Are German Shepherds Good For First
By Stephen Webb
Finding a good new doggie to become a part of the family is one of the happiest moments of every dog lovers life!
Even the search process for the right breed has its own excitement and thrill. Here you can find information that can help you answer the question: are German Shepherds good for first-time owners?.
German Shepherds are an excellent choice for first-time owners. Besides being good guard dogs, they are smart, easy to train, and good family dogs that get along with children and other dogs.
Read on to find everything you need to know before carrying on this decision and see if its a good fit for your lifestyle!
Children And Other Pets
If they’re well-trained and have had plenty of exposure to kids, especially as a puppy, a German Shepherd is a great companion for children. In fact, some say they’re a cross between a babysitter and a cop, both gentle with, and protective of, the children in their family.
This is a big dog, though, capable of mistakenly bumping a toddler or small child. True to their reserved nature, they’re not tail-wagging friendly with kids they don’t know, but they’re generally trustworthy.
The German Shepherd can also live peacefully with other dogs and pets, as long as they’re taught to do so from puppyhood. Introducing an adult German Shepherd to a household with other pets can be more difficult if the dog isn’t used to getting along with other dogs or cats. You may need to hire a professional trainer to help, or get advice from the rescue organization if that’s where you acquired the adult German Shepherd.
Owning A German Shepherd
If you decide to make a German Shepherd part of your family, you should think in advance about its housing arrangements, as well as grooming and nutrition. German Shepherds are primarily utility dogs and like to be needed as such within a family. Sufficient physical and mental stimulation is essential for living in harmony with your dog. As a German Shepherd owner, you should have time and inclination to go on long walks and cycling trips together, as well as providing species-appropriate activity in the form of dog sport or training for your exercise-loving dog that enjoys learning new things.
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How To Train A German Shepherd To Like Cats
It is possible to train a German Shepherd to like cats but it will take patience and perseverance. It wont be easy and in the end, you may need to hire a professional trainer to help.
However, if you think you have the know how and stamina, you can give it a shot. WagWalking.com has a great article with three different methods for training a German Shepherd to like cats. They include a dos and donts method, socialization and safety method and clicker training method.
Top Tips To Help Your German Shepherd Dog And Cat Get Along
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Theyre Excellent Guard Dogs
All dogs are natural watch dogs.
They bark to deter the intruder and to alert the owner. But a dog doesnt have to be aggressive to come to their owners defense.
Being a guard dog comes naturally for German Shepherds. Because of their loyalty and protective instinct, they make good guard dogs.
The good news is, you can train your German Shepherd to be a guard dog. This is doable by putting in time, patience and understanding.
That being said, there is no shortcut around training. Dont assume that by making your dog aggressive, youre teaching them to be a good guard dog. Quite the opposite.
Plus, their aggression could turn toward you. The training will backfire because your dog wont be loyal to an abusive owner.
And what if they wrongly bite someone because of poor training? The blame will fall on you as the owner. And the poor dog will get euthanized as a result of that.
As such, do not train a dog that is fearful and out of control. Thats because they wont know how to respond in non-threatening situations.
So train your German Shepherd only if they are friendly, stable and well-socialized. Believe me. It is worth the time and effort if they end up being excellent guard dogs.
How Does A New Baby Influence Things
A new babys arrival is a joyous occasion, but, according to Shepped, new additions can present challenges. The dog will need to adjust to a whole new routine.
Dogs are creatures of habit, with schedules and boundaries that they become used to. However, your routine changes with a new infant and pets are conscious of these changes.
Most dogs will adapt to the new routine quickly enough. However, its essential to handle the introductions well otherwise, he or she might develop jealousy issues.
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Risk Of Salmon Poisoning
When giving your german-shepherd salmon or other types of anadromous fish , this is how it operates:
The parasite infects the fish, and the parasite infects the parasite . The parasite itself is generally safe, but the organism it carries causes salmon toxicity and causes its negative consequences.
The parasite and the organism will both be inactivated if the raw fish meat is frozen. To execute this successfully, though, some care and attention are required. Salmon must be deep-frozen for at least a week to kill these parasites effectively.
A Healthy German Shepherd
Dilatation-volvulus or swell because of their vast size, deep chests, and high energy level. They are additionally more helpless to gastrointestinal parcel and hip issues. A veterinarian should consistently survey your pet for these health issues and run tests for anything they might be more inclined to because of their variety. Preventive consideration is genuinely an absolute necessity for your dogs in general government assistance to guarantee they can carry on with long healthy lives with you and your family.
Regular vet visits are urgent to your pets ongoing health and life span. Its additionally vital to plan for the expense of mishaps or sicknesses. Treatment for some conditions, including swell and GI issues, can cost a considerable number of dollars.
Just 19.44% of animal people say they have the option to cover a $5,000 cost using cash on hand. Dog health costs are also more costly than other pet healthcare costs because dogs are more prominent in size. Since bigger pets have higher healthcare costs, the German Shepherd breed is one of the most famous dog breeds to have pet protection.
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The German Shepherd: Family Dog Material
You never want to assume a negative trait of a breed occurs in an individual dog, because you could miss out on the perfect pooch! Its always best to get to know the actual pup that you plan to bring home. Here are four reasons why a German Shepherd can be the best family dog:
- A German Shepherd is very intelligent, and he can be taught a number of fun tricks that will delight your children.
- A German Shepherd is loyal and will bond well with the family children if started at an early age.
- A German Shepherd has a lot of stamina and energy, making him a great playmate for active kids.
- A German Shepherd is protective of his family and will watch out for your kids, but its important to use caution with other children.
How Long Do German Shepherds Live Are They A Healthy Breed
German Shepherds typically live 10-12 years. Some do live to 13 or 14, but usually with chronic health issues such as arthritis.
And sadly, many don’t even make it to age 10.
As a long-time German Shepherd owner, I know first-hand how many health problems this breed suffers from. Crippling joint diseases, autoimmune diseases, digestive diseases, skin diseases, heart and eye diseases…. truly a breed with serious health problems.
It’s a good idea to have pet insurance when you own a German Shepherd.
Here is a complete list of health problems in German Shepherds.
See my advice on keeping your dog healthy.
The most common color in German Shepherds black and tan, in the saddleback pattern
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Keep Them Separate In The Beginning:
The AnimalHumaneSociety.org recommends that you keep your new dog and cat separate for 3-4 days minimum. Make sure that your new pup has had all of the appropriate vaccines and has a clean bill of health before bringing them home.
Keep your new dog in a separate room or part of the house when you bring them home. Make sure they cant get access to the cat. You want them to be able to get used to the smell and sound of each other without the physical face to face confrontation.
They Can Entertain Kids For Hours
What do German Shepherds and children have in common?
Energy! Lots of it.
That makes your German Shepherd great with kids. They can entertain your kids for hours!
Thats because your German Shepherd is a tireless dog. They can play for hours and hours and not get tired easily. And young children have the energy to match!
What better way to spend time than to play games that your German Shepherd loves. Playing fetch, catching a frisbee, or learning new tricks. They wont have a shortage of activities to do.
They can even play treasure hunt. Your kids hide the treats and your German Shepherd will find those. And with their excellent nose, they can easily find those treats!
Caution: Watch out how many treats you give your dog. You dont want them to get overweight.
If they get tired of treasure hunting, they can run around all day. This is good for your dog since they need lots of exercise. And this is good for you, too. Tired children means you have more time to rest.
Caution: Keep an eye on your kids and dog while theyre playing together. Your child may get hurt during a roughhouse.
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Do German Shepherds Make Good Pets What To Know
Nicole Cosgrove
The German Shepherd is a handsome, fiercely loyal, and intelligent dog who can be the perfect pet for some families. However, whether the German Shepherd is right for you comes down to a few factors including your lifestyle and the specific line of shepherds youre looking at. Some shepherds can be less suited to family life because of their breeding, while they all require much time and dedication. Here are a few things you should consider before making a decision.
What To Consider If You Get Your Dog After The Baby Comes
According to PuppyWire, German Shepherds enjoy popularity as a breed because of their reputation for being good with children. What if the dog arrives after the baby?
If you already have a baby but want to add a German Shepherd to your family, you have a couple of decisions to make. Puppy or adult? Breeder or rescue dog?
As tempting as it might be to get a german shepherd puppy, the responsibilities of caring for a baby while trying to raise and train a puppy might be challenging for some. If you have a spouse or other household member who can help out, this might be an option worthy of your consideration.
An adult dog who has grown out of its wild stage and received obedience training will be less likely to have troublesome behavioral issues. The individual dogs personality will also be worth considering, as well as the socialization level.
Dogs from a breeder who uses sound, professional practices are more likely to have excellent temperaments. Avoid shady breeders who breed dogs of questionable health or personality, or refuse to take back a dog who doesnt fit in with your family.
Rescue dogs are also a great option, especially if they have lived with a foster long enough to evaluate their safety around children. Bear in mind that you will need to train your dog and that some rescue dogs may have come from abusive homes.
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They Protect Your Family And Home
Home and family are everything to us. We have a reason to persevere, knowing we have someone or something to go home to.
But knowing your German Shepherd can protect your family and home? That is simply reassuring.
Your German Shepherd is not just a dog. They are an important part of your family. Whats more, they could serve as your protector.
Depending on the situation, your German Shepherd can be a watchdog or a guardian. They possess this natural protective instinct. And it kicks in when the situation demands it.
What makes them ideal protector material is that theyre fearless and self-confident. In fact, they will not hesitate to put their lives at stake to protect their family YOU!
Did you know that German Shepherds were originally bred as herding dogs? These days they no longer herd animals. But the instinct is still there. You are the herd that they protect.
Caution: Prevent your German Shepherd from becoming overprotective by proper socialization and training.
Will A German Shepherd Kill My Cat
This is a very common question with prospective German Shepherd owners. The answer depends on the specific German Shepherd and their background with socialization and training. Most of the time, they can be properly trained to be around cats safely but you can never totally get rid of their prey drive.
However their have been occasions where German Shepherds have killed cats. Vickie Raichel, a contributor at Quora, had this to say about an unfortunate event involving her nieces GSD.
Its definitely a case by case basis. Never leave them alone until you know which it may be. Its always best to get both as babies and research introductions. My nieces GS just recently killed her kitten. She even had them separated while she was at work. The GS broke down the door and through the large kennel she had the kitty in. She was devastated to say the least and even took several precautions to prevent it. She said she would never forgive herself even though she thought she had the kitty protected. Sad.
The lesson here is to make sure that when you leave them at home for work, they cannot access one another. While this is a rare case, you want to make sure your animals are completely safe when left home alone.
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How A Lot Meals Ought To My German Shepherd Eat
Understanding what to feed your German Shepherd is one factor understanding how a lot and the way typically you need to feed your canine is one other. The quantity of meals you give your canine depends upon a number of elements: your canines age, exercise degree, and ideally suited weight.
Puppies must eat 3 times per day between the ages of eight and 12 weeks previous. After this era, you may start feeding it twice per day, which is how typically you need to plan to feed an grownup. While youve simply introduced your pet dwelling, you need to plan to offer it regardless of the breeder fed it to forestall any abdomen issues. You possibly can steadily combine new meals into the previous meals over the course of a few week till your canine is consuming all new meals. Be certain that to not overfeed your pet, as rising too quick or turning into chubby can result in issues like hip dysplasia, which is frequent in massive breeds like German Shepherds.
With a view to decide how a lot you ought to be feeding your canine, you may make the most of feeding guides reminiscent of this one. In accordance with the chart, in case your German Shepherd is 70 kilos, you need to feed him 3.5 cups of meals per day. Nonetheless, in case your canine may be very energetic, he might have extra. If hes previous, he might have much less. Speak to your veterinarian to create an consuming plan that can work in your canine.
Common Health Problems In German Shepherds
German Shepherds are great dogs for the right owners, but they are at risk of certain conditions and illnesses common with the breed. Making sure the parents of your puppy have had the relevant health screening can reduce the chances of your puppy being affected by some of these upsetting conditions.
German Shepherds are in a group of breeds classed as Category Three by The Kennel Club, which is the highest category of the health concerns due to their conformation. This means that these types of dog have been bred over many years to look a certain way, but that these changes to the way they look have started to cause them health problems. For German Shepherds, this is mostly due to the shape of their back legs and hips.
Some of the conditions German Shepherds may develop include:
This list is not exhaustive, and there are many other conditions that German Shepherds have been shown to be prone to.
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