Reptile & Amphibian Forums

research says that dobes do not shed as much, especially when compared to dogs such as huskies. however, when i groom my dobe daily, the scary part is watching so much hair fall out (like mini-hairballs). it's gotten to the point where i can see patches of bald spots. what could be causing this? are there any solutions?

>>research says that dobes do not shed as much, especially when compared to dogs such as huskies. however, when i groom my dobe daily, the scary part is watching so much hair fall out (like mini-hairballs). it's gotten to the point where i can see patches of bald spots. what could be causing this? are there any solutions?

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Bald spots are not a shedding issue, they are a skin issue. It can be any number of things. The dog needs a veterinarian, promptly.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

The first thing I might suspect would be a thyroid problem, which is quite common in Dobermans.

Secondly, Dobermans really don't need grooming every day. You may simply be overdoing it. I made that mistake with my first one. When I let up on the constant grooming, he actually grew some hair!

thx! trying to not groom her as much....will wait and see...

How old is the dog? what does the dog eat? does he have a lot of dandruff? are there any skin abrasions? i would stay away from beef and chicken proteins, try rice and lamb mix. if he has spots on his skin that looks as if he scratched his self he may need an antibiotic. or he may need a simple spray i'm looking into getting patent.

thanks for the grooming advice! her hair's back to normal: nice and shiny. surprisingly, her dandruff has also improved a bit. we'll probably have to see a vet regarding the dandruff though, just to make sure there isn't any underlying skin problems.