Mouth And Tongue Movements
Here we will explain all of the possible meanings, but it is very important that you familiarize yourself with your dog to learn how he is feeling through your own observation.
Again, nobody knows your dog better than you. You are the person best situated to interpret your dogs behavior.
Use these guidelines as a reference point, and apply your personal knowledge about your dog to understand what he may be feeling.
Are German Shepherds Affectionate Dogs
German Shepherds were bred for intelligence, bravery, and loyalty, which is why theyre so commonly used for police and military work around the world. But those traits wont necessarily make for a loving and affectionate canine.
On the other hand, German Shepherds are known for how well they work with people, driven by a deep desire to please their human companions.
And dont forget that were talking about one of the smartest dog breeds there is. GSDs are ranked third in canine intelligence, surpassed only by Poodles and Border Collies.
Altogether, this adds up to a dog that bonds strongly with their human companions and shows lots of love and affection.
Of course, the way a GSD shows affection for their family is far different than how their family shows affection for them.
Even so, there are good reasons why German Shepherds have been the second most popular breed of dog for the last decade, starting with their loving and affectionate natures.
Short Facts About German Shepherd
Known as a fine worker, the German Shepherd Dog is loyal, muscular and intelligent.
Among the top 10 most popular breeds in the US, these dogs are one of the most recognized breeds in the world.
These dogs have high energy who was once bred to herd flocks.
German Shepherds are easily trained, able to take on the role of a national hero.
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Never Discipline By Pushing Your Dogs Nose In Their Accidents
Never discipline a German Shepherd puppy for having accidents during potty training.
Whether your German Shepherd is potty trained or not, never push their faces into their potty accidents.
Even if you think your dog soiled in your house on purpose, punishing them for having an accident indoors wont necessarily prevent it from happening again.
This also isnt discipline for a German Shepherd, its abuse, both physically and mentally.
Your dog is counting on your leadership to show them the rules in a positive manner. Work on setting a consistent schedule with feeding and walks to avoid potty accidents indoors.
German Shepherds are easy to train given the right attention.
And they need to understand their schedule by having you teach them using consistent patterns, rather than receiving punishment or discipline.
Keep a potty schedule posted nearby so all your family can see it and help prevent your puppy from having an accident.
German Shepherd Signs Of Affection
German Shepherds are mostly known for their intelligence, courage, and agility. However, most GSD parents will attest to the fact that theyre incredibly affectionate.
If they could speak, theyd probably tell you they love you and appreciate you a thousand times a day. But since they cant verbalize their feelings, they show their affection in multiple non-verbal ways.
Of course, different dogs will show their love in different ways. Here are some of the most common German Shepherd signs of affection:
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What Kind Of Treats Should You Give Your Dog
Treats is an obvious answer most dogs are thrilled by them. The problem, however, is that most traditional dog treats tend to be heavily processed. Due to this, they arent the best options for your dog.
If you dont mind taking the time and effort, you can try your hand at making dog treats. Whats great about this is that you can incorporate your dogs favorite tastes and textures, customizing it specifically for them.
Another other option is to find better quality treats. You can find homemade treats from local bakers and stock up on those. You can also look for treats that contain high-quality ingredients but also maintain a great flavor and texture.
Tail That Suddenly Stops Wagging
If your GSD was wagging his tail and then suddenly stops, then its time to pay close attention.
This behavior is a sure indication that there has been a sudden change within your dogs emotions.
The change could just be as simple as something piquing his curiosity perhaps a squirrel he noticed outside of the window.
However, a tail that suddenly stops wagging can also indicate a potentially dangerous situation, especially if the German Shepherd in question is interacting with someone specifically.
It will be a sign that something in the interaction has changed, and not for the better.
So stay aware of this, and should it happen, take a calm approach and remove your dog from the interaction.
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Build A Routine Or Structure
Choose between building a routine or a structure. Either way, it will help toward calming your German Shepherd.
Some owners and dogs thrive on routine. Its when you have a set schedule for activities. For instance, your German Shepherd eats their breakfast at 6am and 6pm.
On the other hand, structure is for people who dislike strict schedules. You can set a schedule for activities without being strict about the time.
For instance, your dog knows you will take them for a morning walk when you wake up. And not necessarily at 6am. This is great for days when you feel like sleeping in.
Hell Follow You Around
German shepherds are very social dogs and love to have human company as well as canine company. They have a natural ability to develop strong bonds with their owners and as a result, can become glued to their side.GSDs do have a tendency to follow their owners around the house and this is usually a harmless way to stick by your side, make sure you are safe, and to have company. But this should be monitored carefully as its also an early sign of separation anxiety, which is a serious condition that youll want to avoid. If your German shepherd follows you around, its a clear sign of having a strong bond, just be sure it isnt due to anxiety.
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Your German Shepherd Will Bring You Their Toys
If your German Shepherd keeps bringing toys to you, its a dog way of showing you love and affection. If its your German Shepherds favorite toy, you cant get a higher recommendation than this!
Why? Its their way of wanting to play with you, but also showing that you are the leader of the pack. By offering you their well-loved toys, it means they trust you to be responsible for their favorite possessions.
If your German Shepherd gives you a toy, it means your German Shepherd is happy and loves you. After all, if they share that toy, it means they want you to like and enjoy it just as much as they do.
Sharing is caring, and its one way of telling your German Shepherd is happy for you to be in their life.
Your Dog Snuggles Up Close At Night
“award-winning snuggles” by hillary h via Flickr. License info.
A grateful dog may cuddle as close as possible while you sleep. And in the morning, instead of jumping up early for food, she may delay eating to get a little extra snuggle time. No complaints there!
There’s never a dull moment when your dog’s happy! Be sure to fuel that happy wag every day with a bowl of her favorite Natures Recipe® dog food.
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Purebred Vs Crossbred Vs Mongrel
- A purebred is a dog with parents and an ancestral line that contains only dogs of the same breed. This type of dog is often sought after because owners can depend on the lineage to predict its size, health, and overall disposition. In this case, youd have a purebred German Shepherd.
- A crossbreed is the result of intentional breeding. Different purebreds are selected to create a different breed, with the desire of getting the best traits of both breeds. Again, these dogs are sought after because of the predictable outcomes in size, health, and disposition. Examples include a GSD mixed with a Lab or a Husky.
- A mongrel, otherwise known as a mixed breed or mutt,is a dog that results from nature. The sire and the dam are often mixed breeds, so the lineage is almost impossible to trace with any accuracy without DNA testing. However, educated guesses can be relatively successful. In the case of a GSD with questionable genetics, a German Shepherd may be a few generations back in the bloodline.
Knowing the dogs mix is for more than satisfying the familys curiosity. This knowledge helps owners make wise decisions for the dog in healthcare, food, and training.
Your German Shepherd Gives You The Big Puppy Dog Eyes
German Shepherd have some of the most expressive eyes of any dog, and not just because of the unique appearance. Like all dogs, they can give you the classic puppy dog eyes, which is a sign of a happy German Shepherd.
But why do dogs do this?
Theres actually some science behind it apparently dogs have developed the ability to make your heart melt with a simple gaze as part of their domestic evolution. Its a response behavior as dogs know it triggers a positive response in humans.
Happy dogs will relax their eyes, angry and scared dogs will narrow their eyes. So, if you see those soft German Shepherd eyes, you know yours is happy and loves you.
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Learn About The Measurements Of Your Puppys Parents
The next step to take in guesstimating your German Shepherd puppys adult height, weight, and size is to learn as much as you can about the mother and father dog.
Find out from your breeder what the exact height, weight, and length measurements are for each parent dog. You can also ask the breeder about how long it took each parent dog to complete its growth.
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Social Meetings With Friends
Another way to help keep your German Shepherd happy is to let them enjoy meeting their other dog friends.
This breed enjoys having a pack to help control, so seek out dog groups where there are other sociable dogs for your German Shepherd to meet. Socializing with other dogs lets your German Shepherd release some of its pent-up energy.
If you have an anxious or over reactive dog work on their behavior issues before introducing them to new dogs and groups.
Knowing how to make a German Shepherd happy doesnt mean forcing them to meet other dogs when theyre not ready and prepared.
Quite the opposite!
It means introducing them in the appropriate ways with known dogs that are also good with other dogs. Having a social life outside of you and your family gives your German Shepherd the chance to keep their social skills up-to-date.
Playing with their doggies friends helps keep your German Shepherd happy and allows you the opportunity to meet others, too!
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Not Showing Affection Doesnt Mean He Doesnt Love You
If youre worrying because your German shepherd isnt displaying signs of affection, it doesnt mean he doesnt love you. All German Shepherds are different and some will be more independent, stubborn, and happy to just keep themselves company. Its just how it is for some dogs.Focus on being a good leader, providing a safe environment, giving great exercise, ensuring hes consuming a healthy diet, and always show him your love and attention. Thats all you need to do, and its guaranteed that hell love you back, whether he lifts his left eyebrow when you look at him or not! Managing our own expectations is important and we have to remember that the way we communicate with dogs is not perfect and its not as easy as saying I love youI wuff you too
Ways To Give Your German Shepherd Exercise
German Shepherds are a breed that was bred to do energy-intensive tasks on a daily basis. This means that they need a lot of exercise to be properly stimulated. Vets will generally recommend that you give your German Shepherd at least an hour of exercise per day. Youll likely find that your German Shepherd will be able to handle a lot more exercise than you might expect.
Thankfully, there are a number of things that you can do to make the exercise that you give to your German Shepherd more effective.
Below I will mention some ways that you can exercise your German Shepherd and some ways to make it more efficient.
Walk it
The most obvious way to give your German Shepherd exercise is to walk it. You might find that your German Shepherd will still have energy even after an hours walk so youll need to make it more efficient. You can do this by walking it further, walking it more quickly, walking it in a hilly area, you could let it loose at the dog park or you could put a weight vest on it that weighs no more than 10% of its body weight.
Play fetch
A very effective way to give your German Shepherd exercise is to play fetch with it.
Teaching your German Shepherd to play fetch can be hard. However, I have written a step by step guide on how to teach your German Shepherd to play fetch in the past here.
Walk it with other dogs
You could also walk your German Shepherd with other dogs.
Teach it to swim
You could also teach your German Shepherd to swim.
Have it pull you along
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How To Show Your German Shepherd Affection
Most people will have their own natural ways of expressing their affection for their German Shepherd.
But today, youre constantly seeing articles about how our dogs dont like many of our behaviors. This can leave you wondering about how you can show your GSD affection in a way that theyll appreciate.
Ways To Tell What Your German Shepherd Is Mixed With
The mix of breeds is often intentional because breeders want to create a hybrid that brings out the best in both breeds. Sometimes the mix is accidental, but either way, knowing what a dog is mixed with impacts training, food, and healthcare choices, so its good to have the dogs hereditary information if available. If its not, its important to find out.
Here are five ways to tell what your German Shepherd is mixed with:
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How To Exercise Your German Shepherd
One or two daily walks will satisfy their need for activity for some dogs, but most German shepherds will not fall into this category. Theyll appreciate having tasks to complete as well as the chance to release energy through physicality, whether it be running, hiking, playing with other dogs, or even agility drills.
Some of these activities check off both physical and mental needs, but your dog will appreciate having a variety of activities as well. Even training can be fun and confidence-building for your dog so, what are you waiting for?
If you feel like your dog is letting you know its time to get outside, go ahead and get creative with your activity time. Theres so much to do and explore together, and with the right mental stimulation, your dog wont even feel like hes exercising!
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He Always Looks You In The Eye
Eye contact is a major sign of trust in dogs, so those loving looks the two of you share while sitting together after a long day of hanging out are sure signs of a happy doggo. Dogs also make eye contact as a way to check in with you and make sure youre feeling as happy as they are. Expect some extra snuggles if youve had a rough day!
“Suge the Boston Terrior” by Emily May via Flickr. License info.
The world is full of a bunch of stuff that dogs find really coolmailmen, squirrels, a weird smell thats just begging to be investigated, you name it! Sometimes they need to follow their doggy hearts to run after whatever catches their attention. If your good girl always comes back to you the moment you call her name, it means that she finds you way cooler than whatever she was afterand thats a sign of a very happy dog.
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Year Old German Shepherd Behavior
Around their first birthday is the time that a lot of puppy parents report that their puppy starts to calm down and behave more like a grown up. But there are a few things to bear in mind:
- All individuals are different whats true of your friends dog might not be the same of yours.
- German Shepherds were originally developed as the ultimate herding and guardian breed, and guardian breeds tend to reach emotional maturity later than other dogs. As working dogs, this results in a longer window to form a close social bond with their flock which gives them the emotional motivation to defend it against large predators.
- Male dogs tend to mature more slowly than female dogs, so dont worry if your male GSD seems less settled than his sisters!
- Their temperament is going to continue developing for many months yet. One study of German Shepherd behavioral development found that confidence continues to increase significantly between their 1st and 3rd birthdays. There is also a corresponding decline in nervousness and jumpy reactions.