Why Do German Shepherds Cry

They Need Or Want Something

Typically, if dogs whine because they want or need something, theyll make an effort to let you know exactly what that is.

For example, if they need to go out to potty, they might take their leash, stand by your front door, and whine until you let them out. If their toy is stuck somewhere and they cant get it out themselves, they could take you there and keep whining until you realize the problem and help them out.

Cases like this are normal dog behavior. It is simply a means for your dog to communicate with you. Nothing is wrong with this behavior, but you can also teach your dog alternative behaviors if you prefer.

For example, you can teach your dog to use a potty bell instead of whining whenever they want to be taken out.

Why Dog Shock Collars Are A Totally Unnecessary Training Tool

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Can German Shepherds Be Trained Not To Cry

As Orca German Shepherd Dog Rescue charity explains, one key to at least minimize the vocalization of a German Shepherd dog is to be sure to spend enough time with your dog.

The German Shepherd is actually not known to be a barker, but barking will increase if your dog becomes lonely or bored.

In the same way, German Shepherd crying, whimpering and whining can turn from simply attempts to talk to you into pleas for attention, time and affection if not enough of that is readily available.

There is really no way to train your German Shepherd dog to be a different type of dog than the GSD breed is known to be.

But there are some ways to keep the natural vocalizations of your German Shepherd from turning into real problem behaviors of the type that may get you into hot water with neighbors or housemates or even the local community.

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Why Do German Shepherds Howl

There are many beliefs why dogs are howling. Some believed on superstitions about howling of dogs and others are so worried why they howl. But German Shepherd howling can be explained by understanding its causes and nature. You can also learn how to stop their howling properly. This article will give you a background about the German Shepherd howling behavior.

Your German Shepherd Has Separation Anxiety

So, youve had your German Shepherd since he was only a few months old. You spend every single day with him. Youve trained him, fed him, took him for walks, and played with him.

Over the months and years, your German Shepherd started to build an unhealthy attachment to you. Since hes entirely dependent on you and doesnt spend all that much time away from you, he gets incredibly nervous when you leave and this usually occurs within the first 30 minutes.

This is known as and can be the result of real stress in your dog. Unfortunately, the German Shepherd is known as one of the breeds most likely to suffer from this condition.

So, whats the difference between a clingy GSD and one suffering from separation anxiety? Although these are very similar, clingy dogs want to be around you when youre at home whereas a German Shepherd with separation anxiety really panics when youre not around.

Not much is known about why dogs develop separation anxiety. However, here are some of the reasons believed to cause it:

• A major change in the dogs routine, e.g. moving house
• He may have been abandoned in the past or mistreated
• He suffers from his own stress and anxiety
• He really just doesnt like to be away from you

Your German Shepherd might be so clingy because hes afraid youll leave him and never come back!

Once he is alone he may display disruptive behavior such as chewing on your wooden furniture. These are all signs that your dog is suffering from real stress.

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How Do I Get My German Shepherd Puppy To Listen

STEP 1 Pick a special, high-value treat and start in a quiet area of your home. STEP 2 Hold the treat where your German shepherd can see it in your hand, but out of reach of your dog. STEP 3 Now, say your dogs name once and only once. Dont repeat their name or youll teach your dog to ignore you calling them.

Whining To Get Attention

In a scenario where the dog wants something, it may whine to get your attention. German Shepherds are very active and friendly dogs. With their owners, they crave a lot of love, care, and attention throughout the day.

If you have not been giving it any attention, you may find the German Shepherd whining more than usual. However, if the dog has associated whining with attention, then it may end up whining to get the attention that it wants.

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German Shepherd Howling With Wolves

Some of the German Shepherd owners were surprised when they witnessed their German Shepherd howling with wolves in the scene of the movie, Zootopia. This reaction will not surprise you if you are already knowledgeable about the causes of German Shepherd howling. Their howling might be a result of their natural instinct as an animal in wolf lineage so they will try to howl as if they are calling the attention of other packs of wolves.

Train Your German Shepherd Adult Dog Not To Cry So Much

When it comes to training an adult GSD dog not to cry or whine so much, it is all about setting reasonable expectations, as this VetStreet owner thread highlights.

After all, you have chosen a vocal dog breed with a high need and drive to be near you and in constant communication with you.

If you set a goal for yourself to completely eliminate your German Shepherd dogs crying and whining, you are likely to get quickly frustrated and conclude it is not possible.

But if you set a goal to simply reduce the amount of crying or whining, you are likely to have a much better chance of reaching your goal.

Here are some tips to help encourage your German Shepherd to stop seeing crying or whining behavior as an effective way of getting your attention quickly.

1. Make a list.

Start making a list of each time your German Shepherd whines and what was going on just before the crying started.

This can help you identify certain issues that may cause your GSD to whine more is it just before dinner time? Is it time for the evening walk? Is there some other routine your dog remembers that you have forgotten?

This will also help you identify when crying might be prompted by discomfort, illness, boredom, loneliness, or some other reason.

The more you can separate out normal reminder cries from distress cries, the better your human-to-canine communication will become.

2. Stop responding to the crying right away.

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Why Your German Shepherd Might Be Clingy

Whether you love it or hate it, your German Shepherd absolutely adores you but sometimes he takes this to the extreme. Honestly, why else would he be obsessed with remaining at your side for every minute of the day? Were going to take a deeper look at your German Shepherds clingy behavior and this is where it gets interesting.

Were going to examine just how common separation anxiety is in German Shepherds and how to distinguish whether your dog has separation anxiety or just likes to be around you. Then, well touch on just how in tune your German Shepherd might be with your own stress and anxiety.

Finally, we will look at how genetics plays a part and give some examples of your dogs learned behaviors whereby YOU may be to blame!

Try This To Solve #1 #3

For German Shepherds that have these three issues, its really a matter of getting them used to be alone.

Try to isolate them for short periods of time, even if its just in a separate room. Do this for longer and longer periods until your dog becomes more comfortable with separation.

This exercise will help them realize that theyre okay in isolation and that you and other family members always come back in one piece. It also helps in making them feel safe at home and confident enough to let their guard down and rest easy.

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Why Does My Dog Look Like Its Crying

Like humans, dogs have tear ducts to help keep their eyes functioning properly. However, a dogs tear ducts drain the liquid back towards the throat and nose area instead of spilling out. So if a dog looks like hes crying, there might be something wrong that you need to get checked out by a veterinarian.

Why Does My German Shepherd Puppy Cry So Much

If your German Shepherd puppy has been crying a lot then youre probably wondering why and what you can do about it.

This post will show you a number of reasons why your German Shepherd puppy cries so much and what you can do to stop it.

So, why does my German Shepherd puppy cry so much? It is not unusual for German Shepherd puppies to cry a lot. Possible causes are illness, fear, wanting attention, hunger, boredom or excitement.

There are a number of things that you can consider when trying to figure out why your German Shepherd puppy does it.

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How To Stop Your German Shepherd Dog From Jumping Up

So, how do you stop it? The simple answer is body language. This is how dogs communicate at is the easiest way to explain to him that this behavior is not acceptable.

Whenever you see your dog getting ready to jump up at you, immediately give a firm no or ah-ah and turn your back. To a dog, your back is boring. There are no physical cues for him to read. His first response will probably be to circle you so he is facing you. Now he is ready to try again!

Be persistent. Even if he manages to get his feet of the floor, still give him your back. He will immediately get down because by turning your back you are rejecting his request for attention. Eventually he will give up. This doesnt mean he has learnt not to jump, it just means he has learnt that it isnt wanted right now.

To continue with the training, you need tell everyone your dog comes into contact with the do the same thing. That will begin to develop and association for your dog between jumping up and not getting the fuss he wants.

In addition, you need to give him an alternative. When he comes rushing towards you, hold out the palm of your hand like a stop gesture and ask him to sit. As soon as he does you can lavish him with pets and praise. The second he jumps up you must end the interaction by turning your back on him.

How Old Does A German Shepherd Have To Be To Have Grey Hair

Much of the reason a dogs hair starts to grey lies mostly in their genetics, and the German Shepherd is no different. Your German Shepherd could be as young as three years old, or as old as 15 years old, when their coat begins to grey.

The German Shepherd breed runs the danger of pannus. This disease causes third eyelid and cornea, the transparent layer forming the front of the eye to go tuberous and dark, therefore dog loses the ability to see. The cause of the illness is ultraviolet rays and its common for shepherds which live in mountains, deserts or other sunny places.

The first sight of troubles that the dog masters catch is red eyes. Nevertheless, that can be a natural reaction to some irritants. The best way to calm yourself down and prevent the suffering of the pet is going to the veterinarian.

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How Do You Stop Your German Shepherd Howling

There are lots of different ways that you can stop your german shepherd from howling. And you should tailor your choice based on the reasons the howling is occurring.

Fortunately, howling isnt a dangerous behavior or an indicator of an aggressive german shepherd most of the time. So you can take your time with your training to really make sure you get it right.

Here are some of the best ways to stop your german shepherd from howling.

Ignoring Them

If your german shepherd is howling for attention, one of the best methods to stop them is to ignore them completely.

You may think that scolding them or telling them to stop will work, and it will. In the short term. However, youre still teaching them that every time they howl theyre going to get attention from you.

To some dogs, even negative attention is better than no attention.

So, next time they howl, dont give them any attention whatsoever. Dont look at them, dont make eye contact with them no attention at all.

If they continue to howl no matter how much you ignore them. Get up tell them to leave the room as coldly and robotically as you can. Close the door behind them and wait for them to stop howling.

Once theyve stopped howling and theyve been quiet for a few minutes allow them back in the room.

Make sure that once theyve settled down and stopped howling that you give them lots of attention and treats. This will help reinforce in their head that howling doesnt get attention but sitting quietly does.

Whining Because Of Stress

Just like people, German Shepherds experience stress. If your dog is stressed, it may whine more than usual.

As a dog owner, identifying your dogs patterns allows you to note any abrupt changes. For a German Shepherd, any change in pattern may be a significant indicator of something amiss. If, for instance, your German Shepherd whines more than usual, then something must have happened and the dog could be experiencing a lot of stress.

Some examples, as provided by the German Shepherds Owner, of possible causes of stress could be:

• You just moved to a new location or home
• A family member or dog has left
• The German Shepherd is being mistreated

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Theyre Not Ideal For First

German shepherds can be a handful. They require consistent training and a level of experience that makes them a poor choice for first-time dog owners. If you do choose to adopt a GSD for your first dog, make sure you work with an experienced trainer so that your GSD does not develop any potentially dangerous or destructive habits.

German Shepherds Are Sensitive Working Dogs

The German Shepherd dog breed is a true working dog breed.

While today there are two distinct German Shepherd breeding lines the show line and the working line the original GSDs were working the dog through and through.

And in fact, as Wildhaus Kennels points out, there are actually three distinct breed lines today: the American show line, the German show line, and the European working line.

There are also several sub-sections of each of these three major umbrella breed lines. But if you trace your dogs lineage back far enough, you are likely to run into a pair of working dog ancestors, which means work ethic runs through your dogs veins.

And working dogs will develop personality and temperament traits that are very specific to the type of jobs they are bred to perform.

German Shepherds have always been bred to perform people-centric work. Here are just some of the many jobs German Shepherds are in high demand to perform:

• Guarding and protection.
• Search and rescue and nose work.
• Hunting and tracking.
• Canine athletics such as agility and dock diving.

In each one of these job descriptions, you can visualize two partners: a human partner paired with a canine partner.

Any working dog breed that has been developed and bred specifically to work closely with a human partner is going to be intelligent, perceptive, and extremely sensitive. German Shepherds fit this description perfectly.

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