Ears In Different Directions
When your dogs ears are tilted in different directions, this may mean that his attention is on different things.
He may be focusing on multiple sounds at the same time.
They might also be tracking movements of different things while being distracted by external noise, directing their focus to multiple places.
This usually happens when your dog is outdoors and there are multiple noises attractive him, such as cars, nature and animals.
How To Stop A German Shepherd Jumping
So, we know why your German Shepherd might be jumping around like a jack-in-the-box. But how exactly do you stop it?;
Number 1? Check out the exercises in My Everyday Dog Training Tools.;The sooner you can start teaching your dog how to stay in control of their emotions, the sooner you can wave goodbye to all that boisterous, annoying behavior.
The Dog Calming Code will help teach your dog how to calm down, start focused, and pay attention. Once theyre able to do all three, youll find working your way through the rest of these tips and tricks a breeze.;
Use Body Language
Dogs use body language to express how they feel. If you can learn to do the same, youll be one step closer to a more well-behaved dog.
Next time you see your dog getting ready to spring into action, say no firmly and turn your back. To your dog, your back is boring. There nos fun in jumping up to meet you if all they get is the back of your head.;
If they try to circle around to meet you head-on, be persistent. Keep turning your back on them, even if they manage to get their feet off the floor. By rejecting their request for attention in this way, theyll eventually give up trying.;
Tell your friends, your family, and everyone else who comes into contact with your dog to do the same thing. Soon enough, theyll stop associating jumping with attention.;
Get Active
Put an End to Boredom
Educate Them
Enlist the help of a friend, grab a bag of treats, and get started on this simple training technique:
Fourteen: Differences In Size
As previously mentioned, German shepherds and Rotties are similar in height. Males of both breeds tend to be bigger and heavier than the females.
GSDs grow anywhere from 22 to 26 inches high from the ground to the tops of their withers
GSDs are sleeker and lighter than Rotties. On average, a GSD weighs from 49 pounds of a small female to 88 pounds for a large, healthy male.
Rotties are usually heavier than GSDs. The weight is the muscle and not fat Rotties tip the scales anywhere from 77 to 130 pounds. Yes, they are big-boned.
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Why Does My German Shepherd Have Floppy Ears
You might wonder a lot about why your German Shepherd has floppy ears. Or just have a curiosity to understand more about your floppy-eared German Shepherd.
There are a few reasons your dogs ears are quite erect yet.
Some you can help and others are entirely out of your control. Theres no way to 100% guarantee if your dogs ears will stand up or lie down.
Some common reasons your GSDs ears might never stand up include:
- Genetics
Some of these you can help prevent, while others are out of your immediate control.
Other Causes Of German Shepherd Floppy Ears
The aforementioned cause can easily be handled, but there are some cases where GSD floppy ears remain after the teething stage.
Such cases are caused by many triggers, and some of them are unpreventable. There are, however, those that you can avoid by taking proper precautions. Heres a look at such causes of the German shepherd floppy ears.
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Brief History Of German Shepherd
The German Shepherd is a medium to large-sized dog breed that originated in Germany in 1899. While originally developed to work as herding dogs, German Shepherds have evolved and become all-purpose working dogs.
Thanks to their intelligence, agility, strength, and loyalty, this breed is preferred by police and military and also used for all types of work including search-and-rescue and as service dogs.
While original German Shepherds were primarily bred as working dogs, the modern German Shepherds are subjected by scrutiny. In the U.S breeders put an accent on looks and started breeding German Shepherds with an extremely sloping back that resulted in poor gait in back legs.
Luckily, some U.S breeders have begun to value the breeds working abilities and traditional appearance and started to breed German Shepherds with a straight back.
How Do You Know If Your Dogs Ears Will Stand Up
Another way to tell if your pups ears are likely to stand is by observing where they are set on the head. Ears that will stand, even partially, tend to be set higher on the head and closer together than pendant ears. The cartilage at the base of a standing ear will begin to start feeling firm by 4-to-6 weeks old.3 Sept 2019
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Dont Touch Or Fondle With His Ears
The ears on puppies are so irresistible that we always want to touch them. But this is a big no-no!Too much fondling can weaken cartilage and bones that are not yet strong or developed. This will not only prolong the time that it takes for them to stand up, but it may even damage them permanently.Some breeders advise to gently massage the base of the ear to promote blood flow. This may work, but I cannot vouch for that as I have never done it. If youre unsure, just avoid the ears.
Proven Ways To Stop A German Shepherd Jumping
Dealing with a;German Shepherd jumping;all over you, your furniture, and your guests is embarrassing, frustrating, all too common, and fortunately, easy enough to resolve.;
It might not seem that way now, but this isnt a problem you just have to learn to live with. Neither is it a problem youre alone in dealing with.
You know the story
A visitor pops by your house. Your pup gets excited, loses all control, and starts jumping all over the place in a bid to get as much attention and as close to the action as possible.;
Everyone tells you how adorable they are. And then your pup loses their baby teeth, gains 50 lb of muscle, and suddenly adorable turns into scary.;
Sound familiar?
It should do. German Shepherds are known for their jumping prowess. As adults, theyre capable of jumping between 4 and 6 feet high. Theyve got power in their legs, determination in their heads, and the combination of the two rarely spells good things for your neighbors, your friends, and anyone else who has the misfortune to stop by your home.;;
Its rare that they mean any harm with their antics. But that doesnt mean Mrs. Jones from next door will be any more amenable to being knocked to the floor than if they did.
And if you want to turn your dog from a menace into a model citizen, its time to get on top of their behavior once and for all.;
The good news?
The first step?
Heres the link to take a look:;
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Beginnings Of Breeding German Shepherds
German Shepherds were not alone in being bred starting in the 1850s. There was an increasing sentiment that breeds of dogs should be registered and standardized.
In addition to those desires, breeding also became popular in Europe to capitalize and preserve useful attributes or features that dogs had. In the case of the German Shepherd, they were initially bred for their intelligence.
As a sheepdog, they would need to observe their flock, be aware of surroundings, and protect their sheep. This training over time as well as the later breeding increased their observation and protective attributes.
When the numbers of predators fell in Europe, the need for sheepdogs declined and people decided that avenues should be explored for dogs to be put to work in other ways.
In the late 19th century and early 20th century, it was not as common for people to keep pets. People had difficulty enough providing for and caring for their children.
Pet-keeping was mostly confined to upper-classes. Just a century prior , killing cats was seen as comical in France.
Thus it was an age where animals were defined by their usefulness. It only stands to reason that the reason German Shepherds were bred was to capitalize on this usefulness.
Following WWI, the German shepherd breed increased in popularity due to their use in pop culture such as the German shepherd who played Rin Tin Tin in Hollywood. Other uses of German shepherds during the early 1900s contributed to their renown and recognition.
Nineteen: Differences In Being Prone To Weight Gain
Because Rottweilers love their food so much, they are in danger of getting and staying overweight faster than German shepherds.
Overweight dogs are more prone to health problems like heart disease and arthritis. Get your Rottie weighed at least once a year to check the weight.
Love to train your Rottie using food rewards? Youre Rottie loves it, too, but too much. Use lower-calorie treats such as fresh broccoli, baby carrots, or smaller pieces of your usual treat.
Its not the amount of food that rewards the dog, but that he or she is getting a treat in the first place.
Another tip is that you do not have to reward your Rottie with food every single time the desired behavior is performed, like a sit.
Alternate food rewards with affection and verbal praise. Some Rotties will be just as motivated for affection as for food.
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German Shepherd Puppy Ear Taping And Gluing
German Shepherd puppy ear taping and gluing are both methods that many breeders and German Shepherd dog owners use to help guide their GSDs ears into the adult upright position.
Yet it would be understandable if you are reading the title to this section and feel dismay or even horror. Tape or glue a puppys ears? How can that possibly be a good thing?
But understand we are not talking about doing anything harmful or invasive.
The techniques you are about to read about will not harm or hurt your German Shepherd puppy at all. They will simply support the ears to grow into the upright position without having to work so hard to get there or stay there.
When Do German Shepherds Ears Stand And Stay Up
The answer to this question may vary. But if were going to generalize, the time it takes for a German shepherd to finish teething is 20 weeks or 5 months.
In addition to this gradual change, you may also notice a difference in their behavior right after the teething stage. For example, their floppy ears may suddenly stand up when hearing a book fall into the floor.
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How Big Are German Shepherds
Males stand about 24-26 inches at the shoulder and weigh 75-110 pounds.
Females stand about 22-24 inches and weigh 65-90 pounds.
Some German Shepherds are considerably larger than that, but shouldn’t be. This breed is supposed to be athletic and agile, not giant-sized and ponderous. Larger dogs can have more joint problems and a shorter lifespan.
Why Do German Shepherds Ears Not Stand Up
If their ears are still not up after five months have passed, the first thing that you need to do is to consult with your vet.
Aside from genetics, there are still other possibilities that can cause your puppys ears not to be up yet, so you shouldnt give up easily.
The first possibility is your puppy might not get the proper nutrition that they need, and the second possibility is they might be sick.
You should check with your vet to ensure that your pup is in good health. Some diseases caused by intestinal parasites can halt the growth of your pups ears.
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Taping Your Puppy’s Ears
Are There Different Types Of German Shepherds
Officially there’s only the one breed. But I explained in the Temperament section that there are different lines of German Shepherds with different temperaments. Those lines can also LOOK very different from each other.
Show lines
Those of us who admired the strong, noble look of German Shepherds from decades ago are saddened at what has been done to the appearance of modern show dogs.
If you go to a German Shepherd specialty show in the United States or Canada, you’ll see tall narrow bodies, long narrow heads, and such excessive curvature of the rear legs that the dog’s back slopes downward from shoulders to tail. You could roll a ball down that back.
In my opinion, these are misshapen caricatures of a German Shepherd. To make matters worse, show lines produce more than their share of spooky and low-intelligence dogs, which is what happens when you over-focus on appearance rather than temperament and trainability.
In contrast, the West German show line has a more normal shape. Best of all, German Shepherds in West Germany cannot win show ring ribbons or be bred without passing a temperament/trainability test.
There are many West German bloodlines in the United States. So if you’re interested, you can look for show breeders who emphasize West German lines instead of American/Canadian.
Just be aware that these dogs aren’t couch potatoes: they do have plenty of energy and some working drives that will need to be exercised.
Working/protection lines
Pet lines?
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Why Does It Take So Long For A German Shepherds Ears To Stand Up On Their Own
A German Shepherd puppy must develop the cartilage and muscle structure to help its ears stand upright. Having their ears stand up takes properly developed muscles and strong cartilage
Young puppies bodies simply arent mature enough to have the strength that keeps their ears upright.
You might notice that sometimes your GSD puppys ears stand up when they hear an interesting noise.
But, then the ears go down after a bit. This is all part of their ear development stages.
Why Is Vitamin D Important For Dogs
Vitamin D is vital for the regulation of the calcium and phosphorus balance in your pups body. The lack of vitamin D can make your pup get bone disorders rickets, heart disease when they grow up, which ultimately affects the development of their ears as well.
On the other side of the coin too much vitamin D can cause toxicity. So make sure you strike the right balance between too much and too little when giving vitamin D supplements to your puppy.
If youre hesitant in giving your pup commercially available vitamin supplements, you can alternatively substitute the commercial supplements with natural yogurt or cottage cheese.
Both cottage cheese and yogurt offer the same benefits; they are a natural source of calcium, protein, vitamins, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.
Tough yogurt may be a better choice among the two since yogurt contains probiotics that help the pups digestive system stay healthy.
If you pick yogurt to give to your pup, you should only give small amounts of plain yogurt at first, preferably one teaspoon, to avoid upsetting your pups stomach.
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Do German Shepherd Ears Stand Up Straight
All German Shepherds are born with floppy ears and your puppys ears will go through several weird stages before they become pointy and stand up straight.
You should expect your German Shepherds puppy ears to stand up and remain erect when he is finished teething. In most cases, the teething process lasts until the dog reaches five months of age, but it can last longer for some pups .
During this period, you will probably notice that your Shepherds ears are going through some funny changes. Its quite common for the ears to be up one day, just to drop down again the next.
If this happens, theres no need to be alarmed! In fact, this is a sign that your pups muscles and cartilage are developing properly.
Keep in mind that all puppies are individuals and develop differently. Thus, there is a big chance that your Shepherd puppys ears need seven months to stand up straight.
Generally, if your pups ears have gone up at some point and then dropped down again, they will stand up again and stay that way into adulthood. However, if the dogs ears dont go up by the time he is eight or nine months old, chances are that they never will.
Percentage of Ears Standing Up
According to owners, nearly one in five German Shepherd dogs have floppy ears . However, this doesnt mean that your GSDs ears wont stand up once hes finished teething.
Lets take a look at percentages of German Shepherd ears standing up by age:
| Age |
| 16% |