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What Age Can A Male German Shepherd Breed

For Male German Shepherds

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Male German Shepherds are much less complicated than their female counterparts but this in no way implies that their health is less important.

One should not even consider breeding the stud they have in mind until he is about two years of age. Again, this is the best age for a breeder to make sure that their dog is of proper age and sexual maturity.

Just as for females eggs, a male GSDs sperm will begin to deteriorate over time.

However, with regular visits to the vet to check on his health, a Male German Shepherd can be bred until he is about ten years of age so long as he is still producing healthy pups.

Taking the Stud to the Vet to be screened for any major health issues will be important before deciding to use him for breeding purposes.

A veterinarian will help you find out if there is anything in your German Shepherds genetic history that should be taken into account before continuing the breeding process.

German Shepherd Height Charts

You can use this chart to check to see if your German Shepherds growth is on track. As with weight, there will be some dogs that fall outside of the ranges listed here, but thats normal as long as your dog is otherwise healthy.

Male German Shepherd Growth/Height Chart

Age
22 24 / 55 60 cm 100%

Why Are They Widely Kept As Pets

On average the male German Shepherd is around 30-35 inches tall while the female is 28-32 inches tall.

Their weight varies greatly depending on their build but they usually range between 35-90 pounds .

Depending on their level of training and work, some German Shepherds can run at speeds up to 30 mph for extended periods of time.

Due to their energy levels, they are not recommended for apartment living unless taken out regularly or exercised sufficiently by playing with them frequently or using a treadmill if weather conditions dont allow them to run outside.

They also need a large amount of exercise and training even when kept indoors and can be destructive if they get bored which is why keeping them in an enclosed backyard isnt recommended either.

Its best for German Shepherds to be around children who are at least 10 years old unless their dog has been trained to behave properly around younger children first. Otherwise, they will view them as prey or chase after them until the child is too tired to keep running which can cause the child injury on occasion.

A well-trained German Shepherd, however, will protect its family but some dogs are better with kids than others depending on how they were raised so being around younger kids who dont know how to act around dogs is not always a good idea.

In conclusion, German Shepherds are high energy dogs that need plenty of exercise and training.

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When Does A German Shepherd Reach Sexual Maturity

When a dog reaches sexual maturity varies drastically depending on their sex. Male dogs tend to reach sexual maturity anywhere from 6 to 9 months, while female dogs tend to wait until adulthood.

This means you dont need to worry about a female dog getting pregnant until shes about 2 years old. That said, if you have a sexually active male dog in the house, you dont want to wait this long, as some female German Shepherds can reach sexual maturity as soon as 12 months.

You can typically neuter a dog when hes around 6 months in age, while spaying a German Shepherd should wait until about the 8-month mark. If you want to neuter a dog, you have a much smaller window to prevent puppies than with females.

Still, unless youre looking to breed your German Shepherd, you need to be aware of the potential age ranges before you have an accidental pregnancy!

German Shepherd Mating And Breeding All You Need To Know

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Home » German Shepherd » Breed » German Shepherd Mating and Breeding All you need to know

When German Shepherd is ready for mating? A Guide to GSD Breeding

The Idea of Mating and Breeding a German Shepherd may confuse several individuals. Responsible breeding is definitely a daunting task, especially when it is about Shepherd, the most recognizable breeds.

When an individual steps forward to take responsibility for breeding, it also brings the pressure of producing healthy puppies.

With immense popularity and growing demand, German Shepherd owners often think of breeding them. The idea may seem fascinating at first, but behind the cause, there goes a lot of effort and patience.

Breeding a German Shepherd, from their health considerations to the right age and times, there are several aspects to look upon. Lets learn about them.

In this detailed article, we will take a look at German Shepherds mating and breeding. What is the right age for GSDs to mate? How do you get GSDs to mate? What if the male Shepherd is not interested in mating? What to do if female GSD refuses to mate? Without any further ado, lets get right to it.

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Size Of The Female Dog

The size of a mother dog, meaning her body structure rather than her weight, has an influence on how many puppies she can carry. A female German Shepherd with a small body will have a smaller litter size compared to a GSD with a bigger body. This is because a smaller body doesnt have the capacity to handle a large litter size.

Skeletal Health And Supplementation

Musculoskeletal disorders are debilitating conditions that are often associated with genetic makeup, malnutrition, and stress-related events. Some breeds like the German shepherd, are predisposed to a variety of different skeletal disorders, including but not limited to: canine hip dysplasia, Cauda equina syndrome, and osteoarthritis. These conditions can be a result of poor breeding or induced by intense exercise and poor diet.

Canine hip dysplasia is an orthopedic condition resulting from abnormal development of the hip joint and surrounding tissue causing the instability and partial dislocation of the hip joint, resulting in pain, inflammation, lameness, and potentially osteoarthritis of the joint. German shepherds are genetically predisposed to CHD and the University of Veterinary Medicine in Germany found its prevalence estimated to be approximately 35% of veterinary cases associated with the disorder.

Osteoarthritis is one of the main contributors of musculoskeletal pain and disabilities that commonly affect German shepherds. Mechanical stress, oxidative damage and inflammatory mediators combine to induce the gradual degeneration of the articular cartilage in the joint, resulting in reduced muscle mass, pain, and locomotion.

Vitamins such as A and D also have crucial roles in bone development and maintenance by regulating bone and calcium metabolism. Adequate levels should be incorporated into a German shepherd diet to promote a healthy musculoskeletal system.

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Can A 6 Month Old German Shepherd Get Pregnant

Your dog can get pregnant during the very first heat, or estrus cycle. Though most dogs experience estrus around 6 months of age, some small breeds can go into heat at four months old, so it wont be long before your little princess is able to have pups of her own!

How Many Puppies Can A German Shepherd Have

German Shepherd Dog Breed 101

If your German Shepherd is pregnant or you are planning on breeding you may be wondering how many puppies can a German Shepherd have. The amount of puppies each German Shepherd has will vary on many different factors.

This article will answer dive into the factors to help you better predict the number of puppies your GSD will have.

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When Does A German Shepherd Lose Their Puppy Teeth

When a puppy enters the world, they dont have any teeth in their mouth. They develop their first set of teeth around their 3-week mark, and they have a full set of teeth once theyre about 6 weeks old.

You can adopt a pup at their 8-week mark, but the teeth that they have at this point wont last. Their adult teeth are much larger and less sharp than their puppy teeth. They start to lose their puppy teeth around 14 weeks, and theyll lose the last of them at around 30 weeks.

This means theyll have lost all their puppy teeth right about the same time they reach adolescence, between 6 and 7 months.

Keeping Your Gsd To A Healthy Weight

A naturally big German Shepherd may weigh more than average while still being fit and healthy. Shepherds are often not as greedy as some other popular dog breeds, but obesity can still be a problem in this breed. Keep an eye on your dogs weight and get advice from your vet if you think your dog is piling on the pounds.

Remember that exercise is rarely at the heart of excessive weight issues in dogs. The problem is almost always too much food.

Check that you can feel your dogs ribs if you press firmly along their sides, and that they have a waist when viewed from above, and that their belly slopes upwards towards their back legs, rather than forming a straight line.

Red German Shepherd

Some slight weight loss may occur naturally in an old german shepherd. Older dogs may lose their sense of taste or smell and have less of an appetite than they did when young. But unless you have been deliberately attempting to reduce your dogs food intake or increase their exercise, then noticeable or rapid weight loss should always be investigated by a veterinary surgeon

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Factors That Affect The Number Of Puppies In A Litter

Are you anticipating the arrival of a GSD puppy litter? Knowing how many puppies to expect may help you plan resources to accommodate them if you are planning on becoming a breeder.

If you just adopted a German Shepherd dog and you have no clue about how to predict your litter, here are some helpful points to consider:

Neutering German Shepherds Too Early Can Harm Joints

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German shepherds are often the preferred breed for police and military work, and are also popular as service dogs and family pets. But joint disorders are a big concern.

Neutering or spaying German shepherds before 1 year of age triples the risk of one or more joint disordersparticularly for cranial cruciate ligament, or CCL, tears.

Debilitating joint disorders of hip dysplasia, CCL and elbow dysplasia can shorten a dogs useful working life and impact its role as a family member, says lead investigator Benjamin Hart, professor emeritus in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis. Simply delaying the spay/neuter until the dog is a year old can markedly reduce the chance of a joint disorder.

To prevent pet overpopulation or avoid unwanted behaviors. dog owners in the United States typically choose to spay or neuter their dogs prior to 6 months of age.

For the study, published in Veterinary Medicine and Science, researchers examined veterinary hospital records over a 14.5-year period on 1,170 intact and neutered German shepherd dogs for joint disorders and cancers previously associated with neutering. The diseases were followed through 8 years of age, with the exception of mammary cancer in females, which was followed through 11 years.

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Breeding At A Young Age

German Shepherd pups can suffer serious consequences from breeding too young, whether the pup is male or female. However, the main cause of more problems is the fact that females are bred too early.

Mothers who are younger have a greater risk of losing their puppies than mothers who are older.

In addition to being underdeveloped herself, a mother is likely to experience an increased risk of stillbirth and miscarriage as she attempts to carry out an entire pregnancy. It is quite common for German Shepherd puppies to be whelped at a young age due to the fact that their mothers pelvis is not fully developed at such an early age, which could result in them dying during the birthing process as well.

How Long Does It Take For German Shepherd To Recover After Spaying

Normally, a successful spay takes less than a day for your German Shepherd to recover. However, complicated ones can take a longer period. Upon recovery, you will have to reduce your dogs activity for 10-14 days. Within this period, you are expected to monitor and watch out for swelling, bleeding, bruising, or discharge. Your vet should offer you antibiotics and pain management and possibly a discharge summary.

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Can Male Dogs Go Into Heat

No, male dogs cannot go into heat.

They may, however, display signs the resemble a female in heat.

Most of the time this is a response to nearby female dogs in heat. He simply cant help himself, being attracted to all of those cute females around him. Being who he is, he will likely display his natural sexual instincts, making him harder to control than normal.

Sometimes, though, there can be physical signs, such as bleeding. In this case, he should be taken to the local veterinarian.

What Do German Shepherd Eat

Male Vs Female German Shepherd: Which One Should You Get?

normal dry dog food, meat, mince and dog rolls, etc

The popularity of DDR German Shepherds, also known as Deutsches Demokratische Republik German Shepherds, has been growing for many years now.

The DDR dogs were trained to out-perform the West German Shepherd dogs by scaling straight six-foot walls, endure long patrols in harsh weather conditions and much more.

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Will Getting A Male German Shepherd Neutered Calm Him Down

Neutering your german shepherd can help to calm him down, but the amount of change you see in your dog and how fast you see it will depend on multiple factors. Some dogs may continue to be hyperactive despite being neutered, but you can help him to make the changes youd like to see by spending time training him.

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How Old Does A German Shepherd Need To Be To Breed

When I bred my first female German Shepherd, I did not breed her before she had her third season. After talking to the Breeder that I purchased my dog from, he told me to wait until your dog has had her fourth season before you breed her, but she should be three years old or older before she is bred. He has experience breeding a female too young and its a risk because some female will not want to take care of her puppies because shes too immature and then he would have to bottle feed all the pups to save the letter, and thats a lot of work and time youll spend taking care of puppies.

Just in case youre wondering

Male German Shepherds can be bred at 18 months up throughout their lives, but its not being bred they can become sterile as they ages.

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When Can You Start Breeding A Male Dog

Smaller breeds tend to sexually mature earlier and can be bred at 6 months. Whereas, larger breeds should wait until 18 months. Male dogs can begin breeding between 6 to 12 months of age. Female dogs should be bred later than males, at least after their first heat cycle.

What Is The Youngest Age A Dog Can Get Pregnant

55 Strong Male German Shepherd Dog Names.

General. In domestic dogs, sexual maturity occurs between the ages of 6 to 12 months for both males and females, although this can be delayed until up to two years of age for some large breeds. Pregnancy is possible as soon as the first estrus cycle, but breeding is not recommended prior to the second cycle.

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Can You Tell How Many Puppies A Dog Will Have By Their Nipples

Dog Nipples Do Not Predict Litter Size

Telling a dogs litter size by the number of nipples she has is an old belief. This simply isnt true. Typically, large or small, male or female, dogs have eight to 10 nipples. This number can vary, but this is the average count.

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.

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What Is The Minimum Recommended Age For Breeding A Male Dog

While your dog may be able to become a stud, it does not mean that it is wise to immediately start breeding him.

Recommendations for the minimum age of breeding a male dog generally ranges from 1 to 2 years.

Why not simply breed him as soon as he becomes fertile, you might ask.

While he may be fertile. a young dog has yet to fully develop and as such may not reach full sexual maturity until the 12 15 months of age. Again, this depends on the breed, with smaller breeds often reaching this stage as earlier and some larger breeds not being fully sexually developed until much later.

What about my older dog. Can he be bred? Like humans, male dogs stay fertile from puberty until the end of their lives.

However, that does not mean that it is wise to breed an older dog. Reason being that in old age, health issues may appear that makes it inadvisable to complete the mating process.

From the AKC, we find two reasons to hold back on breeding older dogs.

First, as a dog grows older, he will become less fertile and unable to reliably sire puppies.

Second, as a dog has passed his prime, the litters he produces are often genetically weaker than what he produced at a younger age. This could mean that the puppies develop weaker traits like the coat or markings, are slower and potentially more prone to illness.

Note that this may not always be the case. There are occasions when older dogs successfully sire good quality litters.

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