Physical Activity & Health
Since German Shepherds are active dogs, they need plenty of exercise to stay active and healthy. A German Shepherd puppy needs 5 minutes of exercise every month old they are twice per day.
For example, if your puppy is 4 months old, they need 20 minutes of exercise two times a day.
Since German Shepherd puppies have a fast growth rate, overexercising them can lead to ligament and joint problems.
If your puppy is less than 5 months old, slow walks for the appropriate times are enough. You can introduce trekking and jogging after the age of 5 months.
Other Transitional Period Physical And Behavioral Developments
During the transitional period of German Shepherd development, their teeth will start to erupt, and puppies will become efficient crawlers and even start to walk and explore their surroundings.
They also become more independent and are able to urinate and excrete without assistance. At around 4 weeks, your German Shepherd puppy will change from grunting to barking and growling.
One Dog Different Jobs
Black Shepherds have traits that would make them fit to do work for the police, military, and search & rescue teams. Today, they are ranked the second most popular dog in the US.
In fact, you would often see German Shepherds being used by the army and the police as their K9 unit. These dogs are fearless, intelligent, and obedient, which makes them great candidates for these positions.
Even if this canine fits in the guns and the criminal world, they can also be trained to become a service dog.
The Black German Shepherd has a stable temperament, which means they can stand intense situations without panicking. It allows them to become a guardian, a blind leader, and a companion who assists people who have disabilities.
With their wolf-like appearance and protective nature, this is a breed you can rely on to be amazing guard dogs. Their courage and alertness allow them to look after their loved ones while being an excellent family companion.
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How To Help Your German Shepherd Socialize With Other Dogs
Taking German Shepherds for walks is a great way to expose them to new sights, sounds, smells, people, and other dogs. You should start by taking them for walks around areas where they are unlikely to encounter other dogs. This will help them get accustomed to their surroundings before coming across another dog.
You can gradually start taking them to more crowded areas as they get more comfortable with being in public. Be sure to keep them on a leash at all times during this stage.
You can also help your German Shepherd with socialization by calling guests over and introducing them to your dog one by one. This teaches the dog to be comfortable with letting other people into their living space.
Its important to maintain a calm state of mind when introducing your dog to other people, as dogs can sense when their owners are stressed. Dogs will often react differently when they feel their owners are nervous or are in a state of distress, so you should remember to keep a level head when introducing your dog to others.
Once you have spent enough time exposing your German Shepherd to outdoor environments and guests, you should try taking them to a park.
Your dog is very likely to encounter other dogs at the park, so you should make sure they are ready to interact with others by this stage. If your dog is fine with meeting other dogs in the neighborhood or on the street, they should be fine interacting with dogs at the park.
The 4 Stages Of A Dogs Growth And Development
I think we can all agree that its difficult to figure out the best way to take care of your dogs health. Not knowing about a German shepherd average weight and height only adds to the list of problems.
As German Shepherds grow through the stages of their life, they also develop more health risks. But are the stages of a dogs life?
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Are Black German Shepherds A Healthy Breed
Black German Shepherds are generally healthy, but having a solid black color doesnt exempt them from their breeds common health problems. This canine is susceptible to the following illnesses:
- Spinal cord diseases such as Degenerative Spinal Stenosis and Chronic Degenerative Radiculomyelopathy
- Osteoarthritis
- Cancer
- Eye problems
With proper care and lots of love, the Black Shepherd can maximize his lifespan of 10 to 13 years.
How To Deal With Negative Interactions Between Germans Shepherds And Other Dogs
Dogs will usually appear agitated when a fight is about to break out. Some common signs of agitation include growling, ears being pointed up, and prickly fur. If you think your German Shepherd is having a negative interaction with another dog, you should take the following steps to reduce the likelihood of a fight breaking out:
- Get in between your dog and the other dog if you feel it is safe. This could be dangerous if the dogs that are interacting are large or heavy. So owners are advised to be cautious.
- If a fight does break out, you may be able to use a leash looped around your German Shepherds hind legs to pull them out of the fight.
- Teach your German Shepherd to avoid concentrating on other dogs during your walks by keeping your eyes forward and maintaining the same walking pace whenever another dog passes by.
If youre unable to get your German Shepherd to behave calmly and cooperatively with other dogs, you may have to take them for socialization classes.
Watch the video on dealing with aggression of a German Shepherd dog towards other dogs.
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What Does A 4
Usually, 4-month-old German Shepherds weigh about 33-40 pounds if they are males and 31-35 pounds if they are females. The size differences between males and females will likely be obvious at this point if it already wasnt at birth. By four months, itll be easier to tell how big your particular dog might get.
At birth, a puppys size is largely dependent on where they were in the mothers uterus, which plays a significant role in their nutrition. Once they are born, genetics tend to take over. At 4-months-old, the puppies have been growing according to genetics for long enough for you to guess what their adult size might be. A dog that is small at this age is likely to remain small.
Other Juvenile Period Physical And Behavioral Developments
During the juvenile or ranking period, German Shepherd puppies start to understand and learn about dominance and submission within a pack.
They can begin proper obedience training towards the end of this period, but you need to bear in mind that your puppys attention span is still quite short.
At around 4 months, they also go through a chewing phase as they start to lose their baby teeth, and they can enter another fear phase.
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As Their Display Of Protection
One reason why your German Shepherd cuddles with you is due to their natural instinct to protect. They dont seek it from you all the time.
German Shepherds, in nature, are loyal and possessive. They even identify specific members of their human pack as their favorites.
They will move to protect you from anything that poses a challenge to your safety. Thats how loyal they are. Sometimes, theyd do that by cuddling up with you to cover you.
German Shepherds observe anything they can pick up from in their surroundings. This comes natural because of their high intelligence and trainable nature.
At times, they will pick up from any random stimulus that will signal them to protect you. This is again because theyre always observing their surroundings.
Vitamin D For German Shepherd Ears
Unlike vitamin C, vitamin D is a different story. Your pup can produce some of their own vitamin D by basking in the sun, but thats not enough to meet their nutritional requirements.
To help meet their vitamin D requirements, you need to add vitamin D to their foods. Most commercial dog foods nowadays add vitamin D to their formula to ensure that dogs get the required amount of vitamin D that they need.
If you resort to feeding your pup with 100% natural diet foods, you need to add vitamin D to your pups diet since vitamin D deficiency is quite common in German Shepherds that eat home-prepared foods.
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How To Get A Ton Of Dog Hair Out
German Shepherds are a double-coated breed. Meaning there is two layers of coat: the surface coat , and a thicker under-layer called the undercoat – and it’s the undercoat that is responsible for most of the hair around your home or car.
As a groomer I use a few different techniques for deshedding your dog:
The best bang for your buck is the amazing Undercoat Rake – it’s simply a soft-pinned comb that effectively loosens up all that undercoat hair .
We’ll also use deshedding shampoos and treatments.
And finally, a high velocity dryer to literally blow the remaining coat off. This usually leaves your dog shed-free for at least a few weeks.
What Causes Heavy Breathing In Dogs
Since dogs do not sweat, Ponting can help keep them cool after exercise or in hot weather. Some dog breeds, such as the French Bulldogs and Pugs, can breathe heavily due to their short beaks.
However, there are certain conditions and illnesses that can cause excessive breathing in dogs, including:
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Old German Shepherd Diets
As dogs age, their dietary needs change.
Often, elderly dogs are less active than their younger counterparts. This means that they dont need the same amount of calories.
Many elderly dogs can become overweight as they begin to slow down if their food is not changed.
Being overweight can put extra tension on their joints and lead to a variety of health problems.
On the other hand, however, some dogs do the exact opposite as they age and get skinnier.
They can begin to eat less than they need due to dental problems or other disorders.
Because this varies widely from dog to dog, we recommend speaking with your vet about your particular dogs situation.
You should also ask your vet to teach you how to evaluate your dogs weight from home.
This skill will allow you to pick up on health problems before they become dangerous.
Is Taping A German Shepherds Ears Bad For Them
If you use the right tape to stand up your German Shepherds ears then, no, it isnt bad.
However, if you injure their ears because youve taped them improperly or inserted anything too far into their ear canal then, yes, this isnt healthy and is bad for them.
When in doubt, get your vet to show you what to do for their ears.
Your puppy might become annoyed with the tape on their ears, so they may need close supervision and even some distraction during the taping process.
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Transition To Adult Period: 16 Months 36 Months
At this point, there are no more major milestones for your German Shepherd to reach. They will, however, continue to grow during this time.
Female German Shepherds arent considered to be fully-grown until they are at least 24 months whereas some males arent seen as adults until 36 months.
Throughout this period, you should continue to feed them a high-quality food for German Shepherds to ensure that they grow at the proper rate, allowing their hips to develop normally. By the end of this period, they should reach their adult weight.
Heres a video showing how quickly a German Shepherd goes from being a puppy to a very adult-looking dog:
Why Does It Take Five To Eight Months For Your Gsds Ears To Stand Up Naturally
German Shepherd puppies need time to develop healthy cartilage that can hold up the weight of their ears. When they are finished teething, usually, youll start to see their ears beginning to perk up and flop down back and forth.
If their ears can permanently become straight just before the end of the five months , then their ears will be straight and pointy otherwise they might get floppy ears for the rest of their life.
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What Are Their Grooming Needs
To reduce the amount of hair that this breed leaves throughout the home, daily brushing is best. The best brush for a German Shepherd is a shedding brush. Bathing is another essential part of grooming, but be cautious not to over-bathe this breed because it can result in oil depletion from the skin, exacerbating skin conditions such as eczema.
Weekly teeth brushing and nail trimming are also essential parts of grooming a German Shepherd.
What If My German Shepherd Is Over Weight
If your German Shepherd is overweight, he is at risk of developing serious health conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. It will also put too much pressure on his joints, causing arthritis and immobility. The heavier he is, the harder it will be to move and to lose the weight.
Look at his food It should be high in lean protein, low in fillers and fat. Then, exercise your dog. Do not over-exercise or starve him to get him to lose weight. It will take time and patience to get him to a healthy weight.
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Grooming And Nail Care
The double coat of a German Shepherd is easy to maintain. They require weekly brushing, and occasional baths, says Richardson. They may shed profusely once or twice a year.
If you dont keep up with grooming, expect large tumbleweeds of shed hair around the house, says Downes.
Nails should be trimmed every six to 10 weeks to prevent overgrown claws.
Heavy Breathing In Puppies
In general, puppies have higher respiratory and heart rate rates than adult dogs. The normal breathing rate for a puppy is between 15-40 breaths per minute.4
Puppies breathe faster when they are asleep, which is a response to what they are dreaming about.
It usually occurs during the REM phase of the sleep cycle and may be accompanied by whimpers or leg movements all of which are completely normal.
Young children are at risk for infections and infections that affect the lungs, so if you suspect your puppy may be outside the routine, take them to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
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Stress Reliever For Dogs
It also relieves your dogs stress when you hug them, aside from it strengthening your trust and bond. It works quite like us, humans.
If a dog trusts you, receiving a display of physical affection from you will help them to relax. Their body temperature and heart rate normalize easier if theyre in a relaxed state.
Dogs can develop anxiety-induced bad habits from experiences that cause them stress. They can let go of these habits better if they are with someone that helps them to relax.
German Shepherd Weight Range And Growth Chart
Below you will find a chart that breaks down the overview above into more specific heights and weights, also including growth as a percentage to indicate how far along your German Shepherd is towards becoming a full grown adult.
This chart is a guideline, and as long as your GSD reaches the goals set forth in it, it doesnt matter if they are reached a bit sooner or a bit later as long as they are healthy during the process.
If you are concerned that your dog is gaining too much weight too quickly, or its growth seems to have halted, you should take your German Shepherd to a veterinarian to be checked out.
| Age |
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They Must Not Live Outside
Theres no point in getting a German Shepherd and then keeping them outside.
If outside, they are exposed to sun, rain and snow. Being exposed to the sun could lead to overheating.
And without mental stimulation, it could lead to other behavior problems.
They might dig or destroy your plants. The yard would be a mess with a hyper dog thats trying to release their pent-up energy.
If you live in an apartment, your dog could resort to excessive barking. And thats going to annoy a lot of people.
You can prevent all of these if you allow them to be a part of the family. Expose them to your activities. This way, they become extremely bonded to their owners.
When Is A German Shepherd Officially Elderly
There is no exact age when a dog is considered elderly. It depends a lot on genetics, diet, exercise routine, and overall health.
Dogs who experience many health problems might act older than they are, while other dogs can still act like puppies far into their life.
Generally, these dogs are considered elderly around eight years of age, according to the UC Davis Book of Dogs. However, this can differ quite a bit from dog to dog.
To figure out whether or not your dog is considered elderly, we recommend taking age, appearance, and behavior into account.
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How To Get Your German Shepherd To A Healthy Weight
Being overweight is very dangerous for this breed it increases their risk of heart disease and other diseases, and it places extra strain on their joints, particularly the hips this is important to note, because this breed is very prone to hip dysplasia. Dogs usually become overweight from a combination of overfeeding and under-exercising, just like humans.
- Help Your Dog Eat More Gradually: Instead of free-feeding your dog, divide their food into multiple small meals a day. You can use a slow feeder bowl or toy to help them eat more gradually. As your dog ages, its metabolism will slow down. So you may need to adjust its food as it grows from a puppy to an adult, and then from an adult to a senior. Make sure that you give minimal amounts of people food and keep treats to a reasonable level.
- Be Careful With Treats: When training or playing, you can reward your German Shepherd with small training treats or simply with toys.
- Make Sure Your Dog Exercises Regularly: Its also important to give your them regular exercisethey dont do well as couch dogs! These dogs should be getting at least an hour of exercise every day. So go for a walk, take a jog, or simply play fetch in the yard. It will be good for your health too.