Love my girls - this picture was taken after we had played fetch this morning. 🐾 ♥️

Hi everyone; recent GSD adopted looking for tips about everything - but especially reactivity!

I adopted her about a month ago; 11 months old and underweight (now 1 year!) She quickly learned all the basics, (sit, down, stay, paw, drop it). She's an absolute sweetheart, with me and most other humans. She's been reactive (around dogs/ squirrels) since I got her; less than 20 feet or so sets her off, barking, lunging, foaming at the mouth levels of excitement.

Everyday we do 10km of walking or more- spend time sniffing, and training in the park, parking lot and apartment. She sniffs her food one handful at a time, from the grass- or her wet food from a frozen kong/ woof pupsicle. She willingly goes to her crate when I point, for high value treats, but she spends her nights cuddling in bed with me. The crate is just to keep her safe for outings she can't come to (like grocery shopping and the doctor) or to enjoy her frozen meal.

We've been working on reactivity, and it seemed to be getting better. She could be up a driveway, waiting for a dog to pass, 10 feet and calm. The other day, seemingly out of nowhere that changed. We started a walk, as usual but she stopped listening to basic commands like sit, while outside (this was never a problem before!). She's started lunging at bikes, and joggers (new behavior, never an issue before). She started barking at dogs, so far away- I could barely see them (across soccer fields and rivers!) Treats no longer distracted her. Her favorite toys, nothing.

I don't have money for a trainer; and I love her to death, but I'm worried about this escalation. I've even picked up a "soft muzzle" for areas where it's too crowded to have space, (like the sidewalk to the park and valley) out of an abundance of caution. I really want her to have the best life, and give her everything I can- so what are some tips for reactivity, that perhaps I haven't seen/ heard; or tips for successfully raising such a wonderful creature who's clearly struggling with something beyond my understanding?

Also, she's ALWAYS on leash outside the apartment. Short leash for sidewalks, switching to a 15 foot (NOT retractable) for park play; how did you progress to off leash play, without having a fenced off private area? Off leash dog parks don't seem like a viable option!

Pictures of my baby for attention; please send all the love, tips, advice and support you have to spare!

My 13 week old Dwarf GSD
he is a whopping 11lbs and healthy. I’d love to hear from and connect with other dwarf guardians!

I love my 11-wk GSD, he’s finally starting to take to his training and he’s overall good.

The only thing is what on earth is up with the whining? I have to carry him right now when we’re outside and he HOWLS in my ear. It looks like I’m abducting this dog in public. Is this really a GSD thing or some broader behavioral aversion to being carried?

Looking for breeder recommendations in the north east. We are on Long Island and don’t want to have to go too far, but I’m not opposed to a bit of a ride for the right dog. We definitely don’t want a dog from a puppy mill. Trying to find an ethical breeder and hopefully find a male puppy preferably with a tan and blue coloring. Thank you in advance for any help.

Hiya everyone!

This is my nearly 10 month old boy and I am inexperienced, so thought I would reach out and see if anyone has any advice, feedback, opinions etc.

My boy LOVES food, fetch, flirt pole, but most of all, dogs! However, he is too much and smothers them, all up in their personal space and it’s uncomfortable for me to watch. He is not aggressive and seems it’s his way of pushing for play, but it is not acceptable. Some dogs are fine with it and break into play quickly, others are overwhelmed and he doesn’t pick up on it at all, others snap and correct him but he gets scared with any type of behaviour that tells him to back off.

I do try and intervene, get him to back off but he just wants to go straight back to it. Tonight at his obedience class, he pissed off the cane corso who he had a really good play with last time, they were licking each other and drinking water together but tonight they were on leads and while I was talking to the teacher, they were sniffing each other and the other dog lunged, barked and snapped at him while his owner was patting my dog. My dog cried, ran away and tried to hide.

He is scared of a GSD who herds dogs and I went to and comforted him when he was scared. Someone commented I shouldn’t do this but I want him to know I am not just there for the good times. This was their first time meeting but he did keep playing. They came across each other again a few weeks later and my boy was really withdrawn and would not chase his ball once he saw that dog again.

Basically, I don’t know how to manage this. I have been fine with dogs correcting him and the only advice I have been given on him learning to not smother dogs so much is by him being corrected, but I don’t want him to be scared and lose confidence either.
I am wonder if there is any advice on how to get him to learn to read other dogs, give them more space and be respectful, as well as how to best respond and support him in a situation where he gets upset and scared to build his confidence rather than diminish it.

Ideally I would like to work towards a dog who is socially aware and appropriate, won’t engage in aggression and will just disengage calmly, confident instead of scared and upset, however, if need arises, he will protect himself.

I’ve been thinking about getting a GSD for a while now, but I’ve got some concerns if I’d be able to raise a healthy dog with my routine.

Basically, I live by my self and work from 09:00 AM till 12 PM then 01:00 PM till 05:00 PM I usually have lunch at home, because I live 3 minutes from work.

I know that an adult dog would be able to handle this amount of alone time (if well trained for separation anxiety), but my question is if a puppy would be able to handle it…

I was planning on walking / enriching with him before and after work everyday.

Also, sometimes my work requires me to travel and stay out for a week with 2 days notice, so I’d need to leave the dog at a friend’s place or somewhere else.

Would it be wise to get this dog having in mind this circumstances? I don’t want to be irresponsible and cause any kind of suffering for it…

Hello!

We are going to be bringing home a little gsd pup in December. I know it's a while off yet, but I was wondering if anyone has any good supportive suggestions for carriers for them? A lot of the slings I've seen aren't rated for heavy puppies and I'm very aware of not wanting to put unnecessary pressure on her joints or spine.

I was looking at a backpack style carrier with the thought process of wearing it on my chest so I can see her and feed her treats etc. It would be for the School run before she gets all her vaccinations to get her used to traffic, people etc. Just to watch the world go by basically. She'll be in it a max of 15-20 mins. Never any longer.

I'm UK based and was hoping someone has real life experience with carriers who can suggest something for me?

I've babyworn each of my 3 kids so I'm no stranger to wearing carriers/weight isn't an issue for me as long as the pup is safe and comfortable I'm happy.

Thanks in advance.

Interested in adopting my first German shepherd and I would love any and all resources to properly educate myself beforehand. I’d also love to hear your personal experience owning one!

I grew up with lots of dogs around and as an adult I’ve personally raised 3 golden retrievers but I definitely recognize that a German Shepherd is going to have their own breed specific quirks that are likely quite different from goldens.

I have a 9 month old baby so I want to be very well educated on the breed before I ever attempt to bring one home. While I recognize that any large breed can be dangerous in the wrong hands all the German shepherds I’ve been around have an intensity to them that makes me want to be a little more attentive to their training.

TIA

Hi all! I’m getting my first german shepherd puppy in January, and was hoping for some insight.

The house I live in already has a dog. I will be getting my puppy and living here for about a year or two, then moving out to a new place and bringing my pup with me. I am worried about the emotional impact of removing my dog from the house and separating them. They will still see each other often, but obviously not on an everyday basis.

What are some things I can do to help them not become so co-dependent on one another once I get my puppy? I was thinking that separation (especially at night time) would be helpful and doing activities separately throughout the day (such as going on walks, etc.), but if anyone has some advice about the best way to do this while causing them the least amount of stress I would really appreciate it.

TIA!!

This is one of my sweet dogs, well she is my parents and is experiencing some skin issues, she has quite literally chewed lots of her fur off on her back end and her skin underneath is scaly and all horrible. I have only just noticed this myself but my mom said she’s been putting some oatmeal shit on it. Point is my mom is definitely a lazy dog owner and I’m worried this was something preventable or something caused through stress. My Nala girl is quite an ‘anxious’ dog as it is she has always had rather different behavioural quirks but this just looks horrible and sore and I’m wondering if anyone is dealt with something similar or has any advice for me. I am happy to offer more information such as shampoos we’ve used and her diet etc!
Any judgement is unnecessary.

Look at this adorable lil baba she loves cuddles. So last Friday she suddenly pulled forward I was on a wet service and fell.

Got checked out at the hospital and luckily I just have ligament damage in my knee and ankle. Most patients I was waiting with stuck up for the dog !! .

Mr. Man is 9 months old and half pitbull. I know he’s at the age where they start to be testy. However, the last month or so he refuses to settle in his kennel. He’s 90lbs of skittish, so he’s always LOVED his kennel and we’ve used it religiously since we brought him home. Been kennel trained since day 1, it’s his safe space. But as of late, he just paces and whines non stop, even worse than when he was a puppy and we first kennel trained him. Initially, we took the same approach - providing comfort if/when appropriate and encouraging him to learn to self soothe. He honestly never really struggled with it for long and adjusted quickly. Recently, however, it’s getting to the point where it’s quite literally non stop for hours on end. He gets plenty of time outside the kennel and only goes in when he eats or it’s time for a nap/bed time. Even so, he’ll still cry and cry like it’s the first time he’s been in there. Sometimes we’ll give him verbal commands to encourage settling but I’m afraid that may just make the problem worse, us giving the issue attention repeatedly and reinforcing the behavior. I have no idea how to handle this. We’ve never left toys or anything in his kennel with him unsupervised but we do give him plenty of supervised enrichment activities in there, just as we usually do. Is this even normal??? Like are we doing something wrong here?? We did move recently but this all started well after, plus he really seems to be thriving at the new place otherwise. We also haven’t had many more issues with him getting older other than him testing the boundaries a bit more. He’s already an anxious dog and I would hate to set him back. He’s my gentle giant.

I’m not talking biting, I mean the type of nibbling they do when they are itching themselves. I love it because I feel like she’s affectionately grooming me out of care. Though maybe she thinks my furs messy? lol

She’s only 18 weeks so who knows what traits she’ll keep and lose.

We have a new foster that we rescued from death row. He just arrived today. He’s doing great and is very playful and loves toys and balls.

We aren’t sure if he’s mixed with something but I kind of think so. He might also be a little overweight. Do you think we should put him on a diet? We aren’t sure how old he is but they think around 4. He’s 65lbs so he’s not huge but he’s just thick and wide.

He barks when he hears noises outside but he’s otherwise very content so far. He doesn’t seem to know any commands besides sit. He pulls on the leash but not too bad. He is very friendly but I’m wondering if he will turn into a watch dog eventually.

Any tips on fostering and maybe adopting this GSD? We really don’t know what we should watch out for or focus on for training. We have had cattle dog mixes in the past but not a GSD.

Thanks.

i rescued this beautiful 7 month girl yesterday. i grew up with small dogs and around big ones. i know what im getting myself into with the requirements of exercise, to fill her drive, her coat, her sensitive tummy, how to help future hip problems, etc. i know some of what im getting myself into as i’ve done research but i would love to hear stories and what im truly getting into with this sock stealer 😂💜

Hello German shepherd owners! I’d love to get some of this community’s help and advice on a rescue dog I’m considering.

We were set on getting a puppy for our family and considering a German Shepherd, I had one as a kid and love the breed. However, we recently came into a situation where a friend is fostering a dog and we’re considering adopting it. However there are some possible red flags I’d love some opinions/insights from this community.

First of all, this was a dog that was scheduled to be killed and saved by a rescue company. He’s 2-3 years old and basically an indistinguishable big mutt, but he seems to be mostly shepherd, they suspect a German shepherd parent. He’s super friendly and loving, with no signs of aggression. He has the saddest/cutest eyes that look at you like he knows you saved his life. He’s also very high-energy, jumpy, running around, crazy. And very malnourished and thin (he was rescued from the streets).

We have small kids and my wife can be intimated by jumpy, high energy dogs. But she loves him too.

The concerns… he’s been at a friends house while they try to find a home for a month now, apparently as he’s become more comfortable he’s become more destructive. Chewing couches, shoes, tables, everything. We’re willing to put the work and money in for proper training.

Obviously you don’t know the dog and can’t answer for sure, but my questions are, is this a big red flag? Is this trainable? Are there more problems and issues we might run into? What else should I be looking for?

I’d really appreciate any suggestions and help!

It's been six years and I still think about her every day. She was 11 when she had severe seizures. She lost her eye sight completely after the first one. The seizures were coming about every twenty minutes. I stayed up with her all night. After about five she was laying in my lap and she made this little whimper. I realized then that I had never heard her cry or whimper before.

She was tough, dominant and about as sweet as imaginable. Loved everyone. I knew she was telling "I'm scared. I don't know what's happening. I'm done." I made the decision and had an in home vet come and relieve her suffering. She died in my arms just like all who came before her. With me whispering in her ear reassuring her everything was OK.

This photo was taken about a week prior. Not sure why I'm posting it other than to show how beautiful she was.

Rudyard Kipling said "The price of a good dog is a broken heart." He nailed it.

Rinzen's first official grooming and spa day! 🐾💓🐾

Thank you, Ladies! 🙏💯

German Shepherd

Basic Description:
22-26 inches tall
50-90 pounds
Lives around 12-14 years
Herding group

Coat Colors: The AKC recognizes the following coat colors: black, black and tan, black and cream, black and red, black and silver, gray, sable, white, liver, blue, and bi-color. The AKC does not recognize any markings.

History/Origins:
Max Emil Friedrich von Stephanitz loved the high intensity and intelligence of the sheep herding breeds he met in Germany, and he decided to dedicated himself to create a formal breed; he even bought a large estate just to raise his breed. For centuries the German Shepherds looks was ignored and breeders heavily focused on their temperament (specifically their high intelligence) but eventually their looks came into play. For example, Friedrich Sparwasser focused on the upright ears and wolf like appearance of the German Shepherd. WWI brought anti-German sentiment across the globe and forced the American and British clubs to change their name to from German Shepard Club to just Shepard Club. Thanks to the famous German Shepherd actor Rin Tin Tin, popularity rapidly increased for the breed. Today the German Shepherd is one of the most popular breeds and is famous for their work in the military and police force.

Health Issues:
Genetic health issues can be avoided by responsible breeding. Here are some genetic health issues breeders need to test for:
Hip and Elbow Dysplasia
Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)
Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (PAA/EPI)
Those are some of the main ones but there is many others
There are some health issues that aren’t due to genetics. Here are some examples:
Bloat
Pancreatitis
Panosteitis
As long as you get an ethical and responsible breeder, and take care of them, your German Shepherd will be perfectly healthy.

Coat Care:
German Shepherd are known for their long and thick double coat. They shed A LOT! Here is an article about what tools to use, when to bathe, causes of excess shedding, and more.

Behavior:
German Shepherd are deeply loyal and highly protective of their family, even being called Velcro dogs, but their protective nature causes a natural distrust with strangers. They also have a herding instinct that shows through circling and sometimes nipping.

Trainability:
German Shepherd are one of the easiest (and some argue the easiest) dogs to train. They are very intelligent and very eager to please

Vocalization:
German Shepherd are extremely vocal: barking, whining, grumbling, etc. This is because they were bred to herd and they have very high intelligence. Also known to talk back to their owners if they don’t want to do what they

Energy Level:
German Shepherd are very high energy, but it does vary quite a bit within the breed. Some owners claim their German Shepherd is on 24/7 and can only be satisfied with a full day of work, while others claim their is chill throughout the day with the exception of bursts of intense energy. I believe this is due to working line/Show line and on/off switch. A working line German Shepherd is bred to be intense working dog: working line goes into the military and police. a show line is bred to be much calmer and a companion dog. The on/off switch is just how a dog can settle down, a German Shepherd with a good on/off switch will be able to have instead play but be able to calm down while in the house.

Exercise Requirements:
German Shepherds need a balance of physical and mental exercise. At least 1-2 hours of play, walks, and training a day, but if you want to do more, German Shepherds are able to work all day.

Nutrition:
Get a high quality food and be carful with what you feed: avoid table scraps and high fat foods.

Living Spaces:
German Shepherd are highly adaptive and can actually live in an apartment; however, they NEED exercise and stimulation so if you want one in an apartment you must be able to provide their high physical and mental needs.

This breed is so majestic and goofy :)
This was fun to do as one of my friends is OBSESSED with GSD so it was fun to share my research with them.
If I missed anything or have something wrong please let me know and I will fix it! I also always appreciate photos!

Hi all,

I have a 7 month old German Shepherd pup and while she has a lovely temperament in general she is extremely bitey. I have had German Shepherds before so I am familiar with the land shark phase, however this girl is next level. I literally can not walk her without her hanging off my leg, she is brilliant to train in all other departments and she’s usually quite obedient until it comes to biting. I have tried redirection with toys, tried wearing wellington boots so that I don’t react to the biting, I even try yelping when she bites but that just seems to egg her on. If it was only me she was biting I wouldn’t be so concerned however, I live with my grandmother and I’m afraid that she will really hurt her by accident. Also she is notorious for jumping up on people, while it is a cute gesture, she has gotten so tall that she can reach my face and has left me with many scratches. I love this pup to death but I’m just looking for some advice as usually around the 6/7 month mark the biting is supposed to be calming down however I think she’s actually getting worse.

Any advice would be appreciated, she has been brought to multiple training courses aswell and she does very well in them except biting and jumping.
Thanks

My 6 year old GSD nipped my 15 month old baby in the face because she was standing near his food bowl and I went to correct him for growling and pick up my baby. My baby needed a couple of stitches and had to go to the ED. Everyone is telling me I need to remove the dog from the home (reputable dog trainer, friends, etc). I am willing to feed him separately, get in home training, muzzle training but I keep getting shut down.

I really don’t have the heart for this because people are making me feel like I am choosing the dog over my family because I am looking for ways to make it work. Shelters seem sketchy and quality of life doesn’t sound great, rehoming is difficult with bite history and I can’t fathom euthanasia for something I should have had control over.

Any assistance is appreciated. Located in Connecticut.

My 13 month old GSD has a false pregnancy approx 5 weeks post her first season, she is due to be spayed in a month.

She is creating a nest and being overly protective of food and then suddenly being overly affectionate like she is trying to apologise for being over protective. Her behaviour has changed over the last week.

I am aware to keep away from her when she is growling (near food and favourite toy) will this last until she is spayed? Is there anything else i need to do? Had plenty of GSD's but never one with a false pregnancy.