What Happens After Your German Shepherd Puppy Turns One Year Old
As you likely have already noticed from reviewing the generic growth charts for a male and a female GSD puppy, puppies do a healthy chunk of their growth during the first six months of life.
But this doesnt mean theyre done maturing not by a long shot!
In fact, the average German Shepherd puppy will complete most of their height and length growth by the age of one.
But they may continue to pack on the pounds for as long as another 24 months.
German Shepherd Puppy Teething Stages
German Shepherd puppies start teething when their baby milk teeth fall out and their adult teeth start growing in.
During your German Shepherd puppy teething stages, you can expect small blood stains or spots on his or her toys. You may even find his or her small loose teeth on your floor or carpet. This is totally normal and theres no need to be concerned.
But, when do German Shepherds start teething, and when do German Shepherds stop teething?
Here are the German Shepherd teeth stages. After reading this, youll know in advance what your German Shepherd puppy will experience and how to better comfort and help him or her handle this situation.
Interested In Training Your German Shepherd The Right Way
If you havent trained your German Shepherd properly, then this is the perfect time to start. Whatever bad behavior your shepherd has, whether its barking at night or other bad behaviors, using the right training program is the key to having an obedient and happy pup.
The training program I love and highly recommend is Brain Training For Dogs.
With Brain Training For Dogs youll save yourself a ton of time and effort. Instead of banging your head against the wall trying to figure out why your dog wont listen, youll follow a path that has been tried, tested, and most importantly, thats given proven results. Not to mention the fact, youll be able to fit the course around your schedule, not fit your schedule around a trainer or obedience class.
So instead of worrying about whether theyre going to be well-behaved or not, youll only have to worry about how much fun youll have with them!
And in most cases its still going to be:
- Cheaper than hiring a professional.
- Cheaper than replacing everything they might break.
- And definitely cheaper than a lawsuit against you, if they decide to bite someone.
Just imagine how great it will feel to finally be able to trust your German Shepherd completely and never worry whether theyll be naughty or not. Instead, youll have the peace of mind that you have a well-behaved pup, and the boundaries you set for them, will always be there, EVEN IF YOURE NOT.
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At What Age Are Most Dogs Full Grown
The majority of growing for dogs is done in the first year or two. Medium breed sizes generally reach maturity around the 18-month mark, with giant breeds taking almost three years. Telling anything about your dogs future growth at less than a few weeks of age is probably going to be inaccurate, giant paws, or no!7 Sept 2018
It Is In Their Wolf Ancestry
In the wolf world where dogs have their ancestry, staring is rude and threatening. So, when your dog stares at you continuously, he might be manifesting an evolutionary holdover from his ancestral roots and communicating some displeasure. And if the uninterrupted hard stare is directed to a stranger, they should back away and not stare back!
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How Does An Aggressive German Shepherd Behave
An aggressive GSD is coming from an entirely different place psychologically than a dominant one. While dominant behavior is exhibited by a dog to show everyone whos boss, the root of almost all aggression is fear.
So when a GSD displays aggressive behavior, it is not trying to show that hes the boss, although it may appear that way.
Instead, there is either a primal instinct or learned fear from a past experience that is traumatizing the dog and causing it to lash out with aggression.
Types of aggression
Neonatal Period: Birth 3 Weeks
Right after birth is when a German Shepherd puppy is going to be most vulnerable. In the first three weeks of life, puppies will open their eyes, develop their hearing abilities, learn to crawl and to walk, and learn to go to the bathroom away from the rest of the litter.
They are small and delicate at this point. Their mother is completely responsible for feeding them, helping them urinate and cleanup, as well as keeping them warm. It is best at this stage to let the mother do her part and allow her the space to mother without humans interfering with her.
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When Is The Right Time To Neuter Or Spay A Gsd Puppy
This is a question that is best discussed with your dogs veterinarian.
Many German Shepherd breeders recommend waiting until at least the age of one when the dog has completed the majority of growth and the growth plates in the long leg bones have closed for good.
The key is to wait until those growth plates have closed, which may mean waiting longer than 12 months to do the spay/neuter surgery and having to endure a restless, sexually mature dog for a few months.
But this can prevent potentially disastrous and financially devastating veterinary care later in life, so it is worth talking this over with your dogs veterinarian.
In some cases, a dogs growth plates may close before 12 months of age.
In this case, youll want to talk about how the timing of the spay/neuter procedure can affect the incidence of other known GSD health issues such as cancer and incontinence.
Taking Care Of Your German Shepherd Dog At Home
Much of what you can do to keep your dog happy and healthy is common sense, just like it is for people. Watch her diet, make sure she gets plenty of exercise, regularly brush her teeth and coat, and call us or a pet emergency hospital when something seems unusual . Be sure to adhere to the schedule of examinations and vaccinations that we recommend for her. This is when well give her the necessary check-ups and test for diseases and conditions that are common in Shepherds. Another very important step in caring for your pet is signing up for pet health insurance. There will certainly be medical tests and procedures she will need throughout her life and pet health insurance will help you cover those costs.
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Training Goal #: Begin Obedience Training
The German Shepherd Dogs work ethic is legendary, and you can encourage your dogs best working traits with early and ongoing training. GSDs excel at obedience, so begin teaching your puppy basic commands like sit, down, and stay, as well as loose-leash walking, from an early age. Enrolling in a puppy obedience class can be extremely helpful both for teaching these commands as well as socialization, and its not too early to begin thinking about CGC training as well.
Best Brand Of Dog Food For German Shepherd
Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food
Royal Canin has mastered themselves in formulating unique diet meals for German Shepherds. The main factor that makes them stand out among others is that they offer effective nutritional dog food from pure and original ingredients. Not just improving your pets body structure but also providing complete overall body development.
Natural Balance Dog Food
Natural Balance combination of love for pets plus their innovative knowledge of dog food formula makes them unique in creating premium dog food products. They are known to make products that meet the high nutritional, good taste, and clear all safety standards. Their innovative L.I.D is a hit with providing simple and specific nutritional formulated formula diet food for your pet.
Blue Buffalo Dog Food
Blue Buffalo has always indulged in producing dog food with the finest high-quality ingredients from the very beginning of its journey. None of their German Shepherd dog food contains soy, wheat, or corn. Blues every bite is rich in antioxidants that help improve your pets immune system. All of the pet food is slowly processed and not overcooked since overcooking may eliminate its nutritional value. We would recommend Blue Buffalo if you are looking out for a premium quality dog food product.
Purina Dog Food
Merrick Dog Food
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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
German Shepherd Puppy Teeth Start Growing Between 2 To 3 Weeks Old
Like humans, German Shepherd puppies are also born without any teeth. If you open their mouth slightly, youll only see red gums. Around the 2 weeks mark or 14 days, the German Shepherd baby teeth or puppy milk teeth will start to come in.
This is around the same time they start to open their eyes. The 14th day marks a major milestone in your puppys life because that is when he or she experiences a lot of growth.
Since its best for German Shepherd puppies to stay by their mothers side until they reach at least 8 weeks old for nursing and development purposes, many dog owners wont be able to witness this dental development phase.
Instead, its the German Shepherd dog breeders that will see this growth happening and monitor the puppies to make sure everything is going ok.
When the puppy teeth start pushing through their gums, they can be sharp. Your German Shepherd puppy has different types of canine teeth. They are:
These are also the exact orders that the puppy baby teeth will come through.
Your German Shepherd puppies will have grown all 28 puppy milk teeth by the time they reach 8 weeks old.
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Getting To Know The German Shepherd
A German Shepherd can make a fabulous addition to the family, but there are certain precautions to consider first. For one thing, with this breed, it appears best to get a young pup that can grow up with the children, and early socialization and training are paramount. In addition to these important points, its always a good idea to get to know the basic information about any breed that you plan to add to your family dynamic. For example, if you want a small dog, a German Shepherd isnt the best choice, no matter how adorable and small he is as a puppy.
Here are some good-to-know facts about the noble and smart German Shepherd:
Training Goal #: Impulse Control
Learning to control their impulses is important for all puppies, and for the GSD, it can be one of the most important ways to curb problem behaviors to which this breed is prone if allowed to become bored: behaviors such as excessive barking, digging, aggressive chewing, and inappropriate chasing .
The key to impulse control is getting your dog to focus on you. This will have beneficial effects for all the rest of your training efforts, especially in AKC dog sports like Obedience and Rally.
Require that your puppy sit before getting food, playing with an exciting toy, going outside to play, or any other favorite activity. As your GSD puppy advances in obedience training and knows more commands, you can require more advanced commands or tricks in order to receive treats or play.
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So What Really Is The Best Way To Train A German Shepherd Puppy
The best way to train your German Shepherd is by following a fun, engaging program that teaches not only the basics but covers problem behaviors, too.
The best way of training a German Shepherd puppy is not only by using positive reward-based techniques but also by incorporating fun games that work your breeds super intelligence in a productive way.
Sound difficult?
Its not, because you can learn how to train a German Shepherd puppy easily with this inexpensive online Brain Training for Dogs Obedience and Games Program from the comfort of your home. It teaches you how to get your pup to learn positive behaviors.
Training German Shepherd puppies is fun when you know how and use the best program from the start.
Dont make the mistake of missing out on early German Shepherd training
Or youll regret it later when your GSD is larger, more powerful, and wont listen to you!
German Shepherd Puppy Growth Chart For Male Gsds
For a male German Shepherd puppy, the weight range in adulthood typically varies between 65 pounds and 90 pounds. Puppies will be between 24 to 26 inches tall on average.
This growth chart timeline is courtesy of Von Geliebten Haus GSD breeders. It uses an average German Shepherd that weighs 64 pounds at one year of age.
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Are German Shepherds Friendly
The German Shepherd is a dignified dog that can be aloof, and somewhat antisocial.
However, a huge part of this breeds personality is their unconditional love and loyalty.
They adapt well in a family setting and typically get along well with children.
Early socialization and training are important when it comes to German Shepherd temperament. This reduces the chance of them being antisocial, or cautious around other animals or the unfamiliar.
However, despite early socialization or training, this breed is naturally standoffish. Generation upon generation of training and breeding has created a natural guard dog in this breed.
This doesnt mean that the German Shepherd is aggressive or unwelcoming towards strangers. It simply means that they are cautious of them and like to stay distant before deciding to trust.
Some owners say there is no bond like a German Shepherds bond with their family. The German Shepherds protective and sometimes hard nature is replaced with cuddly love within the home.
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Grooming: Do German Shepherds Shed A Lot Are They Easy To Groom
About shedding….
I have good news and bad news.
The good news is that German Shepherds have only one shedding period a year.
The bad news is…. their shedding period lasts for 365 days. In other words, German Shepherds shed constantly.
How is this different from most breeds?
Most breeds shed a few hairs here and there throughout the year. But the vast bulk of their shedding occurs only twice a year for three weeks in the spring as their thicker winter coat switches over to a cooler summer coat, and for three weeks in the fall as the summer coat switches over to a winter coat.
Not German Shepherds. They shed a TON during those spring and fall coat-switching seasons. Plus they shed moderately the rest of the year.
So year-round, you’ll find hair on your clothing, on your carpets, and under your refrigerator. Frequent vaccuming will become a way of life.
You might be wondering, “How can a shorthaired dog shed so much?” The answer is that German Shepherds have a double coat. They have a short outer coat , plus a woolly undercoat . Breeds with a double coat always shed more than breeds who simply have an outer coat but no undercoat.
German Shepherds come in a long coat, as well as a short coat. Both coats shed heavily.
Now, about grooming….
How much grooming is required depends on whether a German Shepherd is shorthaired or longhaired.
Longhaired dogs need trimming
Along with brushing and combing, longhaired German Shepherds need trimming every few months.
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Start With The Dog Breed Standard
According to the German Shepherd Dog Club of America, the German Shepherd as a breed typically stands between 22 and 24 inches tall for female adult dogs and 24 to 26 inches tall for male adult dogs.
No weight range is given for the official dog breed standard. However, the standard does say the dog typically measures between 8.5 and 10 inches from the dogs breastbone to pelvis .
So these can give you some good starting measurements.
The American Kennel Club gives a weight range of 50 to 90 pounds, with about 10 pounds difference between adult females and adult males.
What If My German Shepherd Is Growing Too Fast
The most common cause of a puppy growing too fast is his diet. If you overfeed your puppy, your puppy will gain too much weight, but there is a bigger problem. Puppy food is so high in nutrition, that when you give a puppy too much, he will suffer from over-nutrition.
The puppies will take in too much protein, calcium, Vitamin D, and phosphorus and grow too quickly as a result. Since German Shepherds are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, growing too quickly is dangerous for them. Talk to your vet about getting your puppy back on track.
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Note On German Shepherd Colors
German Shepherd puppies come in many colors:
- black and tan,
- black and brown,
- and sable.
Some color patterns are not accepted as standard by the AKC: for example, a completely white German Shepherd. A puppy with tufts of hair in his ears and between his toes is considered a “long-coated black” German Shepherd. Although he is not a standard German Shepherd type, the long-coated black will make an excellent family pet.