoor dog who goes on walks and doesn't dig in the dirt or play in water (after which dirt sticks more), they don't need a bath more frequently than once every month or two. Some bathe less.

Unlike some dogs -- poodles, for example -- the MAS does not generally have a strong 'dog' smell. They are dogs, and if wet will smell like a dog. However, when they are dry, their scent is not overpowering like some are. Other factors that play in are foods they eat. Regarding food, there are varied (and often strong!) opinions about feeding raw, and we encourage conversations with your vet when making changes. We love raw for many reasons, and our vets are very pleased with our pups. (Several have said when they are ready to get a pup, it will be one of ours!) We have observed that when our dogs eat raw, they have substantially less odour. When they eat kibble -- which they do when nursing babies, bec uase we set out a bowl of kibble for snacking between meals, so they always have a food supply -- they have a much stronger odour. And, frankly, they have more issues with flatulence. (Let's face it, no one loves that kind of dog 'fluff'!) We have found Big Country Raw to provide excellent quality food, as well as a wealth of information regarding raw feeding. We also have years of experience and are happy to answer questions that our adoptive families and readers might have. (Visit our CONTACT page and send us an inquiry if you have questions).

A good rule of thumb is to bathe your dog often enough to feel like they are staying clean, but not so often that their skin gets irritated. We know of people who do weekly bathing. Others do bi-monthly, or even 2 to 3 times a year. You need to decide what you can live with, and observe your dogs coat and health, and make adjustments accordingly. Again, brushing regularly does help with keeping them clean, so that is priority.

Most importantly, especially when bathing frequently, choose a gentle shampoo that won't dry out their skin. We always use an oatmeal shampoo and have been fortunate to not have skin issues. We bathe younger dogs more frequently and older dogs less frequently, depending on their activities, the weather and what we observe on their hair.

Does the MAS need their hair cut, shaved or trimmed on occasion?

No, the MAS does not 'need' hair cuts or trims. Short haircuts or shaves, in fact, are not recommended for the MAS. They have a double coat that protects them from heat in the summer and from cold in the winter. (Hence the shedding season to get rid of the winter coat for the summer, and shed summer coat in exchange for the heavier winter coat). When they are shaved, this protection is removed.

There are varied opinions as to whether the coat will grow back properly, or whether the shave or short haircut permanently disrupts them. We discourage short haircuts or shaving that disrupts the undercoat, in any case, but especially if they spend much time outdoors. Nature has made them as they are for a reason, and we try to respect that when making choices for our dogs, and make changes accordingly. We do, however, trim their skirts (the long hair on their legs and hind quarters), as they can get more easily matted and/or hold dirt. The hair around the hindquarters is generally not as soft as the rest of their hair, and leaves or dirt stick to it more easily. So we trim this hair from time to time.

Tips and tricks -- besides brushing -- to minimize shedding

Once upon a time we had a King Shepherd. If you have ever had any indoor German Shepherd, you will know what we mean when we say they are heavy shedders. It was unbearable. While still vacuuming, the hair would build up behind you, it felt like. When we popped in at Ren's Pet for some dog food, the staff member at the till asked about him, as they often did.

"He is fantastic," we told her, "except the unbearable shedding. We can't keep up!"

The staff member perked up. "Have you tried Thrive Herring Oil?" she asked.

We had never heard of it before. We grabbed a bottle and immediately started him on it. The transformation was unbelievable! Shedding dropped by at least around 40% within weeks. His hair was sleek and shiny. He looked stunning! That product was a lifesaver, because we were beside ourselves with the work involved in his care. The difference tit made was amazing. The same is true for other shedding dogs, including the MAS. It's easy to use -- just add a good squirt of the oil to every meal, once you've introduced them to the flavour (some like it immediately; some turn up their noses), and that's all there is to it. Shedding should decrease within a few weeks, and their hair will look stunningly shiny and sleek. It works for a GSD -- known for unbearably heavy shedding -- and it works for the MAS and other Aussie-type dogs, in our experience.

Bathing can also help with removing loose hair, as well as blowdrying, espcially with a more heavy duty commercial-type dryer. But, again, you don't want to bathe so frequently that you break down the individual's skin. More important than having less hair is having a healthy dog with healthy skin. Fortunately, both are possible with proper care and healthy products.

A robot vac designed for dog hair is a wonderful investment as well. Some are more affordable than others, and we've even found some on marketplace that are as good as new. We have three for different areas of our home to help with managing hair and dirt from traffic.

If you can't handly any dog hair, the MAS is not the right choice for you, unless you can afford to take them to the groomers for weekly brushing and grooming, or more often. But, if you are up for brushing at least once or twice a week, bathing once a month or once every two weeks, and can handle a bit of hair on the floor -- and run a vac on the regular, if you wish -- then the MAS is a good choice. Most MAS do not shed excessively even with less consistent brushing and grooming than mentioned in this paragraph (except when blowing their coats), so this paragraph is for MAS lovers who really cannot tolerate much hair.

If you decide dealing with their shedding is manageable, the next thing to be aware of is that all MAS are not equal, when it comes to temperament and personality. And breeders are certainly not all equal. Most breeders we know of aim first for breed standard and sound temperament. From there, some breeders aim for the higher energy and stronger drive. We breed for calmness and gentleness for the best possible family pet, and especially to also be suitable for young children. Even a calm MAS loves to go on walks, hikes and various activities, so it is not removing their love for outdoors and action. Some are naturally more inclined toward agility. Others are most interested in being with their master(s). Most are food and praise motivated, contributing to easy training.... even the more stubborn ones. We know of no other breeders who go to the lengths we do, to train our puppies before leaving, which is what sets us apart from even the best breeders we know. (If there are others out there, we would love to find them and connect!)

When choosing a puppy, ask many questions to ensure the puppy suits your needs, and that you will receive ongoing support. Any breeder who abandons you after a 'sale' is not in it to successfully match puppies to their homes. Get it in writing. If there is not contract, move on. Choosing the wrong breeder can cost you thousands in care, and sometimes leave you with no puppy to love, if things go very wrong. We have heard these testimonials from our adoptive families's experience with other 'breeders', and it is heartbreaking.

No matter what MAS puppy you choose, it will shed and you will find ways to manage the hair, using some of the suggestions in this blog. But when it comes to the quality of the pup, the best you can do is choose a reputable breeder and have support for your journey. Breeders whose dogs are registered with Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) are held to high standards, and those who are members can be reported to CKC for non-compliance and poor breeding conditions. (In USA, the American Kennel Club (AKC) is the equivalent). Choosing a breeder who is a member is ideal, as they are held to an even higher standard. (More details on how to ensure you have found a quality breeder to be shared in a future blog).

Future blogs will address things like, what to look for in a breeder, and how to watch for and recognize red flags; health testing; what we focus on in early puppy training to prepare them for their adoptive homes, and various other puppy and dog management topics we feel inspired to share.

If you have topic ideas you would like to see addressed, send us an email via our CONTACT page and make suggestions. As with our breeding and training, we are here to serve you, first and foremost.

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