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GSD Puppies Tips of The Week

6 Month Old German Shepherd

What To Expect From Your Growing Pup

At six months old, a German Shepherd is really starting to look like a fully grown adult GSD.

But it’s important to remember that they’re still just a puppy with a lot of growing left to do!

They're going to need a lot of socialization, structured training, and enough gentle play to keep all that energy under control.

Since GSDs are super smart and strong dogs, they can be a handful to raise and train for new dog owners.

Some of the most common questions we come across include:

• When should you transition to adult dog food, and an adult dog portion size?
• Should you get your GSD spayed or neutered, and if so, when should you do it?

1. Six months is actually a typical time to start thinking about neutering or spaying your GSD.​

But there are health risks associated with early neutering before the age of 12 months, including:

• Joint disorders
• Musculature injuries
• Cancer
• Incontinence

Female GSDs that are spayed too early also face an increased risk of certain health problems like joint and skeletal issues.

For this reason, many breeders believe females should go through one to two successful full heat cycles before spaying.

But this is an individual choice that should be discussed with your dog's veterinarian and breeder.

2. Your GSD puppy's eventual adult size will depend on genetics, gender, and diet.​

As part of their diet, weight monitoring is an essential aspect of adjusting food portions during the age of three to six months.

What, how, and how much you feed play vital roles in determining how strong and healthy your GSD grows up to be.

You'll most likely begin the transition from puppy to adult dog food at one year old.

And be aware that this can cause a temporary shock to your dog's digestive system.

​To make this transition easier; plan the transition to take place over at least 10 days.

This system can ease digestive issues like constipation or diarrhea that may arise when there’s a big food switch.

This also works well for breeds that can be particularly prone to stomach sickness...like GSDs.

3. The type of training your dog receives from the ages of 2 - 6 months is also vital.

Only use positive training methods - this will achieve the same results and won’t damage your bond with your dog.

At this age, you should also continue regular socialization around new people and pets.

But while this is a "vocal" dog breed, frenzied barking isn’t ideal.

So try your best to teach your puppy how to distinguish between strangers and actual threats.

Remain firm and consistent as your puppy enters its equivalent stage of the human teenage years.

You’ll likely start to notice some:

• Rebellion
• Willful behavior
• Pulling on the leash
• Stubbornness about obeying common commands

4. And finally, you’ll need to remain cautious around the extent of activity your puppy is allowed to do.

It's super important to have your dog's veterinarian do X-rays to find out when your dog's growth plates have closed and hardened.

As long as the growth plates stay soft, there's an increased risk of injury if you over-exercise your dog.

The soft growth plates can be damaged if your GSD puppy is allowed to do things like:

• Run for extended periods of time
• Race up and down the stairs
• Do a lot of jumping
• Play too vigorously
• Spend too much time on slippery surfaces

As a general rule:

Multiplying your puppy's age in months by five will give you the correct amount of exercise for each month of life.

So at six months of age, your GSD puppy should be exercising for 30 minutes a day.

But remember that it’s just as important to exercise your puppy's mind as it is to exercise their body.

Using mental and sensory exercise aids can also provide much-needed exercise for their mind and body.

Some great examples of these include:

• Snuffle mats
• Treat puzzle toys
• Teething aids like iced Kongs
• Safe flavored chew toys

For the full breakdown, click here!​

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* NEW POST ALERT *

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ARTICLE OF THE WEEK

A Guide On How Dogs Say Sorry

The more time you spend with your dog, the more you begin to understand it and the more it understands you.

And with that understanding comes mutual trust and an unspoken form of communication.

You begin to learn that your dog doesn’t always communicate in barks, growls, whines, and whimpers.

Sometimes they’ll tell you how they're feeling, and what they're thinking by cocking their head in a certain way.

Or the speed at which they wag their tail.

In the canine world, actions can and do speak louder than words.

Click below to learn more!​
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READ MORE

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FEATURED VIDEO OF THE WEEK

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Best Supplements & Vitamins for German Shepherds – 2022 Updated

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WATCH FULL VIDEO

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That's all for today, see you next week!

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We would like to take this opportunity to raise awareness for www.newbeginningsrescue.com.

This is a rescue charity that does amazing work to raise awareness for the thousands of GSDs needing homes across the USA.

They're a national rescue of 17 years and have a sister rescue in LA that is a GSD rescue as well.

They do need help getting the word out that they're trying to find fosters in all states.

They also need drivers to get these amazing dogs from point A to point B in those areas.

They help countless medical cases and heartworm positive dogs and always need donations from other animal lovers as well.

Please visit their website for more information and to find out how you can help!

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