Are German Shepherds High Maintenance
German Shepherds are high maintenance dogs they need to be groomed on a regular basis to keep their coat healthy and prevent the fur from matting, after walks where its muddy or wet make sure you brush your dog straight after the walk as this also stops the build-up of the coat from matting which can be very painful and uncomfortable for your dog if left untreated.
German Shepherds also need a lot of regular exercises, at least two hours a day to keep them happy and balanced, they need an owner who has plenty of time to give to them and give them the proper attention and training they need. Training is very important for a German shepherd as they are intelligent they want to learn new things, they have a lot of energy to burn and need to be kept mentally stimulated.
This breed can try and be the alpha male so firm but gentle hand needs to be given when training and to show who is in charge, this is why they are not recommended for first-time pet owners as they need someone who knows how to handle them, not socialised properly and trained can cause major behavioral problems.
How To Take Care Of Newborn German Shepherd Puppies
Normally, the mother GSD takes care of her litter. Humans generally avoid meddling because mother GSDs are very protective of their litter. However, you have to take charge if the mother GSD couldnt produce enough milk and doesnt want to take care of her litter.
But the question is, how can you take care of newborn German shepherd puppies?
To answer your question, we made this guide to help you care for your adorable German shepherd puppies.
Final Thoughts On Taking Care And Training Of An 8 Week Old German Shepherd Puppy
An adequately trained German shepherd dog will thrive well in your house. However, as you train your 8 week old German shepherd puppy, always remember that successful results wont come your way instantly. You will have to be patient and consistent.
That said, for any new German shepherd owner, the above guide will give you a head start on how to take care and train an 8 week old German shepherd puppy.
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How To Potty Train Your 8 Week Old German Shepherd Puppy
One of the issues that you will struggle with after getting a new puppy is house training. For the first few days, you will probably have sleepless nights and mostly feel frustrated.
Puppies at this age dont know the difference between right or wrong. They will decide to do their business where they wish, whether its on your shoes, your bed. I tell you, it will be a mess.
That said, I have compiled a guide on how you can house train your 8 week old German shepherd puppy.
You will need to be patient and consistent. Also, understand that accidents can happen any time, so dont show aggression on your dog.
If done correctly and consistently, puppies can be house trained by seven days.
First, you will need to create a routine or schedule.
For example, make it a duty to take your shepherd puppy out first thing in the morning after waking up. Afterwards you can also take them out after every 1 hour. Additionally, you can always be taking them out after they have finished eating.
Have specific meal times for your puppy. While at that, ensure the puppy is feeding on quality food. Consistent feeding times, coupled up with quality food, will ensure that your puppy has consistent bowels.
Be consistent, in that always take your puppy to do its business in one place. Changing places can confuse your German shepherd puppy.
Accidents May Happen
In case you find out that your puppy has done its business inside the house, clean the spot with an enzymatic cleaner to eliminate the odor.
Tips On How To Care For A German Shepherd
- / By Shepped Team
Caring for an energetic, enthusiastic, and loyal dog can be challenging. German Shepherds are all of those things and more.
When properly trained and raised, a German Shepherd will make an excellent family pet for you and your family. German Shepherds are excellent guard dogs and ideal long-term friends and companions.
However, it will take a great deal of patience to train and raise your new German Shepherd puppy properly.;
Contents
Recommended Reading: How Much To Feed A German Shepherd Puppy
Tips For Training Your Pup
Training a German Shepherd takes an exorbitant amount of time, and unless you have a huge amount of spare time it may be difficult for you to train your dog.
One of the best ways to tackle two of the most important parts of raising a puppyâsocializing and trainingâis to enroll them in some sort of puppy kindergarten or training course. Try to do this before your dog reaches 6 months old.
After you have completed basic training courses, your dog can be moved up into more personalized and advanced training lessons. German Shepherds are highly intelligent and can retain a lot of information about their lessons.
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.
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+ Facts About German Shepherds
Fun Fact: The majority of German Shepherd puppies born, the first pup will be a male.
Moving on to the facts section
German Shepherd Puppy Feeding Schedule
| Age |
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This is a general schedule. Your dog may eat more or fewer meals at each stage
Around 4 to 6 months old, your dog naturally eats less.
Your Shepherds longevity, health, energy, and overall condition all depend on the quality of their food.;You must choose the right food that is not only age-appropriate but made especially for a large breed .
A fit and healthy dog is one that is less likely to have behavior issues and gives you more daily cooperation. Poor nutrition increases your dogs susceptibility to diseases and infections and could increase aggressive disorders.
If youre concerned your puppy is too tiny, then read this next 5 Worrisome Reasons Why Your German Shepherd is So Small to help you find answers.
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Giving Your German Shepherd Plenty Of Attention
When learning how to take care of a German Shepherd, be prepared to spend lots of time with them. They also need plenty of attention as puppies. You should avoid leaving them alone for prolonged periods of time since they will not only get lonely but also get bored and potentially chew things or develop bad habits.
Appropriate alone-time for adult German Shepherds should not exceed 4 hours for adult dogs. As puppies, your GSD should spend even less time alone. To determine how long to leave your puppy alone, multiple their age by one. This ratio should be limited to 4 hours. For example, a 2-month-old puppy cannot be left alone for more than 2 hours.
You can give your shepherd attention by petting them, playing tug-o-war , playing fetch in the back yard and maybe even swimming with your dog if you live near a lake!;
Of course, if you bring your dog swimming, keep a close eye on them and make sure that they can swim fine since not all dogs can.
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.
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What Type Of German Shepherd Is Right For You
German shepherds vary in the length and color of their coats. You first need to decide if you would prefer a dog with a medium- or long-haired coat. German shepherds come in five different coat colors: saddleback, black, sable, panda, and white. However, the acceptance of these colors by kennel clubs around the world varies, so you should check with your kennel club if the color you want is acceptable for the breed. Of course, if you simply plan to have the dog as a pet, and dont plan to show the dog, any color that you find attractive will be fine.
The saddleback is the most common German shepherd color and refers to the black fur that covers the dogs back. They also have black muzzles. The rest of the dog is either tan or red.
Solid color German shepherds tend to be either black or white. While black is generally accepted in competition, whites are usually disqualified. Contrary to popular belief, white German shepherds are not albinos.
Panda German shepherds are quite rare, having occurred as a result of a mutation in a litter in the US. They have white on their stomach and legs, but black or tan over the rest of their bodies.
Sable dogs start off as tan, but their colors darken with age. These German shepherds develop varied patterns of tan, gray, black, and gold.
How To Take Care Of A German Shepherd Puppy
German shepherd dogs are famous for their intelligence, athletic abilities, and dedication to their family. Their mental and physical capabilities have made the breed the most popular police dog in the world. They are also among the most popular breeds for dog owners, who are drawn to the German shepherds handsome appearance, guarding ability, and acute intellect.
If you have decided to get a German shepherd, congratulations! You will be getting a faithful and loving companion who will be by your side for many years. However, you should be aware that not all households can accommodate a German shepherd. Before getting one, you need to be sure that you are able to provide the care that this dog needs. Furthermore, there are common problems that you should be aware of. Rampant breeding has resulted in some German shepherds that suffer from hereditary diseases.
While owning a German shepherd is a very rewarding experience, buying a puppy is something that you should do with a great deal of care to ensure that you and your dog have a wonderful life together. Read this article to discover what you should know about choosing and caring for a German shepherd puppy.
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How To Care For A German Shepherd
Courageous, loyal and highly trainable, the German shepherd dog tops the list as the worlds leading police, guard and military dog, according to the American Kennel Club. The first recognized German shepherds appeared in Germany in the late 1800s, the result of intentional crossbreeding between farming and herding dogs. Agile and muscular, the German shepherd is built for speed and endurance. Care for this active and alert breed requires early socialization, obedience training and attention to common German shepherd health issues.
Make Time For German Shepherd Grooming And Hygiene
Regular grooming and maintenance is a requirement for all GSDs. Their double coat serves as protection and insulation, but may also provide the perfect breeding grounds for bacteria and fungal infections if not maintained properly. A well-groomed GSD should have clean ears, a thick and shiny top coat, a healthy mouth with clean teeth and short, clipped nails.
Clean, healthy ears can serve as its own indicator that a GSD is well-groomed and properly taken care of. They should be pink and not smell or discharge any fluid.;
A well-groomed GSD coat is less likely to suffer from skin irritations and rashes, should have no trouble regulating its body temperature and can keep your GSD dry in most weather conditions.
GSDs that have hygienic mouths are less prone to tooth loss, periodontitis and halitosis. Healthy GSD mouths improve bite force, aid in digestion and are overall aesthetically pleasing.
Another good sign of a well-groomed GSD is its nails. You should not be able to hear a GSDs nails on hard surfaces or floors. Well maintained GSD nails improve a GSDs walking stance, posture and gait.
Read this article on German Shepherd health tips and a guide on German Shepherd grooming.
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Taking Care Of A Newborn German Shepherd Puppy
Now that you have new bundles of joy in your home, it will be your sole responsibility to give them premium care and attention.
What you will note is that each growth phase of a newborn German shepherd puppy has different needs.
Below are some of the stages that will guide you on how to take care of a German shepherd puppy :
What Is The Average Weight Of A Newborn German Shepherd Puppy
The average weight of a Newborn German Shepherd baby:
- The average birth weight of a newborn German Shepherd baby is anywhere from 0.08 pounds to 1.3 pounds
Which device is used for the measurement of the weight of Newborn German Shepherd puppies?
Measure every single puppys weight using a weighing scale and maintain a habit of logging it down daily.
Giving birth is the foremost primary deed, while maintaining a healthy environment to grow is the most prominent and important thing!
Tip: As the average litter size of a German Shepherd Dog is 8, it is certainly difficult to identify each baby German Shepherd. To simplify the process, tie different colors of thread to the necks of each newborn German Shepherd puppy.
Read Also: Why Do Police Choose German Shepherds
What Do German Shepherds Like To Do
German Shepherds need to be kept occupied and be kept mentally stimulated because they are so intelligent they need to be playing games or doing tasks that keep them challenged throughout the day, this is also so they dont become bored and depressed. They need an owner who can give them plenty of time and able to have a firm but gentle hand when it comes to training.
German shepherds are used a lot in the police force and army, their intelligence as well as amazing ability to sniff has given them a highly rewarded job roles. this breed loves nothing more than pleasing and being heroic so saving the day brings them nothing but happiness.
These dogs also love exercise and need at least two hours of walking a day. They also love working so being out on a farm all day running about is also another role well suited for this dog.
German Shepherd Giving Birth The First Time
Usually, after birth, the mother cuts the umbilical cord and cleans the puppies by gently pressing their bodies.
She starts with the genitals, then the legs complete with the rest of the body. She may not do so if she has no experience, or when she is exhausted after childbirth.
Use a disinfectant to clean the cords and a clean towel to gently massage the puppys body until it dries.
Immediately after delivery, the mother cannot secrete milk, but the yellow substance is colostrum. This colostrum is very nutritious for babies. It is very important in strengthening their immunity as it transmits their mothers natural antibodies.
In fact, 80 to 90% of new-born puppies die, as they could not benefit from colostrum.
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