How To Take Care Of A Female German Shepherd Puppy

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 friend’s bones, joints, or muscles, you will be able to take great care of him throughout his life.

Are All Adult German Shepherds Potty Trained

No, not all adult German Shepherds are potty trained. Just because dogs are all grown up, doesnt mean they know how to eliminate themselves the way you expect them to. It all depends on what theyve been trained to do and what theyve gotten used to.

If youre welcoming a new adult German Shepherd into your home, theres a chance youll still need to potty train them. At the very least, youll need to get them used to your own home and your own rules.

Nevertheless, the general process of training an adult is pretty much the same as potty training a puppy.

Ensure Your German Shepherd Exercise Needs Are Met

Part of the challenge of owning a GSD is keeping up with its demanding exercise and play regimen. In general, you should be prepared to spend at least 2 hours a day exercising or playing with your GSD. Regular physical exercise is essential to maintain your GSDs strength, agility, and overall level of fitness.

Physical exercise also ties in with mental fitness. Typically, a GSDs mental health can easily be determined by how often they are engaged in their exercise or play activities. A mentally healthy GSD is properly socialized, exhibits signs of self-control, and shows strict obedience to its owners.

GSDs that do not exercise regularly are more prone to contracting obesity, become fatigued easily, and may experience symptoms of joint issues or bone problems early on in their life.

Familiarize yourself with your German Shepherds exercise needs.

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First Night With The Puppy

You have managed to get through the first day with your new companion. Now you have to prepare for the night. This will be a stressful experience for the puppy it will be the first night that it has spent on its own. The puppys instincts will cause it to whine and cry because, as a pack animal, it believes being on its own is dangerous. This is its way of calling to its mother and siblings. This is a great opportunity for you to build a rapport with your puppy while establishing your leadership.

Dont give your puppy any food or water at night or you will have to constantly take the puppy out or end up with several messes in your room. Before going to bed, make sure that the puppy is tired and ready to sleep. Play with it for a while and dont let it have a nap shortly before bedtime. Just before going to sleep, take the puppy to the soiling area and praise it when it does its job.

You can buy a puppy crate or have an adult one that is partitioned for your puppy. The crate should be furnished with soft, comfortable bedding and plenty of toys, including something to chew on. Once you have placed your puppy in the crate, give him a treat and close the door. It will shout and cry, but leave it alone. After some time and the puppy will cry for some time during the first night it will eventually drift off to sleep.

German Shepherds And Barking

As with any dog, German Shepherds are likely to bark. Their main purpose was for herding and guarding so they can be quite vocal when people walk past or enter or exit the house, but how much noise they make will vary from dog to dog. If youre having problems with excessive noise or barking, we recommend seeking the advice of an accredited behaviourist.

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Gloves Sterilized Scissors Thread And Antiseptic Solution

German Shepherd giving birth for the first time might have difficulty cutting her umbilical cord herself you will need to prepare to cut it for her. You will want to be sure that you have a pair of gloves, sterilized scissors, and a sterile area in which to perform the procedure, as well as some thread and some antiseptic solution.

How Long Do German Shepherds Stay In Heat

A German Shepherd female will enter the heat cycle, known as estrus, at roughly around 6 to 12 months of age. Your pet is about to go through some serious changes in her body as her estrogen levels rise and she will need to be kept comfortable and safe during the heat cycle. Read on to learn more about the length of the heat cycle for German Shepherds and how to take care of your dog.

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How Early Will A Female German Shepherd Come Into Heat

A female GSD can begin her heat cycle as young as 6 months old. This may vary anywhere between 6 months to 1 year, depending on their individual genetics.

If a female German Shepherd hasnt entered etrus around 1 year old its best to seek a vets professional advice to rule out any underlying health issues.

On average, she will come into her heat cycle every 6 months, though this could be as early as every 4 months for some females. Being in estrus, or in season can make a female dog moody and temporarily change its behavior and personality.

This is normal, but owners should be aware of this difference in their female dogs.

Owners must secure and contain their females to avoid any unnecessary mating and unwanted litters. All males within a short and long distance can smell a female in heat, so due caution must be taken.

Training Goal #: Crate Training

This is also a good time for crate training, which Adams recommends as well. GSD trainer and dog sports enthusiast Alexa Hagood, LVMT, agrees: Crate breaks, even when brief, can help the puppy become acclimated to going in the crate and having some alone time. She notes that this can help reduce the risk of a puppy developing separation anxiety, and recommends beginning with using the crate for feeding times , and at times when the owner needs to do daily chores.

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Common Mistakes You Should Avoid

There are some common mistakes that could make potty training your German Shepherd puppy go less smoothly than you intend.

Watch out for these little things

When To Take A German Shepherd Puppy Out

• As a first time German Shepherd owner, heres your crash course in house training your new dog: Take your puppy out every 2 to 3 hours and especially first thing in the morning, after eating, after play or exercise, and right before their bedtime.

German Shepherd puppy to adult food? Once your German Shepherd puppy has reached the stage to change him over to adult food, gradually begin changing his… Next, feed your puppy 1/2 adult food and 1/2 puppy food for several days*. After a few more days have passed, start feeding your puppy …

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Check The Newborn Puppy

Right after the birth, make sure that the puppies are breathing properly. If a puppy does not appear to be breathing or if it seems like they are having trouble breathing, take them out and rub firmly across their back while covering them with a towel. This will stimulate the puppys muscles into crying out and breathing.

Things You Should Know First

German Shepherd newborns cant see until they are between 8 and 14 days old, nor can they hear until they are 5 to 8 days old. However, they can sense the warmth of their mothers body and will crawl to be close to her.

German shepherd puppies are usually born black with grey or dark blue eyes, but their physical traits and colors start changing as they grow.

The puppies dont stand up until they are at least 2 to 4 weeks in age.

Nor will they begin to bark until that age.

In a German Shepherds first litter, if more than 4 GSDs are born, the puppies surpass their mothers capabilities. Unfortunately, this means there is a potential that some newborns die, get sick, or remain very weak if you dont intervene.

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Dog Essentials

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How Often Does A German Shepherd Go Into Heat

Some German Shepherd females may go into heat every 4 months, while others may only have one heat cycle per year. The length of the cycle might also vary with some dogs experiencing cycles that last longer than 28 days. Every female German Shepherd will have her own cycle and you will need to learn to anticipate it to help your dog through the process.

German Shepherd Puppy Communication Guide

These are some basic puppy commands you should use.

Familiar words such as those in this list help your dog feel connected and start bonding with you.

Be sure to follow this easy German Shepherd puppy training guide to begin their basic obedience commands at home.

Your dog doesnt develop impulse control until 6 to 8 months old. Keep this in mind when discouraging behaviors and using corrections.

After safety and security, your dog has five basic needs:

• eating
• and playing

They live their days around these basic needs.

Your dog may become easily overwhelmed if you dont meet these needs. A dog who nips and scratches you arent always wanting to play but may have other needs that you arent meeting.

Its your job as their leader to understand what your puppy needs and to make sure you meet these demands.

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How Do You Puppy Proof For German Shepherds

German Shepherds are naturally active and tend to explore the world with their mouths, especially during their adolescent period. So, before you can bring your new puppy home, there are a few things you can do to puppy-proof your house:

• Get rid of any poisonous plants or put them out of reach of your new puppy.

• Cover electrical cords with cable wraps or PVC pipes.

• Buy a new laundry basket that has a lid, no holes, and is tall.

• Make sure both your kitchen and bathroom trash cans have lids. Your new puppy will dig around for anything to bite, like chicken bones, diapers, used hygienic products, or even a disposable razor. If possible, you should buy new trash cans that only open when a button is pressed.

• Store all the chemicals in secured cabinets or even better on high shelves. German Shepherd puppies have strong teeth and can open plastic containers by biting through even the toughest of plastic!

• Put away any small items or toys that are small enough for your puppy to swallow. Think of small kid toys that could be dangerous for a curious puppy.

• Find a safe spot for your shoes. Whether in a closed closet or in the laundry room behind a closed door. I remember losing a pair of brand-new shoes because I forgot to put them away and Allie thought chewing them was a fun idea.

Pee Pads Or Paper Are Not Helpful

Although you can easily teach your German Shepherd puppy to use pee pads or paper, it only complicates potty training.

Why?

Well, because at some point they will need to be transitioned from pee pads or paper to outside.

So essentially you’re adding an extra step to potty training. This can cause confusion and potty training accidents.

Rather go for gold and get your pup conditioned to using their toilet outside!

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Invest In Your German Shepherd Diet

A GSD is a highly active dog breed and will benefit greatly from eating certain foods and diets. Depending on what stage you adopt a GSD, familiarization with certain diets for each stage of a GSDs life will save you a lot of money and be very beneficial for its overall health in the long run.

GSDs that consume a healthy, well-balanced diet have fewer digestion problems, can play and exercise a lot longer, are less vulnerable to contracting diseases or illnesses, and live longer and healthier lives.

However, remember that GSDs are also known to have allergies to certain foods and diets with side effects ranging from mild and uncomfortable to life-threatening.

Heres a guide on how to properly invest in your German Shepherd diet.

German Shepherd Growth & Weight Chart

These numbers are estimates to give you an idea of how much a German Shepherd weighs month by month. Dont worry if your puppy is slightly behind or ahead just be sure to take your pet to regular vet appointments to ensure they are healthy and happy!

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How To Care For A Female German Shepherd

Pet owners should appreciate the differences between the male and female German Shepherd

Female German Shepherds differ from male dogs, requiring an alternative approach to raising these dogs.

Besides being smaller than the males, the females temperament is slightly different. She also goes into heat, which the male does not.

Despite sharing similar , the female also has other potential health problems that the male doesnt suffer.

Although the German Shepherd genders share many similarities, it is best for potential pet owners to understand their differences to take care of females better.

Once you know how these genders differ, it becomes easier to decide which you want as a pet.

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to be smaller than the male dog. Most females are smaller than males, especially with dog breeds

makes for a beautiful, loving pet that is easier to train than the male.

The is also more protective than the male due to her maternal instincts.

Likewise, the male German Shepherd is protective of its territory but is also slightly more challenging to train due to its stubborn dominance streak.

Female German Shepherd Dog Health Issues And Testing

There are some health issues that both male and female GSDs share in common. These issues include hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, cardiac issues, eye issues, autoimmune thyroiditis, and degenerative myelopathy. Only hip and elbow dysplasia are currently required tests for reputable breeders, with the remainder being optional health tests.

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Digital Thermometer And Indoor/outdoor Thermometer

You will need a thermometer to monitor the temperature of the mother, her pups, and your nest area to make sure that it is warm enough. In addition, you will want to check the temperature outside of the nest to make sure that it is not too cold . If you are having trouble regulating the temperature inside and out, it may be a good idea to put your female GSD in an enclosed whelping box.

German Shepherd Breed Development

German Shepherd Dogs are very large dogs, and all very large dog breeds require 2 to 3 years to fully mature. Female GSDs tend to develop quicker than males. There are several German Shepherd growth stages through which these dogs go as they grow, and this section will discuss them. The early stages are anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months each, and the adolescent stage is the longest one. It’s best to get a GSD growth calculator with pictures so you can completely understand the puppy to adult growth rates and stages.

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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.

Giving Your German Shepherd Space During The Birth

Oddly enough, one of the best ways to care for your German Shepherd during her birth journey will be to leave her alone. All dogs are instinctual in ways that amaze us mere humans. German Shepherds are animals that are especially gifted in the instinct department.

GSDs are also incredibly smart. So, between their instincts and intelligence, they have a knack for understanding what to do during and after giving birth. They will know what is best for their health, as well as the health of their newborns.

Interfering too much during birth can cause frustration and even anger from your German Shepherd.

While she will most likely understand you are trying to help she knows best, and she will need her space. Once you have completed all preparations and have done all that you can from your end, the best thing you can do is sit back and enjoy the incredible experience of watching your German Shepherd Dog give birth.

Its amazing to see their instincts take over and to watch them handle the birth and care for their pups afterward, even if this is their first litter.

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