Owning dogs, in particular providing care for the german shepherd dog, is a specialty of people. Historians speculate dogs were originally domesticated between twelve thousand and twenty five thousand years ago—and that dogs evolved from the wolf. Since then, people have selectively bred more than 400 different breeds, ranging in size from 4-pound teacup poodles all the way up to Irish wolfhounds, whose 3-ft stature has earned them the distinction of the tallest pooch. However, the most preferred canines are non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mutts. The german shepherd dog is also a popular pick among canine owners. Many owners are oblivious, however, of some common german shepherd dog care tips.
Typical cost of care for your german shepherd dog
The yearly cost of rearing your german shepherd dog—including everything from food, to vet bills, toys and license—can range between four hundred twenty and seven hundred eighty dollars. This figure doesn’t include capital costs for spay/neuter operations, collar and leash, a dog carrier and a dog crate. Note: Make sure you have procured all of your supplies before you get your german shepherd dog home.
General german shepherd dog Care
german shepherd dog Feeding Routine
- german shepherd dog pups between 8 and 12 weeks need 4 meals daily.
- german shepherd dog puppies 3 to 6 months old should be fed three meals in a twenty-four hour period.
- Feed pups six months old to one year old two times every twenty-four hours.
- When the german shepherd dog makes her 1st birthday, 1 feeding a day is all that’s required.
- Sometimes german shepherd dogs, however, do better with two smaller bowls. It’s your duty to adapt to your german shepherd dog’s eating habits.
Premium-quality dry dog food ensures balanced nutrition for full-grown german shepherd dogs and can mix with broth, water, or canned food. Your german shepherd dog may love cooked eggs, cottage cheese, and fruits and vegetables, but these shouldn’t total more than 10 percent of his or her daily food. german shepherd dog pups need to be given top-quality, brand-name puppy food. You should cut down on “people food”, though, because it can cause mineral and vitamin imbalances, tooth and bone concerns, and may cause very finicky eating habits as well as obesity. Give fresh, clean water at all times, and be certain to clean water and food dishes frequently.
german shepherd dog Care Tips: Your german shepherd dog needs exercise daily
german shepherd dogs must get exercise so they can burn calories, recharge their brains, and maintain good health. Physical activity also tends to help german shepherd dogs fight boredom, which often leads to destructive behavior. Getting out and about can appease many of your german shepherd dog’s instinctual urges to retrieve, dig, chew, chase and herd. Individual exercise needs vary based on your german shepherd dog’s level of health and his or her age—but 10 minutes in the backyard and just a walk down the street every day probably won’t do. If your german shepherd dog is a 6 to eighteen month adolescent, his requirements will be much more.
Grooming tips for german shepherd dogs
Regular brushing will help keep your german shepherd dog clean and reduce shedding. Check for fleas and ticks every day during warm weather. Many german shepherd dogs don’t need to be bathed more than a few times during the year. Prior to giving him a bath, cut out or comb any and all mats from the german shepherd dog’s coat. Carefully rinse all soap from the coat, or dirt will stick to the soap.
german shepherd dog Handling
Pups are obviously the easiest to handle. To carry the german shepherd dog puppy, take 1 hand and place it under your dog’s chest, with either your forearm or other hand supporting his or her back legs and rump. Don’t ever try to grab or lift your pup by her forelegs, nape or tail. When you must pick up a bigger, full-grown german shepherd dog, lift from the underside, supporting his chest with 1 arm and rear end with your other.
Housing your german shepherd dog
german shepherd dogs need a comfortable peaceful spot to be able to relax away from all the breezes and off the floor or ground. You may wish to purchase a doggie bed, or make one out of a wooden box. Put a clean sheet, blanket, comforter, or pillow in the bed for cushion. Wash the german shepherd dog’s bedding frequently. If your german shepherd dog will be spending a lot of time outdoors, make certain she has access to covering and plenty of cool water in hot weather, and a dry, covered, warm shelter in winter.
german shepherd dog Licensing and Identification
Your community has licensing regulations to follow. Make sure to affix the license to your german shepherd dog’s collar. This, together with an identification tag, could help you recover your german shepherd dog should she become lost.
Information on german shepherd dog Behavior
german shepherd dog Training
Well-mannered, companion german shepherd dogs are a blessing to own. However, when untrained, your german shepherd dog can be nothing but trouble. Teaching your german shepherd dog the minimums—”Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, “Stay”, “Come”, “Down”, and “Leave it”—will bolster your relationship both with your german shepherd dog and your neighbors. If you have a pup, begin training him on manners ASAP! Food can be used as incentive and recognition. Pups should join obedience class when they are sufficiently vaccinated. Call the local humane society or SPCA for information about obedience schools. You should always keep your german shepherd dog leashed while in public, even as a pup. Just be sure your doggie will come to you at all times whenever you tell her. A disobedient or aggressive german shepherd dog can’t play with kids.
The Health of Your german shepherd dog
Your german shepherd dog should see the vet for a full check-up, shots and a heartworm blood screening each year, and immediately if he is injured or sick.
Knowing Your german shepherd dog’s Dental Health
Although we might object to our german shepherd dog’s foul breath, we must be aware of what it may be telling us. Foul breath is a symptom that your german shepherd dog should have an oral check up. Plaque due to bacteria creates a terrible stench that necessitates professional treatment. After a professional oral cleaning, her teeth and gums may be maintained in a healthy state by feeding a special diet focused on dental health, eliminating table food, and regular brushing. The vet can provide you with other tips on eliminating dental problems and halitosis. You can use a baking soda and water paste or a dog toothpaste once or twice per week to brush your german shepherd dog’s teeth. Clean them with a sterile gauze pad, a piece of nylon pantyhose stretched across your finger, or a child’s soft toothbrush. Sometimes german shepherd dogs develop periodontal disease, also called gum disease. Often, teeth loss takes place due to gum infection. Infections can also propagate to other areas of your german shepherd dog’s body. The vet will most likely brush your dog’s teeth as a regular part of your german shepherd dog’s health program.
Halitosis in german shepherd dogs
Even though halitosis due to periodontal disease may not be serious if detected early enough, some bad breath may also indicate fairly serious, long-term problems. Liver or intestinal diseases sometimes also cause halitosis, while a sweet, even pleasant smell may usually be indicative of diabetes. Kidney disease is a possible cause when your german shepherd dog’s breath smells like urine or ammonia. Any time you find your german shepherd dog has foul breath along with other indications of disease, such as diminished appetite, nausea or vomiting, weight loss, moodiness, including depression, increasing drinking or urinating, set a visit to your dog’s vet.
german shepherd dog Tick and Flea Issues
In the summer, it’s vital for you to perform regular, daily inspections of your german shepherd dog for fleas and ticks. Use a flea comb to remove fleas. There are several new procedures of flea reduction. Refer to your vet about his or her options.
Heartworm problems in german shepherd dogs
This parasite lives in the heart and is passed from a contaminated dog to your german shepherd dog by mosquitoes. Many german shepherd dogs die each year due to heartworms. It’s very critical that you ensure your german shepherd dog submits to a blood test for worms annually each spring. It is recommended that you give your german shepherd dog a monthly pill in mosquito season in order to protect her from heartworms. If ever you travel in warmer regions with your german shepherd dog in winter, she ought to be on the preventive medicine during the trip. There are some locations, usually the regions with milder climates, where vets recommend worm medication be given continually.
Medicines and Toxins
If you’re contemplating giving your german shepherd dog medication that was not prescribed for her by his vet, don’t do it. One little ibuprofen tablet can possibly initiate stomach ulcers in german shepherd dogs. Keep rat poison and other rodenticides away from your german shepherd dog. Be sure you call your german shepherd dog’s vet when you have reason to suspect your german shepherd dog has consumed a poisonous substance. You should also call the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 for 24 hr. help.
Spaying and Neutering german shepherd dogs
It is recommended that male german shepherd dogs should be neutered – the extraction of the testes – and females spayed – the removal of the uterus and ovaries – by 6 months of age. Spaying before maturity significantly diminishes the breast cancer risk, a common and often deadly health problem of more mature females. The risk of a sick uterus, which is also a serious condition that impacts older females, can also be removed by spaying when young. Neutering males prevents testicular diseases, certain aggressive behavior and some hernias.
german shepherd dog Innoculations
- The combo vaccine (also known as a “5-in-1 shot”) needs to be given to your german shepherd dog at two, 3, and four months old and then once per year. This shot protects your puppy from parainfluenza, parvovirus, leptospirosis, hepatitis, and distemper. Your german shepherd dog must be innoculated for at least the first four months of her life.
- If you have the rare german shepherd dog who has not been innoculated and is older than 4 or five months, she must get a set of 2 immunizations given 2 to 3 weeks apart, followed by a yearly vaccination.
- german shepherd dog puppy innoculation and socialization should go hand in hand. Many veterinarians recommend that new owners take their german shepherd dog pups to socialization courses, as early as eight to 9 weeks of age. They should have already received their first immunizations by then.
Laws are so different between different areas, that it’s best to contact your community veterinarian for rabies immunization info. For example, in New York City, the statute requires any pets older than 3 months of age to be vaccinated for rabies. After the initial vaccination, she must get a second innoculation the following year, and then every 3 years after that. There are a variety of immunizations, many of which are right for your german shepherd dog. There are others that are not, however. Ask your german shepherd dog’s vet for his opinion. By the way, if your german shepherd dog gets ill because he is not vaccinated, do not administer the shots until the dog has made a full recovery.
Worms in german shepherd dogs
german shepherd dogs are commonly exposed to worms—in all areas, both rural and urban. Eggs that carry roundworms are transmitted through a dog’s stool. Even the healthiest of german shepherd dog puppies carry hookworms or roundworms. The secret to effective treatment is early detection. This will make sure that the treatment is highly effective against the parasite your german shepherd dog has. A dewormer that eradicates roundworms, for example, will not kill tapeworms. Your german shepherd dog’s doctor can best determine the culprit—and prescribe the best treatment.
german shepherd dog: Miscellaneous Care Tips
german shepherd dog Supply Checklist
- High-quality dog food and snacks specifically for german shepherd dogs and similarly-sized dogs
- Food bowl
- Water bowl
- As many safe toys as you can provide, especially chewable
- Comb & brush for grooming, including a flea comb
- Collar with license and ID tag
- Leash
- Dog carrier (for puppies)
- Training crate
- Dog bed or box with blanket or towel
- Doggie toothbrush
The no-no list
Do not feed your german shepherd dog the following:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Chocolate, tea, coffee, or any other caffeinated foods
- Grapes or raisins
- Spoiled or moldy food
- Onions, chives and garlic
- Chicken, turkey, or any other poultry bones
- Salt or salty foods
- Tomato leaves, stems or unripe fruit
- Dough
The “Bottom” Line
Keep your german shepherd dog on a leash when you are outside, unless you are in a secured, fenced-in place. And please, when your german shepherd dog defecates on your neighbor’s grass, remove it! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about german shepherd dogs
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