Care of & General Info of the GSD

All information expressed here, is the opinion of the author and should NOT be used as a diagnosis or treatment or in place of a professional's advice. The information contained on this site is meant for general knowledge ONLY! The author is not an authority on these topics and is simply stating opinion based on her/his own research and personal experience. You should speak to a Veterinarian or acknowledged professional whose job it is to properly diagnose and offer treatment.

Supplies

. You will need a 6ft. fence.

The 6ft. Height is necessary to keep a GSD contained in your yard. A GSD can easily clear anything lower without difficulty!

Locked Gate

A GSD can open latches and most other things. Keep a lock or object on the latch at all times. This will keep your GSD safe and keep unknowing visitors from entering.

Crate

I recommend house training using a plastic crate. A dog needs a bed and "DEN" at all times. This is neither cruel or inhumane. Most dogs seek out a den and prefer sleeping in a crate once they grow accustomed to it. It also will ensure that your puppy remains safe when it is alone.

Collars

You will need at least 2 collars: A flat Buckle collar for the puppy under 4 months and a Choke/ training collar to be used ONLY when training! The choke collar should be large in width so as not to cut into the neck . When fitting a choke collar, measure the neck then add 1-2 inches.

Leads

I recommend a 6ft. leather leash. These all easier to use and are used in training.

Food and Water dishes

You should have 2 stainless steel bowls for water ( For inside and outside), and an unbreakable food dish.

Chew Toys

Nylabones, Steralized beef bones, rope toys and canvas toys are excellent for those who are teething.

Plastic, rubber and rawhide toys are not safe!

Always supervise puppies and their toys!

Nail Scissors

I recommend the scissors style. The Guillotine style have a tendency to break and cause pain to owner and dog!

Brushes

You will need several types of brushes. A pin brush, slicker brush and a rake for when the dog sheds.

Grooming products

You need a gentle shampoo ( Baby shampoo works great) and a light weight conditioner. Since you need to brush your dog every day, take a small amount of conditioner and place it in a spray bottle, fill it up with water and use it when you brush the dog. You can also buy grooming spray to do this.

Baking Soda and Cotton Balls

Wipe the teeth once a week with a moistened cotton ball dipped in baking soda to remove minor tartar. If you have hard tartar, use a teeth scraper to gently remove it.

Ear cleaner

Clean out the ears once a week. If you notice a discharge, black build up or your dog shakes his head alot, take him to the vet to have his ears examined.

Care of your GSD

Diet/Feeding

We feed the BARF diet to all of our dogs. (description under construction)

If you find yourself unable to feed the BARF diet, you should feed your GSD a high quality dog food. An active, average GSD puppy will need up to 28% Protein and 20%Fat. Depending on his maturity growth rate, put him on a 26% Protein and 12% Fat between 6-18months of age. A highly active, energetic or performance GSD will need to be adapted accordingly to maintain correct weight and energy levels.

DO NOT OVERFEED! It is better to have a slightly underweight puppy than a puppy that grows to quickly.

Stay away from SOY and Corn Protein sources, they are worthless and go through the dog instead of the dog gaining the nutritional value needed. Try to stay away from byproducts, as the byproducts could be anything!

Bathing and Grooming

You should bathe your GSD only as needed. 1-4 times a year is usually sufficient, unless circumstance finds it necessary to do it more often. Bathe with warm water using a gentle shampoo. Towel dry completely, as this causes an outstanding sheen on their coats. Avoid blow drying as it dries out the coat.

Keep your dog warm until completely dry.

Brush thoroughly everyday using a lightweight grooming spray. Rake out the coat gently when the dog sheds his coat.

Teeth

If you are feeding the BARF diet, you will most likely find that you do not have to clean your dog's teeth very often as bones tend to act like a toothbrush. If you feed a dry/wet diet you will need to clean your dogs Teeth weekly. Either remove excess tartar yourself or have a vet clean the teeth yearly.

Fleas

If you are feeding the BARF diet, you will most likely find that fleas are repelled naturally. Both raw meat and garlic do wonders in changing your dog's appeal to fleas and the fleas tend to HATE the taste of BARF fed dogs! If you find that you have a flea issue, Use a good monthly preventative product on the dog and keep a close eye on any flea problems. If you do not, fleas are difficult to eradicate. Keep your yard and house protected all year!

Heart worms and Shots

Always use a heart worm preventative. Treatment of heart worms is expensive and at most times ineffective with an energetic breed as the GSD as they have to be contained and quiet at ALL TIMES when undergoing heartworm treatment, as any burst of energy can cause the dead heartworms (from the treatment) to travel to their heart and cause a heart attack followed by death in most cases. It is heartbreaking to lose your dog unnecessarily! Maintain yearly 7/1 booster vaccinations and yearly rabies vaccinations. Protect your dog and others from infections!

Socialization and Training

Once your puppy has received it's 3rd shot, it is generally safe to start socializing your puppy. To maintain a healthy and sound temperament , your puppy should fully socialized. Take him with you and have a good safe time. Be aware of his puppy fear periods. Do not force him into a situation if he is scared.

If your dog responds to a situation by fear eliminating, shaking in the belly or any other extreme behavior; immediately, CALMLY, take him from the situation! Bring him into the situation at a different time while taking care. Never force a dog ! Doing so can cause emotional problems. Socialize him carefully and gently.

You may begin formal training between 12-16 weeks of age. Before then though, introduce the puppy to basic commands like SIT, Down, Come/Here and Stay, without making a big deal of it. Make everything a game so that Formal training will be easier and alot of fun.