GERMAN SHEPHERD HEALTH
1. Maintain a healthy weight. The breed standard says German Shepherds should “look substantial and not spindly, giving the impression, both at rest and in motion, of muscular fitness and nimbleness."
2. German Shepherds are medium-size dogs, meaning they mature slower than small dog breeds. Avoid heavy work and impact to the joints until your dog is at least one to two years old.
3. Regular walks and exercise will help the German Shepherd Dog stay in shape, but also maintain a routine, two things that are important to the breed.
4. Early socialization with other people and dogs will help your German Shepherd Dog avoid behavioral problems.
5. As a deep-chested dog, the GSD is more susceptible to bloat, a fatal condition caused by air, fluid and/or foam in the stomach. Make sure to know the signs, symptoms and causes of bloat.
6. Regular vet check-ups are important for all dogs, but some German Shepherds may have GI tract and hip issues, so check-ups are especially important. Staying up to date with x-rays and being aware of possible stomach irritants help your GSD stay healthy.
7. German Shepherds have an acute sense of smell, so they often smell hydrants, fences, and garbage while on walks. Keep an eye on what they pick up with their mouths while they are sniffing around to avoid your dog getting sick or injured.
8. Select food wisely. Stay within the age range for your dog, as well as watching for allergens, energy level, and weight. Every dog is different and there isn't a right type of food or method, but your veterinarian should be able to answer questions and address concerns that you may have.
9. With a double coat and dark coloring, the GSD is more susceptible to overheating in the summer months. Plenty of water, shade, and cool air should help your dog make it through any hot days.
10. Vaccinate against potentially deadly diseases such as distemper, parvo, panleukopenia and rabies. And, Keep your pet free of parasites (fleas, ticks, heartworm, etc.) – consult your veterinarian for the best product for your German Shepherd.
ACTIVITY LEVELS
Be prepared – German Shepherds are very active dogs! They need plenty of exercise to keep them happy and occupied. This will also stop them from barking out of boredom or having a nibble on the furniture. Lack of exercise and stimulation can cause behavioural problems in any breed, but German Shepherds have a reputation for being especially highly strung so they need extra attention to make sure they’re kept active.
Your German Shepherd will need a minimum of two hours of exercise every day. This should include walks and off-lead exercise in a safe area, with extra playtime and training on top to give them a good variety. You can find out how much exercise your dog needs,or even find exercises you can do together online. Our vets recommend spreading exercise across the day rather than trying to do two hours all in one go.
German Shepherds are a great breed if you enjoy long walks and spending loads of time exploring outside. If there are times when you are unable to give them the exercise they need, then arranging for a relative, friend or dog-walker to come and help would be essential.
GROOMING
Be prepared for a lot of shedding because German Shepherds have such thick coats! If you don’t like dog hair around the house or are allergic to dogs then they might not be the breed for you.
Ideally, you should give your German Shepherd a brush or comb down a few times a week to keep their coat looking healthy, prevent matting and reduce the build-up of dead hair (especially if they have a longer coat).
You won’t need to bathe your German Shepherd too often though unless advised by your vet, as their skin can be sensitive to this. You may want to take them to a professional for bath time because of their size. Keep ears and eyes clean and nails trimmed.
BREEDING
German shepherds have become an extremely popular breed of dog due to their many admirable qualities. They are loyal, energetic, and hard-working dogs that can adapt to a large variety of situations. They are extremely intelligent, and they often enjoy the limelight for their services to policemen, firefighters and airport officials. Breeding these dogs can provide a rewarding experience that will change the lives of anyone that comes into contact with this well-respected breed.
How To Start A German Shepherd Breeding Program
The first step in beginning a successful German shepherd breeding program is to select a male and female dog that come from good stock. In other words, you are looking for healthy genes. Finding out as much as you can about the family history of the both the male and female dog will help to ensure breeding healthy, happy puppies that will grow into strong, reliable adults. If there are specific traits, especially physical, that you hope to see in your breed, then pay close attention to the prominence of these features in the mother and father that you select.
When you have the lineage information in hand, you can help to ensure a better match by choosing two animals who have a similar background. Some important dimensions of this consideration should include whether or not the dog has a history as a show animal or as a dog that performed work-related tasks. The health of the dogs should not be based on the word of former owners and visual inspection alone. Acquire veterinarian records to ensure that the information is accurate. Successful German shepherd breeding means taking every precaution, especially when it comes to the female. The female dog should undergo a thorough examination by the veterinarian. Her joints and hips should be x-rayed in order to be sure that she is free of dysplasia.
If it is your first attempt at German shepherd breeding, then it is also wise to seek out the opinion of more experienced breeders. They are the best source for answers to questions and concerns that you might have as a novice. Some owners choose to simply take a female dog into a male dog that is meant specifically for breeding. This process is known as studding. Taking this route will require that the owners enter into a contract and negotiate some sort of fee in most instances. These issues should be investigated beforehand in addition to checking on the policies concerning the location where German Shepherd breeding will take place. Both approaches should call for careful monitoring by veterinarians so that any problems with pregnancy can be identified and addressed as soon as possible.
TRAINING
The most important German Shepherd puppy training tip is socialization. Right after you take your puppy to the vet for his first set of shots, enroll him/her in a puppy training or puppy socialization class. Some vets will tell you to keep the pooch inside until the full set of vaccines is completed. Unfortunately, if you do keep your pooch safe inside until he is 4-6 months of age, his socialization period will have closed forever and your chance to raise a friendly and confident dog drops significantly!
You may have noticed that your German Shepherd puppy likes to chew on your shoes, toys, boxes, carpets, pillows, your hands…well, pretty much everything! Before you loose your mind (and all your precious possessions) let me tell you that this is normal puppy behavior. At this age dogs explore everything with their mouths and even though annoying, it is a great time to teach your pet what is appropriate for his mouth as well as how to soften the bite. The reason German Shepherd dog puppies have sharp teeth is because they are capable of learning how much (or how little) pressure to apply when biting different things. This is good news! It means you can actually teach your pooch that when “biting” human skin they need to be absolutely soft and tender.
Now you are also probably dealing with potty training, the best German Shepherd puppy training tips for potty training are outlined below. You should know how many times, and when to take you puppy out. Use a crate if you need to and NEVER punish your GSD for an accident you did not see happen, you have to “catch-him-in-the-act” if you want to mildly reprimand and redirect to the correct spot.
One of the key features of a good trainer is that he is able to motivate the dog. To do this, you need to find the things that your dog likes most and use them as rewards. Food will be one of them, so use it. But also use anything else, like walks, petting, play time, toys, etc.
Your cute and tiny puppy doesn’t bother you when he jumps right now…wait a few more months and you will change your mind! To prevent a dog from jumping on people it is imperative to teach that same dog not to jump when he is a puppy.
As you come home, ignore your pooch when he jumps (but watch him from the corner of your eye) and greet/pet him when his four paws are on the ground. If he jumps again, then ignore again. When I say ignore, I mean it! No eye contact, no pushing or kneeing…nothing. Keep turning around if you have to.
Once his jumping is under control, teach him to sit down when you get home in order to be greeted and don’t forget to practice the same exercise with all your friends and family that visit.
Pulling on the leash is another of those dog behaviors that people think come out of the blue, but actually they happen because there was never formal training done. To prevent pulling on the leash all you have to do is make sure your puppy understands that he gets rewarded (food, petting, attention, verbal praise, keep on walking, etc.) when the leash is loose. Pay close attention to what he does during those first few walks together and make sure you reward him for staying close to you.
For a long time now dog trainers have known that the “dominance”/“alpha” theory is nonsense. Those ideas came from research done in wolfs in captivity and have now been debunked by new research done in wolfs in the wild.
The new research says that you need to be a good leader, kind of like a parent. Alphas are most often the parents of the group. Provide shelter, food, safety and limits.
all you have to do is pay attention to your German Shepherd puppy and reward the good things he does. However, there are a couple rules to keep in mind for it to work:
If you notice that the “bad” behavior is not getting any better, it's probably because somehow it's being rewarded! You need to figure out what the reward is and remove it.
If ignoring your pooch for the bad behavior doesn’t work, then you can train your canine friend an incompatible behavior. For example, when a dog is laying down, it is harder to bark.