what do you feed german shepherd puppies

what do you feed german shepherd puppies

A loving forever home with a secure fence and another dog in the home She wants to be your "All-American Girl! Carrie Underwood is so sweet and adorable. She is a bundle of tender kisses and has energy for days. She has been a great sister to the newest foster puppies that have come and gone, teaching them the art of playing with toys. Carrie's favorite thing to do is play chase with her K9 buddies. She runs fast and does figure 8's around the resident dogs, who don't even try to keep up with her. Her second favorite activity is napping with the resident Labs. She adores the older resident dogs and has learned great napping skills from them. She continues to work on her leash skills. Carrie has been quietly working on coming out of her shell and has undergone a transformation since arriving at her foster. She loves to curl up in the lap of her FM for naps and bedtime snuggles. She still has her moments of shyness around Foster Dad, but will now come voluntarily to the couch to sit beside him for attention. She's definitely gained lots of confidence. Carrie will need a home with another dog, preferably one who enjoys the same activity level. Carrie still has some shy moments but she is ready for her furever home, and she will steal the heart of anyone who wants to add a sweet yet energetic member to their family. Thank you to the following generous donors currently supporting Carrie's care: Amanda S. Vocality level 4 in 5 Disclaimer: While the characteristics mentioned here may frequently represent this breed, dogs are individuals whose personalities and appearances will vary. Please consult the adoption organization for details on a specific pet. Temperament Few breeds so richly deserve their popularity as does the Labrador Retriever. When trained, the breed is obedient and amiable and tolerates the antics of children, other dogs, and other pets. The Lab is a calm house dog, playful yard dog, and intense field dog, all on the same day. Labs are eager to please, enjoys learning, and excel in obedience. It is a powerful breed that loves to swim and retrieve. Labradors need daily physical and mental challenges to keep occupied. A bored Lab can get into trouble! Upkeep Labradors are active and sociable dogs. They need daily exercise, preferably in the form of retrieving and swimming. Owners with swimming pools either must fence them out or be prepared to share the pool with dogs. The Lab coat sheds water easily. Weekly brushing is needed to remove dead hair. Health Major concerns: CHD, elbow dysplasia, OCD, obesity, patellar luxation Minor concerns: cataract, CPRA, hot spots, retinal dysplasia, hypothyroidism Occasionally seen: diabetes, entropion, distichiasis, tricuspid valve dysplasia, centronuclear myopathy, exercise-induced collapse Suggested tests: hip, elbow, eye, exercise-induced collapse DNA , centronuclear myopathy , knee Life span: 10—12 years History The original Labradors were all-purpose water dogs originating in Newfoundland, not Labrador. Not only did the breed not originate in Labrador, but it also was not originally called the Labrador Retriever. These dogs—medium-sized black dogs with close hair—not only retrieved game but also retrieved fish, pulled small fishing boats through icy water and helped the fisherman in any task involving swimming. Eventually, the breed died out in Newfoundland in large part because of a heavy dog tax. However, a core of Labradors had been taken to England in the early s, and it is from these dogs, along with crosses to other retrievers, that the breed continued. It was also in England that the breed earned its reputation as an extraordinary retriever of upland game. Initially, black labs were favored over yellow or chocolate colors. By the early s, the other colors had become more accepted. The popularity of this breed has grown steadily until the Labrador Retriever became the most popular breed in America in and remains so today. Related Content.

All dogs are unique and grow at their own rate. Pro Tip: Check out our complete guide to puppy care to ensure your Lab gets off to a great start. As a medium to large breed, Labrador Retrievers need at least one year to reach their full size. A general rule of thumb suggests your Lab should be at or close to its full size by their first birthday. However, bigger-boned Lab puppies can keep growing and filling out their chest up to 18 months old. How big should a 6-month-old Labrador Retriever be? The average Lab weight at six months old is about 40 to 55 pounds for males or 30 to 35 pounds for females. Please keep in mind that these numbers are averages, and every puppy will grow at a slightly different rate. How much bigger will my Labrador Retriever get? There are three ways to predict the size of a Labrador Retriever at maturity: Age. Labrador Retrievers typically reach their full height and weight around their first birthday. Larger Labs may need up to 18 months to fill out their chest, but any weight gain after 12 months should be minimal overall. If your Lab is less than a year old, they are likely still growing and putting on muscle to reach their adult size. Paw Size. If their paws look oversized next to their legs and body, then they are probably still growing, as this is a classic puppy feature. Lastly, if you purchased your Lab through a breeder, you can contact them for a more exact height and weight estimate. What is the size of a full-grown Labrador Retriever? A full-grown Labrador Retriever weighs between 65 and 80 pounds and stands about .The average weight of a full-grown female Labrador Retriever should be about 55 to 70 pounds, standing at .Make sure to consult with your veterinarian to ensure that your Lab is maintaining a healthy weight for its body size. The Labrador Retriever growth rate should be indicative of its athletic body and muscular build. Did you know. ? Their webbed paws made them strong swimmers, along with their otter tail, which acts like a powerful rudder when retrieving ducks. English nobles spotted the dogs and brought them home across the Atlantic, where breeders continued to refine the breed into its own variation. Between their friendly demeanor, adaptability, and outgoing disposition, they make ideal family members. As cherished members of our families, Labs deserve the best care. Unfortunately, like many other purebred dogs, Labrador Retrievers are more susceptible to various health issues. Some of the most common examples include:. Between 8 weeks and 10 months, your puppy has a ton of growing to do, and they change drastically from month to month. Each stage of growth requires specific attention, exercise, and diet, so there is much to learn and pay attention to these different growth stages. There may be behavioral challenges while your pup adjusts to their new life without their mother and siblings. This period of adjustment can sometimes lead to fearful and timid behavior, and your puppy will need as much attention and affection as possible. They should be eating 3—4 small meals a day at this stage. You can begin basic command, leash, and potty training at this point too. Although the schedule is not complete this is a critical period to begin socialization and making sure they are calm and friendly with other dogs, just make sure they are also vaccinated. We highly recommend making training a part of their daily activities at this age. Biting can be an issue at this stage too, as they will begin teething, and they will start exploring and chewing whatever they can find. Chew toys and consistent command reinforcement are both vital for avoiding this behavior. The good news is that your puppy will grow out of this habit at around 6 months old. Your lab should also be house-trained by this point, but there may still be the occasional accident. Remember to be gentle but firm when this happens, and your pooch will likely move through it swiftly. They will begin losing their baby teeth at this point, and biting and chewing may reach its peak. Firm but gentle commands, chew toys, and loads of patience are essential at this stage. Your puppy will be testing the limits and may start showing dominance, ignoring known commands, and asserting more independence. You can now drop their meals down to two meals per day, but be sure that they are not eating too quickly. Your puppy will start to closely resemble an adult at 6 months, but remember that mentally, they are still puppies and will need loads of direction and training. Females may enter their first heat at 6—7 months, so keep a careful watch for stray males. They will still display puppy tendencies and traits and have a ton of excitable energy, but they should be fairly obedient and well-trained by this stage. Be sure to give your Labrador plenty of exercise at this stage to help keep them from misbehavior. They will have reached their full height by now but may still gain weight and muscle mass in the coming months. Unless you intend on breeding, you should consider neutering and spaying your puppy to avoid wandering and unwanted pregnancies. While some breeders recommend that you wait until a year old, this is a perfectly suitable time to perform the procedure. They may still gain weight and muscle mass but much slower than during the past few months. They will still display puppy characteristics and even test boundaries, but all in all, they should be obedient and well-trained by now. They will have a ton of energy and still enjoy playtimes and loads of exercise. While they are at their full height at this age, some Labs may appear lanky and still have weight to fill out in the coming months. When Do Labradors Stop Growing? All dogs are unique, and the question of when they stop growing is largely dependent on the individual. Anecdotally, your Lab should have reached their full weight by 18 months and full height by 9—12 months. Most breeders agree that your Lab will stop growing at some point during their second year. Even so, any weight gain during their second year will be minimal, and they will have done the majority of their growth by their first birthday. Mentally, they are out of the puppyhood phase of testing boundaries and disobedience by their first year— if correctly trained. If you have been consistent in training thus far, your Lab should be friendly, obedient, and well-behaved from their first birthday and into adulthood. In males, neutering can sometimes result in a calmer, more relaxed dog, and this, in turn, will slow down his need for exercise and may result in weight gain. A study in showed that dogs neutered before 37 weeks may gain more weight, while dogs that had the procedure after 37 weeks had a slower growth trajectory. The difference was minimal, though, and there is no reason to assume that these procedures have much of an effect on growth rates in dogs. Dangers of Growing Too Quickly or Stunted Growth While some puppies may grow quicker or slower than the agreed-upon average, this is usually nothing to be concerned about due to the individual and unique nature of dogs. However, if your pooch is gaining weight rapidly or not gaining enough, there may be deeper issues to look into. If your dog is from working or hunting stock, they may be smaller than average Labs and are usually lighter for work in the field. Size may also be genetic, and if your Lab comes from small parents, they will be smaller than average. The same may be true of heavier-than-average Labs—if their parents are large, they will likely be similar in size. However, larger-than-average weights may also be due to overfeeding or a lack of exercise , or a combination of both, so be sure to keep their exercise and feeding habits consistent. Image Credit: rebeccaashworth, Shutterstock Growth Distinctions of Different Labradors Although they are designated under the same breed, there are two different types of common Labradors: English and American. English Labradors tend to be stockier and more muscular than their American counterparts and have a thick, waterproof coat , while American Labs have a slender build with a slightly finer coat. English Labs are slightly shorter, topping out at around 22 inches, but their stocky and muscular build often makes them heavier than American Labs. In fact, English Labs have been known to weigh up to 20 pounds more than American Labs without being considered overweight. American Labs are known to be slightly more active and energetic than English Labs, while English Labs tend to be less excitable and more laid back. English Labs are by no means lazy, though, and they still have plenty of energy and stamina to go around. Conclusion: Monthly Labrador Growth Pictures Hopefully, this guide has helped you understand the growth rate of your Labrador puppy and given you a better idea of what to expect during the different stages. See also:. I am looking for advice about our chocolate lab, Hunter, who is about to be 6 months old. We are kind of at a loss! We had a yellow lab for 14 years prior to this and he had his share of antics but they were occasional things. I feel like our current problems are unmanageable. Something has to give. My kids 14, 12, 8 are getting tired of it, even my husband has mentioned how long we can keep up with this. I have had my fair share of days when I am in tears trying to love a dog that seems hell-bent on destroying everything we own. Let me start with the positives.He is crate-trained and mostly-we have some barking problems when he can hear people in the house does great with it. He walks on a leash pretty well without major distractions. He has a decent command of sit, stay when we are playing with a treat , lay down, shake, come again, without distraction and wait for his food, or a treat. There is also a lot of time especially, now in the summer when he is outside in the yard with us or the kids. We live on land but he is starting to wander outside of the "yard" area that he is supposed to stay in which makes it harder to let him roam free. We have an underground fence arriving this week that will hopefully fix that problem. However, the majority of the time when he is out inside the house he is behaving terribly. It started like normal puppy antics when we got him at 8. He chews on my furniture there is no corner on my coffee table or paint on the legs of the end tables. He steals everything in sight-books, paper, pens, socks, shoes, laundry, etc. We keep all bedroom doors and bathroom doors shut to decrease our problems but between the kitchen, living room, mud room and laundry room he finds more than enough trouble. He jumps on counters, the table, and will take whatever he can reach off of them. His powerful jaws can chew an awful lot in a hurry, but he has no interest in giving it back. We've tried firm drop commands but he doesn't care. We tried offering treats to trade for the item and that worked for about a week. Now he'd rather not trade. I know it sounds like this is an unsupervised dog problem-but it's not!! He is not left alone-someone is on "Hunter Duty" anytime he is out of the crate. But we can be in a middle of a game with his toy and he iwll just start eating things. He also jumps on the furniture and refuses to get off, treat or no. We have to physically pick him up and put him on the floor. Most of the time this just leads to him running from one couch to the next Part of the problem is that he doesn't seem to be able to take a break and just relax in the house. I can count without using up my fingers how many times he has actually laid down in the house and chilled out, aside from being put in the crate. We have bought him 2 beds for the living room, hoping that it would give him a place to be calm. He ate them. Again, while being supervised. But a few bites here and there before we can get him to stop and pretty soon all of the stuffing is coming out. I have recently tried to leave his leash attached while in the house to make him easier to grab but he has almost chewed through it. We were having a lot of biting of us and our clothes, but that has greatly reduced thank. I will gladly take any suggestions! Click to expand.I don't really have any advice as such because I'm in the exact same position. Nelly is 6 months and I think it's similar to the terrible twos in children!!! Nelly does everything you say Hunter does! I always think I just can't cope anymore but then every evening she cuddles up to me and kisses me and it's all worth it in the end! Good luck- you're not alone. Most dogs show some maturity at six-months of age and all the work you have done up to this point assuming you have done the work in the previous posts should start coming together. Here is the training you can work on with your 6-month-old Lab puppy. About this series This is the final post of a step-by-step training and socialization program for Labrador puppies. If you read our first post , you know that this series follows our training of Bubba, a female chocolate lab puppy. Bubba is already sold as one of our Custom Trained Retrievers, so it is our responsibility to raise and train her until she has progressed to the level of training the owner has requested. In this case, Bubba will be with us for almost a year and a half. Bubba at 6 months Bubba has changed so much from the seven-week-old puppy we brought home to the gangly 6-month-old she has become. She is still Bubba — full of energy and mischief and always ready to go. But she has matured in many ways too. The products I recommend I believe are a good value or good investment for anyone working to train or maintain training on their retriever. When possible, I include links to the product. Some of these links may be Amazon or other affiliate links in which I am paid a small commission at no cost to you. All opinions and recommendations are my own. For instance, now, when I take her out of the dog trailer to train, she knows the process and embraces it. She understands that if she wants to do the fun stuff — the retrieving — she must do her obedience training. Bubba willingly sits still while I put on her electronic collar and chain collar. During the obedience work, she pays attention to the commands and complies quickly most of the time. She is still a 6-month-old puppy, so she makes quite a few mistakes and gets a little too excited at times, but she is progressing well. Maintaining this obedience will be key from now on. Obedience training your 6-month-old puppy Bubba is now old enough to go through electronic collar conditioning. She has been wearing an electronic collar for a few weeks already. The collar has never been turned on, but it has been something we require Bubba to wear each and every time we let her outside. This process, having your dog wear an electronic collar for a period with NO corrections, is called collar conditioning. Collar conditioning your Lab puppy Collar conditioning is necessary so that when we are ready to use the electronic collar for corrections, Bubba is none the wiser and has no idea that the collar she has been wearing for weeks is the source of the correction. It also helps so that down the line, Bubba will not become collar wise. Collar wise dogs are obedient only when the electronic collar is on and are disobedient when it is off. This is something we want to avoid if possible. Using the electronic collar to enforce obedience The second step in collar conditioning is using the electronic collar to enforce obedience commands that Bubba already knows. For instance, Bubba knows the command SIT. Previously, if Bubba did not obey when I said SIT, I would tap her bottom with the heeling stick or push down on her bottom. Now, I will do the same obedience drill, but I will use the electronic collar as the correction. Be very careful. There is a right way to introduce the electronic collar corrections, so be sure and read my post on introducing the electronic collar. Prior to using the e-collar the first time. Making the e-collar a positive experience Some dogs get very excited when the owner grabs the leash because they know that they are going for a walk. This is the same reaction we are looking for when putting an electronic collar on a dog. The dog should not act differently when the e-collar is on. If your dog cowers or fights you when you want to put the e-collar on, then you have introduced the collar incorrectly and your dog now thinks that the e-collar is a bad thing. This means that your dog is collar wise and will act completely different when the e-collar is on. This is a huge problem because it is very likely your dog will be obedient when the collar is on and disobedient when the collar is off. That is not what we want to achieve. We want your dog to be obedient with or without the e-collar on. Training and socializing a six-month-old Labrador puppy Most dogs that we train for hunting or competition enter our program at around the age of months. Bubba is coming right up to that point now. So, I will be switching from the puppy training program in the next few weeks, and she will officially start our Sportsman training program. Since she will also be going through our advanced program, some of the drills for the advanced work will be mixed into the training to move her along with the most efficiency. Here are the things I have been working on with Bubba this month. Many of these training concepts and drills will continue, but on a more interim basis since we have many more concepts to cover within the hunting and advanced programs. Self-control and restraint It is vital for all dogs to learn self-control and restraint. No dog should be allowed to just react on a whim and be excused for their action simply because they are a dog. Having a dog is a responsibility. A reactive dog with no training can hurt someone, and you, as the owner, will be liable for that injury. I am constantly amazed at how little expectation most people have for their dogs. Many people constantly make up excuses for why their dog is so disobedient or being a terror. The expectation is just so low, that many owners are willing to put up with anything. The truth is that working dogs can be taught self-control and restraint and you should constantly be working on this trait. In past posts I have given many examples on how you can do this, and quite honestly there are no limitations here. Many of our clients talk about having problems with their dog accosting anyone who comes through the door. Teaching your dog to kennel when the doorbell rings or when someone knocks on the door can quickly eliminate this problem. Yes, it will take some work and a LOT of repetition, but it will be worth in in the end. At five-months-old, Bubba was heeling on lead, but her attitude was not great, and she struggled with self-control. Now, Bubba heels so nice, it is relaxing to walk with her. She stays in the correct position and pays good attention to my legs so that she is ready when I turn or stop. We will continue to work on HEEL and will be adding off-lead obedience in the future, but her progress is right on schedule, and I am very happy with how well she is doing now. Learn more about How to obedience train a Labrador puppy. If you have been following this series, you know that Bubba struggled with a remote SIT for a long time. I knew it was a maturity issue for her, but I was unprepared for how quickly the maturity for this arrived. Bubba will now remote SIT with amazing steadiness. She will remain sitting when I tug on her lead, when I jump up and down and when I squat in front of her. Bubba may look away, especially when I squat right in front of her, but that is okay, she is looking away so that she can remain steady in her SIT. It is very fun to watch her progress on these drills. Her progress tells me she is smart and tractable. She wants to please and do what we ask her to do. This is a great characteristic for a working dog. Through lots and lots of exposure to this drill, dogs quickly learn that when I say HEEL and put my left hand out from my side slightly and they should come into that position. Of course, I knew that once I was able to start working with electronic collar, I would make progress. There is nothing that solidifies the HERE command like an electronic collar. It gives you the ability to reach out and touch your dog no matter where they are, and the ability to enforce the command immediately after your dog has refused is what makes all the difference. All dogs learn faster when the correction is closely timed to the refusal. Bubba is no exception. She now quickly complies with the HERE command except for a few testing moments. All dogs will test, they are not robots, the trick is to be ready for the test and respond with a quick correction. If you are not consistent with this, and your dog gets away with a refusal, then you are now on a slippery slope. If you do, you will quickly have made your dog collar-wise. Then you have even more problems. Expect your dog to test your authority and be ready to give a correction at the precise time. This is the most humane way to teach your dog to be obedient. She runs out like gangbusters, picks up the bumper or bird and runs back with the same enthusiasm. She will then flip herself around and wait for the next throw. Her enthusiasm is contagious and so much fun. I must take care though, not to overdo it. Too many retrieves is the fastest way to destroy desire, I want to stop while she still wants more. Our policy is to limit dogs to retrieves in one session. Especially for puppies of her age. Steady and Lab puppies At six-months-old we will not steady Bubba yet. One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to steady their dog too early. For those not familiar with the term steady, this means to make your dog SIT and wait to be sent for the mark or throw. So we will leave steady work until she is a bit older. These are simple, single marks with a bumper that is easy to see white or a bird. More complexity such as deeper cover, longer marks and more complex marks with be added once Bubba is through force fetch. Because Bubba with be an Advanced Waterfowl dog, we also will start teaching her simple doubles and basic casting work this month. This is not something I would recommend for most dogs but because we have the experience and a very proven training plan, we like to begin introductions to this early on. What is next for Bubba? Bubba will begin our step-by-step training program for hunting dogs starting in her seventh month. This means she will continue obedience and start learning HOLD, force fetch, collar fetch and walk fetch. These steps are vital for the rest of the training. The training will take her through the next month and then she will be ready for the real learning such as hunting scenarios, blind work, and having live birds shot over her all while working through the very detailed advanced training. Final thoughts on training for your 6-month-old Labrador puppy Bubba has been a good example of the training we do here at Otter Tail Kennels for dogs purchased though our Custom Trained Retrievers. Each dog is different, and yet there are some very similar challenges with each one. It is always fun to watch these pups go from little fur balls to intense working dogs over a matter of months. I hope you have enjoyed following Bubba through this journey. I will continue to post progress photos on our Instagram and Facebook pages. If you are struggling or need additional help with your new puppy, you can email me ottertailkennels gmail. I would be happy to discuss your goals for your retriever and tell you about the programs I offer. Until next time, happy retrieving. Training your 6-month-old Labrador puppy. What commands should my six month puppy know? And much more! Average 6 month old Lab size? It seems amazing that the little fluff ball you bought home just four months ago should be so big. And bouncy! But I know you want an answer, so as a very rough guide, many 6 month old lab puppies will weigh around 50lbs. The remainder of his growth, another lbs or so will take place more slowly over the next 6 months. What should my black, yellow, or chocolate Labrador weigh at six months? People often ask if there is any difference between the different colors with regard to weight and size. The answer is kind of. Working type American or field bred Labradors are often lighter at six months than show type English or bench bred Labradors. And in the UK at least, most field bred Labradors are either black the majority or yellow including fox red. Most not all, but most chocolate Labs in the UK are show or pet bred Labradors and tend to be more heavily built. There is a softness to his features that will last another couple of months or so. How much food does a 6 month old Lab need? How much food your puppy needs will depend on how much he weighs and what condition he is in. Have a look at our puppy feeding chart and also at the instructions on the packet of food that you are using. If your puppy is a little on the skinny side give him a tiny bit more food than recommended and if he is looking a bit plump, a little bit less. Consistent overfeeding will make a puppy fat. Consistent underfeeding will see him lose weight. How often should I feed my six month old puppy? Your 6 month old Lab can drop down from three meals a day to two without any problems. This means that you will be giving the same amount of food as before, but in two larger meals instead of three smaller ones. So, if your pup gets diarrhoea when you switch to twice daily feed, skip a meal to let his tummy settle, then go back to three meals a day for a few days. When you next try going down to two meals a day, give him two small meals to begin with and increase the meal size gradually over the next few days How far should my six month old be walked every day? If you are not familiar with it, the five minute rule says that a puppy needs five minutes of exercise per day for each month of his life. Like many young Labs, adorable six month old Myles loves everyone: by Ericka from the USA Most experts would divide that into two sessions. This refers to formal walks, not playing in the garden or messing about with other dogs. And the reason for that caution is that your puppy is still growing and the growth plates in his joints are still vulnerable to damage. So my advice would be to avoid hard exercise until your puppy is well past his first birthday and then to build up gradually over a period of several weeks. Sexual maturity in Labradors Puppies become sexually mature before they are physically mature and long before they are mentally adults. Some six month old puppies are capable of breeding. And definitely should not be allowed to do so. Apart from the ethical and moral implications, it may be physically harmful to breed from such a young female. Many female Labradors will have their first season sometime between six months and a year, so this is something you need to be looking out for. Neutering Some of you will have already had your 6 month pup neutered, others will be thinking about doing so in the next few months. If you decide against neutering, this is a good point in time to review the security on your property and make sure it is thoroughly dog proof. Labradors are surprisingly agile and can often jump higher, and dig deeper, than you imagine. Beautiful Poppy at just seven months old: by Karen R from Germany Once sexually mature, many a Labrador, particularly but not only males, will make more effort to explore beyond the boundaries of your property. And if you have a female in season, other enterprising males will do their best to find a way in! Whatever your intentions, the time for breeding is a long way off right now. Bear in mind your dog is nowhere near grown up. In many ways he is still a baby. Has my 6 month old Lab finished teething? Most puppies have shed the last of their baby teeth by six months of age. And will have cut many of their adult teeth by this point too. Most will have all their adult teeth within the next month or so. This is the point at which most young dogs start to lose their fear of losing you. This has some big implications for those that exercise their young dogs off leash in open country, where there are temptations such as wild birds and animals to chase. Which brings us to the next question. As a trainer of working retrievers I can tell you that I have had six month old Labradors that were quite advanced with their training and others that had barely started. All reached the same standard eventually. However, it is important to get started with training now. And while there is no set standard your puppy should have reached, it is definitely time to get some safety cues installed. What commands should my six month old puppy know? Most six month old pups have only quite basic obedience and are not yet reliably obedient when there are lots of distractions about. While many six month olds will sit when asked, and come when called in the house and yard. And a lot the majority of six month old Labradors are still pulling on the lead. Professional or serious hobby trainers aside, this is fairly normal. Most importantly, you need to focus on proofing these cues against distraction. Come The come cue, or recall, is important so that your dog can be allowed safely off leash and recalled if any hazards appear. You can find information on teaching recall here: How to teach a basic recall Even if you have made quite good progress with recall, now is quite a good point at which to be thinking about the about turn walk this is a technique to prevent your dog from getting too far away from you on walks. This is especially important as he grows bigger. Labradors are strong and often friendly dogs. This makes pulling on the lead very common as your puppy does his best to engage every passing stranger in a game. Gorgeous Charlie enjoying a run at six months of age — he also appears in our feature at the top of the page: by Julie T from Cornwall UK I have seen grown ups pulled clean off their feet by large dogs on leash. Being pulled off your feet, or losing control of your dog at the roadside is a very real risk. Many young Labradors are very friendly and while this is a great thing overall, it can cause some problems with training at this age. I mentioned proofing earlier, and proofing is the process which teaches our dogs to come away from other dogs or people. And proofing is the way to succeed. The main problem with proofing is that it takes time and help. You might also find proofing Labrador obedience helpful. What is the best way to train my 6 month old? Training methods are changing. We are in something of a new era with regard to dog training methods and there are now plenty of good trainers who can show you how to train your dog effectively without fear or pain. Behavior problems Most six month old pups are through the housetraining phase, though there may be very occasional accidents if a your dog is left alone for a lot longer than usual. Female dogs may have an occasional accident during their first season too, but these are usually isolated incidents. What about chewing? If you are expecting chewing to stop at the same time as teething coming to an end, you may be disappointed. We look at destructive chewing in more detail in this article , but it can be at its worst between 6 and 9 months of age. Which brings us to a common question Can I de-crate my six month old Lab? It seems mean to shut him away at bedtime. Why not give him the freedom of the kitchen during the night? Well, this can work. But often it does not and results either in a bad chewing problem or occasionally, in a relapse in house training. You can find out more in this article which includes detailed de-crating instructions. The other big issue for many puppy parents with six month olds, is excitable behavior. Particularly jumping up, and sometimes nipping How do I stop my six month old Labrador from jumping up? Jumping up is a common problem in young labs. These are friendly and affectionate dogs who enjoy close contact and like to greet their friends up close! You and your visitors not only tolerate it, but actually reinforce it by petting the puppy as he does it. Or rather over- excitement. This is the age at which excitable behavior can become quite a challenge again. Partly because the dog is now physically bigger, stronger, and more difficult to control. Now, more than ever, you need your dog to listen and respond to your voice. Playing safely More often than not, excitable behavior that has got out of control, started out as a game. However, if you are struggling a bit, you are not on your own. Drop into the forum and say hello to all the other puppy parents. A Labrador retriever of this particular age needs special and careful attention from a dog owner: well-balanced diet, moderate training and in-time vet examinations should be a must. On this stage, a puppy tends to grow in height, but after 1 year it is more likely to grow breadthways. Training and Behavior 6-months puppy is a real teenager in its awkward age: playful and active, but stubborn, wilful and rather troublesome. A Labrador retriever of this age thinks, that he is already an adult dog but still a playful and absent-minded puppy who wants to upset well-established hierarchy inside his family and among other dogs. Be careful! It is necessary to unleash a puppy in safe and enclosed areas only. The main rule for a dog owner now is moderate training and strong discipline toward a puppy. Do not let your dog think that it is the nub of the universe; constantly shows a puppy that you are his master and want it to obey you especially for a male dog. Recommendation: proceed socializing your puppy among other dogs and people. How to Feed a 6-Months Labrador Retriever? Now your dog should be fed times a day, at that, one meal should be a between-meal snack. For example, you can feed your puppy like that: 8 a. Labrador retrievers are prone to obesity, so, you should not overfeed your puppy. Give it meal 3 times a day in strict proportions and, if you feed a puppy with dry food, choose one for puppies prone to extra weight. Advice: even the most well-balanced diet is not able to enrich a puppy with all necessary vitamins and microelements. Choose special vitamins for puppies with a maximum content of calcium, vitamin D3 and phosphorous. Health Care 6-months age is a high time to vaccinate your puppy against rabies and a complex of other contagious diseases. Before this immunization, make sure you have treated a puppy against worms. During this period an owner should be very responsible and responsive towards a puppy: well-balanced diet, frequent walks with moderate activity and in-time vet examinations are very important. Take care of your Labrador puppy since the very beginning to make your dog sound and healthy.

We are a small kennel based out of Oxford, MS. Our puppies are socialized, fed and loved by our family. Since I train and work the Dams, I can tell you what the puppies are like to work with. With our Compassionate Breeding Program and excellent facilities, we strive to breed puppies that are happy, and excellent companions for your family. Because of the breeding quality, care and socialization they receive, they are often sold before they are born. We accept three female and three male applications per litter that require a deposit. We also accept one backup application for each that does not require a deposit until we can guarantee a pup. We adjust the roster accordingly when the litter is born. Pups are born an average of sixty days eight weeks after breeding and we arrange a pick up day when the pups are seven weeks old - so you can plan on getting your pup approximately fifteen weeks after breeding. If you are interested in one of these litters please email puppies sportinglifekennels. Guarantee: We guarantee hips, elbows, and eyes for 30 months. If a problem arises, our vet would have to examine the dog. If confirmed, you would get a replacement puppy. Our goal is your complete satisfaction. Therefore, at our kennels the breeding selection process is never taken lightly. Much thought comes into play before the breeding sire and dam are selected. Any potential sires and dams falling below grade based on x-ray evaluations, ophthalmology evaluations, and genetic testing are automatically excluded from the breeding pool. Secondly, we compare attributes of each potential sire and dam in an attempt to mate only those dogs that reasonably assure us that the puppies resulting from the union will possess the health, biddability, and trainability attributes that we strive to produce. We then, to the greatest extent possible, track our puppies to reassure ourselves that we are meeting our pre-established goals for health, biddability, and trainability. A breeding will not be repeated if a puppy or puppies fail to meet our standards. We take pride in producing the highest quality British Labs possible. To ensure we are selling the best British Labradors available, we take extended amounts of time planning our breedings around multiple factors. For example, one measure we take is ensuring we pair dogs together based on their 7-panel DNA health results, eliminating the chance of our pups being affected by any recessive genes. We are so confident in our breeding decisions that we offer a 30 month health guarantee and full registration. Due to this rigorous process, we have very few litters a year, causing availability to become limited. This is a sacrifice we are willing to take to ensure our customers are satisfied with each and every dog they purchase. When we complete our annual breeding schedule, we post our plans online and then pre-sale six puppies out of each litter-limited to three males and three females. We also maintain a standby list; whereby, clients can pay a deposit with the understanding that their position on the list and the size and color of the litter will ultimately determine if they get a puppy. After the litter is born, we wait a few days before contacting those on the standby list. We then offer the remaining pups to those on the standby list. It goes without saying that some litters will be a mix of black and yellow, some all black, and some all yellow. This can present a problem because litters are sold by sex and color. The client can request a refund. The client can pick a different color out of the litter. The client can pick a different sex out of the litter. The client can pick a different sex and color out of the litter. The client can change to another litter but, may not have the same pick status. The payment s can be made by check, credit card, or with cash. A client's deposit establishes his or her spot in line on pick-up day. The first deposit received gets first pick, the second deposit gets the next pick, etc. Understand there will always be more than one first pick. Depending on the litters sex and color mix , there could be first pick male, first pick female, first pick black male, first pick yellow male etc. The date for picking the pup and taking it home will always be on the first Saturday after the pups are seven weeks old. See our labrador bitches here. Started Labrador Retrievers Visit our contact page for more information on trained dog availability! Finished Labrador Retrievers Visit our contact page for more information on finished dog availability! See our stud dogs here. Private Gundog Handling Seminars Contact us for more information on visiting our kennel! SOK Campuses house multiple dams as well as have a full training program. SOK Outposts host only one or two dams and just a handful of training dogs. While we are spread out across the country, we operate as one team and one family. They are bad to the bone in the field and will leave your friends in awe. SOK labradors are carefully selected to produce the highest quality British labradors. The support we provide beyond puppy pick-up day will lead to success with your new labrador and almost assuredly new friends too! Join us on Facebook! He has dedicated the last decade to improving the lines of British Labradors available here in the US. Barton is dedicated to keeping SOK a traditional, family-run kennel that focuses on gundogs who excel both in the field and at home. British Labradors How we select our British Labradors.When selecting our Labradors for our breeding program, we carefully examine every aspect of the dog. If a Labrador has an undesirable trait, their offspring likely will, too. There are several non-negotiable evaluations that take place before considering a dog for our program, such as sound hips and elbows, a clear eye test, size within the breed standard, a proven pedigree, etc. Once we have checked all of those boxes, we look at the overall personality of the dog. We want dogs who have great social skills, good drive and style in the field, and a true off-switch when not working. This off-switch extends beyond napping in the kennel. Once we know a Labrador meets these standards, we evaluate several aspects of field work. We want to breed Labrador retrievers who love the water, have a natural delivery to hand, charge hard going out and coming back for a retrieve, and are able to use their noses to work heavy cover. Labradors who are in our breeding program are team players who love to work together with their handler in the field. Essentially, we only want to breed the type of Labrador that enhances the hunting experience. Learn More! We are a British Labrador breeder that proudly serves residents throughout Minnesota and beyond. Whether you are looking for an amazing pet for your family, a skilled hunting partner, or both, we know you will be nothing but impressed by our puppies. When you purchase one of our puppies for sale in Minnesota, you can expect the best of the best. We are breeding Premium British lines of Labrador Retrievers, and we have been doing so for two decades. In addition, we have more than 30 years of experience training dogs. At KT British Labs, we firmly believe that there are three things that make a dog: genetics, genetics, and genetics. Through our training, we teach our dogs to be both perfect companions and hunting partners. They can go from hunting waterfowl to playing with your children in no time at all, making them ideal for hunters who are also looking for a new family pet. We invite you to browse our website to learn more about our available dogs, if you have any questions, and thank you for choosing KT British Labs! Carolyn Hall. Our ambition is to breed British Labradors to meet two goals: to be excellent in the field and pleasant in the house. To ensure we are staying at the top of the game we are sending several of our dogs every year back to the UK to compete in Field Trials against the best of the best. Competing under real hunting condition is the only way to make sure our bloodlines continue to carry on the right traits. So far we are the only kennel in the US which produces dogs in the US who compete in the professional field at the highest level in England and Europe. Their outstanding abilities to cover a variety of tasks comes through a careful selection in the breed to choose the one with the WILL to Please. The willingness to work for you and be closer to humans than many other breeds makes the Labrador Retriever the most popular dog. In our kennel, we stick with this tradition along with meticulously selected hunting abilities which are based on being eager to work, drive and style, and the will to please. With Stefanie Latham former breeder of Ragweed's bloodline , the breeder behind the kennel, we have a knowledge of 30 years of breeding, training, and trialing successful Labradors all over Europe including the UK.

We were founded to save Houston area German Shepherd Dogs from neglect, abuse, abandonment and euthanization at high kill shelters. We are an excellent alternative for owners who must give up their cherished pets. Our team of tireless volunteers care for our foster dogs as family. We are based on the concept of placing all our dogs into loving foster homes, where they live with and become part of our fosters family until they find a forever home. Every dog in our care receives proper medical care, nourishment and the socialization needed to discover a new life without hunger, sickness, loneliness, or fear. We live to see these German Shepherds blossom as they realize that they are important to someone who genuinely loves having them as family. We are the guardians of the dogs and funds that you trust us to protect. Our entire organization is comprised of dedicated animal loving people who receive no compensation for their countless volunteer hours. We joined this team for the camaraderie and joy we get from working together to help man's best friends in the most important journey of their lives. Let us know! We are always looking for volunteers to help us make our vision a reality. We'll help you find a way to volunteer that best suits you. We're excited to have you join the team! Find out more about volunteering Thank You Whether you help through monetary donations, volunteering your time, or spreading our mission through word-of-mouth, thank you. We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of supporters like you. Together, we can make a difference. We decided to form Lucky Shepherds from the belief that our society can never have too many animal advocates. Great rescue folks come from every walk of life. Each day gives us examples worldwide of rich and poor alike making personal sacrifices to help protect and shelter the forgotten and unwanted animals sharing our planet. Every political, economic, gender and race recognize equally the need to protect and cherish the joy that saving one dog can bring to each of us. Rescue work is a rare area of our society where we can truly come together and accomplish great works regardless of our worldly views. We will respect, appreciate, learn from and assist our fellow Houston area animal rescues whenever and however possible. There will always be more dogs than we can save as individual rescues. Working together in a collaborative, competent and organized manner benefits the dogs we serve as well as the good natured people who choose to give us their most cherished, non-replaceable resource, the time they volunteer with our organizations. We owe it to our volunteers to work together as efficiently and effectively as humanly possible. Our rescue strives to offer the support structure and organizational planning to ensure that our volunteers can focus on the rewarding side of our rescue without having to recreate the wheel on every mission. We all support each other in the village concept and never forget that it is our responsibility to create as rewarding of a volunteer experience as possible for those willing to give their time to our rescue. We do not have a brick and mortar shelter to house dogs that we take in. All of our dogs live in an approved animal loving foster home. Our foster families welcome each new Lucky Shepherd into their home as a part of their family. The foster families show these incoming dogs the love, nurturing and nutrition that most of them have never known. Our rescue provides the needed medical care, food and ongoing preventative care. All of our dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped and brought up to date on all of their vaccinations and immunizations before we place them up for adoption. Almost every shelter dog rescued will cost our rescue far more than the adoption fee we collect. We need funding to keep this rescue open. Please donate to us if you can. We operate this rescue with sound business judgement and respect for our donors and the funds they trust us to manage. The money that you give us will be used to support the dogs in our care. Thank you for your interest in our rescue. Please click the web page link for more information on our program. The best way to find free German shepherd puppies in Houston is to use the internet. They are very energetic dogs, very protective and loyal, and easy to train. This makes them great pets for kids and grown-ups alike. But these same qualities make them expensive to adopt. Luckily, you can save a bundle of money on German Shepherd puppies Houston if you know where to look. If you go to the right place on the internet you can find GSD wanted ads and adopt a German Shepherd puppy. You will have to pay a nominal adoption fee but if you are looking for a good honest, good-natured dog, this should not be a problem. Also, when you find a GSD wanted ads like craigslist, you will have an option of contacting the owners directly or posting your ad on craigslist in hopes of catching someone who is looking for a German Shepherd. Houston people looking for GSD puppies can use craigslist as a front door to contact owners of lost or unwanted dogs. Many times, when you are adopting a German Shepherd puppy from a shelter or the local dog pound, they only have German shepherd puppies available and nothing else. When you find these adverts on craigslist, you can contact the owners and make arrangements to bring the puppy home with you. You should keep in mind that the majority of these owners are caring and loving but there are always a few that are not and these are the ones you need to watch out for. Many of these owners may be only willing to exchange the dogs for shelter. There are several reasons why German shepherd dogs fall into this category and shelter or rescue groups should never trade these dogs in for any reason. They should only be traded in if they have no other place to go. It is easy to see why so many people get sad when they think of having to give up their German shepherd puppy in exchange for an AKC registered dog. However, when you look at free German shepherd puppies for sale in Houston, it can be very possible to find them. Just because a person is selling their dog does not mean that they are sick or have a death wish. There are many reasons why owners get fed up with their dogs and want to get rid of them. Some turn to shelters, some to puppy mills. But, most simply give up and choose to give up their German shepherd dogs. One reason why so many owners give up on their German shepherds is that they get sick and need a lot of attention. You have to be able to provide that for your dog if it happens to get sick. This means you need to have a large and healthy dog healthy enough to go on an airplane, a cruise ship, a train, and a boat. Your GSD can only go places that you let it go. If you are unable to keep it in the comfort of its own crate then you will have to have someone come and take it out. On craigslist, there are ads for puppies, adults, and kittens. Not only do you find free German shepherd dogs but you may also find other dogs that you would like to adopt as well. There you will find not only listings of local Houston German Shepherd breeders but you will also meet people who are interested in selling or adopting German Shepherds. On the forum, you can also meet other professional German shepherd breeders and rescue groups. You can ask questions, make deals, and buy dogs at your own pace. Share this:.

Some of our products will be shipped directly from suppliers and so might have slightly different timescales. If this is the case then it will clearly be indicated in the product information for your awareness. Items must: - Be unused and in original condition, with all packaging, tags and labels intact. If you're returning an item because you've changed your mind, please contact us and we'll walk you through the simple returns process. You'll be able to track the parcels journey back to us, so we can process your refund in the quickest possible time. Please make sure that you sufficiently package up your return to prevent any damage as the goods are your responsibility until they reach our warehouse. We are able to arrange for a collection if that is easier for you, just get in touch and we can help with this. Your refund will be processed within 14 days of reaching our warehouse using the same method that you paid with. They supply a variety of different items such as calenders, puzzles, and many other different gifts. Leave your product review here. .Swine gestation calculator. Dog due date, labor, and pregnancy Your dog can get pregnant between the ages of 2 to 6. The female is most fertile in her 2nd or 3rd heat heat happens every 5 to 11 months. That's also when we can expect the largest litter. When pregnant, your dog will start to eat more and gain weight, and lab tests may show anemia and an elevated number of white blood cells. Remember that false pregnancy is a relatively common occurrence in dogs! Factors that may influence the number of puppies: Breed of the dog large dogs: puppies, small dogs: ; Amount of the male's sperm; Breeding time; Health of a female; and The state of the dog's uterus previous pregnancies. Our dog gestation period calculator will familiarize you with how your dog's pregnancy develops and the time left until her labor. At that time, your dog's temperature will drop by 1. She will breathe more rapidly and have an elevated thirst. The dog will start to get nervous and will gather all her toys in a safe, quiet place. Once we computed the labor date with the dog due date calculator, it's sensible to prepare for it in advance. When the big day comes, you'll need: Sterile gloves; A bottle with prepared formula. Did you know? A dog's egg cell must mature for days before it can be fertilized by sperm! The puppy's wellbeing Once you've used the pregnancy calculator and you know the exact date your new puppies will arrive, try to keep in mind the following rules: During pregnancy, you have to avoid certain medications, including some antibiotics or antifungal treatments. Inform your vet that you suspect that your dog might be pregnant. Check if your dog is consuming enough food. During lactation, your dog should consume twice as much food as usual too. Pups will start to open their eyes after days. They can't discriminate between shapes until the 18th day of their life! So, if they have trouble with sucking, you must help them navigate to their mother's nipples don't worry, they know what to do once there. We hope that our puppy due date calculator helps you assure yourself that everything's ready and under control for the arrival of some new lives! Share the joy! They'll be eager to devour everything once they're older! You may find out more about the possible danger in our dog chocolate toxicity calculator. Here are some signs that your dog may be pregnant: Weight gain;. This is a question that many German Shepherd owners ask, as they want to make sure their beloved furry friend is getting all the nutrients they need. The good news is that there are plenty of healthy dog food options out there for German Shepherds. You should eat foods that include high-quality animal-based protein sources like lamb, beef, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, and legumes. In addition, the meal should be plentiful in fats, vitamins, and minerals. Are eggs good for German Shepherds? Yes, eggs are a great source of protein for German Shepherds. In fact, they are one of the healthiest foods you can feed your dog. Eggs are packed with nutrients that are essential for a German Shepherd's diet, including vitamins A, D, and E. They also contain omega-three fatty acids, which are important for a dog's coat and skin health. What is the best food for German Shepherds with allergies? If your German Shepherd has allergies, it's important to find a hypoallergenic best dog food for German Shepherds that will not trigger their symptoms. There are many brands of hypoallergenic dog food on the market that use alternative protein sources, such as duck or venison. These foods are often grain-free as well, which is ideal for German Shepherds with allergies. What is the best food for German Shepherds with sensitive stomachs? If your German Shepherd has a sensitive stomach, you'll want to find a dog food that is easy on their digestive system. There are many brands of dog food that offer formulas specifically for dogs with sensitive stomachs. These foods often have limited ingredient lists and use easily digestible ingredients, such as chicken or potato. What is the best food for German Shepherds with joint problems? If your German Shepherd has joint problems, you'll want to find a dog food that is rich in omega-three fatty acids. These essential nutrients help to reduce inflammation and pain in the joints. There are many brands of dog food that offer formulas specifically for dogs with joint problems. These foods often contain ingredients like glucosamine and chondroitin, which are known to help relieve joint pain. Now let's chat in more detail about the best dog foods for your furry friend. It is made with all natural ingredients and has no fillers or preservatives. The kibble is also enriched with omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for dogs' skin and coat health. The addition of zinc proteinate and other chelated minerals to the formula is a plus, as it leads to better absorption and nutrition. We also note the inclusion of various probiotics for better digestion and salmon oil, which is beneficial to both skin and coat. Highly suggested! All of their recipes are made with whole ingredients and cooked in small batches. The meals are portioned according to your dog's weight and activity level. Wilderness is a grain-free and protein-rich product with over a dozen options and recipes, which makes it ideal for people who want to rotate their diets. It's reasonably priced, and it gets high marks from consumers. Probiotics, high-quality fiber, and digestive enzymes are included in this formula to aid your dog's digestive health. These components create mouth-watering, healthy food that will sustain your canine companion throughout the day. The foods in this recipe include multiple probiotics for improved digestion, chelated minerals for maximized absorption, and nutrient-dense food. It's inexpensive to buy as well as simple to suggest. Eagle Pack Power Adult Dog Food Image courtesy Eagle Pack The majority of the animal protein in Adult takes the form of fresh chicken and pork meal, as confirmed by the nutritional label. The all-time classic, fully grain-inclusive design that is free of legume concentrates. Antioxidant preservatives are used in a safe and natural manner. There's no BHT or ethoxyquin. It has high animal protein levels, as well as vitamins and minerals that have been boosted through the use of freeze-dried raw pieces. It's designed to unleash your dog's potential to thrive and put the advantages of raw nutrition into every bowl, using cage-free duck as the first ingredient for powerful, lean muscles. It also contains a probiotic boost for digestive health, greater amounts of omegas for healthy skin and coat, and more antioxidants for immune health—all from the highest-quality ingredients from all over the world. This high-protein, low-carb diet is designed for sporting dogs and plush animals with rigorous exercise requirements. It's also perfect for growing pups and pregnant or nursing females. This formula has DHA to support cognitive development, as well as calcium for strong bones and teeth. Iams ProActive Health also has 22 essential vitamins and minerals to keep your puppy healthy and strong. It's nice to discover a Southwest Canyon recipe that includes natural preservatives, which implies the food does not contain any BHA, BHT, or other harmful chemicals. A major brand and a healthy all-age option for any German Shepherd. Champion Petfoods, the well-known maker of Orijen, has long promoted a meat-based "biologically appropriate" diet. This is a tried and true design that makes this particular dish an excellent choice for developing Shepherd pups. This natural dry food is developed to give complete-body nutritional support for puppies of all sizes. It's made with high-quality proteins and whole grains, all of which are complemented by omega fatty acids—such as DHA—necessary vitamins, antioxidants, glucosamine, and probiotics. This balanced, nutritious dry dog food is intended to promote teeth and bone strength, healthy brain growth, general health, energy and vitality, optimal nutrient absorption, and healthy muscle development. It's free of GMOs, by-products from processing animals into pet food ingredients meat meal , fillers, or artificial preservatives to ensure that your dog gets the healthiest food possible. This is a tried-and-true approach that has been developed and studied for decades. It includes controlled calcium and phosphorus ratios, making it ideal for German Shepherd puppies. This large-breed dry food is made with high-quality proteins and whole grains. It's free of chicken by-product meal, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors or preservatives. This recipe is designed to support the health of large breed puppies with an optimal balance of calcium and phosphorus for bone growth. It also includes DHA from fish oil for healthy brain development. This recipe includes DHA for brain development, calcium and phosphorus for bone growth, and antioxidants to support the immune system. It's also free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. You can feed your dog either dry or wet food, and he may sample two distinct flavor profiles: rice and oatmeal for salmon. Because it contains no allergens like wheat, corn, or soy, there's less of a chance that your dog will suffer an upset stomach. It also includes omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, which help to promote skin, coat, and joint health. Image courtesy Blue Buffalo If you're searching for high-quality, all-natural wet dog food, Blue Buffalo Wilderness is a wonderful alternative. This dog food is high in protein and low in carbohydrates, making it ideal for an entourage diet. It's made with real beef and chicken, can be served as a delicious treat, or blended into your dog's regular dry food. The Blue Buffalo puppy food contains no chicken by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, or artificial flavors or preservatives; making it a healthy choice for your dog. All dishes are prepared in collaboration with veterinarians and come in a variety of delicious flavors, including beef, lamb, and turkey. All of the meats are imported from the United States, although only lamb comes from Australia. It's also gluten-free, so if you're allergic to grains, you'll be safe. There is a large selection of carbohydrates, which are mostly in the form of potatoes, and there are numerous healthy vegetables and superfoods including lentils, peas, salmon oil, and flaxseed. It's made with real meat, vegetables, and fruit. This recipe is grain-free and free of artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. It's also high in protein and low in carbohydrates. It's made with real beef, vegetables, and fruit. It also contains sweet potatoes, peas, potatoes, canola oil, and flaxseed. This formula provides your German Shepherd puppy with the high protein diet they need for proper development and growth. Taste of the Wild is one of the most popular brands among dog food reviewers. It's included as our last on this list but has ranked high among some of the best dog foods for German Shepherds because it's high in protein and free of grains. What foods are German Shepherds allergic to? German Shepherds are known to be allergic to a variety of things, including wheat, corn, soy, and even some meats. If you're not sure what your German Shepherd is allergic to, it's always best to consult with your veterinarian. They will be able to recommend the best food for your dog based on their specific allergies. If your German Shepherd is having any sort of adverse reaction to their food, such as scratching, biting, or licking themselves excessively, then they may be allergic to something in their food. Consult with your veterinarian if you're not sure what's causing the reaction. What is the best dog food for German Shephard puppies? Puppies have different nutritional needs than adult dogs, so it's important to find a food that's specifically designed for puppies. Look for a food that has high levels of protein and fat, as well as essential vitamins and minerals. Puppies also need more calories than adult dogs, so make sure the food you choose has a high calorie content. As your puppy grows, they will need less calories and protein, so you'll need to switch to a food that's designed for adult dogs. Consult with your veterinarian to find the best food for your German Shepherd puppy. What is the best food for an adult German Shepherd? The best food for an adult German Shepherd is a diet that is high in protein and fat. This breed of dog is known for its high energy levels and need for exercise, so a food that can help them maintain their energy levels is important. A diet that is too low in calories can cause your German Shepherd to become overweight or obese, which can lead to health problems. When choosing a food for your German Shepherd, it is important to read the label carefully and choose a food that is right for their age, weight, and activity level. Can a German Shepherd drink milk? Yes, German Shepherds can drink milk. Milk is a good source of calcium and other nutrients that are important for this breed of dog. However, it is important to choose a low-fat or skim milk to avoid adding unnecessary calories to their diet. What is the best way to feed a German Shepherd puppy? The best way to feed a German Shepherd puppy is to start them on a diet that is high in protein and fat. Puppies need more calories than adult dogs, so it is important to choose a food that will give them the nutrition they need without making them overweight. As your German Shepherd puppy grows, you can slowly transition them to an adult dog food. It is important to make sure that they are getting the right amount of calories and nutrients for their age, weight, and activity level. What are some common health problems German Shepherds face? Some common health problems German Shepherds face include hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and allergies. This breed of dog is also susceptible to obesity, so it is important to choose a food that will help them maintain a healthy weight. German Shepherds are also prone to joint problems, so a food that is rich in glucosamine and chondroitin is important for this breed of dog. What is the life expectancy of a German Shepherd? The life expectancy of a German Shepherd is between nine and thirteen years. This breed of dog is known for being a healthy and hardy breed, but there are some health problems that can shorten their lifespan. It is important to feed your German Shepherd a diet that will help them maintain their health and keep them at a healthy weight to help ensure a long and happy life. Is it OK to put a raw egg in dog food? The answer is complicated. While some experts believe that raw eggs are perfectly safe for dogs, others believe that they can be dangerous. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. If you decide to feed your dog raw eggs, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, make sure the eggs are fresh. Second, only feed your dog eggs that have been properly refrigerated. Finally, don't forget to wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw eggs. If you're still not sure whether or not to feed your dog raw eggs, talk to your veterinarian. They can help you make the best decision for your pet. What are the benefits of raw eggs for dogs? There are a few potential benefits of feeding raw eggs to dogs. Some people believe that raw eggs can help increase a dog's energy levels, improve their coat, and even help with joint pain. While there is some anecdotal evidence to support these claims, there is no scientific evidence that raw eggs offer any health benefits for dogs. Our Criteria for Ranking the Best Dog Food Choosing the right dog food is essential for your pet's health and well-being. With the plethora of options available in the market, it can be challenging to determine which dog food is best for your furry friend. To simplify this process and help you make an informed decision, we have established a set of criteria for ranking the best dog food products. These criteria are based on scientific research, expert opinions, and the specific nutritional needs of dogs. Ingredients Quality: High-Quality Protein: The primary ingredient should be a high-quality animal protein source, such as chicken, beef, or fish, to support your dog's muscle development and overall health. Whole Grains and Vegetables: Whole grains and vegetables should be included to provide essential carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Absence of Fillers and Artificial Additives: No Fillers: The best dog food should not contain fillers like corn, soy, or wheat, which offer limited nutritional value and may cause allergies. No Artificial Additives: It should be free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, which can harm your dog's health over time. Meat Meal vs. Whole Meat: Preference for Whole Meat: Whole meat sources are preferred over meat meals or by-products, as they are less processed and retain more nutritional value. Digestibility and Allergen Consideration: Hypoallergenic Options: For dogs with allergies or sensitivities, hypoallergenic options that avoid common allergens like poultry or grains should be available. High Digestibility: The dog food should be highly digestible to ensure your pet absorbs the maximum nutrients from each meal. Life Stage Appropriateness: Age and Size-Specific Formulations: The best dog food should offer formulations tailored to your dog's life stage puppy, adult, senior and size small, medium, large. Transparency and Sourcing: Transparent Labeling: Brands should provide transparent information about ingredient sourcing and processing methods. Sustainable and Ethical Sourcing: A commitment to sustainable and ethical sourcing of ingredients reflects a brand's responsibility toward animal welfare and the environment. Health Benefits and Special Considerations: Support for Special Health Needs: The best dog food may offer formulations to address specific health concerns, such as joint health, dental care, or weight management. Customer Feedback and Reviews: Positive User Experiences: Customer feedback and reviews are valuable indicators of a product's performance, safety, and palatability. Price and Value: Affordability: The cost of the dog food should be reasonable and commensurate with its quality and ingredients, offering good value for pet owners. Recall History and Safety: Safety Record: Brands with a history of recalls or safety issues should be viewed with caution, as the safety of your pet is paramount. But with our list of the 25 best dog foods for German Shepherds in , you can rest assured that you're giving your furry friend the best possible chance at a long and healthy life. When choosing dog food, consider factors such as your dog's age, size, activity level, any allergies or sensitivities, and consult your veterinarian for specific dietary recommendations. What is the difference between dry and wet dog food? Dry dog food kibble is convenient, has a longer shelf life, and can help with dental health. Wet dog food contains more moisture and can be more palatable for picky eaters. Some owners choose to feed a combination for variety. Is homemade dog food a good option? Homemade dog food can be an option but requires careful research and balance to ensure your dog gets all the necessary nutrients. Consulting with a veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist is recommended. How can I tell if a dog food is of high quality? Look for high-quality protein sources, whole grains and vegetables, minimal fillers and additives, and adherence to AAFCO guidelines for complete and balanced nutrition. Checking customer reviews and consulting experts can also help. Should I choose a dog food based on my dog's breed? While some breed-specific formulas exist, it's more important to consider your dog's individual needs, age, and size when selecting dog food. What should I do if my dog has food allergies or sensitivities? If your dog has allergies or sensitivities, consult your veterinarian for advice. They may recommend hypoallergenic or limited-ingredient dog foods. Is grain-free dog food a better choice? Grain-free dog food isn't necessarily better. While some dogs may benefit from grain-free options, it's essential to ensure the food still provides balanced nutrition, as some grain-free diets have been associated with certain health issues. How often should I feed my dog, and in what portion sizes? Feeding frequency and portion sizes depend on your dog's age, size, and activity level. Puppies typically require more frequent meals. Follow the feeding guidelines provided on the dog food packaging and adjust based on your dog's needs. Can I mix different brands or types of dog food? Mixing different brands or types of dog food can be done, but it should be done gradually to avoid digestive upset. Consult your veterinarian for guidance on the best way to transition your dog to a new diet. Should I be concerned about recalls when choosing dog food? Yes, it's important to stay informed about recalls. Check the FDA and manufacturer websites regularly for recall information. Brands with a history of recalls may be worth avoiding. What is the role of my veterinarian in selecting dog food? Your veterinarian can provide valuable guidance on selecting the right dog food based on your pet's specific needs, health conditions, and dietary requirements. How can I ensure my dog stays hydrated when feeding dry dog food? Always provide access to clean, fresh water. Wetting the dry food or incorporating wet food into the diet can also increase moisture intake. Can I give my dog human food as part of their diet? While some human foods are safe for dogs, it's essential to know which ones are and to avoid potentially toxic foods. Always consult with your veterinarian before adding human food to your dog's diet. Remember that each dog is unique, and their dietary needs may vary. Regular check-ups with your veterinarian and open communication about your dog's diet are key to ensuring their health and well-being. Related Content. Shelter pets teach students essential skills for success Our Impact A pioneer of the no-kill movement, North Shore Animal League America continues to lead the way with the development of national and international programs that increase adoptions and raise awareness about the plight of homeless animals. Support our work, donate today! Each month features heroic stories of compassion and some of the special animals we've had the privilege to rescue, nurture and adopt - and we surely couldn't have done it without YOU, and all our loyal supporters. Order yours today! Enjoy delicious food and drinks, live entertainment, a silent auction and plenty of puppy love. Reserve your spot today and join us as we celebrate another year of our lifesaving mission. The Season of New Beginnings I read somewhere that September represents endings and new beginnings, which makes sense. Summer ends, autumn begins, vacation ends, and the school year begins. Speaking of new beginnings, there are currently two young nursing mammas in my program, with a total of nine nuggets. Back to School Tips: Leaving Your Pet at Home The hurried rush of back-to-school and shorter days means families are spending more time focused on school work and active schedules. That may mean leaving your furry friends home alone more often. Now is an important time to incorporate your pet into the family's new routine. This was never more true than for Quartz, who at just weeks old needed all of our resources to survive. Warning, some images may be heartbreaking. Opening your heart to these dogs and cats is a profoundly meaningful and compassionate act; you give them the chance to experience comfort, security and affection in their remaining days. Now fully recovered from his dual hip surgery, Buddy has made quite a mark on the hearts of his caregivers…and even on some of their family members.

If you click and purchase, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. But before you run to the nearest pet shop or go with the first breeder you come across, you might want to take a moment to assess the right course of action. There are many Goldendoodle breeders in California, but not all of them do their job with the best intentions in mind. Unfortunately, most of the time these puppies struggle with serious health issues throughout their lives. Either way, the best way to adopt a Goldendoodle puppy is through a reputable breeder or from a shelter! Ethical Goldendoodle breeders are committed to only breeding new litters from healthy dogs. Of course, a breeder should provide proof for health testing and share details about the health of the parents and puppies. Additionally, a reputable breeder should also provide at least a two year health guarantee that covers all tested genetic conditions. This further ensures that Goldendoodle breeders take health and genetic testing seriously and commit to producing healthy litters. Of course, even if a breeder has listed any of these affiliations on their website, you can trace it back to the organization that they are affiliated with. Without further ado, here are the best Goldendoodle breeders in California. View all California Goldendoodle breeders listed in our extensive Doodle breeder directory! The puppies grow with their family of six and get to be a part of normal everyday family life, helping them adjust to sounds, situations, and learn essential socialization skills. What Makes This Breeder Unique? They take great pride in producing only healthy and happy puppies and ensure this with extensive genetic testing. Their Doodle pups come with a three-year health guarantee. We are a small, family friendly breeder of Goldendoodles and Labradoodles in Suisun Valley California. Our puppies are raised at our home and are socialized with adults, children, and other dogs daily. You can be sure your future furry family member will have a sweet, gentle disposition. We pride ourselves on our well behaved, cheerful, and intelligent puppies. Our labradoodles make terrific family companions, activity partners, and even therapy dogs. Our home is in Suisun Valley where our families have been farming for over years. To the west of our farm is Twin Sisters Peaks, the highest points in the part of hilly ridge that borders our little valley. This locally well known peak called Twin Sisters, and is where we take our name from. In this case, mom is a goldendoodle and dad is an Australian labradoodle. Since their settlement in this area, our past generations have always farmed our land. We continue to farm tree and row crops. But we also have great love for animals of all kinds. For many years, we helped our children learn to raise and respect animals through the 4-H and FFA. Just as our parents did with us growing up. Reserve your spot! Or give us a call today! A puppy can be the perfect addition to a home to give and receive love and build a strong mutual bond of devotion. Welcoming a new puppy into your forever home is an exhilarating time, but it also brings a wealth of responsibilities. At Almond Blossom Doodles, we want this homecoming to be a beautiful and joyous occasion, and we are here to support you every step of the way. We ensure that these adorably perfect family companions receive an abundance of love and affection from the moment they enter this world. Our hands-on approach helps socialize the puppies while also aiding in the development of their loyalty and trust. We put a piece of our hearts into each puppy that we raise and share with you so the transition into their forever home will be seamless. Our sweet and lovable puppies are ready to come home with you eight weeks after birth, and all puppies come with the following services: Two-year health guarantee A Start on crate training-one week before you take them home ENS Early Neurological Stimulation Age-appropriate shots and worming with records included Collar and leash Almond Blossom Doodle Swag Bag. We specialize in breeding Mini Goldendoodles as well as a few other breeds. We also have partnered up with several other high quality breeders that raise mini goldendoodle pups that meet our strict genetic criteria and testing. So we usually have a good selection of very high quality puppies. View Our Available Puppies! Not all mini Goldendoodles are equal, there are a few different versions to choose from each having a little different genetic background based on the pups parents. We will explain all the differences in Mini Goldendoodle puppies and how they are bred below. We raise all versions of the mini goldendoodle breed. F1 Mini Goldendoodle Pups. A F1 puppy is also known as a First Generation puppy. The puppies mother is a Golden Retriever and the pups dad is a Mini Poodle. This version of mini goldendoodle usually has soft wavy or curly puppy fur. They will shed until they lose their puppy fur, after shedding they will shed a lot less, but will shed. This version is partially hypoallergenic and usually requires low maintenance. F1 mini goldendoodles usually need to be groomed every 6 months along with daily brushing to keep their curly hair from matting and getting tangled. The dogs usually grow up having great temperaments similar to golden retrievers. They usually get about inches high at the shoulder and range in weight from pounds. F1b Mini Goldendoodle Pups. An F1b is known as a second-generation mini goldendoodle with the pups mother being already an F1 Goldendoodle and the pups dad being a mini poodle also. So the difference between F1 and F1b is that the mom is not a golden retriever but an actual F1 Goldendoodle. They also have very soft curly hair but with almost no shedding. This F1b version is semi-hypoallergenic and a better choice for anyone who has pet allergies. The F1b also should be brushed on a daily basis but will need to be groomed more frequently then a F1. A 6 to 8 week grooming schedule is recommended to keep their coat in perfect condition. F1b Mini goldendoodles get around 18 to 20 inches tall at the shoulders and range between pounds in weight. F1bb Mini Goldendoodle Pups. An F1bb goldendoodle is also known as a third-generation mini goldendoodle. This mini goldendoodle version has a coat more similar to a poodle than of a golden retriever. This is because the pup is more of a poodle than a retriever. Making it the very best version for anyone with pet allergies. A 6 to 8 week grooming schedule is required to help prevent knots or matting. This version is super intelligent and loving, and usually seems to have more energy than the other versions of Mini goldendoodles. This version is usually smaller in size, weighing around pounds and only getting inches tall at the shoulders. The smaller size makes them a great size for smaller homes and apartments. So if you live near North Fair Oaks California and are looking for a healthy and beautiful Mini Goldendoodle puppy then checkout our available pups now by Clicking Here. Below are some Mini Goldendoodle Pups that have been adopted!

Lab puppies are energetic little learners eager to run, swim, and fetch. Although active, they also tend to overeat and gulp down their food. They can benefit from the right growth formula to provide immune system support, healthy growth, weight management, and digestive care as they take on puppyhood. Royal Canin Labrador Retriever dry puppy food is tailor-made nutrition created just for your pure breed puppy. Whether you have a Yellow Lab, Chocolate Lab, or Black Lab, this exclusive breed-specific diet is uniquely formulated for your Labrador Retriever puppy with specific nutrients to help them thrive. The unique donut-shaped kibble is specially designed to help your fast eater slow down and actually chew. An exclusive mix of antioxidants and vitamin E supports their developing immune system and keeps their body growing strong. Calcium and phosphorus support healthy bone structure, while a balanced energy content helps them maintain an ideal weight. Once your Lab puppy is over 15 months old, transition them to Royal Canin Labrador Retriever Adult dog food for precise nutrition into the adult years. Read more Promoting pet health and wellbeing Creating value for our entire ecosystem Committed to become certified carbon neutral by Cookie Settings. This may vary depending on availability, payment method, location and other factors beyond our control. Close Additional shipping costs may apply. Product description Complete dry dog food for Labrador puppies up to 15 months, with a patented antioxidant complex including vitamin E, psyllium and prebiotics, with an adapted protein and calcium content. The Labrador Retriever is a unique and versatile dog with charm and lust for life. During the initial growth phases, puppies get used to their environment, making new discoveries, so it is essential that your young dog receives the correct nutrition. Royal Canin Labrador Retriever Puppy is a dry food with a specially tailored recipe for Labrador puppies. The antioxidant complex with vitamin C can help to support your puppy in developing a strong immune system and supporting bodily defences. The adapted protein content can help with ideal weight maintenance, whilst prebiotics help to keep a healthy digestive system and support gut flora balance. Royal Canin Labrador Retriever Puppy at a glance: High-quality dry food for Labrador Retriever puppies up to 15 months For optimal growth: The recipe of this dish is tailored to Labrador puppies and can support healthy immune system, growth and digestion Controlled growth: optimised protein content for ideal weight maintenance Healthy joints and bones: adapted calcium and phosphorus content to ensure healthy bones Strong immune system: an antioxidant complex can support natural immunity and build a strong immune system Optimal digestibility: with highly-digestible L. This means that Royal Canin offers your dog high-quality, balanced nutrition. Technological additives: Clinoptilolite from sedimentary sources 10g. Contains preservatives and antioxidants. Optimal feeding amounts may vary according to your pet's temperament, activity level and environment. If you have any questions regarding your pet's health, please contact your veterinarian. Transition Instructions We recommend at least a 7 day transition before you begin feeding the new food exclusively. On the 7th day, you can feed the new food exclusively. All of our dry diets are preserved naturally with mixed tocopherols, citric acid, and rosemary extract. Our canned diets are naturally preserved and sterilized during the cooking and canning process. Where do the ingredients in Royal Canin diets come from? Royal Canin is making strides towards sustainability by attempting to obtain sources of raw materials as close to each manufacturing facility as possible. In some cases, we use international suppliers, because only those suppliers can offer raw materials that comply with our quality and food safety standards. Why do some Royal Canin diets contain by-products? Royal Canin chooses ingredients because they deliver high-quality nutrients that support our customized pet food formulas. Using chicken by-product meal instead of chicken meal for example will allow Royal Canin to maintain its highly customized nutrient standards while achieving a more secure and sustainable supply. Why do some Royal Canin diets contain grains? As always, we focus on the nutrients each ingredient provides and grains can provide many important nutrients. How do you ensure Royal Canin diets are safe for my pet? Our Quality and Food Safety systems are state-of-the-art and we continue to invest heavily in new technology to make sure they remain that way. We monitor every load delivered to our plants to verify the safety and quality of the ingredients we use to make pet food. We perform tests on finished pet foods before they are shipped to our customers. How do I know which Royal Canin diet is right for my pet? Based on size, age, lifestyle, and breed, each cat or dog has unique nutritional needs. For healthy pets, use our Product Selector to find the right diet for your cat or dog. If your pet is experiencing health issues, please refer to your veterinarian for more information. Your veterinarian will consider multiple factors when recommending an appropriate diet.

Train your Frenchie here! You should start training your French Bulldog puppy as soon as you get them home. Puppy brains are a lot bigger than we think — they soak up so much good information despite their young age. French Bulldogs can be a rather independent breed of dog. In fact, we sometimes might feel like we need them more than they need us! What age can I start to train my French Bulldog puppy? You can start training your French Bulldog puppy as soon as you get them home. Build positive training experiences with Zigzag! We can start you off with a personalised training programme straight away in the Zigzag puppy training app , in fact, you can even use it before you bring your Frenchie puppy home as we have a pre-puppy section. Before bringing your French Bulldog puppy home, you can also get in touch with our Zigzag puppy experts with any of the many questions you may have! While blingy collars and outfits might be top of the list, there are some more sensible things you need to get your French Bulldog puppy that will help with your training. Here are my top picks for getting prepared for training your Frenchie. My favourite all-rounder is the Rapid Rewards treat pouch , it comes in many colours and looks stylish when on. The Mikki treat pouch is also good and a bit cheaper. You can go to town and choose pretty colours and designs for Frenchies! A lead — Around 2m is a good length for a lead. A training lead is a good idea as you can change the lengths of them to suit. A comfortable mat or a piece of non-slip vet bed. Treats The more smelly, the better. Have a look at the best puppy treats here. Chews and chew toys — lots of them! Our faves for Frenchies are West Paw Toppl and hollow buffalo horns for stuffing food into, and cow ears and pizzles for edible chews. Two identical toys : Excellent for swaps — your French Bulldog puppy will be super playful and enjoy the retrieving games in the Zigzag app. Originally, French Bulldogs were bred from English Bulldogs, who had a shady past as bull-baiting dogs. People enjoyed their cheerful nature and kept them as companion dogs after these awful blood sports were prohibited. When the need for these workers declined in England, their skills were still required in France, so the workers relocated, bringing their dogs with them. Relocate your training to Zigzag! When they arrived in France, they were adored by shopkeepers, butchers, and, most infamously, Les Belles de Nuit — the ladies of the night! What does this have to do with how I train my French Bulldog? Knowing the characteristics of the breed will help you better train your Frenchie puppy and understand why they behave the way they do. Here are a few things to keep in mind: Frenchies are incredibly loving and enjoy being in the spotlight. They can have a lot of energy possibly even more than a lot of energy and enjoy an active home life. Lack of stimulation WILL foster self-employment; provide them with items to rip up and pull apart to keep them out of trouble. By the way, if you leave them to it, they WILL go into your recycling and have a field day. Frenchies often think they are big dogs, thus they often do well playing with dogs larger than them. They look dashing in them too! December 6, In search of a new forever best friend? Not sure what puppy breed works best for you and your family? Quickly rising in the popularity ranks to spot number two, the French bulldog or more commonly known for their nickname Frenchie is a bundle of cute, silliness, and affection! This compact, low-activity, lap companion is a perfect fit for puppy parents that like a relaxed lifestyle! How do you know if the French Bulldog is the right fit for you and your family? A Brief Background on French Bulldogs! When it comes to French Bulldogs, not where they originally come from! These pups actually made their way over to France from England and were actually Toy Bulldogs. During the mid s, lacemakers from Nottingham, England traveled to Paris bringing along their toy bulldogs and cross-breeding them with bull-baiting bulldogs to gain those tall erect bat ears Frenchies have today! Soon, their popularity in France spread as more Parisian women introduced these pups a staple into city, cafe-culture. What are French Bulldog Breed Characteristics? French Bulldogs have short snouts, round adorable bodies and short legs, square-shaped faces but the most undeniably French Bulldog quality.Although these characteristics breed standard, French Bulldogs come in a variety of colorings including white, cream, tan, grey, black, brown, blue, multi-color, fawn, brindle, merle, lilac, and combinations of each of these! What are French Bulldog Personalities like? These pups have silly personalities, love to play, and can settle right up next to your lap. Unlike the common yappy small dog stereotype, Frenchies are quite affectionate and even-tempered. They love their human families, seek companionship, and enjoy playing with their people. If you were looking for a pup that was thrill-seeking and had a protective quality to their nature, French Bulldogs are far more content with a walk, quick game of tug-of-way or fetch, and would probably rather play with new people and dogs than be protective. While they are relatively easy-going, they can have a bit of a stubborn streak so be prepared with obedience training and to coax your Frenchie with some treats! Much like their early days, French Bulldogs are a great choice for puppy parents living in urban, city environments like apartment buildings. Frenchies, while they love to play, are what is known as a brachycephalic breed. High activity can cause them to overheat and they will have difficulty panting to cool off. While the idea of letting your French Bulldog puppy cool off in water seems right, no swimming for these pups. If you live somewhere with a pool or close to a lake, be mindful of your Frenchie, and even keep a protective float or vest on them! All in all, a home that provides space in a room to play, or walks around the neighborhood or in a park are just what Frenchies need to burn off their energy and keep entertained! How to Care for Your French Bulldog! French Bulldogs, like many short-snouted dogs, can suffer from respiratory issues such as wheezing, snoring, and over-heating in warmer temperatures. While their short coats are generally low-maintenance, French Bulldogs can suffer from eye infections and infections in the folds of their skin. Keeping their eyes clean, regular brushing with a rubber glove, and making sure their skin is completely dry after bathing can significantly help prevent these issues! When you first bring home your new French Bulldog puppy, set up an initial visit with your veterinarian to discuss French Bulldog breed nutritional needs, preventive care, and schedule their vaccinations! Thanks to their adorable looks, French Bulldogs receive a lot of affection from their humans. Basic Obedience and Tricks French Bulldogs are fun and easy-to-train breed! However, some Frenchie parents may find bouts of stubbornness such as refusing to take another step on a walk or not coming when called! If you start to experience this with your Frenchie puppy, try to keep them on a leash while under supervision at home to have them follow you and start to establish leadership. Since these pups love a good playtime session, teaching them some fun tricks is a great way to keep them engaged while still working on listening and following your lead! Potty Train Right Away With the right consistency and patience, all puppies can be potty trained! Some French Bulldog puppies may take a bit longer to master pottying in a specific spot so start from the very first day your puppy comes home! Pick a designated spot, start bringing your puppy there every time they have to go potty, and supervise them at home, or crate them at night to prevent accidents! As companion dogs, French Bulldogs can develop separation anxiety so establishing crate times during the day and at night will help your puppy start to feel comfortable being alone and boost their level of confidence. Set times for feeding, play, puppy training, and sleep will provide your puppy with routine and structure, encouraging good behaviors and fewer chances of your puppy developing bad habits. A daily schedule also makes certain things such as potty times far more predictable for you and helps to speed up the potty training process. Lastly, a set routine creates a well-adjusted puppy that will grow up confident, healthy, and happy! One of the best things about a daily puppy schedule is that you can establish one that aligns with your own! Teach them "Drop-It! One of the fastest and most fun! Are you still planning and not sure what breed fits your lifestyle? Let us know in the comments! Check out these blogs related to puppy training and more! A new edition to the family always causes for celebration, but it can also induce stress when it comes to preparing for a new puppy. As an Ontario French Bulldog breeder and educator, I know firsthand the anxiety that can come along with French Bulldog puppies. After all, they are known to be a high-maintenance breed. I aim to equip my customers and followers with all the knowledge they need to seamlessly welcome a new French Bulldog puppy into their homes and integrate them into their families. Being prepared is the best way to limit stress and ensure you can enjoy this exciting time! Adjustable crate. They offer the dog a safe place they know is theirs, establish boundaries, and can aid in potty training. You want them to associate their crates with happy, safe, and relaxing thoughts. I like to go with a 25inch high, like the one below. Harness, collar, and leash. Collars are necessary for attaching an ID tag with a phone number but some French Bulldog owners prefer to walk their dogs in a harness. I will go into more details in a video to come soon so stay tuned for that! Grooming tools. Brushes, shampoos, pet wipes, q-tips ears. Despite having short fur coats, French Bulldogs still do shed. A rubber-bristled brush or shedding blade can help with this! Regular brushing will really help maintain healthy coats and happy dogs. Lots and lots of toys. Your French Bulldog puppy with be teething and most likely will try and test boundaries with playful nips. Be prepared for some SAFE chew toys and stuffed animals. I recommend a Snuggle Puppy. Not only can your French Bulldog puppy play with it, but they will also find comfort in it and it can help easy any anxiety they may have from all the changes, etc. This includes hiding away electrical cords, picking up chargers, shoes, valuables, etc. You will also want to re-locate anything that may be poisonous to your pup, such as some houseplants, cleaning supplies, etc. Your French Bulldog puppy will be curious and adventurous, wanting to explore their new surroundings and home. They can familiarize themselves with it, have access to all their essentials, and start to settle in. Find a vet! Talk to your trusted French Bulldog breeder for suggestions, join online forums in your area, etc. You can read more about the most common health problems in French Bulldogs in our previous post. Your First Vet Visit: You should have your first vet appointment scheduled within 72 hours of picking up your puppy. Remember to take a poop sample. Take any papers or documentation you have. Being prepared is key and will make for a really enjoyable experience! I offer virtual session if you have any concerns or would like advice on anything French Bulldog related. Happy puppy days! Be sure to soak it all in and tag me in your Instagram photos so I can get to know you. Tracy June 2, at am I wish I had read this prior to puppy sitting 16 week Orly. We did not have a crate, we did not puppy proof extensively enough. My daughter spent the entire morning prying foreign objects out of her mouth and stopping her from attacking the Christmas tree! But there are many things that you will have to prepare and that you will have to take into account. This French bulldog puppy guide will show you everything a new French Bulldog parent needs to know and prepare for. PART 1 — Preparation Before you bring your French bulldog puppy home, here are some preparation tips to keep in mind: Prepare Your Home Before your French bulldog puppy comes to your home, you must ensure that your home is safe for your new Frenchie puppy. Just like babies, French bulldogs are particularly curious about the world around them and cannot distinguish between safe play vs. For safety, you can, for example, purchase a stair gate. A stair gate is useful for keeping a puppy in a safe room when you need to be elsewhere. The best time to prepare your home is well before your puppy arrives. Small objects Just like small children, puppies seem to want to put everything in their mouths. Your French bulldog can swallow everything it encounters, and there are many materials that can lead to serious injuries or even death, such as paper clips, rubber bands, coins, jewelry, etc. Always put your waste bin behind closed doors. Extension cords and sockets Make sure that your french bulldog puppy cannot reach any cord. Also, cover sockets that you do not use. Plants One of the most common hazardous objects in a home is plants. It is best to place all your plants high enough that your puppy cannot reach them, also when crawling on furniture like a chair or couch. Even some vegetables are toxic to dogs. Tomato and spinach plants can make your dog sick or even kill him. Drugs Medication and prescription drugs for people can also be very dangerous. Never give your dog drugs for people unless your vet prescribes them. Common painkillers such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, and aspirin can be deadly to dogs, as are antidepressants, dietary pills, and vitamins. Here are some things you may need for a new Frenchie puppy: Eating and Drinking Your French bulldog needs shallow and narrow bowls to easily reach his food and not fall into the water when he drinks. Finally, you must clean them every day. Stainless steel is the best in that regard. But you also have the choice between plastic and ceramics in all colors and shapes. Dog bed Baskets are available in various sizes and shapes. Wicker baskets: These are not easy to clean, they are easy to chew, and pieces can be swallowed. However, the cracking of those baskets gives a reassuring feeling to a puppy. Plastic baskets: They are easy to clean but are chewable, so pieces can come loose and become dangerous for a puppy. Always put a pillow or blanket in it. Soft beds or baskets: These beds are washable, chewable, soft, and comfortable. Overall, soft beds are a very popular choice, and dogs love them. Bedding Should be washable, soft, without borders to chew or swallow, and to be placed on a thick layer of newspapers. Collar If your Frenchie accepts a collar and has no breathing problems, there is nothing wrong with a collar. Choose one that feels light and pleasant. Never leave the collar on constantly. The most important thing to look for when purchasing is that the collar fits well. If the collar is too large, your puppy can escape; if the collar is too tight, he will have difficulty breathing. Crate Can be used to fall asleep or for crate training. A crate is useful for the night or if the puppy stays home alone. It limits the freedom of movement of the puppy for its own safety as well as for potty training. Make sure there is a bed or a big pillow in it. Newspaper Make sure you have a stack of newspapers at your disposal because many will be needed for potty training. For a small dog such as the French bulldog, a litter box can be a useful tool if it is too cold to go outside or if you live in an apartment. Harness Often a harness is recommended for a French bulldog because their windpipe is so small and vulnerable, and they are sensitive to developing a herniated disc in the neck. Many dogs also seem to find that a harness feels nice because the weight of a harness is distributed over a larger part of the body. Leash The leash for a French bulldog should be light. In addition, it must have a good length for the area where you and your French bulldog often walk. If you are tall, choose a slightly longer leash so that your French bulldog can enjoy a relaxing walk next to you. A wide or braided belt is unsuitable for your French bulldog. Metal link chains are also far too heavy for your French bulldog. Never use a slip chain; the neck of your French bulldog is much too small for that. Clothing Your French bulldog also needs a warm sweater against the cold. There are also waterproof rain jackets and boots for dogs that do not like to get wet when they have to do their needs outside. Games Like children, French bulldogs need toys. There are chew toys to chew on and toys that squeak when he jumps on them. Chewing is not a bad habit. When your French bulldog is chewing on suitable objects, it helps prevent boredom, frustration, and stress. This is especially true for dogs that are alone on a daily basis. Perhaps the biggest problem is finding small toys for your French bulldog. Cat toys can be suitable, provided they are very durable. The splinters of bones can cause cuts in his mouth and puncture his intestines. Do not give children toys or plastic bottles. In Part 2, we are going to talk about coming home with your cute French bulldog puppy. Disclosure HappyFrenchBulldog. The content on this blog is not a substitute for veterinary advice. Always seek advice from a certified veterinarian in a case of emergency. Contact Have questions about our content? Contact us at info [at] happyfrenchbulldog. Footer Nav. If so, there are a few things you could be doing to prepare yourself and your home for your new French bulldog puppy! Research the French bulldog breed Before bringing home your new Frenchie, you should have a pretty good understanding about the breed itself. As a leading French bulldog breeder in Indiana and surrounding states, our experienced team at Family Puppies understands the French bulldog breed like the back of our hands. This knowledge not only helps us raise our French bulldog puppies for sale, but allows us to ensure their new owners are well-educated and properly prepared to add a new Frenchie to their family. Talk to your breeder about what you can expect with your new French bulldog puppy and be sure to ask them as many questions as you need to: What food have you been feeding them? How much does a French bulldog shed? What essentials should you buy? Do they have any favorite toys? To sort it all out, we suggest making a puppy checklist of things to purchase before bringing your pup home! What to buy for a French bulldog puppy Remember, these are only the essentials to have set up and ready before introducing your pup to their forever home. Most importantly, they need a collar to display their ID tag and a harness to support their body when on walks. Puppy pads House training is a lengthy process with any puppy, so some handy puppy pads are a must. And with their short, single coats making hotter climates a struggle, regular brushing will actually better their circulation and oil production, improving the overall quality of their coat. Puppy-proofing your home For the safety of your new Frenchie and your belongings, we suggest doing a sweep of your home to locate any potential hazards that your puppy may face. This includes hiding away electrical cords, stowing away any valuable personal items for the time being , and putting anything that could be poisonous to your puppy houseplants, cleaning supplies, etc. Find a veterinarian Your breeder may have a few suggestions for vets that they have worked with that already know your puppy, but be sure to secure a vet before bringing your pup home. Make yourself available for your puppy One of the most important things you must do in order to prepare for a French bulldog puppy is freeing up your schedule. These dogs are made for companionship and will definitely need you during their first few days in a new environment without their mother or siblings. We suggest taking a few days off of work to start, and after that, try not to leave them alone for full days, especially with that tiny puppy bladder! Check out the French bulldog puppies for sale through Family Puppies in Indiana. These amazing Frenchies are brought up in a loving and warm environment and we look for the same in the people who purchase them. Give us a call today at to learn more!

Most people probably just throw puppy teeth out, or tuck them away somewhere safe, in a jewelry or memory box perhaps, as an oddity to look at every now and then. I have a shadow box where I display paw and nose molds that I took from Kit. Somehow, I wanted to include his puppy teeth, but in a way that would also keep the teeth from getting lost since they are so small. The mineral oil I used inside the bottle helps to magnify the teeth. I also included some little red beads and his name written on a piece of rice. Before sealing the bottle, I filled it with mineral oil. The clear oil helps to magnify the stuff inside the bottle, and it protects the fragile tooth from hitting the side of the bottle too hard if the display is jarred. I like this brand , but any type of glue should work. I just bought this at our local pharmacy. You only need a small amount. Glass Bottle: What bottle you use is up to you. You should be able to buy tiny glass bottles at your local craft store. I got mine off Amazon. Once you have all your supplies the rest is easy! Make sure your teeth are clean and dry, then put them and any addition items you want inside the bottle. Next add the mineral oil. An update — 6 years later! I figured an update was long overdue! I had to open it up, add more oil, and reseal the cork. I tried resealing it with a modeling clay, which is why you might notice some green spots on cork. The teeth inside seem to be holding up well! Less work, and that tooth has held up just fine too. Comment below, or head on over to our Facebook page and share a picture of your puppy tooth creation! Retained baby teeth can occur in any breed. However, we see it most commonly in smaller breeds. It is important to remove these teeth as soon as it becomes evident that they are not going to fall out on their own usually around 6 months. In this particular case of a 6 month old male dachshund, I removed the single retained baby tooth at the same time that I neutered the pup, so that the little guy only had to have one anesthesia. The reason it is so important to remove these teeth, is that they are usually right up against the adult tooth. The close space between the teeth is a great place for food and debris and hair to get stuck. Then the bacteria start growing. Before you know it, you have a severely diseased adult canine tooth. This is a source of pain and infection for the dog. Upper left arcade. The retained baby tooth is the slender tooth located directly behind the adult canine. X-ray: Note how long and slender the root of the baby canine tooth is. Surgery site following extraction. The sutures will dissolve in 21 days. It is important that the tissue is surgically closed after extraction so that food and debris does not get packed into the area where the tooth was removed. The area below the black line is the crown. The area above the black line was underneath the gingiva. It is very important that the tooth is removed in its entirety. Root tips that are broken off and left behind in the dog can cause significant medical problems in the future. These charming boxes are designed to hold your little one's first tooth and curl, creating a cherished memento that can be treasured for years to come. Explore our selection of keepsake boxes and find the perfect one to commemorate these special milestones. Our first tooth and curl keepsake boxes are crafted with attention to detail, ensuring a beautiful and durable storage solution. Made from high-quality materials, these boxes feature intricate designs and adorable motifs that add a touch of whimsy to any nursery or bedroom decor. Safely store your child's first tooth and curl in these keepsake boxes, creating a lasting memory of their early years. Celebrate the arrival of a new baby with our first tooth and curl keepsake boxes. These thoughtful gifts are perfect for baby showers, christenings, or birthdays. Choose from a variety of designs and colors to find a keepsake box that matches the baby's nursery theme or personal style. These keepsake boxes are not only functional but also serve as a beautiful decorative piece. Create a cherished keepsake with our first tooth and curl keepsake boxes. These boxes are not only practical but also hold sentimental value, allowing you to preserve the memories of your child's first milestones. With their charming designs and durable construction, our keepsake boxes are the perfect way to commemorate these special moments in your child's life.

what do you feed german shepherd puppies - How often you should feed a German Shepherd puppy depends on their age and their activity level. Many owners also want to know when they can switch to adult food formulas for their German Shepherd puppies. Switch your GSD puppy to adult food when they are around 12 to 18 months old. Puppies can begin adult kibble when they are approximately 80 percent of their adult weight. This usually occurs around 8 to 10 months of age, but you can safely feed puppy food up to 18 months old as long as they are not putting on excess weight too quickly. If you want to know what to feed a German Shepherd puppy, keep reading. Finding the best food to feed your German Shepherd puppy is overwhelming at times. This means choosing what to feed a German Shepherd puppy is even more serious and intimidating! Follow this feeding guide when you need to know what to feed German Shepherd puppies. I understand! The following dog foods are all recommended for large breed puppies and meet and exceed regulated nutritional standards. Feeding a high-quality kibble from a name-brand company that uses feeding trials ensures the best quality and nutrition. Here are some of the best German Shepherd puppy foods that are research-backed. Packed with nutrients to help limit inflammation of the joints and uses fresh ingredients. Easily digestible formula for puppies prone to allergies and sensitive stomachs. Rich aroma with DHA fish oil to entice puppies to finish every last bite while giving shine to their coats. The better the food, the healthier your pup will be inside and out. Cheaper GSD puppy food lacks quality proteins that are essential for your working breed dog. Adding too much weight to your German Shepherd too soon can cause lifelong joint issues that are painful to your pet and expensive on your wallet. Most GSDs are healthy and fit on commercial dog foods that are high quality. These balanced formulas keep their bones and muscles strong throughout their growing periods and can ward off later joint issues, a common breed problem, as they mature. There is a greater demand for quality nutrition during the early growth stage. For these reasons, you must feed high-quality food. Now, consider what to feed a German Shepherd puppy based on their age. These feeding charts and guides will help keep your new companion growing strong and athletic. Tiny portions of canned, wet foods are introduced. Meals per day: 4 or more Puppies should stay with their mom for to keep them healthy. Nutrition Warning! At 8-weeks-old a GSD pup is eating more solid foods and develops a better appetite for kibble and other foods. Add in only a couple of small spoonfuls of canned plain pumpkin, unsweetened Greek yogurt, or cooked oatmeal to entice your pup to eat. Meals per day: 4 Week-Old Puppy Continue feeding the same as the 8-week-old diet. Treats are not only enjoyable for your German Shepherd, but help you to eneterain and build a positive relationship with him. Be sure to keep their zoomies under control by playing plenty of fun German Shepherd games for puppies. Meals per day: 4 Week-Old Puppy Continue to feed the kibble. Watch for excessive weight gain during this growth time as their bones cannot take extra weight! Too much weight gain too quickly can cause joint issues as an adult and prevent healthy development. Use their mental energy to help keep them more relaxed throughout the day by playing brain-boosting mind games for German Shepherd puppies. Meals per day: 3 to 4 Week-Old Puppy Keep your puppy trim and athletic by monitoring how much you feed your puppy and their body condition. You can write how much they eat and track this over time, and adjust how much your feed your German Shepherd puppy to keep them at a healthy weight. Try using fresh, raw, cut-up pieces of carrots as healthy treats or small, deseeded cubes of fresh apple as part of their training treats. Keep your eyes open for a growth spurt about to begin! Meals per day: 3 Week-Old Puppy Around 4 months old, you might notice your puppy finish their meal quickly and look for more food. Be sure to watch how many treats you give them throughout the day. You can do this by holding them safely in your arms and weighing them with you on the scale. Then, place them on the floor and step onto the scale without them to weigh yourself. Remember, around 16 to weeks old your German Shepherd puppy begins to rapidly grow. Instead, when looking overhead at your puppy their waist should look trim and not rounded outwards. German Shepherd puppies should appear sleek in their waistline. Meals per day: 3 Week And Older Puppy Continue to feed your German Shepherd puppy dry kibble with a small amount of healthy foods mixed in. You can lessen the healthy food you mix in gradually if you prefer. But, even as adults, German Shepherds love a bit of tasty toppers on their kibble. Around a year old, begin feeding your German Shepherd puppy 2 meals a day. Two meals, one in the morning and evening, are not only safer but also provide your German Shepherd with sustained energy to fuel their high-energy lifestyle. You can create a positive meal time by using the following tips: Always offer fresh water during their meal times. Keep the area where they eat their food in calm and out of the way of the family hustle and bustle. I found sitting with a book reading, just keeping my GSD puppy company, encouraged my dog to eat their meals while giving us time to quietly bond. Feed your German Shepherd at the same time everyday. The best time to feed a German Shepherd puppy is in the morning, before you leave for the day, and in the evening, about 2 hours before you put your dog to bed. Allow them to potty after eating to ensure their comfort. Your dog also needs to eat at other times of the day for their health and growth. How much you should feed a German Shepherd puppy really depends on a number of factors. Your GSD pup should eat enough to maintain their growth and energy, while not carrying any extra fat. Every dog is different. Keep in mind the number of calories in the kibble, which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Each puppy food company has a different amount of calories and size of the kibble. Here are a few things that might affect how much your German Shepherd puppy should eat. The more active a German Shepherd puppy is, the more calories he needs to eat to replace lost energy. For example, puppies need nearly twice the amount of calories as compared to adults. And older or senior German Shepherds who are less active need less food. Health Maintaining a healthy weight is essential to feeding your German Shepherd. Simply put, you can prevent some medical conditions and health problems by monitoring their waistlines. Instead follow the healthy way to bulk up a German Shepherd. To see if your German Shepherd is at the right weight you can find the average weight depending on their age. E-mail Share by e-mail German Shepherds make great family dogs — they are loyal, intelligent, and have lots of energy! A good diet is key to giving your pet a long and healthy life, and the wrong diet can lead to a number of health problems. German Shepherds are big dogs with active lifestyles, so making sure they get the right nutrition at different stages throughout their lives is essential. Feeding your German Shepherd Puppy Puppies are growing rapidly and have very specific nutritional requirements. Puppy food tends to be high in calories and protein as they are bundles of energy at this age! Feeding your German Shepherd puppy a good quality balanced diet is essential to ensure that they grow up to be healthy adults. There are some foods designed specifically for large breeds such as German Shepherds, which provide extra support for their growing joints. You should look out for these foods in the pet store and ideally choose one of these large breed diets. You can find further general puppy feeding guidelines and advice via the AKC as well as specific German Shepherd facts and info. How often should I feed my German Shepherd puppy? Puppies need to be fed more frequently than adult dogs to support their rapidly growing bodies. German Shepherd puppies should be fed 4 meals a day until they are 3 months old, then reduce to 3 meals a day until they are 10 months old when their growth rate starts to slow down. Once they reach this age, they need 2 meals a day. When should I start feeding adult food? Puppies must stay on puppy food until they reach adult size. German Shepherds are large dogs and tend to reach adult size later than smaller dogs. They are usually fully matured at months. German Shepherds should stay on puppy food until they are months old, then they should move on to an adult diet. Feeding your adult German Shepherd An adult German Shepherd will weigh around lbs and need at least an hour of exercise every day, so their diet needs to reflect this. It might seem like your dog is eating a lot, but they need to replace the energy they burn off and eat enough of the right nutrients to sustain them! How often should I feed my German Shepherd? Adult dogs should be fed two meals a day. When should I switch from adult to senior food? As dogs get older their nutritional requirements change again. They are less active, and German Shepherds are more prone to joint problems such as osteoarthritis. You should consider switching to a senior diet at around 8 years of age. What type of food should German Shepherds eat? Whichever diet you pick, you should ensure it is suitable for large dogs or working breeds and that it has plenty of protein and calcium, and also includes some type of doggy superfoods, too. Commercially prepared foods are the best way to ensure your dog gets a balanced diet with all the nutrients they need to stay healthy, and they come in wet or dried forms. Some dogs prefer one or the other, whilst some enjoy a variety and mix of both. Dry Food Dried food is cheap, easy to feed and store, and has lots of benefits for your dogs. Dogs fed a dried food diet will drink more water, and you can soak the kibble to add a bit extra if you like. Wet Food Wet foods contain more water than dried, and often resemble meat which some dogs love. The food is usually in chunks with jelly or gravy, and some dogs prefer it to dried. Final Thoughts German Shepherds are large and active dogs with demanding nutritional requirements throughout their lives. They go through a rapid growth stage as puppies, and as adults need the right balance of nutrients to replenish the energy they burn off exercising. They need to eat a diet that has the right balance of protein, calcium, and other essential nutrients, and ensure they get the right number of meals a day to maintain good physical and mental health. Puppies should eat meals a day until they are around 10 months old then they should eat 2 meals a day as adults. Do German shepherds require a lot of food? German Shepherds are large dogs so naturally, eat larger portions than smaller breeds. They are active dogs and need lots of protein and energy to keep them healthy. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Shares German Shepherds are graceful, obedient, and loyal dogs with specific nutritional needs. Following a German Shepherd puppy feeding chart will enable you to track the amount of food your puppy is eating as they grow. There are varieties of foods available in the market and most of them come with guidelines at the back of the packaging showing you how much to feed a German Shepherd puppy. This article will cover different types of diets available and the specific nutritional needs of your German shepherd. It will also help you know what to do to ensure that your GSD gets nutritious and balanced food for every stage of their life. German Shepherd Puppy Feeding Chart There are three aspects of this German Shepherd puppy feeding chart, namely the German shepherd feeding amount, feeding frequency, and mealtime lengths. It is important to find out the appropriate feeding amount, frequency, and length for your German shepherd without leaving out one of them. That way, you can accurately find out the best way to feed your dog. Overall, there are four ranges that you need to keep in mind. An active dog may require a bit more than the numbers in this list, and an inactive dog will need a slightly less amount. But this guide can act as a solid benchmark. A puppy will need to eat more because they are growing very quickly. Talk to your vet about how much exactly so you keep them healthy and happy. Make sure your German Shepherd has access to fresh, clean water all day. When you take your dog for a walk make sure to bring along some extra water in a collapsible bowl. If they get tired on the way or it gets very hot, this can save their life. So for example, if your dog is 60lbs they should eat between lbs of food in one day. If you notice your dog is losing weight, add more calories to its meal size. However, there are other considerations on how much to feed a German shepherd puppy per day. You might want to consider avoiding meals right before bedtime. Let them digest their food first before they go to sleep. Understanding German Shepherd Puppy Nutritional Needs All dogs require nutritious, satisfying, and healthy food and every breed have their special diet. For maximum energy and health, there are factors to consider when deciding what to feed your German Shepherd: Size considerations- the AKC breed standard says that a German Shepherd can go to 26 inches tall at the shoulder. Females can be around 49 to 71 pounds while Males can be around 66 to 88 pounds. This means that they have a big appetite hence it is good to find quality food for them. They grow pretty fast hence they need specific nutrients for specific stages. Activity level- German shepherds are muscular, active, and agile which contributes to higher caloric needs to be complemented by feeding them a high-quality diet. Health consideration- GSDs are prone to many diseases hence a healthy diet will prevent problems. For example, arthritis that is caused by hip and elbow dysplasia can be mitigated through an excellent diet. Ensure that your GSD diet contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. How long does it take for your dog to be full? Is your dog still hungry after eating his portion? German shepherds normally take anywhere from 10 minutes to 15 minutes to finish the meal, given that you followed the proper feeding guidelines properly. If your dog shows signs of slow eating, we recommend sending them to your vet. If you think your dog is already full before finishing his portion, there is no problem. However, if your dog is still hungry after finishing the meal, consider sending him to your vet. This is because this can be a sign of a serious health issue involving their digestive system. They encourage the puppy to chew hence preventing periodontal diseases or tartar. Kibble is less expensive to buy and can stay fresh for longer. See also German Shepherd Gestation Period And Pregnancy Wet food is also essential for puppies because they allow puppies to feel fuller with less food. If your GSD need to shed a few pounds, wet food is a good way to reduce their caloric intake. Wet food is easier to digest, hence they are good for German shepherds with sensitive stomachs. Wet food is appetizing and keeps the puppy hydrated. You need to understand why your puppy cannot eat because it will help you determine the way to deal with the issue. There is no need to worry if the puppy lost appetite shortly and goes back to normal eating without any sign of illness. If the puppy loses appetite and takes a few days without improvement, take your puppy to the vet to find the problem because your dog might be sick. If the vet finds that the puppy is sick, they may suggest a special diet that will boost their immunity and give them extra nutrients to better their recovery. The puppy may have stopped eating because of behavioral issues; therefore, you may need to feed them same time to get a routine. Treats and human food that is given to the puppy may need to be reduced and also you can try different kinds of food. The German shepherd is a medium dog breed according to the AKC. Therefore, free-feeding is not a good idea. For the German shepherds, feeding schedules work better. If the puppies are free-fed the puppy may eat the leftover at any time even when they are not hungry. Sticking to a feeding routine help the puppy to stay healthy and prevent obesity. When you have a schedule, managing their weight and house training will improve. The puppy usually relieves themselves around 15 minutes after eating or drinking, therefore, when they feed at the same time every day and are taken outside after a while, accidents will be minimized. A raw diet is good for German shepherds. A raw diet help improves vitality and energy. The puppy gets healthy white teeth with an increased lifespan and reduced shedding as well as a stronger immune system. Raw meat is a great source of protein and an optimal diet. It is like keto to humans because it allows the puppy to reach their total capacity and good health. Dogs are naturally carnivorous, hence raw diet aligns with their natural needs. However, you should speak to your vet before putting your puppy on a raw food diet. The majority of commercially available kibble food is balanced and complete, and of high quality for your German shepherd puppy. Human supplements often contain harmful substances to animals and are unregulated or minimally effective. Therefore, never give human supplements to your German shepherd puppy. But they can eat small amounts of cooked chicken or turkey, plain cooked sweet potatoes or carrots, plain yogurt, and small amounts of fruits like apples or bananas without getting sick. Talk to a vet for advice on how to feed your German Shepherd puppy a healthy and balanced diet. These include chocolate, fatty foods, coffee, alcohol, chives, avocado, onions, nuts, grapes and raisins, garlic, raw or undercooked meat, and bones. These foods can cause a wide range of health problems, from stomachaches to more serious problems like pancreatitis or kidney failure. Some foods that people eat may have a lot of sodium or sugar, which can also be bad for dogs. How much food to give an older German Shepherd will depend on their needs and how much they move around. But as dogs get older, they tend to slow down and may need less food to stay at a healthy weight. As a general rule, an older German Shepherd needs about 2 to 3 cups of food per day, which should be divided between two meals. A German Shepherd that is getting older should eat high-quality senior dog food that is made for their age and size. Senior dogs might also benefit from getting smaller meals more often. If your German Shepherd puppy seems to always be hungry, you should look at what they eat and how often they eat. Make sure they eat enough for their age, weight, and level of activity. Puppies grow quickly and need more calories than adult dogs, so it is possible that they are not getting enough food. Also, make sure you feed them high-quality puppy food that is right for their age and size. If you are worried about how hungry they are or how much they weigh, you should talk to a vet to rule out any health problems and make a plan for feeding them. The amount of dry food you should feed your German Shepherd will depend on several factors, including their age, weight, and activity level. Puppies: Feed times the recommended amount on the food label. Adult dogs: Feed times the recommended amount on the food label. Active dogs: Feed times the recommended amount on the food label. Senior dogs: Feed times the recommended amount on the food label. If the dog is obviously overweight or underweight, adjust accordingly. If you can feel most of the ribs without squeezing your fingers in between them — try 1 cup per day. This is a decent starting point for a growing large breed puppy that needs the extra calories to grow big and strong. If you can feel most of the ribs AND see its waist — try 3 cups per day. This is perfect for an adult German Shepherd which needs extra calories due to being very active. With this amount, it will be able to maintain its weight, but not gain any extra fat. If you can feel all the ribs and see their waist — try 3. This is a good amount for a very active German Shepherd which needs extra calories to maintain a healthy weight. This should be sufficient for an adult German Shepherd which is quite active. If you can feel all the ribs and see their waist — try 5 cups per day. This is a good amount for an extremely active German Shepherd which needs extra calories to maintain lean muscle mass. For example, when my dog was a puppy, he would feel all ribs and see his waist when eating 2 cups of food per day. However, as he got older and larger, I had to increase the amount — even though I could still feel most of the ribs! He maintained around .Although there are lots of opinions on how much food your shepherds needs, these guidelines work for me and my German Shepherds. Everyone is different though, so you will have to adjust accordingly if necessary — this guide should help you until you find the ideal amount. If your dog is a very active one it may need more food depending on its activity level. Always be sure to give plenty of water since dry kibble can dehydrate the animal over time. However, this amount will vary depending on the size, age, and activity level of your dog. Puppies and young dogs, for example, generally need more water than adult German Shepherds. And working dogs or those who exercise frequently may require even more. This is because they can easily hydrate themselves if given free access to water. However, you still need to remember some things. For example, take note that your dog will need to drink 6 ounces of water per day for every 3. Depending on the temperature and activeness, this amount can increase. Lastly, make sure you take extra care in providing water access to your German shepherd. The most preferable way is to fill a bowl with a moderate amount of water, not too much. The feeding amount, frequency, length, and water requirements can always be changed. If you have no time to visit your vet, the following topic may help you. How Much Should A 1-year-old German Shepherd Eat A 1-year-old German Shepherd should eat about two and a half to three cups of food each day, broken up into two or three meals. Pointers for Feeding German Shepherds Improper feeding practices can lead to serious health problems for German shepherds. An owner is responsible for taking into consideration the age and weight of a German shepherd before feeding them. When feeding a german shepherd puppy that is four to six months old, you must give them two meals a day that comprises around eight ounces and five ounces. When feeding a German shepherd puppy that is between seven and twelve months old, the meal amounts should be increased to ten ounces for each meal. This amount should be split into three smaller meals. This is regardless of whether they are active or not. Yep, German shepherds can gain weight regardless of whether they exercise or not. If you think your dog is gaining too much weight, you can split their daily calories into four or five smaller meals. Some people prefer using dry dog food, while others would choose canned dog food. Whatever you choose for your German shepherd is usually okay, but canned food tends to contain more moisture than dry food which may lead to bladder stones in certain dogs. However, when it comes to the amount of dog food you feed your German shepherd, canned food leads to more obesity than dry food. If your German shepherds are over five years old, you must give them an extra meal. This additional meal should comprise around four ounces of food so they can easily digest it during their older age. When feeding a German shepherd puppy, you must know how to correctly measure their food amount. Be accurate when following the proper measurements; otherwise, it could lead to your dog gaining too much weight. Use measuring cups that are specifically made for dry food. If you use any other type of measuring device, it might lead to your dog eating too much or too little food. You must not feed your German shepherd until they are full, but allow them to eat until they are slightly satiated. Do not serve unlimited food; give them about two to three cups of food per day. If you are unsure whether or not your German shepherd is obese, check its waistline. If they have a thick waist and their stomach looks like a sphere, then that is a clear sign that your German shepherd is obese. Never let them finish their meal if they are still hungry; otherwise, you will encourage them to gorge on their food. Your German shepherd must always have access to fresh clean water, so you should ensure they can drink it whenever necessary. Feeding Guidelines by Age Before proceeding with the following points, remember that age is not the only determining factor in a German shepherd feeding chart. Make sure to consider all the content in this blog post as well. It is recommended that you slowly let them adapt first. This can be their regular food from now on. This includes fruits, bones, and more. You should also avoid giving them your leftovers. However, they will need time to adapt. You should also consider feeding your German shepherd foods that can be gnawed and chewed. This is so they can develop their jaws, teeth, and gums. This will result in less feeding amount and frequency. Feeding Guidelines by Weight German shepherds can be of different weight ranges. An average weighted German shepherd 35 kilograms will then need calories per day. This only applies to German shepherds that do not exercise or are inactive. Active German Shepherds: In the case of active German shepherds that exercise regularly, every 1 kilogram equals 55 calories per day. So an average weighted German shepherd will require calories per day to be able to function properly. Take note, however, that this calculation may be affected if the German shepherd has a health disorder concerned with metabolism or digestion. German Shepherd Puppies vs. Adults Guidelines Our last topic involves the difference between a puppy and an adult. The following are some of the facts that recent studies have proven: Puppies have higher energy levels than adults. This means they need to eat more than adult German shepherds. German shepherds will need higher protein and fat content at an early age. The amount of fat and protein will decrease as they grow older. Puppies cannot tolerate too many nutrients. Ingesting extra minerals and vitamins may lead to serious health disorders. Meanwhile, adults are only risking being overweight when taking in more than intended. German Shepherds usually have a good appetite and can eat a lot, especially when they are young and growing. But their food intake should be balanced and right for their age, weight, and level of activity to keep them from getting too much food and getting fat. As they age, they should usually eat less quickly. Most of the time, bones that have been cooked and ground up completely may be safe to eat. Instead, give them dog-made chew toys or treats. Can German Shepherds Be Vegetarians? Since German Shepherds consume meat, it follows that they must consume a significant amount of animal protein in order to get all of the necessary nutrients. Although while it is feasible to offer a dog a vegetarian or vegan diet, owners of German Shepherds should avoid doing so since it increases the likelihood that their dogs will not get all of the nutrients that they need. After talking about the feeding amount, frequency, and lengths of a German shepherd, you can now easily plan how much, how many times, and how long you feed your dog. You even learned how to hydrate your German shepherd the proper way. Lastly, we talked about the difference between a puppy and an adult in terms of feeding. Peter My name is Peter and I am a dog lover. I have two German Shepherd dogs, one of which is called Biscuit because his coat is very light with brown patches. My wife and I moved from the UK to Ohio where we now live with our two daughters. We love squash on weekends and following the English Premier League closely! Previous Article. Since puppies have a lot of growing to do, they require plenty of calories. You can reduce the amount of food per pound of body weight until they reach standard adult measurements. The specific amount of food to feed a German Shepherd can vary because different dogs are sized differently and have various needs and levels of athleticism. To learn more about specific foods and ingredients, check out this article on the best diet for German Shepherds. Three to four meals of puppy food a day is ideal for a month-old German Shepherd, as the food will be easily digestible and keep the energy high throughout the day. Feeding a puppy 1—2 large meals might make them feel sick, or they may be unable to finish it all at once. When it comes to how much food to give a 1—4 month-old German Shepherd, the recommended amount is approximately one cup g or a little more, depending on activity levels per meal. Be sure to spread meals evenly throughout the day, and avoid feeding your puppy before bedtime. The West Greenwich Animal Hospital recommends not feeding a dog three hours before bedtime because they may need to go out for a toilet break at night. Since their stomachs and bodies are getting bigger, they can generally handle fewer large meals than more small ones. So, you can reduce the number of puppy food meals to 2 or 3. Since the number of meals is reduced, increase the amount of food per serving to approximately 1. The meals should be spread evenly throughout the day to ensure your German Shepherd has consistent energy levels. My German Shepherd Willow at 4 months old 10 to 12 Months At 10—12 months, a German Shepherd begins to mature as its body continues growing. Split approximately 4—5 cups —1, g of food between two meals. However, this is just a recommendation — as mentioned previously, your dog may require more or less than this depending on their activity levels. Keeping the amount of food at cups , g per day may be sufficient, or it may be best to start feeding your dog more or less than this. For example, many active or working German Shepherds may benefit from 6 cups 1. Again, the specific amount is circumstantial. However, some dog owners make the switch earlier. Honestly, this is the issue with every new pet parent. Below is a German Shepherd feeding chart to help you learn more about giving your pooch the right amount of food at the right time. Remember, the below are simply recommendations, so specific amounts can vary by dog and activity level. Age Amount of food per day Amount of servings per day months 3—4 cups — g spread across multiple servings 3—4 3—4. Always check the packaging of the food you buy for a more detailed analysis. There are endless dog food options, so making the right choice can be challenging and stressful. The main protein source is chicken, and it promotes immune system health and digestive performance. Suitable for puppies up to 15 months, this dog food is the perfect solution for young German Shepherds with lots of growing to do! One of the main benefits of this food is that it comes in different sizes, including a pound 6. This dog food contains all the nutrients a German Shepherd puppy needs to grow and thrive. Blue Buffalo dog food has real chicken, fruits, and vegetables, so your pooch will surely enjoy the delicious taste! It comes in two flavors — a chicken meal with oats and a lamb meal with brown rice. Either contains enough high-quality protein to ensure your pup can grow as healthily as possible. Medium-sized dog breeds can continue eating puppy food until 18 months. Like with puppy food, there are many adult German Shepherd dog food options, so choosing the right one can be challenging. Check out some of my below recommendations to make your search a little easier. Best Breed Dr. Best Breed Dog Food aids digestion as it contains a blend of soluble and insoluble fiber. According to a study, musculoskeletal disorders and the inability to stand are the two most common causes of death in German Shepherds. Since puppies need specific nutrients to grow, their food differs greatly from adult dog food. Puppies especially need protein because it aids with the growth and development of cells. Without adequate protein in the diet , puppies are more susceptible to serious health issues, including: Weight and muscle loss General weakness Chest and abdomen issues German Shepherds can continue eating puppy food for the first year of life and beyond. Usually, 16—18 months is a good time for a dog to start eating adult food. The most important thing to remember is that adult food is never the right choice for a German Shepherd puppy that still has much growing to do. However, there are many other factors to consider when it comes to feeding a German Shepherd, like their general weight and activity levels. Weight and Size The weight of your German Shepherd will determine how much to feed it. The general rule of thumb is that the heavier your dog is, the more food it needs to stay fueled. The average adult German Shepherd is around .Pay attention to the general height and size of your German Shepherd to determine exactly how much food to feed them. For example, an underweight German Shepherd will need extra food to get back to a healthy weight, whereas an overweight one will need less food. As you can imagine, a highly energetic dog will need more food than a German Shepherd that lies around all day. If your German Shepherd is still relatively young, i. Health Health issues can affect the way a dog eats. For example, a dog with stomach issues might avoid food altogether. Other health conditions that affect how much a dog can eat include: Pancreatitis Infections Cancer Consider whether your dog is experiencing health issues when feeding them. For instance, if your dog is shedding too much, you need to change a diet that minimizes shedding. Age The age of a German Shepherd helps determine how much food should be eaten and how often. For example as mentioned earlier , younger dogs must eat smaller meals spread evenly throughout the day, while older dogs can have 2 larger meals. A vet can weigh your German Shepherd, ask questions, and listen to the heartbeat to determine a healthy diet plan. As Willow is now a senior dog, I like to take her for vet checkups every 6 months. In many cases, giving puppies homemade food over long periods can cause health issues down the line. A study by the National Library of Medicine concluded that a homemade diet given by the owner caused a puppy to experience various health issues, including vitamin D deficiency and NSH nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism. You can give a small treat here and there, but human food should never make up the entire diet of a puppy. Below are some tasty examples! Eggs Not only are eggs beneficial for humans, but they can also be good for dogs if given in moderation. German Shepherds puppies and adults will receive plenty of nutrients from eggs, including protein and fats. The best and easiest way to give a German Shepherd an egg is to hard boil it. Avoid feeding a German Shepherd or any dog fried eggs too often due to the excessive oil. Hard-boiled eggs are usually the easiest for dogs to eat, but you can also try poached or scrambled eggs. Examples of dog-friendly fruits include: Bananas. Split that daily amount up between all meals. For example, if your 3-month-old GSD puppy is a male and weighs 30 pounds, you should feed him approximately 2 cups per day. Since she no longer needs the extra calories to help support her fast growth period, you can safely reduce her feedings to 2 or 3 meals per day. While she should still be eating puppy food at this point, you may consider purchasing a bag of her eventual adult formula. You can use individual kibbles from the adult formula for treats or training rewards. This will help her get used to the new flavor and texture. Around 9 months of age, you can begin slowly adding a small amount of the adult formula into her puppy food, though she should still be eating primarily puppy chow. Only your vet will be able to tell you when your dog has reached maturity and can be safely moved to adult food. So, make sure you are in close contact with your vet to be sure that your feeding plan is individualized for your specific dog. Adult dog food will have a different ratio of calcium, protein, phosphorus, and other nutrients than puppy food does. Feeding an adult dog a puppy formula can cause obesity as well as put too much strain on kidneys and other vital organs. Long term use of inappropriate food for an adult dog can have catastrophic consequences. That said, there is no need to panic if your adult GSD eats a bowl of puppy food now and then. Adult German Shepherds should be fed twice a day. Again, bloat is a real problem for large breed dogs, and large meals seem to be a big cause of this. I feed my adult dogs this particular blend for a number of reasons. The blend is designed specifically with German Shepherds in mind, as it uses high-quality, animal-based nutrients to counter the extra stress put on the joints of GSDs and to help the development strong lean muscle to keep your dog in peak physical condition. You really can see the difference. This is evident by the fast decline in health, joint flexibility, and energy in older large breed dogs compared to same-age smaller breeds. When your GSD moves from the adult life stage to senior, you need to adjust her diet. Large breeds reach the older stage not quite senior, but close around half of their assumed life expectancy. Inevitably, your GSD will need to switch over to a senior diet. Older large breed dogs have lower energy needs. Older dogs also tend to slow down their digestion, so an increase in fiber might be a good choice for your senior GSD. Do be sure to confirm this with your vet, however. Not all foods are created equal. For treats, senior dogs should avoid calorie-dense milk bones and high-salt or fatty treats. Opt for healthy, whole-food treats such as apple slices or carrots. Some senior dogs begin to develop health conditions that will require special care. This is often a result of poor nutrition early in life, but can sometimes simply be genetics and old age catching up with them. But for GSDs with health issues such as kidney disease and joint pain, diet can play an even bigger role in the quality of their lives. Getting a personalized recommendation from your veterinarian is worth the time, expense, and effort. These charts can seem pretty straightforward at first glance. Instead, use them as a starting point. Observe your dog, see how he looks and feels, and note any changes in his bathroom habits, weight, or energy level. Adjust his meals accordingly. Generally speaking, they talk about daily intake, not per meal. It means to split that 3 cups total over the entire day. If your dog eats 3 times per day, that would be 1 cup at each meal for a total daily intake of 3 cups. To further confuse dog parents, some manufacturers do list per-meal serving sizes, not the total daily intake! In these cases, if you read it incorrectly, you would end up underfeeding your dog. To help mitigate some of this confusion, it may be helpful to ask your vet how many calories your dog should be consuming each day. Then you can check the calorie content in the dog food and measure things from there. Raw Diets, Cooking for Dogs, and Other Alternative Feeding This article has been focusing mainly on commercially available dry kibble since that is what most pet parents ultimately choose for their dogs. However, there are many dog owners that choose to feed alternative diets. These include raw diets and cooking regular people food for dogs. There are many viable options for feeding your healthy German Shepherd, but there are just as many harmful fads, too. As with commercial foods, be sure to speak with your vet before starting your dog on a raw diet or home-cooking her meals. Human supplements are often unregulated, minimally effective, and often contain substances harmful to animals. Never use a human supplement for your German Shepherd. Final Thoughts What you feed your German Shepherd is just as important as how much you feed them. Pay special attention to the first 4 or 5 ingredients listed on the back of the packaging. Choose high-quality, safety-tested foods with clear ingredient and nutrition labels. The two most obvious goals of feeding your German Shepherd are for health and growth. How fast do German Shepherds grow? German Shepherds are medium-large dogs and therefore grow at a fast rate over the first six to seven months leading up to adolescence. Adult German Shepherds are 22 to 26 inches tall and weigh 50 to 95 pounds. Reputable weight charts suggest your German Shepherd puppy will have attained three-quarters of their final weight over these first six to seven months. This is A LOT of growing to do in a short amount of time — when you brought your puppy home, it was probably only eight inches tall and weighed around 15 pounds. By 12 to 15 months old, a German Shepherd is within an inch or less of their adult height. Therefore, your male German Shepherd will be 23 to 25 inches tall and weigh 59 to 93 pounds by his first birthday. How does diet affect the health of growing Shepherds? Recently it has come to light that a proper diet for puppies does more than prevent malnutrition. As part of this proper diet, there are many things that should never be fed to German Shepherds. Orthopedic Problems Many orthopedic problems such as hip and elbow dysplasia have a strong hereditary component. However, people often discount the role of diet in bone developmental issues. Merely creating an oversized puppy, as is often the case for show animals and people fixated on large dogs, can lead to several painful disorders: Hip dysplasia Elbow dysplasia Panosteitis — Generalized inflammation of the long bones in puppies; common in German Shepherds. Overnutrition and over-supplementation of certain vitamins and minerals lead to paradoxical malnutrition of the bone, and subsequently improper development. Nutritional experts have modified their recommendations regarding the diets of large-breed dogs. Many nutritionists and veterinarians advocate feeding German Shepherds and other large-breed puppies an adult or professionally-formulated homemade diet to limit the occurrence and severity of developmental problems. Pet food manufacturers have caught onto the concept of overnutrition in puppies, and most carry special diets for large-breed puppies. Also, do not supplement your puppy with vitamins, minerals, or proteins without veterinarian direction — their excessive use will disrupt bone and cartilage growth and harm the growth plates. Many people use the food bag as a starting point to decide how much to feed their dogs. However, a label on commercial food is one of the easiest ways to overfeed your growing puppy. Feeding your puppy involves regularly evaluating and tracking their weight. You should be able to assess how close your pup is to their ideal weight just by looking at them. Silhouette from the side — a slight tuck. Pat the ribcage where the abdomen slightly lifts towards the hips. From above — Clear waist; should see an hourglass shape from rib cage to hips When you palpate — You should feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat without having to prod very hard. Puppies will vary in their body scores and may change rapidly within a few days. Pups often lose their abdominal tuck right after a meal. Puppies under 16 weeks old commonly have a pot-bellied appearance without much abdominal tuck. Thin dogs will show more visibility of ribs, waist, and pelvis without appearing emaciated or unhealthy. If your puppy eats well but fails to grow or gain sufficient weight, consult a medical professional. German Shepherds can be susceptible to rare cases of pituitary gland dwarfism or a deficiency of enzyme production from the pancreas. Volume The easiest way to determine how much food to give your Shepherd pup is to figure out how many cups they need in a day and divide it by the number of feedings. German Shepherds eat about four cups of food daily from 16 weeks of age to nine months or a year regardless of weight. The volume accounts for the relatively high caloric requirements of the young growing animal. German Shepherds over a year old may need as much as five to eight cups of dog food. Other references, however, use weight rather than age. Pups eat one cup of food daily per 15 to 20 pounds. Dogs over pounds receive five cups of kibble plus an additional half a cup for every extra 20 pounds. Like all models, more active dogs need to eat more food — make adjustments up or down based on body scoring. You can estimate the volume to feed your German Shepherd pup once you find the conversion rate. Dry dog food bags and wet food cans usually have the kilocalorie equivalence of each cup of the product. The number of calories you feed your Shepherd depends on how close to the adult weight they are. Once your puppy reaches six weeks old, you may still have to feed it a mash but can decrease meals to four per day. German Shepherd puppies between the ages of 12 and 16 weeks can eat three to four times daily, while most dogs over four months of age decrease to a frequency of two to three times daily. Centering a few potty breaks around meals that stimulate their intestinal tracts helps develop consistent habits. GDV Your German Shepherd puppy will begin to develop a deeper chest combined with significant size by four to six months of age. Both physical characteristics put your puppy at additional risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus compared to smaller breeds. Four months is the age at which most pups will see a significant increase in their meal sizes. Studies have linked large meals with GDV , or bloat, life-threatening distension, and rotation of the stomach. Increasing the number of feedings greatly reduces the incidence of GDV. We recommend at least two meals a day for your dog, even as your Shepherd approaches adulthood. How much to feed a German Shepherd puppy is part of a broader equation that includes avoiding overfeeding, calculating portion sizes, and scheduling appropriate mealtimes. However, a fat or pudgy puppy is not a look anyone should encourage. The puppy may appear to be in good shape, but you need to feel the ribs to be certain. Four Months You can really start to see the amount the pup has grown compared to the eight-week-old puppy! To get a better idea of what to expect with a young GSD, feel free to watch this video! It illustrates the rapid growth rate of the German Shepherd and touches on diets as well. Recommended reading. The best food for German Shepherd puppies in their first two to four months of life is milk from their mother. This specialised care is usually left to German Shepherd breeders or veterinarians, who are knowledgeable in caring for pups with no mother to nurse from. If you have recently brought a German Shepherd puppy into your family, they are most likely older than 8 weeks, and so have started to eat solid foods. Before the four month mark, it is advised to include some dry food in their diet. You can do this in a few simple steps: Mix some dry food with specially formulated puppy milk to form a soft mixture. You can feed your puppy this mixture three to four times a day. Over time, reduce the amount of milk you include in this mixture, until they are at the point where they are happily eating dry foods. Read on to learn how much you should feed your German Shepherd puppy as they get older. With this rapid growth can come some risks. German Shepherds are susceptible to bone growth disorders, like hip dysplasia, that can start in puppyhood. They will be very active in their adolescent years, and so should be fed with this in mind. The transition from puppy food to adult food should happen between 12 and 24 months of age. This is because, being a larger breed who grows very quickly, you want to ensure that you are feeding them according to their large breed needs. Remember that the more active the pup, the more food they require. While following feeding guidelines is important to avoid over and underfeeding, you can adjust the amounts of food you provide to your dog based on level of activity. If you are unsure, it is always best to ask your vet for guidance. You need to take special care when considering what you should feed your German Shepherd puppy, as they require different nutrients compared to their adult counterparts. For puppies, this amount will often be two of three times higher, as they are more active and growing quickly. German Shepherd puppies need to eat food that is high in proteins and fats. Carbohydrates are also essential for supporting your active pup. Aside from nutritionally complete dry puppy food, German Shepherd puppies can benefit from the extra protein that raw meat can provide them with, such as lean beef, turkey, chicken, or fish. However, they can also be at risk of gastric dilatation or volvulus, or GDV. Certain dog breeds can be more susceptible to GDV; particularly deep chested breeds including German Shepherds. GDV can occur when a dog bloats a few hours after eating a meal. Though the exact causes of GDV are not known, grains and cereals are suspected to be contributors. The amount of food you give your German Shepherd is determined by their weight, energy levels, and age. For most adult German Shepherds, between 1, to 2, calories per day from high quality food sources is ideal. Female German Shepherds, which tend to be about 8 kilos lighter than males, may need less food, as will less active dogs. Dogs who need less food, whether they are less active or simply older, will usually still need around 1, and 1, per day. You may want to alter the amount of food you are feeding your German Shepherd based on how calorically dense their food is. German Shepherds should be fed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Their daily allotment of food should be split evenly between these two meals. For most dogs, it is recommended that you exercise your dog before meal times to assist with potty training. However, some dogs who are at risk of GDV may benefit from exercise after eating, to aid with digestion. You should also try to give your German Shepherd a high quality food that is specially designed for larger or working breeds, especially if they are very active. For example, less active senior dogs will need to eat less food as they will not be burning calories as quickly as a lively little puppy will. Senior dogs may benefit from a higher fibre and lower calorie diet. Your dog may also develop chronic or short term medical conditions that require specially formulated food. German Shepherds can be particularly susceptible to skin disease or allergies, including canine atopic dermatitis, bacterial skin infections, flea allergy dermatitis, forms of contact dermatitis, or scabies. If your dog develops a skin issue, it is often a sign that they may be suffering from a form of food sensitivity. If you are unsure about what you should feed your German Shepherd, you should always consult your vet as they will be able to determine if your dog is suffering from any allergies or chronic health issues: creating a nutritional plan to help keep your dog healthy and happy for years to come. Part of figuring out what you should feed your German Shepherd includes deciding between wet, dry, or a raw food diet. Wet food for German Shepherds is often high in protein and fat, and is better at keeping your dog hydrated than other food sources. A raw diet can be a good option for your German Shepherd as you have more control over the kinds of food and amount of nutrients your pup is consuming. For this reason, raw diets require a lot more work on your part as an owner. Whatever you decide to feed your German Shepherd, all dogs need a similar ratio of nutrients in their diets. The amount of food you feed your dog should be determined by their activity levels, age, weight, breed, and size. Any meals prepared for your dog need to contain the right balance of nutrients. You should also be extra careful not to introduce your dog to foods that are harmful to their health. While we might enjoy the taste of nuts, artificial sweeteners, alcohol and onions, these can be toxic for dogs and can cause serious illness and even death. German Shepherds in particular need plenty of exercise as they are a large working breed with a lot of energy. No matter how old your German Shepherd is, it is important to keep to a consistent feeding schedule. A feeding schedule can help you keep track of any changes in behaviour around food that might signal illness or physiological stress.


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You will have to make your final decision on which pug puppy to buy based on your preference, the price that you can afford, and whether or not you can travel to the location where the pug puppy will be located. Once you decide which pug puppy you want to take home with you will need to decide how much you are willing to spend on a pup. You will also have to decide if you want to purchase a puppy or if you are willing to place an ad on an online classified website. You might have heard of this and wondered if it is true. Is this a myth or is there really such a thing as free Pug puppies? And, more importantly, how much are they going to cost? Yes, free Pug puppies near me are definitely real and can be found by regular people just like you. However, the cost is not nearly as high as you think. Many organizations have dogs to give away, but they would rather pay people to adopt than take in an abandoned dog. They figure that more people will adoption of dogs and thus keep the animals in good health over time. Adopting these dogs is an important thing to do. Not only do you not have to pay the full price, but you will have all of the advantages that come along with adopting a Pug puppy, including medical treatment and sometimes even therapy. All of that being said, the cost factor does add up and is definitely worth it to give a Pug a second life. But, the cost is not the only reason to adopt. These dogs are wonderful companions. Many Pugs have been known to protect children from the elderly. In addition to the cost of the Pug puppy itself, you will have the cost of adoption fees and other expenses for the dog. Most people that adopt these dogs have done so out of love for them and a desire to help a friend or family member. These dogs are not typically the top choice of people looking to adopt. There are plenty of great dogs available that have a better temperament and are much easier to care for. There are other ways that you can help a Pug and it has nothing to do with adoption. If you live in the Washington DC area, you might want to check out the dog walking business that hosts free Pug puppy parties. These parties are held regularly and you can bring a Pug puppy with you. You can even volunteer at the party to serve as a foster parent. Anyone who does this and loves pugs will be perfect for this position. The owner of the dog walks the Pug during the day and you get to see the dog in its natural habitat at night. Several websites allow you to post an ad that will attract people looking for a purebred Pug. A good breeder will be able to match you to a puppy that is the right color and type for your family. You may have to pay a fee for these services, but the cost is minimal compared to the benefits. When you adopt a purebred Pug, you are helping to ensure the breed remains a popular breed and helps to maintain its genetic stock. There are also several organizations that you can donate to that support purebred Pugs. Many of these organizations take care of the dogs and puppies that come to them and help pay for vet bills and other expenses. Share this:.