German Shepherd Puppies Blog

Let’s start from the beginning. When you take your brand new puppy from the kennel, he might suffer from stress, but if you feed him with the same food and on the same feeding shcedule that the breeder did, it’ll probably make the situation a bit better.
For puppies under 4 months it is recommended to feed 3-4 times a day, but it is good to keep feeding them 2 times a day, even when they are adults.
You should pay attention to your GSD’s coat too: that is were you can see if the diet is not the best. If you notice hair loss or poor coat quality, chances are high that he’s not getting all he needs at his recent diet.

The narrow line between training and abuse

Many dog owners think that their German Shepherd is the smartest in the world. There’s no problem with this, up to certain a point. This point is when the owner expects as much from the dog as if it really was the most intelligent creature the world has ever seen. They expect them to learn everything right away, whereas dogs need time to learn things, the same way as we, humans do. Just in a different way Well, the point is, that training requires time and patience. It can be different for all dogs, but we do have to keep this in mind and take the time and energy to train our German Shepherd.

Another common mistake (also because of the lack of patience) is to give up. Many people think that they have already tried everything but the dog doesn’t want to learn. In this case, maybe the methods are not the best, or they need more time. There are no dogs who wouldn’t be able to learn at least a few commands. Giving up is never a solution.

So, if we have the time and the patience we can avoid the next, and maybe the biggest mistake: to turn training into abuse. Probably you expect me to tell you where this line is. I can’t. This is something the owner should know. Training is all about communication. If you know your German Shepherd, if you pay attention to him, you see how he feels. Unfortunately many dog owners don’t have this ability, because they only keep pets for entertainment, while a dog is much more than that.

Going back to training, a very important rule is that your goal should be that your German Shepherd obeys to commands because he is keen to do so. NOT BECAUSE HE IS AFRAID. Many-many owners forget about this, and feel the training successful, but actually they are making their dog unhappy. How can someone live happily in fear? No way. These owners are only keeping a dog to make themselves happy, and don’t feel the responsibility they should.

So the point is, that ‘positive training’ is possible. Actually, that’s the only way.

The first difficulties most German Shepherd owners face is potty training their puppy. As with general training, the main principles remain the same: a positive, rewarding approach and a lot of patience is required. There are, however a few tips and tricks that will make the whole process faster and easier for both puppy and owner. Find out what Sharda Baker has to say on the topic, who has developed her best practices by years of trial and error.

Please comment if you have something to add.

Is it normal, anyway?!

Yes, it is. Just imagine the situation from the point of view of your German Shepherd. He is part of the family, often treated as “the kid”, and then, suddenly, a new creature arrives and takes all the attention of his beloved family. It is quite similar to what older children feel, when a little brother/sister arrives. One of the differences is just that the dog can’t speak English

Actually, if we are aware of this ‘problem’ in advance, the situation can be handled, but it needs consciousness and to be started in time, long before the baby’s arrival. Let’s see how we can prepare our German Shepherd for the new family member.

If your dog’s daily routine has to be changed with the baby’s arrival (it probably will), you should start changing the rules much earlier, giving him plenty of time to get used to the new set up. This way it isn’t going to be so sudden and shocking. If your German Shepherd hasn’t really been trained before, it’s high time to start. He should learn at least a few commands, like sit, stay, etc. This way, he’ll be easier to handle.

Many families worry about their dog endangering the health of the child, so the best thing to do is to take your pet to the vet, get him checked and get some advice. Get your German Shepherd used to the new smells, sounds in advance (blankets, lotions, toys). It’s also a good idea, that just after your baby was born, send home a blanket that the baby had been in, so your dog can experience the child’s smell in advance. It is very important to know that your  German Shepherd will get a lot less attention from the mother, so when taking the baby home for the first time, the mother should greet the dog, so it is better if someone else is carrying the baby.

It is also a good idea not to leave them alone together at the first times, until your German Shepherd feels comfortable with the baby, because, for example, it is very possible that the dog won’t tolerate the child’s crying very well in the beginning. You have to teach him that this is a normal sound, and you should motivate him not to bark (with treats, for example).

And the most important rule for last, maybe it seems too obvious, but it’s still worth mentioning: try to give as much attention to your German Shepherd as you can. The point is that he has to feel that you do care about him. If you keep this in mind, most probably there will be no problem. You could also try Preparing Fido, which is an amazing collection of Baby sounds designed especially to get your dog ready for the arrival of the new Baby!

This cute little dog will grow up to be just as energetic and fun-loving, as you can see it in the video. The German Shepherd needs a lot of exercise and attention, but it’s very easy to train and can become an excellent watchdog. Do you want a German Shepherd?

German Shepherds have serious cases of biting and showing aggressive behaviors, but just like any other dogs, with a proper training and socialization you can turn them into a very charming and loyal family pet. You can also wear the same charm as the German Shepherd with the 14K Gold German Shepherd Dog Charm made of 14 karat yellow gold.

This breed is highly active and self-assured. German Shepherds are marked by willingness to learn and they are eager to have a purpose. They have the tendency to become over-protective of their family and territory especially when they are not properly socialized, so it is essential to teach them how to get along with people. They are very intelligent and obedient, and do not require a firm hand. A fun way to make them learn is through reward based training methods. Through this, you will be able to enjoy your pet, socialize with it, and train it the way it should be so that it will get along easily with the entire family.