Some Gsds Have A Strong Prey Drive
Although German Shepherds do not have as big a prey drive as some other breeds, its still important to remember. Some GSDs will have a stronger prey drive than others, and this can affect their behavior and tendencies towards other animals.Prey drive doesnt automatically mean youve got a killer dog and thats an unfortunate misconception many owners face every day. BUT having said that, if you are aware that your GSD does chase after cats, rabbits, and other small animals you do have to consider whether getting a small or miniature breed is appropriate.With the correct training, almost anything is achievable, but it is not fair to get a small or miniature breed dog without seriously thinking about the prey drive of your current dog. Of course, big and small dogs can work, but this is something you have to think about carefully.
This is original content produced and published by The Puppy Mag: www.thepuppymag.com
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History Of The German Shepherd
The ancestors of German shepherd dogs acted as both servants and companions to humans for hundreds of years. Developed from old shepherd and farm dogs, the GSD we know today was first introduced in Germany in 1899. Captain Max von Stephanitz is credited with the breed’s beginnings.
During World Wars I and II, the word “German” was dropped, and the breed was referred to as the shepherd dog or the Alsatian .
Worldwide interest in the breed began rising in the early 1900s and the GSD was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908. In modern times it remains as one of the most popular dog breeds, currently ranking second in the AKC listings. Cross-breeding these dogs with Shiloh shepherds resulted in king shepherds.
There is recent controversy over the breeding of show dogs to have a sloping back rather than the straight back seen with working dogs. This practice has been criticized as leading to poor gait.
Should German Shepherds And Golden Retrievers Live Together
Two Puppies states that German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers do get along well. High intelligence levels with both dogs allow easier training.
The typically calm personality of a Golden Retriever provides a perfect counterbalance to the often-high energy level of a German Shepherd. However, as both breeds have strong exercise requirements, they will require stimulating activities.
Regular walks, or hikes, when possible, are great activities for both of these dogs. One of the best things about these outdoor activities is that they are easy to pull off with both dogs. All you need is to make sure they have good leash manners.
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Spend Time On Training
Training German Shepherds to be friendly with other dogs is just a matter of exposure in a supervised and highly controlled environment.
Different trainers have different theories about the best way to train dogs to be comfortable around other dogs. But, classical conditioning through positive reinforcement is probably the safest and most effective.
Arrange meet-ups with well-behaved dogs that have confident and experienced handlers. At first, expose them briefly and from afar. Shower them with treats, petting, and praises to condition them to associate good feelings with other dogs.
Observe their behavior and get them closer and closer to each other as you gain more confidence in their temperament. ;Remember that it doesnt happen all at once.
It might take weeks or even months, depending on how reactive your dog is. Nevertheless, its always best to take it slow and let your dogs behavior dictate the pace.
Fitting A Gsd To Your Family
Those considering a German Shepherd Dog as a family addition should make sure that this breed is the best fit for the situation. The dogs are strong in body, spirit, and mind. They need much attention, love, and firm guidance as they grow — which they do quite quickly.
As a gawky, awkward teenager, a GSD may unintentially knock over a small child or a frail elderly person. Their strong, happy tails can clear tables, and their powerful jaws and teeth wreak havoc on furniture.
This is a slowly maturing breed with a long puppyhood, so the new owner must be prepared to provide kind but firm discipline and a secure environment to help the dog develop into a well- behaved adult. German Shepherds are active dogs. They love to run and explore their surroundings with their excellent noses. They require considerable exercise, especially while growing. This exercise can be provided by an active owner, another dog or two, or a fenced yard or dog run. Tying this dog to a house is unacceptable, as it will create frustration, boredom, and a potentially dangerous dog.
German Shepherds are very sociable dogs. They need attention and companionship. They do not do well if left in isolation from people and other companion animals.
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Iams Proactive Health Large Breed
Rating:
Large Breed Chicken and Whole Grains is one of 14 dry recipes covered in our review of the Iams ProActive Health product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken, ground whole grain barley, ground whole grain corn, ground whole grain sorghum, chicken by-product meal
- Type: Grain-inclusive
- Profile: Maintenance
- Best for:Adult shepherds only
Iams ProActive Health Large Breed derives the majority of its meat protein from chicken and chicken meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 25% protein, 14% fat and 53% estimated carbs producing a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.
This classic, grain-inclusive large breed design has been made by Iams for years and is a nutritious fit for adult German shepherds. Calcium levels are a bit high for shepherd puppies. Easily recommended.
Sample buyer reviewIAMS is a product that I have turned to for complete nutrition for my dog as well as my cats! In fact, I have been feeding IAMS to my cats for over 20 years! Sure there are higher priced pet foods, but why would you want to pay more when you get the proper nutrition and a quality product at a reasonable price!
How Do German Shepherds And Labrador Retrievers Get Along
According to Alexander Hunt, Shepherds and Labradors get along very well, largely due to a Labs easygoing personality.
Both breeds have a high activity level that encourages them to explore and engage in other activities with their families. If you have an active family that includes children, this combination will be perfect.
Because both breeds are people-oriented, they do best in a setting where they get a lot of attention. The dogs are best for providing company for each other.
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They Are Beautiful And Handsome
I think we can all agree that the German Shepherd has a very striking and powerful appearance! The way they carry themselves with strength and grace inspires respect and admiration all over the world. Sometimes you can even find them in uniform, which makes them even more handsome! There is also a lot of beauty in their variety, because they come in all sorts of color combinations. Black and Tan is the classic look, but you can also find black and red, black and gray, black and fawn, black and cream, light or dark sable, all black, and even all white. Also, their ears pointed up in alertness give them an extra smartness which is utterly irresistible.
Jobs For German Shepherds At Home
People rely on German Shepherds for various types of work. This is not only because these dogs are easily trained to work but also because they thrive best when they have a job to do.
But what about companion dogs? Should family GSDs also have jobs to do at home?
This article will list 14 jobs for German Shepherds at home, to help give you some ideas on how to keep your pup busy even when your around the house.
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Other Names Of Giant German Shepherd
I wouldnt be surprised if you are already familiar with the breed names King Shepherd and Shiloh Shepherd after scouring the web for info on the Giant GSDs.
These terms are just another name for the giant breed of German Shepherds. To be more specific, their size falls under the Giant German Shepherd category.
Both of these result from crossbreeding purebred German Shepherds into other large dog breeds to acquire a bigger physique and better health condition.
In the case of Shiloh Shepherd, a purebred German Shepherd was crossbred with an Alaskan Malamute and some other breeds to achieve a larger body composition and healthier hips.
On the other hand, King Shepherd has the ancestral foundation of a purebred German Shepherd and a Shilo Shepherd.
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Basically speaking, King Shepherds and Giant German Shepherds are one and the same.
They are real giants in the sense that they are the biggest variety of the German Shepherd that exists. Their height often ranges from 25 to 29 inches tall thats why they are called Kings!
This dog breed was developed by American dog breeders Shelley Watts-Cross and David Turkheimer. The King Shepherd has the foundation of a German Shepherd and a Shiloh Shepherd .
The crossbreeding was done with the aim of producing a dog breed with the appearance and characteristics of a German Shepherd but larger in size and has fewer health issues.
Places To Find Giant German Shepherd Puppies For Sale And Adoption
Whether you plan to purchase or adopt a Giant German Shepherd puppy, you should always consider the breeders and rescues reputation.
Here are some of the reputable breeders and rescue centers where you can get your Giant German Shepherd.
Here are some places where you can purchase a Giant German Shepherd puppy from breeders online:
- The American King Shepherd Breed Club Inc The official dog club of King Shepherd breeders in America. You can look for available puppies on their website as well as reputable breeders of King Shepherds.
- LPC King Shepherd LPC King Shepherd is a recommended breeder of King Shepherd by AKSBCI. This breeder facility started in 2013 and is owned by the secretary of the King Shepherd Club International.
- International Shiloh Shepherd Dog Club This is the official international Shiloh Shepherd dog club. Reputable Shilo breeders are listed on their website as well as puppies on sale.
- Abbas Shiloh Shepherds This Shiloh breeding facility is one of the many reputable breeders listed in ISSDC. Puppies and stud services are offered by this breeder.
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If you want to give a homeless Giant German Shepherd a new home, then you can adopt from these rescues instead:
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How Breeders Breed Giant German Shepherds
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There are different ways on how a breeder can breed a Giant German Shepherd. If you want to produce a larger German Shepherd while maintaining the pure lineage, then you must do pure breeding.
However, if you are interested in acquiring not only a larger size but also an exclusive trait from other breeds, then you can apply crossbreeding.
What Is A Good Companion Dog For An Australian Shepherd
Having a puppy can be very demanding and as they get older it does get easier with potty training and other areas being solved like obedience and tricks. But Australian Shepherds do love attention and being active sometimes the best way to go about this is getting a good companion for the Aussie.
So what is a good companion dog for an Australian Shepherd?;
The best companion dog for an Australian Shepherd is without a doubt another Australian Shepherd. Luckily they come in different colors and sizes. So if you are looking for a smaller dog you can get a toy or miniature Aussie. Four main colors are tri-color, blue merle, red and red merle.;
A lot of people suggest waiting until your first dog is around 18 months to two years of age before getting a second dog. This is so the first is mature and trained so you can spend time working with the second puppy.
Other people suggest getting two pups at once so they can go through all stages and have a much easier life long bond. This isnt a bad idea either except the initial amount of work you are going to have to put into training them until they are more mature.
We will be discussing these items along with male vs female and other companion dogs you should consider as well. We have gone out and done the research and gathered information from other Aussie owners so you dont have too.
GET THE BEST AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD GIFTS HERE!
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So Are German Shepherds Good With Kids
The German Shepherd is a friendly and playful dog and these qualities make them a good fit for children of all ages. When socialized from an early age as a puppy, they easily grow attached to children as well as the entire family.;
They are protective of young children and enjoy being with them which makes them good guard dogs.
What Personalities Best Suit A German Shepherd
There are many more breeds that suit German Shepherds aside from the list above. Any breed that has the following personalities will likely get along well with your GSD. But please understand, all dogs are individual and as I mentioned earlier, even GSDs can change greatly from one another.
The best companion breeds for German Shepherds will have the following personality traits:
- Desire to be worked, have a job to fulfill
- Enjoys occasional rough play
- Requires medium to high exercise
- Not territorial
Breeds that display most of the above qualities will likely get on well with a German Shepherd.
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Labradors Are Good Companions For Rottweilers
Labradors are known to be gentle, loving, easy-going, and friendly.
As such, they make good companions for almost any other type of dog, and Rottweilers are no exception.
Labradors are smaller than Rottweilers , but they have oodles of energy, which means that they can still make good playmates for the larger but less energetic Rottweiler.
Labradors are not very territorial, but they are not timid either, which means they are less likely to try competing with a Rottweiler, but they are also not likely to be bullied.;
What Problems Could There Be With a Rottweiler and a Labrador?
While Labradors are not territorial like Rottweilers, they are human-orientated, which means that competition can come in for your affection.
However, because Labradors are less forceful than Rottweilers, you will have to make sure that your Rottweiler does not try to keep your Labrador away from you.
Your Labradors high energy levels can become too much for your Rottweiler to deal with, and they can snap when they get overwhelmed.
What Is A Good Companion For A German Shepherd Dog
Virgil: What is a good companion dog for a German Shepherd?We have a two-year-old female German Shepherd who is very sociable and loves to play with other dogs. However, we cannot get another dog as large as Luna is because of the considerable damage that she has done to our home already. What is a good type of small to medium-sized dog to pair with a German Shepherd, preferably one that is easily trained and is not too high energy?
Answers and Views:
Answer by Launi Integrity is nEvery dog is different. Go down to your local shelter and pick out some dogs you find with a good temperament.Then take Luna with you next trip and do a ‘meet and greet’. The dogs will let you know.
Answer by CurliJust reading between the lines, if Luna has done damage to your house, it might be a good idea to get her under control before you bring in another dog in. 😉
Assuming that the damage was done in the past and Luna is now under control, try a Basset. Bassets are small, low key and they get along well with other animals. Good luck!
Answer by Campong Tblack Labrador is a good companion for german shepherd
Answer by MoliLabs are really bad dogs, you can’t train them for defense.I used to have Dobermans, they are great.
Answer by GlennAny. Dogs don’t care. It’s more about temperament. If they click they click. Take her to the shelter or Rescue so she can meet the available dogs. See who she gets along with best.
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Gordon Setters Are Good Companions For Rottweilers
Gordon Setters are lovable and confident dogs, which makes them wonderful companions for a Rottweiler.
They are sturdy and strong gundogs, so even though they are not the same size as a Rottweiler, there will not easily get accidentally hurt. Furthermore, they are nimble and quick, which they can use during playtimes to offset the sheer bulk of the Rottweiler.
They are not at all territorial, so they will not be competing with your Rottweiler over property and space.
What Problems Could There Be With a Rottweiler and a Gordon Setter?
Gordon Setters are very high-energy dogs, so they can overwhelm your Rottweiler after a while. However, if you just make sure to redirect your Gordon Setters energy when it reaches this point, then there should be no issue.
Gordon Setters, like most gundogs, are very attached to their people, so some mutual jealously can arise between them and the equally human-orientated Rottweiler.