Feeding A Complimentary Diet
Keep your German Shepherd puppys body healthy and regular by feeding a good diet. We recommend avoiding foods like dog loaf, which are high in fat and can cause stomach upsets in young puppies.
Instead, choose an optimum diet formulated specially for puppies. Puppy foods are higher in protein, calcium and good fatty acids. These are essential for their bone health and brain development as they grow.
Choose a puppy food that has extra ingredients to support their gut, such as beetroot pulp.
Dont forget: always take your puppy out to the potty following a meal!
Week Old German Shepherd Diarrhea
If your brand new puppy has an upset stomach despite your best efforts, dont worry too much its normal for puppies to have diarrhea within the first few days of arriving at their new homes.
The stress of such a drastic life change can manifest in different ways, and an upset stomach is a pretty common reaction.
You can give your pup a better chance of having a settled stomach by keeping her on the food she was eating before you brought her home, and feeding on a consistent schedule.
Diarrhea can also be a sign of an underlying issue besides stress, however, and severe diarrhea can be life-threatening if left untreated.
If your puppy is vomiting, has bloody diarrhea, seems unusually lethargic, or is refusing to eat or drink, then its time to call the vet.
Week Old German Shepherd Puppies:
German Shepherd puppys eyes will either be partly or fully open by the time they are 2 weeks old. However, they wont be able to see very clearly at first. When their eyes become wider, they will reveal blueish-gray eyes which are hazy in appearance. Their eyesight will continue to develop until around 8 weeks old.
The ear canals will also open around 2 weeks. The puppies hearing has been developing much quicker than their eyesight and they will be able to hear most things by the time their ear canals fully open. However, their amazing hearing ability will continue to enhance over the next several weeks.
At the moment your German Shepherd puppy will have cute floppy ears. Their adorable tall ears can come up anywhere between 8 weeks and 6 months of age. Floppy ears are common until your German Shepherd finishes teething. By then the ear cartilage will become strong and hard enough for the ears to stand up permanently.
Now is a good time to start handling the puppies and get them used to your voice. Most puppies are wormed for the first time when they are 2 weeks old.All this development has happened so quickly, but things are about to get even more exciting. Between 2 and 4 weeks your German Shepherd puppy will begin to stand up this is when the real fun begins.
Puppies milky teeth will also start to develop between 2 to 4 weeks. These sharp little teeth will remain until about 14-30 weeks of age. German Shepherds baby teeth are very sharp, this is for several reasons.
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Areas Of German Shepherd Puppy Training
Your GSD will need some form of training throughout his life. It might be training for a sport in their early adult years or training to cope with an age-related life change.
But, as a puppy, there are five key areas in which your 8-week old German Shepherd must be appropriately trained. In the next section, I tell you what training entails for each of these areas. If you are looking for a step-by-step guide on how to train a German Shepherd puppy, I have just the article for you.
Week Old German Shepherd Puppy:
At 6 weeks of age German Shepherd puppies will be fully weaned. They will be eating between five and six small meals a day.
Although the pups no longer rely on mom for milk, they still need her help and guidance for the next few weeks. Mom will be teaching her babies important life skills to live alongside humans.
In some countries 6 week old puppies are taken away from their mothers and moved into their new home. We would not recommend this as the puppies will miss out on continued bite inhibition training from their siblings and mother. This can result in a puppy who bites too hard which can be challenging to manage as they get older.
6 week old German shepherds growth is not as fast as it has been in the weeks beforehand however over the next few months they will still have lots of growing to do.
In the USA your puppy will be due their first combined 5-in-1 vaccine at 6 weeks old. This vaccine helps to immunizes your puppy against hepatitis, parvo, distemper, parainfluenza and coronavirus. Most puppies will also need to be wormed again at 6 weeks old.
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Teaching Your German Shepherd Puppy To Lay Down
Handy for when youre watching telly and they wont stop blocking the screen.
How to do it
TIPS
· When you hold the treat, think about positioning your hand as if you were throwing a ball underarm it will make your puppys nose go over the top of your hand rather than trying to sniff underneath it, which will make them want to bend down
· If your puppy starts to go a bit frog like , try the same exercise but have them start in a stand position youre looking for them to fold back, almost looking like a sphinx!
When Should You Start Potty Training A German Shepherd Puppy
German Shepherds become aware of their ability to control their bodily functions at around 3 weeks old. However, it is best to start potty training as soon as you bring your puppy home, usually, this is around 8 weeks of age.
If you bring your puppy home a little earlier, like a 6 or 7 weeks old, you should still start potty training immediately, just know that your pup wont be able to hold their bladder long at that age.
As a general rule, puppies can hold their pee for a maximum of one hour for every month theyve been alive. So, a 2-month old can hold their pee for about 2 hours.
To avoid accidents, take them for potty breaks once every hour. Thats something you need to do throughout the day, including sleeping hours.
Dont worry! This stage doesnt last long and you can add another hour for every month they age. Soon enough, theyll be sleeping through the night without waking you up every few hours.
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Interactive Dog Toy Recommendations:
- Feed EVERY meal inside an interactive dog toy
- Use interactive toys with your German shepherd when he is left alone in the house. Make sure he has plenty of toys so he won’t get bored when you leave. Interactive toys must be filled with something SUPER yummy, to teach your puppy that staying alone is OK.
- Use interactive toys when you need some quiet time . Kong dog toy’s are the best, you can fill them with something soft like cheese or peanut butter and let your puppy lick it for a while. Even better…freeze it!
- Below you will see some of my favorite interactive dog toys available on Amazon:
Why Does My 16
There is a normal, natural fear period that begins around 14 to 16 weeks. During this period, a puppy may become wary and suspicious of new people, species or experiences. This is a normal adaptive process. Watch your puppy closely for signs of fear . Avoid pushing or overwhelming your puppy during this developmental stage.
Read Also: How Much Dog Food To Feed A German Shepherd Puppy
Teach Your German Shepherd Target Training
Teach your German Shepherd to ask for treats! Here I use the word treats loosely. Whether it is a cuddle, a pat, attention, or something tasty, you must teach your pup target training, for example, teaching him to touch a target with a specific part of his body, such as his paw or nose. Remember that your German Shepherd may end up biting or clawing to communicate if you do not teach him more acceptable communication methods.
I recommend teaching your German Shepherd to use his nose to touch your hand. While youll actively encourage him by holding out your hand, hell quickly learn to touch your hand with his nose gently. This is a fantastic bite substitute! Hand targeting is a fun way to train your dog to trust you while also getting him to use his brain!
German Shepherd Puppy Potty Training Schedule
Your puppys natural urges to eliminate will dictate their exact potty times, but this is a helpful schedule to follow for potty training and housebreaking.
Adjust the times as necessary to avoid any accidents in your house and help keep your puppy to their unique schedule.
You can even begin to cue your puppy to encourage them to eliminate by saying go potty when they are doing their business outside in the right spot. After repeating this cue over a period of weeks your puppy begins to understand that go potty means they should do their elimination.
Remember to reward your puppy after theyve done their elimination so that they associate outside time with a positive reward.
Never, ever punish your puppy or rub their nose in it for punishment. This may stress them out and cause even more accidents.
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Begin As Soon As Possible
As explained by the official German Shepherd Dog Club of America, the first few months are crucial in establishing core concepts for training.
In creating a good foundational knowledge for them to build on, you should prepare them for a lifetime of good behavior and a strong, loving bond.
Likewise, according to the American Kennel Club, German Shepherds are some of the smartest pups around, so you might find they pick up on these new skills quicker than you anticipated.
When you first bring your pup home, you might be tempted to spend the first few days or even weeks getting to know them all day every day, setting up Instagram photoshoots and the like.
Whilst youre more than welcome to do so, it is important you devote some of that time to training and exercise as well.
Puppies are a little like kids, in that they absorb everything around them and soak up information with ridiculous ease.
According to a scientific study conducted by Claudia Fugazza in 2018, published in Scientific Reports journal, social learning skills are present in 8-week old puppies those they tested learned how to open a puzzle box filled with food and demonstrated they could retain this information for at least an hour.
Their research concluded that dogs as young as 8 weeks old have already developed some social learning skills, demonstrating their ability to learn and consistently recall what they discovered. Starting as soon as possible is well worth it!
Grooming A German Shepherd Next Steps
Youve made a great start on grooming now were going to move on to more touchy areas. Pun intended.
How to do it
TIPS
· If your puppy is over excited, choose a different time for this exercise youll end up overworked and unsuccessful yourself.
· We want our puppy to love being groomed, so use plenty of treats!
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German Shepherd Puppy Training: Potty Outside
Another important item on your German shepherd puppy training list is House training. It can be a bit stressful, but if done correctly, you can accomplish it very quickly. Just keep in mind that depending on your puppy in can take anywhere from 1 week to several months to complete potty training.
The following info-graphic has some simple rules to follow and make german shepher potty training easy and effective:
- Take your puppy out for a potty break every 2-3 hours.
- Take your puppy out for a potty the break after every meal.
- Take your puppy out for a potty break after a nap.
- Take your puppy out for a potty break after a play session.
The main idea when potty training a German shepherd puppy, is to take him out as often as he needs to and reward him after he is done. The infographic above gives you an idea of how often a puppy needs to go out. However, you need to know your own puppy.
German Shepherd Puppy Training: Basic Commands
Don’t believe ANYONE who tells you puppies can’t learn! Some dog trainers won’t start until the dog is 6 months old, at which time he is past the socialization and bite inhibition period and he is probably doing all sorts of naughty things. You can start training your German shepherd puppy from the first day you bring him home.
From weeks 8-12 you can start teaching your canine many commands, however I strongly advice you keep your focus on socialization, bite-inhibition and potty training.
If you have time to train basic commands.go ahead! Your pooch will love it! If not, dont worry and start German Shepherd puppy training after week 12 .
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Enjoy The Best Traits Of The Breed
German Shepherds have plenty to offer in terms of entertainment, love, and companionship. But you wont even notice those traits if youre busy trying to deal with bad behaviors.
Training your GSD to be well-behaved is the only way you can enjoy the wonderful traits that have made them the 3rd most popular breed.
Feeding An 8 Week Old German Shepherd
In the beginning, its best to keep your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy on the same food she was eating before you brought her home. This helps keep some element of consistency in her routine .
If you do decide to switch over to a different food after a few weeks, do so in stages. Adding about 25% of new food to 75% of your puppys current food is a good general rule. You can then increase that slowly over time.
At 8 weeks old, German Shepherd puppies should be fed three to four times per day. Eating too much in one sitting will upset their stomachs, and thats no fun for either of you!
Because the German Shepherd is a large breed, you should also feed your puppy a diet formulated specifically for large breed puppies.
There are many commercially available diets made to help large breed puppies grow at the right rate. This helps to avoid skeletal abnormalities like hip dysplasia.
Want more information on what to feed your 8-week-old German Shepherd, and how to change her diet as she gets older? We have everything you need to know right here in our guide to feeding a German Shepherd puppy.
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Potty Training An 8 Week Old German Shepherd
Potty training can be one of the most daunting tasks of raising a brand new puppy.
The younger the puppy, the more potty breaks shell need.
Dont be surprised if you find a few messes around the house in the beginning. It may take a bit longer than you expected for your puppy to get the hang of things!
But if you stick to a strict schedule, youll decrease the likelihood of potty training mishaps.
Should You Socialize A German Shepherd Puppy Before Vaccination
Many dog owners reluctant to socialize their German Shepherd puppies before vaccination.
According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior , socialization should be done as early as possible even before your pup is done with their vaccinations.
Why?
If you wait to socialize your puppy after they have all of their vaccinations, they might lose their ability to communicate effectively with other dogs if they dont see other dogs for two months of their lives.
Furthermore, if you wait to bring your pup to new places after vaccinations, the sights and sound they see will become very strange and scare them off.
So you should socialize your pup even before they get vaccinated as safely as possible by exposing them to people, places, or animals.
But what about the health risks?
You may be worried to bring your puppy outside on the ground or anywhere in public until they are completely vaccinated.
If youre worried about the risk of infection, get your puppy their first vaccination soon then go outside and socialize them.
The longer you wait, the more your pup at a higher risk for any behavioral problems to strengthen and take hold later on.
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