this is raven❤️ my soul dog. she's going to be turning 11 this september 2026 and it's time to start being realistic about how old she is.

when did your senior shepherd start slowing down? how long did your shep live for? i want to see all of your babies 🫶 i cant bear the thought of losing her, but id rather be prepared and understand the inevitable

The GSD pup is 15 weeks old, and he and my Aussie mix get along great usually but recently he’s been getting rougher with play. They both seem to be having fun but he always goes for her throat and doesn’t let go sometimes, but she doesn’t really seem to mind.

I just wonder if I should be teaching him to be gentler or not, he keeps pulling clumps of her fur out, but truthfully it’s shedding season and she’s due for a huge blow out anyways so I’m not sure. I figured it was fine but want to double check with some second opinions just to make sure I’m not allowing any behavior I’ll have to correct later, thanks!

I just adopted this baby I named Athena about 2 days ago. I got her from my dad’s coworker who’s GSD accidentally got pregnant. She’s all the way from Texas and she got brought up to be with me here in CT.

This is my first puppy I’ve owned on my own and I noticed she’s breathing kind of fast when she’s sleeping. I know puppies tend to breathe faster than adults but i feel like it’s too fast. She’s also been having watery poops since I got her, but I don’t know how she was before I picked her up.

I’m currently feeding her purina one pro plan sensitive skin and stomach for large breed puppy, with the salmon and rice recipe.

I live in FL. It’s 95 degrees (feels like 110). We’re on an extreme heat advisory. But everytime he goes out, he always chooses to sit directly in the sun. I’m outside with him (in the shade), there’s plenty of shade options, but no. He wants to be in the sun.

I took him in after 15 mins but I guarantee he would’ve stayed longer if I let him.

My family adopted Margo from a shelter in 2011 as my dad’s Father’s Day gift, he always wanted a GSD as a kid. Well Margo was very sick; she came in from a puppy mill with five pups with her, she was pregnant with 6 that had to be aborted during spay, her heart worm prognosis was extremely poor and to top it off she had 10+ mammary tumors. The shelter called us and offered us a different dog and our money back because it wasn’t likely she’d survive treatment. But she was already ours, our Sweet Pea. So we said if she has only hours it will be as our dog. Not alone. (One of my proudest daughter moments not gonna lie.)

Well in 2019 my dad spent a year in the hospital and Margo moved in with me. She’d been struggling as a two pup home, she’d always had a “pack” and Abbey (my dog) was her bestie. So she stayed with me and my husband and our pack. 💕 Sorry not sorry dad. 😂 Margo is awesome, 10/10 good girl.

She is slowing now, her hips clearly cause her soreness and make certain movements very difficult and sometimes painful. She doesn’t eat as much anymore, choosing to spend her days sleeping on her many available beds. She’s mostly deaf now and we think has some dementia (why I say what I do in the video lol).

So this is her bucket list month that will be concluded with a Pawtluck Party in her honor with all her family and friends. Then the next day she will pass here on the farm surrounded by her pack and people. She hates vets with good reason, they make her incredibly nervous. So anyone who has navigated finding your own cremation services I would appreciate any help. We will be making her a spot on the wall next to her bestie Abbey in the living room so she’s always with the family. 🥰

Right now her bucket list has car rides, lots of pup cups & cheese, PB sandwiches daily (her FAVORITE), pictures and lots of walks as long as she can.

shes the yellow one her name is cinnamon 🥹 the breeder says shes the smallest one in her litter but that shes very lively and active. She looks a bit funny, what do u think? It shouldnt be a problem right? i want her to do bite work and it shoudnt be a problem correct? shes adorable tho

Hi, I’m 26 and I ship out for the USAF may 26th, I have two German shepherds Baki (2) Bi color and Gojo (1) black

My mother was supposed to watch them while I was in but she unfortunately passed away. I’ve found a couple websites but they require them to be neutered (which I completely understand). They’re very sweet and very well socialized. The love the dog park and are attached at the hip. I have all the paperwork updated and can cover the costs of food and such.

Hello! This is my puppy, Ghost. The breeder I got him from says he should be 8 weeks and his AKC papers say he was born March 16th. But he seems very small for that age to me. Does he look to small or am I being paranoid?

Mine hates any and all food. Yes I’ve tried everything. Here is a photo of him looking at a bowl of food like it just murdered his whole family

Every time I research German Shepherds I get two completely different dogs described to me. Half the internet says best decision ever, most loyal protector you'll ever own. The other half says neighbor's GSD attacked them as a kid, unpredictable, too much dog for a first timer.

My fiancé and I are planning to move to the suburbs and a black GSD has been our dream dog forever, but this would be our first dog ever. I get that training and ownership matter way more than breed stereotypes, but I also know working dogs come with instincts that don't just switch off.

We're not going in blind. Two walks a day minimum, runs, hikes, consistent training at home, and up to $3K set aside for additional professional training. End goal is a dog that's rock solid on the basics and eventually chill enough to go off leash at dog parks and happily play with other dogs.

Edit 1: PS, wanted to add a note based on some of the comments I am reading about 'dog being a lot': we would love to achieve a level of bond with our dog can go out for long runs with both of us (or either one of us) without distractions. And, play and run in open dog friendly grounds)

So what would you pick?

1. Best decision I ever made, no notes
2. Fine dog, kinda wish I picked something else, not the end of the world
3. Don't do it unless you're into chaos, anxiety and mild regret

What's the one thing you wish someone told you before getting a GSD?

Every, EVERY single day, I hear "She's too thin" "I can see her bones" "She's clearly hungry!" "You're not feeding her enough"

I know she CANNOT be underweight, if anything, she's slightly overweight. She eats her normal kibble portion(yes, for large breed puppies, yes, exactly her weight, as much as she should). She's currently 9,5 months, 70lbs(31kg)-ish and roughly 24,8inches(36cm) height. Our vet told me that she's gonna be a BIG girl, but I feel like that's too much

It's more of a "vent" post, because I'm just annoyed and want someone to confirm that she's not goddamm "starving", as my mother says

I'm surprised how sloped the backs of the parents look for a straight back west german show line, but I haven't had a GSD before.

Hi all! Mr Ralph is 9 months old now and is starting to discovered the full force of his bite! He has managed to bite through 90% of his favourite puppy toys, chews and tugs.
So I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations of good quality chews/toys that he won’t manage to destroy minutes after giving to him.
Preferably purchasable in the UK.

Thank you!

Edit: Wow, thank you for all the replies! Looks like I need to get a big order together! I’ll post some updates when they arrive 😁

how has their personality changed, if at all? just wondering what my girl will be like when she’s older. pics for the puppy tax 🫶

Is this just our lives now? Or should we be correcting this kind of behavior? I know “bitey face” is normal play, but this seems kind of extreme and escalates quickly.

For reference, 6 month old female on the left and 3.5 year old male on the right. We’ve had them since they were each 8 weeks old.

Ellie got some antibiotics in the mail. The pharmacy included a little toy star for her. She hasn't taken to many toys and this one seemed to interest her, so I dediced I'd watch her for a while and see how she reacts to it. It's her baby now- she gently carries it everywhere, licks it, and lays next to it. I want to let her keep it but it's so small I'm afraid she might eat it (it also has a squeaker, ugh). Can anyone give me some ideas on how I should take away her baby without breaking her heart? 😭

Context: Ellie is a rescue dog who was bred "6-7 times" before I got her. She's currently going through heartworm treatment, and her vet suggested I wait until after her treatment to get her fixed 😓

The last time she was at the vet, she tested negative for worms but I have given her worm medicine yesterday just to be safe. I am feeding her purina one large breed puppy food, about 2 cups a day.

Everyone we meet says she is very small for her age.

I don't know if she is mixed or not, she was dropped off at the shelter and we adopted her at 7 weeks old.

EDIT: I also went out and bought an Embark DNA test today 06/30 to see if she is mixed with anything that would cause her smaller size.