What Is The Best Living Environment For German Shepherd Terriers
Due to their double coats, German Shepherd Terriers prefer cooler climates, although they will be able to handle moderate ones. However, you should never leave them alone outside in cold weather. And, in the summer, make sure that they stay indoors.
During the warmer months, avoid taking your dog outside to exercise during the middle of the day. They may be prone to overheating. Instead, only exercise them in the early morning or early evening.
Although these pups are only of mid-size, they arent always a great option for apartments. If they have prominent Terrier genes, their energy and tendency to run around may make such a space feel too constrained for these dogs.
In general, it is best to house these dogs in a mid-sized home with a backyard. If you do have a garden or backyard, be aware that these pups can be prone to digging and this behavior is quite difficult to curb.
You may be better off training your dog to dig in just one area. Furthermore, you may end up with quite an escape artist on your hands. If this is the case, you will need heavy-duty fencing to prevent your pup from running away.
This Dog Breed Can Be Trained To Do A Lot Of Things But Is Also Not Very Easy To Train By Rookie Dog Owners
If you ask different people if its easy to train a German Shepherd, youll get different answers. Thats because of how easy the training depends on the owner.
Yes, experienced dog owners can train a GSD to do pretty much anything thats why they are so often trained as police dogs, military dogs, border patrol dogs, etc.
However, an inexperienced dog owner can find a GSD to be more than a handful.
Why is that?
Simple because they are so smart! Yes, their intelligence means that you can train them a lot but it also means they can be temperamental, manipulative, and stubborn! So, if this is going to be your first dog, either go for another breed or make sure youre ready to put in the extra effort!
German Shepherds Are High Energy Dogs
German Shepherds are no couch potatoes. They have tons of energy and therefore need a lot of exercise!
Before getting a German Shepherd to make sure you have enough time to invest in their socialization and exercise. They need both mental and physical stimulation or they can get bored and destructive.
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German Shepherds: A Fantastic Breed
German Shepherds are a wonderful, intelligent, hardworking breed that is highly intelligent and loves to work. Its important that you give them a job to do and provide plenty of mental stimulation.
These dogs need to work and want to please, making them delightful to train. They are capable of nearly any task they are asked to perform and are incredibly loving around adults and children alike.
While they may not be ideal for first-time dog owners, with enough training, they can be excellent pets. Does a German Shepherd sound like the ideal K9 for your family?
Training A 1 Year Old German Shepherd
Your year old German Shepherd Dog may look fully grown, but emotionally they are still immature, and their confidence is still under developed. So its important to keep training them, in order to build up a habit of good behavio, and to boost their confidence and minimize nervousness.
There are two important kinds of training for a 1 year old German Shepherd:
1. Reinforcing obedience
Youve probably worked on your GSDs general obedience a lot already. Dont stop now! Keep rewarding good behavior and good decisions, to get more of both in the future and turn them into established habits. These articles will help you train a 1 year old German Shepherd with confidence:
2. Giving them a job to do
The GSDs work ethic is legendary, and now theyre nearly fully grown, youll probably discover they get bored, restless, and even destructive if they arent sufficiently occupied during the day. Training for activities like canicross, joring, agility, advanced obedience, scentwork and herding trials can all give your Shepherd an important sense of purpose.
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Coat Color And Grooming
The German Shepherd was originally bred to herd flocks in harsh climates, and their medium-length double coat fits the job perfectly, acting as protection the dog from rain and snow and resistant to picking up burrs and dirt.
The coat types of the German Shepherd are as varied as their color. Some German Shepherds are longhaired. However, the “ideal” German Shepherd has a double coat of medium length. The outer coat is dense with straight hair that lies close to the body, and is sometimes wavy and wiry.
The coat comes in variety of colors and patterns including black black and cream black and red black and silver black and tan blue gray liver sable and white. The American Kennel Club doesn’t recognize white as a color for this breed, however, and won’t let white German Shepherds compete in conformation shows, although they’re allowed in other competitions.
Sometimes jokingly called “German shedders,” the breed sheds year-round, and generally “blows”sheds a lot of hair at once, like a snowstormtwice a year. If you want a German Shepherd, be prepared for hair on your black pants, on your white couch, and pretty much all over the house.
There’s no magic solution to shedding, and we just have to accept it. However, brushing two to three times a week will help more of the hair come out in a brush, rather than on your furnishings. And a sturdy vacuum cleaner doesn’t hurt either.
When Meeting New People
Take meet and greets slowly to avoid developing stress and anxiety-related problems. Dont force your dog to accept new people if theyre not interested.
- Tell your visitors to not reach for your dog let the dog come to the visitors on their own accord.
- If they dont go to the new person, the new person should just ignore the dog.
- After the dog has met and sniffed the visitor, suggest to the visitor they softly touch the side of the dogs neck or side of the shoulder, rather than the top of the head.
- Patting the top of the dogs head may cause stress in some dogs as this gesture might look like a dominance attempt. It can be a challenge to some dogs and frightening to others.
Meet all different types of people:
- varying races
- elderly, with walkers or canes
- people in wheelchairs
- bike and scooter riders
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Is A Wolf Shepherd Dangerous
When adding the genes of a wild animal to the pool, its imperative to understand that this results in a crossbreed that is highly unpredictable.
The German Shepherd Wolf mixs behavior is characterized by shy and skittish traits. If a Wolfdog is uncomfortable, it can attack out of defense. This has earned them a reputation for being dangerous and they are banned in several US states.
Wolves build dens and roam frequently. They also have a strong pack and predatory instincts.
These traits translate into destructive behavior for the Wolfdog, such as digging holes in the garden and chewing up wooden furniture. They also may urinate more frequently than other dog breeds to mark their territory.
Ill go ahead and say right off the bat that this hybrid is not recommended for first-time dog owners. It takes one who is passionate and willing to devote time and energy to a German Shepherd Wolf dog.
Because of its unpredictable nature, it is advised that this crossbreed should not be left alone around other pets and especially children.
Black German Shepherd Wolf mixes in particular, are known for being less tolerant towards children. They have been known to react by biting and shaking. This is a natural response of the Black GSD when correcting puppy behavior.
Its not all bad though. With rigorous training, a Wolfdog makes a protective and loyal companion. They are strong, intelligent, playful, and affectionate towards family.
Year Old German Shepherd Size
German Shepherds, like all dog breeds, grow very rapidly during their first year. At a year old, theyre barely recognizable as the fluffy puppy you bought home!
How much should a 1 year old German Shepherd weigh?
A male German Shepherd typically weighs between 60 and 84 pounds on his first birthday. And a one year old female German Shepherd usually weighs between 46 and 68 pounds. Since females mature faster than males, her weight on her first birthday is closer to her final adult weight than her brothers are.
When do German Shepherds stop growing?
If youve established a regular habit of weighing your GSD youll notice that the rate theyre gaining weight has started to slow right down now. In fact, females may only gain a couple more pounds after her first birthday the ideal weight range for adult female GSDs is 50 to 70 pounds.
Male German Shepherds also stop gaining weight as rapidly after they turn one. But, in common with other large and giant dog breeds, this tends to be a pause, rather than an end to growing. Before they turn two, youll notice that they start to fill out with muscle, and gain another 5 or 6 pounds as they do. So its still going to be several months before youll know their true adult weight. Fully grown male GSDs weigh between 65 and 90 pounds.
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German Shepherds Need Training And Exercise
German Shepherds arent the sort of dog breed that loves lying on the couch all the time. They are large in both size and activity. If they get bored then they are known to become loud and destructive.
Training is a great activity to do with your German Shepherd. It not only helps to ensure they behave correctly but also keeps them entertained and can provide good exercise. Especially if you do training such as agility training.
When thinking about training your German Shepherd to remember that police forces throughout the world use German Shepherds for a wide variety of tasks, which helps to show their flexibility to training.
Wherever possible try to choose training that also exercises them. Similarly to humans exercise not only helps keep them physically well but also mentally well.
If you havent trained a dog previously then it is worth looking into local dog training facilities. Most dog training facility provide classes that you can sign up for, where a qualified trainer will walk a class of dogs and fur parents through training of your dog. A great added benefit of these classes is that you will meet like other local fur parents who have a love for dogs.
Classes also provide a great way for you to socialize your German Shepherd. By introducing them to new dogs and different environments you will be able to train them on how you expect them to behave in that situation and also to help them understand that they dont need to be afraid of other dogs.
As A Large Dog Breed German Shepherds Usually Live Up To 10 Years
Dogs are amazing companions to have in your life but, unfortunately, they dont live as long as us.
Most long-time dog owners know the pain of losing a dog its a horrible experience that no one should have to go through but that we all endure eventually if weve had a dog.
And thats especially unfortunate for owners of German Shepherds as this breed lives on average 7 to 10 years.
Yes, there are recorded cases of GSDs living beyond 15 years and up to even 18 or 20 years, but thats very rare. There are two main reasons for this:
- The aforementioned health concerns that some German Shepherds have and that get more and more likely as the dog gets older.
- The simple fact that the GSD is a large dog breed and larger breeds just have a shorter lifespan than smaller ones.
Still, if youve got a healthy puppy, if you take good care of it, and if you have a bit of luck, it will likely grow beyond 10 years and maybe even reach 15 thats not too shabby!
Who are German Shepherds right for?
As you can see, there are lots of factors to consider before getting a GSD. So, while there isnt just one type of person that the GSD is right for, there is lots to think about before getting a German Shepherd.
In general, the right GSD owner can be characterized as such:
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The Benefits Of Hemp And Cbd Oil For German Shepherds
In fact, there is always a chance that over-the-counter prescriptions will exacerbate the symptoms your German Shepherd is dealing with, which is counterintuitive and very detrimental to your dogs wellbeing. The market for CBD-infused dog treats and natural medicinal remedies is growing by the day. More and more people are coming to the light as advances are made.
Studies continue to emerge with research backing the claim that CBD oil is an all-natural way to control many mental symptoms and lessen the pain of a plethora of physical problems.
Dogs can only take so much pain before it becomes absolutely unbearable, so making sure German Shepherds are treated with the right products is essential.
CBD oil and hemp oil are sometimes derived from the same cannabis plant. The only major distinction between the two oils is that hemp oil is 100% solely extracted from hemp plants, and therefore is completely free from THC in all capacities.
In contrast, it is possible that CBD oil has been derived from a cannabis plant other than the hemp plant.
As a result, CBD oils might contain a slight fraction of THC, but it is never a high enough percentage to where your German Shepherd will experience any hallucinogenic effects.
The benefits of Introducing your German Shepherd to CBD-infused products are:
- Pain management
**There is no conclusive evidence to support official conclusions however, the FDA does “support the rigorous scientific medical research of marijuana – derived products.“
Things You Should Know Before Buying A German Shepherd
German Shepherds, as the name implies, originally worked as a shepherd dog and a protector of sheep. Very adaptable and easy-to-train, the German Shepherd has proved quite valuable as a guard dog, tracker, and guide dog, and is widely used all over the world by police and armed forces. German Shepherds, in spite of some bad publicity for aggressive behavior, usually have a steady temperament if socialized early as a pup. When chosen carefully as a puppy and when trained properly by a responsible owner, a German Shepherd can become a trusted and faithful member of the family. We have listed below 10 things you should consider before choosing a German Shepherd as a pet or companion.
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Make Sure The Puppy Is Active
You want to make sure that the puppy that you are considering is as active as his or her siblings and seems physically up to speed with them. Also, make sure that the puppy seems to play well with you. If the puppy distances himself and tries to avoid affection or being held, you may want to consider another puppy because a puppy that doesn’t like affection is likely to grow into an adult that doesn’t like affection.
They Have High Intelligence
German Shepherds are incredibly intelligent dogs. They can learn any command, trick, or behavior you desire to teach them. If sent to obedience school or protection dog training, theyll return to you fully capable of obeying your every command and protecting your family as if their life depends upon it.
Trained German Shepherds are sensitive to routine and will know when you go to work when you come home when you take them for a walk and the time for dinner.
Theyll also be able to recognize friend from foe, and differentiate between random strangers passing by and those who might have more sinister reasons for being in the area.
Due to their intelligence, they need to be trained, taught, and worked. They come from a working breed and love to please. German Shepherds need a job to do. Without a role, they could get bored, and theyll do what any bored dog does get into trouble.
Training ensures that your dog will use their intelligence for something productive and constructive. Training is an absolute must for these smart K9s, so be sure you have a plan in place before you bring one home.
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What Are Good Activities For A Ddr German Shepherd
One of the most important things that owners need to know about DDR German Shepherds is that these are dogs that thrive on a lot of activity.
Like all Shepherds, they require more fulfilling lives than existing ignored in a backyard.
An activity that should be a part of every German Shepherds everyday life is a brisk walk once or twice a day. Taking a dog on walks helps provide stimulation.
Another advantage of walking is that it helps to provide better bonding between both of you.
Even though German Shepherds are not bred for retrieving or other hunting-related activities, many learn how to fetch and perform similar activities easily.
Playing Frisbee can also be an exciting activity for a Shepherd.
Having a ladder or ramp that you encourage the dog to climb can help keep their muscles healthy. Your dogs leg muscles will stay healthy with the activity of this type.
Just make sure that, if leashed, your dogs leash cannot become tangled.
If your dog has a lot of energy that takes effort to burn off, consider taking your dog out for activities while wearing a backpack or dog weights.
These products will help your dog gradually burn off more of its excess energy.
Consider taking your dog along when you go bike-riding. German Shepherd Dogs are built to keep up with a bike in full motion easily.
One of the best things about this option is that it allows both of you to get exercise.
Hiking is also a relaxing, refreshing way to spend time with your dog when you get outdoors.