When You Wake Up
Each day begins the same for you and your puppy. When the alarm clock goes off, wake up and get your puppy out of the crate and outside to do their business. Dont stop to make coffee, check emails, or brush your teeth.
Keeping the crate in or near your bedroom lets you hear a whimper or a whine if your pup needs to go out during the night or before your alarm sounds. When theyre still small, you may be able to pick your pup out of the crate to carry them outside. This will prevent them from stopping and peeing on the floor on the way to the door.
Always head out the same door to the same area where you want your puppy to potty, and keep them on a leash outside while training , so you can see whats happening and react immediately.
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Hes Bored With His Current Food
Just like humans, dogs can get tired of eating the same food every day. If he slowly loses interest in eating, you might want to try buying a different dry food, adding wet food to his dry food, or soaking his dry food in some warm water.
I wrote an article on the best diet for German Shepherds where you can find a ton of helpful ideas and suggestions, including all the types of diet you can feed your dog.
You can also see if hes willing to eat some scraps of meat or treats, which can help you determine if the food itself is the issue! If he is happy to take human foods from you, then you know that the loss of appetite in your German Shepherd is behavioral its funny how they regain their appetite when it comes to human food or tasty treats!
If your German Shepherd is refusing all food, then the most likely cause is that they are unwell.
Pointers For Feeding German Shepherds
Improper feeding practices can lead to serious health problems for German shepherds. Most of the time, these problems linger throughout the dogs lifetime.
You should remember this before doing something reckless, such as altering your German shepherd puppys feeding amount.
An owner is responsible for taking into consideration the age and weight of a German shepherd before feeding them. So here are some tips that can be applied according to your dogs age and weight.
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Is It Normal For A German Shepherd To Get Old
Your German Shepherd has reached the upper limit of their expected lifespan. Aging beyond this point is an accomplishment and testament to your dogs strength. However, their time is drawing ever nearer. You should expect that your dog will not want to move or eat much.
With age, dogs tend to lose their appetite and ultimately might lose a little weight. Its quite normal as aging can bring physical changes that may affect your German Shepherds appetite. Choosing dog food for seniors can significantly help with appetite issues.
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Why Do German Shepherds Have Sensitive Stomachs
The three most common reasons that your german shepherd may be suffering from a sensitive stomach is its food containing either lactose, gluten or low-quality meat. Thankfully, the risk of all three of these potential causes is totally removed by switching your dog over to a taste of the wild dog food.
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What Stops Diarrhea Fast
A diet known as BRAT may also quickly relieve diarrhea. BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. This diet is effective due to the bland nature of these foods, and the fact that theyre starchy, low-fiber foods. These foods have a binding effect in the digestive tract to make stools bulkier.
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Lifetime Expenses Of Owning A German Shepherd
The life expectancy of a German Shepherd is 9 to 13 years. Within this period, you will need to provide everything they need to live out their carefree lives.
From the data I discussed in the former section, we can compute the lifetime expenses of having a German Shepherd puppy companion.
The estimated expenses for the first year cost around $2,795 to $5,495, including the puppy.
Assuming that the average monthly cost for your dog is $160 for the succeeding years, we can estimate that the lifetime cost of tending a GSD is around $18,155 to $25,835.
However, this amount doesnt include miscellaneous expenses that may arise. Emergencies can happen anytime and you need to financially prepare for these situations.
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Why Does Age Matter
Paula Fitzsimmons, a veterinarian, notes that food travels through a dogs gastrointestinal tract three times as fast as a humans. The relevance behind this fact is dogs cannot hold in their poop and pee as long as their human counterparts.
According to Andrew Garf, a dog trainer, their age determines the degree of development the animal has when it comes to their biological ability to hold their pee and poop.
The timeline for the German Shepherd puppys defecation schedule will look like this:
During the first few weeks of the puppys life, the neonatal stage, their ability to hold their pee and poop is roughly a 30-minute span of time. The puppy often relieves themselves right after they eat a meal, according to the dog aficionados at Treat for Trick.
From eight to sixteen weeks, the puppy will now be able to control its bodily functions for a duration of two hours.
Once the dog reaches sixteen weeks of age, they will need to relieve themselves within a four hour period.
When they develop to six months in age, they can last until up to four hours.
Once theyve reached maturity, they may hold their urine and poop for around eight hours. This period of time begins between one and three years of age.
The above list is a general guideline and should serve as a frame of reference. Every dog is different, can be affected by other factors, and isnt guaranteed to follow the time frame down to the letter, so learn to ascertain their potty patterns through experience.
What Is A Gsds Nutritional Requirement
You can find more information about specific GSD nutritional requirements by
GSDs are carnivores, which mean they require a higher content of protein in their diet. This protein is what provides them energy and keeps them strong and healthy.
Protein also plays a vital role in your GSDs growth and it is recommended that a GSD get at least 22% of protein in its diet. It is best to feed pure protein to your GS instead of buying poor quality dog food that has corn syrup added as a filler which is extremely harmful to a dog.
The other nutritional requirement for a GS is fat.
Fat comes from protein and gives taste to a dogs meal. However, feeding too much fatty foods to your dog will be harmful to its health. While on the other hand, if you feed too less fat, it will create a lot of skin problems for your German Shepherd.
Feeding a raw diet starting at an early age will help your pup grow faster. A raw meat diet is also helpful in strengthening the bones and fights several diseases in GSDs. If meat shops are hard to find in your area, US Wellness Meats menu selection offers free shipping for online orders across the state.
Fat content in a dogs diet also keeps its fur healthy. As a GS sheds a lot of fur throughout the year, it is extremely important that it is given the right amount of fat in its food. AAFCO recommended fat content for German Shepherd is 5%-8%.
That is what the science says, and in our experience, you should obey it.
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How Do I Stop My German Shepherd Puppy From Eating Her Poop
Give your GSD a proper diet that includes digestive enzymes and probiotics. Make sure your German Shepherd is eating the best dog food available. Do not let your dog be bored because many GSDs will eat their own feces when bored. If your GSD is heading towards its feces, distract it using a toy or treat.
My Personal Experience With German Shepherds
As with any breed, theres the whole range of different personalities and characters and temperaments that you can come across. But today, I want to share what my general experiences with German shepherds has been like.
I can confidently say that the breed description given to German shepherds is pretty accurate. I have encountered many German shepherds who are physically and mentally strong, courageous, and often have a hard time backing down.
Of course, not all German shepherds fit this description. Ive come across many who are very fearful and nervous. But mostly, Ive seen the confident, strong-willed shepherds.
Whats fascinating to me with German shepherds is that, despite a strong personality, they do seem to want to work alongside you. They all seem to have a deep desire to connect with you, work for you, and do a great job.
Its almost like they want to be your partner rather than work independently. However, this means, if youre not sure what youre doing, they will very quickly step into the driving seat, which is a problem. You really dont want your German shepherd in charge of making the decisions!
Thats where theyre not a dog for everyone, because German shepherds play this game of Whos in charge, me or you? at a very high level. I call it the dog code.
Since then, Ive fallen in love with German shepherds. I could certainly see myself ending up with one in the future. And yes, I would fully trust this breed around my kids, my wife, and my other dogs.
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Stop Feeding Extra Treats Or Table Food
It is very easy to get into the habit of feeding your German Shepherd treats during training or to sneak a few scraps off your plate into your dogs mouth under the table at dinner.
But this can backfire big time if your dog decides they like your food or the treats better than their regular dog food.
To get your dog to eat their own food again, you may have to first stop feeding the treats and table food. Once your dog gets the message that those food sources are gone, they may decide to eat their own food again.
How Do You Know When To Take Your Gsd Puppy Outside To Potty
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Routine Care Diet And Exercise
Build her routine care into your schedule to help your GSD live longer, stay healthier, and be happier during her lifetime. We cannot overemphasize the importance of a proper diet and exercise routine.
- Supervise your pet as you would a toddler. Keep doors closed, pick up after yourself, and block off rooms as necessary. This will keep her out of trouble and away from objects she shouldnt put in her mouth.
- She needs a thorough brushing at least weekly most of the year. Twice a year she blows her coat and loses crazy amounts of hair daily brushing is recommended during this time.
- German Shepherd Dogs generally have good teeth, and you can keep them perfect by brushing them at least twice a week!
- Clean her ears weekly, even as a puppy. Dont worrywell show you how!
- She has a high prey drive, so she needs to be leash walked and a fenced yard is a must.
- She’s a large, smart dog with lots of energy, so keep her mind and body active, or she’ll get bored. That’s when the naughty stuff starts.
- Naturally a bit wary, she’s distrustful of strangers bond her to children early to trigger protective behaviors.
- Keep your dogs diet consistent and dont give her people food.
- Feed a high-quality diet appropriate for her age.
- Exercise your dog regularly, but dont overdo it at first.
How Long Can A German Shepherd Puppy Hold It At Night
A German Shepherd puppy of eight weeks cant hold his pee for seven or eight hours. His bladder is not big enough yet. However, it is possible that the puppy is so amazingly tired of all the new impressions that he sleeps throughout the first night.
However, this does not mean that this will also be the case all the following nights. It is most satisfying to place the puppy next to your bed in a crate that is not too big or box for the first few nights.
That way, youll be at a hearing distance of the pup, and you will hopefully wake up when he starts to toss and turn. This is the time to take the GSD puppy out to do his business.
If youre usually vast asleep and youre afraid you wont wake up in time, you can always set your alarm accordingly and wake your puppy up to pee. For example, get up at 4 oclock the first night and allow the German Shepherd puppy to do his or her needs.
If your puppy is still calm and did not have to go, you can set the alarm half an hour later the next day. Keep doing this until it is no longer necessary to let your puppy pee at night. You should expect to make a midnight potty run for at least a few weeks until hes able to hold it long enough.
To make the German Shepherd puppy housebroken as quickly as possible, it is up to you to prevent accidents. As soon as your puppy goes to lie in his crate during the day when he wants to go to sleep, you can leave him alone in the living room at night.
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Dealing With Constipation In Your German Shephard Puppy
In the event your German Shepherd puppy isnt pooping like normal, they may be dealing with constipation. Constipation is where your dog is having significant trouble defecating from their stool.
While there are more severe things that can cause constipation, such as a concurrent kidney disease or an enlarged prostate, often the dog has simply swallowed something difficult to digest.
Grass and hairs are frequent items that prevent the puppy from pooping normally. Dog bones, believe it or not, can cause this problem as well.
The experts at PetMD recommend providing the dog plenty of water, control bouts of their eating grass, and substitute a bone with a nylon chew toy.
Should the problem persist, take the puppy to a veterinarian clinic for the appropriate treatment. Depending on how severe the situation, the dog may require hospitalization for the purposes of an enema procedure to eliminate any obstructions in their rectum
What Is The Best Dog Food For German Shepherds With Sensitive Stomachs
So, what is the best dog food for German Shepherds with sensitive stomachs?
German Shepherds can develop a wide variety of gastrointestinal ailments, food sensitivities, and allergies that can make nutrition challenging. Of course, we know that challenging may be an understatement.
The good news is that there are so many great sensitive stomach, hypoallergenic, easily digestible, and hydrolyzed foods out there. There are surely one or two choices that fit your dogs needs.
Speak with your veterinarian and then peruse your options, because the right diet can do wonders for your dogs health.
Do you have a German Shepherd with a sensitive stomach, or have you found the best food for GSD with sensitive stomach? Let us know in the comments below.
Affiliate link disclosure: Links in this article marked with an * are affiliate links, and we may receive a small commission if you purchase these products. However, we selected them for inclusion independently, and all of the views expressed in this article are our own.
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Think About Taking Supplements
How long can a german shepherd live is all dependent on your care. Given that German shepherds are prone to painful joint illnesses, you should begin supplementing them with glucosamine and chondroitin as soon as feasible. The addition of fish oil to your german shepherds diet is highly recommended. Fish oil has been demonstrated to be beneficial for many conditions.
It can cure an infection in the intestines called irritable bowel syndrome. If you fail to give them the recommended supplement, the German shepherd might suffer from several diseases. And it can be a dysplasia of the hip or elbow problems. It may also be a problem with the spine or a surplus of triglycerides. And worst, a sense of unease in the heart. The dryness of the coat and itchy or prickly skin, and arthritis is other risk factor. You may want to read about best dog food to gain weight.