Life With German Shepherd Dogs - The Good The Bad And The Ugly

You need to know as much information as you can about any breed of dog before you adopt one. And, since the German Shepherd is a lot of dog, you need to know a lot of German Shepherd information before adopting or purchasing one! Not all dogs are alike. If you've never lived with a large dog or a very active dog before, then you are going to be in for a surprise with a German Shepherd. Hopefully, this will be a welcome surprise.

German Shepherds are not a placid, sedentary breed like the cavalier King Charles Spaniel. In order to be healthy, happy and respond to training, they need to be exercised regularly every day - including a walk of at least a half hour, plus a romp in the yard. You live in an apartment? Then you really should consider another dog. Otherwise, they will damage your apartment in boredom and to burn up excess energy.

Daily life with a German Shepherd should include a lot of interaction and fuss with your family and your dog. They love to be in the center of the action and are strong enough to force their way to the center of the action if not supervised. Keeping the dog exercised, including games and playing in the yard will help to keep his or her energy levels down. German Shepherds are not vicious by nature, but they can play rough, just like puppies do.

You will need to brush your German Shepherd every day to keep out tangles and to keep shedding to a minimum. Most German Shepherds have thick, double layer coats, although there are many with single layer coats. Bathing the German Shepherd Dog too often can result in shedding and dandruff production beyond belief so only bathe when absolutely necessary. Train your dog to be still when brushed and do it after exercise.

German Shepherd dogs need to feel they have a job in order to be well-adjusted. They love company and to be part of the family. They hate being left out of anything. They use their intelligence to find ways of doing things they think you will like and praise them for. Whether you will like these actions is another matter. German Shepherds need supervision and training.

Because of their popularity, German Shepherd Dogs have been over bred, which has lead to health problems. Although responsible breeders would not breed an animal with health problems, which can be inherited by their puppies, many still do. The most common health problems with German Shepherds are hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and cancers. Even though many of these health problems can be easily treated, the previous owners do not want to or cannot pay the vet bills and instead abandon the dog. When you get a German Shepherd keep in mind that they may need frequent visits to the vet.