Taking Care Of A Female German Shepherd In Heat
Related Reading
There are many ways of caring for a female German shepherd in heat. With what you learned in the previous topics, you should already have an idea of what to do.
Practice Good Hygiene: As previously mentioned, one of the signs that a German shepherd is in heat is bleeding.
So, to avoid stains in your house, you should keep your female German shepherd clean at all times. She may also clean herself by licking.
In this case, you can simply cover your furniture since your female GSD are likely to rub against them. That way, you can leave your dog be and let her clean lick herself as a dog should.
Attend to Your Dogs Needs: A female German shepherd in heat is likely to undergo some personality changes. Thats why you should always pay attention to what your dog is doing.
For example, if shes being restless, you can play with her, brush her hair, or do anything that involves activity.
Keep Your Dog Inside: If you dont want your female dog to be pregnant, Id suggest leaving the doors closed every time you go out. Why?
During the heat cycle, male dogs will be hanging out in your place waiting for your female pet to go outside. So to minimize the risks of accidental mating, its only natural to avoid these male dogs.
If youre able to do all these, you dont have to worry about any problems coming your way with a German shepherd in heat.
German Shepherd Puppy Feeding Guide: Birth To 12 Weeks
All dogs should stay with their mother for no less than eight weeks, ideally up to ten weeks. During this time, the mother will nurse the pups until they are old enough to begin eating puppy mush.
Puppy mush is usually regular dog kibble thats been soaked in water, formula, or homemade puppy milk made with human-grade ingredients.
After the puppies are fully weaned from their mothers milk, they will get all of their nutrition either from puppy mushmade progressively drier every few daysor other puppy-safe foods.
Its important to continue feeding your puppy whatever the breeder started them on, at least for the first few weeks. This will help prevent gastrointestinal distress.
Also, be certain it is food intended for puppies and not adults or senior dogs. Adult dog foods do not have the proper nutrients to support a growing puppy.
Once your German Shepherd puppy is homebetween 8 and 12 weeksyou may begin weaning them off of the breeders food and introducing their new foodif youve decided to switch, that is.
Over the course of the next few weeks slowly introduce the puppys new food into her old food, adding more of the new food each day.
Start with ¾ of the serving of the old food and ¼ of the new food. After a few days, make it half and half. After the first week or so, make it ¾ the new food and ¼ the old food. Then by two to three weeks, your pup should be fully on her new food.
Choosing The Right Dog Food For Your German Shepherd
Since puppies have different nutritional needs as compared to adult German Shepherds, it can be quite confusing to determine which food you should get for your dog.
But really, it shouldnt be. After all, commercial dog food companies have made it easy by producing specially formulated dog food that provides specific nutrients a dog needs based on breed and age.
And so the only thing you have to do is confirm whether or not a specific dog food brand satisfies a German Shepherds nutritional requirement.
That said, there are a lot of choices in the market out there. So if youre ever unsure of what to feed your German Shepherd, feel free to ask a veterinarian for recommendations.
Also Check: How To Draw A Cute German Shepherd
How Can Breeding Age Affect My Gsds Puppies
The eventual goal of breeding is to have a healthy litter of puppies, right? If that is the case, then the breeder first needs to understand how a healthy pregnancy resulting in healthy puppies can be achieved and how age will affect the goal they have in mind.
Breeding at a Young Age
For any German Shepherd, Male or Female, breeding too young can bring serious consequences to the puppies.
However, it is really the result of breeding a female too early that brings about a greater number of problems.
The risk to both mother and puppy increases when a mother is younger than when she is older.
A young mother is not fully developed herself, and as she tries to carry out a full term pregnancy, her puppies can be a drain on her and she will have an increased risk of stillbirth and miscarriage.
With mothers as young as a year old, a German Shepherd could easily die during the whelping process as her pelvis is not fully developed thus endangering the lives of her puppies as well.
Breeding at an Older Age
Now that a female German Shepherd is of age, what happens when he or she is too old to be bred?
Chances are, there will be much more risk involved if the mother is bred at an older age.
For older German Shepherds, a mother has an increased risk of stillborn births and miscarriage than she would at a more proper age.
Even beginning to breed a German Shepherd as at late as four years old can cause some serious consequences and difficulties in the whelping process.
Feeding Guidelines By Weight
German shepherds can be of different weight ranges. Thats why the feeding plan of your dog can be complicated. Fortunately, theres a calculation for the feeding amount of German shepherds according to weight.
- Inactive German Shepherds: For every 1 kilogram your dog weighs, theyll need 40 calories a day.An average weighted German shepherd will then need 1400 calories per day. This only applies to German shepherds that do not exercise or are inactive.
- Active German Shepherds: In the case of active German shepherds that exercise regularly, every 1 kilogram equals 55 calories per day.So an average weighted German shepherd will require 1925 calories per day to be able to function properly.
Take note, however, that this calculation may be affected if the German shepherd has a health disorder concerned with metabolism or digestion.
You May Like: When Do Gsd Stop Teething
Effects Of Breeding A Younger Than Recommended Gsd
2 years is the right age of maturity for both male and female GSD. Apart from reaching the right maturity levels it also helps to conduct the OFA testing and x-rays testing to check for hip and elbow dysplasia.
This is the most prone disease for a German Shepherd. It is important to check for the genetic traits for both for below as well.
- Arthritis
- Degenerative myelopathy
Health testing helps in producing litters who are healthy.
If you breed a GSD female earlier than two years, she may not be physically ready and this may have negative effects like still births or serious issues during whelping as her muscles may not be large or strong enough.
How Long Do German Shepherds Live
The average life expectancy for the German shepherd dog is between 10 and 13 years.
Female German Shepherds live an additional 1.4 years on average than males. In general, female German Shepherds live to a median of 11.1 years, however, males have a median lifespan of 9.7 years.
Like all dogs, some German Shepherds can live past their average lifespan. There are reports of German Shepherds living into their late teens , but theyre largely unverified. A German Shepherd mixed breed reached 15 years of age in Scotland in 2017. Perhaps reaching an even older age was a German Shepherd left at a shelter in Gardena, California in 2014 that was estimated to be 17 years old.
You May Like: At What Age Is A German Shepherd Fully Grown
Caring For Your German Shepherd
German Shepherds are fantastic dogs and its easy to see why they are such a popular breed. However their size and strength means they arent suited to all families and need a lot of space to burn off their energy. Youll need to make sure you have a lot of time to spend with these dogs and you are committed to providing for their exercise needs every day.
German Shepherd Feeding Frequency
Much like the feeding amounts, your German Shepherds meal frequency will vary depending on its age. Heres how many times you should feed your German Shepherd daily:
- During the weaning process or at 8 weeks old and below: 4 daily feedings spaced at equal intervals.
- 8 weeks to 9 months old: 3 daily feedings spaced at equal intervals.
- 9 months to 12 months old: Transition to two daily feedings, once in the morning and the other in the evening, and about 12 hours apart.
- 12 months old above: Two daily feedings unless advised a different schedule by the veterinarian.
For evening meals, it would be best if you feed your German Shepherd a few hours before bedtime. That way, youll prevent your dog from having excess energy and needing to go on toilet breaks during the night.
Recommended Reading: How To Get A German Shepherd To Like You
What Age Do Puppies Get Their First Set Of Shots
For optimum protection, our Cordova vets recommend that your puppy receive their first round of vaccinations as soon as they are weaned, between six to eight weeks old. After that, your puppy should receive a series of shots every two to four weeks until they are about 14 weeks old.
Video Answer: German Shepherd Training: How To Train A German Shepherd Puppy In 10 Steps
The German Shepherd breed is known for their aggressive behaviors and tendencies.
In fact, they are often touted for this behavior and it is utilized to make good, strong guard dogs.
German Shepherds are considered good guard dogs but if they are not trained guard dogs, then you need to curb any aggressive tendencies.
The breed was actually created by the cross breeding of working sheep dogs from rural Germany by an ex cavalry officer called Max von Stephanitz whose aim was to create a working dog for herding which could trot for long periods.
- In the English language, the breed’s officially recognized name is German Shepherd Dog . The breed is known as the Alsatian in Britain and Ireland. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with their origin dating to 1899.
- The Miniature German Shepherd Bred From Runts. The term runt can refer to the smallest puppy in the litter. To a breeder, it means puppies whose weight at birth is abnormally low. To clarify, defined this way, you could have an entire litter of runts.
Recommended Reading: German Husky Mix Puppies For Sale
Experience Level For Owning A Black German Shepherd
We only recommend these dogs for experienced dog owners. Preferably, you should have owned at least one dog before. It is recommended that you have some experience with more active dogs, as well. A Shih Tzu isnt going to do much to prepare you for a German Shepherd.
These dogs are quite active and tend to be high-energy. Without the appropriate amount of exercise, they can easily become destructive. In fact, most of the destructive behavior associated with a German Shepherd is due to a lack of stimulation.
German Shepherds require extensive training as well, so it is best if they have a handler that has previously trained dogs. They are quite easy to train, so you dont have to be an expert by any means.
If youre interested in owning a German Shepherd, we highly recommend taking your time to consider just how much work these dogs require. They will take up a few hours a day as puppies and require as much as an hour or two of exercise alone. These arent dogs for the casual dog owner.
Children And Other Pets
If they’re well-trained and have had plenty of exposure to kids, especially as a puppy, a German Shepherd is a great companion for children. In fact, some say they’re a cross between a babysitter and a cop, both gentle with, and protective of, the children in their family.
This is a big dog, though, capable of mistakenly bumping a toddler or small child. True to their reserved nature, they’re not tail-wagging friendly with kids they don’t know, but they’re generally trustworthy.
The German Shepherd can also live peacefully with other dogs and pets, as long as they’re taught to do so from puppyhood. Introducing an adult German Shepherd to a household with other pets can be more difficult if the dog isn’t used to getting along with other dogs or cats. You may need to hire a professional trainer to help, or get advice from the rescue organization if that’s where you acquired the adult German Shepherd.
Recommended Reading: How Much To Feed Gsd Puppy
What Is The Best Age To Neuter A German Shepherd
A recent study in veterinar y medicine and science suggests that it is healthiest to neuter GSD after they have reached full maturity sometime between 18 to 24 months of age. German shepherds neutered before the age of 1 have a significantly higher risk of cranial cruciate ligament tears or ruptures.
Neutering is a serious decision, but one supported by the American Veterinarian Medical Association. Of course, what age you neuter your dog could have a significant effect on how your dog develops in the future.
What To Watch For
Any abnormal symptom could be a sign of serious disease or it could just be a minor or temporary problem. The important thing is to be able to tell when to seek veterinary help and how urgently. Many diseases cause dogs to have a characteristic combination of symptoms, which together can be a clear signal that your German Shepherd Dog needs help.
Read Also: Best Age To Spay German Shepherd
East German Shepherds Military Precision
The East German Shepherd has an incredible amount of focus on the tasks they are assigned and perform miracles in obedience
East German Shepherds also known as DDR German Shepherds. The acronym DDR stands for the former Soviet zone of occupied Germany, known as Deutsche Demokratische Republik.
If you are looking for a hard-working dog that will search for contraband, drugs, or has capabilities that allow it to function and aid search and rescue teams, then look no further
An East German Shepherd is perfect for you.
Since East German Shepherds are bred to have high drive and energy, they retain an incredible amount of focus on the tasks they are assigned and perform miracles in obedience.
Although they have plenty of drive and a desire to work, an East German shepherd from a good working line is not hyperactive.
They are always on point 24/7 and looking to get involved in the next task.
A well-bred Shepherd from this bloodline should also have a stable temperament, great disposition, and know ways to relax.
East German Shepherds rarely make suitable pets, and I strongly recommend against trying to own one as a family companion.
While any dog is trainable, they require a deep level of professional handling and training and are solely bred for protection and work.
Remember, German Shepherds are one of the most powerful dogs in the world, and there is no margin of error when it comes to handling one.
Is It Time To Spay Or Neuter Your Dog
A 1 year old female German Shepherd is likely to have had her first heat already. Many vets prefer to arrange spay surgery promptly after a heat cycle, in order to avoid performing it just as a new heat cycle is beginning. If spay surgery isnt something youve considered yet, you can talk over the pros and cons at her next vet check, and when the optimal time for surgery would be.
Don’t Miss: German Shepherd Drawing Easy
Supplements For German Shepherds
The vast majority of commercially available dry kibble is complete and balanced for your dog, assuming its a high-quality food.
That means there is almost never a reason to supplement your dogs diet with additives, vitamins, or herbal supplements. In fact, adding these things to a healthy dogs diet can cause a lot of harm.
Never supplement your dogs diet unless directed by a veterinarian. In those cases, they will prescribe or suggest canine-safe products to cover your GSDs special needs.
Human supplements are often unregulated, minimally effective, and often contain substances harmful to animals. Never use a human supplement for your German Shepherd.
History Of German Shepherd Breeding
German Shepherds or the German Shepherd Dog came into being as a breed in the late 1800s. Max von Stephanitz of Germany had an interest in the working dogs in his native Germany. Here they were selectively bred to have those qualities that could do the job of herding and protecting a flock from predation. At the time, there was a disagreement among dog enthusiasts about whether a dog should be judged on its looks or on its ability to work.
Max von Stephanitz began looking for a working dog that had it all. At a dog show in 1899, von Stephanitz finally came upon what he considered to be the perfect specimen. He purchased him and named him Horand von Grafrath . This dog was the first dog registered in von Stephanitzs new breed club, The Society of German Shepherds. Horand von Grafrath sired many puppies including Hector von Schwaben.
One direct descendant of Horand von Grafrath, Beowulf, was the sire of over eighty puppies. The first German Shepherd dogs were the result of many inbreedings from Horand and his offspring. Several have stated that wolf crosses were among the dogs bred into this early closed gene pool. However, recent genetic testing would belie immediate wolf ancestry. While German Shepherds may appear more wolf-like than some other breeds, they do not appear to have the DNA to match.
Don’t Miss: At What Age Do German Shepherd Puppies Stop Biting