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It also tends to be high in protein. Food that is high in protein and calories will provide your puppy with the energy that they need and help them gain the right amount of weight as they grow up. Most puppy food also includes vitamin and mineral supplements, such as calcium and phosphorus, for healthy and strong bones and teeth. You should speak to your vet to ensure that you have the right food and are feeding your puppy the proper amount. We hope that these reviews have helped you decide on the right food for your German Shepherd puppy. Remember to stick with large-breed food because it usually has the correct ratio of vitamins and minerals to give your GSD puppy all the suitable nutrition that they need so they can grow up strong, healthy, and happy. Featured Image Credit: Victoria Antonova, Shutterstock Written by Kathryn Copeland Author Kathryn was a librarian in a previous lifetime and is currently a writer about all things pets. When she was a child, she hoped to work in zoos or with wildlife in some way, thanks to her all-consuming love for animals. Unfortunately, she's not strong in the sciences, so she fills her days with researching and writing about all kinds of animals and spends time playing with her adorable but terribly naughty tabby cat, Bella. Kathryn is hoping to add to her family in the near future — maybe another cat and a dog.Read more Advertisement. It is suitable for the teeth It is good for the liver. It provides adequate nutrition. It is rich in PUFAs. It is enriched with colostrum. It has a high fibre content. It contains glucosamine for maintaining bone health. It has omega fatty acids. It is easy on the gut. It is uniquely formulated for puppies. It is suitable for weight-watching. It is enriched with DHA. It is suitable for digestion. It helps muscle growth Best overall product: There are many dog food options for German Shepherds available in the market, and each of them has a unique formula and offers exciting benefits. It gives your dog a complete and balanced meal with the right amounts of protein, fats and fibre. It takes care of adequate muscle and bone growth, is easy to digest, and is good for their teeth. Best value for money: For just Rs. It is also great for their coat and keeps it shiny and soft. It promotes muscle development and is easily digestible. It has the perfect balance of vitamins and minerals. How To find the right fog food? We must give our pets proper nutrition with their food. A good diet is the best way to ensure a healthy dog. Dog foods for german shepherds must include the right quantity of proteins, fats and fibres. They should be a balanced meal to ensure good muscle growth, good gut health and a shiny coat. You must also ensure that the dog food provides adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals to make up a sound immune system. Since most dog foods come with flavour options, you can choose the ones your dog likes best and make their meals enjoyable. You may be interested in Product. 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. We all want the best for our pets and want to feed our German Shepherd the best diet. The best dog food for German Shepherds is dry food, which is more practical for large breeds. It is also the least expensive, even if you choose a high-quality brand. Of course, you can feed other diets, such as wet, a mix of dry and wet, raw, home-produced, dehydrated, or freeze-dried. Most owners feed commercial dry food or wet canned food. You should check that vitamins and minerals are also included. The best quality commercial dog foods will consist of additional protein sources, like fish, eggs, and plant-based proteins, like vegetables, legumes, and grains. The best diet for your German Shepherd should suit his size and lifestyle. I will explain what I mean when we take a unique look at the different types of food you can feed your dog see below. Many pet food companies have invested millions of dollars into researching what ingredients contain the maximum levels to achieve a healthy, balanced diet that aids in essential puppy growth and mental and physical development. Dry Foods Dry dog foods are one of the most popular choices. The latter is gaining popularity in the United States and other regions and is widespread in the UK and Europe. Cold-pressed food is deemed a higher quality kibble due to its cooking process. So what exactly is kibble? Kibble is dry dog food made either through extrusion or oven baking. The food is produced under high pressure and high temperatures. All kibble is made the same way and using the same machinery. What is cold-pressed dog food? Cold-pressed dog food is dry food made at much lower temperatures and cooked quickly before being pressed into the desired shape. This unique method means the food retains more nutritional value, flavor, aroma, and vitamins. All the goodness is retained in bite-size pieces. Dry dog food provides more nutrients per bite than wet food because they contain less moisture. Dogs with dental problems may also benefit from dry food as it helps to clean their teeth and gums. Dry dog food is the most practical choice for a large dog, especially a German Shepherd. However, dry food comes in all shapes and sizes, so a smaller sized variety can be suitable for smaller breeds. It is also okay to feed your dog a pure dry diet and add cooked meat, fish, or vegetables, and this is what I do. I feed Willow cold-pressed dog food, and although this is a complete, balanced, high-quality food, I like to mix things up for my German Shepherd. Willow eating dry food with a natural yogurt topping Occasionally my dog will have some tinned tuna or mackerel in oil, which is also excellent for her skin and coat. If I add a topping, I always slightly reduce the quantity of the food to ensure that she is not gaining extra calories. There are some things to be wary of; not every canned food brand provides the protein your German Shepherd needs. Also, the higher the water content, the fewer nutrients, so your dog has to consume more food to get the nutritional value their body needs. Additionally, be wary of low-quality canned foods, as manufacturers often add wheat flour as a thickener or extra white rice or other grains. Canned dog food can be more expensive, especially if you have a large dog breed, but it may be ideal if your dog enjoys eating a more considerable portion. Other advantages of wet food are that it may be more suitable if your GSD is a fussy eater or if you have a senior dog who may have lost his appetite and find wet food more palatable. Semi-moist Dog Foods Semi-moist dog foods are not as popular as other types as they offer the least nutritional value and can be pretty expensive. Unfortunately, manufacturers add sugar and salts to preserve moisture and shelf life. Therefore, a semi-moist diet may not be appropriate for your German Shepherd, especially if he is overweight and needs to lose a few pounds. Many semi-moist foods are also loaded with artificial colors, chemical preservatives, and flavor enhancers. However, semi-moist food may be the best choice if your German Shepherd finds it challenging to digest all other types of dog food. Your dog may also enjoy the meaty taste and find this food more palatable if they are incredibly picky. Dry Dog Food vs. You can mix the foods in the same bowl or feed dry for the morning and wet for the afternoon feed or vice-versa. Some German Shepherd owners that feed dry dog food like to add wet food as a topping. If you choose this option, keeping to the same brand is advisable. They believe their pets will not like or refuse commercial dog food. They may need a home-prepared diet to help with a diagnosis e. They may require a home-prepared diet if a dog has a combination of diseases for which no commercial diet exists. They sought comfort as a home-feeder for dogs with chronic or terminal illnesses. There are several drawbacks to the home preparation of dog food. You can do it, but it takes a lot of dedication and hard work, and it may be more expensive than even the best quality dog food on the market. Homemade diets can provide complete nutrition. However, you need to ensure your German Shepherd gets the right mix of protein, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins, which is not easy. Suppose you wish to prepare a home-cooked diet. It is recommended to cook all animal products to kill bacteria that could make your German Shepherd sick. However, if you are a raw feeder see below , you will likely disagree with this statement. Grains, beans, and starchy vegetables must also be cooked to make them easier for your dog to digest. Never add foods that are toxic to dogs. These include chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, avocados, and macadamia nuts, to name but a few. Do you want to know more about homemade diets? My final thoughts on helping you decide on whether to become a home feeder would be: Do you have the time to become a home feeder? There are plenty of high-quality commercial dog foods on the market. Your dog will require regular health checks to check for any nutrient deficiencies. This is a question that many German Shepherd owners ask, as they want to make sure their beloved furry friend is getting all the nutrients they need. The good news is that there are plenty of healthy dog food options out there for German Shepherds. You should eat foods that include high-quality animal-based protein sources like lamb, beef, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, and legumes. In addition, the meal should be plentiful in fats, vitamins, and minerals. Are eggs good for German Shepherds? Yes, eggs are a great source of protein for German Shepherds. In fact, they are one of the healthiest foods you can feed your dog. Eggs are packed with nutrients that are essential for a German Shepherd's diet, including vitamins A, D, and E. They also contain omega-three fatty acids, which are important for a dog's coat and skin health. What is the best food for German Shepherds with allergies? If your German Shepherd has allergies, it's important to find a hypoallergenic best dog food for German Shepherds that will not trigger their symptoms. There are many brands of hypoallergenic dog food on the market that use alternative protein sources, such as duck or venison. These foods are often grain-free as well, which is ideal for German Shepherds with allergies. What is the best food for German Shepherds with sensitive stomachs? If your German Shepherd has a sensitive stomach, you'll want to find a dog food that is easy on their digestive system. There are many brands of dog food that offer formulas specifically for dogs with sensitive stomachs. These foods often have limited ingredient lists and use easily digestible ingredients, such as chicken or potato. What is the best food for German Shepherds with joint problems? If your German Shepherd has joint problems, you'll want to find a dog food that is rich in omega-three fatty acids. These essential nutrients help to reduce inflammation and pain in the joints. There are many brands of dog food that offer formulas specifically for dogs with joint problems. These foods often contain ingredients like glucosamine and chondroitin, which are known to help relieve joint pain. Now let's chat in more detail about the best dog foods for your furry friend. It is made with all natural ingredients and has no fillers or preservatives. The kibble is also enriched with omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for dogs' skin and coat health. The addition of zinc proteinate and other chelated minerals to the formula is a plus, as it leads to better absorption and nutrition. We also note the inclusion of various probiotics for better digestion and salmon oil, which is beneficial to both skin and coat. Highly suggested! All of their recipes are made with whole ingredients and cooked in small batches. The meals are portioned according to your dog's weight and activity level. Wilderness is a grain-free and protein-rich product with over a dozen options and recipes, which makes it ideal for people who want to rotate their diets. It's reasonably priced, and it gets high marks from consumers. Probiotics, high-quality fiber, and digestive enzymes are included in this formula to aid your dog's digestive health. These components create mouth-watering, healthy food that will sustain your canine companion throughout the day. The foods in this recipe include multiple probiotics for improved digestion, chelated minerals for maximized absorption, and nutrient-dense food. It's inexpensive to buy as well as simple to suggest. Eagle Pack Power Adult Dog Food Image courtesy Eagle Pack The majority of the animal protein in Adult takes the form of fresh chicken and pork meal, as confirmed by the nutritional label. The all-time classic, fully grain-inclusive design that is free of legume concentrates. Antioxidant preservatives are used in a safe and natural manner. There's no BHT or ethoxyquin. It has high animal protein levels, as well as vitamins and minerals that have been boosted through the use of freeze-dried raw pieces. It's designed to unleash your dog's potential to thrive and put the advantages of raw nutrition into every bowl, using cage-free duck as the first ingredient for powerful, lean muscles. It also contains a probiotic boost for digestive health, greater amounts of omegas for healthy skin and coat, and more antioxidants for immune health—all from the highest-quality ingredients from all over the world. This high-protein, low-carb diet is designed for sporting dogs and plush animals with rigorous exercise requirements. It's also perfect for growing pups and pregnant or nursing females. This formula has DHA to support cognitive development, as well as calcium for strong bones and teeth. Iams ProActive Health also has 22 essential vitamins and minerals to keep your puppy healthy and strong. It's nice to discover a Southwest Canyon recipe that includes natural preservatives, which implies the food does not contain any BHA, BHT, or other harmful chemicals. A major brand and a healthy all-age option for any German Shepherd. Champion Petfoods, the well-known maker of Orijen, has long promoted a meat-based "biologically appropriate" diet. This is a tried and true design that makes this particular dish an excellent choice for developing Shepherd pups. This natural dry food is developed to give complete-body nutritional support for puppies of all sizes. It's made with high-quality proteins and whole grains, all of which are complemented by omega fatty acids—such as DHA—necessary vitamins, antioxidants, glucosamine, and probiotics. This balanced, nutritious dry dog food is intended to promote teeth and bone strength, healthy brain growth, general health, energy and vitality, optimal nutrient absorption, and healthy muscle development. It's free of GMOs, by-products from processing animals into pet food ingredients meat meal , fillers, or artificial preservatives to ensure that your dog gets the healthiest food possible. This is a tried-and-true approach that has been developed and studied for decades. It includes controlled calcium and phosphorus ratios, making it ideal for German Shepherd puppies. This large-breed dry food is made with high-quality proteins and whole grains. It's free of chicken by-product meal, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors or preservatives. This recipe is designed to support the health of large breed puppies with an optimal balance of calcium and phosphorus for bone growth. It also includes DHA from fish oil for healthy brain development. This recipe includes DHA for brain development, calcium and phosphorus for bone growth, and antioxidants to support the immune system. It's also free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. You can feed your dog either dry or wet food, and he may sample two distinct flavor profiles: rice and oatmeal for salmon. Because it contains no allergens like wheat, corn, or soy, there's less of a chance that your dog will suffer an upset stomach. It also includes omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, which help to promote skin, coat, and joint health. Image courtesy Blue Buffalo If you're searching for high-quality, all-natural wet dog food, Blue Buffalo Wilderness is a wonderful alternative. This dog food is high in protein and low in carbohydrates, making it ideal for an entourage diet. It's made with real beef and chicken, can be served as a delicious treat, or blended into your dog's regular dry food. The Blue Buffalo puppy food contains no chicken by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, or artificial flavors or preservatives; making it a healthy choice for your dog. All dishes are prepared in collaboration with veterinarians and come in a variety of delicious flavors, including beef, lamb, and turkey. All of the meats are imported from the United States, although only lamb comes from Australia. It's also gluten-free, so if you're allergic to grains, you'll be safe. There is a large selection of carbohydrates, which are mostly in the form of potatoes, and there are numerous healthy vegetables and superfoods including lentils, peas, salmon oil, and flaxseed. It's made with real meat, vegetables, and fruit. This recipe is grain-free and free of artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. It's also high in protein and low in carbohydrates. It's made with real beef, vegetables, and fruit. It also contains sweet potatoes, peas, potatoes, canola oil, and flaxseed. This formula provides your German Shepherd puppy with the high protein diet they need for proper development and growth. Taste of the Wild is one of the most popular brands among dog food reviewers. It's included as our last on this list but has ranked high among some of the best dog foods for German Shepherds because it's high in protein and free of grains. What foods are German Shepherds allergic to? German Shepherds are known to be allergic to a variety of things, including wheat, corn, soy, and even some meats. If you're not sure what your German Shepherd is allergic to, it's always best to consult with your veterinarian. They will be able to recommend the best food for your dog based on their specific allergies. If your German Shepherd is having any sort of adverse reaction to their food, such as scratching, biting, or licking themselves excessively, then they may be allergic to something in their food. Consult with your veterinarian if you're not sure what's causing the reaction. What is the best dog food for German Shephard puppies? Puppies have different nutritional needs than adult dogs, so it's important to find a food that's specifically designed for puppies. Look for a food that has high levels of protein and fat, as well as essential vitamins and minerals. Puppies also need more calories than adult dogs, so make sure the food you choose has a high calorie content. As your puppy grows, they will need less calories and protein, so you'll need to switch to a food that's designed for adult dogs. Consult with your veterinarian to find the best food for your German Shepherd puppy. What is the best food for an adult German Shepherd? The best food for an adult German Shepherd is a diet that is high in protein and fat. This breed of dog is known for its high energy levels and need for exercise, so a food that can help them maintain their energy levels is important. A diet that is too low in calories can cause your German Shepherd to become overweight or obese, which can lead to health problems. When choosing a food for your German Shepherd, it is important to read the label carefully and choose a food that is right for their age, weight, and activity level. Can a German Shepherd drink milk? Yes, German Shepherds can drink milk. Milk is a good source of calcium and other nutrients that are important for this breed of dog. However, it is important to choose a low-fat or skim milk to avoid adding unnecessary calories to their diet. What is the best way to feed a German Shepherd puppy? The best way to feed a German Shepherd puppy is to start them on a diet that is high in protein and fat. Puppies need more calories than adult dogs, so it is important to choose a food that will give them the nutrition they need without making them overweight. As your German Shepherd puppy grows, you can slowly transition them to an adult dog food. It is important to make sure that they are getting the right amount of calories and nutrients for their age, weight, and activity level. What are some common health problems German Shepherds face? Some common health problems German Shepherds face include hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and allergies. This breed of dog is also susceptible to obesity, so it is important to choose a food that will help them maintain a healthy weight. German Shepherds are also prone to joint problems, so a food that is rich in glucosamine and chondroitin is important for this breed of dog. What is the life expectancy of a German Shepherd? The life expectancy of a German Shepherd is between nine and thirteen years. This breed of dog is known for being a healthy and hardy breed, but there are some health problems that can shorten their lifespan. It is important to feed your German Shepherd a diet that will help them maintain their health and keep them at a healthy weight to help ensure a long and happy life. Is it OK to put a raw egg in dog food? The answer is complicated. While some experts believe that raw eggs are perfectly safe for dogs, others believe that they can be dangerous. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. If you decide to feed your dog raw eggs, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, make sure the eggs are fresh. Second, only feed your dog eggs that have been properly refrigerated. Finally, don't forget to wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw eggs. If you're still not sure whether or not to feed your dog raw eggs, talk to your veterinarian. They can help you make the best decision for your pet. What are the benefits of raw eggs for dogs? There are a few potential benefits of feeding raw eggs to dogs. Some people believe that raw eggs can help increase a dog's energy levels, improve their coat, and even help with joint pain. While there is some anecdotal evidence to support these claims, there is no scientific evidence that raw eggs offer any health benefits for dogs. Our Criteria for Ranking the Best Dog Food Choosing the right dog food is essential for your pet's health and well-being. With the plethora of options available in the market, it can be challenging to determine which dog food is best for your furry friend. To simplify this process and help you make an informed decision, we have established a set of criteria for ranking the best dog food products. These criteria are based on scientific research, expert opinions, and the specific nutritional needs of dogs. Ingredients Quality: High-Quality Protein: The primary ingredient should be a high-quality animal protein source, such as chicken, beef, or fish, to support your dog's muscle development and overall health. Whole Grains and Vegetables: Whole grains and vegetables should be included to provide essential carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Absence of Fillers and Artificial Additives: No Fillers: The best dog food should not contain fillers like corn, soy, or wheat, which offer limited nutritional value and may cause allergies. No Artificial Additives: It should be free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, which can harm your dog's health over time. Meat Meal vs. Whole Meat: Preference for Whole Meat: Whole meat sources are preferred over meat meals or by-products, as they are less processed and retain more nutritional value. Digestibility and Allergen Consideration: Hypoallergenic Options: For dogs with allergies or sensitivities, hypoallergenic options that avoid common allergens like poultry or grains should be available. High Digestibility: The dog food should be highly digestible to ensure your pet absorbs the maximum nutrients from each meal. Life Stage Appropriateness: Age and Size-Specific Formulations: The best dog food should offer formulations tailored to your dog's life stage puppy, adult, senior and size small, medium, large. Transparency and Sourcing: Transparent Labeling: Brands should provide transparent information about ingredient sourcing and processing methods. Sustainable and Ethical Sourcing: A commitment to sustainable and ethical sourcing of ingredients reflects a brand's responsibility toward animal welfare and the environment. Health Benefits and Special Considerations: Support for Special Health Needs: The best dog food may offer formulations to address specific health concerns, such as joint health, dental care, or weight management. Customer Feedback and Reviews: Positive User Experiences: Customer feedback and reviews are valuable indicators of a product's performance, safety, and palatability. Price and Value: Affordability: The cost of the dog food should be reasonable and commensurate with its quality and ingredients, offering good value for pet owners. Recall History and Safety: Safety Record: Brands with a history of recalls or safety issues should be viewed with caution, as the safety of your pet is paramount. But with our list of the 25 best dog foods for German Shepherds in , you can rest assured that you're giving your furry friend the best possible chance at a long and healthy life. When choosing dog food, consider factors such as your dog's age, size, activity level, any allergies or sensitivities, and consult your veterinarian for specific dietary recommendations. What is the difference between dry and wet dog food? Dry dog food kibble is convenient, has a longer shelf life, and can help with dental health. Wet dog food contains more moisture and can be more palatable for picky eaters. Some owners choose to feed a combination for variety. Is homemade dog food a good option? Homemade dog food can be an option but requires careful research and balance to ensure your dog gets all the necessary nutrients. Consulting with a veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist is recommended. How can I tell if a dog food is of high quality? Look for high-quality protein sources, whole grains and vegetables, minimal fillers and additives, and adherence to AAFCO guidelines for complete and balanced nutrition. Checking customer reviews and consulting experts can also help. Should I choose a dog food based on my dog's breed? While some breed-specific formulas exist, it's more important to consider your dog's individual needs, age, and size when selecting dog food. What should I do if my dog has food allergies or sensitivities? If your dog has allergies or sensitivities, consult your veterinarian for advice. They may recommend hypoallergenic or limited-ingredient dog foods. Is grain-free dog food a better choice? Grain-free dog food isn't necessarily better. While some dogs may benefit from grain-free options, it's essential to ensure the food still provides balanced nutrition, as some grain-free diets have been associated with certain health issues. How often should I feed my dog, and in what portion sizes? Feeding frequency and portion sizes depend on your dog's age, size, and activity level. Puppies typically require more frequent meals. Follow the feeding guidelines provided on the dog food packaging and adjust based on your dog's needs. Can I mix different brands or types of dog food? Mixing different brands or types of dog food can be done, but it should be done gradually to avoid digestive upset. Consult your veterinarian for guidance on the best way to transition your dog to a new diet. Should I be concerned about recalls when choosing dog food? Yes, it's important to stay informed about recalls. Check the FDA and manufacturer websites regularly for recall information. Brands with a history of recalls may be worth avoiding. What is the role of my veterinarian in selecting dog food? Your veterinarian can provide valuable guidance on selecting the right dog food based on your pet's specific needs, health conditions, and dietary requirements. How can I ensure my dog stays hydrated when feeding dry dog food? Always provide access to clean, fresh water. Wetting the dry food or incorporating wet food into the diet can also increase moisture intake. Can I give my dog human food as part of their diet? While some human foods are safe for dogs, it's essential to know which ones are and to avoid potentially toxic foods. Always consult with your veterinarian before adding human food to your dog's diet. Remember that each dog is unique, and their dietary needs may vary. Regular check-ups with your veterinarian and open communication about your dog's diet are key to ensuring their health and well-being. Related Content. Puppy Feeding What should I feed my puppy? Diet is extremely important in the growing months of a dog's life and their two important criteria that should be met in selecting food for your puppy. The diet should be nutritionally adequate for puppies. The diet should have physical qualities texture,abrasiveness that will help control plaque and maintain oral health. We recommend a premium dry food puppy formula only available from vets or pet shops. The brands we use are Blackhawk or Advance puppy. We recommend to give this to your puppy in the mornings. It can be left in the bowl however, please keep in a safe spot away from birds as they love puppy food. We do not use or recommend supermarket dry food as they contain mainly cereal and very little meat. Moist food is usually given at night along with their vitamins. We recommend pet meat and not supermarket human grade mince. Liver is truly a miracle food for dogs, contributing many minerals and vitamins that other foods cannot match. A small amount mixed with mince times a week is recommended and on the alternate days add a small amount of either heart, brains or kidneys approx. Puppy Beef mince, kennel mince or a mix are great. Chicken wings or necks can also be used. All of the above must be given uncooked. Your pup will also need bones times a week We recommend meaty lamb necks. Please do not give your pup canned foods they will cause very loose stools and puppies do dehydrate very quickly. Your pup deserves the best you can afford and fresh food is a lot cheaper than canned food. There are now many companies on line that will deliver your weekly food to your door fresh. We also recommend fresh vegetables. Spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, corn sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash, carrots, mushrooms are very healthy for your pup. Please prepare them raw by grating your veges and adding this to your night time meal. One raw egg 4 - 5 times a week is also recommended. DO NOT feed your dog onions as they can be very toxic to a dog and can kill them. Feed your pup a wide variety of food. The only exercise allowed is play. Pups must spend most of their day outside in the fresh air on clean earth and grass in the sun with ample fresh water available. Give your pup heaps of raw meaty bones. Feed your pup mainly raw foods. Raise your pup with all the love you can give him. Vitamins; You will need to administer the following 2 items for at least 18 months but the fish oil has other qualities that will help them right throughout their life so you may want to continue with the fish oil. Dolomite Calcium Powder 2. Pernaease Powder Both of these need to be administered on a daily basis As your pup grows at a fairly fast rate he will need calcium and a range of vitamins and minerals. We use Dolomite Calcium Powder to help their bones grow strong and Pernaease Powder helps as a natural anti inflammatory. Garlic powder 1 tsp. Brown sugar or honey 6 tbs. Lightly oil a cookie sheet. Combine flour, dry milk, garlic powder and sugar. Cut in meat drippings until mixture resembles corn meal. Mix in egg. Add enough water so that mixture forms a ball. Cut dough into squares appropriate to your dog size. Prick each cookie with a fork. Bake 25 - 30 minutes. Remove from tray and cool on rack. Store in air tight container. Your dog will absouletely love these great bickkies! 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.

Storm is a solid black longcoat German Shepherd. She has a super wonderful pleasing temperament. She just wants to be with you all the time and has that no fear attitude. Nothing gets by this girl. She is very protective yet loves everyone. She is a true German Shepherd, loving protective, very active and playful. Not to mention absolutly stunning, This solid black girl comes from some very very large and wonderful lines, not to mention her father is a rare solid blue longcoat German Shepherd from Holland. Storm is a kind of rare dominant black, meaning no matter who she breeds with she will produce some solid black german shepherd puppies. She also possibly carries the blue gene, so bred with the right male she should produce some solid blue german shepherd puppies. All with very outgoing temperaments. Storm as a puppy about 14 weeks old Storm at about 5 months old Storm 1 year old Some of Storm past puppies Storm's Dad Brody, he is a solid blue german shepherd with an amazing long coat. German shepherd puppies for sale in Texas tx. German Shepherd puppies for sale oaklahoma. German shepherd for sale tx. White german shepherd puppies. .German shepherds for sale in Texas, german sshepherds for sale tx. My story started here. My best friend, my constant companion, everywhere I went, she went with me. She protected me, helped teach me about life, and was my Best friend for 16 years. My inspiration. I'm Robin.I breed long coated German shepherds. My dogs are from European countries with outstanding lines. I breed for temperaments, beautiful red and black color, quality not quantity. I am a small hobby breeder, breeding with attention to detail. My dogs live with me in my home, not outside in kennels. They are a part of our family. Feel free to visit our Ranch in Pennsylvania to see for yourself. SG1 Baldrsens Tequila is beautiful, graceful,and with great confirmation in show lines. Tequila is very protective of her family. Excellent Mother! They say the eyes are the mirror to the soul. Our Bobbie is protective of her family, a joy to be around and one of the prettiest long coat Black German shepherds I ever had the pleasure to own and love. Eve has Good Hips and Elbows, Dm test score is "A" Eve has matured into a very stunning female, highly intelligent, and is high drive with a willingness to learn. Please contact us for puppy prices. But once your puppy is born and you have accepted an alphabet puppy litter and choose to back out, your deposit is subject to forfeit. Birth to weaning so if you change your mind after confirming, you are reducing the time the next family has to also prepare for their new puppy. No restrictions on AKC full registration and full breeding rights given on your haus von Wiese puppy. Final payment is due at time of puppy pick up or after delivery arrangements are scheduled, 2 days prior to flight. No additional Charge for puppy pick up in Huntersville NC. September Breeding We had a successful breeding between Lotte and Gringo. We expect our "B" litter to arrive in early November, with take home after 8 weeks of nursing taking us through New Years .The breeding took place but we need a month for the puppies to grow in utero before our vet can confirm the pregnancy. Any overflow will roll over to our Spring Cersei long coat dam litter. Paska is undoubtedly one of the most well known working dog Black German Shepherds of all time. Just as strategically as horses are bred to increase positive attributes, we are breeding in a similar style. Our goal is to save Paska's heritage and continue to produce puppies containing his well balanced temperament, drive and strong working ability. Bomber carries some of the same impressive attributes as Paska and is the product of highly accomplished and highly decorated shepherds in Germany. It is our goal to preserve both bloodlines while integrating fresh new lines from Germany to be sure of safe breeding outcome. Along with 7-week old personality and drive level testing on each puppy, we strive to match each puppy with it's family to achieve long-term fit and family harmony. Our breeding pairs are selected with great health, hips and elbows from multi generational excellence of their lineage. Scroll below to our breeding dogs and click on their Pedigeree Link to view their impressive German pedigree. Thank you to the families that are giving loving new homes to our precious black German Shepherd puppies! Please call or text to reserve your puppy. Nolan was a magnificent 4 time competitor of the German Bundesseiger. You don't want to miss this stunner! Winn-Dixie is a fabulous mix of both Unkas and Nolan. V Paska vom Salztalblick. We are hapy to include Aurora and her freshness to our breeding program. Basia is an incredible product of our exclusive breeding program from the flawless Paska bloodline. Lotte and her parents have all tested the highest for Hip and Elbow tests in Germany, A normal. Mazikeen joined us from German European Import parents. Mazikeen's coat is long, glossy and incredibly soft. Mazikeen has a sweet natured and pleasing personality who produces family companion pups. Cersei's coat is long, glossy and incredibly soft. We are proud and excited for her to join our home and our breeding program. Our breeding program has earned the the highest level of accomplishments that a kennel in the United States can achieve. Nadelhaus breeds purebred German Shepherds year round and we also import both German Shepherd puppies and adults direct from Europe for our clients. Long-haired German Shepherds are technically called a long coat German Shepherd, while a short-haired German Shepherd is called a normal coat or stock coat German Shepherd. Dogs with either coat have the same physiological structure and both have double coats: an undercoat and a top coat. The only difference between the two is the top coat. The long haired German Shepherd will have a heavier top coat than the undercoat. The double coat of a German Shepherd is an important feature of the breed. The double coat weathers and insulates the dogs—it protects them from the cold in the winter and the heat in the summer. The length of the coat of a German Shepherd has no impact on its ability as a working dog. What does a long haired German Shepherd look like? The skeleton and structure of a long-haired German Shepherd will be the same as a short-haired German Shepherd. Both dogs will have an undercoat, but the difference is that the top coat of a long-haired German Shepherd will be longer. The long coat GSD has longer and silkier hair on the chest, back, face, tail, and on the backside of its legs. Short on the head, including the inside of the ears, on the front side of the legs, on the paws and toes, somewhat longer and more strongly covered in hair on the neck, almost forming a mane. On the back side of the legs the hair extends to the carpal joint or the hock and forms clear trousers on the back side of the haunches. Historically, German Shepherds originated in Germany and were native sheepdogs. He firmly believed that the standard of the German Shepherd breed should not include dogs with long hair. Throughout the s, long haired German Shepherds were considered unsuitable and unacceptable for breeding. It is important to note that long-haired German Shepherds are the result of natural genetic diversity and not a separate breed. Their long coats are an inherited trait that can occur when both parents carry the recessive long-hair gene. This gene manifests as a more luxurious and abundant coat, offering a striking contrast to the traditional short-haired German Shepherd appearance. The breeding of long-haired German Shepherds follows the same rigorous standards and principles as their short-haired counterparts. The focus remains on maintaining the breed's exceptional temperament, working abilities, and overall health. Over time, breeders recognized the value of long-haired German Shepherds and began selectively breeding them to maintain and enhance their unique characteristics. Through careful pairings and strategic breeding programs, the long-haired variety established itself as a distinct and cherished branch of the German Shepherd breed. How big do long-haired German Shepherds get? Long-haired German Shepherds are structurally the same as short-haired German Shepherds, therefore they can both grow to similar sizes. Males: inches tall, pounds Females: inches tall, pounds Since both German Shepherds are physiologically the same, they also have the same temperaments: loyal, intelligent, energetic, courageous and protective. German Shepherds are ranked 2 on the AKC Breed Popularity list and make for wonderful family companions and working dogs. How can I identify a long-haired German Shepherd puppy? In the photo below are two litter mates from a recent Nadelhaus litter. The puppy on the left is a long coat and the puppy on the right is a normal coat. The long coat has wispier hair on the chest, back, face, tail, and on the backside of its legs. Long-hair female German Shepherd next to short-hair male German Shepherd. Genetically in German Shepherds, the short hair gene is dominant and the long hair gene is recessive. This means if two short-haired German Shepherds are mated, but neither carries the recessive long hair gene, then no long haired puppies can be produced. However, if two short-haired German Shepherds are mated and both carry the recessive gene, then long-haired German Shepherd puppies can be produced. Long-haired German Shepherds are considered a less common variant of the breed, adding to their allure and exclusivity. While short-haired German Shepherds dominate the breed standard, enthusiasts of long-haired Shepherds appreciate their unique beauty and elegant appearance. Due to their rarity, finding a reputable breeder or rescue organization specializing in long-haired German Shepherds may require some research and patience. However, the joy of owning one of these beautiful dogs is well worth the effort for those who appreciate their longer coats and exceptional qualities. Do long-haired German Shepherds shed more than short-haired German Shepherds? No, this is a common misconception. Although they shed less than short haired German Shepherds, their coats still require regular maintenance. They will need regular brushing and grooming, especially if you enjoy hiking or outdoor activities with your GSD. While it is a rare occurrence for a long-haired GSD to not have an undercoat, most of them do have undercoats. And just like short-haired GSDs, their undercoats will shed more or less throughout the year depending on the season. Should I trim my long haired German Shepherd's coat? The decision to trim a long haired German Shepherd comes down to personal preference, but it is not a necessity. Trimming can help make for more manageable living around the house. If you choose to trim, you can trim around the backs of the ears, on the back of the legs both front and back and then thin the bushy tail. Shaving a German Shepherd on the other hand is never recommended. Their double coats help keep them warm in the winter and cool in the summer. What are long haired German Shepherds called? Regular brushing: Long-haired German Shepherds require regular brushing to prevent matting and tangles. Aim for at least a few brushing sessions per week to keep their coat in good condition. Finish your brushing session with a gentle dog brush to clean up loose hairs. Bathing and drying: It's important to bathe your long-haired German Shepherd as needed, using a dog-specific shampoo. Be sure to thoroughly rinse out all the shampoo to prevent any residue. After bathing, use a high-velocity dryer or a cool air dryer to dry their coat thoroughly, as moisture trapped in the fur can lead to skin issues. Professional grooming: Consider taking your long-haired German Shepherd to a professional groomer for occasional trimming and coat maintenance. A groomer can help keep the fur around sensitive areas, such as the paws and ears, tidy and reduce the chances of matting. Watch for seasonal shedding: Like all German Shepherds, long-haired ones will undergo shedding seasons. Be prepared for increased shedding during these times and brush your dog more frequently to remove loose hair. A de-shedding tool can be helpful in managing shedding and keeping their coat healthy. Remember, each dog is unique, and the specific care requirements may vary. Does Nadelhaus sell long haired German Shepherd puppies? Nadelhaus breeds German Shepherds puppies year round and while the majority of puppies we sell are short hair, we do have occasionally have long haired puppies. We breed all our German Shepherds in the black and red color. If you are looking for a long haired adult German Shepherd, we can also import long-haired German Shepherds direct from Europe. Contact us for more information. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. The black German shepherd is a rare and highly sought-after variety of the standard German shepherd dog breed. Although multiple color variations of GSD exist, black German shepherd puppies are one of the most popular thanks to their sleek, handsome coats. The pitch-black color that gives these dogs their magnificent appearance is the result of a naturally occurring recessive gene. This means black German shepherds have naturally existed for quite some time, but they are much rarer than their black and tan counterparts. When properly socialized from a young age, black German shepherds make wonderful companions and excellent guard dogs. These large doggos are best suited for experienced owners with large homes and fenced-in yards. If you are looking for a handsome companion that can double as a guard dog, the black German shepherd is a fantastic choice! Keep on reading to find out more about this rare variety and decide if it is the right canine for you. Black German shepherds are a color variation of the standard German shepherd dog. While they may look completely different, these dogs are the same breed, and the black variety is recognized in the official GSD standard. While purebred black German shepherd puppies can compete in dog shows, they are often overlooked in favor of the classic black and tan look. These dogs were later used by the military as messengers, sentries, guards, supply carriers, and rescuers. Black shepherds tend to be slightly larger than the average GSD, and most have a straighter back. When it comes to features, you can expect your black German shepherd puppy to have a clear-cut head, pointed ears, a long snout, almond-shaped brown eyes, and a black nose. Males are usually around 24 to 26 inches tall at the withers and weigh between 65 and 90 pounds. Female dogs are typically smaller and stand between 22 and 24 inches tall and weigh from 50 to 75 pounds. The average GSD can be black and tan, black, sable, grey, red and black, or even black and silver. In German shepherds, black coats are caused by a recessive gene. This means a puppy needs to inherit two copies of a recessive gene from both mom and dad in order to have a black coat. For example, if you mate two sable German shepherds that carry this recessive gene, a quarter of their puppies will have a black coat. However, if you breed a black German shepherd with a sable dog that carries the gene, roughly half of their litter will be black in color. Breeding two black German shepherds is the only guaranteed way to produce a litter of completely black puppies. Bear in mind that all German shepherd puppies change color as they grow. Coat Texture These pitch-black canines have a medium-to-long double coat. The coat can be either straight or wavy and will shed all year long and go through two blowouts — once in the spring and again in the fall. If you decide to welcome a black GSD into your home, be prepared to welcome lots of loose doggy hair as well! Since these doggos shed a lot, invest in a powerful pet hair vacuum cleaner and be prepared to vacuum every day to keep your home clean and tidy. Black German Shepherd Temperament And Character Black German shepherds are best known for their loyal, courageous, obedient, and watchful temperament. Thanks to their protective nature and working history, they make amazing guard dogs that will fiercely protect your family and your home. A properly trained and socialized black GSD puppy will get along well with people outside the family but remain a loyal guardian and protector. They are naturally wary of strangers, so early socialization and consistent training are a must! Although they are working dogs at heart, black GSD make wonderful companions and even get along with children and other pets when properly socialized. An anxious or stressed black shepherd will turn to destructive behavior to relieve their frustrations. As a result, your black German shepherd pup may decide to chew woodwork , destroy your home, or bark loudly. While they are not the best choice for first-time owners, black shepherds make fantastic family pets and companions when properly trained and socialized. Because they tend to get so attached to their people, these pups are better off in homes where someone is usually around to keep them company. Activity Level Highly energetic and agile, these handsome solid black pups need regular exercise to stay healthy and in good shape. Apart from at least two daily walks, your black German shepherd pup will also enjoy running, jogging, hiking, cycling, swimming, or any other activity that allows them to spend time with you. Caring For Black German Shepherd Puppy While they are not harder to care for than standard German shepherds, your black GSD still needs a lot of love, care, and affection to stay happy and thrive. It is crucial to design a consistent care routine for your pooch and keep track of regular veterinary check ups to detect any health problems early on. When creating a care routine for your GSD puppy, pay special attention to the following factors: Exercise The black German shepherd is a highly energetic dog that needs at least one hour of intense exercise every day. Enrolling your puppy in agility classes is a great way to keep them exercised and can be a fun and entertaining experience for them. Games such as fetch, flyball, Frisbee, tug-of-war, and hide and seek are also great options and will keep your pooch exercised and entertained. Intellectual Stimulation Black German shepherds are highly intelligent dogs that can easily become bored, frustrated, and destructive when not mentally stimulated. A bored or anxious black shepherd can cause serious damage to your home and belongings. Companionship Loyal and devoted to a fault, black GSD puppies make superb family dogs and companions. They form strong bonds with their people and are happiest when they can spend time and interact with their families. While they are large and intimidating at first, these pups are loving companions that crave affection and attention. Black German shepherd puppies need company and are best suited for homes where someone is around all day. Grooming The black German shepherd is a high-maintenance dog when it comes to grooming. If your pup has a medium-length coat, brush them two to three times a week to remove loose hair and keep their coat in pristine condition. Use a de-shedding tool to remove loose hair and minimize the shedding during spring and fall. To further reduce shedding, bathe your GSD with an anti-shed dog shampoo every two months or as necessary. You should also brush their teeth at least three times a week and trim their nails every other month. Diet An ideal diet for black German shepherds should be formulated for a large-sized dog with high energy. When choosing the best food for your pooch, make sure it contains higher levels of protein, a moderate amount of fat, and easily digestible complex carbohydrates. Keep in mind that black German shepherd puppies grow extremely quickly between the ages of four and seven months, which makes them susceptible to bone disorders. Feed your pup high-quality, low-calorie food to prevent them from growing too rapidly. Known Health Problems As a breed, German shepherds are considered generally healthy. Black GSD and all other German shepherds are prone to the same health problems, including: Hip Dysplasia: This is a hereditary condition that causes malformation of a hip joint. Affected dogs may or may not show clinical signs of this condition, but in most cases, dogs experience pain and lameness in one or both hind legs. Elbow Dysplasia: This is another hereditary condition commonly seen in large breeds. This condition is caused by varying growth rates of the three bones that make up the elbow, resulting in joint looseness. Gastric Dilatation Volvulus: Also known as bloat, GDV is a life-threatening condition that affects large, deep-chested dog breeds, particularly if they are fed one large meal a day, eat rapidly, drink a lot of water after eating, or exercise just after a meal. Degenerative Myelopathy: This is a progressive disease of the spinal cord. This condition affects the part of the cord that gives information to the brain regarding the rear legs. Lifespan The black German shepherd has an average lifespan of around 9 to 13 years. With proper care and regular veterinary checkups, these pups can reach their senior years in good health. Training A Black German Shepherd Puppy Black German shepherd puppies are highly intelligent and obedient, which makes them very easy to train. These pups are fairly easy to housetrain, and they also learn obedience commands after just a few repetitions. Like all other dogs, black German shepherds thrive on reward-based training and a lot of praise. Positive reinforcement training techniques are highly effective for training puppies and adult dogs and are much more reliable than dominance training. Besides training, you should start socializing your black GSD puppy as soon as you bring them home. Since these pups are naturally aloof with strangers, early socialization is essential and will help your dog to become friendlier to other people. Try to expose your puppy to as many people, places, situations, animals, children, and sounds from a young age to help them grow into an outgoing dog. Properly trained and socialized black German shepherd pups make wonderful companions to people of all ages and families with children. Due to their large size and highly energetic nature, these dogs are best suited for large homes with spacious, fenced yards. While they can live outdoors, black shepherds should primarily be kept indoors so they can regularly interact with their people and stay close to them. In addition, because of their high social needs and potential to develop separation anxiety, they thrive in families where someone is at home often and able to keep them company. However, when compared to other varieties, black German shepherds are quite rare and hard to come by. Finding a reputable breeder might require a bit of research on your part, but all the extra effort will pay off in the long run. Since black German shepherds are rare and in demand, be mindful of puppy mills and unethical breeders who just want to make a quick buck. However, the exact price depends on a lot of factors, namely the breeder, supply and demand in your area, and pedigree and quality of both parent breeds. Black German shepherds make wonderful family pets and companions. Naturally loyal and devoted to their owners, they like to be close to their people and spend lots of time by their side. Plus, due to their protective nature, black German shepherds make excellent watchdogs and will always feel the urge to watch over you and your family. The black German shepherd is a rare and absolutely stunning color variation of a standard German shepherd dog. Loyal and protective of their owners, these dogs make fantastic family companions and can also serve as vigilant guard dogs. If you want to bring a black shepherd pup home, be prepared to: Exercise your pooch for at least one hour every day Start training and socialization from a young age Groom your dog at least three times a week Do you own a black German shepherd dog? What do you like the most about your pooch? Share your experience owning this gorgeous dog with us and our readers in the comment section below! Related Article:.

By Chris Labradoodles are amazing dogs, and Labradoodle colors are just as interesting! Labradoodles come in many different shapes, sizes, and coat shades. Labradoodle Images — our favorite Labradoodle photographs Some Labradoodles have black coats with white spots on their chest or paws. Others have brown coats with golden highlights around their eyes. But no matter what color labradoodle you have, they all make great companions for all! A chocolate medium Labradoodle enjoying a park visit Labradoodles with chocolate coats are such pretty dogs! There is a Labradoodle with a chocolate coat that lives in my neighborhood pictured above on a walk with my Labradoodle Max that I see every day walking all over the place. When he sees me, he actually jumps up on me and starts licking my face! He is a medium-sized Labradoodle dog. There are three sizes of Labradoodles, standard, medium, and miniature. Occasionally you will find a LAbradoodle that does not take to the water — but they are few and far between. The golden-brown coat of a tan Labradoodle enjoying the beach Labradoodles are more than just pets, they become part of our family. Labradoodles are friendly, social animals that love to play and run around with their human friends. Some Labradoodles like to be outdoors, and you will find them rolling in the grass, chasing butterflies, or just plain relaxing. This wavy coat white Labradoodle has very long hair. White coat Labradoodles can get pretty stained and dirty. White Labradoodles are especially prone to this. My labradoodle gets dirt all over his coat after she plays outside! Luckily basic grooming and shampoo do the trick. This rich black coat is a fairly common Labradoodle shade. Black Labradoodle puppies normally have black eyes too see the photo above. This actually makes it quite difficult to capture photographs of them. Labradoodles are loyal and bond closely with their primary family members Labradoodles are amazing friends! Australian Labradoodles are a different breed the Labradoodles although similar! Labradoodles come in all shapes and sizes. Some Labradoodles are thin while others are more stocky. A Red Miniature Labradoodle looks happy in the studio. Friendly, energetic, playful, social, cuddly, smart. AKA — the Labradoodle. Two Labradoodles sniff each other out at a dog park. Labradoodles get on well with other dogs. It is important to introduce your puppy to other dogs as soon as possible. If you live in a city, this will be easy because there will be lots of dogs everywhere. You can find out about off-leash dog parks and dog walking groups in your area and try going along to meet the Labradoodle owners and their Labradoodle friends. This can be done in a professional setting, but many owners prefer to take the job on themselves at home. You will need a Labradoodle-specific brush, labradoodle shampoo, scissors, and nail trimmers. Before you start brushing your Labradoodle put, it in a comfortable position in front of you on the floor or sitting on your lap. Brush their fur from head to tail with a Labradoodle-specific brush picking up any tangles as you go. Labradoodle playing in a water fountain. What a way to cool off on a warm day! Even though they have long coats, Labradoodles can still get sunburn or suffer from sun damage. Give them plenty of opportunities to cool off away from the sun. A Parti Labradoodle in this cause black and white Some Labradoodle will have two shades in their coats. Black and white two-shade Labradoodles are common. A Labradoodle dog running in the snow. Labradoodles love running through the snow, playing with their family, rolling around in the white stuff, barking at the sound of someone nearby, or just relaxing. Labradoodles are also found in many climates. The Labradoodles can be found living on islands such as Hawaii or Australia or on the cold mountainsides of Europe. It will help make bath time easier for life. It can even save money because some Labradoodles shed a lot of hair and need to be groomed more often and DIY grooming saves a bunch. A Labradoodle sits on a couch next to a Pomeranian. Non-shedding small dogs are popular. So are shedding small dogs like Boxers, Bulldogs, Pomeranians, and more A rich Apricot coat Labradoodle at the groomer. Miniature Labradoodles Images This Apricot Mini Labradoodle is looking up at the camera, because he thinks he might get a treat he did. My Labradoodle Max wearing his party hat. POV: You are walking my Labradoodle Max wearing his usual harness Labradoodle Max looks at a toilet paper wall obstacle Labradoodle Max enjoys a cuddle in a towel after a shower and bath Giving a labradoodle puppy a bath can be challenging. Bath time is much easier if Labradoodles are groomed early on. Labradoodles, like other dogs, need to be brushed often. A non-shedding dog coat still needs regular brushing, even when it is cut short like the photo above we shaved our Labradoodle Max before a beach holiday to help prevent coat knotting with daily swims. Before taking a puppy to the beach be sure you have a plan, and safety in mind. My Miniature Labradoodle Max wearing a stylish raincoat Dogs rarely need raincoats. We got one just because it looks great. It does help during walks in cold rain or when there is wind and I am worried that Max will get a chill. An Apricot Mini Labradoodle my puppy Max! Labradoodles will often hang out with their tongues out. A Red Labradoodle enjoying time in the snow. My wife and I love playing with our active miniature Labradoodle Max. We want all Oodle puppies to be healthy and happy, have lots of fun and be part of the family. Load More. View fullsize Both our chocolate Labradoodle and our Poodle are beautiful dogs with excellent temperaments. They are our family pets. Because we begin with a Labradoodle and a Poodle, rather than a Lab and a Poodle, our puppies are much more likely to have the non-shedding Poodle coat. A F1b Labradoodle has been back-crossed to a poodle in an effort to insure a non-shedding coat. Even though most f1b Labradoodles shed very little or not all, it is impossible to guarantee that any dog even doodles or purebred poodles will not shed at all. Hypo- means less hypothermia is having a lower than normal body temperature. No dog can be said to be completely non-allergenic. Studies have shown that doodles are less likely to cause allergies, particularly f1b doodles. The ideal is to keep as much of the Lab head shape and super-friendly personality as possible while getting the non-shedding Poodle coat as well as the dignified, less vocal characteristics of the Poodle. Our Labradoodle methodology is quite simple. First, we get quality dogs. This is why we wanted to have pick of the litter for our Labradoodle and our Poodle and why we only obtained puppies from reputable breeders that we knew we could trust. Second, we try to treat our dogs Labradoodle and Poodle well. We feed our Labradoodle and Poodle high quality food with plenty of protein, and give them wonderful socialization and opportunities for exercise. We have 12 acres along the Enoree River with trails, additional property next to a Greenville state park, and property on Lake Hartwell giving us the opportunity to take the dogs kayaking. We recognize the importance of socializing young Labradoodle puppies so they will not be fearful as they mature. Our Labradoodle puppies have lots of opportunities to play with our children, and water games are definitely on top of the list. Labradoodles love the water and so do my kids, as you can see below. Third, we try to find appropriate families for our Chocolate Labradoodle puppies. To learn more about our process, check out this resource that gives a step-by-step guide between the application to receiving your puppy! A Chocolate Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle is not for everyone, and a puppy is not for everyone. If your family is not prepared for a Labradoodle puppy financially, time investment, etc. When can you get your puppy? Because we have only one Labradoodle mother and a couple guardian homes , puppies are available only occasionally. Contact us nathan crockettdoodles. We have a flexible waiting list and offer your deposit back if we do not have the ideal Labradoodle puppy for you within a certain window of time. Sometimes with mini Labradoodles we prefer to wait until they are a little older than 8 weeks because accidents tend to happen more easily with really small puppies. We will take several pictures of you with your Labradoodle puppy. We will send you the pictures for free place them on a USB thumb drive for you , and you will have full copyright privileges to all of the pictures to use at your discretion. You have the option of whether or not the photos appear here on the ChocolateLabradoodlePuppies. Although we never ship puppies, we will sometimes personally deliver puppies for a reasonable fee. Why should you consider getting a Chocolate Labradoodle from us? If a Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle puppy is right for your family, and if you are within driving distance of Greenville, SC, you may want to consider getting a chocolate Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle from us. If you read our Labradoodle puppy methodology and like what you read, you should consider adopting one of our puppies. We have a three-year health guarantee on each of our puppies if the forever home continues to feed TLC one year health guarantee on all others. How can you get a Chocolate Labradoodle or Labradoodle mini from us? If you think your family would be a good match for one of our Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle puppies, then start the conversation by emailing us at nathan crockettdoodles. You will have full access to all pictures and hold the copyright to make as many pictures as you desire. You keep all the pictures. We give your Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle puppy a quality collar. We give your Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle puppy a quality leash. We give you a bag of high quality dog food. We believe that you should give your new Labradoodle puppy or mini Labradoodle puppy the best food. Instructional materials about crate training and house training. Our goal is to do everything we can to assist in the house training and crate training process. A Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle puppy or any puppy cannot be completely reliable in the house until the puppy is about 6 months old. The simple point is that no matter what some breeders tell you you will be partially involved in the house training process unless you buy an older Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle , but we want to help you with that process. A one-year health guarantee; extended to three years for all who continue to feed TLC. We are concerned with finding really good homes for our Labradoodle and mini Labradoodle puppies. Labradoodle Color To see a list of available colors, check out this page. At ChocolateLabradoodlePuppies. Ultimately we cannot completely control the color of puppies. Even though chocolate is the most desirable color, we sometimes have puppies of other colors even occasional merles. These puppies, will of course, also make excellent pets. These non-chocolate Labradoodle puppies are also available to great families, but we know that Chocolate Labradoodles are the most desirable. The Labrador Retriever has a short coat that sheds. By breeding the F1 Labradoodle back to an unrelated Poodle, the chances of getting the highly desirable non-shedding Poodle coat increase exponentially. Some F1B Labradoodles are bred back another time to a Poodle in an effort to guarantee a Poodle coat. If high quality dogs are chosen to breed that have the head shape of a Labrador Retriever it is possible to get a puppy that is very similar in many ways to a Labrador, but has the beautiful non-shedding Poodle coat. Both Labrador Retrievers and Poodles are highly intelligent dogs, helping Labradoodles excel in smarts, train-ability, and a general desire to always please their owner. If you desire a family-friendly, kid loving, medium energy dog that is comfortable inside or outside, that loves the water and the land, you should definitely consider a Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle. For more info about Labradoodle puppies or mini Labradoodle puppies, please email nathan crockettdoodles. Check out our sister site miniLabradoodlePuppies. We specialize in Chocolate Labradoodles and mini Labradoodles, but often we have other colors as well. Occasionally someone travels from Atlanta, Columbia, Raleigh-Durham or Knoxville, but our proximity to North Carolina and the popularity of Labradoodles in North Carolina make Charlotte and Asheville our most serviced locations. We also have some who are interested from distant states, but we primarily serve the Southeast U. He does not have the gene to make a rose-nosed puppy. They display slightly smaller curls than some pups, but it is still not a tight curly fleece. As adults, they will have a coat similar to Tilly, their mom. This coat is easy to care for, does not mat easily, and is easy to brush out regularly. The first two pups pictured have a different dad, they are out of Riley, and the other four are from Sam. Also, note that Riley's pups have a rose nose, and the others have a black nose. These two display tight fleece. Keep short for easy management, or brush regularly to avoid mattes. The first pup had a slightly curlier coat than the others and was fluffier as an adult. You can also see the rose nose on the caramel pup 3 versus the black nose on the apricot pup 6. The black pups range in colors; the first black Australian labradoodle puppy is solid but already showing signs of silver showing through around his nose and will likely silver out as he matures. The other two black pups are phantom or sable, with adorable brown eyebrows—two caramel pups with rose noses and one apricot pup with a black nose. You can see three of each type in this litter. The pups in positions 1, 3, and 6 are tight curls, and the other three are loose. An equal distribution of rose noses, 3 rose and three black. Gypsy makes a wide range of sizes in her litter. In this litter, the Australian labradoodle puppies range in weight, at age 1, from lbs.

We're in Booth right near the entrance so please be sure to look for us! Meet some of our available Bulldogs, give a donation smooch at our Kissing Booth and pick up one of our Limited Edition adoptaBull Wisconsin tee shirts and sweatshirts. Learn all about the show, location, parking, admission details and purchase advance tickets at Great Lakes Pet Expo Hope to see you there! S Internal Revenue service. You can find all of our financial documents at www. What does this mean for you? It means that your donations to support the Bulldogs in our program are tax-deductible if you file a U. Donations from supporters like you are critical to the success of our program. We sincerely appreciate any amount you can give to help these very special dogs. Just click the donation link below to send a donation to help us. We're a dedicated group of volunteers and are looking for others to join us in our important mission. While we require English Bulldog ownership experience to volunteer as a foster home, let's talk if you have a passion for the breed and want to help us with your skills. BCARN is the national non-profit organization that assists hundreds of rescue volunteers across the US with their mission of helping Bulldogs in need. BCARN established the nation's "best practices" and code of ethics for English Bulldog rescue and provides financial assistance to local volunteers across the country. Your Pet Chef Lisa Hennessy will help you explore the option of a raw diet in her newly released cookbook. Lisa's book demystifies feeding a raw diet and is loaded with important information on nutrition and healthy eating for your best friend. Your Pet Chef will customize a diet to your pet's needs and deliver your food right to your door. Click any link to learn more about Your Pet Chef's custom diets and home delivery. AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support adoptaBull English Bulldog Rescue every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile. Select adoptaBull English Bulldog Rescue as your charity of choice. Click the logo above to learn more about this exciting program from the Amazon Foundation. Check out all of these great partners at Our Partner Shops. We don't buy from auctions. Or, if you'd like to attend our events join our Meetup group where you can stay up to date on all of our events it's free -- no strings! CEBR is the oldest and most experienced non-profit c3 english bully rescue organization. You can feel confident that your donations are put to appropriate use and they are also tax deductible to the extent of the law. In addition we are a licensed shelter with the Illinois Department of Agriculture. We know you are excited about the thought of getting a bully. But before you make this decision, we ask that you have done the following: Spoken with all members of your household and come to mutual agreement. Discussed the new addition with your home owner's association or landlord if applicable. Experienced the breed yourself. If you do not currently have a bully family member, we ask that you attend one of our CEBR events before applying. Double check our Adoption Area Map to be sure you are within our adoption radius. Bullies are not an inexpensive breed and having a solid savings account that has an emergency fund is essential. Rescue bullies are also not a way to get a "cheap bully.

He is potty trained , crate trained and loves people. He is a goof ball but also a great dog to protect your house. He is playful and loves to follow you around the house. He is mostly black with brown and is beautiful View Detail 15 months old male shepherd Great dog house trained and very smart. They are already very energetic and love to be snuggled. All puppies will come with their first set of shots and AKC papers for you to register if you choose. Well tempered puppies. Contact John Thomas for any questions at x-xxx-xxx-xxxx or email him at xxxxxxxxx xxxxx. She is the sweetest kindest dog I have ever owned. She is so kind and friendly and it breaks my heart to have to part ways. I believe because of my neglect she has turned to getting into mischief, like the garbage or anything edible. She loves attention and frankly requires it. I will not give her to anyone so you will have to prove you can give her a great home. She loves human of all kinds. She is 8 years old, never had an incident when she was aggressive towards anyone. She has no medical issues or concerns. Please call me if interests. Mom and puppies are raised in or home with our family. Puppies will be ready the 3rd week of March. They will be vet checked, dewormed, had there first round of vaccinations and be microchipped. At this time we only have females available. Please contact us for more information, we would love to talk to you! They will be dewormed, had there first round of vaccinations and will be vet checked. All our puppies are raised on puppy culture and come with a health guarantee, vet check, age appropriate shots, fully wormed, contract, AKC registration, puppy go home bag full of goodies and lifetime support. View Detail Dont have time to take care of but shes a great beautiful puppy its a Dont have time to take care of but shes a great beautiful puppy its a German shepherd and husky mixed View Detail Edtradavladimir Two months puppies German Shepard mix with Rottweiler. We are just too busy to take proper care of him. View Detail German Shepherd Shot is up to date. She is friendly and aged 11 months. Have no time to take care of her :. Our older dog is not adjusting well to having another dog in the house though, so we are hoping to find a good home for Ruby. She is crate trained already and very sweet! World Sieger VA and V lines. They are on xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Both are 0FA certified. DM and brucellosis tested. We have 2 males available. They are up to date on vaccines and worming. Vet checked with health certificate and puppy packet. Please visit xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. German Shepherd German ShepherdT The German Shepherd Dog is hailed as the worlds leading police, guard and military dog, however, this dependable breed is more than its 9-to-5 job. Consistently one of the United States most popular breeds according toAKC Registration Statistics, the German Shepherd Dog is also a loving family companion, herder and show competitor. The breed is approachable, direct and fearless, with a strong, muscular body. Derived from the old breeds of herding and farm dogs, the first German Shepherd Dog exhibited in America was in .The fame associated with Rin-Tin-Tin and Strongheart, two members of the breed whose movies played on variations of the boy and his dog theme, shot the popularity of the breed sky-high. Temperament Energetic and fun-loving, the breed is very fond of children once a relationship is established. He is a loyal family pet and a good guard dog, the ideal choice for many families. He requires regular exercise and grooming. The German Shepherd Dog is extremely intelligent. They are very easy to train with a firm hand and keep that training well. Herding Group; AKC recognized in .Ranging in size from 22 to 26 inches tall at the shoulder. Herding, police work.

The picture of puppies in the bathtub is a past litter of German Shepherd puppies from Robin Blue. They are all adults now and all have happy loving homes and awesome families they live with. I have been a German Shepherd breeder since .I have all colors black and tan, black and silver, black and red, bi-color, black, white, black and tan brindle, sable brindle, silver sable, tan sable, fawn, blue, liver, and red sable of German Shepherd puppies. I have German Shepherd puppies for sale as pets that are wonderful, loving, family protectors. I also have full working line German Shepherd puppies for sale that would do well in a working job, SCH, agility, therapy dog, search and rescue, or as a very energetic family member. They are all sweethearts. Feel free to call or email. I always enjoy meeting and talking to people that are interested in German Shepherd dogs, as I am. Thanks for your interest in my puppies. If you are interested in having one of my puppies be one of your new family members you will have to call me on the telephone and talk to me about the puppy. I love all my puppies and just try to match them up to the right homes. If you are interested in one of my puppies please call me at home or my cell is .I will return your call. If you have any questions about any of my puppies you are welcome to email me too. My email address is whitefamily semo. I only have one email address. So if you are interested in any of my puppies I look forward to talking to you on the phone. I am proud of all my puppies and their parents and always enjoy talking about them all. Welcome to the Kansas state page on TrustedPuppies. Situated in the heart of America, Kansas boasts a unique blend of breathtaking prairies, rolling hills, and thriving cities, making it an excellent destination for German Shepherd aficionados. Our mission is to connect you with the best Kansas German Shepherd breeders and puppies for sale throughout Kansas. Our site features a wide variety of reputable breeders who specialize in raising healthy and happy puppies. Our breeders are committed to raising the highest quality puppies. They provide their puppies with all the necessary vaccinations and veterinary checkups to ensure they are in the best of health before they go to their forever homes. They also provide ongoing support and advice to ensure a smooth transition for both you and your new furry friend. Ranking 28th in dog ownership among the states, Kansas is home to an estimated thousand dogs. Kansas offers an array of dog-friendly amenities, including numerous dog-friendly restaurants, parks, and events that cater to the canine community. Immerse yourself in the lively dog show scene by attending events like the Sunflower Cluster Dog Show, where dog enthusiasts gather to celebrate their love for their cherished companions. At TrustedPuppies. Most of our reputable German Shepherd breeders offer secure and affordable flight delivery, with a dedicated flight nanny accompanying your new pup throughout their journey, ensuring they have a safe and comfortable trip as they travel to their new home in the Sunflower State. In addition to flight delivery, most breeders also offer affordable vehicle delivery utilizing specialized pet delivery services. This option ensures your German Shepherd puppy is brought to your doorstep by a professional who understands the unique requirements of pet travel. Begin your search for the perfect German Shepherd puppy today on TrustedPuppies.

Although a playful pup sounds endearing, consider how many games of fetch or tag you want to play each day, and whether you have kids or other dogs who can stand in as playmates for the dog. Click here for more information on this characteristic Goldador Overview The idea was to create a working dog with the sensitivity of the Golden Retriever and the tolerance of the Labrador Retriever. It worked. Cross them, and the result is the unequivocally genial Goldador. Thanks to their easygoing nature and keen intelligence, Goldadors have proven outstanding guide dogs, service dogs, search and rescue dogs, therapy dogs, and bomb detection dogs. But like their parent breeds, Goldadors are happiest simply working alongside a person they love. Goldadors are active and require at least half an hour of daily exercise — most enjoy retrieving games as well as hiking and swimming. Training the eager-to-please Goldador is relatively easy — they come from a long line of dogs who work closely and willingly with people. This makes them an excellent choice for first-time owners, provided they get the exercise, structure, and positive reinforcement they crave. Goldadors are also a good option for families with children though they can be a bit rambunctious for toddlers , as they want nothing more than to be part of family activities. The ideal residence for a Goldador is a home with a fenced yard, but with regular exercise and companionship they can live and thrive in apartments and condos. Whatever his home, a Goldador should live indoors with his people. Goldadors are good family dogs and generally do well with children of all ages. The Goldador sheds moderately and requires weekly brushing. Goldadors require about 30 minutes of exercise per day. They enjoy being outdoors and can make excellent jogging companions. Although a house with a fenced yard is the ideal home for a Goldador, he can do well in an apartment or condo with proper exercise. Goldadors can be a good choice for first-time dog owners. Goldador History The Goldador was first developed more than a decade ago: the Labrador Retriever and the Golden Retriever were crossed with the hopes of creating a sensitive, tolerant working dog. The effort proved successful. At this time, there are no breed clubs or any efforts to create a breed standard for the Goldador. Goldador Size The Goldador is one of the few designer breeds with a fairly predictable size, as both parent breeds are large and similar in size and shape. The Goldador is usually 22 to 24 inches tall at the shoulder and weighs 60 to 80 pounds. Goldador Personality The Goldador is affectionate and loyal, alert enough to make an excellent watchdog, but too friendly to be an effective guard dog. His intelligence and desire to please render him highly trainable, and he responds best to positive reinforcement techniques. Socialization helps ensure that your Goldador puppy grows up to be a well-rounded dog. Goldador Health Goldadors are prone to certain health conditions. Some dogs show pain and lameness on one or both rear legs, but you may not notice any signs of discomfort in a dog with hip dysplasia. As the dog ages, arthritis can develop. Hip dysplasia is hereditary, but it can be worsened by environmental factors, such as rapid growth from a high-calorie diet or injuries incurred from jumping or falling on slick floors. Elbow Dysplasia is a heritable condition common to large-breed dogs. This can lead to painful lameness. Your vet may recommend surgery to correct the problem, or medication and weight loss to control the pain. Cataracts are an opacity on the lens of the eye that causes difficulty in seeing. The eye s of the dog will have a cloudy appearance. Diabetes mellitus is a disorder in which the body cannot regulate blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels are regulated in part by insulin, which is produced in the pancreas. Glucose sugar is needed by the cells of the body to burn for energy; insulin is the key that lets the glucose into the cell. Without insulin, the glucose cannot enter the cell, so the cells are hungry even though there are high levels of glucose circulating in the blood. A diabetic dog will eat more food to try to compensate, but he will lose weight because food is not being used efficiently. Signs of diabetes are excessive urination and thirst, increased appetite, and weight loss. Diabetes can be controlled by diet and daily insulin injections. Progressive Retinal Atrophy PRA : This is a degenerative eye disorder that eventually causes blindness from the loss of photoreceptors at the back of the eye. PRA is detectable years before the dog shows any signs of blindness. Fortunately, dogs can use their other senses to compensate for blindness, and a blind dog can live a full and happy life. Both parents should have health clearances from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for hips, elbows, heart, and thyroid and from the Canine Eye Registry Foundation CERF certifying that the eyes are normal. Goldador Care The ideal home for a Goldador is a house with a fenced yard where he can play safely; however, he can do well in an apartment or condo if he gets daily walks or runs. Interested in dog sports? Goldadors make formidable competitors in agility and flyball. Mental stimulation is crucial as well. Teach your Goldador to fetch the paper or your slippers, practice obedience training regularly with him, and put his mind to work from time to time with an interactive dog toy. As with all dogs, positive reinforcement techniques praise, play, and food rewards work best with the Goldador. Goldador Feeding Recommended daily amount: 3. Note: How much your adult dog eats depends on his size, age, build, metabolism, and activity level. It almost goes without saying that a highly active dog will need more than a couch potato dog. For more on feeding your Goldador, see our guidelines for buying the right food , feeding your puppy , and feeding your adult dog. Goldador Coat Color And Grooming A Goldador should have the same double coat as a Labrador Retriever, with a short, thick, straight topcoat and a soft, dense undercoat some have a slight wave down the back. Weekly brushing with a rubber curry brush will remove dead hair, helping to keep it off your clothes and furniture. During seasonal shedding periods, however, daily brushing is recommended. Bathe your Goldador as needed, and be sure to give him a thorough freshwater rinse any time he goes swimming. The Goldador can be prone to ear infections, so check and clean the ears weekly. Other grooming needs include dental hygiene and nail care. Trim his nails once or twice a month, as needed. Handle his paws frequently — dogs are touchy about their feet — and look inside his mouth and ears. Goldador Children And Other Pets Goldadors are an ideal family companion and are generally gentle and loving toward children of all ages. As puppies, they can be a bit rambunctious and may knock over smaller children unintentionally, so close supervision is important. Social and easy-going, Goldadors do well with other dogs and pets, especially when raised together. Always teach children how to approach and touch dogs, and always supervise any interactions between dogs and young children to prevent any biting or ear or tail pulling on the part of either party. No dog, no matter how good-natured, should ever be left unsupervised with a child. Goldador Rescue Groups There are no official rescue groups for the Goldador, but this cross is frequently available at private and municipal animal shelters. More Info For You. Breed Title Goldador Puppies Temperament Goldadors are an amazing combination of the intelligence and trainability of the Labrador and the friendly, gentle personality of the Golden Retriever. With their outgoing, friendly character and sweet disposition, Goldadors make excellent family pets around children and other animals as they have a great aptitude for understanding people. In terms of temperament, these beloved pups are highly sociable but not overly boisterous or hyper; they enjoy playing fetch but rest just as happily on your lap or at your feet while you work. Golden Labrador Retriever Puppy Health Considerations Though generally very happy and long-lived — with an average lifespan of around years — our Goldadors for sale are not without their unique health concerns. Like every breed of dog, there are a few conditions you should be aware of before you consider purchasing one of our Golden Labrador Retriever puppies for sale. Understanding the risks allows you to know the signs and prevent small health concerns from turning into big ones. Finding a Golden Labrador puppy for sale from a reputable breeder can also dramatically — although, not eliminate — the risk of your dog developing some of these conditions. Depending on the climate they live in, Goldadors may need regular baths — however omitting shampoo once or twice a year will ensure their coat retains its natural oils. Finally it is recommended to check the ears regularly and trim nails as needed. Adopted Golden Labrador Retriever Puppies. Tomato leaves stem or unripe fruit Alcohol, beer, wine or liquor Grapes or raisins Golden Retriever Crossed with Labrador Exercise Requirements The Lab Golden Retriever Mix has an active temperament so they might get destructive if they get bored. It is recommended to exercise them at least 2 hours daily. Getting them to do physical activities every day will help keep him happy and healthy. Here are some outdoor activities that you can try with your Golden Retriever Lab Mix: Hiking: It is a great way to turn your daily walk more challenging and exciting for your dog. Swimming: Utilize your private pool and do a swimming exercise with your dog companion. Swimming does not only serve as an exercise activity to yourself and to your companion dog, but it is also a great bonding experience. It also provides relief from the heat during the summer months. Make sure you supervise your dog all the time while doing this activity. Dock Diving: This is a fun sports activity to enjoy with your dog. All you have to do is throw a floating toy and encourage your dog to jump and swim out to retrieve it. If you and your Golden Retriever Lab Mix want to upgrade the challenge, you can try joining a Dock Diving Club and compete with other dogs. Play Fetch: This is a classic outdoor game that is great to do in summer. Challenge your dog by putting a twist to the activity, you can either use a Frisbee or a tennis racquet to make the object travel farther for your Golden Labrador to retrieve and return back to you. However, you should not be working them too much because when it comes to recovering objects, both parent breeds of Golden Retriever Lab Mix can be overly enthusiastic. However, even though they are intelligent dogs and has a friendly nature, you still need to put time and effort to train them better. Both parent breeds were bred to carry things. The best way to teach your Goldador not to bark is to socialize them frequently with strangers. Use Positive Reinforcement The Labrador crossed with Golden Retriever is a sensitive type of dog, so training them using positive reinforcement will be very helpful. Make sure to avoid negative punishment-based training since this hybrid dog may end up fearing you rather than respecting you as their leader. Make it a regular routine to reward your puppy whenever they do something right. Training your Goldador consistently in a positive method will give you pet companions that are obedient and good-natured. Do Mental Exercise The Golden Retriever mixed with Lab is an intelligent dog, and they need stimulating mental activities to avoid developing any aggressive behaviors, such as nuisance barking and chewing. Without proper mental exercise, Goldador puppies will grow into a passive, timid and uninspired dog. Labrador Golden Retriever Mix and Families Despite its large size, the Labrador mixed with Golden Retriever is a great family dog because of its easy-going personality. It is extremely friendly and affectionate. The Goldador is the type of dog that goes well in a loving and active family — one that considers him as a family member. The Golden Labradors cherish the company with children. They are naturally gentle, but they can play tirelessly as long as your kids can keep up. However, due to their sheer size, supervision is still needed around toddlers and infants. The Goldadors makes an excellent therapy and companion dog. Because of their affectionate nature, they generally do well when given lots of attention and affection. These hybrid dogs love to be with people, and hence it is tough for them to cope with solitude. So give love lots of love and affection to your Goldador Lab Retriever Mix and expect that it will shower you back with love. Finding black Lab Golden Retriever puppies for sale? The black Lab Golden Retriever mix is still a Goldador. But, by using a black Lab parent, many breeders aim to get puppies with a black coat. A black Lab Golden Retriever mix will have the same general traits as any other Goldador. They will be friendly, energetic, and playful. Black Lab Golden Retriever mix dogs are also great with kids and other animals. Especially when they are socialized and trained well from a young age. This dog is simply a puppy with one Golden Retriever parent and one black Labrador Retriever parent. Since the genes for a black dog coat are dominant, many breeders hope that they will get black Goldador puppies when they breed with a black Labrador parent. But, first generation mixes like this are quite unpredictable. A Goldador with a black Lab parent will usually have a black coat. But, in some instances, puppies may have lighter, or golden coats. Other than their coat color, their traits will vary as much as any other Goldador dog. It will depend which parent they take after the most. Generally, you will have a medium to large dog. Typically, a Goldador will grow between .They usually weigh between 55 and 80 pounds as adults. Females are often smaller than males. In terms of coat type, this mix will have a double layered coat that sheds all year round, and more heavily during shedding seasons. Their coat may be slightly longer if they take after their Golden Retriever parent, with some feathering around their legs and chest. However, a puppy must receive two recessive genes one from each parent to have a non-black coat color. So, it is much less likely that your puppies will have golden or chocolate coats if they have a black Lab parent. If your heart is set on a black Goldador puppy, let your breeder know. They may be able to give you first pick of the litter to ensure you get the shade you want. Both parents of this Goldador mix are known to be friendly, energetic, and loving. Especially toward their close families. Generally, when they are well socialized as puppies, they will get along very well with everyone they meet. This includes other pets and even young children. However, since they are quite large dogs, they can accidentally bump and hurt young kids during play. Socialization is Proven to Help Studies into dog behavior have shown that socialization from a young age helps to prevent behavioral issues in older dogs. This includes aggression and fearfulness. So, you should train and socialize your black Goldador mix well from a young age to get the best of their temperament. You should also meet the parent dogs to see what traits your puppy may inherit. If its parents are friendly and keen to meet you, your puppy will often be similar! Most families get on well with a black Lab Golden Retriever mix. They tend to love everyone they meet, especially when socialized and trained from a young age. These dogs need families that have plenty of time to dedicate, and who can take their dog with them everywhere. Plenty of Energy On top of this, a black Goldador is a very energetic dog, that comes from two hardworking, athletic parents. A black Lab Golden Retriever mix will usually be as healthy as its parents. Mixed breed puppies like this are vulnerable to the same health issues as their parent breeds. Common problems to look out for include: Cancer big issue for Golden Retrievers Hip dysplasia. The double coat has a soft undercoat below a rough top coat that is water resistant. Either way, their coat will be fairly high maintenance. Shedding and Grooming Your new friend is going to shed, sometimes a lot. Both parent breeds heavily shed their coats with the change of seasons twice a year. For the rest of the year, expect a moderate level of shedding. Increased brushing during transitional times can help catch the loose hairs and stop them from spreading everywhere. Golden Retriever Labrador mixes will need weekly brushing, likely more during shedding season. Their nails should be trimmed regularly as well. Are They Hypoallergenic? The Goldador dog will not be hypoallergenic. They are high shedders, spreading dander from skin and saliva liberally around your home! With designer breeds like the Golden Retriever Lab, you can only make an educated guess about their temperament based on the general demeanor of their parents as well as the temperament of the parent breeds as a whole. If they are left alone a lot, they may become very destructive to your home. They will chew out of boredom or anxiety. As many Lab lovers know, these dogs do not know a stranger. Generally, the Goldador will get on well with children and other pets. Socialization Socialization from an early age is important for any breed, including the Golden Retriever Lab. Even though it hails from overly friendly and sociable breeds, there are still no guarantees to the temperament of your dog. Since training and socialization are both best started early on, puppy training classes can be a great way to both train and socialize your puppy at the same time. Training Tips The Goldador has an easygoing and eager to please temperament that helps make them highly trainable. Owners should start training early, from the time their puppy comes home. The parent breeds have a long history as service dogs, bomb detection dogs, hunting dogs, and now therapy dogs. Obedience classes will help create a well-mannered dog but also strengthens the bond between the dog and owner. Since Goldadors grow to be large dogs, obedience is also important to prevent them from jumping up at your guests! Energy Levels Golden Retriever Labrador puppies will grow into high-energy adults with a love for playing and a passion for retrieving! A Labrador Golden Retriever Mix makes a great companion for jogging, hiking, or cycling. This is a breed that also loves to swim. Canine sports, like agility, obedience trials, and tracking, are also a great way to keep your dog physically active, mentally stimulated, and out of trouble. As a very social breed, they do best as indoor dogs, but with a large, fenced in yard to run around. In addition to self-exercise, they need walks or other forms of daily activity with their owners. Exercise is especially important for the health of your Goldador since both Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers have a tendency to develop elbow and hip dysplasia. Weight management is one way of combating these joint problems. Health and Care All pedigree dog breeds are inbred to some extent. The measure of this is called the coefficient of inbreeding COI. The higher the COI, the greater the risks of health issues arising specifically from inbreeding. In a crossbreed such as the Goldador, the COI is usually much lower than it is in a purebred dog, and this is a good thing. To begin to look at the health and care of a Goldador we first need to consider the inherited health risks from both parent breeds Labrador and Golden Retriever. Labrador Health Labrador Retrievers are prone to a few hereditary health conditions and joint problems, as well as some health issues common to most dogs. To help minimize the likelihood of hereditary health issues in your new Goldador pup, check that your breeder has followed the recommended testing for the Labrador Retriever breed: Hereditary Nasal Parakeratosis HNKP. Life Span Did You Know? The Golden Labrador is a designer dog breed that originated in the United States. They are a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Labrador Retriever. The goal was to combine these two highly popular breeds to create a dog that exhibits the best traits from both of them. A mixed dog breed can take after one parent breed more than the other or any combination of traits from the parent breeds. This can result in some variation among individual puppies. But, overall, a Golden Labrador is friendly, intelligent, energetic, and affectionate. Although this mixed breed is not recognized by the American Kennel Club, they are recognized by other notable organizations like the American Canine Hybrid Club and more. This large designer breed is characterized by their energetic personality and friendly disposition. Both of the parent breeds in this cross are open, friendly, and affectionate, so you can expect the same in your Golden Labrador puppy. They are very playful and get along fabulously with children, other dogs, and other pets. They may be alert enough to be a good watchdog, but they do not make good guard dogs. They are instinctually more interested in making new friends and getting attention than they are with anything else. They can have a slight prey drive, but most of the time, they are just curious and interested in playing and making friends. The Golden Labrador is a moderately adaptable dog breed. Their large size and energy tend to make them a better fit for larger homes with room to run. They can adapt well to apartment living as long as they are given enough exercise and mental stimulation. But, small spaces can be a challenge because they are large dogs that are so playful and energetic. Golden Labradors do well in just about any climate. As with most dog breeds, they are sensitive to heat and extreme cold. Because they love their families, thrive on attention, and get bored easily, they do not like to be left alone for long periods of time. As a mixed breed, a Golden Labrador can inherit the potential health conditions of one or both of the parent breeds. Although the Golden Labrador is a relatively healthy dog breed, there are some potential health conditions to be aware of. These include eye problems like progressive retinal atrophy and joint issues common to large dogs like patellar luxation and hip dysplasia. Like their parent breeds, the Golden Labrador can be prone to weight gain, which does put them at risk of diabetes later in life. Reputable breeders will screen their stock to ensure genetic conditions are not being passed on to puppies. Regular vet visits, proper nutrition, and sufficient exercise can help keep your dog healthy and reduce preventable diseases. Both of the parent breeds in this cross are highly intelligent and highly trainable, so the Golden Labrador should be no different. Eager to please their owners, these dogs pick up on things quickly and respond best to positive training methods focused on praise and reward. This dog breed, like both of the parent breeds, is a great fit for owners of all experience levels, including first-time dog owners. Their high energy can sometimes be a challenge, so you may want to consider puppy training and obedience classes. This designer dog breed may be called a Golden Labrador, but they can show up in many colors. A cream, yellow, or golden coat may be the most common, but a Golden Labrador can also have a black, red, or brown coat. It tends to be a dense double coat that is short or medium in length. This dog breed will shed moderately year-round with heavier shedding sessions twice a year as the seasons change. During seasonal changes, you may want to increase to daily brushing. Not only will this make your dog more comfortable, but it will also decrease the amount of loose fur that ends up around your house. In addition to coat care, you will also need to handle nail, ear, and dental care for your Golden Labrador. Floppy ears tend to trap more dirt, moisture, and debris, which makes them more prone to developing ear infections than ears that stick straight up. Unfortunately, this is often overlooked, which is why gum disease is one of the most common health issues in dogs. Beyond that, you can use vet-approved dental hygiene chews and treats and even a specially-formulated dental care diet to supplement your efforts. Getting them used to it early and keeping it a positive experience can make grooming a lot easier as your puppy grows into a big dog! Plus, it can become a bonding experience that your dog looks forward to. Golden Labradors are high-energy dogs. Daily walks, playtime, and some extra activity are generally enough for this dog to stay happy and healthy. But, they will probably tire out before you do! Their friendly nature makes the Golden Labrador a great fit for trips to the dog park. Try teaching your dog how to play frisbee. With their retriever background, it could become one of their favorite activities. You can also train your Golden Labrador for several dog sports like agility, dock diving, obedience, and more. A fully-grown Golden Labrador usually stands inches tall at the shoulder and weighs between pounds. A Golden Labrador generally lives years. Although Golden Labrador is the most popular name for this designer dog breed, they are also sometimes referred to as a Goldador or a Goldador Retriever. Featured Golden Labrador Article.

We will be happy to recommend you to all our friends and family. .The treats and the stuffed animals he loved it all! He normally doesn't pick a favorite toy but the one toy he got from his box is now his favorite A. The Cinco De Mayo theme was a fun great first box. Dogs loved the toys and the treats. Ebony D. Love it "Thank so much to PoochPerks for the treat box! Jinxy and Popeye can't get enough! Miriam DiazLongtime Subscriber We had a subscription to BarkBox but my miniature dachshund didn't ever like the treats. Also most the toys were too big for her and she just didn't love them. She does love getting the box in the mail so I went out looking for something else. She literally won't stop playing with them and brings one of them with her even to go potty! The option for no treats and mini plush toys made all the difference! Hope it continues!!! Michelle S. Love it!!! Thanks Pooch perks my Lucia and Piper love it! MarciPooch Perks Lover Why Pooch Perks Stands out We hand select the products in our themed boxes from many different vendors which allows for a variety of items in our boxes. At Pooch Perks, we offer a monthly dog box that gives your furry canine friend something new to enjoy every month. Customize Your Box While our team designs the dog boxes each month around a specific theme, there are customization options available. Choose from a mix of toys and treats or a box that contains toys only, making it the perfect gift for dogs with food sensitivities. We take great pride in curating a fun monthly dog subscription box every month so you and your pooch both look forward to what may arrive. Choose the perfect monthly dog box for your furry family member today! One of the most popular membership boxes out there, BarkBox is all about themes. You and your pup are sure to be delighted by each month's delivery. From Scooby-Doo to Cinco de Mayo, the boxes come filled with two toys, two treats, and a chew curated to fit the theme. When you sign up, you will answer a few questions about your pup weight, age, and allergies. Shipping is free within the contiguous United States, and BarkBox even has an online shop selling more toys and surprises. If your pup likes to chew , you might want to opt for the Super Chewer box filled with impossible-to-destroy toys. You can cancel at any time on a month-to-month plan, but the other plans cannot be canceled. You can also get boxes that provide your dog with both premium-made toys and treats. Based on box selection, your package may contain five or six surprises for your pet, and you can customize the toys based on their preferences. This brand is a great choice for anyone looking for value. Each month you will receive a box of well-made toys and treats for less than you would spend in a store. The BoxDog subscription box is a monthly service that comes with two treats, one skincare item, and two to three toys, clothing, or accessories you pick. Choose from items such as a dog jacket, a squeaky toy, or a premium leash, depending on what your dog needs. Your first BoxDog box typically ships within a couple of business days, and then every three months for the seasonal plans. BoxDog is a great choice for any pet parent who wants a less-frequent subscription box and likes curating items for their pup. Instead, consider a monthly subscription like the Pet Treater box, which offers a toy-only bundle or a treat-only package. Items like stuffed animals, chew toys, and rope pulls will make sure your furry friend will never be bored again. Want more for your little buddy? Choose from a monthly subscription, or pay for multiple months in advance to save even more. You can cancel at any time, and customer service representatives are always available via live chat, email, or phone. You can even tell the customer support team to avoid certain types of toys e. Best for Chewers: Bullymake Sign Up Now Anyone with an intense chewer knows the pain of seeing a brand new dog toy in shreds after only a few minutes. But if a chewing debacle happens, the company offers to send a replacement as long as you provide a photo of the sacrificed toy. Every box comes with two to three chew toys and three healthy treats. While Bullymake boxes cost more than some other choices on our list, the price is worth it for toys that last. This monthly subscription includes a trendy bandana with every installment, as well as two treats and two toys for your pooch. We give bonus points to the Dapper Dog Box for how easy it is to cancel or skip a month without speaking to customer service just do it on your profile. This subscription offers fresh dog food packed with essential vitamins and nutrients. All ingredients are human-grade and never processed, nor do they contain artificial ingredients or fillers. Every shipment arrives cold and should be frozen until you're ready to feed your dog. This monthly subscription is made by the same company that offers BarkBox, but this service is focused specifically on dog dental hygiene. With every box, the company donates bowls of food to shelter pets in need, so you can feel good about spoiling your pooch. The longer you subscribe, the cheaper the monthly cost. And, you can cancel any time with a month-to-month subscription. Even if your dog does not love one of the toys which we doubt is possible , you will still feel great about giving back and helping a shelter dog in need. While the company doesn't offer full or partial refunds, you can send them an email with a photo if your package is damaged and they will try to resolve the problem. You can also cancel your subscription at any time. The price depends on the type of surprise you want for your pup treats or toys, for example and how often you want a box delivered. A dog subscription box is often cost-effective if you tend to get your dog treats and toys regularly. Many companies charge less than pet store prices. What Comes in a Dog Subscription Box? Most shipments include a variety of products such as toys, treats, and chews. Heavy chewers, dogs with allergies , or pups that ignore toys can all benefit from a dog subscription box. While some dog subscription boxes only provide chews and treats, most come with a toy or two every month. If you are mostly interested in toys, you can opt for a box specializing in dog toys such as Pet Treater Dog Box or Bullymake. These options are great for dogs that go through toys quickly, requiring frequent replacements. Related Topics. Directly supports hungry shelter animals Gives you a premium assortment of products Still affordable considering the included donation Cons Subscription doesn't accommodate food allergies Why It Made the List Anyone who has a rescue or simply loves dogs is sure to appreciate The Animal Rescue Site's subscription box. RescueBox lets you spoil your dog every month while supporting a good cause in the process. With every RescueBox, you'll be sent five premium products, and The Animal Rescue Site will provide dozens of meals to homeless pets and shelter animals through its charitable partners located in the U. If you've been on the fence about splurging on a monthly dog subscription, RescueBox gives you the perfect excuse to do so. Subscriptions for small, medium, and large dogs are all the same price and include the same number of products. No other customizations can be made beyond dog size, but the treats, chews, and toys you receive are always carefully selected by a team of pet experts. The products also follow a monthly theme, so your dog will get to enjoy an exciting variety of high-quality goodies, and you'll feel good knowing that your subscription is helping pets in need. Yes Products Include: Treats, toys, and chews Final Thoughts If you want convenient monthly deliveries of different toys and treats for a price that doesn't make you think twice about spoiling your dog, a subscription to BarkBox gets you the most bark for your buck. Some subscriptions let you customize your plan based on your dog's needs and preferences, while others have experts that curate an assortment of goodies based on a new theme; BarkBox does both. You can expect a fun-themed variety of premium toys every month but can also customize your plan to your dog. Upgrading your plan to accommodate another dog or one who just goes through toys fast will increase your bill but will also qualify you for free shipping. It can be hard guessing whether or not your dog will like something you order online, but all BarkBox plans have a percent satisfaction guarantee. Free shipping isn't always included, but when it's not, you can often qualify for it by adding extra products to your order. None of the subscriptions on this list require committing to a certain number of boxes, though most plans are automatically set up for either 12 months or four quarters of recurring deliveries. You're always free to cancel whenever you want, and you never have to pay the cost of the entire subscription period upfront if you prefer month-to-month payments. Chewy's Goody Box is the only exception because unless you set up recurring shipping at checkout, every box must be ordered individually. Most dog subscription boxes contain bundles of both food and non-food items, but Pooch Perks , Bullymake , and Pet Treater let you adjust your plan to receive only toys. However, if accessories are the non-food item you prefer, BoxDog is the best option. While the subscription does include treats and toys, it also sends skin care products and lets you pick out accessories every month. The same applies to Bark Bright , which will supply you with a monthly supply of toothpaste and chews. Methodology To find the best dog subscription boxes, our team reviewed nearly two dozen services, evaluating each one on the following criteria: Average price Number of items per box Variety of products. Design: Liked the theme and the toys were definitely durable. Health: Treats were made in the U. I mean, I love celebrating Halloween early as much as the next person, but in March? Mostly I was just weirded out by feeling like I'd been sent a Halloween box in March? Happy early Halloween, y'all! But in addition to that, everything in the box felt extremely high quality. Design: Both dog toys here felt very high-end and durable. Neither one was hideous, and I liked that there was a subtle St. I also loved that the rope toy is created through Fundacion Mitz which gives jobs to women in vulnerable communities. Health: I appreciated that the Loving Pets treats were made in the U. Customer Experience: I canceled my subscription via email, and it was easy. The customer service representative was pleasant and I liked that I got an email warning me that my subscription was renewing before I was out of the cancellation window. Summary: I was skeptical of this box going in because subscribing on the Greater Good site felt a little jenky, but I was actually really wow-ed by the quality of the items in the box and the value. I loved the products, and loved even more knowing that my purchase was feeding shelter animals. And our pick for the best Dog subscription box is… Okay, I lied. I love that it gives back, and everything in it felt really high-quality and thoughtfully-curated. I loved seeing a Fair Trade toy in the box, too. It felt good to buy an indulgent treat for our pups that also helped pups in need. Thanks for reading! Pin It The Dapple sometimes receives a small affiliate income when you shop using links featured on our site. Never Miss a Pupdate Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. Email Address.

Incredibly active dogs, the best way to keep a golden happy and healthy is to take them on regular walks and outings. But how long should a Golden Retriever be walked? A Golden Retriever should be walked at least 1 hour every day. If easier for the dog owner, walks and exercise time for goldens can be broken up into two minute sessions daily. This, of course, is the recommended walking time for a healthy adult Golden Retriever. Keep reading to find out more! This article may contain affiliate links and loyalgoldens may earn a commission if a purchase is made. Unlock your goldens natural intelligence and see just how quickly problem behaviors disappear. This is the best at home dog training I've ever used! Their job was to retrieve downed waterfowl, such as ducks and upland game birds during outings with their owners. These hunting excursions could last hours or even days, and golden retrievers were created to be able to last out in the field for long periods of time. These hunts included regular amounts of walking, running, climbing, and swimming. Even though most golden retrievers today are usually domesticated house dogs, they still have the genetic profile of a working dog and have been bred to be high-energy and very active. A long walk helps a retriever to relax its energetic mind and take in all the sights, sounds and smells they experience along the way. A golden retriever could literally walk all day long and cover dozens of miles. Fortunately for us, that much walking is not required. Ideally, a good walk for a golden can be 30 to 60 minutes in length. The daily walk with your golden retriever can be done all at once, or it can be done for shorter periods of time, multiple times a day. The speed of the walk should be pretty fast. A brisk walk is necessary because golden retrievers are difficult to fully tire out. Running with your golden, however, is not a requirement. How Long to Walk A Golden Retriever Puppy Golden Retriever puppies require daily walks as well, but you will want to reduce the duration and length, depending on their age. Golden retriever puppies require short 10 to 15 minute walks or no more than about 5 minutes per month of age. As a golden retriever puppy grows you can add an extra few minutes each month to your regular walking routine. Doing so will guarantee your puppy grows into a strong and healthy dog. Providing the proper amount of puppy exercise is also a great opportunity to introduce your young pup to other people and dogs. A regular shorter walk gives them a chance to become better socialized, which will make for a happier adult dog in the long run. Walking a Senior Golden Retriever For senior dogs, try walking approximately 30 to 45 minutes daily. As golden retrievers age, their bodies go through physical changes and begin to slow down. However, their joints need to remain mobile and their weight still needs to be monitored. So, they need to be walked, but not too much or it could be detrimental for their health and cause hip dysplasia. Dogs love routine. Try to plan a walk at the same time each day. Consistent walking throughout the week is considered healthier than one long weekend stroll. Discover how to train your Golden Retriever by playing games : 21 games to play with your Golden that will make them smarter and better behaved! Besides walking regularly, it is also important to have some high-intensity exercise and play to help exhaust your golden retriever and retain their muscle tone. Golden Retrievers need three types of regular exercise to thrive and be happy. Long walks — The longer the better within reason. Purposeful high-intensity activity and play — Activities such as playing fetch, swimming, or running off-leash. Mental exercise — Mental stimulation is a form of exercise as well and is absolutely necessary for a healthy golden. Find out which toys golden retrievers love to keep them mentally stimulated in our article here. The average adult Golden retriever needs at least 1 hour of exercise a day, ideally more. Their genetic bloodlines can also influence how much exercise a golden retriever requires. Golden retrievers coming from a working stock would need much more exercise than golden retrievers bred to be lap dogs. Failure to provide ample physical exercise and mental stimulation to a golden retriever can contribute to loneliness and behavioral problems. This can include aggressive actions, digging, constant barking, and even running away to have their own fun. Golden Retrievers are very food-driven breeds. Not exercising enough to burn off the calories they eat can eventually lead to them being overweight. Obesity can lead to extreme tension on the joints, possible injury to internal organs for example, the heart , and diabetes. Exercise is the pill that cures most golden retriever mental and behavioral issues, and a good long walk is at the top of the list. Generally, golden retrievers are obedient and typically have a strong recall if they are trained correctly. Proper dog training is the key to being able to successfully let your golden run off-leash. Alternatively, you can use a retractable dog leash to allow more flexibility while still retaining control during walks. A leash like this will give your golden plenty of room to run and explore, while staying in your control. To be safe, make sure the added weight is no more than 10 percent of their total body weight. Doing this is more than enough to fatigue a dog with endless energy, and it will help to strengthen their muscles without overworking them. Another option to increase resistance and wear your dog out and you too! Choosing a walking route with some challenges will increase the amount of exercise your dog gets from an outing. Hard surfaces such as these can be jarring on both the joints and paws. Instead, walk your retriever on a lush lawn or playground. Many major cities have dog walking areas or dog parks that are deemed safe. These waterproof booties will protect your dogs feet from the hot pavement, as well as ice and snow. Spread a little bit of this on their paws and it will take care of any cracking pads on their feet. This can be an issue on some trails and beaches, as well as sidewalks in the city. They are also incredibly smart, meaning they need to keep their minds busy as well as their bodies. To avoid boredom, it is imperative to have sufficient physical and mental activity. A minimum of 60 minutes of exercise per day, including walks and purposeful play, for muscle building and mental relaxation is required for a happy and healthy golden retriever. Not doing so can result in an anxious and frustrated dog, which creates behavioral problems such as barking, digging, escaping, and overall aggressive behavior. Because golden retrievers are also vulnerable to being overweight, regular walking and a balanced diet can help regulate their weight and reduce their risk of obesity. Jumping You probably noticed that all of the things above are unwanted behaviors. This can lead to heart problems, joint problems, and other potential health problems. These following suggestions for exercising your pup will cover both mental and physical exercises. Play tug with your golden Another good game to play with your pup is tug. This is also a great opportunity to work in some training, as you can teach your golden to drop it , take it, and even have them do sits or downs to resume the game. Play chase This is a great game to play, especially with puppies, since most puppies love nothing more than to chase or be chased. Get your dog hooked on chew toys Teaching your dog to love to chew on chew toys is one of the best things you can do for your puppy. Chewing releases feel-good endorphins and channels their chewing energy into an appropriate toy, instead of something in appropriate, like your household items. It can also help them relax, and put overtired puppies to sleep. Play with a flirt pole Using a flirt pole is great for young puppies because it allows them to chase and pounce a toy while you stay a safe distance away from their razor-sharp teeth. Oliver loves it, plus it takes a ton of mental energy to figure out how to get all of his kibble out of it. Other puzzle toys include the Kong Wobbler , snuffle mats , and food balls. This is a win-win since he loves the puzzle toys and it takes more energy to work for his food than to just gobble it up from a food bowl. Play hide and seek This is a great game that combines training and a little bit of exercise, but it does require that your golden knows how to stay. Just be sure to fully dry them off because goldens are susceptible to hot spots. Take your golden to doggy daycare After a day of daycare, Oliver is usually wiped out for the night, as well as half of the next day. Set up a doggy playdate If you have any friends that have nice dogs, or if you meet anyone in a local Facebook group, try to set up a doggy playdate. Your golden will love it! This is especially good for young puppies, since they need to be socialized with other dogs and you can make sure the other dog is up to date on their vaccines. Conclusion Since golden retrievers were bred to hunt out in the fields and marshes all day, they need a lot of exercise. How much exercise does your golden need per day? Have any questions about exercising your golden retriever? Let me know in the comments below. Related articles:. Read the full disclosure here. All dogs need exercise to live a fit, healthy and fulfilling life. No matter the breed, no matter how large or small, no matter their age, they all need exercise. But some need more than others. So what are the Golden Retriever exercise requirements? Golden Retrievers Are A High Energy Sporting Breed As the name suggests, the Golden Retriever is a sporting breed initially created to retrieve fallen game for hunters in the Scottish highlands in the 19th century. Retrieving in the Scottish Highlands, with its mountainous landscape pot-holed with ponds, lakes and streams is very physically demanding work. So when they set out to create the Goldens, they had to be a high energy, sturdy breed with lots of stamina and an affinity for water. They needed a dog that could travel large distances, hiking and swimming in rough terrain for the best part of a full day. And with this breed, this is exactly what they got. They need physical activity. They become very destructive , chewing , digging, and running around your home and garden like little tornadoes. Too full of pent-up energy to be able to concentrate and behave themselves well and some will even try to escape their home and garden at every opportunity. Only now, all that food will just turn into fat and lead to poor health and weight issues. Yes, Golden Retrievers are very prone to obesity. Usually a combination of their owners doing two things: Giving in too often to those expertly crafted begging routines. Not giving their pooch anywhere near a sufficient level of exercise. Excess weight leads to a variety of problems such as heart disease, increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and damage to their hip and elbow joints. Keeping your Golden at a healthy weight is the responsibility of any caring owner. This rule basically states: A puppy needs no more than 5 minutes of exercise for each month it has been alive. So a 3-month-old puppy needs only 15 minutes exercise per day, a 5-month-old needs 25 minutes. This exercise is a proper, structured exercise. Meaning brisk walking on leash, gentle games of fetch. Puppies are growing fast and their bones and joints can be easily damaged by over-exercising. Follow the 5 minute rule and encourage very little jumping or vigorous exercise! Continue the 5 minute rule until your golden is nearing one year old. As a general rule to follow, a healthy adult Golden retriever exercise needs consist of a good hour of exercise every day. But the genetics of your dog could mean you need to increase or decrease this. Those retrievers from a working field line will be more energetic and have higher exercise needs, perhaps as much as 2 hours per day. Whereas those from show lines could get by on 45 minutes. But all Goldens need regular exercise, at least twice per day or they will become bored and probably destructive. Try to provide different forms of exercise such as hiking, running, swimming, playing fetch…you need to stimulate their minds as well as their hearts and muscles. They will take every bit of physical activity you throw at them and then be able to do much more. You will tire yourself out long before you can tire them! Some Golden retrievers suffer arthritis and other joint pains as they age. If this is the case with your dog, please speak to your vet and follow their advice. With some ailments exercise can make things worse and you do not want that for your dog. Like humans, dogs are individuals and age differently. Just be mindful of not asking too much of your elderly dog. They can still enjoy walking long distances and swimming, just avoid jumping hedges and chasing balls for an hour straight. Believe me, you will know! In all cases, if your Golden has behavioral problems and seems highly strung and out of control, the first thing you should do is have them checked by a vet for health issues. And if they receive a clean bill of health then the simplest of cures for a better behaved dog is to exercise them more. Try it for a few days, you just may be surprised at the results: An exercised Golden is a calm and happy Golden! Conclusion Golden Retrievers are a high energy sporting breed and require a lot of exercise. A lack of it can lead to a variety of health problems, hyperactivity and behavioral problems! So for a healthy and happy dog…and owner…provide your beloved puppy with just as much physical activity as they need and deserve! Jogging alongside you, running along as you cycle, going for long hikes , the occasional swim and sessions of playing fetch all qualify as good Golden Retriever training. You will stay fit and active and happy together. You May Also Like. Sep 13, Sep 20, This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. Our goldens are such high-energy dogs. In order to stay mentally and physically healthy, they require exercise. They need more exercise than many dogs. Of course, the amount and type of exercise will vary based on their age, genetics, health, and overall health and fitness. He may become destructive or he may gain weight. So, to keep him healthy and happy, he should be well-exercised. Even adult goldens may chew the wrong items like your furniture and dig in your garden when under-exercised. Or they may bark excessively, jump on counters or people even when trained not to, or be mouthy. Also, he may gain too much weight. This can lead to heart disease, risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and damage to hips and elbows. A dog who receives enough exercise has toned muscles. Exercise also keeps his body and metabolic system functioning properly and engages his mind. Of course, puppies, adult goldens, and seniors will require various amounts and types of exercise. But generally golden retrievers, being sporting dogs meant to work, need more exercise than many breeds. Genetics enter into the equation. This can also help you determine what type of exercises to include in his regimen. So a three-month-old puppy should receive no more than 15 minutes of exercise up to two times a day. And break up the time he plays. For example, have a short minute walk and, after a break, a three-minute fetch session. Then, after another break, a two-minute training session. Vary the activities. Doing all these activities will not only help your pup exercise, but it will also help further your bond. My rescued golden retriever Riley came to me when he was about six months old. To say that he was energetic would be an understatement. He would jump on us, be mouthy, and generally destructive when he arrived. Of course, he needed training. But I also had to meet his exercise needs so that we could have a great relationship. So I took him on long walks, played fetch with his Kong ball, played tug and release, and played with puzzle toys. He also played with my other dogs. And he went to daycare two or three days or half-days per week. Between mental and physical exercise, he became the great dog he was meant to be. He enjoys life, loves everyone, and is very well-behaved wherever he goes. But he was worth it. Of course a young adult or one from hunting lines may need more. They may even need an hour-and-a-half or two hours per day. Just like us, goldens are individuals. But others may still be very active at 10 years old. Of course, some goldens are still very active at that age and beyond. But how much and the type of exercise they should engage in depends on their general health. The same is true of goldens with disabilities. They still require a sufficient amount of exercise according to their needs. Types of Exercise for Your Golden Of course both physical and mental exercise are required to have a healthy dog. There are many choices that will help your dog be fit and happy. Always monitor your dog to see if he seems too tired or appears to be injured. Stop and seek veterinary advice. Start out slowly and add time over many sessions as your pup can handle it. Vary the exercises. Some can be performed inside as well as outside. So even on a rainy day, you can sufficiently exercise your dog and meet his needs. Walking or Running Of course, you should first teach your dog to walk on a loose leash before exercising him on a leash. Walks at a natural pace are best for most goldens. Start with short walks, increasing them over time. Avoid walks on the hottest or coldest part of the day. Always walk on safe footing and avoid slippery or sharp surfaces. Of course, running is another matter. The pounding may be too much. Running on soft running paths or level grass can be alright for some dogs. Of course, a full vet checkup should occur before starting any running program with your beloved golden retriever. Some people jog with a dog. Others may skate or ride a bike with their golden alongside. Of course, some dogs enjoy hiking with their people. There are many sights and smells for a dog to enjoy. Play Groups Your puppy or dog can also get a lot of varied exercise playing with appropriate dog playmates. Dogs romp and wrestle together. You can set up your own or join in to well-run dog playgroups or even dog daycares. Playing With Your Dog You can play fetch with your dog if he knows how to retrieve and give up the toy on cue. He may even fetch a favorite ball. Or play tug with a toy like a rope or fleece toy if your dog will take it and release it on cue. The options are limitless. You can play hide and seek with your golden while inside. You can heel with him, have him come on cue, or teach him to wave! Mentally Stimulating Toys There are many activity toys you can buy or you can make your own. Some are puzzle toys where your golden seeks out kibble or treats. Or treat-dispensing balls. If you or a friend has a swimming pool, you can teach your dog to swim. They make life vests for safety. Start him in shallow water and build from there, with you accompanying him. Always make sure that he knows where the steps are and how to get out of the water. My golden Spencer used to like to swim in the bay when we vacationed at the shore. He was a great swimmer, but he wore a doggy life vest and I had him on a long-line for safety. There are also dog facilities like boarding and daycares and vet hospitals that have facilities where your pup may swim. Swimming provides a great cardio workout as well as being easier on joints than many land exercises. This can be good for dogs with joint problems and arthritis. In fact, aqua therapy is often used for dogs who need physical rehabilitation from injuries or surgery. The following suggestions can be performed in competitions or just for fun and exercise. You can even join a dog training club or take courses to learn how to perform these activities. There are so many choices, including: Lure coursing, where a dog chases after a plastic bag attached to a lure that whizzes by on a specially designed course. Sight hounds often participate in this sport. Scent work, in which a dog finds something by scent. Agility, where a dog learns to run a designated course with tunnels, weave poles, dog walks, and teeter totters. Flyball, where a dog learns to jump over a course of jumps and retrieve a ball. Rally obedience, in which you train your dog to walk through a course accompanied by you. He performs certain tasks at each sign on the ground that you encounter. He may have to sit and lie down and perform other obedience exercises throughout the course. Dock diving is a sport in which goldens and labs excel—usually being water-loving dogs. He stays on the dock, awaiting your command. He then runs along the dock and flings his body into the water to retrieve the toy. In competition, the goal is to have the longest jump possible. You should be able to feel his ribs without seeing them. Some occasional zoomies are natural. And he should also be able to listen and pay attention to you and to perform known commands, Too much exercise can be as bad as not enough. Final Thoughts Just like us, goldens need physical and mental exercise to remain healthy. It will also further the bond with your four-legged best friend. How much exercise does your golden receive? What activities have you tried? 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. Excessive ball throwing and catching. Fast-paced walks. Walking on hot days. Running a puppy alongside a bike. Dogs and puppies should not be exercised immediately before or after eating, as this can cause problems such as bloating. How to Exercise A Golden Retriever Puppy Providing puppies with the opportunity to exercise is a very important aspect of their healthy life. Not only does exercise have multiple health benefits, but it also gives them a good opportunity to socialize and bond with their owner. Check the temperature outside to avoid overheating. Make sure they wear a proper collar and tag. Make sure they are comfortable with their collar and leash. During Eeercise One way to help your puppy get exercise is by having them on a leash with you and following these tips: Walk at a normal pace. Stop to rest if your puppy keeps sitting down and continue when they get back up. Avoid over-exercising. You can also allow your puppy to exercise without a leash. Allow your pet to run freely in a safe environment, such as a backyard or designated dog park. Having them off the leash is a good way for them to regulate their own pace and exercise they want but do watch for: Watch out for signs of fatigue, including panting, slowing their pace, and lagging behind you. Watch for overheating signs such as excessive panting, drooling, vomiting or agitation. Keep your puppy hydrated. Signs that your dog is overheating and what you can do to help After exercise After your puppy has finished his exercise, make sure to offer them plenty of fresh, clean water and allow them to rest. After they have calmed down and rested, you can offer them a healthy treat or feed them. Exercise For Your Puppy In addition to giving your puppy short, daily walks, here are some other options of exercise that your pup will enjoy. Swimming Swimming is a great exercise for all dogs as it helps strengthen and tone muscles. Get your puppy familiar with water first after they are 3 months old. Fetch Golden Retrievers are meant for retrieving, so a good game of fetch will come naturally to them. Just make sure to watch for any signs of tiring. Dog toys that move There is a wide variety of interactive toys for puppies that are highly stimulating and can help with exercise. Play with other dogs Having your puppy be around other dogs is a good way to give them an exercise buddy while they work on important social skills. Whist Golden Retrievers instinctively know how to retrieve, they need to be trained from a very young age to catch. Signs Your Puppy is Getting Too Much Exercise Exercise keeps joints limber, promotes good range of motion, maintains muscle mass, and can help prevent injury. But too much of it can actually cause injury. Watch out for signs of over-exercise like sore muscles, behavioral changes, and joint injury. Sore Muscles Sore muscles are a sign that your pup is getting too much exercise. Refusing or struggling to go up and down the stairs. Refusing to eat because it hurts to lower down. If you notice signs of soreness, give them time to rest and lower the amount of exercise they are getting. Continuing to exercise, at this point, can lead to injury. Behavioral changes If your puppy usually enjoys going for walks with you but starts to shy away from walking or whimpers when you begin the walk, this is showing you that something is not right. Inconsistent conditioning can lead to changes in behavior as well as injury. If there is a joint injury, your puppy will begin to limp or favor one leg over the other. Another sign that is said to be a sign of joint injury is if you notice your dog putting its head down while walking on the good leg but lifting its head when walking on the bad leg. Heat sickness Heat exhaustion is a concern during the warmer months. Younger dogs have difficulty regulating body temperatures, so too much exercise can cause them to overheat. Signs of heat exhaustion are excessive panting, disinterest in eating, and drooling. Stopping suddenly can also scrape the bottom of the paws, causing the outer layer of the pad to wear off. It is good not to drag your dog while they are leashed, instead, be patient with them and listen to their cues. Golden Retrievers are popular dogs for outdoor activities. That is why we feature them here at Outdoor Dog Fun with these articles:. Without adequate exercise, few puppies will be able to control their energy. Families see an out-of-control puppy and immediately think exercise is the answer to their problem. Often it is, but exercise can also be overdone. There is a balance. The information below has exercise guidelines for large breed puppies along with a broad range of various ways for your puppy to get that exercise. Make sure that you have a fenced area or that you are far from any place that cars or other dangers might be. For off-leash strolls, let the puppy set the pace. If he lies down, let him rest. Here are a few general guidelines. Keep in mind that puppies that are used to active lifestyles can handle longer excursions. Conversely, puppies that have not had opportunity to exercise off leash need to start off at a slower pace. For your average puppy, start off with minutes for an 8-week old puppy. Increase to up to 20 minutes for week old puppies. By the time your puppy is 6 months, the time can be increased up to as much as 45 minutes and for a month-old puppy, you can go for as long as an hour as long as you are going at a slow pace with plenty of opportunities for your puppy to sniff around. If you miss a week or two of the work, decrease your distance when starting back and gradually build up the distance again. This long distance exercise must be off-leash so that your puppy can take breaks and slow down as needed. The puppy must set the pace. Forced running on a leash is never good for a growing puppy. Leash Walks as Exercise for a Golden Retriever Puppy Leash walking can be a good form of exercise when certain criteria are met. First puppies need to be trained and socialized to the environment. Second, leash walks need to be done in a certain way. Leash walking can be overdone. One of the biggest causes of growth plate and soft tissue injury in young puppies is repetitive exercise. Leash walks for puppies must be broken up with training sessions or opportunities for free off-leash play or time to sniff around on the leash. At 3 months, you can go for 20 minutes and at 6 months, you can walk up to 30 minutes. You must be much more careful with leash walking since you and not the puppy control the pace. Leash walking provides an excellent way of combining a little bit of physical exercise with mental exercise, obedience training, socialization, and environmental desensitization. It is a fantastic way to introduce a puppy to his world. It gives a bit of exercise while at the same time giving opportunities for socialization and training. However, strolls on a leash are not enough. Puppies must have an opportunity to run and play. Again, off-leash walks are best if your goal in your walk is to provide adequate exercise. A week old Golden Retriever puppy will have a neck that is about 12 inches. Get a collar of any brand that includes 12 inches in the size range. An adult female will have about an 18 inch neck. A male adult will need a collar that fits a 20 inch neck. Similarly running on a treadmill or any other types of forced running are not appropriate forms of exercise for a golden retriever puppy. Free Play as Exercise for a Golden Retriever Puppy Free play is always an excellent form of exercise for a golden retriever puppy. Dogs and puppies of all ages can play as long they like in your safely contained yard. If your puppy is playing with another dog in the family, make sure you supervise their play until you are sure that they play well together and that the older dog is not too rough. End the play if the other dog is getting too rough, if your puppy is starting to annoy the other dog, or if your puppy shows signs that he is ready to quit playing. Strange dogs are not worth the risk. Getting on the ground or running around with your puppy can be one of the best ways to exercise your puppy. Fetch and tug can be options if played within certain guidelines. Whether you are playing tug or fetch or just running around with your puppy, there are a couple of rules that need to be followed. Instead, ignore him. Wait until your puppy is behaving. Then, once you begin playing with your puppy, periodically, stop the game and make him gain control of himself before resuming the game. Ask him to do a simple behavior such as a sit or a down. Then start playing again. We recommend teaching your puppy the game of fetch at a young age. Going and getting a toy, bringing it back, and giving it to you is easier to teach when they are young. Chasing balls causes puppies to twist, roll, jump, and tumble while trying to grab a moving ball. Instead, use toys. Then, combine your game of fetch with a game of tug. Tug is discussed in detail in another section. Once your puppy has learned to tug, teach your puppy a release command. Save longer throws for your dog until after he is over 2 years of age. Teach The Wait Command Once your puppy has learned to bring a toy back to you reliably, you can begin teaching your puppy to safely retrieve a ball. Before moving from a toy to a ball, teach a wait command. Playing fetch with a dog with a wait command is a tremendous exercise. It not only provides physical exercise, but it also provides a super opportunity for a puppy to learn self-control. Here is how to teach it. I like to use what is called a pull tab. A pull tab is a very short leash that you attach to a collar. Pull tabs are typically 6 inches or shorter. A pull tab is long enough to give you control over your dog, but short enough for the dog to be able to run and play with it dangling from his collar. Once the dog relaxes and I require a sit as well , throw the ball. When the dog is dependable with regard to waiting on the release, you can do away with the tab. Having a dog wait before chasing a ball is a necessity with puppies because it eliminates the problem of the dog twisting, turning, and diving for a moving object. Fetch is a great exercise for an adult. Once a dog is over 2, you can begin throwing balls and even add a Chuck-it ball thrower to your game. Tug as a Form of Exercise for a Golden Retriever Puppy Tug is a very good exercise for dogs of all ages except for during the stage when puppy teeth are coming out and new adult teeth coming in to replace them. Make sure you stop before he looses his first teeth at around 4 months. Tug can then be resumed when all adult teeth are in. The most current training recommendations for tug no longer include the idea that the dog can never win and that you must always be in charge. This is not true. Consider a child racing his Dad down the street. The Dad lets the child win and the child beams. It gives the child confidence and makes him want to be faster and better. The same holds true with puppies. Let them win when they do a good job! The Release Once a puppy is tugging vigorously and understands the game, you can teach a release cue. Teach this by making the tug toy become motionless and no fun. Just keep the toy still until the dog opens his mouth on his own. Then immediately give the toy back to the dog and start the tug game again. Begin integrating the release into your play session in such a way that you are giving the toy back far more often than not. The dog needs to associate his releasing the toy with a restart to the game, not an end to it. It encourages forced running, jumping, and twisting, all bad for the growing puppy. Frisbee throwing can be dangerous for any dog, but especially for a puppy. We personally never play frisbee with our dogs. There are many other better exercise choices. Digging Digging is actually a very good exercise for a puppy though it may not be so good for your lawn! If you should have a place that your puppy can dig, maybe a soft spot in the corner of your yard, train him that that place and only that place is his digging spot. Puppies Should Avoid Full Flights of Stars Your Summer Brook puppy will be trained shortly before changing homes to safely navigate a set of 3 or 4 steps. If your set of steps is more than half a full flight, we require that you carry him up them until he is 4 months old. Even after this, we recommend keeping him off the steps as often as possible. Dogs tend to get excited and fly down them, often leaping over 4 or 5 of them at a time. This can result in injury. As with so many other repetitive or impactful activities, we highly recommend waiting until growth plates are closed. Baby gates can be a huge help until that time. Swimming Swimming is super exercise for a Golden Retriever puppy and most dogs enjoy playing fetch in the water. See our website page on teaching a puppy to swim for more information. This includes jumping up on and off of furniture until he is fully grown and growth plates are closed. Growth Plates and Exercise We have mentioned quite a few times on this page the importance of limiting certain activities with your puppy until his growth plates are closed. Some of you might be wondering what growth plates are and why they matter with regard to exercise. What Are Growth Plates? Growth plates are soft areas that are at the ends of the long bones in puppies. These growth plates gradually get thinner until they completely close. The closure of growth plates is brought on by hormonal changes during puberty. When growth plates close, they harden as they calcify and the rapid cell division stops. The growth plates become what is called an epiphyseal line. The epiphyseal line is sturdy and not so prone to injury as the growth plates. These are collectively referred to as soft tissue. In an adult, when there is a soft tissue injury, a sprain will result. However, in a puppy, the soft tissue is stronger than the growth plates. An injury that would only cause a sprain in an adult dog could cause an injury to the growth plate in a puppy. The soft tissue can actually pull the growth plate apart. Growth plate injuries can sometimes not heal properly and keep a dog from growing straight and strong which can subject him to problems for his entire life. Conclusion Although you need to be much more careful with the type of exercise you provide your puppy, exercise is still very important to a growing puppy. Appropriate exercise is key to building strong bones. Another key to good puppy development and a relaxed puppy is mental exercise. Give your puppy appropriate physical exercise and give your puppy a long life with healthy bones and joints. For more information on our puppies, see our page on Golden Retriever puppies. Primary Sidebar Breeders and Trainers of English Golden Retrievers We focus on breeding and training beautiful English Golden Retriever puppies with health tested champion parents, great pedigrees, and fantastic temperaments. Leash training begins not with your dog but with your mindset. Goldens are intelligent, people-pleasing dogs. Begin your leash training — and every walk after that — with a calm mindset, and your dog will follow. The leader goes through the door first, so work on proper door etiquette until your puppy or dog has the right idea. This sets up your walk to succeed from the beginning. If you allow your dog to pull you over to greet the dog across the street or to sniff that really lovely tree, your dog is the winner in this tug of war. Instead, when your dog starts pulling, stand in one spot. Beginning this training with puppies makes stopping easier, but plant your feet even with a full-grown dog. Reward walking correctly Choose a very small type of treat your dog only gets on walks and use this to reinforce good behavior. Every so often as your dog walks correctly, praise your golden and dish out a treat. Eventually, wean your dog off the treats but always praise good behavior. Goldens respond really well to this type of verbal confirmation. Walk often Make walks a regular part of your routine. At least once a day, preferably twice, walk your dog for a period of 15 to 30 minutes. This routine is a huge part of keeping your golden leash trained for walks. Put it in your calendar or set a reminder on your phone — whatever it takes to get outside. Remember to always use positive reinforcement. Yelling or other punishment types of motivation could backfire. Your golden may end up with more energy or fear of walking. Step 1: Put the leash on your golden while in the house. If your golden is afraid of the leash, reward him with treats when he allows you to put it on him. Step 2: While inside, walk back and forth with your dog, stopping when he pulls on the leash. This method begins to teach your golden what to expect.