The Anal Sacs Could Be The Problem
Dogs have anal sacs around their behind. These sacs produce a smell thats on each dog breed. I know you have seen some dogs sniffing each other around that area. They are often looking for that smell.
However, when these glands become inflamed, they may start producing a disastrous smell. Such a reason can make your German shepherd smell.
Here is how you can know your German shepherd has a problem with these anal sacs
- Blood in the stool
- Swollen anus
Keep Their Mouths Clean
Another important thing you should do is ensure that your dogs teeth are being cleaned at least once a day. Some owners manually brush their dogs teeth and while this is all good and well it is difficult and time consuming. This generally leads to teeth being brushed just once a week, but a week is too long a time and will lead to bacteria growing inside your dogs mouth.
There is no denying that cleaning of your dogs teeth/mouth will keep them in optimum health for years to come, but it also prevent bad odors and keeps them at bay.
While this process can be a challenge, thankfully there are products like dental sticks and chew toys which act to clean their teeth and freshen your dogs breath simultaneously.
Providing them is often more effective way to go.
No products found.
Why Does Your German Shepherd Lick You
The most obvious reason your GSD will lick you is to show affection and joy. When youve been away and your German Shepherd has been all alone, your arrival is a cause for jubilation, and your dog will want to tell you how much they love you and show their immense joy at your homecoming.
Your German Shepherd will also lick you to investigate you and give information. Since your dog cannot ask you with words how you are or what youve had for lunch, they will lick your face to detect the smell of what youve eaten. They will also lick you after their lunch to tell you they are grateful, kind of, lunch was good Mom, thanks!
If your visual expression tells your dog that something is amiss, your German Shepherd will lick you to calm and soothe. They will come to the couch where you are lying down and lick you to say they are sad youre unwell and want you to be up again.
But dogs will also lick you to seek attention. If you have ignored them or not given them a treat all morning because you are busy, your dog will lick your face to draw your attention.
But your German Shepherd does not just lick you. They will also lick themselves.
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How Old Should A 10 Year Old German Shepherd Be
10-year-old German Shepherd Unfortunately, a German Shepherds expected lifespan is between 9 and 13 years old, and their time left here is getting short. It is common for German Shepherds to face arthritis, skin problems, decreased activity, dental issues, weight gain or loss, or even cancer at this age and older.
How Your German Shepherd Sees Training
Guess what? German Shepherds love training! Theyve been bred to be very good at following cues. Formal training programs tap into their deepest instincts and set them up for success. Weve worked hard to make our training programs successful, engaging, and fun for both of you.
This breeds intelligence means they should progress through the program with ease. Many German Shepherds can learn training very quickly.
Our training methodology sets you up for success, too. You learn how to work with your unique dog, their atavistic instincts, and breed. You learn how to change your environment, modulate your voice, stance, body language, and approach to work with the dogs behavior, instead of against it.
The result? Youre a very happy pet parent, and your dog becomes confident, socialized, easy-going, secure, and a well-behaved dog.
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Do German Shepherds Have A Strong Odor
German shepherds are not overtly smelly. German shepherds are generally not smellier than any other dog breed. That being said, every breed of dog does have their own natural aroma which comes from the management of their fur and coat. Due to their fur and longer coat, German shepherds do have a higher risk of odor.
Your German Shepherd Sticks Their Tongue Out
Whilst there is a condition called hanging tongue which can result from neurological and structural defects, a little tongue poking out can signal happiness.
You might notice it when your German Shepherd is asleep. The tongue poking out means that are completely relaxed and in a happy state.
The next time your German Shepherds tongue stick out, it could be a sign they are totally relaxed, content and happy with life.
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Why Does My Dog Smell Bad
When you first realize your dog has a bad odor, its natural to maybe feel embarrassed and also worried! However, there are several causes for that bad smell, and you can do something about it besides frantically bathing your poor pooch over and over again.
The first step is to understand the many reasons dogs develop a bad odor, to note the source, and to recognize the symptoms your dog is exhibiting. Once you know the possible causes, and in certain cases received help from your dogs veterinarian, you will be able to cure or control the smell.
Your Dog Rolled On Something
Out of no reason, your German shepherd will decide to roll in a heap of trash or poop. And the dog wont care. I know you have probably seen such a reaction from your dog.
Many animal behaviorists say such a reaction occurs because its wired in their system. Wild animals, especially canines, will roll in the dirt to mask their scent while out in the wild.
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Keeping Their Bed/ Crate Clean
Another good way to prevent GSD odor is to wash their bed and crating bedding regularly. If your dog is dirty and then lays in their bed or crate, their bed and crate will get dirty too.
The best thing to do is have a regular washing routine for your dogs bedding, keeping that clean will help keep the odor down.
Your German Shepherd Is Not Getting Enough Exercise
I know how tired you are after being at work all day, going to school, or taking care of your usual personal life and family.
But your dog is counting on you to give them their daily dose of Vitamin E
No, not a pill or supplement, but actual physical EXERCISE!
Youve gotten a working breed dog with a high-energy drive. If you dont exercise him hes bound to take off running away from you to enjoy his freedom and burn off his energy.
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Common Culprits If Your Dog Still Stinks After A Bath
Many pet parents love how their dog smells after a good shampooing. But if your dog doesnt have that usual fresh scent following a bath, youll want to look into it. There are several root causes of lingering odor that not even the best odor-control shampoo can defeat.
Three common areas can be found in the skin, ears or anal glands. Well discuss these three areas, how they cause persistent odors and what you can do about it.
Cracked Or Broken Tooth
Infection is one of the most common reasons for a German Shepherds bad breath.
A tooth infection can arise for many reasons. Tartar buildup, an abscess, and a cracked or broken tooth all make it easier for dental infection to take root.
Like nearly all dogs, German Shepherds love to chew. Chewing on something too hard or something brittle can cause the teeth to crack or the gums to get injured.
When your GSD develops bad breath and you cant see any immediate reason for it, there may be a developing tooth issue in the back of the mouth. You should make sure you take your dog in to see the veterinarian.
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How To Get Rid Of The Fishy Smell From A Dog
Time to get to the bottom of it. If your dogs post-bath scent is on the fishy side, thats a strong indicator that hes having gland issues.
Fish smells happen when your dog has blocked anal glands. When theyre functioning normally, the glands secrete a small amount of pungent oil when your dog does his business. This scent serves as your pets calling card to other dogs alerting them they just entered their territory, but also saying, I was here. This can explain why dogs sniff each others bottoms.
Just about every dog gets compacted anal glands at one time or another. As the glands experience a buildup, it can progress to an infection. But the buildup also can cause a pungent smell thats difficult to ignore. Your dogs vet can express the glands and make sure theyre healthy.
What Kind Of Commands Do German Shepherds Understand
In time, your dog will understand certain commands such as sit, stay and come, drop etc. But, dogs only understand single direct commands. Use language your dog will understand. Calm, simple commands and body language will make your message crystal clear. For dogs, everything is black and white they dont understand compromise.
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Keep Your German Shepherd Out Of The Trash
Try keeping your German Shepherd from scavenging in the trash can where they might eat food or substances that may upset their stomachs.
When walking with them, have them on a leash to prevent them from venturing into eating things they find on the street.
Teach them to know commands that direct them to leave or stop an activity so that they dont continue to act on it once they come in contact with trash or what they are not supposed to eat.
How Do You Get Rid Of The Smell Of A German Shepherd
The smell in German Shepherds is quite common but it becomes intolerable when they start smelling bad. There are many concerns which you should look after and we discussed above. Now we will look at how we can get rid of the smell of your German Shepherds.
Lets discuss how we can smell our German Shepherds smell better:
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Why Does My German Shepherd Smell Like Stool
The anal glands hide in the muscles on a dogs behind just under the tail. When working properly, they are excreted in small amounts with each bowel movement. These glands are the reason why other dogs greet each other with a smell of their back end, as well as how dogs make their presence known when leaving stool behind in the wild.
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Reasons Why Your German Shepherd Smells Bad And How To Fix It
One of the questions that new GSD owners ask is whether a German shepherd is smelly? Or does it even produce odor?
I bet no one wants a dog that makes the whole house smell. And with that, many vets sometimes find it hard to answer such a question.
What you should learn, like us humans, dogs have a distinctive odor that should not be bothersome to anyone.
In case your German shepherd smells, either he has not bathed, or maybe he rolled in a paddle of muddy water.
So what can cause a dog like the German shepherd to smell? And is there anything we can do? Lets dive in to learn more.
Contents
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How To Correct Missed Training
You must start with my post that gives you step-by-step of all the basics of the come command training for your German Shepherd.
Do not pass GO.
Do not collect $200
Until you work through the step-by-step instructions for a reliable come command.
You probably knew that I was going to tell you to train your dog, but I bet you didnt know theres an easy system to teach it that you can start right away at home. Theres even a handy table for a quick reference to the step in the post see for yourself.
Too Much Diet Variety
You may be surprised to learn that too much variety does not typically fare well for your German shepherd.
Many German shepherds have a sensitive stomach, and it can be a struggle to digest more than two types of food at one meal.
For this reason it is best to limit variety, and only expand their diet once they are settled and on a regular feeding schedule with safe foods. Then, once you introduce new foods you can soon spot an offender.
Its also important that you limit or be careful with any scraps that you may give. Dogs, including German shepherds, should not be consuming too many herbs, spices and condiments like salt.
For herbs and spices, which can be found in a lot of processed foods consumed by humans, will also make their way out of your dogs pores!
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What Causes Allergies In Dogs
Environment: When your dog inhales pollen, dust and dander, that leads to a skin condition called atopy.
Diet: Certain proteins of insect, plant and animal origin can make your dog feel uncomfortable in his skin. Root causes can include filler ingredients in bargain brands, such as corn, or he may need a change in animal protein.
Eliminate Poor Quality Food
Poorly made food offers no nutritional value- all they do is make your dog experience gastrointestinal problems that will bring on flatulence.
With that, dont bargain when it comes to your dogs diet. Go for the quality. Avoid food with fillers or other ingredients that will cause your German shepherd to smell.
Dont give your dog milk- avoid dairy products in your dogs routine diet. As earlier discussed, milk will cause stomach discomforts like flatulence and diarrhea.
Take Your Dog To The Vet.
If nothing seems to work on your end, then its time to take your dog to a vet- a vet will make a diagnosis of whats causing your German shepherd to smell.
Your vet may take a blood sample to test whether an underlying condition making your German shepherd to smell.
Your vet may also do a fecal test to see whether there is any bug thats causing your dog to have flatulence every time.
In case of a medical condition like diabetes, your vet will give you a detailed review of the next course of action. Your doctor may start anti-diabetics to control its sugars.
Also, the vet may recommend a specialized dog shampoo to remove any dermatitis or seborrhea that will cause a German shepherd to smell.
Also, the vet may give your dog some de-wormers to eliminate any stomach parasites. Additionally, your dog may get a course of probiotics to bring back the normal flora.
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Why Does A German Shepherd Wine
Although I am not a veterinarian or expert on German Shepherds,I did own one for several years, and in my experience, he wouldwine when he was sad, anxious, or missed us. Unfortunately we usedto purposefully rile our dog up sometimes because we thought thathigh-pitched nasally whine was really cute, but in the most basicterm, they whine as a coping mechanism, much like how we’ll crywhen we get sad. I’m sure you figured out that the whining is verydifferent than the barking, so when your dog is whining, just makesure to give him/her a lot of love and attention, and try todistract it somehow with toys and/or treats so the whining willlessen.
Understand Why Your Dog Is Chewing When Left Alone
While chewing is a natural instinct and activity for your dog to exercise their jaw and stimulate their mind, destructive chewing is usually indicative of a larger problem at play. Understanding the why of your problem will make it a lot easier to fix.
Puppy Chewing
If you are reading this article, and your dog is between 0-6 months of age, their chewing could be fueled by teething and exploration. Just like human babies explore the world with their mouths and look for teething relief via chewing, so do canines!
The good news is that you dont have any bad habits to break. Now is the perfect time to set your puppy up for success by teaching them whats okay to chew. They should be given lots of opportunity to chew, and you can take control of what that will be. What do you need? My other article, How to Survive the Puppy Chewing Phase.
Boredom Chewing
If you have an older puppy, young adult dog, or older dog that is suddenly destructive chewing out of nowhere, its often caused by boredom. When you decided to bring your furry love home you made a commitment to meeting their mental and physical exercise needs.
If your dogs need for exercise and mental stimulation arent being met, they are going to take matters into their own hands. Destructive chewing is often a dogs way of keeping themselves occupied.
- Excessive barking, howling, or whining when you leave
- Escaping, or signs of attempted escape
- Bathroom accidents in the house
Hunger or Malnourishment
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