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The protein will come from readily available sources such as chicken or beef, and not exotic or boutique sources like kangaroo or venison as you saw in second study mentioned above. According to the AKC , quality, regulated animal byproducts can be good for your dog. These byproducts can include organ meats or entrails, which often contain more nutrients than, say, plain chicken breast. Another misconception is that dogs should eat grain-free diets. As you saw in the second study mentioned above, that can actually be very harmful for your dog and cause DCM. But food labels can be a little vague and confusing, so below is an explanation of what some of these terms mean, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual and the AKC. There is one caveat though. For instance, flaked corn, ground corn, and kibbled corn could be sprinkled in an ingredient list and not be listed as the first few ingredients, but in reality, if you were to add them all up they are all corn, after all , you might find that this food is made mostly of corn. The same goes for chicken, chicken meal, and chicken byproduct. Meat vs. Meat Meal vs. The quality of these ingredients can vary widely, so be sure to talk to your vet about this and choose a reputable brand of food. Below are a few examples: Obesity. Golden Retrievers love food and they do have a tendency to become overweight if you let them. This problem can often affect these next two problems… Joint issues. Golden Retrievers are prone to joint issues and growing too fast because they eat too much can often make this problem worse more on this in the next section. Heart issues. Skin issues. Golden Retrievers are prone to hot spots and excess protein in their diets can be a factor that causes them. Many goldens suffer from food allergies. One cup of Brand X food may have calories per cup, while Brand Y has calories per cup. During a vet visit our veterinarian said he looked too small and lethargic for a puppy his age about 8 weeks at the time , and he recommended we feed him a little more. As far as how often to feed your puppy, this same rule applies. For us, we fed Oliver three times per day until he was a little over a year old. Getting a Golden Retriever Puppy? Get the gameplan for raising them right with the Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook. Those two statements may sound random, but they are related. According to the Banfield Pet Hospital , overfeeding your Golden Retriever can cause them to grow too fast and increase their risk of hip dysplasia. You probably noticed that a raw diet was the fourth-most popular diet Golden Retriever owners feed their dog. Since puppies are growing and adults are just maintaining their weight, they have different dietary needs. And for fats, puppy food should have at least 8. As far as when to switch from puppy food to adult food, talk to your veterinarian. To see a list of other milestones your puppy will hit like when they lose their first teeth, or when their coat is fully grown check out this timeline of Golden Retriever puppy milestones. Like most of the other questions in this post, this is something to talk to your veterinarian about. Many foods will have the same vitamins that pills have already in them, but on the other hand, some breeders require that you give your puppy vitamins for their health guarantee to be valid. First, we unknowingly started him off on one of the brands listed in the graph above that is correlated with DCM. Then we switched to another brand that he just sort of liked. If we were to have another puppy, we would definitely start with the Royal Canin Golden Retriever Puppy food. How To Switch Food Brands The other day I was talking to someone who was complaining that her puppy was having lots of stomach issues. Dogs have sensitive stomachs so if you want to switch foods, you need to do it slowly. You should take about a week to transition from the old food to the new brand. Also consider how long the brand of food has been around, whether or not there have been any recalls of that brand, and if there is any research behind it. What do you feed your Golden Retriever puppy? Have any questions about what to feed them? Let me know in the comments below! Related articles:. Royal Canin makes dry food tailored explicitly to particular breeds. Its Golden food variation uses chicken and brown rice ingredients to support digestive health, strong bones, and a healthy coat. Gorgeous coats, healthy body conditions, great activity levels- perfect puppies! With a combination of healthy proteins, fruits, vegetables, and more, this dry dog food will encourage healthy muscle development in your Golden Retriever as well as strong teeth, a healthy heart, and improved skin and coat texture. Looking at the ingredients makes me feel that I have purchased a quality product for my guy. With ingredients like real protein, fruits, and vegetables, this dry food increases energy, strengthens bones, improves immune strength, and neutralizes free radicals. Her coat is healthier and shiny. She even trimmed down a little as her old dog food was making her fat. They produce high-quality dog food for your Golden Retriever at an affordable price. Veterinarians recommend IAMS Proactive Health because it uses ingredients like animal protein and antioxidant-rich veggies to nourish your dog and meet their complete health needs. Highly recommend it. Good for maintaining a decent weight too. Gobbles it down! With fish as the main protein, this kibble promotes a gorgeous coat and healthy skin and improves digestive issues. He eats it enthusiastically, and it has really helped him thrive! He is energetic, has a gorgeous coat, and devours his meals! She is a much happier dog. The Save Shredded Puppy Blend includes probiotics to help ease the digestion in growing Golden Retriever puppies with sensitive stomachs. I mix it with wet food, and he loves it. He loves the chunks of shredded chicken! I highly recommend it. This large-breed dry food can help your Golden Retriever maintain a healthy coat and great skin as well as smooth digestion. All of them love this food! Their coats are shiny and soft, and their poops are small! The exclusive formula also increases energy levels! We tried another brand, and it caused all kinds of allergic reactions. We went back to Eagle Pack, and all is right again. Great product! That may be because they have a senior Golden Retriever who is struggling with dental issues or feel that dehydrated food options are healthier. This particular food contains real protein and essential nutrients that can benefit dogs of all ages. Once we got this, she became a food-crazed puppy! This food includes a combination of freeze-dried raw-coated kibble with real pieces of freeze-dried raw meat! This variety has lots of meat sources plus several strains of probiotics. In general, your dog will benefit from puppy food from about 8 weeks of age until they are six months to a year old. Check with your vet to determine the right time to switch from a puppy food to one for adult dogs, as recommendations vary based on the size of your dog. A few days later, you can begin making it a half-and-half blend. Make sure to watch for loose stool from your pup as you transition — if you notice that your Golden is struggling with the new diet, wait for a few days before increasing the blend. When in doubt, check with your vet! Most dog foods come with specific volumes listed on the side. Overfeeding your pet can lead to a variety of health concerns. To determine what food will suit your dog the best, check out 17 of the top dog foods on the market for Golden Retrievers, no matter their age. Check with your vet to determine whether your Golden will need any special dietary considerations. Foods considered toxic to Golden Retrievers are macadamia nuts, chocolate, onions, garlic cloves, grapes, raisins, walnuts, alcohol, and any foods sweetened with xylitol. Try to avoid feeding your Golden food containing any of these ingredients. Grain is an essential component to the diet of Golden Retrievers. The absence of grain has been known to lead to a deficiency in taurine, which can potentially cause heart problems for your golden. Galen has been connecting quality Golden Retriever breeders with loving families since and is the founder of My Golden Retriever Puppies. He and his wife have four children and love spending time together, traveling lived oversees for 4 years , enjoying the outdoors and connecting Golden families. Be the first to know when we have new puppies! All Rights Reserved. Read the full disclosure here. Being a large and energetic dog, your golden retriever has a ravenous appetite and can eat a lot. However, overfeeding is never good and could be avoided with the help of a golden retriever feeding chart. Knowing how much to feed your golden retriever is always tricky but essential for their well-being and health. Goldens are prone to obesity and joint problems, which can only be exacerbated with an inadequate feeding plan. So, stay with me to find the right feeding plan and meal schedule for your goldie. Most first-time owners think their puppies should be chubby. In truth, golden retriever puppies are supposed to look lanky and act like they are always hungry when fed the correct amount of food. To encourage proper growth and development without making your pup obese, you will have to know how much to feed a golden retriever puppy. For example, cheaper foods use fillers and have a smaller amount of calories, thus you will have to feed more than you would when using premium large breed puppy foods. They are growing quickly, so while they eat smaller quantities of food than adult dogs, they need to extract far more nutrients like protein, minerals, and vitamins, to sustain their growth and development. Different Dogs, Different Diets Nutritional needs vary from breed to breed. One only needs to look at golden retrievers to know they require a different diet than a Chihuahua! For example, joint and bone problems are much more common in big dogs than in little ones, but choosing the right puppy food can reduce the risk. Large-breed puppy food has reduced amounts of calcium and phosphorus, which helps control the rate of skeletal growth. Also, you may find puppy foods that contain glucosamine and chondroitin to support joint health and mobility. By consuming too much food, your puppy will have elevated levels of the very nutrients that should be limited. Additionally, overweight puppies may develop other health issues such as diabetes and heart disease. Good eating habits developed during puppyhood will lead to a healthy mature dog in the years to come. Nutrition For The Outside One of the most visible components of your dog is its fur. Nutrition plays a vital role in this area. A large percentage of the protein your puppy takes in goes towards maintaining its coat. Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids are also essential for healthy skin and fur. Which Food Do I Choose? There will always be those who buy the cheapest brand on the market. Some will opt for the most expensive, while others will simply go with a brand name they recognize. The key is to find the right food for your particular puppy. One thing you cannot afford to ignore is the nutritional content. Because they are still growing, puppies need more protein than adults. Proteins foster muscle growth and development in puppies and lean muscle maintenance in adults, so the more of it there is in a diet, the better it is for your growing retriever. Fats, too, are important for golden puppies because they provide the energy required for everyday activities. You should be careful, however, not to feed your golden excess calories because this will result in excess weight or obesity. Eventually, your dog will end up battling joint problems. For instance, less expensive dog foods typically have lower-quality ingredients. The contents are often inexpensive, low-grade animal protein sources, like by-products and fillers. Fillers are frequently things like cornmeal, rice flour, or seed hulls. In general, thoroughly review the nutritional content of your chosen diet. Are the ingredients wholesome and natural? Does the diet have controlled calcium and phosphorous levels? Is the calorie and fat content limited to manage growth? Does the label state that the diet is complete and balanced? This can lead to obesity and will certainly cause increased defecation. The latter of these two issues will make house training more difficult than it already is. By contrast, costlier dog foods usually have higher-quality ingredients. The scales will be tipped heavily in favor of high-grade animal protein sources and fillers will be few and far between. Price is not, however, a guarantee of quality. The best dog foods for a golden retriever puppy are made with high-quality natural ingredients and have high levels of protein. Make sure the food is complete and balanced for daily feeding and formulated to meet the nutritional needs of large breed puppies. At this point, golden retriever puppies have likely already been switched to dry puppy food and you should continue feeding your pup the same type of food the breeder used. From the day you bring them home until they are six months old, you should feed your golden retriever puppy three times a day. Ideally, your pup should have breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. A grain-free diet is the default meal for golden retrievers that are sensitive to grains, but if your dog is healthy, feeding her such a meal boils down to choice. A lot has been said about grain-free diets. Reports and studies have been carried out in recent years trying to establish any connection between it and Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy DCM. That all starts with choosing the best puppy food for golden retrievers. Avoid low-cost foods that are more filler than substance, and look for better foods that are packed with nutrients to help your puppy grow. In particular, consider trying a large breed formula to meet the specific needs of your golden retriever puppy. Good nutrition is an essential part of any health regimen, and providing high-quality puppy food will lay the foundation for a long, and enjoyable life. You May Also Like. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. We all want our golden retriever puppies to be healthy and happy. We envision them running through a verdant field chasing a ball. Full of energy with the beautiful, lustrous golden coat. But, just like us, eating the proper food in the proper amounts will help your golden properly grow and thrive. After all, what we eat impacts how healthy we are. How much you should feed your golden retriever puppy will vary depending on the quality of food you feed, his age, his weight, his general health, and his activity level. Your golden will be growing for up to two years. And the amount of food during that time will have to be adjusted depending on his needs. Because most people feed kibble to their pup, this article will focus on that. Kibble is convenient and cost effective. Instead, they should be lanky and full of energy. They should love to eat their food with gusto. Instead, you should be able to feel his ribs when you pet him there. There should just be a thin coating of fat under his skin. And he should have a defined waistline. Of course you should check with your veterinarian to make such adjustments. And remember a young puppy should get only so much exercise a day. Their joints and bones are developing and can be damaged if the exercise is too extreme. Assuming you have an eight-week-old puppy, he should receive three to four meals a day. From eight weeks old until about five or six months old, three meals per day are advisable. Of course, feed at the same intervals every day and split the total amount per day in half to be given at each feeding. After about six months of age through adulthood, two feedings per day are the norm. Always check with your vet regarding how much and how often to feed. These are just guidelines. Feed him at the same distraction-free location so that he focuses on eating. As much as goldens love to eat, a young golden puppy is also very easily distracted. This can lead to possible health problems, including joint and bone problems. Goldens can easily become overweight. Free feeding can also lead to a picky eater. Some puppies figure out that if their buffets are always there, and they can just go graze at will. Most foods you purchase will have guidelines on their bag or box. When you first get your puppy, feed him the same food that the breeder or rescue fed him for a few weeks. Then, if you want to change his food, do so over at least 10 days. Add more of the new food and subtract more of the old food each day. After about five days, you should be giving him approximately 50 percent of the new food and 50 percent of the old food. Switching food over such a period of time will help prevent stomach upsets and diarrhea. Overfeeding will result not only in him becoming overweight but it will also make him grow too fast. Periodically—even weekly— test whether you can still feel his ribs without them protruding. You can then increase the amount he eats. You should also feed his last meal of the day at least 90 minutes before his bed time so that he can digest his food and potty before bed. A well-balanced, high-quality food should provide all the nutrients he requires. Golden puppies require a formula made for large-breed dogs. Puppy formulas for large-breed dogs regulate their growth. Eating too quickly can lead to digestive upsets and even bloat, which can be deadly. I rescued my golden retriever Riley when he was about six months old. To say that he ate as if it were his last meal would be an understatement. He had a voracious appetite. I bought one of the maze bowls to slow him down. The kibble is placed between each section of the bowl, and he had to forage for his food. It worked! He ate at a more normal pace. Of course, dogs should be given free access to fresh water. Other Feeding Options Although I concentrated in this article on feeding kibble to your new puppy, there are other options. There are some drawbacks to them because they may not be nutritionally complete, may be cost prohibitive, or may be too time-consuming to make. Wet Food Canned food alone or mixed with kibble is an option. But wet food alone is very expensive. He may become a picky eater. Feeding raw is controversial. Dehydrated raw foods reduce some of the risks. The ratio of calcium to phosphorous is crucial to puppy development. Homemade Diet Cooking for your best friend can be very appealing. And many people do. You know what ingredients and their quality are. But it has its drawbacks. Of course, the amount you feed is important for his growth rate and general health and well-being. But there is no one-size-fits-all in determining how much to feed a golden retriever puppy. Any amounts you see are just guidelines. Adjust them as necessary regarding your own special puppy. Do you have a golden retriever puppy? How did you determine what and how much to feed him? Please leave your comments in the section below. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist. Debbie has been training dogs for over 24 years and has nationally ranked obedience and rally dogs, agility dogs, trick dogs, and therapy dogs. Post navigation. They are famously loving and playful family pets, always eager to jump in the pool or snuggle up with you on the lounge. They are patient and energetic dogs who are easy to train, making them excellent service animals as well as loyal companions. If you are bringing a Goldie into your family, you might also be aware of their reputation as food lovers. Your Goldie might want to eat anything and everything you put in their bowl — and maybe even anything left on an unattended plate. In this Golden Retriever feeding guide, Hypro Premium will take you through everything you need to know when it comes to food options for your pup. The best food for most young puppies is milk. If you are weaning a puppy, you can start to mix in a little dry kibble with their puppy milk to create a paste. You can feed this mix to your puppy up to four times a day, slowly reducing the amount of milk you mix in. Over time, your Goldie puppy will get more comfortable with solid foods, until you no longer need to include any milk in their diet. While chubby little puppies are cute, your Goldie should not build up too much excess fat once you start feeding them solids. Goldies go from a small 4kg puppy at 7 weeks old to an almost 30 kg adult dog in the space of only 10 months. At six months old your puppy will still be growing, but more slowly as they reach most of their body development milestones. This is why appropriate feeding in the first year of their life is vital to the overall health of your Goldie for years to come. Over time this can increase to up to 4 cups a day at 10 months old, though females should usually only need 3 cups a day. The amount you feed your puppy is often dependent on their size and sex. While they may have some growing left to do, it depends on your dog. Some Goldies will continue to experience growth spurts before their second birthday, while others will stay the same size. Large breeds can be at risk of growing too fast, which can make them more vulnerable to skeletal and weight problems when they get older. Golden retrievers are especially prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, which can be avoided through diet control. You should feed your Goldie between 3 — 4 cups of food per day over two meals. Adult dogs and puppies have different nutritional needs. This is important to take into consideration as you are establishing a feeding schedule for a Golden Retriever puppy. Puppies require more calories to support their rapid growth than adult dogs, but they also have much smaller stomachs, which means they get fuller faster. Because of this, puppies can easily overeat, especially Golden Retrievers. You can help your puppy avoid overeating by allowing them a short amount of time to eat, and then removing their bowl. All puppies grow a lot during their first year, but large breed puppies are more likely to suffer from negative health consequences as a result. In order to provide your Golden Retriever puppy with the most appropriate food to support their rapid growth, consider choosing a large breed puppy food. Goldie puppies need lots of protein, fibre, and fatty acids to support the development of their bodies and provide them with energy. These foods also take into account the difference in nutrient digestion between small and large breeds. Too much of these nutrients can cause your large breed puppy to develop skeletal abnormalities. So how much do you feed a Golden Retriever? Your adult Goldie could need anywhere between and 1, calories per day. The amount of food you feed your dog will be determined by a few important factors. The first thing to consider is the sex of your dog. On average, your male Golden Retriever will need slightly more food than a female dog. Senior dogs will usually be less active and so will need less food. Goldies in particular can have a lot of variation in the amount of food they need on a daily basis. No matter how much you feed your dog, it is ideal that you feed your adult Golden Retriever two meals a day at evenly spaced time intervals. Feeding your dog twice, once in the morning and again in the evening, can be useful for establishing a routine and avoiding overfeeding. This routine can also include exercise, and is useful for encouraging healthy behaviour around food and toilet training. Special Considerations Your Golden Retriever could be predisposed to several health conditions that are important to consider when you make decisions about their diet. Firstly, Golden Retrievers are known for their beautiful coats, but their skin can often become infected. Goldies love swimming, but this can cause problems if water irritates their skin. They can also be susceptible to atopic dermatitis, which causes extreme itchiness, resulting in licking and biting behaviours in dogs that can cause even more damage. For dogs prone to skin and coat issues, a fish-based diet can help alleviate symptoms. Fish contains plenty of fatty acids, which support coat and skin health, and rarely triggers any allergic reaction in dogs. Goldies often benefit from healthy grains in their diet, especially as avoiding them can actually leave your dog more vulnerable to nutritional dilated cardiomyopathy, or nutritional DCM. This heart disease is common in Golden Retrievers, and can be triggered by consuming too much grain-free pet food that contains legumes like lentils and peas. You should consider feeding your Golden Retriever foods that are full of grains and proteins like chicken or fish. These are the benefits and drawbacks of the three most popular options — wet food, a raw food diet, and dry food. Wet food can be a great option for dogs that need plenty of protein and fat, like working dogs or dogs with certain health conditions. It also hydrates your dog while they eat, which can be useful for dogs suffering from any illness. For dogs with highly restrictive diets, raw food prepared by you can be a great way to avoid allergens. You can have complete control over a raw diet, which does require a lot more work on your part, but can have great results. For instance, a Golden Retriever with heart issues should eat a low salt diet, which can be easier to achieve if you are preparing their meals from scratch. However, low quality kibbles tend to be made up of a lot of low quality fillers, which can be hard for your pup to digest. Whatever option you choose for your Goldie, make sure it is suitable for large breeds and contains high quality ingredients. This will help prevent degenerative health disorders in the long run. Your Golden Retriever will probably love food, and will probably try to eat anything you put in front of them, which means you need to help them avoid the negative consequences of overeating. Golden retrievers, like other large and active breeds, need plenty of exercise. Not only is this vital to their physical health, but it also ensures they grow up well socialised and mentally stimulated. As your Goldie grows from a puppy to an adult dog, the amount of meals they need a day will reduce as their digestive systems become more developed. Your dog will need two meals a day, once in the evening and once in the morning, from the age of 6 months.

Contact Us for Details on Our Puppies! The joy of owning a working line bred German Shepherd is immeasurable — but a companion and workmate that gives itself over to you so completely requires a significant reciprocal commitment. Do you have a fenced yard? Are you able to devote at least 30 minutes per day to exercising your dog? Will your puppy be raised inside of your home as a part of your family? Do you have small children, infants or other animals in your home currently and if not do you plan to in the future? Do you plan to crate train your puppy in addition to housebreaking? Are you prepared to feed a high quality food to your dog such as a grain-free or holistic food as a regular diet throughout its lifetime? Do you know the difference between the temperaments and character of a Working Line German Shepherd Dog over a show line or an American bred German Shepherd? Have you already consulted with a private trainer or know of obedience classes that are offered in your area that may be more specific to working dogs over an average Pet Store style all breed pet training class? Do you plan to spay or neuter your puppy when he or she is old enough? Are you financially prepared to provide care for your dog and seek veterinary care in the event of an emergency that may require hospitalization of your dog? If you are planning on breeding, do you have at least 5 years minimum experience as a Breeder? Are you educated in canine reproduction and development, have the basic knowledge and understanding of genetics as well as proper care for newborn pups, neonatal intensive care and experience in identifying reproductive complications or emergencies should they arise? Our mission is to improve the breed standard, produce stable, clear headed puppies and prepare them for bonding with their new humans. Come and see the difference. Whatever task you may have - a canine from West German Shepherds. Welcome to West German Shepherds. Our mission: to improve the breed standard, to produce stable, clear headed puppies and prepare them for bonding with their new humans. Committed to producing exceptional canines with 14 years of hard-earned expertise and insight; here, you will glean insider information on selecting a German Shepherd pup and why West German Shepherds. She passed away in my arms on Monday September 16th at AM. Brownie was our reigning queen, an alpha female who earned her stripes the hard way; as a result she never flaunted her position but rather ruled with a strong bark and gentle paw. Great with families, working bloodlines, very protective. When the AKC American Kennel Club or CKC either of the 2 following entities Canadian Kennel Club or the Continental Kennel Club registers a new puppy, it does so sight unseen - without ever having evaluated the appearance, health or quality of the parents of the litter. In fact only a minuscule fraction of the tens of thousands of breeding dogs all across America have ever been evaluated. While registration is a great place to start, there is more to consider than whether the dog is registered. Sadly, the marketplace is chock full of puppies with bad genetics and these are from officially registered canine parents. A puppy born with a slight genetic abnormality might come from purebred parents, and can still be registered. An inexperienced or unscrupulous breeder may not recognize the uneven hips on a puppy and sell it to someone who will later breed the puppy. The final outcome will be a new line of registered dogs that are genetically inferior. None of these statements are made to be derogatory of the AKC or CKC, these registration organizations do many wonderful things to improve the health, welfare, training and advocacy of ALL canines. Yes, AKC registration is an important factor that should not be overlooked, but there is much more to contemplate. The pedigree of both parents should be considered as part of your quest for a puppy, the pedigree will list all of the ancestors historically for 3 or 4 generations back up the family tree. All of the canines listed in the pedigree impact the genetics and thereby the health of the offspring. The pedigree itself does nothing to convey the health of a puppy, but it tells the dogs lineage, their titles and country of origin. By searching, you can find a breeder offering puppies from parents with exceptional pedigrees, that have correct body structure, a superior visual appearance, plus the temperament to match your expectations. What is an exceptional pedigree? The more champions in a pedigree, the better. Here is a quick run down of German Shepherd championship titles. The German Sieger beats hundreds of other Champions to be selected this coveted title. The only higher title accomplishment attainable is the World Sieger. It is the same as the Sieger - but is for the female winner of the German National Championship Conformation show. Not many people are familiar with the word Sieger but even less are familiar with the word Siegerin outside of German Shepherd professionals. The Sieger show is held annually in Germany. VA-2 is the Vice- Sieger, etc. The best genetics possible are found in Sieger show winning adult German Shepherds. The puppies born from these bloodlines will be the absolute best in quality and appearance when compared to the average German Shepherd you see on the street. An analogy would be like comparing a shiny Ferrari against a rusted out Ford Pinto. The top bloodlines are found in the VA titled dogs and filtered down into their offspring, but be prepared to pay a significantly premium price for that level of parenthood and prestige. You will hear of dogs described as being from show lines, herding lines or working lines. Show lines refers to canines that are used to compete in conformation shows, herding lines means canines used to herd sheep, working lines denotes canines used to work in protection, Schutzhund or other disciplines. Primarily there are 3 main types of German Shepherd Dogs. Czech Shepherds are longer and leaner in body frame, more narrow across the chest and have taller rear hindquarters. Typical coat colors are black and tan, black and creme, black and silver, brown sable, silver sable and brindled. The coat patterns of a Czech Shepherd run from blanket-back to saddleback and brindled but most are blanket backed. We do not produce Czech Shepherd pups. Yes, Dutch Shepherds still fall under the umbrella of German Shepherds. Dutch Shepherds originated in the Netherlands and are very similar to Czech Shepherds in body form however they are typically more solid, weighty and sturdy than Czech Shepherds. Dutch Shepherds are not very commonly found outside of police or military use. They also present as a harder dog meaning they require an experienced trainer, handler or owner. Obviously there are exceptions to these generalized statements. Dutch Shepherds are brindled in coat color, brindled simply means a mottled and multi-colored un-patterned coat appearance. We do not produce Dutch Shepherd pups. West German Shepherds come from the democratic capitalist state of West Germany. West German Shepherds have shorter more compact torsos, thicker across the chest and have the squatted or lowered hindquarters. It is not that the dogs are stacked or posed for pictures, their rear bone structure is genetically encoded to be positioned more angular than that of a Czech Shepherd. The coat colors of a West German Shepherd are black and red set in a saddleback pattern. While interesting, we do not own or breed for these types, nor am I going to invest any time delving into them further. Over the past 25 years I have owned and bred different types of German Shepherd dogs. I keep track of the litters being sold in our geographic region. The West German type German Shepherd dog is the most sought after type. This is the number one variety of German Shepherd dog that previous GSD owners, consumers, enthusiast and new first time owners are actively seeking. You might assume that the cheap dogs are not as healthy or desirable, and the more expensive ones are a better, safer choice. Breeders know this. Many breeders will put a higher price on their low quality dog to look professional and make their dogs appear more valuable. Some breeders import very expensive dogs so they can breed them to sell puppies at a higher price bracket. An experienced breeder can evaluate a dog by comparing the conformation or show quality, health, physical performance and the ability to work; but can only do so after having studied the breed and being immersed in these canines for many years. One factor that has impacted price structure is the difference between Czech Shepherds and West Germans Shepherds based on an over-inflated value. Many first time German Shepherd buyers are ignorant of this fact. The new buyer will look at a few breeder websites, see the price tag, then sticker shock sets in; so they search again based on a lower initial purchase price and soon find a breeder that sells at lower price tiers. It never was a bargain. Czechoslovakian Shepherds sell for less money for a number of reasons. The market is diluted with them, it seems they are on every street corner. If you want the best German Shepherd for your money you will need to hit the perfect trifecta: choose breeder, bloodline and puppy very wisely. Breed level dogs or dogs used for breeding purposes should be exceptionally beautiful, it should be like a day versus night comparison. Its time for a really bad analogy, but it should be like comparing the cute girl you saw at BurgerDoodle against the hot supermodel on TV. Or for the lady readers, it would be like comparing an overweight plumber to a ripped fitness instructor. There should be an impressive difference between the quality of a German Shepherd breed dog when compared to the German Shepherd you just saw on the street corner. Both parents should have correct body type, not be excessively underweight or overweight, they should have dark eye colors, the coat should be exceedingly beautiful with vivid color pigmentation. The body should be proportional to the animals overall size, the body should not be too short nor should it be too long. The dog should not be a giant massive pound beast, nor should it be a petite 55 pounds worth of dog. The withers should be the high point and the back line or top line should gracefully slope to the hind quarters from there. The torso should appear rugged with powerful legs, the angulation should be correct and the stance when viewed from the side should look as if the German Shepherd were ready or capable of striking in a nanosecond. The West German Shepherd is a herding type breed and should weigh between 70 to 90 lbs and be 22 to 26 inches tall. That is 22 to 24 inches for a female and 24 to 26 inches for a male Toss a ball and observe the adults as they run, their movement should be easy, graceful as if to announce - yep, I can do this all day long! Look to see if the movement is fluid or constrained. Check the eyes, ear and teeth. Eyes should have dark pupil colors, teeth properly aligned, ears should be set close and stand erect, they should be reasonably clean and not coated with goo inside. Do the adult dogs track you as you move around? Are they agitated or nervous at your presence there? Pet them, handle them and look for their response. Nearly every German Shepherd breeder in America will tell you that they have champion bloodlines. Immerse yourself by studying, looking at pictures, making comparisons, asking questions via phone, text or email and then going to visit several of the top contenders. Go visit, meet them in person, ask questions, make notes etc. Choosing a breeder does not sound like a complicated task, however you should visit with several individuals and keep a skeptical eye open. Just because this breeder has nice looking German Shepherds - does not make them an ethical or honest person. Nearly everyone has heard the term puppy-mill. This refers to a large breeding operation that mass produces puppies to sell in a variety of retail outlets. Some of the puppies go to pet stores and boutiques, others are sold on-line and shipped in crates via carrier or air-freight, still others are to be sold at events like dog shows, local flea markets, farmers markets, outdoor festivals or from the back of a pick-up truck. Please beware of purchasing from the aforementioned venues, a large portion of these animals also come with very serious life threatening diseases. The puppy mills are known for over-crowding, unsanitary conditions and harsh treatment of animals since they often operate in secrecy in a warehouse or very remote type location. Another type of breeder is the novice, money driven or back yard breeder. These types are largely copy cats. They read websites of professional breeders and the on-line ads, familiarize themselves with the terminology, soon enough they begin executing their forgery. They position themselves as professional breeders but on a smaller scale, offering puppies that are hand raised etc. If you were to look around their property - they place looks like a normal home, there is no footprint or significant investment to indicate that they have created a top-notch, professional environment for their canines. See the selecting a breeder section for more information on how to identify unsavory breeder types and more specifically what to look out for. The canine breeder should be a walking encyclopedia about the overall health, housing, care, nutrition, exercise and training necessary for the type of canines they are breeding. They should have built up a considerable amount of knowledge, expertise and experience around their breed, they should also be proficient at mating and whelping too. Their kennels and property should reflect careful consideration about every decision that impacts the housing, health and environment for their canines. I highly recommend you visit with a few breeders, there is no substitute for this step. This is an opportunity for you to evaluate the breeder, to observe the adult canine animals and also the time to examine the relationship between the breeder and their animals. If the breeder is a professional - then there should be compelling evidence that they have made a significant investment in providing great facilities for the animals. What is the condition of the fencing, the shelter, the dog house, the whelping area etc? How does the breeder talk, do you feel extremely comfortable with their knowledge, character, speech and demeanor? This is the precise moment in time where you need to follow your gut. I have visited other breeders and seen unbelievable things, such as: When the puppies eat, play, then take a nap; mice scurried out from under the shed and begin scarfing crumbs of food dropped by the puppies. Another breeder had a koi pond with long strands of green slime pond scum, the puppies were using this as a water source; the issue was every time that it rained, the runoff rainwater drained back into the koi pond carrying with it the germs and bacteria from the waste products generated by the puppies. I have met a few great breeders and many really bad ones. In the final analysis - you are not just buying a puppy, but you are buying into the combined genetics of both parents, you are buying into the kennel, the breeder person, their level of knowledge and expertise, lastly whether or not that person is honest and ethical. Believe me - there are some real unsavory characters out there breeding dogs, selling puppies and offering stud service. For more info please read - Selecting a Breeder. The health of the animal is determined by genetics as passed down from both parents. Each pup has 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great grandparents 16 great great grandparents all of these ancestor impact the offspring. Inquire of the breeder if there are any known genetic problems. Inquire about the frequency of those genetic problems occurring. If a breeder proudly says there have never had a problem with any of their animals then you should consider 1 of 2 possibilities. The very best kennels in the country have encountered genetic problems, but because of strict quality control protocols they move to a different pairing of adults to eliminate the genetic problem or they stop breeding that line altogether. A sincere breeder should offer a health guarantee to protect the customers investment. Always read the contract and ask questions long before making a deposit. A genuine breeder should want to stand behind their puppies, they should want to protect their reputation and provide detailed records. Furthermore a breeder should encourage open communication and build a relationship with their customers, how else will the breeder stay abreast of the health, wellness and genetic factors that are happening within their bloodline? An experienced breeder should have insight as to the traits of each puppy in the litter. The breeder should be able to help show you which puppy best suits your needs based on the criteria you have stated. What is the singular most important trait to you? Do you travel frequently and want a protective dog for your family? Are you seeking a dog for companionship? Is your situation that you have a big family, a lot of friends, neighbors and relatives who visit often and want a family dog? Were you planning on working the dog? Share this information with your breeder and ask them to help steer you towards a puppy that exhibits traits that are well suited for your primary intended purpose. Many clients want to actively choose a puppy, while others are more comfortable with a passive approach, spend time with the litter and allow the choice to be more organic and mutually made by the puppy that is attracted to them. There is nothing wrong with either method but I will offer this - If you want to ensure that you get the puppy with the traits that most closely match your needs, then for optimum results take an active role in making the selection. In each litter there will be certain trait variations the pups have inherited from their parents. Any German Shepherd puppy born in the litter can be trained to serve or work in any type of role that you desire, however some pups are more naturally suited to be self starters and do the task with minimal input from you. A German Shepherd is not naturally a mean or vicious dog, however they are alert, aware and protective. These traits have been locked into them from the start by the nature of the breed, these animals were coded to be discerning from the start. A Golden Retriever is a great congenial dog, it loves everyone it encounters right down to the burglar who is prying open the back window of your home with a crowbar. The Golden Retriever will hold the door open and wag its tail as the contents of the home are being ransacked and loaded into a truck. Now flip the script and try that with the German Shepherd dog. The German Shepherd dog has already been eyeballing everyone long before they set foot on the property. Even if the dog was inside and did not see someone coming - it is always listening for sounds that are non typical for its environment. Go ahead and pry the window open with the crowbar - lets see how that works out for you. Someone may actually get inside but I am pretty confident they will be encouraged to leave hastily by the canine with intense actions of fierce barking, deep growling, hackles up, ears on high alert and eyes laser focused on the intruder. The uninvited guest will drop everything - run out the door with empty arms, a chewed up backside, a renewed fear of God Almighty and total respect for the German Shepherd Dog… Again, the German Shepherd is not a mean dog, it is not a vicious dog, but it is a vigilant dog. It is a watch dog - it is a dog that closely looks after the people that it is bonded to and the place where they live together. All things considered - a German Shepherd is a very practical investment for peace of mind regardless whether you are young or old, single or have a large family. On pickup day I will spend a minimum of an hour and a half with each new owner going over paperwork and the best practices for feeding, health, training, tips on care, etc. With West German Shepherds. You are buying into the tremendous wealth of bloodlines we have selectively cultivated and created, you are buying the expertise we have accumulated in 14 years of running a top notch breeding program. I am passionate about this breed and ensuring that everyone who wants a German Shepherd - has an amazing experience. Please contact me if I can be of service to you. Thank you for visiting West German Shepherds. The original quote was intended for every breed of dog; as German Shepherd owners already know - these canines are far superior to any other breed on the planet! I often repeat - some days you are the dog, some days you are the fire hydrant. More quotes can be found at the bottom of each page. I have three pets at home which answer the same purpose as a husband. I have a dog which growls every morning, a parrot which swears all afternoon, and a cat that comes home late at night. Do you get the difference? The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment. We are number 1 out of 50 Top rated breeders in America!!! Rated by happydoggo. There are scams out there who use our brand. Their website may look exact the same since they duplicate our website or their domains look similar. Our website is vomragnar. We take payments only over the phone by a credit card or with quick pay Zelle. Our brand name is patented. We are licensed breeders in Illinois. These phone numbers has Chicago Illinois area code. Please do not trust scammers and beware. We are the top rated German Shepherd licensed breeder located in the Northwestern suburb near Chicago, Illinois. We show and train our dogs with known World Champion trainers. We offer German Shepherd puppies for sale as well as trained adult German Shepherd dogs. Our German Shepherd puppies range from 8 weeks old to young males and females. We ship dogs within United States and Worldwide. Please contact us about pet transport information. Owned and operated since by Natalya Babenko. Not interested in award-winning show dogs? No Puppy Mills Our puppies are our babies. All of our puppies have plenty of wide open spaces to get all of the physical exercise their growing bodies need Puppy Power We work hard to match the perfect pup for you and your family. Give us your preferred puppy specifications and expectations and we will do our best to surpass them Breeding purebred West German Showline German Shepherds are our passion. If you share our passion and is looking for a German Shepherd breeder that specializes in providing the highest quality show dogs, protection dogs, working dogs, service dogs or family companions, your search just ended. You can reserve the puppy over the phone and pick up the puppy at 8 weeks old. Our Chicago kennel has several litters each year. However, we strive to breed healthy dogs with best bloodlines in mind. We breed dogs with good temperament and character. We breed to the established SV Standard. They are black and red, solid black, and red sable in color. Our dogs are raised and socialized in a home environment with children and other dogs. We are proud of our achievements! Take a look at the latest show results. Why To Choose Us.

Bigger isn't always better, of course, but when it comes to finding your perfect canine companion , a teeny-tiny Chihuahua won't exactly make the best jogging buddy. Typically tipping the scales at pounds although some varieties may skew slightly larger or smaller , these large dog breeds can be great for families who want an active exercise pal or a pet that's easy to train. And if you've never cuddled a dog the size of a small pony, you've never lived. Many of these breeds are lovable family dogs , too! Before adopting a large dog, make sure you factor in the time and budget that you're able to realistically provide for your pet. That money can go towards veterinary visits, grooming and food, just to name a few common expenses. All large breeds will require more kibble than their pocket-sized counterparts, but a poodle, for example, will need more frequent haircuts than a boxer. A highly active breed will also need a lot more exercise than canine couch potatoes , but all pups deserve basic obedience training, regular walks and daily play time for both physical and mental stimulation. And if you're looking for a pet that's more lap-sized, check out these small and medium dog breeds. Curious about the biggest, most giant dog breeds? These gigantic pups weigh in the pound range or more! Bernese mountain dogs are also eager to please, which mean they're typically easy to train. Weight: pounds. But did you know that they were primarily bred as guard dogs? Fast forward today, they make their people laugh with their clown attitude but also protective guard dogs. The Boxer is a dog breed that originated from Germany, generally used for bull baiting, livestock herding, and as a guard dog. Easily add text to images or memes. Location: San Francisco, California. Let's cheer up by checking out our. See more ideas about boxer, dog quotes, boxer dogs. Did you say treat?! Roxy Under the Covers by Guest Post. He told his mum he took me for a walk. The Boxer is a great companion and loyal friend. The Boxer is a medium to large sized dog breed which originated in Germany during the 18th century. Trying to figure out what time it really should be. Share Something Awesome! Jul 19, - Funny Boxer Dog Memes. The breed gained popularity due to its good guarding qualities. Our Boxer dog memes are sure to put a smile on your face. Sarcastic Boxer Dog College Meme. Boxers are known as dogs who are full of energy, always buzzing around, eating things that we shouldn't. It is a medium-sized, smooth-haired dog with a strong build and an intimidating expression on the muzzle. Jan 17, - boxer dogs boxers funny boxer dogs hilarious boxer dogs boxer dogs humor boxer dogs quotes boxer dogs memes boxer dogs facts boxer puppies brindle boxer dogs so cute boxer dogs seriously boxer dogs white boxer dogs boxer dogs friends boxer dogs mix. Scroll down below to check the funny photos out for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments! If you own a Boxer, you should check the following memes list! Source 2 OOps! I think we have a problem here! Source 5 Do I have to get up? Source 6 The cat did it! Source Pinterest. Soleil Boxers Northern California Details. They were one of the first breeds employed as a police dog, and they have been used as seeing-eye dogs. Boxers have a high need for communication and physical activity. Follow us or one of our many popular group boards: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon. Blue boxer knocks out red boxer. Giving up and falling back to sleep. Boxer Dogs have taken over the internet with their sweet and humorous personality. We here at Bored Panda have compiled a list that celebrates the foolishness of funny boxers, by showing all the hilarious and awkward situations these weird dogs can find themselves in. Check the NSFW checkbox to enable not-safe-for-work images. Feb 22, - If you love Boxer Dogs and need a good laugh, these 21 of the best Boxer Dog memes will surely leave you laughing for a while! Boxer Memes Puppy Quotes. This breed is ideal for those who prefer seldom to part with their pet, or for large noisy families, whose house is seldom empty. We are also proud of our free tools including a pet meme generator and a pet name generator. We have selected the funniest memes about these dogs! Boxers have regal, distinctly shaped square heads. Sarcastic Boxer Dog Coconut Meme. Some pups find fame on the Internet for their cuteness and adorable hijinks; they can brighten people's day even online. Their temperament was formed as a result of selection. Boxers are quick-witted, highly energetic, and playful dogs that do not like to sit around. The German boxer, or just the boxer, is a representative of a large, stocky, and smooth-haired breed. Their jaw is undershot and the muzzle blunt. The rise of Boxer dog memes can be attributed to their expressive faces and unique personalities. We have special categories for dogs, cats, exotic pets, and house pets. If you ignore their needs and leave them at home alone, they can exhibit destructive behavior. Bullenbeiser was used as a hunting dog, with which they even went to the bear, as well as wild boar, deer, elk, in general - big game. Princess Boxer Dog. He says who's a ood boy and then he pet the cat He told his mum he took me for a walk. Boxer Memes With The Best Punchlines Boxers are known as dogs who are full of energy, always buzzing around, eating things that we shouldn't. Usually, training goes without problems, since the dog is naturally endowed with good intelligence and obedience. Beetle juice boxer. The Sarcastic Boxer Dog Meme. Boxer Dog Memes. Find on the map and call to book a table. Follow us or one of our many popular group boards:. It's part of what we love about these guys! There's no way to sit around a boxer and not be the happiest person in the world. There are whole Facebook groups dedicated to the genre and we at Mashable even went out of our way to gift. Last 3 Dogs Posted! Beach lover Chucky ACD. But they are also bred to be companion and guard dogs, perhaps best known for being loyal family pets that are especially fond of children. But in reality, it is a cheerful, affectionate, and kind dog, loving children, and easy to train. They were developed as a cross between a Bulldog and the now extinct Bullenbeisser dog breed. Then you'll surely laugh your heart out with these 32 Funniest Boxer Dog memes! Boxers are stocky, muscular and powerful. Boxers are quick-witted, very energetic, and playful dogs that do not like to sit back. Males grow to about 25 inches and weigh from about 65 to 80 pounds 30 to 36 kilograms ; females grow from about 21 to 25 inches and weigh from about 50 to 65 pounds 22 to 30 kilograms. Bred in Germany, it is widely known for its excellent guarding qualities. Find the newest Boxer Dog Memes meme. If you ignore their needs and leave them at. Fast forward today; they make loving family companions. So to make themselves a rainy day fund, Bored Panda user Lydibug decided to ask everyone to submit their favorite dog memes. It is a medium-sized, smooth-haired dog with a strong. Animal training is necessary in order to provide the mind with the necessary food since it is not only the body that needs stimulation. The boxer becomes an excellent companion and true friend for his owner. Add text, images, stickers, drawings, and spacing using the buttons beside your meme canvas. Their temperament was formed as a result of selection and breeding. They're just so cute! And possibly have the world's most effective puppy dog eyes. Imgflip Pro Basic removes all ads. Boxer Dogs have taken over the internet with their great sense of humor and sweetness despite their robust appearance. Table of Contents 1 boxersofinstagram 2 boxerdogcentral 3 boxerdog. Bantpid sat down with one punch from White boxer. Funny Boxer Dog Memes. Funny Dog Memes. There are so many choices to choose from, and it can be fun to find a wallpaper that you like and make your home look good. One of the main reasons Boxer dogs are so popular in the meme world is their. The boxer dog breed needs early socialization, training, and training. They prefer to be in the company of their masters and are loyal friends and protectors who will fiercely guard their family and home from strangers. In this article, we're going to share some positive vibes with this compilation of 28 Best. Boxer is a dog known all over the world. Beat up Boxer. They prefer to be in the company of their masters and are loyal friends and protectors who fiercely guard their family and home from strangers. Hit "Generate Meme" and then choose how to share and. Black Dymond Boxers California. Hit "Generate Meme" and then choose how to share and save your meme. Boxers are brachycephalic they have broad, short skulls , have a square muzzle, mandibular prognathism an underbite , very strong jaws, and a powerful. Why Boxer Dogs are Perfect for Memes. In fact, they are descendants of the large German Bullenbeisser hunting dogs and also have bulldog blood. Boxer vs street fighter. Let's not wake the earthworms! Don't worry, we saved you a spot. In this article, we're going to share some positive vibes with these 14 funny Boxer memes that will surely make you smile! To be fair, Zoom memes are good mostly because it's so much of reality these days. Here are just a few of the responses along with some funny dog memes to share. The coat is smooth and tight-fitting; colors are fawn, brindled, or white, with or without white markings. Looking to brighten up your day. Blankie the Shocked Dog. Animals Beautiful Not if it looks that good! The Boxer is a medium to large, short-haired dog breed of mastiff-type, developed in Germany. Sep 3, - Explore Marie Henderson's board "Boxer dog quotes", followed by people on Pinterest. The response was hilarious and literally made me laugh out loud, and snort. Die Besitzer haben handverlesene Boxer nach. Boxers are considered working dogs. Take a look at the memes we have prepared to cheer you up. The latter was a Molosser-type dog which was used to hunt big game before being bred out into the current Boxer we know and love. Cartoon Boxer Dog Drawing. If you love Boxer Dogs, then "like" us. You can share to social apps or through your phone, or share a link, or download to your device. To all the pet owners and animal lovers. A big dog standing over, looking down at someone laying on the floor. Karl-Heinz best dog is a boxer, we have had 6 in our life, was a pretty time. The lifespan of this crossbreed is around 10 to 12 years. In fact, they are descendants of the large German Bullenbeisser hunting dogs and also have Bulldog blood. Best Collection of funny Boxer pictures on iFunny. Website: Soleil Boxers Northern California. See more ideas about boxer, boxer dogs, funny boxer. Hybrid map combines the high-resolution aerial and satellite images with a detailed street map. Unknown What is a domestic dog? While these animals vary drastically in appearance, every dog—from the Chihuahua to the Great Dane—is a member of the same species, Canis familiaris. This separates domestic dogs from wild canines , such as coyotes, foxes, and wolves. A third of all households worldwide have a dog, according to a consumer insights study. This makes the domestic dog the most popular pet on the planet. Evolutionary origins All dogs descend from a species of wolf, but not the gray wolf Canis lupus , like many people assume. In fact, DNA evidence suggests that the now-extinct wolf ancestor to modern dogs was Eurasian. However, scientists are still working to understand exactly what species gave rise to dogs. When dogs broke off from their wild ancestors is also a matter of mystery, but genetics suggest that it occurred between 15, and 30, years ago. Perhaps wolves started down this path simply by eating human scraps. Many generations later, humans might have encouraged wolves to stay near by actively feeding them. Later still, those wolves may have been welcomed into the human home and eventually bred to encourage certain traits. All of this is thought to have unfolded over thousands of years. For instance, around 9, years ago , ancient peoples began breeding dogs that were best able to survive and work in the cold. These dogs would become the family of sled dogs—including breeds such as huskies and malamutes—that remains relatively unchanged today. Similarly, humans bred German shepherds for their ability to herd livestock, Labrador retrievers to help collect ducks and other game felled by hunters, and sausage-shaped Dachshunds for their ability to rush down a burrow after a badger. Many more breeds were created to fill other human needs, such as home protection and vermin control. Certain breeds have also been created to make dogs more desirable as companions. For instance, the labradoodle, which combines the traits of a Labrador retriever and a poodle, was invented as an attempt to create a hypoallergenic guide dog. Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Left: A portrait of Lola, a two-year-old boxer-husky mix. Right: A portrait of Daisy, a five-year-old English springer spaniel. They can also help conservationists find and protect endangered species using their super-powered schnozzes. They assist search and rescue teams in the wake of natural disasters or reports of people lost in the outdoors. Dogs trained to warn of hidden explosives and enemies serve as allies in military operations. Other dogs assist police looking for jail escapees or the bodies of murder victims. Some partner instead with customs officials searching for contraband, from drugs to elephant ivory. Still others lead the way tracking down poachers , patrolling cargo ships for rats that might escape at distant harbors, or exposing forest insect pests in shipments of wood from abroad. They guide deaf and blind people, and they help people with autism and post-traumatic stress disorder manage with anxiety. Living with dogs Most dogs are a mix of breeds—in , one study estimated that only 5 percent of dogs in shelters are purebred. Just as dogs come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, these animals also come in a spectrum of temperaments. A bulldog might look fierce but be cuddly as a kitten, whereas a cute cocker spaniel might nip at your finger without thinking twice. This is why animal handling expert Jack Hanna recommends teaching children to always exercise caution around a dog they do not know. The point is it can happen. After all, the yipping and tail-wagging your dog performs when you grab a bag of treats are carry-overs from when its ancestors needed to communicate with other members of its social group. Chasing sticks and balls may be linked to the pursuit of prey, while digging at the carpet or a dog bed echoes how a wild canid would prepare its sleeping area. Editor's note: Bringing a dog into your household is a major responsibility. More than 1. Follow us on Instagram at natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo. This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Photograph by O. Grooming Feeding Premium-quality dry food provides a well-balanced diet for adult dogs and may be mixed with water, broth or canned food. Puppies should be fed a high-quality, brand-name puppy food. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times, and be sure to wash food and water dishes frequently. Feeding by age: Puppies 8 — 12 weeks old need 4 meals a day. Puppies 3 — 6 months old need 3 meals a day. Puppies 6 months — 1 year need 2 meals a day. Dogs 1 year old and beyond — 1 meal a day is usually enough. Exercise Dogs need exercise to burn calories, stimulate their minds, and keep healthy. Exercise also tends to help dogs avoid boredom, which can lead to destructive behaviors. Individual exercise needs vary based on breed or breed mix, sex, age and level of health. If your dog is a 6 to month adolescent, or if she is an active breed or mixed-breed from the sporting, herding, hound or terrier groups, exercise needs will be high. Grooming You can help keep your dog clean and reduce shedding with frequent brushing. Check for fleas and ticks daily during warm weather. Before bathing, comb or cut out all mats from the coat. Carefully rinse all soap out of the coat, or the dirt will stick to soap residue.

Pin1 1 Shares Dogs learn from their owners, and none more so than Frenchies. Our dog Claude is a great example and he really does mirror me in so many ways. With good training and discipline, you can sculpt the personality of your French Bulldog. But the key here is to not confuse discipline with physical punishment or loud yelling. Dogs get scared when you shout. How do you discipline a French Bulldog puppy without punishment? So many new dog owners will struggle with their French Bulldog, but if you persevere, stay consistent, and use corrective discipline you can soon iron out any unwanted behavior. Before I get into the tips you can use to discipline your French Bulldog without using physical punishment, here are the rules of engagement: Always use positive reinforcement when they do something good. Always discipline them at the time of the issue so they understand. French Bulldog discipline tips The following tactics are all ones that I used with our Frenchie and have never had to resort to any physical methods of punishment. This was probably the biggest training mistake I ever made with Claude — when he was around 10 weeks old, I would play fight with him in our garden, encouraging him to nip at my hands. I should never have started this game though… By the time he was 4 months old, those teeth were sharper, and he still wanted to play the nipping game. I had re-train him to stop biting , which probably confused him at the time. With any French Bulldog discipline, you need to be consistent. By doing so you will get quick results, and the result you want. However, if you do catch them doing something wrong, you can discipline your French Bulldog there and then with some firm words and body language — which I explain in the next point. Use firm body language and tone of voice Dogs understand change in voice and tone, and even your chosen body language at the time of punishment. Loud voices and pain will be interpreted as a threat, rather than something relating to their behavior. Use positive reinforcement After you have disciplined your Frenchie and you get the required result, you should always reward their good behavior. French Bulldogs brains will become trained with rewards. If you are teaching them how to recall and come back to you , give them a treat each time they get it right. By withholding a treat, you can punish them for getting it wrong. Take breaks and give them a timeout One of the ways we taught Claude not to bite was without time outs and verbal clues. He soon learned that if he bites us when playing then the playing would stop for probably what seems like hours to him — timeouts are a fantastic way to discipline Frenchie puppies because they just want to have constant fun with you. Handy Hint: Find out what games we play with our Frenchie for ideas, plus a list of the best toys you can buy to keep them mentally stimulated. Try using a squirt bottle or water pistol This is not something I have ever tried, and in truth, knowing my Frenchie, he would probably think it was a game as you can see in the YouTube video below. The video is from our French Bulldog Owner Youtube channel subscribe here. However, some owners swear by this punishment and disciplinary method. This was a method I would use in public with Claude, as often it was the only way to get him to stop being bad as a young puppy. For example, I was out on off-leash walk with him, and some little kids where playing ball. Claude ran over, got their ball and would not give it back, and even starting to jump up at the kids… he was only 5 months old at the time, so still very much an adolescent in the training phase. The best way I could get him to stop was to call his name, get his attention, then pretend to run off myself. I made myself look far more exciting than the kids, meaning he then dropped the ball and ran after me, thinking he had a better deal. Never shout at your Frenchie. Never hit or hurt your Frenchie. Never drag or jerk your Frenchie on their leash. Never chase after your Frenchie. Never use electric shock collars with your Frenchie legal in the US still. Your dog could even start pooping or urinating in the house. If your Frenchie does start urinating indoors, here are some tips on how you can stop it. Conclusion There are some owners who say that if you only mark the dog behaviors you want with positive reinforcement, then there might not actually be any need for discipline. That makes it hard for them to change the bad behavior, instead becoming fearful when shouting and hitting is used. Share Getting a child to go to bed has long been one of the most difficult things tasked to a parent. I imagine this even happened in caveman days. You need to see this video starring a very cute puppy. The video starts with a French Bulldog puppy that is loudly protesting having to get into his bed. More barks. Finally, he grudgingly gives in and jumps into the doggie bed. He may be in there but he is adamant that he is NOT going to. .He may be laying down in the bed, but he is NOT going to go to sle—within 15 seconds of his laying down, his eyes are shut. The puppy in this video is definitely willing to fight his tiredness at first. The vast majority of these videos pretty much start and end the same way — defiance at the beginning and eventual acceptance and surrender to the sands of Morpheus at the end. Though there are some exceptions. Some can be this close to falling asleep and then suddenly sit up as if they chugged about five expressos. It must be mine. You hear me? What did you think of the video? SHARE this precious video with all your friends on Facebook right now because this is just too cute to pass up. I love these little munchies! Their intent was to make the companionship of a bulldog more conveniently sized for dense urban living. Boston Terriers, etc. Drank your drank. If one were to imagine ratters of yesteryear, you can guarantee that they have a HIGH prey drive, strong drive to continuously pursue their target, and have lots of energy. But are they referring to a breed? Or perhaps a dog that they deemed appropriate for bull baiting? By all rights, the breed should have gone extinct, however it had gained many ardent admirers. With a tempered energy level and behavioral intensity, he has a winning, clownish personality. So why you gotta play him like one? Everyone knows that these dogs can barely breathe while standing, let alone at such a young age with their worlds all flipped-turned upside down. Everyone knows that?! You can hear the puppy uncomfortably groaning at the end, OH NO! Bitch, do I look like a turtle? Michael Jackson giving zero fucks. It basically describes them as a set group of dogs that are supposed to, according to breed standards, experience dwarfism Dachshunds, Corgis, etc. But this is wide-scale, systemic dwarfism — meaning that there is simply not enough genetic diversity to get healthy, non stunted growth in their limbs. In humans, dwarfism comes with susceptibility to a host of associated conditions. In dogs, you will most commonly see this group of dogs affected by intervertebral disk disease. Because of an elongated soft palate, hyperventilation and hot temperatures can result in swollen tissue in the throat which constricts airways even more. Needless to say, breathing takes a lot of work for these poor dogs. When too much excitement on a warm day can easily send these meatballs straight into the throes of heat stroke, it got me thinking! When the play is this intense, the feeling of shortness of breath can become overwhelming and cause high levels of stress. As we saw above, there are some high energy and drive traits in this breed. French Bulldogs are one of the most susceptible to pulmonic stenosis low out-flow of blood from the heart. Because of this disease, oxygenating tissue is more difficult. These underlying factors can cause the dog to be lethargic, weak, and exercise intolerant. Pulmonic stenosis is an inherited heart disease which is the cause of heart failure in many Frenchies. Want to have it treated? Drug therapy is much more cost efficient, unfortunately, the cost of diagnosis can be impossible for some. By the way… That puppy lived! Check it out. Chai the Japanese Frenchie is now 5 years old, the previous video was from .This Japanese family is bonkers about their dogs. Another victim of the narrow airway and soft palate. In the video, he seems like a very happy, well cared for dog and he plays appropriately with his kitty pal. But superficially speaking, we already have some big concerns. At rest, he can be heard choking on his soft palate with close to ZERO physical exertion or heat, you can see this in ALL of their videos. The airways of both dogs are severely impaired. This year alone, he survived bloat incredibly deadly stomach torsion , and soon after Flour died, he had soft palate reduction surgery to improve his breathing. Keep in mind this dog is 5 years old! Well, I got some news for you… These folks bred French Bulldogs! Tell me your experience!

How often you should feed a German Shepherd puppy depends on their age and their activity level. Many owners also want to know when they can switch to adult food formulas for their German Shepherd puppies. Switch your GSD puppy to adult food when they are around 12 to 18 months old. Puppies can begin adult kibble when they are approximately 80 percent of their adult weight. This usually occurs around 8 to 10 months of age, but you can safely feed puppy food up to 18 months old as long as they are not putting on excess weight too quickly. If you want to know what to feed a German Shepherd puppy, keep reading. Finding the best food to feed your German Shepherd puppy is overwhelming at times. This means choosing what to feed a German Shepherd puppy is even more serious and intimidating! Follow this feeding guide when you need to know what to feed German Shepherd puppies. I understand! The following dog foods are all recommended for large breed puppies and meet and exceed regulated nutritional standards. Feeding a high-quality kibble from a name-brand company that uses feeding trials ensures the best quality and nutrition. Here are some of the best German Shepherd puppy foods that are research-backed. Packed with nutrients to help limit inflammation of the joints and uses fresh ingredients. Easily digestible formula for puppies prone to allergies and sensitive stomachs. Rich aroma with DHA fish oil to entice puppies to finish every last bite while giving shine to their coats. The better the food, the healthier your pup will be inside and out. Cheaper GSD puppy food lacks quality proteins that are essential for your working breed dog. Adding too much weight to your German Shepherd too soon can cause lifelong joint issues that are painful to your pet and expensive on your wallet. Most GSDs are healthy and fit on commercial dog foods that are high quality. These balanced formulas keep their bones and muscles strong throughout their growing periods and can ward off later joint issues, a common breed problem, as they mature. There is a greater demand for quality nutrition during the early growth stage. For these reasons, you must feed high-quality food. Now, consider what to feed a German Shepherd puppy based on their age. These feeding charts and guides will help keep your new companion growing strong and athletic. Tiny portions of canned, wet foods are introduced. Meals per day: 4 or more Puppies should stay with their mom for to keep them healthy. Nutrition Warning! At 8-weeks-old a GSD pup is eating more solid foods and develops a better appetite for kibble and other foods. Add in only a couple of small spoonfuls of canned plain pumpkin, unsweetened Greek yogurt, or cooked oatmeal to entice your pup to eat. Meals per day: 4 Week-Old Puppy Continue feeding the same as the 8-week-old diet. Treats are not only enjoyable for your German Shepherd, but help you to eneterain and build a positive relationship with him. Be sure to keep their zoomies under control by playing plenty of fun German Shepherd games for puppies. Meals per day: 4 Week-Old Puppy Continue to feed the kibble. Watch for excessive weight gain during this growth time as their bones cannot take extra weight! Too much weight gain too quickly can cause joint issues as an adult and prevent healthy development. Use their mental energy to help keep them more relaxed throughout the day by playing brain-boosting mind games for German Shepherd puppies. Meals per day: 3 to 4 Week-Old Puppy Keep your puppy trim and athletic by monitoring how much you feed your puppy and their body condition. You can write how much they eat and track this over time, and adjust how much your feed your German Shepherd puppy to keep them at a healthy weight. Try using fresh, raw, cut-up pieces of carrots as healthy treats or small, deseeded cubes of fresh apple as part of their training treats. Keep your eyes open for a growth spurt about to begin! Meals per day: 3 Week-Old Puppy Around 4 months old, you might notice your puppy finish their meal quickly and look for more food. Be sure to watch how many treats you give them throughout the day. You can do this by holding them safely in your arms and weighing them with you on the scale. Then, place them on the floor and step onto the scale without them to weigh yourself. Remember, around 16 to weeks old your German Shepherd puppy begins to rapidly grow. Instead, when looking overhead at your puppy their waist should look trim and not rounded outwards. German Shepherd puppies should appear sleek in their waistline. Meals per day: 3 Week And Older Puppy Continue to feed your German Shepherd puppy dry kibble with a small amount of healthy foods mixed in. You can lessen the healthy food you mix in gradually if you prefer. But, even as adults, German Shepherds love a bit of tasty toppers on their kibble. Around a year old, begin feeding your German Shepherd puppy 2 meals a day. Two meals, one in the morning and evening, are not only safer but also provide your German Shepherd with sustained energy to fuel their high-energy lifestyle. You can create a positive meal time by using the following tips: Always offer fresh water during their meal times. Keep the area where they eat their food in calm and out of the way of the family hustle and bustle. I found sitting with a book reading, just keeping my GSD puppy company, encouraged my dog to eat their meals while giving us time to quietly bond. Feed your German Shepherd at the same time everyday. The best time to feed a German Shepherd puppy is in the morning, before you leave for the day, and in the evening, about 2 hours before you put your dog to bed. Allow them to potty after eating to ensure their comfort. Your dog also needs to eat at other times of the day for their health and growth. How much you should feed a German Shepherd puppy really depends on a number of factors. Your GSD pup should eat enough to maintain their growth and energy, while not carrying any extra fat. Every dog is different. Keep in mind the number of calories in the kibble, which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Each puppy food company has a different amount of calories and size of the kibble. Here are a few things that might affect how much your German Shepherd puppy should eat. The more active a German Shepherd puppy is, the more calories he needs to eat to replace lost energy. For example, puppies need nearly twice the amount of calories as compared to adults. And older or senior German Shepherds who are less active need less food. Health Maintaining a healthy weight is essential to feeding your German Shepherd. Simply put, you can prevent some medical conditions and health problems by monitoring their waistlines. Instead follow the healthy way to bulk up a German Shepherd. To see if your German Shepherd is at the right weight you can find the average weight depending on their age. Shares German Shepherds are graceful, obedient, and loyal dogs with specific nutritional needs. Following a German Shepherd puppy feeding chart will enable you to track the amount of food your puppy is eating as they grow. There are varieties of foods available in the market and most of them come with guidelines at the back of the packaging showing you how much to feed a German Shepherd puppy. This article will cover different types of diets available and the specific nutritional needs of your German shepherd. It will also help you know what to do to ensure that your GSD gets nutritious and balanced food for every stage of their life. German Shepherd Puppy Feeding Chart There are three aspects of this German Shepherd puppy feeding chart, namely the German shepherd feeding amount, feeding frequency, and mealtime lengths. It is important to find out the appropriate feeding amount, frequency, and length for your German shepherd without leaving out one of them. That way, you can accurately find out the best way to feed your dog. Overall, there are four ranges that you need to keep in mind. An active dog may require a bit more than the numbers in this list, and an inactive dog will need a slightly less amount. But this guide can act as a solid benchmark. A puppy will need to eat more because they are growing very quickly. Talk to your vet about how much exactly so you keep them healthy and happy. Make sure your German Shepherd has access to fresh, clean water all day. When you take your dog for a walk make sure to bring along some extra water in a collapsible bowl. If they get tired on the way or it gets very hot, this can save their life. So for example, if your dog is 60lbs they should eat between lbs of food in one day. If you notice your dog is losing weight, add more calories to its meal size. However, there are other considerations on how much to feed a German shepherd puppy per day. You might want to consider avoiding meals right before bedtime. Let them digest their food first before they go to sleep. Understanding German Shepherd Puppy Nutritional Needs All dogs require nutritious, satisfying, and healthy food and every breed have their special diet. For maximum energy and health, there are factors to consider when deciding what to feed your German Shepherd: Size considerations- the AKC breed standard says that a German Shepherd can go to 26 inches tall at the shoulder. Females can be around 49 to 71 pounds while Males can be around 66 to 88 pounds. This means that they have a big appetite hence it is good to find quality food for them. They grow pretty fast hence they need specific nutrients for specific stages. Activity level- German shepherds are muscular, active, and agile which contributes to higher caloric needs to be complemented by feeding them a high-quality diet. Health consideration- GSDs are prone to many diseases hence a healthy diet will prevent problems. For example, arthritis that is caused by hip and elbow dysplasia can be mitigated through an excellent diet. Ensure that your GSD diet contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. How long does it take for your dog to be full? Is your dog still hungry after eating his portion? German shepherds normally take anywhere from 10 minutes to 15 minutes to finish the meal, given that you followed the proper feeding guidelines properly. If your dog shows signs of slow eating, we recommend sending them to your vet. If you think your dog is already full before finishing his portion, there is no problem. However, if your dog is still hungry after finishing the meal, consider sending him to your vet. This is because this can be a sign of a serious health issue involving their digestive system. They encourage the puppy to chew hence preventing periodontal diseases or tartar. Kibble is less expensive to buy and can stay fresh for longer. See also German Shepherd Gestation Period And Pregnancy Wet food is also essential for puppies because they allow puppies to feel fuller with less food. If your GSD need to shed a few pounds, wet food is a good way to reduce their caloric intake. Wet food is easier to digest, hence they are good for German shepherds with sensitive stomachs. Wet food is appetizing and keeps the puppy hydrated. You need to understand why your puppy cannot eat because it will help you determine the way to deal with the issue. There is no need to worry if the puppy lost appetite shortly and goes back to normal eating without any sign of illness. If the puppy loses appetite and takes a few days without improvement, take your puppy to the vet to find the problem because your dog might be sick. If the vet finds that the puppy is sick, they may suggest a special diet that will boost their immunity and give them extra nutrients to better their recovery. The puppy may have stopped eating because of behavioral issues; therefore, you may need to feed them same time to get a routine. Treats and human food that is given to the puppy may need to be reduced and also you can try different kinds of food. The German shepherd is a medium dog breed according to the AKC. Therefore, free-feeding is not a good idea. For the German shepherds, feeding schedules work better. If the puppies are free-fed the puppy may eat the leftover at any time even when they are not hungry. Sticking to a feeding routine help the puppy to stay healthy and prevent obesity. When you have a schedule, managing their weight and house training will improve. The puppy usually relieves themselves around 15 minutes after eating or drinking, therefore, when they feed at the same time every day and are taken outside after a while, accidents will be minimized. A raw diet is good for German shepherds. A raw diet help improves vitality and energy. The puppy gets healthy white teeth with an increased lifespan and reduced shedding as well as a stronger immune system. Raw meat is a great source of protein and an optimal diet. It is like keto to humans because it allows the puppy to reach their total capacity and good health. Dogs are naturally carnivorous, hence raw diet aligns with their natural needs. However, you should speak to your vet before putting your puppy on a raw food diet. The majority of commercially available kibble food is balanced and complete, and of high quality for your German shepherd puppy. Human supplements often contain harmful substances to animals and are unregulated or minimally effective. Therefore, never give human supplements to your German shepherd puppy. But they can eat small amounts of cooked chicken or turkey, plain cooked sweet potatoes or carrots, plain yogurt, and small amounts of fruits like apples or bananas without getting sick. Talk to a vet for advice on how to feed your German Shepherd puppy a healthy and balanced diet. These include chocolate, fatty foods, coffee, alcohol, chives, avocado, onions, nuts, grapes and raisins, garlic, raw or undercooked meat, and bones. These foods can cause a wide range of health problems, from stomachaches to more serious problems like pancreatitis or kidney failure. Some foods that people eat may have a lot of sodium or sugar, which can also be bad for dogs. How much food to give an older German Shepherd will depend on their needs and how much they move around. But as dogs get older, they tend to slow down and may need less food to stay at a healthy weight. As a general rule, an older German Shepherd needs about 2 to 3 cups of food per day, which should be divided between two meals. A German Shepherd that is getting older should eat high-quality senior dog food that is made for their age and size. Senior dogs might also benefit from getting smaller meals more often. If your German Shepherd puppy seems to always be hungry, you should look at what they eat and how often they eat. Make sure they eat enough for their age, weight, and level of activity. Puppies grow quickly and need more calories than adult dogs, so it is possible that they are not getting enough food. Also, make sure you feed them high-quality puppy food that is right for their age and size. If you are worried about how hungry they are or how much they weigh, you should talk to a vet to rule out any health problems and make a plan for feeding them. The amount of dry food you should feed your German Shepherd will depend on several factors, including their age, weight, and activity level. Puppies: Feed times the recommended amount on the food label. Adult dogs: Feed times the recommended amount on the food label. Active dogs: Feed times the recommended amount on the food label. Senior dogs: Feed times the recommended amount on the food label. If the dog is obviously overweight or underweight, adjust accordingly. If you can feel most of the ribs without squeezing your fingers in between them — try 1 cup per day. This is a decent starting point for a growing large breed puppy that needs the extra calories to grow big and strong. If you can feel most of the ribs AND see its waist — try 3 cups per day. This is perfect for an adult German Shepherd which needs extra calories due to being very active. With this amount, it will be able to maintain its weight, but not gain any extra fat. If you can feel all the ribs and see their waist — try 3. This is a good amount for a very active German Shepherd which needs extra calories to maintain a healthy weight. This should be sufficient for an adult German Shepherd which is quite active. If you can feel all the ribs and see their waist — try 5 cups per day. This is a good amount for an extremely active German Shepherd which needs extra calories to maintain lean muscle mass. For example, when my dog was a puppy, he would feel all ribs and see his waist when eating 2 cups of food per day. However, as he got older and larger, I had to increase the amount — even though I could still feel most of the ribs! He maintained around .Although there are lots of opinions on how much food your shepherds needs, these guidelines work for me and my German Shepherds. Everyone is different though, so you will have to adjust accordingly if necessary — this guide should help you until you find the ideal amount. If your dog is a very active one it may need more food depending on its activity level. Always be sure to give plenty of water since dry kibble can dehydrate the animal over time. However, this amount will vary depending on the size, age, and activity level of your dog. Puppies and young dogs, for example, generally need more water than adult German Shepherds. And working dogs or those who exercise frequently may require even more. This is because they can easily hydrate themselves if given free access to water. However, you still need to remember some things. For example, take note that your dog will need to drink 6 ounces of water per day for every 3. Depending on the temperature and activeness, this amount can increase. Lastly, make sure you take extra care in providing water access to your German shepherd. The most preferable way is to fill a bowl with a moderate amount of water, not too much. The feeding amount, frequency, length, and water requirements can always be changed. If you have no time to visit your vet, the following topic may help you. How Much Should A 1-year-old German Shepherd Eat A 1-year-old German Shepherd should eat about two and a half to three cups of food each day, broken up into two or three meals. Pointers for Feeding German Shepherds Improper feeding practices can lead to serious health problems for German shepherds. An owner is responsible for taking into consideration the age and weight of a German shepherd before feeding them. When feeding a german shepherd puppy that is four to six months old, you must give them two meals a day that comprises around eight ounces and five ounces. When feeding a German shepherd puppy that is between seven and twelve months old, the meal amounts should be increased to ten ounces for each meal. This amount should be split into three smaller meals. This is regardless of whether they are active or not. Yep, German shepherds can gain weight regardless of whether they exercise or not. If you think your dog is gaining too much weight, you can split their daily calories into four or five smaller meals. Some people prefer using dry dog food, while others would choose canned dog food. Whatever you choose for your German shepherd is usually okay, but canned food tends to contain more moisture than dry food which may lead to bladder stones in certain dogs. However, when it comes to the amount of dog food you feed your German shepherd, canned food leads to more obesity than dry food. If your German shepherds are over five years old, you must give them an extra meal. This additional meal should comprise around four ounces of food so they can easily digest it during their older age. When feeding a German shepherd puppy, you must know how to correctly measure their food amount. Be accurate when following the proper measurements; otherwise, it could lead to your dog gaining too much weight. Use measuring cups that are specifically made for dry food. If you use any other type of measuring device, it might lead to your dog eating too much or too little food. You must not feed your German shepherd until they are full, but allow them to eat until they are slightly satiated. Do not serve unlimited food; give them about two to three cups of food per day. If you are unsure whether or not your German shepherd is obese, check its waistline. If they have a thick waist and their stomach looks like a sphere, then that is a clear sign that your German shepherd is obese. Never let them finish their meal if they are still hungry; otherwise, you will encourage them to gorge on their food. Your German shepherd must always have access to fresh clean water, so you should ensure they can drink it whenever necessary. Feeding Guidelines by Age Before proceeding with the following points, remember that age is not the only determining factor in a German shepherd feeding chart. Make sure to consider all the content in this blog post as well. It is recommended that you slowly let them adapt first. This can be their regular food from now on. This includes fruits, bones, and more. You should also avoid giving them your leftovers. However, they will need time to adapt. You should also consider feeding your German shepherd foods that can be gnawed and chewed. This is so they can develop their jaws, teeth, and gums. This will result in less feeding amount and frequency. Feeding Guidelines by Weight German shepherds can be of different weight ranges. An average weighted German shepherd 35 kilograms will then need calories per day. This only applies to German shepherds that do not exercise or are inactive. Active German Shepherds: In the case of active German shepherds that exercise regularly, every 1 kilogram equals 55 calories per day. So an average weighted German shepherd will require calories per day to be able to function properly. Take note, however, that this calculation may be affected if the German shepherd has a health disorder concerned with metabolism or digestion. German Shepherd Puppies vs. Adults Guidelines Our last topic involves the difference between a puppy and an adult. The following are some of the facts that recent studies have proven: Puppies have higher energy levels than adults. This means they need to eat more than adult German shepherds. German shepherds will need higher protein and fat content at an early age. The amount of fat and protein will decrease as they grow older. Puppies cannot tolerate too many nutrients. Ingesting extra minerals and vitamins may lead to serious health disorders. Meanwhile, adults are only risking being overweight when taking in more than intended. German Shepherds usually have a good appetite and can eat a lot, especially when they are young and growing. But their food intake should be balanced and right for their age, weight, and level of activity to keep them from getting too much food and getting fat. As they age, they should usually eat less quickly. Most of the time, bones that have been cooked and ground up completely may be safe to eat. Instead, give them dog-made chew toys or treats. Can German Shepherds Be Vegetarians? Since German Shepherds consume meat, it follows that they must consume a significant amount of animal protein in order to get all of the necessary nutrients. Although while it is feasible to offer a dog a vegetarian or vegan diet, owners of German Shepherds should avoid doing so since it increases the likelihood that their dogs will not get all of the nutrients that they need. After talking about the feeding amount, frequency, and lengths of a German shepherd, you can now easily plan how much, how many times, and how long you feed your dog. You even learned how to hydrate your German shepherd the proper way. Lastly, we talked about the difference between a puppy and an adult in terms of feeding. Peter My name is Peter and I am a dog lover. I have two German Shepherd dogs, one of which is called Biscuit because his coat is very light with brown patches. My wife and I moved from the UK to Ohio where we now live with our two daughters. We love squash on weekends and following the English Premier League closely! Previous Article. However, it is still advised to ask for a senior-specific diet from your vet or pet nutritionist just to be safe. If you choose to give your German Shepherd dog homemade foods in all of its life stages, you may need to self-calculate and monitor its daily calorie consumption. Feeding German Shepherds has numerous factors to consider. How much you are providing them is crucial, but knowing how often you need to feed them is essential, too. Initially, feeding German Shepherd puppies begins with four puppy food meals daily. Then gradually, it should be transitioned into three equally proportioned meals a day at two months old. This gradual change should go on until they are 12 months old. After that, they should eat twice a day naturally during adulthood. Young puppies have a faster metabolism compared to adult dogs. In general, the last meal of your puppy for the day should be hours before its bedtime, so they have enough time to digest the food before they go to sleep. As for transitioning puppies to adult German Shepherds, the three meals should be given in the morning, noon, and nighttime, so they may be provided with a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This is crucial for their growth, especially if they are active and working dogs. Having a feeding schedule can also help monitor their food intake to avoid weight-related issues. The optimal feeding time for adult and senior German Shepherds would be during the morning and night for their two meals daily. Lastly, as owners, we must seldom give treats to our German Shepherds, preferably only during training. Too much of anything may be bad for your dog. Moreover, it should provide the sufficient nutrients needed for growth and development. There are many commercial dog foods in the market, but you can also offer your GSD puppy homemade dog food or a raw diet. Consulting a vet is strongly advised to give your German Shepherd the best diet suited for its lifestyle. To help you in this dilemma, the list below has dog food options you may want to consider offering to your GSD puppy: Dry Food: Dry food or kibble is a commercial food widely available in pet stores and dog food manufacturers. A number of dry foods are formulated to provide a balanced diet for dogs, but checking their nutritional guidelines and value is crucial since a German Shepherd puppy may need high carb foods. It can be mixed with their dry kibble to add water or moisture to their diet. These kinds of commercial foods are expensive and can spoil quickly, and they may not be enough if fed alone to your puppy. BARF Diet: Biologically Appropriate Raw Food is a type of diet that consists of raw meat, raw eggs, crushed animal bones, fruits, vegetables, probiotics, and other natural ingredients. Raw feeding is given as a substitute for processed foods with preservatives. We know a German Shepherd is a large breed dog. However, males tend to grow bigger and heavier than females, needing more food consumption. A German Shepherd puppy may need to eat at frequent schedules with smaller meals, while adult ones may not need to be fed much often but will need more significant meal portions each time. They tend to eat whatever falls from the dinner table or even whatever food they set their sights on. As we talk about food diets, we must not forget those foods you must avoid feeding your German Shepherd puppy. Generally, they may not be too sensitive to dog foods or ingredients, but other foods may be fatal to them. Coffee is one of the most toxic foods to dogs. They contain caffeine , which causes cardiac arrhythmias, high blood pressure, vomiting, tremors, and seizures. Another toxic food German Shepherd owners should not feed their dog is chocolate. As yummy as this is, chocolates contain theobromine. All dog breeds cannot metabolize this substance. Gums, peanut butter, and candies that contain xylitol are also toxic to dogs. It causes disorientation, hypoglycemia, seizures, and collapse. This is much more threatening than coffee and chocolate, so you need to be extra careful with this. Aside from those mentioned above, there are many other toxic foods you should avoid feeding German Shepherds. They may not be fatal, but they can cause discomfort and progress to severe diseases. If you doubt certain foods or ingredients, you may consult a pet nutritionist or veterinarian just to be sure. Many large breed dogs visit vet clinics due to unmonitored food intake. It only fits a week-old German Shepherd. You may need to mix dry and wet foods at a certain age for your pup, or maybe you want to incorporate raw foods in their adult diet just like many dog owners do. You just have to make sure you know how to do it correctly, and you provide the most nutritious dry dog food or wet food. You should give enough time for your dog to adjust to a new food gradually. Like other shepherd breeds, you should allow a 7-day transition period from feeding German Shepherds their old food to their new diet. If there is discomfort, vomiting, or diarrhea, you may opt to slow down the process even more or consult your vet directly. Feeding an Overweight German Shepherd If you free-feed a German Shepherd, it may likely cause excessive weight gain or obesity. Furthermore, it can easily cause heavy or labored breathing during sleep and irregular movements, such as climbing stairs. Aside from dog food or canned food, a few more factors that can cause an overweight dog breed are table scraps, treats, and not enough exercise. There are a lot of alternatives for treats bought from pet stores, such as fruits and vegetables. These are easier to digest, lighter, and healthier. Eliminate table scraps and leftovers in their diet as they are unnecessary to these large breed puppies. Following a specific schedule with specific amounts of puppy food can significantly help lose weight. Implementing control in their daily meals can help reduce unnecessary food consumption. It is essential to understand that having an overweight dog is more likely caused by the lifestyle owners expose their dogs to. Also, inform family members about the diet plan, so your German Shepherd will not be too spoiled with food. There are a lot of factors why your GSD is not eating. It could be triggered by illness, dental problems , and environmental stress. But it can also be because of adverse reactions to medicines, sudden changes in food, increased body temperature, or your dog just being a picky eater. Do German Shepherds Eat a Lot? As a large breed dog, you can expect a German Shepherd to have a huge appetite. They are always eager to eat, may it be dry food, raw, or canned food. However, it is crucial to know when or how much to feed a German Shepherd to avoid weight problems and severe diseases. Can German Shepherds Eat Bones? German Shepherds can eat bones as it is a great source of minerals. However, there are cons to consider, too. According to AKC, if you want to consider giving them bones, there are certain rules you have to follow, such as giving them raw meat bones and throwing them out after three to four days. Can German Shepherds Be Vegetarians? Generally, German Shepherds can thrive and survive on a vegetarian diet, provided that they are supplied with enough nutrients, proteins, fats, and calories on a daily basis. Since German Shepherds are energetic dogs with huge appetites, we must put extra effort into planning out their diet. Options such as dry, wet, raw, and homemade diets are all great for them. Free feeding them or giving too many treats can lead to severe health problems. It is also essential to know what foods are healthy and should be avoided, as some foods are toxic. However, aside from research, we need to consult their vet to ensure that we provide them with essential nutrients for growth, good health, and development in all stages of their life, especially for giant German Shepherds , If you have other tips in feeding a German Shepherd, make sure to share them in the comments below. My passion for animals started at a very young age as I grow up on a farm with several horses, cows, cats, chickens, and dogs on our property. Leave a Comment. E-mail Share by e-mail German Shepherds make great family dogs — they are loyal, intelligent, and have lots of energy! A good diet is key to giving your pet a long and healthy life, and the wrong diet can lead to a number of health problems. German Shepherds are big dogs with active lifestyles, so making sure they get the right nutrition at different stages throughout their lives is essential. Feeding your German Shepherd Puppy Puppies are growing rapidly and have very specific nutritional requirements. Puppy food tends to be high in calories and protein as they are bundles of energy at this age! Feeding your German Shepherd puppy a good quality balanced diet is essential to ensure that they grow up to be healthy adults. There are some foods designed specifically for large breeds such as German Shepherds, which provide extra support for their growing joints. You should look out for these foods in the pet store and ideally choose one of these large breed diets. You can find further general puppy feeding guidelines and advice via the AKC as well as specific German Shepherd facts and info. How often should I feed my German Shepherd puppy? Puppies need to be fed more frequently than adult dogs to support their rapidly growing bodies. German Shepherd puppies should be fed 4 meals a day until they are 3 months old, then reduce to 3 meals a day until they are 10 months old when their growth rate starts to slow down. Once they reach this age, they need 2 meals a day. When should I start feeding adult food? Puppies must stay on puppy food until they reach adult size. German Shepherds are large dogs and tend to reach adult size later than smaller dogs. They are usually fully matured at months. German Shepherds should stay on puppy food until they are months old, then they should move on to an adult diet. Feeding your adult German Shepherd An adult German Shepherd will weigh around lbs and need at least an hour of exercise every day, so their diet needs to reflect this. It might seem like your dog is eating a lot, but they need to replace the energy they burn off and eat enough of the right nutrients to sustain them! How often should I feed my German Shepherd? Adult dogs should be fed two meals a day. When should I switch from adult to senior food? As dogs get older their nutritional requirements change again. They are less active, and German Shepherds are more prone to joint problems such as osteoarthritis. You should consider switching to a senior diet at around 8 years of age. What type of food should German Shepherds eat? Whichever diet you pick, you should ensure it is suitable for large dogs or working breeds and that it has plenty of protein and calcium, and also includes some type of doggy superfoods, too. Commercially prepared foods are the best way to ensure your dog gets a balanced diet with all the nutrients they need to stay healthy, and they come in wet or dried forms. Some dogs prefer one or the other, whilst some enjoy a variety and mix of both. Dry Food Dried food is cheap, easy to feed and store, and has lots of benefits for your dogs. Dogs fed a dried food diet will drink more water, and you can soak the kibble to add a bit extra if you like. Wet Food Wet foods contain more water than dried, and often resemble meat which some dogs love. The food is usually in chunks with jelly or gravy, and some dogs prefer it to dried. Final Thoughts German Shepherds are large and active dogs with demanding nutritional requirements throughout their lives. They go through a rapid growth stage as puppies, and as adults need the right balance of nutrients to replenish the energy they burn off exercising. They need to eat a diet that has the right balance of protein, calcium, and other essential nutrients, and ensure they get the right number of meals a day to maintain good physical and mental health. Puppies should eat meals a day until they are around 10 months old then they should eat 2 meals a day as adults. Do German shepherds require a lot of food? German Shepherds are large dogs so naturally, eat larger portions than smaller breeds. They are active dogs and need lots of protein and energy to keep them healthy. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Split that daily amount up between all meals. For example, if your 3-month-old GSD puppy is a male and weighs 30 pounds, you should feed him approximately 2 cups per day. Since she no longer needs the extra calories to help support her fast growth period, you can safely reduce her feedings to 2 or 3 meals per day. While she should still be eating puppy food at this point, you may consider purchasing a bag of her eventual adult formula. You can use individual kibbles from the adult formula for treats or training rewards. This will help her get used to the new flavor and texture. Around 9 months of age, you can begin slowly adding a small amount of the adult formula into her puppy food, though she should still be eating primarily puppy chow. Only your vet will be able to tell you when your dog has reached maturity and can be safely moved to adult food. So, make sure you are in close contact with your vet to be sure that your feeding plan is individualized for your specific dog. Adult dog food will have a different ratio of calcium, protein, phosphorus, and other nutrients than puppy food does. Feeding an adult dog a puppy formula can cause obesity as well as put too much strain on kidneys and other vital organs. Long term use of inappropriate food for an adult dog can have catastrophic consequences. That said, there is no need to panic if your adult GSD eats a bowl of puppy food now and then. Adult German Shepherds should be fed twice a day. Again, bloat is a real problem for large breed dogs, and large meals seem to be a big cause of this. I feed my adult dogs this particular blend for a number of reasons. The blend is designed specifically with German Shepherds in mind, as it uses high-quality, animal-based nutrients to counter the extra stress put on the joints of GSDs and to help the development strong lean muscle to keep your dog in peak physical condition. You really can see the difference. This is evident by the fast decline in health, joint flexibility, and energy in older large breed dogs compared to same-age smaller breeds. When your GSD moves from the adult life stage to senior, you need to adjust her diet. Large breeds reach the older stage not quite senior, but close around half of their assumed life expectancy. Inevitably, your GSD will need to switch over to a senior diet. Older large breed dogs have lower energy needs. Older dogs also tend to slow down their digestion, so an increase in fiber might be a good choice for your senior GSD. Do be sure to confirm this with your vet, however. Not all foods are created equal. For treats, senior dogs should avoid calorie-dense milk bones and high-salt or fatty treats. Opt for healthy, whole-food treats such as apple slices or carrots. Some senior dogs begin to develop health conditions that will require special care. This is often a result of poor nutrition early in life, but can sometimes simply be genetics and old age catching up with them. But for GSDs with health issues such as kidney disease and joint pain, diet can play an even bigger role in the quality of their lives. Getting a personalized recommendation from your veterinarian is worth the time, expense, and effort. These charts can seem pretty straightforward at first glance. Instead, use them as a starting point. Observe your dog, see how he looks and feels, and note any changes in his bathroom habits, weight, or energy level. Adjust his meals accordingly. Generally speaking, they talk about daily intake, not per meal. It means to split that 3 cups total over the entire day. If your dog eats 3 times per day, that would be 1 cup at each meal for a total daily intake of 3 cups. To further confuse dog parents, some manufacturers do list per-meal serving sizes, not the total daily intake! In these cases, if you read it incorrectly, you would end up underfeeding your dog. To help mitigate some of this confusion, it may be helpful to ask your vet how many calories your dog should be consuming each day. Then you can check the calorie content in the dog food and measure things from there. Raw Diets, Cooking for Dogs, and Other Alternative Feeding This article has been focusing mainly on commercially available dry kibble since that is what most pet parents ultimately choose for their dogs. However, there are many dog owners that choose to feed alternative diets. These include raw diets and cooking regular people food for dogs. There are many viable options for feeding your healthy German Shepherd, but there are just as many harmful fads, too. As with commercial foods, be sure to speak with your vet before starting your dog on a raw diet or home-cooking her meals. Human supplements are often unregulated, minimally effective, and often contain substances harmful to animals. Never use a human supplement for your German Shepherd. Final Thoughts What you feed your German Shepherd is just as important as how much you feed them. Pay special attention to the first 4 or 5 ingredients listed on the back of the packaging. Choose high-quality, safety-tested foods with clear ingredient and nutrition labels. The two most obvious goals of feeding your German Shepherd are for health and growth. How fast do German Shepherds grow? German Shepherds are medium-large dogs and therefore grow at a fast rate over the first six to seven months leading up to adolescence. Adult German Shepherds are 22 to 26 inches tall and weigh 50 to 95 pounds. Reputable weight charts suggest your German Shepherd puppy will have attained three-quarters of their final weight over these first six to seven months. This is A LOT of growing to do in a short amount of time — when you brought your puppy home, it was probably only eight inches tall and weighed around 15 pounds. By 12 to 15 months old, a German Shepherd is within an inch or less of their adult height. Therefore, your male German Shepherd will be 23 to 25 inches tall and weigh 59 to 93 pounds by his first birthday. How does diet affect the health of growing Shepherds? Recently it has come to light that a proper diet for puppies does more than prevent malnutrition. As part of this proper diet, there are many things that should never be fed to German Shepherds. Orthopedic Problems Many orthopedic problems such as hip and elbow dysplasia have a strong hereditary component. However, people often discount the role of diet in bone developmental issues. Merely creating an oversized puppy, as is often the case for show animals and people fixated on large dogs, can lead to several painful disorders: Hip dysplasia Elbow dysplasia Panosteitis — Generalized inflammation of the long bones in puppies; common in German Shepherds. Overnutrition and over-supplementation of certain vitamins and minerals lead to paradoxical malnutrition of the bone, and subsequently improper development. Nutritional experts have modified their recommendations regarding the diets of large-breed dogs. Many nutritionists and veterinarians advocate feeding German Shepherds and other large-breed puppies an adult or professionally-formulated homemade diet to limit the occurrence and severity of developmental problems. Pet food manufacturers have caught onto the concept of overnutrition in puppies, and most carry special diets for large-breed puppies. Also, do not supplement your puppy with vitamins, minerals, or proteins without veterinarian direction — their excessive use will disrupt bone and cartilage growth and harm the growth plates. Many people use the food bag as a starting point to decide how much to feed their dogs. However, a label on commercial food is one of the easiest ways to overfeed your growing puppy. Feeding your puppy involves regularly evaluating and tracking their weight. You should be able to assess how close your pup is to their ideal weight just by looking at them. Silhouette from the side — a slight tuck. Pat the ribcage where the abdomen slightly lifts towards the hips. From above — Clear waist; should see an hourglass shape from rib cage to hips When you palpate — You should feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat without having to prod very hard. Puppies will vary in their body scores and may change rapidly within a few days. Pups often lose their abdominal tuck right after a meal. Puppies under 16 weeks old commonly have a pot-bellied appearance without much abdominal tuck. Thin dogs will show more visibility of ribs, waist, and pelvis without appearing emaciated or unhealthy. If your puppy eats well but fails to grow or gain sufficient weight, consult a medical professional. German Shepherds can be susceptible to rare cases of pituitary gland dwarfism or a deficiency of enzyme production from the pancreas. Volume The easiest way to determine how much food to give your Shepherd pup is to figure out how many cups they need in a day and divide it by the number of feedings. German Shepherds eat about four cups of food daily from 16 weeks of age to nine months or a year regardless of weight. The volume accounts for the relatively high caloric requirements of the young growing animal. German Shepherds over a year old may need as much as five to eight cups of dog food. Other references, however, use weight rather than age. Pups eat one cup of food daily per 15 to 20 pounds. Dogs over pounds receive five cups of kibble plus an additional half a cup for every extra 20 pounds. Like all models, more active dogs need to eat more food — make adjustments up or down based on body scoring. You can estimate the volume to feed your German Shepherd pup once you find the conversion rate. Dry dog food bags and wet food cans usually have the kilocalorie equivalence of each cup of the product. The number of calories you feed your Shepherd depends on how close to the adult weight they are. Once your puppy reaches six weeks old, you may still have to feed it a mash but can decrease meals to four per day. German Shepherd puppies between the ages of 12 and 16 weeks can eat three to four times daily, while most dogs over four months of age decrease to a frequency of two to three times daily. Centering a few potty breaks around meals that stimulate their intestinal tracts helps develop consistent habits. GDV Your German Shepherd puppy will begin to develop a deeper chest combined with significant size by four to six months of age. Both physical characteristics put your puppy at additional risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus compared to smaller breeds. Four months is the age at which most pups will see a significant increase in their meal sizes. Studies have linked large meals with GDV , or bloat, life-threatening distension, and rotation of the stomach. Increasing the number of feedings greatly reduces the incidence of GDV. We recommend at least two meals a day for your dog, even as your Shepherd approaches adulthood. How much to feed a German Shepherd puppy is part of a broader equation that includes avoiding overfeeding, calculating portion sizes, and scheduling appropriate mealtimes. However, a fat or pudgy puppy is not a look anyone should encourage. The puppy may appear to be in good shape, but you need to feel the ribs to be certain. Four Months You can really start to see the amount the pup has grown compared to the eight-week-old puppy! To get a better idea of what to expect with a young GSD, feel free to watch this video! It illustrates the rapid growth rate of the German Shepherd and touches on diets as well. Recommended reading. The best food for German Shepherd puppies in their first two to four months of life is milk from their mother. This specialised care is usually left to German Shepherd breeders or veterinarians, who are knowledgeable in caring for pups with no mother to nurse from. If you have recently brought a German Shepherd puppy into your family, they are most likely older than 8 weeks, and so have started to eat solid foods. Before the four month mark, it is advised to include some dry food in their diet. You can do this in a few simple steps: Mix some dry food with specially formulated puppy milk to form a soft mixture. You can feed your puppy this mixture three to four times a day. Over time, reduce the amount of milk you include in this mixture, until they are at the point where they are happily eating dry foods. Read on to learn how much you should feed your German Shepherd puppy as they get older. With this rapid growth can come some risks. German Shepherds are susceptible to bone growth disorders, like hip dysplasia, that can start in puppyhood. They will be very active in their adolescent years, and so should be fed with this in mind. The transition from puppy food to adult food should happen between 12 and 24 months of age. This is because, being a larger breed who grows very quickly, you want to ensure that you are feeding them according to their large breed needs. Remember that the more active the pup, the more food they require. While following feeding guidelines is important to avoid over and underfeeding, you can adjust the amounts of food you provide to your dog based on level of activity. If you are unsure, it is always best to ask your vet for guidance. You need to take special care when considering what you should feed your German Shepherd puppy, as they require different nutrients compared to their adult counterparts. For puppies, this amount will often be two of three times higher, as they are more active and growing quickly. German Shepherd puppies need to eat food that is high in proteins and fats. Carbohydrates are also essential for supporting your active pup. Aside from nutritionally complete dry puppy food, German Shepherd puppies can benefit from the extra protein that raw meat can provide them with, such as lean beef, turkey, chicken, or fish. However, they can also be at risk of gastric dilatation or volvulus, or GDV. Certain dog breeds can be more susceptible to GDV; particularly deep chested breeds including German Shepherds. GDV can occur when a dog bloats a few hours after eating a meal. Though the exact causes of GDV are not known, grains and cereals are suspected to be contributors. The amount of food you give your German Shepherd is determined by their weight, energy levels, and age. For most adult German Shepherds, between 1, to 2, calories per day from high quality food sources is ideal. Female German Shepherds, which tend to be about 8 kilos lighter than males, may need less food, as will less active dogs. Dogs who need less food, whether they are less active or simply older, will usually still need around 1, and 1, per day. You may want to alter the amount of food you are feeding your German Shepherd based on how calorically dense their food is. German Shepherds should be fed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Their daily allotment of food should be split evenly between these two meals. For most dogs, it is recommended that you exercise your dog before meal times to assist with potty training. However, some dogs who are at risk of GDV may benefit from exercise after eating, to aid with digestion. You should also try to give your German Shepherd a high quality food that is specially designed for larger or working breeds, especially if they are very active. For example, less active senior dogs will need to eat less food as they will not be burning calories as quickly as a lively little puppy will. Senior dogs may benefit from a higher fibre and lower calorie diet. Your dog may also develop chronic or short term medical conditions that require specially formulated food. German Shepherds can be particularly susceptible to skin disease or allergies, including canine atopic dermatitis, bacterial skin infections, flea allergy dermatitis, forms of contact dermatitis, or scabies. If your dog develops a skin issue, it is often a sign that they may be suffering from a form of food sensitivity. If you are unsure about what you should feed your German Shepherd, you should always consult your vet as they will be able to determine if your dog is suffering from any allergies or chronic health issues: creating a nutritional plan to help keep your dog healthy and happy for years to come. Part of figuring out what you should feed your German Shepherd includes deciding between wet, dry, or a raw food diet. Wet food for German Shepherds is often high in protein and fat, and is better at keeping your dog hydrated than other food sources. A raw diet can be a good option for your German Shepherd as you have more control over the kinds of food and amount of nutrients your pup is consuming. For this reason, raw diets require a lot more work on your part as an owner. Whatever you decide to feed your German Shepherd, all dogs need a similar ratio of nutrients in their diets. The amount of food you feed your dog should be determined by their activity levels, age, weight, breed, and size. Any meals prepared for your dog need to contain the right balance of nutrients. You should also be extra careful not to introduce your dog to foods that are harmful to their health. While we might enjoy the taste of nuts, artificial sweeteners, alcohol and onions, these can be toxic for dogs and can cause serious illness and even death. German Shepherds in particular need plenty of exercise as they are a large working breed with a lot of energy. No matter how old your German Shepherd is, it is important to keep to a consistent feeding schedule. A feeding schedule can help you keep track of any changes in behaviour around food that might signal illness or physiological stress.

Based in the Los Angeles, California metro area, Sheri has over 20 years of dog training experience and also runs a general dog training practice specializing in rehabilitating dogs through positive reinforcement training techniques. This article has been viewed 73, times. You're looking to add a gorgeous, sweet, and super friendly golden retriever to your family. How exciting! You want to make sure your dog is as healthy, good natured, and happy as possible, but how can you know for sure? Choosing a trusted breeder or hobby breeder meaning, someone passionate about goldens who breeds the dog as a hobby is the way to go. Below, we'll walk you through your decision and offer some helpful tips for determining whether or not a breeder is the right pick. Read on to discover how you can buy a golden retriever puppy. Steps Section 1 of 5: Why should I get my puppy from a trusted breeder? All rights reserved. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. This means that if your puppy inherits an illness, the breeder will offer a refund. Your breeder will know their litters well. They'll advise you on your choice, depending on your needs and behavioral preferences. If something were to go wrong and you could no longer keep your puppy, it would likely have a safe home with its breeder. All in all, trustworthy breeders will have taken every necessary step to ensure each puppy is happy and healthy. Advertisement Section 2 of 5: Why should I avoid puppy mills, pet shops, and online posts? Puppy mills, pet shops, and online puppy sales often posted by puppy mills are motivated by money, not a genuine passion for breeding. Because of this, you can expect that each of these sources have cut corners. They won't have followed proper procedure that ensures your golden will be healthy, well-behaved, and standard in appearance. In addition to this, puppies from these sources are typically subjected to terrible, inhumane conditions at some point in the breeding process. Section 3 of 5: How can I find a trusted breeder? When hunting for a breeder on your own, it can be difficult to differentiate between scammers, irresponsible breeders, and genuine, high-quality breeders. The Golden Retriever Club of America has locations all over the country and is made up of golden retriever enthusiasts motivated by a love of the breed. Choose the club closest to you, get in touch with a GRCA volunteer via the contact information on the their website, and speak to a volunteer about the best, ethical breeders in your area. Advertisement Section 4 of 5: What questions should you ask a breeder? The answer to all three questions should be "yes. This refers to whether or not you will be compensated if the puppy falls ill. Do they belong to a breed club? This way, you can speak to their club as you would a reference. What have they been feeding the litter? It'll be crucial that you keep the puppy on the same diet for a few days after it's brought home. Do they offer support to the new owners of their puppies? It'll be helpful to know how much assistance your breeder offers with training and health concerns as the puppy grows up. Section 5 of 5: How can I avoid bad breeders? When looking out for responsible vs. A bad breeder may have many puppies at once. When done properly, breeding is time consuming. A good breeder will have only a few puppies at a time. Often, the reason this happened is because of irresponsible breeding. To increase your chances of having a happy, healthy, good-natured dog, you want to choose a reputable breeder. But how do you find one? Keep on reading to learn how! If you have two healthy parents as well as healthy grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts and uncles, previous litters from these parents, etc. Temperament is inherited. Everything that was said about health also goes for temperament. Inbreeding is a major problem with golden retrievers where dogs that are too closely related can produce unhealthy puppies. Responsible breeders will know and take steps to prevent this. If anything were to go wrong, you would want a breeder with integrity to help navigate the problems, whether that ends up in a refund, a replacement puppy, etc. For a new and inexperienced puppy buyer, it can be hard to distinguish a good breeder from an irresponsible one. For one, the mom and dad will have received OFA clearances for their hips, elbows, and heart, as well as clearances for their eyes, which is a yearly exam. To help further decide on whether or not a breeder is reputable, the next section covers a big list of questions for you to ask a breeder. What Questions To Ask A Breeder This section is broken down into questions to ask about the breeder themselves, questions to ask about the sire and dam, and questions to ask about the puppies. Questions to ask about the breeder themselves Why did you choose to breed golden retrievers? You want a breeder that truly has a passion for the golden retriever breed. How long have you been breeding golden retrievers? At what age do you start to breed your dogs? Goldens must be two years old to receive final clearances on their hips and elbows, so if a breeder tells you they start to breed their dogs before two years old, watch out. Do you provide registration papers? They should provide AKC registration papers for you. Do you participate in any dog sport or activities? Most good breeders are involved in something other than just breeding. Their dogs participate in sports, shows, or are even therapy dogs. Is there a contract when I buy the puppy? There should be a contract that covers costs, refunds, responsibilities, etc. If they do require the pups to be spayed or neutered , this will be in the contract. What happens in case something goes wrong? This is also a good time to feel them out and see if this has ever happened before. Do you have any references I can talk to? Good breeders will have previous happy customers. Are you a member of the Golden Retriever Club of America or any local golden retriever clubs? Most breeders have a specific reason they were excited to breed two dogs together. How many litters has this mom had? And how old is she? Can you provide proof of the health clearances for these two dogs? Do these dogs have any titles? Can I meet the parents? The parents should be friendly and outgoing to you and any other dogs around. Questions to ask about the puppies How do you socialize the puppies? A good breeder will be able to talk to you about this. Where are the puppies born and raised? Are they raised in the home, or out back in the shed? Will they be examined by a vet before they go home? The answer should be yes. What are the puppies bred for? This may include being bred for companions pets , or show, sport, or hunting. They may ask you: Have you owned a dog before? Do you currently have a dog? What type of lifestyle are you expecting with your new golden? Why do you want a golden retriever? Do you have children? What kind of home do you live in? How much time will you be able to spend with the puppy? Is it because the breeder is inexperienced and just trying to get started? Is it because they come from champion bloodlines? Is the breeder is experienced and takes their time to properly care for the mother, socialize and stimulate the puppies, feed them the best food, and take them to the best veterinarian? Or is it because the breeder is a good salesman and can charge a premium for their puppies? Check out this article to learn more about how much golden retrievers cost. One of the best ways is to go to a local club check out this list of them by location , email or call them, and ask them to refer you to a good breeder. Another way is to ask your friends who have golden retrievers where they got them. This is how we found our golden, Oliver. A friend from church had a golden and we went over to their house and met him. We instantly fell in love and decided we needed to get his brother. You can also find breeders on Google, Facebook, or Instagram. To find a good breeder ask about health clearances, pedigree, temperament, ask to meet the parents and try to get a referral. Have any other questions about choosing a golden retriever breeder? Let me know in the comments below! Related articles:. This could cost you thousands of dollars in medical bills down the road. On the other hand, when you buy the animal from a licensed Golden Retriever breeder, you can pick out your future puppy with confidence. Not only will proof of his pedigree show that your breeder is certified, but it will also verify that your puppy is a true Golden Retriever. The best puppy breeders take pride in providing healthy dogs through careful genetic research. They should be so confident in their work that they offer you a health guarantee , which will tell you what to do if your puppy faces any unforeseen health issues. Since breeders are there from the day the puppies and their parents! And picking the right pet for your family starts with finding a breeder you can trust. No matter how nice they seem or how attractive their website looks, you should always do a little bit of research before choosing a Golden Retriever breeder. Here are important points that all breeders should address: Image Source Does the breeder give back to the breed? Breed preservation should be the primary goal of Golden Retriever breeders. They should participate in keeping the species alive through membership at a Golden Retriever breed dog club, a performance club, or an obedience club. What type of experience does the breeder have? Do they stay true to the pure genetic traits of the breed? Do they provide health screenings and health guarantees? Can you meet the puppies and parents in person? How many litters do the females have each year? Female Golden Retrievers can have up to two litters per year. However, breeders who follow ethical practices will only allow the females to have four to six litters in their lifetime. A female can breed between the ages of two and eight. Once you choose a breeder that seems like a good fit for you and your family, you should write up some questions to ask them. And in return, expect some questions about you, your lifestyle, and your home! One of the first things any breeder you inquire about should provide is a list of former buyers. Reviews posted online are one thing, but being able to talk with customers directly speaks volumes about the legitimacy of the breeder. When you speak with their former customers, ask questions about their buying experience and how their dog is doing years after purchase. Puppies should receive some level of preventative care that is appropriate for their age. Newborn puppies up to eight weeks old should stay with their mothers, but they will also receive their first round of core vaccines during these few weeks. They should have a yearly examination by a licensed veterinarian that will perform vaccines, flea, tick, and heartworm prevention, as well as general health checkups. A reputable, passionate breeder will be more than happy to receive updates and questions about their puppies well into adulthood. With that being said, the breeder should also provide a health guarantee. A health guarantee states that you are not financially liable for any genetic issues in the puppy, as long as the health condition is verified by a certified veterinarian. This is an essential point that you might not think twice about. A good Golden Retriever breeder will ask questions to determine if your household is a good fit for their puppy. Image Source 1 Why do you want a dog? This is a simple yet important question that you should have an answer to. Golden Retriever breeders that dedicate their livelihood to continuing the pure genetic bloodline will want to know what appeals to you about these energetic companions. Additionally, the breeder might ask who will be walking, feeding, and playing with the dog. Golden Retriever puppies require tons of attention, especially during the first two years of their lives. If the breeder asks this, they want to know how your children will be participating in the handling of the puppy. They also want to understand how you plan to introduce the puppy to other pets so they can coexist safely within the same home. No matter how nice a breeder may seem, you want to avoid accidentally contributing to backyard breeders or a puppy mill disguised as a reputable breeder. Doing so can cost you thousands of dollars in medical bills and years of potential heartbreak. Here are some of the most critical and obvious warning signs of an untrustworthy breeder. Less experienced breeders will charge on the lower end, and more experienced breeders usually with generations of pure genetic proof! Additionally, some of the best breeders will only sell trained puppies to ensure their pooches are family- and forever-home ready. Therefore, you should receive standard documentation upon adopting your new Golden Retriever puppies, such as care instructions, registration papers, vaccination records, and necessary contracts. The contract may also state that you agree to surrender the puppy instead of adopting him out to a shelter or the pound. Some warranties will say that the breeder should have the right to reclaim the puppy in an unexpected situation like this. If you do ask for references, and they give you a list of written reviews instead of contact information for former clients, this is a red flag. A refusal for a tour means that the breeder knows potential clients may be turned away by the environment. If you are invited to tour a facility, learn about what a professional kennel should look and smell like first. The bottom line is, you need to do plenty of research. Buying A Golden Retriever From A Respectable, Professional Breeder Purchasing a Golden retriever Puppy from a respected, responsible professional breeder is by far the best option when it comes to getting yourself a good quality, healthy puppy given the best start in life. A responsible professional breeder: Cares greatly about the overall quality and welfare of the breed and selectively breeds for the betterment of the Golden Retriever population as a whole. Screen sire and dam for health issues in trying to breed puppies with the lowest possible chance of inherited disease. Will help you to select the right puppy for you from the many different personalities in their litter. Not all dogs are created equal! Some are more energetic, more headstrong, more confident, others less so. They will match you to the perfect puppy for your hopes and lifestyle. They handle, care for, and socialize puppies in such an expert way that the puppies have had the best possible start in life and the greatest chance of growing up a confident, happy dog of good temperament. They provide some of the best advice and support that can be given about how you should care for your new family member, from the moment you make the decision right through your Goldens entire life. So as you can see, there are many benefits to buying from a professional breeder. But surely there must be some cons you may be thinking? Well it depends how you look at it, but: A professional breeder will ask you many questions to be sure you are a good fit and have the right lifestyle that fits in with owning a Golden Retriever. You could have a long wait. Good breeders are popular and do not breed excessively, so you may have to wait a year or more before a puppy becomes available. But a benefit to this is that it weeds out the impulse buyers which cuts down on puppies that are given up after rushed decisions. Compared to some other options, you will pay quite a high price. I say a high price but what I mean is a fair price really. A fair price for a good quality, healthy puppy. But mostly backyard breeders are the unscrupulous types. You usually will not be able to see the premises on which the puppies are bred, they will not ask any questions of prospective owners and there will be no commitment or offer of help and advice for the future of the puppies they breed. This results in a poorer quality of life for the animals, and expensive vet bills for the owners. One positive of backyard breeders though is the price. Yes, they are considerably cheaper than professional breeders. And the savings you make up front are more than lost for extra vet bills down the road. So the risk is your puppy has a higher chance of inherited disease and behavior problems than the general population. There will be no true guarantee of pedigree. But if your friend has taken steps to get veterinary advice and care for the puppies, has looked after and socialized them well, maybe even knows the father of the puppies and can prove he is of good health and pedigree then this option may not be so bad. However they got into the situation, there are way too many homeless dogs in the world. Lack of space and insufficient funding inevitably means that many dogs each year are euthanized. Maybe you could give a second chance at life to such a dog? But you should also be aware that some rescued dogs will have behavioral issues, though the center staff will inform you of this. They may also have suffered some level of abuse and have psychological issues, phobias or anxieties that may not be evident until a certain situation arises. So there is some due diligence and this greatly increases the success rate of finding happy homes for dogs that suit their new human family. This is obviously a good thing for both the dogs and hopeful owners too! Buying From A Pet Store Or A Puppy Mill A large number of dogs bought from pet stores originate from puppy farms, also known as puppy mills, which are profit driven businesses that mass-produce dogs and sell through pet stores and classifieds. In puppy mills, dogs are bred in appalling conditions, kept in overcrowded small wire cages, given little exercise or socialization, enjoy no human contact and receive nothing in the way of veterinary care. The puppies are usually taken away from their mothers and litter-mates at such a young age that behavioral issues in the adult dog are extremely common. The dogs in puppy mills are no more than a commodity, a cash crop to be produced and harvested while spending as little as possible to maximize profits as far as possible. Yes, many people have been lucky enough to have purchased the most glorious of family pets from a pet store, but for each one a lot of suffering has occurred for countless more. I strongly advise that you do not support the puppy mill industry and never buy a dog from a puppy mill or pet store. The risks of not getting a quality, healthy dog are too high, and the ethics of the industry are shocking with many dogs suffering at their hands. Everybody should work to eradicate the entire industry and the first step is by not supporting them financially. There are many places and options available to get a Golden Retriever puppy, some good, some bad, and puppy mills and pet stores just an appalling option to be avoided. In my opinion your 2 best options are to source a puppy from a professional breeder or to adopt from a rescue center. But there are other options available and I hope this article has given you some information to help you in your decision. Please let us know about your experiences of getting a GR from any of the sources above, or even one I may have forgotten. Thank you.

Lifelong Customer Support Expert advice will be a phone call away. Northern Indiana based, Bruiser Bulldogs offers purebred English Bulldog Puppies for sale to loving adopters seeking to find a higher quality English Bulldog. As English Bulldog breeders , Mitch and Erica Wysong have dedicated themselves to a lifelong journey of changing the culture and societal pressures of poor breeding practices within the English Bulldog Community. Mitch and Erica believe in producing a healthy English Bulldog puppy first and foremost. Through years of research and development, Bruiser Bulldogs is leading a new movement away from the overdone, wrinkled bulldog that has been long plagued by health problems. By embracing a healthier, more athletic look they are able to ensure that each and every English Bulldog Puppy for sale by Bruiser Bulldogs is supported by a platform of health tested, clean genetics. Upon adoption, each family that takes on the responsibility of a Bruiser Bulldog enters into an active and vibrant communal family of bulldog owners. Mitch and Erica believe it is their responsibility to provide emotional and mental support for the lifetime of each and every English Bulldog puppy they produce. To ensure the success of every adoption, Bruiser Bulldogs will always be committed to helping Bruiser Bulldog adopters care for their English Bulldogs to the best of their ability. I am familiar with common and uncommon health problems they may face so when my boyfriend and I decided we were ready to adopt our own english puppy finding a reputable breeder that prioritizes health was most important to us. Erica and Mitch of Bruiser Bulldogs are just that. They are experienced, ethical and quality breeders. I was referred to them by my friend that I trust after I saw their gorgeous healthy puppy. Our Puppy Primrose is the light of our lives! Bruisers was there to assist us every step of the way. We would highly recommend Bruisers Bulldogs to anyone looking for their own happy, healthy pup! Leah H. We were lucky to have come across Bruiser Bulldogs and even more so the fact that they were near our family and hometown made it even better. We have had Clementine Callie for four months now, and she is a wonderful dog. Her personality is amazing, and I think part of it is breeding and the other part is Erika and her family lovingly raising the puppies in their home with plenty of attention and snuggles. I also was impressed that, rather than send the puppies out right at 8 weeks, Erika kept ours for a few extra weeks because she was tiny and not read to leave her mom yet. It's that care that differentiates Bruisers from other breeders. Emily R. Erica was easy to work with thru the entire process from application to adopting and now beyond as we host our new family member, Chief. Her on-call support and willingness to provide open, honest advice to all of our questions and concerns continues to be appreciated. We would highly recommend Bruiser Bulldogs to anyone looking for an English Bulldog to join their family. Elizabeth W. Lady L. They are experienced, responsive and knowledgeable about all things bulldog related. They went above and beyond for us and are truly dedicated to all of their pups! We love our little girl so much and would recommend Bruiser to anyone looking for a healthy beautiful bully. Jonathan E. Erica and Mitch are trustworthy, excellent communicators, fair, passionate, and produce the best bulldogs. We were at the top of the waiting list for months and Erica reached out every litter to see if we were finally ready for a bulldog. When we were, she was very easy to work with. Her knowledge on bulldogs is outstanding. We had many questions on the process and she always knew what was best for the puppy. We've had Penny formerly Blair for two months and she is very healthy, energetic, playful, and sweet. She is great with other people and dogs. We are so happy with our pup. When we are ready for bulldog 2, we will only consider Bruiser Bulldogs. Mitch C. Bowser was born April and is an integral part of our family. When we were first exploring English Bulldog breeders our biggest concern was the overall health of the dogs. We decided to work with Erica at Bruiser Bulldogs because we liked their focus on improving the breeds breathing abilities and the fact that the puppies are raised within her family environment before coming home with their new owners. Bowser also breaths clearly and our vet was impressed with his overall health from the moment we brought him home. All that said we know English Bulldogs have a predisposition to many health issues and that his current health can not predict the future. With that In mind its important to start with a breeder that open to answer any of your questions as Erica has ours, and that strongly believes in improving the breeds overall health profile. Adam B. My sister ended up finding Bruiser Bulldogs and we knew right away that they were the breeder for us. In September we ended up driving 9 hours to pick up two Bruiser bulldog puppies- one for my husband and I and one for my mom. Jackson and Penelope have been nothing but a joy. They are both very athletic and healthy. They are also HUGE snugglers and always want to be with you. It is an absolute pleasure having these two bullies in our lives! Erica is very knowledgeable about the breed. She is very hands on throughout the process and is just overall a kind and honest person to work with. With all that being said I cannot recommend Bruiser Bulldogs enough! Collyn C. One of the reasons we chose Bruiser Bulldogs was due to the claims about breeding for health. During our first visit at our vet's office, he told us that our pup was one of the healthiest English bulldogs he had ever seen. He is healthy, happy and social. Would recommend to anyone. Christina S. We seen our dog on their website and sent them an Email. Mitch called us and personally walked us through the process and made sure we had the right dog for our family. We couldn't be happier when we picked up our dog Ramsey, Erica made sure we had everything we needed and then some. They are truly amazing people who breed truly amazing dogs! Jim T. As English Bulldog Breeders, how do you breed for a healthier Bulldog? Like all things in life, breeding for health is simply a matter of priority. We are blind to many of the breed priorities that distract other bulldog breeders from improving the health of their Bulldog. We focus on health and personality and very little else. We are not interested in winning a blue ribbon in the show ring. Rather, we test for things like elongated soft palates, narrow tracheas, stenotic nares, luxation in the patellar tendons, heart defects, cherry eye, optic cilia, entropion, ect. We focus and prioritize creating healthy bloodlines, therefore our bulldogs are typically much healthier than the breed as a whole. After breeding for health, what other priorities are you focused on? Our true desire is to create the perfect family bulldog. We also believe a bulldog bred for the correct personality is essential to the family unit as well. A Bruiser Bulldog is bred for intelligence and playfulness. We want our bulldogs to be full of personality and some quirk. We believe a full personality along with a little stubbornness is the true North star of the bulldog breed and is what makes them unique among other breeds. We look for these personality traits in our adult bulldogs and continue to create bloodlines that reflect these qualities and produce high quality English Bulldogs for sale. I have been looking for English Bulldog Puppies for sale near me. Where are you located? We are located in the Northeast corner of Indiana. We just happen to be about 2. We are also about a 30 minute drive from the Michigan and Ohio state lines. Other major cities within 2. If you are looking for an English Bulldog puppy near you and happen to be in one of these areas we are certainly within close proximity. What if I am not located locally? Do you offer delivery services? A large portion of our adopters are located on the East Coast and Southern states. While many do make the drive to pickup, we also offer a delivery service to those with extremely busy schedules or limited ability to travel. We also utilize our own flight nanny for our West Coast adopters looking to have their puppy hand delivered. Whether through pickup or through delivery service, we try to be the type of bulldog breeder that is ethical and responsible to both our bulldogs and adopters. At BigBullDogs. We offer the best service for purchasing the perfect bulldog puppies, and we have quality studs that have set us apart as the top breeders for bulldogs. Whatever it is that you need regarding these beautiful bullies, this is the right place for you. Here are the varieties we have; What You Need to Know About English Bulldogs English Bulldogs are very distinct from the other breeds of bulldogs and are the more prevalent breed. These sturdy, muscular dogs have a cute waddle walk that directly results from their short, stubby legs. The English bulldog also has a flat-looking face, dark and low set eyes, massive and broad jaws, and fleshy cheeks and lips that give it that signature pouty and droopy look. Its short neck, thick shoulders, and barrelled chest, slightly arched back make it one breed that you can easily identify anywhere. Our standard Male English bulldogs are inches and weigh an average of 50 pounds, while the Female English bulldogs weigh about 40 pounds. All our English bulldogs have the finest textured coats and healthiest skin with a variety of colour patterns. Whether you pick a male English bulldog or female English bulldog from us, you can be assured of their wonderful demeanor and gentle disposition. The AKC recognizes over dog breeds and rated the Bulldog as 2 for the best family dog breed. They are incredible family dogs but not the best watch dogs these days. The last nine decades of domestication has turned them into couch potatoes, considerably different from their original genetic breeding that made them perfect for Bull Baiting. Nevertheless they are fantastic at lying on the couch and giving you the stink eye when you disturb their rest. Quick Guide to French Bulldogs French bulldogs were named for their origin story, which says that they were a breed of English toy bulldogs and several unidentified dog breeds. They have distinct features that make them stand out against their English counterparts, such as their pointy, bat ears. French bulldogs are small, cute dogs that are very playful and perfect for being a home pet. Regardless of whether you pick the male french bulldogs or the female French bulldogs , you get a pet that is calm, attentive, attention-loving, and a partner to you and your kids. The male french bulldog is an estimated 12 inches in height and 25 pounds in weight. On the other hand, the female french bulldog is about 11 inches and 20 pounds. The male french bulldogs are usually a bit more muscular than females and have larger heads. However both are equally affectionate and super family oriented. Not to be outdone by their British Bulldog cousin, the female french bulldogs also made the Top 10 Best Family Dog breeds list in .Looking to Adopt Bulldogs? The state is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, and there are plenty of fun and exciting things to do with your furry friend. Hike the Trails Hiking is a great way to get some exercise and enjoy the outdoors. There are many hiking trails in Colorado that are perfect for English bulldogs. Be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks for your dog, and take breaks often. Go Camping Camping is another great way to enjoy the outdoors with your English bulldog. There are many campgrounds in Colorado that allow dogs. Be sure to bring a tent, sleeping bags, food, water, and other supplies. Visit a Dog Park Dog parks are a great place for English bulldogs to run and play off-leash. There are many dog parks in Colorado, both in urban and rural areas. There are many places to fish in Colorado, both in fresh water and salt water. Be sure to get a fishing license and follow all the rules and regulations. Visit Pet-Friendly Businesses Colorado has a number of pet-friendly businesses, including restaurants, hotels, and stores. There are many places to swim and go boating in Colorado, both in fresh water and salt water. Be sure to supervise your dog at all times and follow all the safety rules. These are just a few of the many things you can do with your English bulldog in Colorado. With its stunning scenery, endless activities, and friendly people, Colorado is the perfect place to create lasting memories with your furry friend. How do you breed for a healthier English Bulldog? Like all things in life, breeding for health is simply a matter of priority. We are blind to many of the breed priorities that distract other breeders from improving the health of the English Bulldog. We focus on health and personality and very little else. We are not interested in winning a blue ribbon in the show ring. Rather, we test for things like elongated soft palates, narrow tracheas, stenotic nares, luxation in the patellar tendons, heart defects, cherry eye, optic cilia, entropion, ect. We focus and prioritize creating healthy bloodlines, therefore our bulldogs are typically much healthier than the breed as a whole. After breeding for health, what other priorities are you focused on? Our true desire is to create the perfect family bulldog. We also believe a bulldog bred for the correct personality is essential to the family unit as well. A Bruiser Bulldog is bred for intelligence and playfulness. We want our bulldogs to be full of personality and some quirk. We believe a full personality along with a little stubbornness is the true North star of the bulldog breed and is what makes the unique among other breeds. We look for these personality traits in our adult bulldogs and continue to create bloodlines that reflect these qualities. What are the steps of your adoption process if I am located in Colorado? Check out our available English Bulldog Puppies page. At times, we have available puppies but almost always have a waiting list as well. A quick look at our available puppies is the starting point to begin the process. Send us an email or give us call .If approved to adopt one of our puppies you are welcome to place a deposit to hold until your puppy is ready to go home. Greetings from the Wysongs! Northern Indiana based, Bruiser Bulldogs offers purebred English Bulldog Puppies for sale to loving adopters seeking to find a higher quality English Bulldog. As English Bulldog breeders , Mitch and Erica Wysong have dedicated themselves to a lifelong journey of changing the culture and societal pressures of poor breeding practices within the English Bulldog Community. Mitch and Erica believe in producing a healthy English Bulldog puppy first and foremost. Through years of research and development, Bruiser Bulldogs is leading a new movement away from the overdone, wrinkled bulldog that has been long plagued by health problems. By embracing a healthier, more athletic look they are able to ensure that each and every English Bulldog Puppy for sale by Bruiser Bulldogs is supported by a platform of health tested, clean genetics. Upon adoption, each family that takes on the responsibility of a Bruiser Bulldog enters into an active and vibrant communal family of bulldog owners. Mitch and Erica believe it is their responsibility to provide emotional and mental support for the lifetime of each and every English Bulldog puppy they produce. To ensure the success of every adoption, Bruiser Bulldogs will always be committed to helping Bruiser Bulldog adopters care for their English Bulldogs to the best of their ability. I am familiar with common and uncommon health problems they may face so when my boyfriend and I decided we were ready to adopt our own english puppy finding a reputable breeder that prioritizes health was most important to us. Erica and Mitch of Bruiser Bulldogs are just that. They are experienced, ethical and quality breeders. I was referred to them by my friend that I trust after I saw their gorgeous healthy puppy. Our Puppy Primrose is the light of our lives! Bruisers was there to assist us every step of the way. We would highly recommend Bruisers Bulldogs to anyone looking for their own happy, healthy pup! Leah H. We were lucky to have come across Bruiser Bulldogs and even more so the fact that they were near our family and hometown made it even better. We have had Clementine Callie for four months now, and she is a wonderful dog. Her personality is amazing, and I think part of it is breeding and the other part is Erika and her family lovingly raising the puppies in their home with plenty of attention and snuggles. I also was impressed that, rather than send the puppies out right at 8 weeks, Erika kept ours for a few extra weeks because she was tiny and not read to leave her mom yet. It's that care that differentiates Bruisers from other breeders. Emily R. Erica was easy to work with thru the entire process from application to adopting and now beyond as we host our new family member, Chief. Her on-call support and willingness to provide open, honest advice to all of our questions and concerns continues to be appreciated. We would highly recommend Bruiser Bulldogs to anyone looking for an English Bulldog to join their family. Elizabeth W. Lady L. They are experienced, responsive and knowledgeable about all things bulldog related. They went above and beyond for us and are truly dedicated to all of their pups! We love our little girl so much and would recommend Bruiser to anyone looking for a healthy beautiful bully. Jonathan E. Erica and Mitch are trustworthy, excellent communicators, fair, passionate, and produce the best bulldogs. We were at the top of the waiting list for months and Erica reached out every litter to see if we were finally ready for a bulldog. When we were, she was very easy to work with. Her knowledge on bulldogs is outstanding. We had many questions on the process and she always knew what was best for the puppy. We've had Penny formerly Blair for two months and she is very healthy, energetic, playful, and sweet. She is great with other people and dogs. We are so happy with our pup. When we are ready for bulldog 2, we will only consider Bruiser Bulldogs. Mitch C. Bowser was born April and is an integral part of our family. When we were first exploring English Bulldog breeders our biggest concern was the overall health of the dogs. We decided to work with Erica at Bruiser Bulldogs because we liked their focus on improving the breeds breathing abilities and the fact that the puppies are raised within her family environment before coming home with their new owners. Bowser also breaths clearly and our vet was impressed with his overall health from the moment we brought him home. All that said we know English Bulldogs have a predisposition to many health issues and that his current health can not predict the future. With that In mind its important to start with a breeder that open to answer any of your questions as Erica has ours, and that strongly believes in improving the breeds overall health profile. Adam B. My sister ended up finding Bruiser Bulldogs and we knew right away that they were the breeder for us. In September we ended up driving 9 hours to pick up two Bruiser bulldog puppies- one for my husband and I and one for my mom. Jackson and Penelope have been nothing but a joy. They are both very athletic and healthy. They are also HUGE snugglers and always want to be with you. It is an absolute pleasure having these two bullies in our lives! Erica is very knowledgeable about the breed. She is very hands on throughout the process and is just overall a kind and honest person to work with. With all that being said I cannot recommend Bruiser Bulldogs enough! Collyn C. One of the reasons we chose Bruiser Bulldogs was due to the claims about breeding for health. During our first visit at our vet's office, he told us that our pup was one of the healthiest English bulldogs he had ever seen. He is healthy, happy and social. Would recommend to anyone. Christina S. We seen our dog on their website and sent them an Email. Mitch called us and personally walked us through the process and made sure we had the right dog for our family. We couldn't be happier when we picked up our dog Ramsey, Erica made sure we had everything we needed and then some. They are truly amazing people who breed truly amazing dogs! Jim T. Our website is dedicated to connecting you with reputable English Bulldog breeders across the USA, ensuring that you bring home a healthy and happy furry companion without breaking the bank. Finding the perfect English Bulldog puppy at an affordable price can be a challenging task. However, our platform simplifies the process by curating a list of trusted English Bulldog breeders who offer these delightful companions at budget-friendly rates. We understand that everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the joy and companionship that a lovable English Bulldog can bring to their lives. History of English bulldog puppies Cheap near you! The national dog of England, their strong heads, loose skin and short legs give them a very distinctive, amusing appearance. Bulldogs are generally gentle, affectionate dogs that love to be around their families. They are excellent with children and have a medium-low activity level that makes them great for apartment or city living. These loveable dogs are loyal to a fault and are sure to make you smile. English Bulldogs are calm, non-sporting dogs with a sourmug face that love to chew and play tug-of-war. British Bulldogs rarely bark but snore, snort, wheeze, grunt, and snuffle instead. Bulldogs are a people-oriented, loyal and devoted watchdogs that love to nap by your side. Temperament of english bulldogs Temperament is a crucial factor to consider when bringing a new furry friend into your life. English Bulldogs are known for their gentle, friendly, and affectionate nature. They make excellent companions and are particularly good with children, making them a fantastic choice for families. Despite their somewhat serious expression, they have a fun-loving and playful side that will bring joy to your everyday life. This Bulldog puppy is a very social and sweet baby girl who loves everyone she meets! She is raised with children that play with her daily. This gal will steal your heart the second you look into those puppy eyes and when she gives you one of her famous puppy kisses. She will make a fantastic addition to any family. This puppy is AKC registered, vet checked, vaccinated, wormed and comes with a 1 year genetic health guarantee. Her momma is Kayla. This puppy is anxious to meet her new family and begin her life of adventure with you! Call now! English bulldogs for sale in texas "We pride our selves on making exceptional quality bulldogs" Health Guarantee We provide a limited 1 year health guarantee on your bulldog purchased from us. This helps guarantee the health of the bulldog. We want to make sure that our customers feel comfortable and trusted, when buying their English bulldog with us. The blueeyes Bloodline We have built up our English bulldog bloodline from scratch when we just started breeding 10 years ago. We have got colors such as Merle, blue, lilac, double chocolate, and features like Blue Eyes or exotic markings. One of the top canine color testers! This will assure you that what you see in the photo will be what you see when you meet us. We will guide you through every step from vet visits, to grooming, and feeding. If you are using your bulldogs to breed, we will also be their to help you with the process. As seen on.English bulldog puppies for sale As you can tell from our website, we mostly specialize in AKC English bulldogs for sale Texas and French Bulldogs for sale. Since we are a very small hobby breeder owning more than the breeds we already have will just overwhelm us and lower the quality of our dogs. Our main goals are to: 1. Make the breed have better health 2. Give a better quality of life to these amazing dogs 3. Give people the gift of owning a bulldog Some of the colors we offer are Lavender French bulldogs, Merle French bulldogs, Lilac French bulldogs , etc for our French Bulldogs. The Best Bulldog blog! Follow us on our bulldog blog where we frequently post tips, tricks, and new information about French and English bulldogs for sale. Additionally you can subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated on new Bulldog blog posts, and new French and new English bulldogs for sale on our website. We are trusted breeders for over 10 years, and have a lot of experience with English and French Bulldogs. So if you need some help go check out our bulldog blog and grow your knowledge of french and english bulldogs.

Use tab to navigate through the menu items. What are "mismarks" in Labradors? Color oddities "mismarks" have occurred from time to time and have been well documented throughout the breed history of the purebred Labrador Retriever. Such mismarks have includes black and tan markings, brindling, some white markings and ring-around-the-tail markings. It is unknown as to whether mismarks appear because of recessive genes from generations ago or whether they are the result of a spontaneous mutation. Although mismarks occur naturally in Labradors, these mismarks are rare. Breeders attributed this to previous interbreeding of Labradors with Gordon Setters during the early history of the breed. Because this trait was considered undesirable as a characteristic of the breed, breeders chose not to breed individuals expressing the trait in hopes of reducing frequency of its expression in future offspring. Because this allele is recessive, it may be passed through many generations before a breeder is aware that the allele is present. This explains the low frequency of expression of this trait in the current Labrador population. Brindling describes alternating expression of black and red color in the hair throughout the coat. There are several possible causes for this fault that occasionally appears in Labs. Alternatively, brindling in Labs may be the result of what geneticists call a mosaic. A mosaic indicates differences in the somatic tissue of heterozygotes that come about during mitotic division of somatic cells recall from above that somatic cells are those that make-up the body. There are two possible ways by which an individual may become a mosaic. The first is called chromosome nondisjunction by which during division into daughter cells, one of the chromosomes fails to separate from its duplicated chromosome. As a result, one daughter cell receives an extra chromosome and the other receives an unpartnered-chromosome. In either situation described above, the daughter cells of these altered somatic cells will contain the same alterations. As a result, one will observe a mosaic or brindled pattern of normal color mixed with color produced by the altered somatic cells. This condition has been reported in a Lab showing mosaic black and yellow coat color. Rather, this coat characteristic was attributed to a chromosomal alteration as described above. Some white is permissible under the AKC standard and is fairly common. There are several conditions that can produce white hair in Labs. Some of these conditions are determined by color genes and others may be caused by environmental factors that effect melanin production. Certainly white hairs and even patches are easily traced throughout the history of the Labrador Retriever. White Spots To analyze the reason why some black Labs have only a few white hairs on their chests or undersides, while others have white spots or patches, it is best to first understand that all Labs are white the condition of having no melanin. The gene loci for color control both the color of the pigment as well as the distribution of melanocytes throughout the body of the Lab. Therefore, in a black Lab, although color is determined by alleles at the B locus, alleles at the A and E loci determine even distribution of the color over the entire surface of the coat. Therefore, although all Labs should be homozygous for the S allele at the S gene locus, some may still express white hairs on the chest, bottom of the feet and under the arms and groin areas. Bolo Mark "Bolo marks" get their name from champion Labrador, Banchory Bolo, who lived from .Bolo was the first dog in England to earn dual championships. He passed these bolo marks white hairs on the chest or feet on to further generations of Labradors. These marks are not considered a true mismark. Labrador puppies with odd markings could absolutely be mixed-bred puppies. If you consider a mismarked Labrador please educate yourself and make sure the breeder is someone you trust. So-Called Silver Labradors have many skin conditions and coloration problems. If you bought a dog advertised as a "Rare" color, you get what you paid for -- rare problems and off colors that are not the same as the mismarks that have always been known to exist in the breed which are addressed in this article. Here is the Standard for colors as written: The Labrador Retriever coat colors are black, yellow and chocolate. Any other color or a combination of colors is a disqualification. A small white spot on the chest is permissible, but not desirable. White hairs from aging or scarring are not to be misinterpreted as brindling. Black-Blacks are all black. A black with brindle markings or a black with tan markings is a disqualification. Yellow-Yellows may range in color from fox-red to light cream, with variations in shading on the ears, back, and underparts of the dog. Chocolate-Chocolates can vary in shade from light to dark chocolate. Chocolate with brindle or tan markings is a disqualification. I've had telephone calls. Mismarks have been well documented in the breed since the beginning. Don't be so quick to determine that there was any other breed in the wood pile, although, the buyer MUST be aware that Lab puppies with odd marks absolutely might be mixed-bred puppies this is where you must use your common sense, and gut feelings regarding the knowledge base of the breeder in question. The whole litter will not be mismarked in a Labrador litter. One or two in the odd litter maybe, but not an entire litter. Mismarks occur naturally in Labradors. They're not mixed breeds at all. They're not "rare" they're not "bad", they're just mismarked puppies. They can't be shown, but they make as wonderful a pet as their non-mismarked littermates, and are usually sold for less than their littermates. They're everything that a Labrador is. Often, a Sire and a Dam will never produce a mismark again, even though they carry the genes to do so. Don't be fooled. My intent is not to get into the genetics of mismarks. This is addressed in an article by Pamela A. Davol better than I could ever do it, and if you are interested in words like "nucleotides, gene locus, homozygous, eterozygous, and allele", that article is for you. If not, and you're just a potential puppy owner, and simply want to know that something is possible without going into the genetics of it all, this page is for you. IMPORTANT: Sadly, after reading this article through the years, many owners of questionable litters have written to me, asking me to display their obviously mixed-bred puppies on this page as a demonstration of mismarked puppies. Do not allow the breeder of any questionable litter to send you to this page as "proof" that their puppies are purebred. Although respected breeders might send a buyer here to see that mismarks can, and do happen, they'll not send you here to prove to you that their puppies are not mixed. If you've done your homework, and the breeder in question is respected, responsible, and well-known, that's one thing. If the breeder is a back-yard breeder "we just bred her once so the kids could see the miracle of birth" , you best assume that you are looking at mixed-bred puppies. If the neighbor dog could get over the fence and bring a few of his buddies along -- there can be mulitple fathers in one litter , you must be careful. You have every right to ask your breeder to DNA the puppy before you purchase a black and tan or brindled puppy as a purebred. There may be one or two mismarks in a large litter, but if several of the puppies in a litter are "mismarked", the litter should be considered highly suspect. If a litter is not registered, you would be wise to consider the puppies are not purebred. Buyers of such puppies should be VERY careful that someone is not foisting mix-bred puppies on you, and using this article to prove anything! The pictures on these links were sent to me by breeders. .At one time I had all of the photos on one page, but it became so image intense, I have linked to the different images, below:. This article is not going to go into the depth of canine coat color genetics, but rather keep things simple and within reason for most people. At the end of this article, I will add links to some sites that will be helpful for those interested in the genetics of coat colors. I want to start with our basic Labrador colors and their variations. Later we will discuss the so-called Silver and White Labradors and also talk about mismarking or unusual colors that can happen in the Lab. Black Labradors are solid black. A small white spot on the chest is permissible. Sparse white hairs in between the toes and footpads are common in some of the blacks. Some mature black Labradors will have a red or orange hue to their coats at certain times of the year. This is known as casting. Casting can occur when the Lab is shedding and the hair is dead but also can be a result of bleaching from prolonged exposure to the sun. Eye color on chocolates can range from yellow through brown. Darker coat and eye color are most desirable in chocolates. Washed out chocolate coats and light eyes are not attractive for this breed. The chocolate coat is hard to maintain in one uniform color. The sun easily bleaches the chocolate Labrador, giving him the appearance of various shades of the chocolate color scattered throughout the coat. Keeping the chocolate Labrador out of the direct sun or the use of mink-oil with sunscreen lightly spayed on the coat will help the chocolate Labrador look his best at all times. YELLOW: Yellow Labradors can range is shade from a very light cream all the way to a rich dark red color known as "fox red" with various darker shading along the ears, top line, tail and hocks. A small white spot on the chest is permissible, however will not be noticeable in the lighter shades of yellow. Yellow Labradors should have black pigment on the nose, lips and eye rims with the exception of newborn yellow as they are born without pigment but within the first few days of life, the black pigment will begin to come in. We call a yellow Labrador without pigment a "Dudley". The black pigment on the nose of mature Labs can fade in the winter-time to a brown or pink color, this is very different from a true Dudley, it is very normal and the black pigment will return with warmer weather. Yellow Labradors that lack black pigment all together will have brownish or pinkish colored eye rims, foot-pads, nose and lips and they will never turn black. Dudley Labradors is a direct result from the yellow Labrador inheriting two sets of chocolate genes we refer to as "bb". So technically speaking, you can look at this as a "chocolate dog in a yellow coat" or an "eebb". Unfortunately Dudley Labradors are disqualified from being shown and was excepted until the revised AKC standard in .The FCI or "world" standard does not disqualify for lack of pigment. One more note. .What a shame!! Nevertheless, this does not make any Dudley Labrador inferior. They are Labradors true and true. This does not mean that I think it is okay to breed a Dudley Labrador, rather saying that they are normal in every way with the exception of having the pigment of a chocolate. If you choose to breed your Dudley Labrador, then do so back to a quality black Labrador. Sounds confusing but it really isn't. To help simplify this, I have copied and pasted a paragraph courtesy of the Vet DNA Center that gives you some idea of how many color combinations can be seen within the breed. However, there are 9 possible reported genotypes what you cannot see for the E and B loci and therefore 81 possible breeding combinations. A small white spot, stripe or patch on the chest is very common and does not lessen the quality of a Labrador, nor indicate it is not pure bred. Sparse white hairs can appear on the tips of toes, between the footpads, on the heels, near the groin, and under the neck. However, if white spots are large and white markings are highly noticeable, then this is not typical and could indicate the dog may be mixed with another breed. Scarring can also result in white hairs on a Labrador. Splashing is described as a black Labrador with tan or yellowish hairs on the legs and sometimes neck and chest. This mis-marking looks as if the black lab ran through a mud puddle and was splashed with muddy water, hence the name Splashing. This is a mis-marking that had been noted in the breed for many generations. It is not wise to breed any Labrador that is splashed, as this will only perpetuate the gene for years to come. It does not affect the dogs ability to be an excellent pet or hunting companion. The black and tan is a serious fault and under no circumstance should this color be perpetuated. Mosaic is a very rare condition in which results in improper cell division that effects the color of the dog. Such dogs can be yellow with small or large black patches. I have only produced one Mosaic to date. Again, this is very rare and seldom happens. I tell people without trying to sound rude, that there is no such thing as a pure white Labrador. The color yellow is the correct term, but when people see a Labrador that is of the very light cream shade, they instinctively say, White. I have produced many Labrador pups that could be classified as white when pups but they always mature to have the tale-tale signs of shading of some from or another, either on the ears, back, etc. The shading is very pale and almost unnoticeable and pigment as black as coal but I am sorry to say, it is still classified as yellow and not white. The gene that produces pure white such as seen in the Maltese, white German shepherds, white boxers and other breeds does not exist in the Labrador. I do understand how people can easily use the term white lab when they see a pale yellow but white is not a term to be truly associated with the Labrador breed. Most of the "White Labs" being advertised from backyard breeders are lacking in suitable temperaments, proper size and seem to have more health issues. Thus said, breeding for a "specific color" will not allow you to advance in any other area. My best advice, stay away from persons advertising "White Labradors". It is nothing more than a sales pitch and is something frowned upon amongst reputable breeders, and other fanciers in the Labrador community. There absolutely no such thing as a pure bred silver, charcoal or champagne Labrador. These are dogs that early in the 60's and 70's, two kennels that bred both Labradors and Weimaraners began advertising Silver Labradors. The dilute gene is normal in the Weimaraner breed. It does not occur naturally in the Labrador. Those professing to breed and advertise dilute Labradors are misrepresenting the color of the dog on the AKC papers. So, let's take a look at the full genotype where color and pattern are concerned. This page focuses more on the White Spotting which is more commonly seen. Buyers walked away and Breeders scorned other breeders…until it would happen in one of their own litters. Those who still maintain that a miss-marked Labrador is the result of an accidental pairing do so out of an ignorance of the science which proves them wrong. Johns Water Dogs. With the goal of producing a solid black dog, the old-timers would only breed dogs with the most black in their coats; eventually, they were able to breed solid black to solid black until they consistently were producing litters with mostly solid black dogs. This was evidence that there was some recessive gene that was causing pure-bred dogs to express those white hairs. The non-mutated form S makes it possible for a dog to express a few white hairs or none at all. It is a roll of the dice. And a dog with two copies of the mutated version ss will be solid white. So, a puppy getting BB is not going to be Chocolate nor is a puppy getting Bb because the "B" cancels or hides the "b". The "S" gene however is co-dominant and therefore only one copy of the mutated "s" will result in expression of the recessive which is the expression of white. Your puppy is every ounce a pure-bred Labrador from genetically tested parents descended from the black and white St. Johns Water Dog - the first Labrador retrievers.

Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Located on a 40 acre farm east of Denver, Colorado we have plenty of space for our dogs to run around and get exercise. Unlike typical breeders we do not confine our golden retrievers to small kennels, but instead let them run and play as much as their hearts desire. Health Guarantee To ensure the health of our golden retrievers we make sure they are always up-to-date on: Health Checkups Shots Health Screenings - OFA certification for hips, elbows, and thyroids We also focus on the mental health of our dogs by keeping them happy interacting with people and other dogs on a daily basis. This ensures excellent temperaments, great dispositions, and that they are extremely well mannered. Before they are sent to their new homes each puppy gets a health checkup from the vet and their first round of shots. We also offer to microchip your puppy when you pick them up to keep them safe. In addition to all of this, we offer a health guarantee protecting against many hereditary problems. At birth: We help the mama clean the puppies so they are introduced to human scent from birth. Birth - 4 weeks old: We bottle feed the puppies in supplement to their mother's milk to ensure they are getting adequate nutrition. Handled from birth to get used to human scent Free time outside their kennel so they can explore their surroundings. Introduced to our pet cat and other dogs to become comfortable around all kinds of animals. All of the things mentioned above are part of how we ensure that our puppies are happy, healthy, and playful when they are ready to go to their forever homes. To see information about available golden retriever puppies and to see pictures from past litters click the links below. Breeders VS. The sad truth is that many pet store purchased pups actually come from puppy mills. Basically, there is zero authenticity with pet stores. When it comes to adopting any animal from a pet store, there is an increased risk of unforeseen health or genetic problems. You also cultivate a life-long relationship with the breeder, meaning support is available to you anytime you may need it. With My Golden Retriever Puppies , you have the option to come and visit both the puppy and the breeder in person! Golden Retrievers are an adaptable breed, meaning they are better at adapting to seasonal changes and various types of climate than certain other breeds. Goldens sport a double-coat, which ensures that these sweet pups are able to tolerate slightly colder temperatures than their friends from other breeds. Your pup deserves better than that, which is why here at My Golden Retriever Puppies , we ensure high-quality care is taken of your pet at all times. For more about the true price of a golden retriever puppy, you can read our full price breakdown here. Location Information for Texas Customers Our home office is located in Ohio, but we understand that long-distance travel can be inconvenient. If you prefer to meet a breeder in person, they may be able to offer private visits at their home. Of course! Here at My Golden Retriever Puppies , we value family and authenticity, which is why we always guarantee our pups through our 2-year genetic health guarantee. Like adopting a Golden Retriever from a pet store, there is an increased risk when adopting a pup from a rescue center or shelter as well. For example, pups purchased through a shelter or rescue center are far less likely to come with the kinds of health guarantees and reassurances that a breeder can provide. What type of Golden Retrievers are sold in Texas? We have some good news! Ready to make your Golden Retriever dreams come true? Take a look at our convenient list of available puppies. How do I know which breeders to trust in Texas? Our independent network of trusted breeders have already been pre-screened and verified, so that you can focus on what really matters: choosing your dream puppy. Be the first to know when we have new puppies! All Rights Reserved. If you would like to have the puppy held for you, make a deposit online. You are certainly welcome to select your puppy this way without a deposit, but please note that availability may change on a daily basis. If you come and see the puppy, make your purchase and take the puppy home if the puppy is 8 weeks old or older. Skip to 6, unless you need to arrange travel for your pup. Connect with us and we will get the right information to deliver the puppy to you and set up the exact date and time. Enjoy the new puppy that you have adopted into your family. If you have any questions, please reach out to the breeder for help! How much is a Golden Retriever puppy, and why do the prices on the website vary? The price depends on the credentials of the parents and the number of puppies available at the time. This allows you to set up an appointment that fits both your schedule and that of our breeders. Our golden retriever puppies are all raised by families in the Northeast Ohio area, conveniently located about an hour and a half from both Cleveland and Columbus. This makes it easy to come visit our puppies and spend time playing with them in a home environment. How can I get puppy travel arranged if I am out of state? A little-known fact about golden retriever puppies is that they actually do very well with travel. Check out our puppy travel page here to find out more about how we go the extra mile. How do you raise your dogs? When buying a golden retriever puppy, the people who bred and raised them can have a big impact on the health and sociability of the dog! Because of this, we are dedicated to choosing caring, dedicated golden retriever breeders in Ohio who will get your pup started on the right track. Our small network of breeders in Ohio all are dedicated to the same principles. This starts by providing carefully-planned breedings to ensure the best pedigree for our pups. They raise healthy, socialized pups that can make a smooth transition to a new home. Most of our breeders actually have young children at home who help raise the puppies and play with them so they can become socially adjusted. How do I leave a review of my Golden Retriever experience? Buying A Golden Retriever From A Respectable, Professional Breeder Purchasing a Golden retriever Puppy from a respected, responsible professional breeder is by far the best option when it comes to getting yourself a good quality, healthy puppy given the best start in life. A responsible professional breeder: Cares greatly about the overall quality and welfare of the breed and selectively breeds for the betterment of the Golden Retriever population as a whole. Screen sire and dam for health issues in trying to breed puppies with the lowest possible chance of inherited disease. Will help you to select the right puppy for you from the many different personalities in their litter. Not all dogs are created equal! Some are more energetic, more headstrong, more confident, others less so. They will match you to the perfect puppy for your hopes and lifestyle. They handle, care for, and socialize puppies in such an expert way that the puppies have had the best possible start in life and the greatest chance of growing up a confident, happy dog of good temperament. They provide some of the best advice and support that can be given about how you should care for your new family member, from the moment you make the decision right through your Goldens entire life. So as you can see, there are many benefits to buying from a professional breeder. But surely there must be some cons you may be thinking? Well it depends how you look at it, but: A professional breeder will ask you many questions to be sure you are a good fit and have the right lifestyle that fits in with owning a Golden Retriever. You could have a long wait. Good breeders are popular and do not breed excessively, so you may have to wait a year or more before a puppy becomes available. But a benefit to this is that it weeds out the impulse buyers which cuts down on puppies that are given up after rushed decisions. Compared to some other options, you will pay quite a high price. I say a high price but what I mean is a fair price really. A fair price for a good quality, healthy puppy. But mostly backyard breeders are the unscrupulous types. You usually will not be able to see the premises on which the puppies are bred, they will not ask any questions of prospective owners and there will be no commitment or offer of help and advice for the future of the puppies they breed. This results in a poorer quality of life for the animals, and expensive vet bills for the owners. One positive of backyard breeders though is the price. Yes, they are considerably cheaper than professional breeders. And the savings you make up front are more than lost for extra vet bills down the road. So the risk is your puppy has a higher chance of inherited disease and behavior problems than the general population. There will be no true guarantee of pedigree. But if your friend has taken steps to get veterinary advice and care for the puppies, has looked after and socialized them well, maybe even knows the father of the puppies and can prove he is of good health and pedigree then this option may not be so bad. However they got into the situation, there are way too many homeless dogs in the world. Lack of space and insufficient funding inevitably means that many dogs each year are euthanized. Maybe you could give a second chance at life to such a dog? But you should also be aware that some rescued dogs will have behavioral issues, though the center staff will inform you of this. They may also have suffered some level of abuse and have psychological issues, phobias or anxieties that may not be evident until a certain situation arises. So there is some due diligence and this greatly increases the success rate of finding happy homes for dogs that suit their new human family. This is obviously a good thing for both the dogs and hopeful owners too! Buying From A Pet Store Or A Puppy Mill A large number of dogs bought from pet stores originate from puppy farms, also known as puppy mills, which are profit driven businesses that mass-produce dogs and sell through pet stores and classifieds. In puppy mills, dogs are bred in appalling conditions, kept in overcrowded small wire cages, given little exercise or socialization, enjoy no human contact and receive nothing in the way of veterinary care. The puppies are usually taken away from their mothers and litter-mates at such a young age that behavioral issues in the adult dog are extremely common. The dogs in puppy mills are no more than a commodity, a cash crop to be produced and harvested while spending as little as possible to maximize profits as far as possible. Yes, many people have been lucky enough to have purchased the most glorious of family pets from a pet store, but for each one a lot of suffering has occurred for countless more. I strongly advise that you do not support the puppy mill industry and never buy a dog from a puppy mill or pet store. The risks of not getting a quality, healthy dog are too high, and the ethics of the industry are shocking with many dogs suffering at their hands. Everybody should work to eradicate the entire industry and the first step is by not supporting them financially. There are many places and options available to get a Golden Retriever puppy, some good, some bad, and puppy mills and pet stores just an appalling option to be avoided. In my opinion your 2 best options are to source a puppy from a professional breeder or to adopt from a rescue center. But there are other options available and I hope this article has given you some information to help you in your decision. Please let us know about your experiences of getting a GR from any of the sources above, or even one I may have forgotten. Thank you. Life Span Did You Know? The Golden Retriever has been an AKC-recognized breed since and was commonly used as a gun dog and for retrieving small game such as waterfowl, and for companionship. The Golden Retriever originated in the Scottish Highlands. The first Lord Tweedmouth, Dudley Majoribanks, is credited with developing the breed and keeping detailed records to create the ideal gun dog for the terrain. Great discipline and a gentle spirit make the Golden Retriever a perfect retrieval breed since the goal of this task is to bring the trophy back as undamaged as possible. Golden Retrievers first appeared in dog shows in at a British dog show. They also started appearing in the United States around the same time as they were brought across the Canadian border. They gained popularity with sport hunters and in general. Their popularity really took off in the s and they are consistently one of the most popular dog breeds. If you are not the sporting type, bringing a Golden Retriever into your family as a pet is just as rewarding because they are one of the most loyal and jovial breeds out there. One of the facts about Golden Retrievers is that they are the epitome of friendly and make fantastic family dogs. Golden Retrievers are considered one of the friendliest dog breeds. They tend to be good with kids, other dogs, other pets, and even strangers. Goldens love attention and they bond closely with their families. They are affectionate with them, and also just about everyone else. Although they do tend to get along with everyone, they love being around their favorite humans the most. They will bark to alert you and can end up barking a lot if you do not train your dog to stop barking early on. Golden Retrievers are highly adaptable dogs. They thrive in homes with yards where they can run. They can also adapt to apartment living as long as they get enough daily exercise, mental stimulation, and attention. These dogs do well in just about any climate, but are sensitive to heat. As one of the most affectionate dog breeds , they are not at all happy about being left alone for long periods of time. Although super-friendly and attention-loving, Goldens can also be sensitive to their surroundings; make sure they feel included, but have a quiet place to go if things get too noisy or overwhelming. Potential health concerns to be aware of in a Golden Retriever include progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, elbow dysplasia , and hip dysplasia. Good breeding practices make a big difference in the health of puppies. Reputable breeders screen their dogs to avoid passing preventable issues to puppies. So, make sure you ask about the health and genetic history of the parents. You can also ask about any health tests or clearances that have been done. Goldens are considered one of the best dog breeds for first-time owners. They are highly trainable dogs that pick up on things quickly and are eager to please. These traits make them a good fit for owners of all experience levels. It also helps them excel at obedience competitions. As one of the smartest dog breeds , Golden Retrievers can get bored easily. Because they pick up things quickly, they can get bored with too much repetition in training. If your dog has mastered the command, move on to something more advanced or another activity. You can also enroll in puppy training classes for some variety in training and also some socialization. Golden Retrievers have a long double coat that will shed a little year-round and will be heavier twice a year as the seasons change. Brushing a few times a week and daily brushing during seasonal shedding along with a bath as needed is usually enough for at-home care. You will want to go to the dog groomer for a professional trim a few times a year, especially as the seasons change. Nail trims once or twice monthly keep nails from growing too long. Daily tooth brushing, along with cleanings at the vet when needed, is ideal. Golden Retrievers are one of the most active dog breeds. Daily walks plus some playtime, time to run, and other activities are usually enough to keep these dogs happy and healthy. But, they are high-energy dogs that will likely always be up for more activity if you are. Much like the Labrador , they also tend to have an extended puppyhood. They tend to start winding down a little around the age of 3 and settle into your lifestyle, but they will still be high-energy dogs that require a lot of daily activity. Goldens are known for being versatile and athletic dogs. They tend to love swimming. Once they are done growing and the vet clears them for higher-impact activities, you can try other things too. They are one of the dog breeds that make good running partners. You can also teach them how to play frisbee or play fetch. Training for dog sports is another good option. In addition to obedience, Golden Retrievers are well suited for agility, dock diving , rally, flyball, tracking, and more. Fully-grown Golden Retrievers usually stand inches tall and weigh pounds. Golden Retrievers generally live for years on average. With their intelligence, eagerness to please, and gentle disposition, Golden Retrievers are versatile working dogs. In addition to being one of the dog breeds that make the best service dogs , Goldens can be found working as emotional support dogs, certified therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs, military dogs, police dogs, animal actors, and more. Featured Golden Retriever Article.