Take Them To The Vet Regularly
Dogs tend to hide their symptoms when they dont feel good. At the same time, most health conditions are easier to treat the sooner theyre caught. Thats why you should take your German Shepherd to the vet at least once a year when theyre younger and twice a year after they turn 7.
It may seem silly to take a healthy dog to the vet, but your German Shepherd may not be as healthy as you think. That seemingly pointless vet visit could save your dogs life.
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Common German Shepherd Teeth And Gums Issues
If you disregard your GSDs dental care, he might suffer from these common dental issues:
- Plaque and Tartar
Plaque is a film that can build up on your GSDs teeth if you dont regularly brush his teeth. If plaque is not removed through brushing, it hardens and becomes tartar. This usually starts to show on the molars and premolars. Then, it shows on the canines.
- Gingivitis
Gingivitis is an inflammation of the GSDs gums. This develops when the plaque is not removed. This causes the gums to be inflamed so the gums bleed easily. If you dont treat this problem right away, it can become a more serious infection known as periodontitis.
- Periodontitis or periodontal disease
Periodontitis is a GSD gum disease that affects not only the gums but also other tissues around the teeth. This will result in bone loss.
- Bad Breath
Bad breath is a sign of periodontal disease. If a GSDs teeth are not brushed properly, it can lead to plaque and tartar buildup that causes dog halitosis or bad breath in dogs. In some cases, it could be a symptom of internal organ damage.
German Shepherd Teething Toys & Objects To Manage Chewing & Biting
German Shepherds may experience a little bit of pain and discomfort during teething, particularly in the gums.
This, and the fact that they are still puppies, leads to the infamous German Shepherd puppy chewing, biting and mouthing stage.
During this stage you not only want to begin obedience training to minimise bitey behavior, but you also want to give your GSD items to chew on so they dont chew on you or items within your house.
Some things you may try are:
Exercise your puppy regularly it relieves boredom which is a common cause of chewing
Give your GSD puppy wet towels youve placed in the fridge or freezer
They love chewing on these and you can rotate them over.
Give them old socks and shoes to chew on
Soft ropes are great
Give them dog toys, or a nylabone
Crate them for short periods when appropriate if the chewing is really bad
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Do Teach Them That Biting Means Game Over
If your puppy continues to bite, ignore your puppy by turning your back away from her and tucking your hands in your armpits.
She needs to understand that biting ends playtime and that it does not give her anything in return. Over time, your consistent reinforcement of this will be highly effective to curb your puppys biting behavior.
German Shepherd Teething Toys
Teething toys are one of the best ways of helping them through the teething period. KONG toys and Nylabone are among the more popular products.
Some people like to fill the KONG toy with peanut butter, which is great, but avoid any brands with xylitol in them as this is toxic to dogs. Be sure to select a good-quality product, as cheap ones will be inferior and could cause harm.
Hard plastic chews can fracture teeth, and cheap ones may break, allowing the dog to swallow small pieces that can rupture the intestinal lining.
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When Should I Worry About My Puppys Biting
Although biting is normal, it can sometimes be hard to recognize whether your puppy is playfully mouthing or exhibiting temper tantrums, which is a form of aggressive behavior.
In playful mouthing, a puppys face should still be relaxed, the tail wags, and biting isnt forceful.
On the other hand, temper tantrums, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, are characterized by a stiff body, lips pulled back to show teeth, and growling.
Biting will be more forceful and painful, since the behavior is typically caused by fear or anger. A German Shepherd puppy may be more prone to displaying this behavior, especially around unruly children.
If these tantrums happen frequently, its time to seek a professional such as a veterinarian, a certified dog trainer, or an animal behaviorist ASAP.
German Shepherd Puppy Teething: Age Stages And Tips
Teething can be a problematic stage to an uninformed dog parent. If you want to know when German Shepherds stop teething or how long a German Shepherd teething lasts, check this article. You will find out information about the different German Shepherd teething stages and their corresponding German Shepherd teething age. We will also tell you about the common teething signs and symptoms and tips on how to handle puppy teething.
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When Can I Take My Puppy For The First Walk
The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior recommends that pet guardians begin taking puppies on walks and public outings as early as one week after their first round of vaccinations, at about 7 weeks old.
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German Shepherd Puppy Baby Teeth Start Coming Through Between 2 And 3 Weeks Old
German Shepherds are born without teeth. German Shepherd puppy milk teeth dont actually start to push through their gums until around the 14-day point at the earliest.
In terms of the puppys overall dental development, the baby teeth coming through do so at the same point that they begin to open their eyes. The 2-week point in their life is a massive time in their growth and becoming the German Shepherds we know and love.
Of course, most German Shepherd owners will never get to see this phase in their dental development stage as German Shepherd puppies should not be leaving their mother until they are at least 8 weeks old.
Heres the order in which your German Shepherds baby teeth will come though:
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Puppy Teething How To Deal With It
Dealing with teething can be frustrating in more ways than one. You want to help your puppy, since you can see the pain and discomfort, but their biting hurts you too!
In terms of helping your pup, you should provide lots of outlets for their teeth. Frozen baby carrots and ice cubes are great options for giving your dog something cold to gnaw on. You can also soak a small towel and freeze it. Frozen KONGs are another great option, filled with banana or other yummy and safe foods.
The key is giving them so much to chew on that they arent tempted to bite you.
If they still have a tendency to put their teeth on you, you should focus on redirection and ignoring them. End playtime and walk away whenever your puppy bites you. That way, theyll learn that biting doesnt get them what they want.
You can also give a loud yelp to signal that they hurt you, as this is how they learn from other dogs.
German Shepherd Puppies Are The Cutest Little Creatures On Earth When You Are Getting A Young German Shepherd Puppy You Have To Look After It Like A Toddler
And in light of this comparison, one of the things you have to deal with is your German Shepherd teeth.
Your German Shepherd Puppy begins to lose its teeth in orderto enlarge 42 adult teeth. It is possible to make sure that you are easy on asmall puppy as it can be uncomfortable and confusing to the puppy. Lets startby covering all the basics of the German Shepherds teeth and teeth process:
German Shepherds have different types of teeth mainlyincisions, fangs, molars and premolars, and a large carnassial tooth.
German Shepherd Dogs are predators and teeth that representhistory and changes in the way they eat.
Fangs are required to hold and puncture, cuts for nibbling,premolars for tearing, and molars for bones to crack. And all of them need tobe sturdy, reliable and healthy.
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Why Is It Bad To Get A German Shepherd
Bonding. German Shepherds bond very tightly to their owners, usually to the extent that frequent rehoming can cause behavioral problems brought on by insecurity. If you are considering obtaining a GSD but dont know what will happen to the dog when you move/get a new job/get married/have children/etc., please dont get a German Shepherd.
Best Teething Toys For German Shepherd Puppies
We highly recommend that German Shepherd puppies chew on teething toys when their adult teeth are coming in.
If owners dont provide them with chew-proof toys during this time, they may resort to bad behaviors like chewing on furniture or things around them. This can be your most expensive shoes, purse, sofa, tables, blankets, beds, and more!
Make sure the toys are strong and durable, not soft or stuffed. The hard and durable chew toys will allow your German Shepherd puppies to satisfy their chewing and provide them soft and sore gums with much-needed relief.
When our dogs were puppies and going through the teething stage, we gave them these teething toys and we believe these are great teething toys for German Shepherd puppies too.
What we like about these teething toys is that they can also work as a treat too.
Our first recommendation based on our puppies experience is this one. Your German Shepherd puppies will enjoy getting their teeth on this.
Before we used to give these to our pups, we put them in the fridge first. This makes the toy very cold and is a great way to numb the sore and inflamed gums.
Best of all, you can add treats or put peanut butter inside the toy to mentally stimulate your pups.
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Your German Shepherd Dogs Health
We know that because you care so much about your dog, you want to take good care of her. That is why we have summarized the health concerns we will be discussing with you over the life of your Shepherd. By knowing about health concerns specific to German Shepherd Dogs, we can tailor a preventive health plan to watch for and hopefully prevent some predictable risks.
Many diseases and health conditions are genetic, meaning they are related to your pets breed. There is a general consensus among canine genetic researchers and veterinary practitioners that the conditions weve described herein have a significant rate of incidence and/or impact in this breed. That does not mean your dog will have these problems it just means that she is more at risk than other dogs. We will describe the most common issues seen in German Shepherd Dogs to give you an idea of what may come up in her future. Of course, we cant cover every possibility here, so always check with us if you notice any unusual signs or symptoms.
Brushing your dogs teeth daily will prevent periodontal disease.
They May Be Taken From The Litter Too Early
Young puppies learn to naturally inhibit their biting through socialization with their mother and their siblings.
A puppy does not quite understand yet the force of her own bite unless she bites too hard and the recipient reacts by yelping out of pain.
This interaction among puppies and their mother is crucial, and it happens during the puppys early socialization period between three to six weeks old.
Taking a puppy away from her mother prematurely will therefore deprive her the chance to learn important socialization skills.
As a rule of thumb, the American Kennel Club recommends that you take home a puppy that is no less than eight weeks old. By this time, the puppy should have had ample time to interact with her playmates and learn bite inhibition.
We concur that you should never take home a puppy that is less than 8 weeks old. In fact, more than half of the states in the U.S. have laws or regulations that mandate how old a puppy must be before it is allowed to be sold or adopted.
This does not mean, however, that your puppy will completely stop nipping. As the new parent, it is your job to continue training the dog so that any subsequent bites should be gentler.
For more on selecting the right German Shepherd puppy from a litter, including additional information on the proper age, what to look for in a puppy, and what to expect from ethical breeders, be sure to check out the 2 articles linked below:
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Give Your Puppy A Wet Towel
You can take a damp towel and place it in a freezer or a fringe. Dont let the towel become hard as it can damage the puppys gums.
Let the puppy play with this towel. However, supervise the puppy. Least he will swallow the piece of towel.
The frozen towel will bring on some cooling effect on her rather sore gums. Giving her the towel is another way to keep her engaged and refrain from destructive behaviors.
Do Dogs Have Diarrhea When Teething
This is an excellent question and something that all new dog owners need to be aware of. First, the answer is: yes, puppies can experience gastrointestinal upset, including vomiting and diarrhea. They may also become lethargic and lose their appetite.
The worrying thing is that these could be symptoms of a more serious problem.
If the symptoms are mild and are accompanied by the other signs of teething, then all should be well. However, if it becomes severe, then you need to make sure that your puppy isnt suffering from one of the following conditions:
Worms its believed that all puppies are born with worms because they are present in the mothers womb, where they lie dormant for many years. Responsible breeders will start deworming their puppies as soon as possible, but once you take the pup home, it is your responsibility to continue deworming treatment.
Parvovirus this virus kills hundreds of pups every year. It has a mortality rate of about 91% and can kill within two or three days of being contracted. The main problem is severe diarrhea, which causes serious dehydration. Your breeder should have at least begun the vaccination process, but opinions vary as to when the three vaccines should be given. The likelihood is that they will have only had one shot, and you need to arrange the remaining two.
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When Do German Shepherds Start Teething
Starting at 4 months old, German Shepherds will begin to lose their puppy teeth. But some puppies start losing their teeth earlier or later. You may discover a discarded tooth on the floor. Or you may see a few drops of blood on her chew toy. And it is not uncommon for a puppy to swallow her tooth, which is perfectly normal.
German Shepherd Puppies Start Teething And Growing Adult Teeth From 12 Weeks Old Onwards
The teething phase is the next stage of your canines dental development. Surprisingly, German Shepherd puppies dont have their puppy milk teeth for that long. So, when do German Shepherds lose their puppy teeth?
Lets find that out next!
When do German Shepherds lose their baby teeth?
Nine to ten weeks after their baby teeth have grown in, their adult teeth will start to push through as well.
At this point, your German Shepherd puppies should be 12 weeks old and they should have a total of 28 puppy teeth with 32 adult teeth expected to come through next.
As they prepare for the adult teeth to grow in, the puppy milk teeth start to fall out. So at 12 weeks old, the German Shepherd puppies will begin the teething stage and the 32 adult teeth will replace their puppy milk teeth.
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Puppy Teething Behavioral Changes
Because theyre uncomfortable, you might notice some behavioral changes. They might be more hyperactive and frustrated, or they might whine a little more than youre used to.
Dont worry. This is all pretty normal for teething, though you can contact your veterinarian if it seems extreme and youre concerned.
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Bone And Joint Problems
A number of different musculoskeletal problems have been reported in German Shepherd Dogs. While it may seem overwhelming, each condition can be diagnosed and treated to prevent undue pain and suffering. With diligent observation at home and knowledge about the diseases that may affect your friends bones, joints, or muscles you will be able to take great care of him throughout his life.
Intervertebral disc disease. Note how the cushion of the disc materal has extruded and puts pressure on the spinal nerves.
Intervertebral disc disease is a common condition in Shepherds. The disease is caused when the jelly-like cushion between one or more vertebrae slips or ruptures, causing the disc to press on the spinal cord. If your dog is suddenly unable or unwilling to jump up, go up stairs, is reluctant to move around, has a hunched back, cries out, or refuses to eat or go potty, he is likely in severe pain. He may even drag his back feet or be suddenly paralyzed and unable to get up or use his back legs. If you see symptoms, dont wait. Call us or an emergency clinic immediately! For less severe cases, rest and medication may resolve the problem. In many cases involving paralysis, well recommend surgical removal of the ruptured discs . As with so many other diseases, weight control helps to prevent this problem. You should also use ramps or steps from puppyhood on so that your dog doesnt spend a lifetime stressing his back by jumping on and off of the furniture.
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