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English Bulldog Puppies For Sale Near Me Ten K is a beautiful 7month old lilac english bulldog he has a blue an He is AKC papered beautiful dog great with kids and loves to ride his skateboard View Detail English bulldog puppies I have 5 English bulldog puppies they will be ready September 24th 2 female and 3 male asking of males and for females they will be vet checked 1st set of shots and dewormed parents are on site View Detail Amazing baby face English Bulldogs available xxx xxx-xxxx We are giving out Cute baby male and female English Bulldogs for Adoption to any pet loving and caring family no matter where ever they might be. Our Babies are house raised, diaper trained, leash trained ,they wear clothes and like to lay around, watch TV and take snaps with you. They are vaccinated, obedient, intelligent, acrobatic, very healthy and loves the company of children and other pets coming along with all health papers,shots and cage too, we just relocated to a new apartment which does not permit us to keep animals so we are looking for a good home to take care of our baby monkeys. You are very free to contact us for more information on these babies. We bring in several animals each day with the mission of providing them with vet care, including spaying and neutering, microchipping and finding them with a forever home. One of the biggest challenges we face is finding the space to care for the overwhelming number of pets that come our way. These animals come to us via owner surrenders, strays, and our animal control unit. We are doing our best to promote spay and neuter services, but in the meantime, we have prioritized the comfort and quality of life for our shelter animals. How are you helping? We have increased our staffing and recruited more volunteers. Most importantly, a larger team allows us to spend more quality time with each animal in our facility. Dogs need walks, cats need socialization, and every animal needs and deserves love and attention. We want to make YHS a factory for canine and feline joy. All our canine residents received brand-new, elevated dog beds. These beds are much higher quality than our old beds. This increase in quality will mean the beds will last significantly longer and provide a clean, comfortable place for the dogs to lay their heads at night. We have new play yard facility. The new 7, square foot yard will come right off the back of our building, making it easy for staff and volunteers to bring dogs outside individually and eventually introduce them into small playgroups. The play yard will provide the dogs much more outdoor time and the added socialization will be critical to their adoptability and future lives in their forever homes. We give fully trained service dogs to veterans coming home with PTSD. We are looking for volunteer families to foster our puppies for a short time. If interested please contact Mary with SPW at .Yakima, WA. More These double doodles are ready to go to their furever home. They are up to date with shots and dewormer. Pupps are hypoallergenic and kid friendly. Available 3 females, 4 males, 8 weeks old. Pupps will grow inches tall. Call or text .Grandparents registered. Sire's straight backed, lb. GSD trusted with kittens, cats, small dogs, goats, horses, children. Smart, friendly, gentle guardians ready now for your home, livestock, children. Pasco WA. Delivery available. For pictures please text Newport Chocolate male Yorkie available! This fun loving little guy is ready for his forever family. He is 6-months-old, vaccinated, wormed, his tail is docked, and dewclaw removed. Housebroken and doggie door trained. Good with kids, he's a great companion. Text or call for more information: .Tri Cities, WA. Call or email to catsadopt popptricities. Videos, photos, FaceTime or video calls are available. Serious inquiries only. Email: Nalina. Pasco, WA. Hypoallergenic, friendly, and adorable. Sire is a AKC Bichon. Dam is a Carin Terrier. Full grown size will be pounds. If interested, please call or text .Both parents on site. Raised on a farm with kids. Great guardian dogs. Willing to deliver.

Our final word on the Australian Retriever 1. Imagine a dog with the sweet, happy face of a Golden Retriever and the thick, multi-color coat of the Aussie. As mentioned above these crossbreeds grow up to be large dogs , reaching up to 19 to 30 inches 48 to 76 cm in height and weighing 30 to 60 pounds 13 to 27 kg. They have well-built bodies and broad heads with expressive eyes, a round black nose, and dropped ears. Some of these hybrids will favor their Golden Retriever side and have solidly colored golden fur. Many Australian Golden Retriever mixes also have facial markings, like this adorable little Aussie Retriever puppy: The Australian Retriever inherits the double-layer coat of its parent breeds. More often than not, its dense layers of hair have a coarse, slightly wavy texture. The Golden Retriever Australian Shepherd mix gets along with everyone. Kids, other dogs, strangers on the street — the Aussie Golden mix will be friendly to everyone it encounters. The Golden Retriever-Aussie cross might be the perfect pet for you if you have young kids or other dogs at home. The Australian Shepherd-Golden Retriever mix has both herding and hunting instincts. Both its parent breeds are working dogs, so the Australian Retriever is no couch potato. This hybrid needs 30 to 60 minutes of exercise twice a day and makes for an excellent companion for your morning or afternoon jog. Aussie and Golden Retriever crosses love to run, which they inherit from the Australian Shepherd. Of course, this strong herding instinct means that your Aussie Retriever might end up pulling or nudging you into the backyard for some playtime. Thanks to their Retriever heritage, Golden Retriever and Aussie Shepherd hybrids will love playing fetch with balls and frisbees. They also enjoy the occasional dip in the pool. The Aussie and Golden Retriever cross may wander off your property trying to follow a scent. The Aussie Golden mix will look at you as a pack leader. These hybrids need a pack leader who can provide firm, consistent guidance. They tend to behave best with strong-willed masters, so they might not be suitable for first-time dog owners. Australian Retrievers are intelligent dogs, so they easily pick up commands. Frequent training sessions, along with treats and verbal praise, will help this crossbreed adopt positive behavior. Despite its friendliness, early socialization ensures that the Golden Retriever-Australian Shepherd mix behaves properly around other dogs and family members. These dogs are moderate to heavy shedders. Invest in a high-quality vacuum cleaner if you want to keep your clothes, furniture, and floors free of hair. The Australian Retriever has a double coat that sheds hair all year round, with springtime being the heaviest shedding season. Brush your Aussie Golden mix at least thrice a week to remove loose hair from its top coat. Regular brushing will also ensure that the undercoat will properly grow in. Make sure that you reach all the way down to the skin to distribute the natural oils in the hair. Trims will also help prevent tangles and mats from forming. Protein-rich dog food will help strengthen its muscles, bones, and joints without the risk of weight gain. The best dog food for Golden Retrievers will be ideal for Australian Retrievers, too. Two to three cups of high-quality dog food, divided into two meals throughout the day, should be enough for this crossbreed. Properly spacing meals for the Golden Retriever Australian Shepherd mix also minimizes the risk of bloat, a fatal condition that commonly affects large dogs. Are there any health issues that affect the Golden Retriever Aussie hybrid? Like their parent breeds, Australian Retrievers are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia. Eye conditions such as cataracts and colobomas can also affect these hybrid dogs. Golden Retrievers are known for having some of the highest cancer rates , so the Golden Retriever Australian Shepherd mix may inherit the same vulnerability to the serious condition. MDS can cause fatal reactions to various drugs administered by the vet. The good news is that early screening can help detect most health problems in Australian Retriever puppies. As long as it grows up healthy, as mentioned in the first paragraph an Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever mix can enjoy a lifespan of 13 to 15 years. Where can I get this awesome dog? 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 Australian Retriever Highlights Australian Retrievers are mixed breed dogs. They are not purebreds like their Australian Shepherd or Golden Retriever parents. The main colors that the coat of the Australian Retriever comes in are black, brown, and white. Some can be more golden like their Retriever parent. The Australian Retriever is a highly energetic and active dog and will require around an hour of exercise every day. Ideally, this will be split up into two separate sessions. The Australian Retriever is a great fit with kids. You should still supervise all play time between kids and dogs. In general, Australian Retrievers are also fine around other household pets, although they can show herding instincts. Breeders continued to produce these mixed breed dogs as demand climbed. Turning attention to the parent breeds, the Golden Retriever was originally developed in Scotland, where they very quickly became in-demand pups due to their very high intelligence and impressive ability to carry out agility and obedience-based tasks. When it comes to the Australian Shepherd, this is a breed that was actually developed in the United States. Despite their unfortunate start as a designer breed, some Australian Retrievers end up in rescues and shelters. Look out for them and adopt if you decide this is the right dog for you. As is always the case with newer mixed dog breeds, exact size standards might vary. Most weigh in at 25 to 60 pounds and range in height from 19 to 23 inches. Female Australian Retrievers are sometimes smaller than their male counterparts. The dog will bond strongly and quickly with you and your children and will desire to be part of your daily life. This mixed breed requires a lot of energetic exercise and playtime, and will also benefit from regular training sessions to help stimulate their natural smarts. Australian Retriever Health Australian Retrievers are generally considered to be healthy dogs, although the breed can be predisposed to some of the same conditions that the Australian Shepherd and Golden Retriever face. Some of the more common health problems Australian Retrievers suffer from include: Bloat Hip Dysplasia Australian Retriever Care The Australian Retriever is a highly energetic and active dog and will require around an hour of exercise every day. When out and about, your Australian Retriever will flourish in safe off-leash conditions, especially if they can break out into long runs or take a swim. Ideally, the dog will live in a situation that features a fenced-in yard. Also, adding fetch and retrieve games to the daily exercise routine is imperative with this mixed breed. Australian Retriever Feeding An ideal Australian Retriever diet should be formulated for a large dog with high energy. In terms of climate, the Australian Retriever is quite an adaptable dog that can live happily in most weather conditions. But remember to dress your pooch in a dog coat if it gets very cold outside, and always make sure adequate shade and fresh water is provided when the temperature spikes. So be sure the boundaries between the dog and existing household pets are laid down properly. Ultimately, early socialization really pays off with this mixed breed. Make sure to reward your Australian Retriever for good behavior and adhere to a proper training regimen when you bring them home to your family. Australian Retriever Rescue Groups It may be hard to find a breed-specific rescue for Australian Retrievers because they are a mixed breed. However, you may want to try Australian Shepherd or Golden Retriever breed-specific rescues, as they often care for mixes, as well. Here are some rescues you can try:. A good daily average of around 3 cups of dry dog pellets per day is sufficient, but younger Retrievers will benefit greatly from additional protein. Dry food should is best supplemented with good-quality canned wet food. A high-quality wet food is a good way to add moisture to their diet. A dog with high energy benefits from two small meals a day, as opposed to one large meal. This will assist in sustaining them throughout the day. A good source of essential fatty acids will benefit an Australian Shepherd greatly, due to their thick and dense coats. They will also need adequate protein, especially in their formative years, to keep up with their high energy output. It will also assist with skin, nail, bone, and muscle health. Most dogs need around calories per pound per day to maintain a healthy weight. An average Australian Shepherd weighs in at an average of pounds. They will need at least hours of good exercise every day; otherwise, they will become highly-strung and stressed. They will benefit from being walked on a leash, as their herding heritage will make them run off after any unfamiliar scents. Australian Shepherds are clever and they love to play high-energy games. Their innate retrieving instincts make them fond of fetching balls, sticks, and frisbees, and they are also fond of swimming. This is great exercise, plus mental stimulation for your dog. Still, they are a high-energy and hyperactive breed of dog and will require more patience than usual. To successfully train an Australian Retriever, it will help to focus on rewarding good behavior with treats and doing so repeatedly. Retrievers in general thrive on consistency and repetition. As with all dogs, it will help greatly to socialize your dog as early an age as possible. This will help it function well with strange people and situations, which is essential to good training. Treating new places as a fun outing as opposed to a scary one will keep them calm in new situations. Australian Retrievers take well to instructions, and combining reward-based training with a clicker or verbal commands as early as possible is vital. It is also better to do short training sessions regularly, as opposed to long intense sessions. Hyperactive breeds like Shepherds and Retrievers lose concentration quickly, and a minute session is ideal. Their innate herding instincts mean they love to play games with frisbees, sticks, and balls, especially fetching games. Regular brushing, combined with the occasional wash and trim, will prevent their thick coat from matting, which can happen quickly. An occasional nail trimming is also highly recommended to prevent splintering and infections. Their thick coat puts them at risk of skin disorders like atopic dermatitis if not brushed and cleaned regularly. Any signs of itchiness displayed by excessive licking and scratching could be a sign of this or possibly a food allergy. They should be taken to a vet as soon as possible if any of these symptoms occur. Golden Retrievers have a genetic disposition toward hip dysplasia, and this can follow over into Australian Retrievers. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death among Golden Retrievers, so Australian Retrievers are also at high risk of this disease. Other common minor ailments include bloat, joint issues, and eye problems. Regular checkups with your vet can prevent most of these issues. Unless you intend on breeding, it is recommended to neuter males and spay females. Neutering a male dog has many associated health benefits, including preventing from testicular cancer, making them less aggressive, and calming their hyperactive energy. It will also prevent them from wandering off looking for females, which can get them lost or injured. Spaying a female will assist in preventing uterine infections and cancer. It is recommended to do so before her first heat, as this will further help prevent these complications. If you want to breed a female Australian Shepherd, it is far better for her health to do so only after she has experienced at least one or two heat cycles. Minor Conditions. It is a cross between the Australian Shepherd and the Golden Retriever. The best way to determine the temperament of a mixed breed is to look up all breeds in the cross and know you can get any combination of any of the characteristics found in either breed. It is very common for breeders to breed multi-generation crosses. He came from an accidental litter off of a working horse ranch. His father was a purebred Australian Shepherd used for herding sheep and his mother was a purebred Golden Retriever used for hunting. He is a medium sized sturdy puppy. His coat is coming in nicely and I'm starting to notice the feathering. He loves to go for brisk morning walks and play ball. Wyatt has also started joining us on family hikes with our other dogs and even enjoys swimming! He is such a wonderful little puppy and we are so glad we got him! Both lived on a farm near Sharon, PA. She was one of 8 pups—mostly black; a few blue merle, like Azula. This is her as a puppy. She is 4 years old. We adopted a shy, terrified dog and a year later we have a vivacious, loving, gentle dog who loves tug-of-war and football!!! We can't imagine life without her!!!! She is also in training to be my service dog.He was 9 weeks old when I got him, making his date of birth around March 31, .Full grown now, Cooper weighs about 92 lbs. All I know for sure is he is a great dog! Cooper is very smart, maybe almost too smart, if you know what I mean. He loves playing in the snow, too! He is quite territorial, weary of strangers and very protective of me. Unknown animals are not allowed to approach me before he gives the OK. For example, we met a man with an adorable Bernese Mountain Dog at the dog park one day, and Cooper sniffed out his pocket where he kept his treats, then obediently sat down he learned that one fast. Cooper is his best friend now and it was at least a month in between the first time he gave Coops a treat, and the next time we saw him again. He will follow me around pretty much all around the house. He can be aloof, I guess, but not really to me. He had the puppy-dog eyes down, for sure. Poor little guy had all that fluff and it gets hot in California in the summer. You can see that he a few spots just barely starting to show on his face, and his fur around his eye and down his ears is really dark. I just loved his little nose, mostly pink with black spots. Reminded me of a little cow. This dog is naturally healthy, and thus free from genetic-based illnesses. However, there are also reports of this kind of breed getting cancer, hyperthyroid, allergies, and many more. The best way to avoid these scenarios is by getting a breeder. With that, we recommend brushing it on a daily basis if you want to maintain its luscious and shiny coat. Otherwise, cleaning the coat at least once or twice a week will do. It is known to have moderate shedding periods as well, but there are two seasons where they drop more hair than usual. With that, you might also want to invest in a vacuum. Not only will this make your dog cleaner, but it will also save you the trouble of doubling your cleaning chore from time to time. In line with that, you need to create hygienic routines for the dog. As much as possible, give it a bath once a day. Not only that, but you also need to trim the nails, clean the ears, and brush its teeth on a daily basis. Ears that are in this position are more prone to acquiring infection due to the absorption of moisture. If not cleaned and treated properly your dog might be prone to ear mites and other infections. You can also rent grooming services. If you do this, you will only have to take your Golden Retriever with Australian Shepherd breed for a bath when it is visibly dirty. For more information regarding this, it would be best to discuss it with your dog breeder. This is due to the flexibility and genetic variety of this particular breed. Reports have shown that the Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever Mix is also capable of acquiring diseases such as cancer, hyperthyroidism, deafness, allergies, and epilepsy. Aside from that, some dogs of this kind are also known to be sensitive to drugs. But among all the illnesses this dog is prone to having, the ones you need to watch out for are pigmentary uveitis, heart diseases, eye conditions, and hip dysplasia. Overall, however, you can expect your Golden Retriever crossbreed with Australian Shepherd to be a healthy and athletic dog. A Golden Retriever can live from years. An Australian Shepherd, on the other hand, has an average lifespan of years. With these numbers in mind, you can expect your Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever to live for about years. A dog nutritionist will tell you to engage your dog in routine meals on a daily basis. This will provide it with the standard amount of energy and nutrients to rejuvenate the ones that it lost running around and playing in your house. Meanwhile, here are our top suggestions for dog food. Merrick Grain Free Real Chicken and Sweet Potato Recipe Seventy percent of this dog food is made out of meant nutrients, which can help build lean muscles. With this dog food, you can also be sure that your pup eats corn, soy, and wheat free. You might also be thrilled to know that the company is known to be a manufacturer of locally produced dog food, which crosses out the possibility of some ingredients coming from China. One of the best features of this dog food is its 34 percent crude protein paired with 16 percent crude fat. Its top ingredients are deboned turkey, chicken meal, turkey meal, potatoes, and peas. Earthborn Holistic Puppy Vantage This is probably the best dog food for your Australian Shepherd Golden Retriever crossbreed while he is still in his puppy stage. Earthborn has been known to produce one of the best dog foods for adult dogs, but the company recently released one variety that was specially made for Golden Retriever with Australian Shepherd race puppies. This dog food aims to give your pup a healthy brain and good eye development. Your doggo deserves to have the best care and nutrition you can give them. If you come across some of the worst dry dog food in the market, just keep going. Puppies should get food that will give them enough proteins, which you can find among best puppy food brands. Dog-grandpas should get only the best senior dry dog food to make them feel young and strong. Also, if you stumble upon best dry dog food brands for Pugs give it a go these pups have refined taste buds and your doggo might, too. Your cutie carries the genes of super-unique and distinctive parents, so you can always opt for best dry dog food for small dogs or best large breed dry dog food. Golden Retriever Australian Shepherd Mix Exercise Requirements Many dog owners are disappointed with having dogs contribute to mischief around the house. Little do they know that this mischievousness is just a result of high energy levels. Such is the case with the Golden Retriever with Australian Shepherd race. The dog is quite energetic. In line with that, if they do not get sufficient amount of exercise, it will try to release their energy through other means. This is why some owners find their Mix of Golden Retriever and Australian Shepherd chewing and biting their shirt, slippers, or socks. You can schedule a session where the dogs can socialize with each other. Despite being a crossbreed, this dog also needs to socialize with its kind because it has a natural desire to be part of a herd. Socializing with other dogs of its kind will teach your puppy how to play nice with other animals. Still, these two things are done separately. The first thing you need to do is let the dog become acquainted with the environment since these types of dogs have hunting instincts. If you have other pets at home, it would be best to let your Golden Retriever crossbreed with Australian Shepherd mingle with them. Let them play with each other. This will give the animals sufficient time to get to know each other. You might even want to walk your dog around the neighborhood. The reason for this is to familiarize your dog not only with the surroundings but also your neighbors so that when someone visits your home, your puppy will not think of them as trespassers. Once you have done that, you should invest your time in teaching these simple training tricks: Walk. Spotted Golden Retriever Aussie Mix Temperament There is no exact way of predicting the personality and temperament of any mixed-breed dog, and the same is true for Australian shepherds. Intelligent As soon as you bring an Australian shepherd and golden retriever mix home, you will notice they are an exceptionally intelligent dog. Needless to say, this mix is very easy to train and will pass potty training and obedience training with flying colors. Keep in mind that, as such an intelligent canine, your Australian shepherd golden retriever mix will probably outsmart you more than once. Highly Energetic The Golden Aussie is a highly energetic dog that needs a lot of exercise , playtime, and training sessions to stay on top of his game both mentally and physically. If you have a more active lifestyle, this mix will fit right in with your schedule and be a great jogging, hiking, or swimming companion. However, if you are more of a couch potato, your Golden Aussie will behave a bit like a drill sergeant with a goal to get you in shape! Your Aussie retriever mix will need at least an hour of exercise every day ideally spread out over several play sessions to stay physically and mentally stimulated. If not provided with an appropriate outlet for their energy, your golden retriever Aussie mix will use destructive chewing, barking, and digging to prevent boredom. The Australian shepherd and golden retriever mix bonds strongly with its family and seeks out human companionship at all hours of the day and night. This mixed breed loves to be close to its people and is always in the mood for cuddles or petting sessions. Your Golden Aussie will have a strong desire to be close by and involved in everything you are doing and might feel unwanted if ignored or left alone. Thus, consider how much time you have to spend cuddling and interacting with your dog before you bring your Golden Aussie home. Hard-Working Since both Australian shepherds and golden retrievers are working dogs, their offspring tend to inherit a strong work ethic and be the happiest when they have a job to do. Depending on how much your mix takes after its Aussie parent, they might try to herd and nip at your family members, children, and smaller pets. This sort of behavior will work in your favor if you live on a farm; otherwise, you should discourage it with training. You can use these working skills while training and exercising your mix, like having him or her fetch and retrieve balls and freebies. This way, your pooch will feel like they are doing important work and get a workout at the same time. However, this mix is prone to certain health problems that are often seen in Australian shepherds and golden retrievers. The most common health problems seen in this mix are: Hip dysplasia Cancer Bloat The best way to avoid these issues from arising is to get your Australian shepherd golden retriever mix from a reputable dog breeder. You should also meet both parents and ask the breeder to show you their hip, elbow, and eye scores, as well as any other tests that he has had done. Compared to other dogs of their size, Aussie retrievers have a fairly long life span and on average live from 12 to 15 years. Be prepared for a long-term commitment and at least a few vet bills down the road before you ultimately decide to bring this mix into your home. Feeding An Aussie Golden Mix The ideal diet for the Australian retriever is one that consists of a lot of protein, fat, healthy carbs, and all other essential vitamins and minerals. Your mix should primarily eat dog food formulated especially for large dogs with high energy. Since they are prone to bloat , you should feed your Australian retriever two equally spaced smaller meals, once at the beginning of the day and another in the evening, and avoid free-feeding your dog. As a puppy, your mix will need calorie-dense puppy food suitable for large breed dogs and have to eat four small, evenly spaced out meals per day. To start, you should continue using the same dog food the breeder was feeding them and wait a month to slowly transition your pup to a different formula. To stay on top of all of that loose hair, you should brush your mix two to three times a week. The coat will shed to some extent all year round, and your mix will go through a heavy shed every spring, at which time you might need to brush your dog every day, using a dog brush that fits its coat best. Bathing once every other month will suffice unless your mix likes to roll in the mud and has to be bathed more often. After reading through our complete description of the Aussie retriever, you might still be unsure whether this wonderful crossbreed is right for you and your lifestyle. We suggest that you ask the following questions to help you decide. These dogs are both large and energetic, which means they thrive when they have a bit of extra space to exercise. An apartment will feel both feel small and confining to them and be inconvenient for you when such a big dog is wandering around in it. Even a small outdoor area that they can play around in will make a big difference to their overall health and happiness. Aussie retrievers love companionship and always want to be in the thick of things. If they are left at home on their own for several hours a day, perhaps when everyone is at work, they are likely to develop anxiety and depression. Not only is this bad for them, but it also often manifests in destructive behaviors like chewing, scratching, and digging. These dogs do best in households when there is generally someone around most of the time. How Energetic Are You? These dogs need lots of exercise. As well as at least an hour a day, they thrive when taken on regular weekend adventures like hiking, camping, or swimming. In addition, their daily exercise needs to be more than just a casual walk. Australian shepherd golden retriever mixes have lots of energy that they will need to burn off daily to stay happy and healthy. Will this suit your lifestyle? Are you going to be able to keep up with this dog? If not, this particular breed might not be the right choice for you. Are You Experienced With Dogs? These lovely crossbreeds are highly trainable and very personable, so even first-time owners should be able to teach them the necessary commands. However, bear in mind that they are also large dogs, and they respond best to a strong alpha. How Old Are Your Children? If you have young children at home, you might want to wait until they are a bit older to bring home one of these dogs. Not only do Australian shepherd golden retriever mixes have a tendency to herd younger children, but their size and energy can also be overwhelming for smaller kids. They will want to play quite energetically and confidently with your kids, who might be too small to control the situation. Also, these dogs are quite a lot of work, and you might not want to be running around after one of them while also running around after a toddler. Older kids, however, will find it rewarding to help you care for this personable pup. As with most designer pups, their cost varies greatly depending on where you are in the country and the subsequent supply and demand. You may also find some of these desirable pups looking for homes in a local shelter, so be sure to call around these shelters as your first option. Can Australian retrievers be golden? Australian retrievers can inherit the gold coats of their golden retriever parent, but a pure golden coat is relatively rare, as they usually have a mix of color markings like their Australian shepherd parent. Wrapping Up… It should be no surprise that golden retriever Aussie mixes are quickly becoming very desirable dogs, as they combine two of the most popular breeds in the United States. They are a stable crossbreed, as their parents have similar temperaments. They are both friendly and intelligent, which means their offspring are sure to be the same, no matter how their characteristics mix. Overall, these dogs are: Best suited to having constant company around the house Highly intelligent and need plenty of mental stimulation The Golden Aussie is ideal for active families who have lots of time to spend with their pup and enjoy getting active with them. While they need lots of love and attention, the unconditional loyalty and affection that they offer in return make them well worth the investment. Do you have experience with Golden Aussie mixes? Share your thoughts with the community in the comments section below. You May Also Like.

We have had Boxers for about 15 years and they are a part of our family!! We are proud to be a part of AKC. Proper education and responsibility has afforded us with great opportunities to support our family and pets through our local AKC clubs and affiliations. AKC proudly supports dedicated and responsible breeders. We encourage all prospective puppy owners to do their research and be prepared with questions to ask the breeder. Boxers are agile, smart and fun, fun, fun. Boxers are not for everyone. They can be very stubborn and need consistent training, proper socialization and playtime. We strive to ensure that every litter is the result of conscientious planning, including consideration of parents' temperament and physical well-being, clearances for hereditary diseases, pedigree and parentage. Our dogs have proper care and a clean, safe environment. Preventative veterinary care for assurance to good health, and proper care if or when sick or injured. Our fur babies are indoor and outdoor, meaning they come indoors with us and also have access to 2 acres of 5' fenced in play environment. Regular interaction, exercise, socialization, environmental enrichment toys, playing ball, chasing sticks and outlets to engage in normal behavior such as chewing and digging. Please do your research and make sure this breed is for you. Pets are a lifetime responsibility and need proper daily care and exercise. These pups are pet quality. I own the sire and dam, both on premise, and part of my household. Awesome temperaments, beautiful colors with a lot of flash. Ryan Gulbranson. Rescued, and still Counting! Ready to Help a Boxer in Need? When taking a dog into the program, they sometimes need a temporary home while in search of their perfect "FURever" home. Fostering a Boxer helps give a dog a healthy start and a new leash on life. Old Dogs, New Tricks.Everyone loves puppies but older dogs deserve attention too. Our silver Boxers don't let a little gray hair get in the way of loving life and are fabulous loyal companions. Consider adding a senior to your family! Seeking a New Best Friend? One who is goofy, playful and makes you laugh? One who is loyal and happy just being with you? One who will love you unconditionally and provide comfort when needed? With so many dogs in need of homes, you're bound to find the perfect Boxer. See Our Available Dogs! Florida Boxer Rescue is always in need of volunteers. Are you thinking about fostering a Boxer in need? Fostering is the most rewarding experience you can imagine. The number of dogs we save is limited by the number of foster homes we have - please help us to save all that we can

An 8 week old German Shepherd puppy is a bundle of antics and endless energy! Your 8 Week Old German Shepherd Puppy An 8 week old your puppy requires a daily routine and training to help them become the dog of your dreams. This article will not only help you understand your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy but will also explain to you why your little puppy has certain behaviors. Raising a German Shepherd puppy can feel like an overwhelming task at first! Just remember, your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy is also adjusting to its new life with you. You should expect your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy to feel stressed and uncertain. They may seem timid and unsure of their surroundings. They might cry, whine, and not want your attention. Having structure and consistency will help create a bond and help you both in getting along more peacefully and calmly. Introducing A Puppy Crate Many dog owners choose to use a crate when it comes to caring for their 8-week-old puppy. While some people consider crates unnecessary, or even cruel, crate training is a useful skill to offer your dog. With the right training your pup will see its crate as their private safe space and will even go there to relax. Leaving your puppy at home unsupervised can get them and you into a heap of trouble. Crate training helps prevent your home from being a destruction zone. This useful guide to crate training a German Shepherd puppy gets you on the right track to success! Crate training your puppy can: help speed up housetraining teach your dog to settle calm down offer your dog privacy But you must introduce the crate slowly and positively so your puppy builds a strong connection to the benefits of the crate. Never just shove or push your young German Shepherd into the crate without using positive training. Your new dog also needs a routine and schedule to help them through the early days with you and set the expectations you have for them. Having a schedule helps your puppy to know what to expect in their daily routines. It keeps you from losing your mind and helps ease a worried puppy. While you might work from home or have other obligations, try to follow a schedule that looks similar to this: Early morning: Take your puppy out for the first potty break of the day! So, they may need to go outside even before the sun rises. Breakfast time: Your puppy may want to go back to sleep after going outside and this is perfectly normal. On the other hand, some puppies are wide awake and ready for their breakfast. Either way, always take your puppy back outside shortly after their breakfast so they can sniff and have another potty break. Mid-morning: Puppies should eat 3 — 4 small meals a day. Mid-morning is a good time for another small meal. Afternoon: This is a good time for their lunch followed by a potty break and plenty of sniffing time to work off some of their energy. Late afternoon: Puppies need another potty break in the afternoon, and some puppies need more breaks outside. Evening: Their dinner meal and their evening potty time. Remember to let them explore outdoors in a safe area to help build their confidence. Scheduling exercise, potty breaks, and play at the same times every day helps ensure that your puppy learns their daily routine more quickly and settles in nicely. And, even young puppies can learn basic training in their first weeks with you. Try training your German Shepherd puppy at home to start with. In the beginning, you may find a few accidents in the house. But, stick with your potty training and remember to always watch your puppy to keep them from having messes in the house. When you stick to a regular potty schedule, the likelihood of potty training mishaps decreases, and you and your puppy are less stressed. Always, always, always… Supervise your puppy indoors when you are potty training. Your toughest time together with your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy might be the first few nights. Your puppy has only known the comfort of his mother and siblings before. Having your puppy sleep away from you will only scare them more. And, although they are little, their cry is loud! Having a place for them near your bed is the best way to avoid a night full of tearful cries and howling. Can I let my German Shepherd puppy sleep in bed with me? Plus, when your puppy is an adult and tries to sleep in bed with you there will be no room for you! A full-grown German Shepherd can weigh up to pounds and will push you right out of your own sheets. Your puppy sleeps most of the day. A new puppy sleeps more often than they are awake. An 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy may sleep as many as 18 hours a day! Sleeping this much allows your puppy to have the energy they need to grow and keeps them ready to explore their new world. Feeding An 8 Week Old German Shepherd Your puppy should stay on the same food they were eating before you brought them home to keep them less stressed. This helps keeps your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy from having an upset stomach and becoming ill. Sometimes, you might want to switch them over to a different food. If you choose this route, do it slowly and in stages over a few weeks. At 8 weeks old, German Shepherd puppies should eat 3 to 4 small meals per day. Although their stomachs are small if you overfeed them they could get sick and have stomach problems. Spreading their meals out throughout the day in regular intervals is best to avoid any upsets. Look for a balanced, complete puppy food for large breed dogs. As a large breed dog, your German Shepherd you should only feed your puppy food that is specially formulated for large breed puppies. Large breed puppies have different nutritional needs that are not found in ordinary puppy food. Feeding a commercially available food that is formulated for large breed puppies helps them to grow at a sustained rate. Steady growth in a large breed puppy helps to avoid stress on their bones and gives them a strong skeletal foundation for their athletic muscles. Limiting food intake in growing German Shepherd puppies has also been associated with fewer signs of hip dysplasia. This is of extreme importance in this breed due to the high incidence of hip problems and the pain associated with this joint disorder. A growing puppy is best fed a proprietary pet food that has been specifically formulated to meet its nutritional needs. Foods that are available as dry kibble are especially suitable to rear even the youngest of puppies. Opt for this specially formulated food for large breed puppies to keep your dog growing at a healthy rate that helps them stay strong. It is a complete balanced diet so nothing is missing. Within the first few days of arriving to their new home with you is a stressful time. Your puppy has just made a drastic life change and left everything they knew to be with you. Diarrhea and other stomach issues are sometimes stress induced. You can help your puppy by keeping to a regular feeding schedule and feeding them the same food they were on before coming to you. Sometimes diarrhea is also a sign of an underlying health issue and, if left untreated, can become life-threatening. If your puppy vomits blood, has bloody stools and diarrhea, becomes lethargic, or refuses to drink, call your vet immediately! To an 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy biting and nipping are all part of playing with their siblings. And, your puppy will most likely bite and nip you at some point too. They may even growl at you and tug at your hands or nip your ankles. This is all part of puppy play. But… It can really hurt you or make you bleed! Understanding bite inhibition means they know how to control the power of their play bites and how hard or soft they nip you. Preventing Nips and Bites If you know the right way to prevent and stop German Shepherd puppy biting, you can train your puppy to understand how to keep their razor-sharp tiny teeth from sinking into you. Instead… Offer them plenty of puppy-safe chew toys appropriate for their size. When they bite or nip you, calmly show them the toy to chew instead. Get their attention by moving the toy in a playful way around them so they begin to chase and bite the toy, instead of you or your furniture. Use these links to help you stay on the right track throughout their life. Can a German Shepherd puppy start training at 8 months? How to Potty Train Your 8-week-old German Shepherd Puppy Potty training your 8-week-old German Shepherd can be stressful at first, but with a bit of persistence and patience, your puppy will learn correct behavior in no time. The potty area can be outdoors or indoors. Having a designated potty place will help your dog understand that this is the only place they should go to poop or pee. Watch Out for Signs One of the first signs is usually an increased awareness of their surroundings. You may notice that your puppy starts sniffing around more often or seems particularly interested in certain places of the house. Watch out also for changes in behavior. If your pup suddenly starts having accidents inside or seems antsy and restless, they may be trying to tell you that they need to go outside. Use Cue Words One way to help your new puppy understand what you want him to do is to use cue words. Cue words will help your German Shepherd puppy learn the connection between the words and the action. You can also use cue words when rewarding him for going in the right spot. Give Training Treats When potty training your puppy, use treats as a form of positive reinforcement. Doing this teaches your puppy that good things happen when they go outside to do their business. When choosing treats for potty training, select something small and easy to eat. This way, the puppy can eat the treat quickly and then get back to playing. It would be best if you also chose training treats that your puppy finds irresistible. Otherwise, they may not be motivated to keep trying. Puppy Crate It is an enclosure to confine your new puppy for short periods. It is also helpful in transporting puppies from one place to another. German Shepherd owners use it for crate training as they can also help with separation anxiety and boredom. Puppy crates usually have a removable tray on the bottom for easy cleaning. They also have wire, plastic, or fabric as the primary materials, and they typically come in different sizes to accommodate puppies of different ages and breeds. When buying a crate, it must be big enough for the puppy to stand up, turn around, and lie down but small enough so that the puppy does not have too much space to eliminate in one corner and sleep in the other. When used correctly, it can provide a safe, comfortable space for your new furry friend. Early Morning: Bring your Puppy Outside When your German Shepherd is a still puppy, he may have trouble holding his bladder throughout the night. If you do not let your puppy out early enough, it might create potty accidents because he cannot control their bladder. Morning: Time for a Nutritious Breakfast Puppies need a lot of nutrients to grow up healthy and strong. A nutritious breakfast helps them get the energy they need to start the day. Even though puppies spend most of their time sleeping and cuddling, puppies require several daily feedings. Place your puppy on your lap and snuggle while sleeping. It would be best if you also let them rest throughout the day. Afternoon: Lunchtime Take your puppy outside after lunch to relieve themselves. Allow your puppy time to exercise and release any built-up energy. Feeding your puppy .Between naps, you can do playtime and training activities to help release energy, encourage physical activity, and develop a strong bond between you and your German Shepherd. Evening: Last meal of the Day During the evening, feed your puppy their fourth and last meal. Afterward, take your puppy for a short stroll. Before returning, have your puppy go potty outside, then snuggle up on the sofa for some quality time. Night: Potty Break Before Bedtime Take your puppy out for one more potty time before putting him to bed. Remember that you should establish a reasonable bedtime for your puppy early on. Moreover, an 8-week-old German Shepherd may develop a better appetite for other solid meals. These include constipation, bloating, and diarrhea. Diarrhea Diarrhea is a common problem that many German Shepherd puppies face. This condition has several possible causes, including dietary indiscretion, viral infections, and intestinal parasites. In most cases, diarrhea is not a serious concern and will resolve itself within a few days. However, seek veterinary care if your puppy displays other symptoms such as lethargy, vomiting, or lack of appetite. Constipation A young German Shepherd is particularly susceptible to constipation due to their large, muscular build and fast metabolism. If your puppy is constipated, you may notice that he has difficulty passing stool and seems uncomfortable or restless. If your puppy is constipated, take him to the vet for treatment. The vet may give him a laxative or enema to help relieve constipation. Bloating Bloating occurs when the stomach fills with gas, causing it to swell. German Shepherds are especially prone to bloating because of their deep chests. There are several possible causes of bloating, including eating too fast, drinking too much water, and exercising immediately after eating. Stress can also be a factor. To prevent bloating, feed your German Shepherd several small meals daily instead of one large meal. It is also important to avoid exercising immediately after eating and ensure that your dog has access to fresh water. Yes, a German Shepherd puppy can start training at eight months. But remember that every puppy is different and will learn at its own pace. Consistency is key, and with patience, your puppy will get the hang of obedience training in no time. Training should be a bonding experience for you and your pup! Remember to have fun and keep it light. At eight weeks old, a German Shepherd puppy sleeps for around 18 hours daily. It may seem like a lot, but puppies need a lot of sleep to grow and develop properly. As they get older, German Shepherds will sleep for less time each day. German Shepherd puppies use their mouths to explore their surroundings and socialize with other dogs and people. In addition, puppies typically start teething around eight weeks old, which can cause them to bite more as they try to relieve the discomfort caused by their emerging teeth. Puppies also explore the world with their mouths, and biting is a way for them to learn about their environment. In addition, puppies may bite out of excitement or frustration, especially if they are not getting enough exercise. If your puppy is biting excessively, provide him with plenty of chew toys and opportunities to run and play. Also read:. This article is designed to help you along your way. This is completely normal. Every new puppy owner has their moments of frustration and doubt. Remember that your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy is going through a big life change, too. She may be feeling stressed and out of sorts when you first bring her home. Consistency and structure will go a long way toward helping both of you. Introducing The Puppy Crate A crate can be your best friend when it comes to caring for your 8-week-old puppy. While some people think of crates as cruel, the reality is that with the right training, your puppy will think of her crate as a safe, quiet space where she can go to relax. If you leave your puppy unsupervised at home, you may come back to find a whole lot of destruction. Puppies can get into all kinds of trouble on their own, with their natural curiosity and desire to chomp down on just about everything in their path. A crate can help you keep your German Shepherd puppy — and your belongings! While every puppy is different, chances are your daily schedule for the first week will look a little bit like this: Early morning: Time for the first potty break of the day! Breakfast time: You can feed your puppy breakfast right after her first potty break, or wait a little longer and let her go back to sleep first. Mid-morning: Time for another small meal, and another potty break. Afternoon: Lunchtime followed by a potty break. Late afternoon: Another potty break! Evening: Dinner, and then — you guessed it — potty time. Just before bed: One last trip outside before you turn in for the night. In between potty and mealtimes, your puppy will probably be playing or napping. Scheduling play and exercise at the same times every day can help ensure that you get that nice, quiet naptime right on schedule, too. Potty Training an 8 Week Old German Shepherd Potty training can be one of the most daunting tasks of raising a brand new puppy. It may take a bit longer than you expected for your puppy to get the hang of things! Your puppy has never been apart from her siblings and mother before. The best way to avoid a night full of mournful wailing is to let your puppy sleep in your room, at least in the beginning. Safer ways to keep your puppy comfortable and contained at night include keeping her crate beside your bed, setting up a puppy playpen, or even just using a tall cardboard box. In fact, an 8-week-old puppy can spend as many as 18 hours a day sleeping! This helps keep some element of consistency in her routine and her stomach. If you do decide to switch over to a different food after a few weeks, do so in stages. You can then increase that slowly over time. At 8 weeks old, German Shepherd puppies should be fed three to four times per day. Because the German Shepherd is a large breed, you should also feed your puppy a diet formulated specifically for large breed puppies. There are many commercially available diets made to help large breed puppies grow at the right rate. This helps to avoid skeletal abnormalities like hip dysplasia. Want more information on what to feed your 8-week-old German Shepherd, and how to change her diet as she gets older? We have everything you need to know right here in our guide to feeding a German Shepherd puppy. The stress of such a drastic life change can manifest in different ways, and an upset stomach is a pretty common reaction. You can give your pup a better chance of having a settled stomach by keeping her on the food she was eating before you brought her home, and feeding on a consistent schedule. Diarrhea can also be a sign of an underlying issue besides stress, however, and severe diarrhea can be life-threatening if left untreated. Your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy is likely to bite you too, for exactly the same reason. She may even growl. And it really can hurt! Your Growing Dog As your German Shepherd puppy grows, our guides will help you care for her throughout her life. Here are a few links to get you started:.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Commit to training your German Shepherd daily. Be prepared to train your German Shepherd for at least 10 to 15 minutes a day. You should practice basic obedience training, but also include fun training games to keep them interested in their training and engaged with you. Aim for five three-minute sessions daily in the beginning, as a minimum. But start with no more than a few minutes in a short session and gradually build onto each individual session longer times. During each session work on just one or two commands so that your dog learns the right way to perform the command. Ready to start using games during your German Shepherd training? How long it takes to train a German Shepherd depends on many factors, for example, if you have a puppy or adult. It takes anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks to train a German Shepherd to learn basic obedience commands. Crate training will take about a week to introduce slowly and have your dog or puppy go into the crate on their own to relax. But if your dog has had a bad experience with the crate it could take months. Keep in mind that if you have an adult Shepherd who has already lived with another owner or many dog owners then you may have to undo improper training or behavior problems. This means that you have many months ahead of you of training. Some GSDs are aggressive or reactive and it may take years before they learn to relax around other dogs in a calm manner. While other German Shepherds have excellent dog social experiences from the start and can mix in with other dogs on a whim and quickly pick up their training basics. German Shepherd puppies are ready for simple training as young as 7 weeks old. Your puppy is capable and ready to learn at 6 to 7 weeks old many simple obedience commands. A 1 minutes session is long enough for a young puppy. After a couple of weeks, your German Shepherd puppy should know to sit, stay, and down, as well as its name. Although a reliable off-leash come recall usually takes about 6 to 8 weeks of proper dog training. It took me only about a day to train my German Shepherd to sit using lure and reward training. This means, I use one of the best, tasty treats to move her into the position I want, and then reward her with the food. My GSD took about 7 days to sit and wait at doors before barging out, but… She only takes a day to unlearn this behavior if I relax on it and let her out without waiting! Something complicated like staying in place with tons of distractions think cats or squirrels running by might take you at least 6 months to work up to. Keep in mind that German Shepherd training requires you to work in very small steps and build upon their success. You started with basic math, then geometry, algebra, and so on. German Shepherd Training: The Right Way How long it takes to train a German Shepherd depends on how consistent you are and how well you support your dog to understand. You must also consider your GSDs: age — are they an energetic puppy or more confident adult previous training — are they fresh to obedience or do they have some basics under their belt whether you are using the right training methods that are simple for your dog to understand The most effective and easy-to-understand system for German Shepherds to learn is called positive reward training. Using positive rewards allows you to mark the specific behaviors your German Shepherd performs right at nearly the exact moment they do them. Use a scientifically-based program to learn positive, reward-based training, like this Brain Training for Dogs official program. The Brain Training Program gives you step-by-step dog training to help you speed up your success rate and the time it takes you to train your GSD. Have you seen the price of in-person German Shepherd training these days? Harsh punishments and the wrong types of corrections can cause your dog to become fearful of you. Stick with positive dog training, or reward-based training, for a better bond with your special breed. Remember, any lack of training on your part is still considered training! You are the dog trainer and must learn the right ways to train a German Shepherd. Remember… Your dog is a brilliant breed, but you must give them the time and attention they need in order to see the most success. Vary up your training environments When you start your training sessions at home, you probably use a quiet room, turn off the TV, and maybe even close the door to your practice area so that you can pay attention to your training. Then, train your German Shepherd to become slowly used to following your command in those places. Train consistently Training skills will go quickly downhill without regular practice. Skills you once thought your dog knew can be unlearned without consistent repetition. If time goes by and you or your family let the training routine slip, an enthusiastic German Shepherd who likes to jump to greet visitors will resort back to their natural instincts to jump on people. Set aside time each day for specific command training, but also remember that every interaction with your German Shepherd is a training opportunity! Look for training opportunities during your day to get the most training benefits. Use high-quality rewards for high-quality learning Find out what treats really motivate your dog. Some German Shepherds will work for lower quality rewards, like their regular kibble, while others may need more motivation. Ian Dunbar, a renowned dog behaviorist, says that freeze-dried liver treats are the Ferrari of high-quality food rewards. But you can also choose other healthy treats for a German Shepherd if your dog prefers a different flavor. This will only set you back in your own German Shepherd training! Instead, build up in small steps by starting in a distraction-free area with your basic German Shepherd training commands. Even in the most desirable situations, your dog may struggle with particular commands. When you see your German Shepherd forget a command, go back to square one — the beginning of the command — and work on the training… again. Try using your phone to record you training your dog. Online training is easy and simple to follow, and the step-by-step directions guide you through the correct ways to train your German Shepherd with the best results. I use the Brain Training for Dogs program for the step-by-step online training from the comfort of home that has a done-for-you schedule. Instead, set up a daily training schedule to help you train them quickly. You can speed up training by using the right methods to train a German Shepherd… Which is positive, reward-based training. If you get tired of training, take a short break with these fun ways to make a German Shepherd happy. She has a Bachelor of Science degree, with Honors, and has been training dogs for over a decade. Related Posts. Although any German Shepherd dog is trainable, they are very strong and powerful animals. If you start out with a puppy, you have the opportunity to shape and mold its personality and develop your relationship early. German Shepherds can be very protective of their family members, so you want to socialize your puppy early in puppyhood. This will get them used to interacting well with a wide variety of people and animals, which is essential. This will be a big dog, and you want to prepare the dog when they are young and small for future grooming and veterinary visits. They may need nail trimming, ear cleaning, temperature taking and other procedures. These procedures will be difficult to accomplish should your full-sized adult German Shepherd dog object. You will need to train them to sit, stay, and heel, in addition to house training them. Your puppy will not understand your commands immediately. Have patience with your dog when they don't do exactly what you ask right away. German Shepherds love to learn and they are highly motivated to follow your commands if they are rewarded with treats. Pet your puppy while they're eating, as long as they do not stiffen and stop eating when you are petting the puppy. If the puppy stiffens, stops eating or growls, you have to deal with this aggressive response immediately. Do this by removing the food bowl and feeding the dog by hand. There is no bowl to guard. Make the bowl no big deal. If a piece of food is dropped inside, let the puppy take it and praise them. Then feed nearby again. The bowl will not always have food inside. Gradually increase the amount of food you drop in the bowl as you stand or sit there with the puppy. You can also add high value treats like roasted chicken breast into the bowl if your puppy seems to need more reassurance that you bring goodness to the food bowl. Resource guarding can be a very serious symptom of fear aggression and, if you are seeing this in a puppy, it needs to be addressed ASAP so it does not escalate. You can gradually ask the puppy to look at you to get more food, then sit and wait for more food, etc. .The humans controls the resource of food and rewards the puppy for good behavior. You still praise your dog, just not offer a treat each time. If you are working to modify a command to create a faster response, add in treats again to shape the behavior until they have it down. Then start using treats to reward truly outstanding performance. Do not yell at your pet. Learn to recognize when you are losing patience and stop the training session on a happy note. Your dog can sense your frustration in your body language and tone of voice. Try another day when you are both fresh. If you continue to have problems, get a professional trainer involved. Typically, as puppies are first learning commands, one adult family member will be responsible for training. Later, when the puppy is consistent and understands the basics, other members of the family can participate in formal training. It is important for the dog to understand that not only one person in the household is to be obeyed. Your puppy should be weeks old and started on their vaccine series for this first class. There are puppy preschools designed for puppies who have not yet finished receiving all of their vaccines. The school will have certain requirements for enrollment and you will likely have to provide proof of vaccination. Calm older dogs are good for this one. Most importantly for German Shepherd puppies, it will give you a chance to work with them around other people, and different dogs from a young age. Settle on a mat German Shepherds are incredibly curious, which can make it difficult for them to relax while out and about. Leash walking — no one wants a large breed of dog pulling them down the street, so be sure you teach loose lead walking and how about some heelwork too? Recall games — Play a game of tennis with your pooch! Calling them from person to person with treats on either side. Get started with grooming and brushing sensitive areas — In long-haired German Shepherds, this is typically the case with the face, legs, and ears, which become tangled the most and may hurt when brushed. Remember to brush carefully, do a little bit of brushing on a sensitive area while feeding them treats or letting them have a lickimat, and then brush an easier to brush area. For socialisation, start working on items that are vital to your lifestyle this week, such as if you have a horse and want your puppy to be comfortable with horses, or if you enjoy sailing, having them near water will be important to you. Getting your puppy exposed to new experiences early on can help them accept them much more easily. Socialization exercises to do this week Training to do this week Husbandry Tasks to do this week — Go to the pub — you deserve it! Remember that settle training you did before, take your mat and get your German Shepherd puppy to settle on it with a nice stuffed kong. Alone training: increasing time alone is important for your puppy. It gives them essential coping skills. Recall — Practise this outside, using a lead, and lots of rewards. Lead walking — Take this outside. Make sure you keep a strong pace going, since German Shepherds enjoy walking quickly, and praise often to keep your puppy interested. Pretend Nail Clips — simply holding a claw, pretending to clip , and rewarding your puppy with a treat is enough. Following on walks — Bring special toys, like the Tug-E-Nuff Pocket tugger, with you on walks to ensure your German Shepherd puppy enjoys hanging out with you. Playing with them will make you irresistible! Week 7 — Training your German Shepherd puppy The 7-week itch! Nah not really. I bet your German Shepherd puppy is doing wonderfully and growing rapidly! Tick 3 things off your personal socialisation checklist — How about taking your German Shepherd to a city farm, letting them watch from afar and rewarding them for being such a calm puppy? Teach your German Shepherd puppy to stay — this will be a great one to show off at the park, trust us. So, first, take a walk with a dog that your German Shepherd puppy has already met. At first, it may be difficult for your puppy not to get distracted, so keep the rewards coming and try to keep them interested in you, rather than the other dog! Recall — off the lead Make sure you do this in a secure and confined area and bring plenty of smelly treats, a fun toy to play with, and your silly high-pitched voice so you can call your German Shepherd puppy back regularly. Remember, German Shepherds enjoy learning! Tick 3 things off your personal socialisation checklist — maybe take your German Shepherd for a swimming lesson? Practice exercises in different locations — how about a train station, or in a shopping centre or mall? Teach a hand target — This is a favourite among pups and their owners. Hand Targeting or touching is the foundation for additional trick behaviours like leg weaving and closing doors. Introducing nose work to your puppy — We mean it when we say your German Shepherd puppy has a better nose than you! Play a game of hide and seek with their favourite toy to bring out those excellent search skills. Looking for more great puppy training tips? Check out our overview of when to start teaching your puppy anything , next. It will be fun they said. We go the extra mile for you. If you want a stress free puppy experience, get this downloaded! Worth every single penny! This app is very helpful. It helps you to understand and gives you a path to follow. The coaching support is excellent and super speedy. Download the app now. More about 6 month old GSD puppy training. Months GS males reach their adulthood when they are 3 years old, while females become completely mature at the age of 2. However, the end of the second year of life is considered as the finish of puppyhood for both genders. You should continue to teach impulse control, develop obedience skills, and get to more concentrated activities, such as agility, nose work, tracking, herding, and protection. The intense training of these skills should continue throughout the entire period. You also have to arrange the transition of your youngster from puppy to adult food meant for large breeds. According to some experts, insufficient house training or housebreaking is one of the most common reasons that dogs are relinquished to shelters. This is not surprising, because while house training is not a complicated process when housebreaking fails, the results can be disgusting. Just as with children, dogs must be taught the proper place to eliminate. Strangely, though, some people believe that dogs automatically know that the potty is outside. Rather than simply hoping that your dog is one of the few who magically gets it right, there are a few simple steps that you can take to start your puppy training off on the right paw and keep your floors and furniture clean. If he could, he would probably just cut to the chase and ask where the restroom is. In fact, he probably did ask, but you missed it. House training failures can almost always be attributed to the lack of two simple ingredients: scheduling and supervision. While it helps if you have realistic expectations, a little patience, and a sense of humor, you can housebreak your German Shepherd puppy if all you do is keep him in sight and take him out at regular, predictable intervals. Simple, right? Unfortunately, what sounds simple often is not. We have jobs to attend, meals to cook, and movies to watch. Yes, he can, if you show him how. Schedule Potty Breaks While Puppy Training When a meeting is called at your place of work, you are typically given such information as where to meet, what the topic of the meeting will be, and when it will end. Armed with this knowledge, you can stop by the powder room on the way to the meeting, feeling confident that all is well. Obviously, there will be times when you need to take him out before the scheduled moment arrives, especially in the beginning, but when he can rely on you to take him out to go potty at certain times or after specific events, he will begin working at holding it until the appointed time. For example, always take your puppy out first thing in the morning, not after coffee, and not after checking your email or chatting with your friends on Facebook. Take him out first thing. Next, take him out after he eats. He also needs to go out after any period of time that he has been left home alone. If you are away from home at work, school, or shopping, take him out the moment you get back. Freedom is Overrated Until your German Shepherd puppy training is complete, and your puppy is reliably house trained, you will increase the speed of his success the more you decrease the number of accidents. You already know that you must provide him with a consistent schedule, but not every potty break can be dictated by the clock. When you observe your puppy sniffing the floor, circling, arching his back, lifting his tail, or just whining for no apparent reason, get him outside quickly. During those times when you cannot watch him, you must confine him. You must. You cannot leave him free to roam your house and use it as a bathroom. Furthermore, you can place him in a crate, lock him in a safe room, use a playpen, or whatever works for you, but you must confine him. Just do not give him free access to your home. Consistency Equals Success Most house training failures are not the fault of the dog. We get busy, we have unrealistic expectations, and we expect dogs to read our minds and know what we want without training. Really, though, it all comes down to scheduling and supervision. If you can remember these two simple things, you can housebreak your dog. All youngsters need training, whether they are puppies, ponies, or children. This is not news. We send our children to school for a good many years before we consider them trained. GSD puppy training itself is not difficult. Dogs are smart. German Shepherds are especially smart because we have bred them to be independent thinkers. They love a job, and they love puzzles. This means that training can either be easy or frustrating. It is frustrating if your dog seems to be smarter than you are, which he will indicate to you through his bored body language and lack of attention span. It is easy if you know the key to really successful training. When we think of puppy training, we envision teaching the dog things like sit, down, stay, walk on the leash, and fill in the blank. The secret that all great dog trainers have figured out is how to ignite that love of learning that dogs carry deep inside. Get ready to open up a whole new world of possibilities. From the outside, enlightened training looks like any other training in the beginning. Your puppy has to learn the concept first. You start with very simple steps and build from there. Get a handful of healthy treats that your puppy loves. In a quiet area with minimal distractions, approach your puppy and call his name. Do this five times in a row, several times a day for two days. If your puppy is a genius, and if he is a German Shepherd the chances are high that he is, do the exercise anyway several times per day as described. Eventually, you can transition from using treats to simply praising him when he gets it right, but for now, use treats. To clarify one point, your puppy is not born speaking English. You can use whatever word you choose to let him know when he has done what you are asking him to do. This is the marker you will use throughout his lifetime to let him know when he has performed on cue correctly. Be consistent. You do this initially by luring his eyes to your eyes with your hand that is holding the treats. Call his name, bring your treat hand up to your face, and the instant your puppy makes the slightest eye contact, reward him. Do this several times, then move your hand a few inches away from your face. Call his name, and when he looks at your hand for a treat, do not give it to him. He will become confused, and at some point, he will look you in the eye for clarification. Instantly reward him. Practice this several times a day for a few days, gradually moving your hand away from your face until eventually, it is in a normal relaxed position by your side while your puppy looks at your face when you call him. When you have mastered this exercise, you are ready to move on. First, you will lure him into position like you did when you brought his eyes to your face, then you will transition to having him sit when no treat is offered. With your puppy standing next to you, call his name. Praise him when he looks at you, but do not give him a treat. Instead, place your hand holding the treat in front of his nose and lift your hand directly over his head. Do not pull his head up with his leash, and definitely do not push his butt down to force him to sit. Let him work this out on his own. Step away, call him to you, and repeat. Faster than you expect, he will drop his butt to the floor on cue and proudly accept his reward. As soon as your puppy will reliably sit when you give him the cue and lift your hand over his head, give him the cue but keep your hand at his side. Wait for him to work it out. If he gets frustrated and loses interest, show him the treat and try again. Eventually, he will sit without needing you to guide him, at which point you will lavishly praise him and move on to the next lesson. Do not push him down, do not pull his front legs out from under him. Wait for him to lie down on his own. If he stands up to get the treat, have him sit again and start over. Eventually, he will lower his front end to the floor. Instantly praise him and give him the treat. Once your puppy will lie down consistently when you cue him and lure him with the treat, give him the cue and wait for him to lie down without showing him the treat. You may have to go back to luring him a time or two, but because you taught him how to learn on his own, eventually he will get it. The same techniques of puppy training can be applied to anything you want to teach your dog to do. German Shepherds are smart and hard-working dogs. They are highly intelligent and therefore rather easy to train. But, it requires clear objectives and loving guidance. When consistent supervision and routine are provided, German Shepherds are very simple to house train. When should you start training a German Shepherd puppy? However, it is not. It may sound too harsh, but training should begin as soon as a puppy enters your home. In fact, training will yield better results the younger your puppy is. How to train a German Shepherd puppy not to bite? Your puppy has to learn that when he hears the click sound, he has acted improperly and should stop. To help the dog learn that he is responding correctly, the owner should reward him with a treat. Learn more about training your GSD not to bite. How to potty train a German Shepherd puppy? As soon as your German Shepherd puppy enters your home, you should begin potty training. For instance, it must be relieved after eating, sleeping, and waking up after a daytime nap. It might also need a potty after playing. Your puppy dog will pick up the rules fairly fast with the help of the routine. Learn more about GSD Puppy potty training. How to train German Shepherd puppy at home? Failures in house training can almost always be attributable to a lack of two basic components: scheduling and supervision. You can housebreak your German Shepherd puppy if all you do is keep him in sight and take him outside at regular, predictable intervals, though it helps if you have reasonable expectations, a little patience, and a sense of humor. Final Thoughts German Shepherds belong to the breed that benefits and thrives from continuous extensive training. Your puppy should know how to behave properly in different situations and in both outdoor and indoor environments. That is why it is so important to start German Shepherd puppy training as early as possible. Actually, you need to expose your little pup to some rules, exercises, and practices from the very first minutes in your home. As a result, you will get a loyal, obedient, protective, and intelligent friend and partner for all your further activities. David W. I admire German Shepherds. They are magnificent dogs! I have been dealing with dogs, namely German Shepherds, throughout my life. I have been working part-time as a dog trainer and instructor for about 5 years, dealing mainly with German Shepherds. So I know a bit about these animals. Therefore, I decided to share my knowledge and experience about this fantastic breed. If you need help with advice and care tips or want to know more about German Shepherd dogs, welcome to this blog. Reliable training German Shepherd puppy training: socialization! The first item in your German Shepherd puppy training list is Socialization. It means that you must provide your baby German Shepherd with interesting and positive interactions. If you ensure that your pup interacts, and has a positive and rewarding experience, with as many people, dogs, animals, sounds, objects, sights and experiences, you will raise a confident and reliable dog. Every new activity or interaction must be followed with a yummy treat! This will ensure your puppy will have a positive association with every new experience, object, person, animal, etc. You can use your dog's kibble or something better like chicken, beef or cheese. Commercial treats are also a good and easy to use option, but make sure you buy healthy, all natural dog treats to keep your German shepherd puppy healthy and strong! German Shepherd dogs are loyal and may have a tendency to be apprehensive with strangers. Socialization will ensure that your puppy grows a strong bond with you without developing a problematic over-protectiveness. German Shepherd puppy training socialization tips: Never separate a puppy from his mother and littermates before the age of weeks. During this time, mom teaches her puppies some important rules of the dog world like body language communication and they start to learn bite inhibition by plying with the other puppies. Unfortunately many vets will tell you not to take your puppy out of the house until they have had all of their shots. This is old school thinking and can have extremely bad consequences that will become apparent only when your canine becomes an adult. Without the full set of shots, your puppy is vulnerable to infectious diseases, however taking your pup to early socialization classes where all other dogs have also been immunized reduces the risk for becoming sick AND will make your German Shepherd a confident, well adjusted and friendlier dog. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior promotes early socialization , even before the full set of vaccines are given to the pup. Take socialization in your own hands. Spend the first 4 weeks holding parties at your home! Yes, parties! Invite all your friends and family for Karaoke, sports watching, boardgames, etc. Ask them to bring their kids too! And always make sure socialization is about positive interactions. If any of the kids or adults make your puppy a little scared, simply remove the threat and let the puppy explore other things. Back to top of German shepherd puppy training article. German Shepherd puppy training: stop the biting! Socialization is hard work, bite-inhibition is even harder! But it is one of the best things you can ever teach your pup. Dogs have really strong jaws and can learn to apply just the right amount of pressure with it. Adult dogs that have had this kind of training can get into fights and defend themselves without drawing blood. This is so important to avoid any type of dog-human or dog-dog bite accidents. German Shepherd puppy dogs have sharp teeth for a reason: to learn how to use their mouth properly. Teach your puppy to bite without hurting! To teach your pooch not to hurt human skin you will need to yelp like a puppy every time you feel teeth in contact with your skin. Engage in puppy play and Yelp Yes! Loud, sharp, high pitched and clear when you feel teeth. Your pup will most likely stop in surprise. As soon as he has stopped, wait seconds and resume play. Repeat as many times as needed. Start with those bites that really hurt or scratch. If you yelp every time you feel teeth, your puppy will think it is how you play. It may take a few weeks for you to notice that your pup is not hurting as much.Progressively teach your pup to play without hurting you. This make take a couple of months! Do not let your puppy play with your clothes, shoes, face or hair. If your puppy bites any of these, the game is over. Wait for him to calm down and start playing again. If you are tired of playing and getting bitten, grab a tug-toy or a ball and play those games instead. After a while, settle your puppy with a stuffed Kong toy on his bed or crate. Never punish your puppy for play-biting, this can lead to aggression or your puppy fearing "hands" near his face. Even though German shepherd puppy dogs are really smart, bite-inhibition requires a lot of repetition and consistency. Most of the time you will feel he is not learning anything at all, keep at it. You can add second time outs on top of yelping if needed. It is definitely worth your time. If bite-inhibition is slow, this article has more tips to help you! Another aspect of training your German shepherd puppy bite inhibition are toys! Your pup needs to learn to bite only his toys, not furniture, not the walls, not your shoes. For this reason you need to load your house with puppy toys and TEACH your puppy how to play with them. The best dog toys are interactive, this means that you can put food inside the toy and your puppy has to think how to get it out. This toys are the best because they add enrichment to your dog's life. Interactive dog toy recommendations: Feed EVERY meal inside an interactive dog toy Use interactive toys with your German shepherd when he is left alone in the house. Make sure he has plenty of toys interactive and others so he won't get bored when you leave. Use interactive toys when you need some quiet time because you need to work, or you have guests. Kong dog toy's are the best , you can fill them with something soft like cheese or peanut butter and let your puppy lick it for a while. Even better.Below you will see some of my favorite interactive dog toys durable and fun! German Shepherd puppy training: potty outside! Another important item on your German shepherd puppy training list is House training. It can be a bit stressful, but if done correctly, you can accomplish it very quickly. Just keep in mind that depending on your puppy in can take anywhere from 1 week to several months to complete potty training. The following info-graphic has some simple rules to follow and make german shepher potty training easy and effective: Take your puppy out for a potty break every hours. Take your puppy out for a potty the break after every meal. Take your puppy out for a potty break after a nap. Take your puppy out for a potty break after a play session. The main idea when potty training a German shepherd puppy, is to take him out or to the correct place as often as he needs to and reward him after he is done. The infographic above gives you an idea of how often a puppy needs to go out. However, you need to know your own puppy. This way you will know how often he is relieving himself. You may also notice if he does it after every meal or nap. Reward with a treat after he is done! Repeat steps 2 and 3, you should start noticing that after a couple of days or weeks your puppy chooses the correct place more often than other places. NEVER punish your dog for accidents, this can stress him and even make him do his business hidden from you which will make potty training very hard because you won't be able to reward him. You can crate train your German shepherd puppy so he learns to have quiet times in between active times. Crate training also prevents your puppy from having accidents. For more information and a puppy crate-training schedule check this article! German shepherd potty training aids The are several commercial items available to help you potty train your German shepherd dog. Regular cleaning products may take away the urine scent -you- smell but they will not remove the scent your dog smells. Enzymatic cleaners do that, they break down urine molecules to make them easy to remove. This will prevent your pet from returning to the same, incorrect, spot. Puppy pads are very popular because they are less messy than news paper. However, if you put a puppy pad and leave you puppy alone with it, you will find it in shreds! You must teach your puppy to use the puppy pads, not to chew on them. To do this, put the puppy pad on the floor and interrupt your puppy if he tries to play with it. Exchange for another toy and reward with treats for not grabbing the pad with his mouth he can however, stand or sit on it. Repeat until he learns this! If you have a backyard, a doggy-door is an excellent way to give your pup access to the outdoors without your help. You must teach him how to use it! Use a treat to lure him through the door many times until he can do it on his own! Then, every-time you take him outside, make him go though the door on his own. You can also teach your puppy to let you know when he needs to go outside! Use a doggy doorbells for this purpose. You must teach your dog how to use them! First, teach your dog to touch the bells. Then, ask your dog to touch the bells every time before you open the door to let him go outside. Finally, be alert for when he does it on his own! I do not recommend any "Not Here" or "Yes Here" type sprays. They don't work very well, specially without any training.German Shepherd puppy training: basic commands! Some dog trainers won't start until the dog is 6 months old, at which time he is past the socialization and bite inhibition period and he is probably doing all sorts of naughty things. You can start training your German shepherd puppy from the first day you bring him home. From weeks you can start teaching your canine many commands, however I strongly advice you keep your focus on socialization, bite-inhibition and potty training. If you have time to train basic commands…. Your pooch will love it! Step-by-step obedience training tutorials for your German shepherd German Shepherd puppy training "SIT": You will use this command all the time. Ask your pup to sit when a stranger wants to pet him, for attention, for the ball to be thrown, etc. To start use food to lure your pooch into the sit position. Only give him the treat once his bottom is on the ground. Repeat many times! Follow this link for detail instructions.This is useful at the vet as well as to mix and match commands. From a sit or down position lure your baby german shepherd into a stand. This link will take you to the step by step guide.Start your pooch from a sitting position and lure him into a down. Only give your dog a treat after he is completely down on the ground. Click here for a step-by-step tutorial.Why train your pooch sit, down and stand? You need three commands to mix up when you ask your dog to do something. If you have at least three options, then your smart German Shepherd won't be able to predict what you will ask. Practice Puppy Push-Ups! Sit-down-stand, Down-sit-stand, and ask you German Shepherd puppy to do one, two, or more commands to earn treats, toys and attention! Other useful cues include: Speak and Quiet , settle and ask for permission before rushing into something potentially dangerous. You can see a full list of commands on this link. Enjoy German Shepherd puppy training time and leave us your questions and comments in the box below. Check Price on Amazon 1. If the puppy is running towards you, for example, you can begin clapping. For now, notice the following and set distinct anchors for each. For the time being, you should avoid anchors that are excessively similar to one another. My German Shepherd Willow — 8 weeks old 2. As you train your pup to understand and respond to more complex commands, this helps eliminate a lot of the resistance. As a result, the initial step should be to persuade your German Shepherd to stick close to you. We all know that dogs are descended from wolves, and wolves follow the pack leader, which means you! Needless to say, when training a 2-month-old German Shepherd puppy, you have to incentivize him to follow you. You need to build a positive reinforcement loop and let your German Shepherd establish an association between following you and receiving a pleasant experience. You can start taking unexpected turns and training your puppy to follow you despite the direction changes after your puppy has become motivated to follow you for the reward. At a young age, you should take your puppy out and about and allow him to utilize his sociability potential. One method is to pay visits to friends and family. You might also look for a dog park and take him there. Keep in mind that your pet is still learning to walk with you and follow directions. Make sure your pup has a positive experience outdoors. It is worth noting that you should socialize and introduce him to new experiences as often as you can, preferably daily. Start Potty Training You should start potty training your German Shepherd puppy the first day you bring him home. Start by showing your pup where you want him to potty, such as a sectioned-off area of your yard or garden. I cordoned off a small area and added some bark chippings. Even now, my GSD will not go on the sidewalk or hard surfaces! It has to be grass or somewhere soft. Next, you need a potty training schedule. Always take your puppy out first thing in the morning, after mealtimes and play, hourly, and before retiring to bed. Deter Biting If you read my blog regularly, you know that I am opposed to punishment-based training. In any case, using physical force or yelling at your pup will only instill fear and distrust and can actually cause aggression. If someone recommends such negative approaches, you should approach a qualified trainer and learn how to train a German Shepherd puppy not to bite. Instead, you can wait until your GSD bites during a positive activity before stopping it. This will help to anchor the result better. For example, if your German Shepherd puppy fiercely takes a treat from your hand, you can withhold the second treat until he learns to take it gently. You should act upset and convey that what he has done has hurt you. Use positive reinforcement to encourage proper behavior by rewarding with a treat. Your German Shepherd will quickly learn that good behavior is rewarded with good things. Puppies must continue to learn bite inhibition soft-mouth by continuing the work their mother taught them and what they learned from their littermates. Learn Bite Inhibition Training! Instill Patience You have to use your best judgment and patience when training your dog. In general, by the tenth week, your German Shepherd will be mature enough to understand self-control. Teach the Heel Position While your 3-month-old German Shepherd puppy will initially follow you, adjusting your pace will soon have him walking alongside you in the heel position, on your left side, without a leash, harness, or fear of punishment. To train your puppy to assume the natural heel position, use a clicker, whistle, or use your voice as a marker. Chances are, at first, your German Shepherd will also try to change his pace to walk behind you because of habit. You can avoid this problem by walking where your dog is used to. Assume Positions on Command — Sit, Down, Stand Your 3-months old German Shepherd puppy is now old enough to learn how to sit, stand, or hold a down position. You can teach him these new skills and assume a heel stance, which you have previously taught him. So by the time he is four months old, you can use the position cues and positive reinforcement to get your dog to follow. These included a clicker, whistle, clap, or saying a specific word to show your German Shepherd is doing a good job, generally followed by a well-deserved treat. Now is the time to see whether the anchors work! You used to whistle when your GSD approached you; now, you must whistle for him to start his run. This is the foundation of his recall training. While this allows the puppy to be more social when visitors arrive, an adult dog must learn to walk outside without behaving badly. Whether it is a cuddle, a pat, attention, or something tasty, you must teach your pup target training, for example, teaching him to touch a target with a specific part of his body, such as his paw or nose. Remember that your German Shepherd may end up biting or clawing to communicate if you do not teach him more acceptable communication methods. I recommend teaching your German Shepherd to use his nose to touch your hand. This is a fantastic bite substitute! Hand targeting is a fun way to train your dog to trust you while also getting him to use his brain! Begin by asking him to sit for a few seconds and gradually extend the time. Train Your Dog to Fetch If you have taken your German Shepherd to public parks and he has watched other dogs play fetch, it will be easier to teach him to retrieve whatever you throw. Your GSD may not bring the toy back to you for a second time, but he will eventually figure it out. Over the next few weeks, you can gradually turn it into a game of fetch, rewarding your puppy with high-value training treats. Continue Potty Training In the fourth month of German Shepherd training, you will continue toilet training to a degree of independence. Maintain a regular schedule and match your walks with his natural cycle to coincide with when he needs to go. Teach Your German Shepherd to Walk on the Leash Learning to walk on a leash outside is an important element of dog training. Use it to control your German Shepherd and then test his ability to follow commands off-leash. Many dog owners will opt for a rear attached harness. How to Train a 5 Month Old German Shepherd Puppy You have adequately socialized and trained your dog to recognize and associate attention, toys, walks, and food as rewards. Your five-month-old German Shepherd puppy is now ready to be put to the test for general obedience and the capacity to deal with distractions. These could be other dogs, strangers, or animals like squirrels or birds. But, if you introduce distractions gradually, your five-month-old puppy can deal with them. You must be ready for your dog to run ahead of you now! Assume, however, that you have built a strong bond with your puppy and worked on his training. In that case, he will stay close to you and prove his loyalty by sticking by your side. The good news is that all of your past training will make it easier for your dog to obey your instructions. Conclude Potty Training Your German Shepherd has had months to learn how to tell you his need to go potty. He has also likely refined how to hold his bladder instead of peeing on the floor. As a result, if your dog makes a mess, you can express your displeasure through your body language. But, all dogs can still have the odd accident up to one year old. Besides, you must be prepared for your dog to relieve himself indoors if he is excited or frightened. This is known as either excitement or submissive urination. During this time, energy levels increase , especially in larger breed dogs. While the average exercise for a pup before this is generally five minutes of exercise per month of age, twice a day, a six-month-old German Shepherd can exercise for one hour if you split his walks into two thirty-minute sessions. To train your 6-month-old German Shepherd puppy, start with two commands that will be most useful. As previously stated, you will be exercising your German Shepherd much more frequently from now on. You can teach these commands or tricks in any order from six months onwards until your German Shepherd is a well-trained adult. This is an excellent skill to teach your GSD and is one of the commands taught to police and protection dogs. This is a difficult task, but your German Shepherd will eventually master it if you practice and keep consistent. The eighth month is the time for training your German Shepherd to go to different places upon hearing your command word. This could be for practical reasons or to maximize the intellect of your dog. Alternatively, you might spend the ninth month teaching him a fun party trick! Teach Your German Shepherd to Spin By dangling a tasty treat in front of your German Shepherd and moving it in a circle until he starts to spin, you prime him for a command anchor. After a week or so, you teach your German Shepherd to follow your finger without first using a treat. Of course, you will still need to reward him after he obeys the command. By the third week, you should be able to ask your dog to spin without using your finger to guide him. It might take an extra couple of weeks, but I recommend this as an addition in the ninth month because it allows you to continue training your dog to learn previous commands better. You can train him to go to different places, hold or release objects, and fetch toys. You can now develop this further and teach him to roll over on command. Your one-year-old German Shepherd continues to learn at the same rate as he has since he was six months old. What will change is that your dog will interact with other people more frequently. You can train him to do additional tricks to give him a more appealing presence. This will deter him from merely barking for attention. You should also review previously taught commands and see any weak associations you can reinforce. If anything, this is the period where you tailor his training to your convenience. But now is the time when your German Shepherd must learn to be harmonious with your life. From the month mark onwards, you must train your doggo to be compatible with modern adult life within reason. Do not be alarmed if you have an month-old German Shepherd who appears to have had no previous training! Start by establishing authority by having a positive yet commanding presence. Once your new friend recognizes your authority and sees you as his leader, treat him as a six-month-old, albeit on an accelerated schedule, and train him accordingly. You should train your German Shepherd puppy for short and frequent sessions, ideally minutes, several times a day. As your puppy grows and matures, you can gradually increase the duration and complexity of the training sessions. What are the most important commands to teach my German Shepherd puppy? Come command helps to call your puppy back to you in case of an emergency or when you want to end a play session. Heel command teaches your puppy to walk calmly beside you on a leash, and Leave It command helps to prevent your puppy from eating something harmful or dangerous. German Shepherds are a highly trainable and intelligent breed. Your job as a trainer becomes even easier once you have a workable training schedule in place and stick to your routine. My month-by-month German Shepherd puppy training schedule will help you successfully train your doggo and make him into the cherished companion you always desired. Good luck with your training! Related Posts You May Like:. How to begin with training a puppy and get a running start. Everyone has to have their first puppy and, just like with having a first child, there is a lot of learning involved. What age should you start training a German Shepherd? Whether you have a puppy or an older German Shepherd. I have learned that starting as soon as you bring your puppy home. This will prevent behavior problems from developing. Some people start at 8: weeks to 12 weeks or four months to six months of age depending on how old the puppy was when they purchased. I put together a beginner mini-guide below- to help you get started with a new puppy. You want to get your puppy on the right training schedule. How to housebreak a German Shepherd puppy? It works. Morning The first thing that you should do is let your puppy out of its crate and take it directly outside to go potty. An eight-week-old puppy needs to eat three to four meals each day. Your puppy should be given a bowl of water with its meal and be permitted to drink as much as it wants. Give your puppy about ten minutes to relax after it has eaten and then go back outside for potty. Before its next meal, your puppy should be taken out every hour in order to prevent accidents and should be placed into its crate whenever it will not be directly supervised. Crates are great for everyday use as they keep your puppy out of danger when it is not by your side. Afternoon Your afternoon will mirror your morning almost exactly. Your puppy will need to be taken outside if it has been crated, fed its afternoon meal and then taken outside again. When not being supervised, your puppy should be gated off into a completely puppy-proofed room or crated. Your puppy will get a meal, go outside, and be placed in a safe room or crate when not supervised. Throughout the day, use your puppies name in connection with positive things. This will help your puppy learn his name more quickly. Having a puppy in the house is fun for everyone in the family. Your job is to make sure that the puppy is given a predictable, structured environment to grow up in. German Shepherd Puppy Training: Training a puppy at a young age will prevent bad behavior from developing into big-time behavior problems. Some of us start at eight weeks, others start at 10 to 12 weeks old. Laying out the groundwork for leash training a puppy. With step by step video training guide. Video one; Leash training your puppy will be one of the first things you and I will need to do with our new German Shepherd puppy! Learning can be a challenge for many of us. Today I like to share a video with my friend Tonny and his new puppy Named Nora at 10 weeks old. This her first leash training exercise. What I have learned from my own experience; I like to practice this exercise 2 or 3 times a day for 4 to 6 minutes at a time every day- when training young pups at this age. Sometimes we as humans expect too much too fast and can forget what we learn from owning our last dog. We forgot puppyhood. I know I have made this mistake before. I have learned after training multiple German Shepherd puppies , how to spend a good enough amount of time working them by training shot training sessions to get the best results. Tony and his wife Shannon are teaching her how to walk on a leash in the street under real-world distractions. If you have never trained a puppy before learning these training skills will be challenging for anybody just learning. But done let it stop you from practicing. With just a little bit of time and patience, you and your puppy will come a long way together. I have learned this is the most important part of training our puppy and will build and strengthens our bond together for starting our new journey. Once your puppy is showing that they are understanding what the heel command means, now we can start to add in the sit-stay command. This is a command we will use every day with our puppy. Watch how Shannon works with her puppy in this video. Nora will get a little distracted when she is walking by me and her husband Tony. Dog training is all about doing things together as a team. Building trust and leadership with your new best friend. Always start off with your attention training and practicing around your home and in your yard. A little bit of practice goes a long way. I would love to hear about all your success. I will be sharing more training videos with you soon! Best of luck with your training. About the author: Dennis is the founder of German Shepherd Behavior. I have owned this breed for over 25 years and looking forward to sharing my German Shepherd journey with you.

Heart murmurs are graded on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being mild, and 5 being very loud and easily detected. When a dog is relaxed or sleeping, rates above 35 breaths per minute signify heart problems and warrant an immediate trip to the veterinarian. Count each rise during that period, then multiply that number by four to find out the number of breaths per minute. By the time you see visible signs of a heart problem — difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, coughing, weakness, lethargy, exercise intolerance and collapsing — your dog may have heart disease. What are heart murmurs? There are two broad categories of heart murmurs in dogs: A congenital murmur is present from birth. Congenital murmurs are usually caused by a structural heart defect. Fortunately, most murmurs in young puppies turn out to be benign in nature. An acquired murmur is one that becomes apparent later in life. Acquired murmurs are usually due to heart valve abnormalities or cardiac muscle disease. Fortunately, most dogs with acquired valvular disease never develop congestive heart failure, as long as they receive proper care. The most common cause is myxomatous mitral valve degeneration, which is a progressive degeneration of the mitral valve. The cause is unknown, but in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, a genetic link has been identified. Larger breeds also sometimes develop murmurs associated with cardiomyopathy, which is a term for cardiac muscle disease. Learn more about dilated cardiomyopathy The mitral valve is the valve between the left atrium upper chamber and left ventricle lower chamber of the heart. Oxygenated blood from the lungs goes into the left atrium, where it is transported to the left ventricle, which then pushes the blood out to the rest of the body via the aorta. When the mitral valve degenerates, it becomes bumpy and irregular and no longer closes all the way, allowing blood to wash back into the left atrium. The heart becomes less efficient, making it work harder with every beat. Eventually, fluid backs up into the lungs. When that happens, the dog is in congestive heart failure and will require cardiac medications for the rest of their life. Monitoring is your best defense If your veterinarian tells you that they hear a heart murmur, they will likely recommend an echocardiogram to confirm the diagnosis and establish baseline cardiac function. Repeating the echocardiogram annually is a good way to monitor progression. An echocardiogram is non-invasive and usually done without anesthesia or a sedative. A simple blood test, called pro-BNP precursor of B-type natriuretic peptide , is a useful tool for monitoring as well, as pro-BNP levels rise in the face of cardiac muscle stretch and stress. Obesity makes it harder to breathe, which strains the heart. It also makes it harder to exercise, and exercise is good for the heart. These diets are sodium-restricted, which helps prevent fluid accumulation and supports healthy blood pressure — both of which are important for cardiac patients. The nutrients include antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and other things that support cardiac function. If you are told that your dog has a heart murmur, you should schedule regular follow-ups to monitor its progression, help your dog lose weight through proper diet and exercise, and consider using a prescription diet for canine cardiac health. Your attention to cardiac management could be the difference between a dog who ends up with congestive heart failure and one that does not. If your puppy does not outgrow their murmur, an echocardiogram is recommended to determine the cause, cardiac status and prognosis. This is important whether your dog is intended for breeding or not. For dogs intended for breeding, the echocardiogram will help determine whether the dog ethically should be used for breeding. For dogs undergoing spay and neuter procedures, the echocardiogram provides your veterinary surgeon with important information regarding the risk of anesthesia. The ultimate prognosis depends on the type of congenital heart defect. Many puppies will live a normal lifespan. For other puppies, surgery may be an option. Stud Dogs Puppy Heart Murmur A heart murmur is a specific sound detected when listening to the heart with a stethoscope. This sound is a result of the blood flowing faster than normal within the heart itself or in one of the two major arteries leaving the heart the aorta and pulmonary artery. Instead of the normal Lubb Dupp, an additional sound is present that can vary from a mild pshhh to a loud whoosh! What is a heart murmur? Your vet will use a stethoscope to listen to all areas of the heart A heart murmur is a specific sound detected when listening to the heart with a stethoscope. Your vet may use a grading system from 1 to 6 to describe how loud the murmur is e. Heart murmurs in dogs can develop at any stage of their life. However, the significance of the heart murmur can be very different depending on the age at which the murmur is first detected. My dog seems normal to me but my vet has detected a heart murmur. Is this possible? It often comes as a surprise to owners to be told that their dog has a heart murmur. Many dogs with heart murmurs seem normal to their owners and have no obvious symptoms of heart disease. However, it is important to remember that the presence of a heart murmur is just an indication that there may be underlying heart disease. In itself the heart murmur is not a diagnosis. If your dog has had a heart murmur detected but is not showing symptoms of heart disease, it is possible that the heart disease may not yet have developed significantly enough to affect the normal functioning of the heart. However, this situation can change and cardiac symptoms can develop rapidly. This is very important as it means that appropriate treatment to assist heart function can be started promptly if and when it is required. These disappear by 5 months of age If a heart murmur is present from birth or develops shortly after birth, it will probably be detected by your veterinary surgeon at the first or second vaccinations. In puppies, there are two major types of heart murmurs. This type of murmur is soft typically a grade 2 or softer and is not caused by underlying heart disease. An innocent flow murmur typically disappears by months of age. However if a puppy has a loud murmur grade 3 or louder , or if the heart murmur is still easily heard with a stethoscope after months of age, the likelihood of an underlying congenital heart problem i. Examples of congenital heart problems in dogs are patent ductus arteriosus, aortic stenosis and pulmonic stenosis. Interestingly, some types of congenital heart disease in puppies have very characteristic sounding heart murmurs. If congenital heart disease is suspected, your vet will almost certainly want you to see a specialist for further assessment. Puppy strangles is especially problematic in Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, Brittany spaniels, springer spaniels, and dachshunds. Signs Puppy strangles is a result of an immune malfunction. The skin, especially on the face, becomes infected with deep sores. These sores can become so involved that they reach the lymph nodes of the neck. This neck area swells with hard knots under the jaw until it looks like the baby dog will strangle—hence the name. Puppy pyoderma is characterized by pustules on the face, and painful swelling of the lips, eyelids, and face. This may also include swellings in the groin area, where the lymph glands are located. Infected neck lymph nodes often become abscessed, break open and drain. Signs of puppy strangles go beyond the facial sores. Puppies develop a fever, become lethargic, and stop eating, which can lead to low blood sugar that complicates the condition. The draining sores on the face must be diagnosed as pyoderma, as opposed to juvenile demodectic mange that looks similar. Treatment for puppy strangles such as steroids to relieve the inflammation could actually make the demodectic mange worse. Once your veterinarian has diagnosed the condition, ask for tips on how to help your puppy heal. Some home treatment can relieve the discomfort, too. Home Care Apply hot packs to the sore face two or three times a day. Moist heat brings blood circulation to the area to help heal the wound more quickly and clean out the infection. Apply moist heat five minutes on, five minutes off, until the cloth has cooled, and then reapply. Soak with warm water at least once a day to soften the crusties, and then gently wipe them off. Follow up by washing the area with a 2. For the lymph nodes that have abscessed, clean the spots three to four times a day with warm water on a cloth applied for five to 10 minutes at a time. As with any abscess, these spots will be very tender, so be gentle. Rough cleaning also could increase the chance that the area will scar. Veterinary Treatment Your vet may need to lance abscesses that have not opened on their own. Flushing out the deep wound can be accomplished using a syringe without the needle or even a turkey baster or squirt gun filled with an antiseptic solution like diluted Betadine. Typically, several weeks of antibiotics from your vet will be needed to resolve any deep infection and prevent secondary bacterial infections in the draining wounds. Your vet may also prescribe steroids to reduce the inflammation. We look forward to serving our clients from our new location in Longmont, CO. Heart murmurs are abnormal heart sounds that vets can hear by listening with a stethoscope. There is a wide range of causes for heart murmurs in dogs that can range from no impact on your pup's health to a more severe prognosis. Today, our Rocky Mountain Veterinary Cardiology vets explain. What is a heart murmur? A heart murmur occurs when there is turbulent blood flow within the heart. Some murmurs, especially those found in young puppies, can be 'innocent' or 'physiologic' and will have no negative effects on your dog's health. Young puppies with innocent heart murmurs will usually outgrow them by about 5 months. Unfortunately, a heart murmur in an older dog is less likely to be deemed 'innocent' and can typically be categorized in two ways: pathologic caused by heart disease or extracardiac not caused by heart disease. What are heart murmur grades in dogs? Not all heart murmurs sound the same. When your vet listens to your dog's heart, they will assess the intensity, timing, and location of the murmur and grade it using the following scale: Grade 1: Barely audible - the least serious type of heart murmur Grade 2: Soft murmur, but easily heard with a stethoscope Grade 3: Intermediate loudness, most serious problems will result in at least a grade 3 heart murmur in dogs Grade 4: Loud murmur that can be heard on either side of the chest Grade 5: Very loud murmur Grade 6: Very loud murmur that can be felt by placing a hand on the dog's chest wall - the most severe type of heart murmur What are the symptoms of heart murmurs in dogs? The symptoms of a heart murmur largely depend on the underlying heart condition that is affecting your pup. There is a wide range of conditions and diseases that can cause a heart murmur in dogs. Most commonly, heart murmurs in small dogs are caused by a leaky mitral valve the heart valve in between the left atrium and left ventricle. The mitral valve allows blood to flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle but does not allow for blood to flow back into the left atrium. Sometimes as a dog ages the valve degenerates which causes blood to leak backward. This condition is known as chronic valve disease, degenerative mitral valve disease, or endocardiosis. In larger breed dogs, heart murmurs are often caused by a disease called dilated cardiomyopathy with a subsequent leaky mitral valve. Dilated cardiomyopathy is a disease that causes the muscles in the pumping chamber of the heart to become weakened and decrease the contraction strength of the heart. While these are common culprits of heart murmurs, there is a range of other issues that can cause a murmur to occur. Your vet will be able to run the proper diagnostic tests to properly assess your pet's heart and determine the cause of the heart murmur. How can heart murmurs be treated? An innocent murmur will not require any treatment, but your vet will want you to come for follow-up appointments to ensure the heart murmur resolves itself. A heart murmur caused by cardiac disease or defect may require medication, a specialized diet, or surgery. At the very minimum, your dog will require vet visits every 6 months to monitor the murmur. What is the prognosis of a heart murmur? The prognosis of a heart murmur largely depends on the underlying cause of the murmur and ranges from good to severe. For innocent murmurs that don't require treatment, the prognosis is generally good to excellent. Heart murmurs caused by extracardiac disease or a functional problem that can be treated may resolve over time. For dogs that have a leaky mitral valve, long-term medication can help prolong their lives or improve their quality of life. The prognosis for a dog with dilated cardiomyopathy varies - if the dog is already showing signs of heart failure the prognosis is unfortunately not good. For dogs with congenital heart defects, the prognosis varies- if the defect can be corrected by surgery the prognosis is usually very good. Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet. Is your dog showing signs of a heart condition? The veterinary cardiologists at Rocky Mountain Veterinary Cardiology have extensive experience in treating heart disease and other cardiac conditions. Request a referral from your vet today or contact us for more information. Our experienced vets are passionate about the health of Boulder and Denver companion animals. Get in touch today to book your pet's first appointment. This article aims to clarify common myths and misconceptions regarding heart murmurs in dogs so that any pet owner can understand the significance of this diagnosis and the next best steps. What is a heart murmur? Does a heart murmur mean my dog has heart disease? Not necessarily; not all dogs diagnosed with a heart murmur will suffer from cardiac heart disease. A heart murmur is a clinical finding—not a disease diagnosis. Some heart murmurs are benign or harmless and may go away on their own, particularly in puppies. Additional diagnostic testing, such as an echocardiogram ultrasound of the heart will likely be required. Some puppies can grow out of heart murmurs by approximately 16 weeks of age. These murmurs are usually low grade quiet and show no signs of affecting the animal. If your puppy has a louder murmur that has been heard at several vet visits, it is recommended that your pet be evaluated by a veterinary cardiologist to determine if intervention medicine or surgery is advised. What causes a heart murmur in dogs? Anything that changes the blood flow through the heart creating turbulence can cause a murmur to be heard. Not always. Murmurs are graded on a scale that refers to their loudness see below. Quiet murmurs may still represent severe heart disease in a patient, while conversely, loud murmurs may not impact a dog lifelong, depending on the diagnosis. This is why further investigation into the cause of the murmur with a veterinary cardiologist is useful to guide treatment recommendations and provide prognostic information. Grade 1: heard inconsistently in a quiet room with a quiet animal Grade 2: easily heard but quieter than the normal heart sounds Grade 3: same intensity as the heart sounds Grade 4: louder than the heart sounds and heard on both sides of the chest Grade 5: loud with a thrill vibration that can be felt with the hand against the chest Grade 6: very loud with a thrill and can be heard with the stethoscope off the body wall My dog is acting normally. Does that mean the heart murmur is harmless? Again, not necessarily. Dogs may be asymptomatic for their heart murmur but have significant heart disease already present that warrants treatment. Since acquired heart disease usually presents in older patients, owners often think they are slowing down due to age when heart disease is truly contributing to their change in energy. In other cases, asymptomatic dogs with heart murmurs may not require heart medications, but they may have the early stages of heart disease present that warrant other precautions. For instance, general anesthesia for a surgery or dental procedure is only recommended if a dog diagnosed with a heart murmur has been evaluated by a veterinary cardiologist and deemed to be a safe anesthetic candidate with appropriate protocol precautions in place. What are signs of cardiac heart disease in dogs? Signs of cardiac disease in dogs can include: Difficulty or labored breathing. My pet was diagnosed with a heart murmur! What does that mean? It is caused by abnormal turbulent blood flow. Abnormal turbulent blood flow can occur when blood passes across abnormal heart valves or across abnormal structures within the heart. It can also occur when blood flows very fast across normal structures such as when an animal is excited. An echocardiogram ultrasound of the heart is a non-invasive test that is performed to determine the cause of the murmur. In some instances, the louder the murmur, the more significant the abnormality within the heart. They are soft and usually go away by 14 weeks of age. This may indicate that congenital present at birth heart disease is present. The cardiologist will perform an echocardiogram as well as other tests EKG, blood pressure, etc. Depending on the disease present, some congenital diseases can be fixed or made better with an interventional catheter procedure, traditional surgery, or administration of cardiac medications. If you have an older, small breed dog: Heart murmurs in these dogs may indicate that these dogs have a leaky mitral valve the heart valve in between the left atrium and left ventricle. This valve degenerates as dogs age and when it does, the older valve allows blood to leak backwards. We refer to this disease as chronic valve disease, endocardiosis or degenerative mitral valve disease. Mild chronic valve disease that leads to small leaks across the mitral valve usually does not create a problem for a dog. The disease is slowly progressive in most cases and the leak will continue to worsen over months to years. If the disease becomes severe, the dog is at risk for developing congestive heart failure. Congestive heart failure means that the leak across the heart valve overwhelms the heart and fluid goes from the heart backwards into the lungs instead of from the heart forward to the body. A cardiologist can perform an echocardiogram and determine the stage of chronic valve disease present. The presence or absence of congestive heart failure is diagnosed by X-ray of the chest. If congestive heart failure is present, oral medications can be prescribed to help maintain a good quality of life. Some dogs can do well with these medications for years. Bernard, Newfoundland, Cocker Spaniel, Dalmatian or Portuguese Water Dog : Heart murmurs in these dogs may indicate that they have a disease called dilated cardiomyopathy with a subsequent leaky mitral valve. Dilated cardiomyopathy is a disease of the pumping chamber ventricle of the heart where the muscle becomes weakened and the contraction of the heart is decreased. When the ventricle is unable to pump blood to the body, fluid goes from the heart backwards into the lungs instead of from the heart forward to the body. This is known as congestive heart failure. In addition, because the heart is not pumping effectively, these dogs can develop profound weakness, lethargy, exercise intolerance and fainting. Unfortunately, they can also pass away suddenly from abnormal heart beats arrhythmias from the diseased heart chambers. A cardiologist can perform an echocardiogram and determine if dilated cardiomyopathy is present in susceptible breeds. Oral medications can be initiated in the preclinical asymptomatic phase of dilated cardiomyopathy and in some cases, these medications can delay the progression of the disease to the development of congestive heart failure. If a dog develops clinical symptoms of congestive heart failure, X-rays are used to confirm the presence and determine the severity of the congestive heart failure. Some dogs can do well with these medications for a period of months to years. If you have a middle-aged to older cat especially a Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest Cat, Ragdoll, British Shorthair, American Shorthair, Sphynx or Devon Rex : Heart murmurs in cats can be due to the excitement of the veterinary visit physiologic heart murmurs or due to underlying heart disease. An echocardiogram is necessary to differentiate between a heart murmur that is just due to excitement versus a heart murmur from underlying heart disease. Heart murmurs or other abnormalities heard with a stethoscope may indicate that cats have a disease called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This is the most common acquired heart disease seen in cats. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a disease of the pumping chamber of the heart where the muscle does not relax well after it contracts. Blood is then unable to fill the heart normally and fluid goes from the heart backwards into the lungs instead of from the heart forward to the body. Signs of congestive heart failure include a fast breathing rate, difficulty breathing, fainting, weakness, lethargy, hiding and a decreased appetite. Unfortunately, in addition, these cats can also pass away suddenly from abnormal heart beats from the diseased heart chambers. A cardiologist can perform an echocardiogram and determine if hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or other structural heart disease is present in susceptible breeds and in cats that have abnormal heart sounds on physical examination. The progression of disease is different in every cat. Some cats develop congestive heart failure soon after their disease is diagnosed by echocardiogram. Other cats remain asymptomatic for their hypertrophic cardiomyopathy for many years before they develop congestive heart failure. Still others never develop congestive heart failure or any symptoms of their heart disease. Recheck cardiology visits and echocardiograms are necessary to determine the progression of disease in each patient. If a cat develops clinical symptoms of congestive heart failure, X-rays are used to confirm the presence and determine the severity of the congestive heart failure. If congestive heart failure is present, oral medications can be prescribed to help maintain a good quality of life, and some cats can do well with these medications for a period of months to years. Jordan Vitt, a veterinary cardiologist at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, says the three types of congenital heart defects seen most often are patent ductus arteriosus, pulmonic stenosis, and subaortic stenosis. Saki Kadotani, who is completing a residency in veterinary cardiology. Vitt explains. However, each of these heart problems has its own cause and treatment. Patent Ductus Arteriosus Patent ductus arteriosus PDA is a condition in which a blood vessel that should close at birth fails to close. This problem can occur in any breed of dog. When puppies are born, this ductus should close and all blood flow through the ductus should stop. Vitt, when this happens, blood that should flow to the body goes back into the lungs through the PDA. This can result in heart enlargement, leading to congestive heart failure if the problem is not detected and addressed. To prevent this abnormal blood flow, the PDA should be closed. This can be performed by a surgeon by tying off the PDA through a surgical incision in the chest or minimally invasively by a cardiologist, like Dr. The minimally invasive technique is performed by placing a heart catheter through the femoral artery to place a device that will occlude, or close, the ductus. This narrowing of normal passages makes it harder for the blood to move from the heart to the lungs or from the heart to the body. Stenoses may affect the pulmonic valve or the aortic valve. Vitt says. This procedure involves using a heart catheter to place a balloon at the stenotic valve. The balloon is then inflated to widen the valve opening and improve the flow of blood. The balloon is removed after the procedure. A newer technique for repairing subaortic stenosis begins with threading a smaller balloon, which when inflated exposes small surgical blades, to incise or cut the scar tissue before using a larger balloon to open up the narrowed valve region. All of these minimally invasive techniques are performed by the cardiology service at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Early Detection Because congenital heart defects are something puppies are born with, there is no way to prevent this disease. However, early detection and treatment improve the prognosis for the patient. Most puppies have soft murmurs at a young age, and most murmurs go away on their own by the time the puppy is four to six months old. A murmur that is characterized as a grade 2 or less is very likely to resolve; on the other hand, Dr. Vitt advises that a heart murmur at grade 3 or higher should be evaluated by a veterinary cardiologist as soon as possible. Any murmur that is still present at six months or that is getting worse should also be evaluated. The earlier the detection, the sooner the problem can be evaluated and potentially fixed for the best long-term outcome. If a problem is detected in any of the puppies, the owner may opt to have an echocardiogram or ultrasound of the heart as well. In addition, the cardiology service will soon offer breed-specific screening days. On these days, dog breeds predisposed to certain heart diseases will be evaluated at a discounted price to encourage early detection and potential treatment. To find out more about breed-specific screening days, contact the cardiology service at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

Life Span Did You Know? The Boxer is one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States. It has been recognized by the AKC since .Although the Boxer dog breed originated in Germany, their ancient ancestry can be traced back to the Assyrian empire war dogs of BC. The modern Boxer breed we know and love today was originally developed in Germany in the late s. English-bred Bulldogs and the Bullenbesiier were crossed to create an energetic and agile hunting dog to chase wild game. The Boxer is a popular family companion and a versatile working dog. As a member of the Working Group, Boxers can be found competing in dog sports like agility, obedience, and herding. They also make great service and assistance dogs, as well as therapy dogs, and can be found working as search and rescue dogs, drug detection dogs, police dogs, and military dogs. The Boxer is a muscular and energetic dog that tends to have a happy, friendly disposition. They bond closely with their families and tend to get along well with children and other dogs. They can even do well with other pets despite their high prey drive if they are socialized and trained with them. As long as they are well-socialized, Boxers are generally upbeat, playful, and friendly. Although they have a natural instinct to protect their family from unwanted visitors, they do tend to warm up once introduced and are happy to make a new friend. They can be prone to barking a lot if you do not work on socialization and training your dog to stop barking early on. Boxers can be highly adaptable dogs. Although they have a lot of energy and are better suited to homes with yards where they can run, they can adapt to apartment living as long as they get the daily exercise, attention, and mental stimulation they need. As with any non-arctic dog breed, they are sensitive to very cold temperatures. Boxers are also a brachycephalic breed, which means they are even more sensitive to heat than other dogs. A Boxer is also one of the most affectionate dog breeds. Because they bond so closely with their families and get bored easily, they should not be left alone for long periods of time. Potential health conditions to be aware of in a Boxer include hip dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy, thyroid issues , and heart conditions like aortic stenosis and cardiomyopathy. Good breeding practices make a big difference and reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing preventable issues to puppies. So, make sure you are asking the breeder about the health and genetic history of the parents and about any health tests that have been done. Boxers are intelligent dogs that are eager to please their owners. Despite their energetic personality, they are one of the best dog breeds for first-time owners and are highly trainable dogs. They tend to excel at almost any task put before them! Because of their open, friendly nature and high energy, they have a tendency to jump up at people in excitement and playfulness. Since they grow into powerful dogs, you will want to make sure you train your dog not to jump up. Boxers have smooth and short coats that will shed a little year-round and require minimal grooming. A brush-down once or twice a week and the occasional bath as needed will keep their short coat healthy and looking great. Nail trims once or twice a month are usually enough to keep nails from growing too long. Checking ears weekly and carefully cleaning as needed can help prevent ear infections. Checking and wiping their facial wrinkles weekly or a few times a week if your dog is prone to getting into things can help keep their wrinkles clean and free of irritation. Dental diseases, like gum disease, are the most common health issues in older dogs because dental care is often overlooked; and, it can lead to other serious health issues. Brushing daily, plus cleanings at the vet when needed, is ideal. The Boxer is a high-energy dog breed that needs plenty of daily exercise to stay happy and healthy. Due to their high prey drive and urge to chase, they should only be let off-leash in secure areas. Boxers tend to get bored with repetition, are excellent problem solvers, and are naturally exuberant. A fully-grown Boxer usually stands inches tall at the shoulder and weighs pounds. Boxers generally live years on average. In Germany, the Boxer was one of the first dog breeds chosen for police training. Featured Boxer Article. Loyalty, affection, intelligence, work ethic, and good looks: Boxers are the whole doggy package. Bright and alert, sometimes silly, but always courageous, the Boxer has been among America's most popular dog breeds for a very long time. A male can stand as high as 25 inches at the shoulder and weigh lbs; females are a little smaller, lbs and inches tall. Their muscles ripple beneath a short, tight-fitting coat, and the dark brown eyes and wrinkled forehead give the face an alert, curious look. The coat can be fawn or brindle, with white markings, and some are born solid white. Boxers move like the athletes they are named for: smooth and graceful, with a powerful forward thrust. Boxers are upbeat and playful. Their patience and protective nature have earned them a reputation as a great dog with children. They take the jobs of watchdog and family guardian seriously and will meet threats fearlessly. Boxers do best when exposed to a lot of people and other animals in early puppyhood. The Bullenbeisser descended from Mastiffs was crossed with the Old English bulldog to eventually produce the modern breed. Bullenbeissers were generally used as catch dogs for hunting bear, wild boar, and deer. With their strong jaws, they would catch and hold prey until their hunter masters came. The first Boxers were developed to be a smaller, faster dog for similar purposes. Unfortunately, like their bulldog ancestors, Boxer dogs were sometimes used for bull-baiting, and, after the practice was outlawed, for dog fighting. Many are still working dogs, for the military and as police dogs. But most have taken an equally important place as the popular companion dog we know and love today. Boxers are, for the most part, versatile dogs. But be wary of leaving your Boxer dog unattended with access to local pets in your neighborhood. A strong fence without escape routes is a good idea. And although Boxers do well in hot weather, white ones might need some sunscreen. Yes, dog sunscreen is a thing. A bored boxer will chew, lick, and dig to excess, so a kennel or crate may be necessary when you need to be away for longer than they like. In the perfect world, a boxer owner would work part-time, or from home, so that they could spend maximum time caring for and bonding with their pet. After a puppy is reserved its is our goal to make the update within minutes with few exceptions outside holidays and unforeseen events. You can be confident the available puppies and their pictures shown are accurate and up to date. Intelligent Pug Characteristics Pugs are extremely playful and love to interact with their owners. They also get along well with other animals, especially cats and other dogs. They're most known for: Friendly Easy going Health Issues Because these dogs have only been bred for a few years, there has been no study on whether there are any specific health issues being produced from these crosses. In order to get a better idea of which health problems a puppy might face, you must research the parent breeds involved, and take a look at health issues that are common to them. The average reported lifespan of these dogs is between 12 to 15 years. Boxers can be prone to cardiomyopathy , bloat, hip dysplasia , and hypothyroidism , among other possible health threats. Pugs can be prone to obesity, breathing problems , eye problems, and skin problems. Boston Terriers are prone to eye problems , heart problems, epilepsy, and skin problems. Fox Terriers can be prone to Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, patellar luxation, congenital hypothyroidism with goiter, and primary lens luxation, among other health issues. Rat Terriers can be prone to allergies, dental problems, and patellar luxation. Corgis are prone to eye problems, glaucoma , and progressive retinal atrophy. Beagles are prone to epilepsy , intervertebral disk disease, and tumbling puppy syndrome. English Bulldogs are prone to a long list of health concerns, including obesity, heat stroke, elongated soft palate , heart disease, and more. Keep in mind that a particular pup might never face one of these health issues, but the possibility could be there in the gene pool, so it's good to be aware. Are you InTheKnow? Sign up for our newsletter featuring all the latest stories and products we love. Invalid email I agree to receive email communications from LoveToKnow. The breeding procedures used to create this mix are extremely controversial. Many " miniature " dogs have been heavily inbred, so it's not uncommon for them to develop genetic disorders or become ill at a young age, even from a reputable breeder. The miniature Boxer is also a high-energy breed that requires a hands-on owner. They aren't meant for owners with sedentary lifestyles or those who reside in apartments. Because the miniature Boxer sheds, it may not be suitable for those looking for a hypoallergenic dog breed. If you understand the cons, there are many pros to this breed. Since they are smaller than Boxers, they are less expensive to feed and easier to care for. They require slightly less exercise than the original breed and can do well in smaller spaces, even if they aren't ideal apartment dogs. This mix is family-friendly, intelligent, eager to please, and easy to train. Also, they're relatively affordable to purchase as puppies. Finding Miniature Boxer Puppies for Sale When looking for a breeder of miniature Boxers, make sure you do your due diligence. Before you decide to do business, take the time to investigate the breeder fully to make sure you'll receive exactly what you're paying for. There are many unscrupulous breeders producing designer dogs, and you want to make sure the breeder can provide a health guarantee. The breeder should demonstrate that they are breeding to create dogs with excellent health and temperament. Because these dogs are not recognized by the top registry organizations and are not bred in large numbers, you may have to search for them online as well as locally through sites such as Craigslist to see if you can locate a breeder. Cost of a Miniature Boxer Puppy Because these dogs are not popular yet, they can be relatively expensive. Dog Clubs The miniature Boxer is not a recognized breed, but it may become one as some point in the future. If you'd like to register your pet with a dog club, both the American Canine Hybrid Club and the Certified Pet Registry take registrations for various crosses that produce this type of dog. Spend Time With These Dogs Before you bring one of these pups home, spend some time at several breeders' kennels so you can get to know the dogs in person. This is the surest way to find out if a Miniature Boxer will fit your lifestyle, as well as which particular cross you prefer. Getting a puppy is a commitment for the life of the dog, so be sure about your choice. For the complete list please see our Listings of Breeders page. In the case of boxers from a reputable breeder, you will usually pay more than what an owner is charging since these breeders usually have to pay higher licensing and insurance fees as well as build kennels and other facilities that would be suitable for breeding dogs. In addition, reputable breeders will allow you to take the boxer home with a signed contract that prevents them from breeding their dog or selling it to other people. However, there are usually people who breed boxers as a side hobby and will be quite willing to make a deal with you. Although it is not recommended that you buy from these people, they usually give the dog away for free or for a very low price because they are trying to get rid of their dogs. In addition, buying from someone who breeds boxers as a side hobby may be cheaper. How to Find A Responsible Boxer Breeder in Missouri To find a responsible boxers breeder in Missouri, the best thing to do is consult your veterinarian. Since there are many reputable breeders in this state, asking people who live nearby would be advisable as well. If you cannot ask anyone locally for help, then using the Internet will also allow you to look up lists of accredited dog breeders which may give you some leads on finding reputable breeders. Another important factor to consider if you want to buy a boxer puppy in Missouri is where the dog will live. Although Missouri does not have any requirements for the living conditions of dogs, it is always best to find out how big the kennel or barn will be and what the weather conditions are like in order to make sure that your boxer puppy can adapt to its new environment. Visit Your Missouri Boxer Breeder in Person In order to find boxers for sale in Missouri from a reputable breeder, it is important that you visit their kennel or farm. Although there are many breeders who advertise through the Internet and will ship a boxer puppy to your home, it is always best to buy a dog from a local breeder since they can ensure you good customer service. Visiting your Boxer breeder in person will also give you a chance to see the kind of environment your boxer is living in. This will allow you to determine if their breeding practices help promote good health and temperament as well as how they treat the dogs. It also allows you to connect with the breeder and makes it easier for you both to establish a strong relationship. Questions to Ask Ask for References from Your Boxer Breeder in Missouri When you are searching for a Missouri boxer breeder, making sure that the boxing breeders in your area are trustworthy is just one of the most important factors to consider. You must know that not all reputable boxer breeders would be aware of how to raise their puppies correctly. References will be of great help in making sure that you will only be dealing with the most reliable boxer breeders in Missouri. For these reasons, asking for references is one of the best ways to ensure that they are professional Missouri boxer breeders. Ask Your Missouri Boxer Breeder if You Can Meet Past Customers Asking your Missouri boxer breeder to introduce you to their past clients is one of the most effective ways in order to determine if they are professional or not. If possible, you can also ask for referrals at this time. If these references and referrals are promising, then it basically means that they are reliable boxing breeders in Missouri. However, always keep in mind that not all reputable boxing breeders would provide these things right away especially when it comes to the safety of their puppies. Take note that responsible and trustworthy boxers breeders would look out for the welfare of their pets before anything else. This is why you must always make it a point to trust the boxer breeder in Missouri only when they are willing to hand over these things. Does the boxer breeder in Missouri that you are considering working with have a good relationship with their veterinarian? This basically means that they are responsible when it comes to taking care of their pets and not just looking at them as a source of income. You just need to remember that not all reputable boxer dog breeders would be easy to work with. In fact, you should already know this when looking for boxers in Missouri since not everyone has the same standards and expectations. This is one of the most common signs which point out that you might be dealing with an unethical Missouri boxer breeder at this time. They ask for payment during the process of the transaction. Before getting to work with Missouri boxer breeders, they must first know what kind of payment they are looking forward to accepting. If they immediately ask for payment even before doing anything, then this is one discouraging sign that points out that you might be dealing with an unethical boxer breeder at this present time. To them, money comes first and not the welfare of their pets. What good does a verbal agreement do? There are a lot of people who would prefer written contracts since these things hold both sides accountable. This is the kind of question which you should ask your breeder even before anything else. If they keep on telling you that nothing is wrong with them, this is yet another discouraging sign which points out that there might be something wrong with their facilities right now. So make sure to ask this question before agreeing to any contract. Remember that this is not just another pet since they are known to be quite destructive. So if you want them to do this somewhere else, make sure that you give them something which they could use for this purpose like chew toys and bones. But at the same time, it will also depend upon their age. If they are still young, then it might take some time before they would chew on things other than their own toys and bones. Just keep in mind that these pets would eventually grow up one day, and they will start exploring your house. This is the only way for them to learn what kinds of things are appropriate or not. You must never forget about this since this would have a long-term effect on their behavior later on in life. Just be patient when it comes to training them so everything would go according to plan. If these pets go to the bathroom inside your house, then this can lead to a lot of serious problems for both you and them. Remember that training your pet is essential because it helps strengthen your relationship with each other over time. They need enclosure crate training:Crate training works hand-in-hand with potty training which is why you should not forget about this one thing above all else. They would give you some good advice which will help improve the overall relationship that you have with your pet. Just have patience with them since they will eventually learn what you want them to do regardless of how long it may take. Enjoy your brand new Boxer puppy. I love animals and love helping people adopt a pet. It all started when attending Missouri State University and I began volunteering at an animal shelter. You will be able to find all their current contact information, as well as a link to their website, so you can see what puppies they currently have available for sale. We provide you with all this information so that you can research each breeder individually and find the one that has your perfect puppy available! If you are considering getting a Boxer, you'll want to check out the incredible book "The Complete Guide to Boxers". It's written in an easy-to-understand way but still has the expert knowledge to help any new owner successfully raise their Boxer from puppy to old-age. It's widely available, so pick up a copy if you see one, here is the link to grab one on Amazon. If you can't find the perfect Boxer puppy in your state, try checking at your local animal shelter or rescue organization. Many Boxers young and old need a loving home and adopting one can be a great way to save a life. We are so happy that you have chosen Local Puppy Breeders to help you find the puppy of your dreams. In addition to visiting us often here, you can check us out on Facebook , Twitter , and Pinterest for more information, pictures, and videos! Boxer puppies for sale St. Louis, Missouri Boxer puppies for sale St. Louis, Missouri Introduction of the Boxer The Boxer dog breed originated in Germany and has been around since the late 19th century. His main purpose is for hunting large game. But this dog breed was also useful in guarding and driving livestock. It is said that he got his name due to using his front paws for just about anything. Boxer dogs look intimidating with their stern-looking faces and powerful bodies. But they are actually very loving family dogs that get along with children and other animals. They love being with their families, and being separated from them can lead them to develop separation anxiety. Since this working dog is highly intelligent but stubborn in nature, he is better suited for experienced owners. The average lifespan of the breed is 9—10 years. Look for a boxer puppies for sale St. Louis Missouri? Here is a brief background of this protective dog with a good sense of humour. History of the Boxer The Boxer dog breed is a descendant of the now-extinct Bullenbeisser a fighting dog with Mastiff ancestry and the Old English Bulldog. He was developed in Germany in the 19th century as hunters of deer, wild boar, and bear. Later on, he was used to guard and drive cattle. The man responsible for the creation of the Boxer breed was Georg Alt, who was from Munich. He crossed a brindle-coloured female Bullenbeisser named Flora with a local dog of unknown breed. In , the first German Boxer dog named Flocki joined a dog show in Munich. After winning the dog show, he was the first-ever Boxer dog to be listed down in the German Studbook. Modern Boxer dogs were believed to be the descendants of Flocki. Boxer puppies for sale in St. He was then imported to the United States in and was accepted by the American Kennel Club the following year. The American Boxer Club was established in .In both world wars, various military tasks were given to Boxer dogs including guard dogs, attack dogs, and messenger dogs. The British Boxer Dog Club was then formed in .The Boxer breed was recognised by the Kennel Club shortly thereafter and classified under the Working Group. Versatile and hard-working, these dogs are capable of carrying out different canine work. Boxers are good choices for protection dogs, police dogs, service dogs, and guide dogs for the blind. Temperament and Intelligence of the Boxer puppies St. Louis for sale Extremely patient and gentle, the Boxer breed is good with children. But he is recommended for families with older children as he may accidentally knock over toddlers. Befriending other pets is possible if the Boxer dog is properly socialised at a young age. It will keep him from viewing small animals as prey and reduce his tendency to dominate same-sex dogs. Is a Boxer a good family dog? Yes, the Boxer breed is a good family dog. He may look noble and intimidating, but he is actually considered the Joker of the Dog World. Boxer dogs are playful and fun-loving. They love to be part of family activities and be the centre of attention. Are Boxer dogs dangerous? Boxer dogs may be tough-looking, but they are not generally aggressive. But they will stand guard and defend their families if necessary. Boxer dogs are initially wary of strangers, but they eventually warm up to them if no danger is detected. Their protective and loyal nature makes them good guard dogs as well as watchdogs. Are Boxers easy to train? Yes, Boxer dogs are easy to train if you are already experienced in handling the breed. They are intelligent but tend to be independent and stubborn. Due to this, they are not suited for first-time owners. Boxer dogs respond better to people that are firm and consistent. However, firm does not mean harsh. Instead of strict training methods, positive reinforcements are more effective in teaching this breed basic dog manners and tricks. Boxer Breed Highlights The Boxer dog breed is a loving, loyal, and protective companion. Boxer dogs are comical companions despite their intimidating appearance. The Boxer breed has low-maintenance grooming needs. As an energetic working dog, he has high exercise needs. Boxer dogs tend to be destructive when they are left alone or unable to let off steam. FAQs about the Boxer puppies for sale St. Louis Missouri Do boxers make good service dogs? Are there miniature boxers? Yes, but they are rare. Miniature boxers are either a product of mating purebred runts or cross-breeding small dogs that have similar characteristics to boxers, such as Boston terriers, pugs, rat terriers, and fox terriers. While some of these minis may closely resemble their larger counterparts, they may not act similarly. Are boxers hypoallergenic? Unfortunately, boxers are not hypoallergenic. What problems do Boxers have? Boxer dogs are brachycephalic, which means they have flat faces. This trait narrows their airway and causes breathing problems. As a result, Boxers should not be out in the sun for a long time as it can lead to heatstroke. Overexercising them must be avoided too to avoid triggering breathing difficulties. How long do Boxer dogs live? The Boxer dog breed has a short lifespan compared to other dogs. He can only live up to 9—10 years, and this is due to the prevalence of health issues in the breed. When buying a Boxer puppy, look for a reputable breeder whose breeding stock and litters are health-screened. This will help you determine how likely is your chosen Boxer puppy going to develop certain health conditions. Louis MO St. Louis is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers, on the western bank of the latter. As of , the city proper had a population of around ,,8 while the bi-state metropolitan area, which extends into Illinois, had an estimated population of over 2. Wiki St. Louis Drop us a line! We will not send you unnecessary notices in the future. My name is Tetyana and I am glad to welcome you on the site of the breed nursery. His main purpose is for hunting large game. But this dog breed was also useful in guarding and driving livestock. It is said that he got his name due to using his front paws for just about anything. Boxer dogs look intimidating with their stern-looking faces and powerful bodies. But they are actually very loving family dogs that get along with children and other animals. They love being with their families, and being separated from them can lead them to develop separation anxiety. Since this working dog is highly intelligent but stubborn in nature, he is better suited for experienced owners. The average lifespan of the breed is 9—10 years. Look for a boxer puppies for sale Hickory North Carolina? Here is a brief background of this protective dog with a good sense of humour. History of the Boxer The Boxer dog breed is a descendant of the now-extinct Bullenbeisser a fighting dog with Mastiff ancestry and the Old English Bulldog. He was developed in Germany in the 19th century as hunters of deer, wild boar, and bear. Later on, he was used to guard and drive cattle. The man responsible for the creation of the Boxer breed was Georg Alt, who was from Munich. He crossed a brindle-coloured female Bullenbeisser named Flora with a local dog of unknown breed. In , the first German Boxer dog named Flocki joined a dog show in Munich. After winning the dog show, he was the first-ever Boxer dog to be listed down in the German Studbook. Modern Boxer dogs were believed to be the descendants of Flocki. Boxer puppies for sale in Hickory NC The Boxer dog breed slowly gained popularity throughout Europe in the late s. He was then imported to the United States in and was accepted by the American Kennel Club the following year. The American Boxer Club was established in .In both world wars, various military tasks were given to Boxer dogs including guard dogs, attack dogs, and messenger dogs. The British Boxer Dog Club was then formed in .The Boxer breed was recognised by the Kennel Club shortly thereafter and classified under the Working Group. Versatile and hard-working, these dogs are capable of carrying out different canine work. Boxers are good choices for protection dogs, police dogs, service dogs, and guide dogs for the blind. Temperament and Intelligence of the Boxer puppies Hickory for sale Extremely patient and gentle, the Boxer breed is good with children. But he is recommended for families with older children as he may accidentally knock over toddlers. Befriending other pets is possible if the Boxer dog is properly socialised at a young age. It will keep him from viewing small animals as prey and reduce his tendency to dominate same-sex dogs. Is a Boxer a good family dog? Yes, the Boxer breed is a good family dog. He may look noble and intimidating, but he is actually considered the Joker of the Dog World. Boxer dogs are playful and fun-loving. They love to be part of family activities and be the centre of attention. Are Boxer dogs dangerous? Boxer dogs may be tough-looking, but they are not generally aggressive. But they will stand guard and defend their families if necessary. Boxer dogs are initially wary of strangers, but they eventually warm up to them if no danger is detected. Their protective and loyal nature makes them good guard dogs as well as watchdogs. Are Boxers easy to train? Yes, Boxer dogs are easy to train if you are already experienced in handling the breed. They are intelligent but tend to be independent and stubborn. Due to this, they are not suited for first-time owners. Boxer dogs respond better to people that are firm and consistent. However, firm does not mean harsh. Instead of strict training methods, positive reinforcements are more effective in teaching this breed basic dog manners and tricks. Boxer Breed Highlights The Boxer dog breed is a loving, loyal, and protective companion. Boxer dogs are comical companions despite their intimidating appearance. The Boxer breed has low-maintenance grooming needs. As an energetic working dog, he has high exercise needs. Boxer dogs tend to be destructive when they are left alone or unable to let off steam. Are there miniature boxers? Yes, but they are rare. Miniature boxers are either a product of mating purebred runts or cross-breeding small dogs that have similar characteristics to boxers, such as Boston terriers, pugs, rat terriers, and fox terriers. While some of these minis may closely resemble their larger counterparts, they may not act similarly. Are boxers hypoallergenic? Unfortunately, boxers are not hypoallergenic. What problems do Boxers have? Boxer dogs are brachycephalic, which means they have flat faces. This trait narrows their airway and causes breathing problems. As a result, Boxers should not be out in the sun for a long time as it can lead to heatstroke. Overexercising them must be avoided too to avoid triggering breathing difficulties. How long do Boxer dogs live? The Boxer dog breed has a short lifespan compared to other dogs. He can only live up to 9—10 years, and this is due to the prevalence of health issues in the breed. When buying a Boxer puppy, look for a reputable breeder whose breeding stock and litters are health-screened. This will help you determine how likely is your chosen Boxer puppy going to develop certain health conditions. Hickory NC The origins of Hickory's name stems from a tavern made of logs beneath a hickory tree during the s. The spot was known as 'Hickory Tavern. Three years later in , the name was changed to the Town of Hickory, and in to the City of Hickory. We will not send you unnecessary notices in the future. My name is Tetyana and I am glad to welcome you on the site of the breed nursery. Questions about Boxer puppies for sale in Texas? We have answers. How much are Boxer puppies for sale in Texas? There is no set price for Texas Boxer puppies for sale because there are so many factors involved. Different breeders charge different prices for their Boxers, which can be influenced by factors including color, size, gender, and more. The best thing to do is start your search and get an overall idea of the type of price you can expect to pay. Can I only choose local Boxer puppies here? Not at all! When you search here for Boxer puppies for sale Texas, we help you connect with breeders all over the country. When it comes to Boxers for sale Texas, we work with businesses that have experience providing puppy travel, so wherever you are, you can go to your nearest major airport to pick up your puppy. How do you ensure the breeders in your network are ethical? We have a lot of checks in place, so when you look here for Boxer puppies for sale in Texas, you can search with peace of mind. Take a look at our Breeder Pledge to get a good overview of what we look for. We vet them all to ensure they have incredibly high standards when it comes to ethics, knowledge, cleanliness, and more. What makes Uptown Puppies different from searching online? When you search for Boxer breeders in Texas, there is no guarantee that the results you find are the best breeders and businesses. They are just the best at marketing! But when you use Uptown Puppies to find Boxers for sale in Texas, you can be sure that you are only buying your pup from an ethical breeder because we independently vet all the applicants. What are puppy mills? These are like puppy factories where corners are often cut compared to the practices followed by ethical Boxer breeders Texas. Dogs that are not bred properly often have a higher risk of developing genetic diseases. Can I find Boxer puppies right now? You may have your heart set on something specific while you search for Boxer puppies Texas, like a particular gender or color. If so, you are in the right place. By connecting with one of our recommended breeders or businesses, you will find a huge range of options, making it easy to find the perfect Boxer puppy. What are the origins of Boxer dogs? Boxers were originally bred as guard dogs from a mix of Bulldogs and German Bullenbeissers in the s, and they reached America at the start of the twentieth century. Due to their bravery, intelligence, and fun personality, they quickly became one of the most popular breeds in the USA, and Boxer puppies in Texas are still hugely popular. What should I expect from a Boxer? Boxers take three whole years to fully mature, which means they stay playful puppies for longer. While they are loyal, protective, and incredibly smart, they are also great fun. Are Boxers easy to train? Are Boxers low-shedding dogs? While Boxers do shed, they have short hair. They do shed a fair amount, but they do this throughout the year rather than at one time. A weekly brush is usually enough to keep things in order.

Ardent Poodles Washington Ardent Poodles breed high-quality poodle puppies that are ready to become your lifelong companion. They are one of the many breeders that have been designated as a Breeder of Merit, thanks to their commitment to quality and care. Talking about temperament, Ardent Poodles takes pride in the fact that their puppies are well known for their intelligence and sweet temperament. They are easily trained, great with children and other family pets. All of these things make them the perfect pet for many families. Part of the reason why these dogs are so well-loved is that they come from such a caring and loving environment. These poodles are raised indoors in their home, where they get plenty of socialization, playtime, and exercise. Before arriving at their forever homes, all of these poodles are veterinarian checked and have been up-to-date with vaccinations. In addition to this, they have all had their dew claws removed and are tail docked in accordance with the breed standard. Breeder Contact Details. Website: tangoshaus. This small home breeder raises miniature, moyen, and standard Poodles. With a focus on temperament and health, these Poodles make ideal family pets, therapy dogs, and service animals. All of the Poodles at Valaurah Farms are health tested and microchipped before going home. Many of these puppies find new owners locally, while others go to homes throughout the United States. One of the more popular Poodle breeders in Washington, they are so popular there is often a waitlist for them! Once you have committed to a Poodle, Valerie will send you updates on its development and health. Valaurah Farms offers plenty of information about becoming a Poodle owner, including tips on preparing your home for this new addition. Cascade Standard Poodles This small, home-based breeder offers Standard Poodles raised in a home environment. At Cascade Standard Poodles, the puppies grow up around family, including children. This helps ensure that the dogs are well socialized and can adapt quickly to new homes. This breeder follows AKC standards and focuses on breeding Poodles with good temperament and structure. They only breed once or twice a year, emphasizing the health and happiness of their dogs. All puppies are microchipped, vaccinated, dewormed, and come with a health guarantee. Cascade Standard Poodles has a thorough application process to ensure that puppies find good homes. They will inquire about your current living arrangements, including the makeup of your family and other pets. In addition, owners must show that they understand the needs of Poodles, including grooming, exercising, and socializing. They breed dogs that come in both red and apricot colors. For over 18 years, Celebrity Red Standards has been breeding dogs for show and as pets. These puppies are well-cared; potential owners will see how smart, active, and easy to train they are. This breeder has an ideal environment for raising Poodles. They reside in Snohomish County, on a large waterfront property. All puppies have access to several acres of land; they also have a lake to swim in! Celebrity Red Standards understands the importance of a healthy Poodle. They do extensive DNA and health testing; you will also receive a health guarantee for your dog. In addition to health, this breeder focuses on structure and temperament. Location: Lynnwood, Washington.

Next up is another thing to do before you bring your puppy home… How To Puppy Proof Your House When puppy-proofing your house, think like a puppy. Crawl around on the floor and take note of what you see. Puppies will chew nearly anything, so make sure that there are no valuables down at puppy-height, or things that could be poisonous to them or be a choking hazard. Make sure there are no open cabinets or pantries where your puppy could get into food. Be careful of small trash cans that could hold some smelly trash that would be enticing to a puppy. And finally, next are a few other random tasks to do before you bring home your new puppy. Getting a golden retriever puppy? Check out the Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook! Not exactly. Find a vet. Find the closest emergency animal hospital. This is not something you want to wait until you need it before looking it up and making a plan. Find a list of local poisonous plants and animals. Talk to your vet and do some research so that you know which plants and animals to avoid. Find a puppy kindergarten class. This will help with training, socialization, and general learning how to be a puppy parent. Check your yard or house for any escape routes. This next section will cover everything from what to expect with a puppy, what to do the first 24 hours of bringing them home, how to train them, and more. A week after bringing Oliver home, it was very obvious to me why she asked me that. Puppies are hard work! Their little bladders can only hold it for a few hours, so this is expected. Chewing Puppies will try to chew any and everything. Like every thirty minutes often. Now, for the most important expectation of them all… You will miss puppyhood! Yes, you will miss the sleepless nights and puppy bites. So make sure to take lots of videos and pictures. How would you like to be treated in this situation? Here are some tips to help your puppy get comfortable in their new home. Let your puppy make decisions When you get to your house, set them at your open front door and let them choose to walk inside. Let them explore their new home on their own terms. Letting them make decisions can give them a sense of confidence, hope, and control, and ease into their new home. Limit visitors Now is the time to build the bond with your puppy and let them get to know you, not overstimulate them with a lot of people. Limit their access to your home Getting used to a new home with two rooms will be a lot easier than getting used to a new home with five rooms. Only let your puppy have access to a few rooms so that they get acclimated to their new area quicker, then as they get more comfortable you can allow them to explore new areas of the house. You can use baby gates to restrict access to sections of the house. Bonus benefit: this will also decrease the chances that they leave you a present in the guest room. In general, just keep things low key when you bring them home and let them get used to their surroundings. Training Your Golden Retriever Puppy Training your golden retriever puppy is one of the best things you can do both for them and with them. They have short attention spans and like to have fun, so short training sessions and training games work best. A lot of people think that training is just obedience training, like sit and stay , but it also includes life skills like crate training , potty training , how to not jump on people or bite them, and how to not pull on the leash. Socialization Socialization is something that is not talked about as much as it should be. It can help mitigate fear and aggression and help them become confident, well-adjusted adult dogs. You can socialize your puppy with other dogs by setting up play dates with gentle dogs that you know are vaccinated and by going to puppy kindergarten. Dog to other living beings includes humans, cats, and other animals. You can socialize them with other people by taking them to a pet-friendly store like home depot, and you can socialize them to other animals by taking a walk by the neighborhood cat with lots of distance between them, so neither animal gets overwhelmed. Dog to stuff is the broadest category, but no less important. When Oliver was very young we were on a walk and a FedEx truck drove by. He had never heard a big truck like that and was terrified. So make sure that your puppy is comfortable with trucks, cars, the garage door, buses, umbrellas, and whatever other objects they may encounter. For instance, if you live in Chicago, get them used to trains, buses and crowded streets. Every day, separate out five special treats for your puppy. For example, you might let your neighbor give your puppy a treat, or maybe you take your puppy to a bus stop and when the bus goes by you give them a treat, or maybe you introduce them to a cow and give them a treat. The treat helps them have a positive experience with these new things and people, plus it helps you easily remember to expose them to lots of these new things. Do this for the first four weeks of their life and before you know it, your puppy will have been exposed to new dogs, people, things, or environments, and will be well on their well to becoming a well-adjusted adult dog. Puppy Raising Mistakes Below are some mistakes that new puppy owners make that could make it harder to train and raise their puppy into a happy, confident adult. Not remembering how young they are Puppies are like little toddlers. Waiting to train your puppy until they have a problem Training your puppy before they have any behavior problems will make life so much easier for you. Forcing things too quickly Things like crate training and potty training take time. Setbacks hurt more than stretching their limits will help, so be patient and take things slowly. Conclusion Golden retriever puppies might just be the best living beings on the planet. However, they are a lot of work and can be quite naughty sometimes. Have any questions about golden retriever puppies? Let me know in the comments below! And if you know someone who is thinking about getting a golden retriever puppy, please share this with them. Related articles:. We are overjoyed for you! Golden Retrievers are one of the most friendly and loving breeds…and lucky for you, one of the easiest to train. Golden Retrievers require a great deal of mental stimulation to avoid going about on their own or becoming frustrated. Their love for food is infinite. Prerequisites for training my Golden Retriever puppy? What age can I start to train my Golden Retriever puppy? Sounds like a good deal! We can only hope. What do I need to train my Golden Retriever? Say bye to that sticky, meaty feeling in your fingertips. A piece of non-slip vet bed or a soft mat: For a cosy bed, warm nights, and good dreams. Treats: The more smelly, the better. Two identical toys : Great for swaps! The name says it all…your Golden Retriever puppy will love retrieving, so identical toys will be great for all the games we have in store for you in the Zigzag Puppy training app. Of course, Golden Retrievers grow to be big dogs. How much exercise does a Golden Retriever need? A golden retriever needs 2 hours of exercise a day. What age is a Golden Retriever fully grown? Golden Retrievers reach adulthood at 3 years of age and are seniors by 8 years old. Though their height has been reached, their weight will still fill out and they will continue to mentally mature. What are Golden Retrievers bred for? Distinctly British, the 1st Baron of Tweedmouth developed the breed crossing his golden coloured retrieving dog Nous with a Tweed Water Spaniel — these look similar to Irish Water Spaniels. The cross resulted in a dog that was comfortable being on land and water kind of like crocodiles , and robust enough to hunt goose, partridge and even deer. Do Golden Retrievers make good family pets? In fact, Golden Retrievers are one of the most loved dog breeds in the UK. The Kennel Club has a lot more good information and info about them. What does this have to do with how I train my Golden Retriever puppy? But there is a logic as to why knowing the context might help you train your Golden Retriever better: Golden Retrievers love to work. Commonly employed as Guide Dogs, they love having a job to do, which means they will adore training. Anyhow, they will be a breeze to train. They will also do almost anything for your soft words and approval — your praise will work just as well as treats. Because they are so gentle, they are a great fit for families with a variety of lifestyles and ages. They need a good amount of exercise; mental as well as physical. Let us rephrase — a hefty amount of exercise. Besides you and food, being in water is what they love the most! They have a very strong sense of smell, so retrieving or scent work games tend to be the biggest treat for most. Golden Retrievers are the social butterflies of dogs. They love most people, and are not discreet in showing it. You know how us Brits can be about politeness. That being said, make sure you also teach them the wonders of giving things up. It can lead to great things! But it can also be less helpful when they give you a love bite on your arm — give them a toy to carry instead. Shift to some play, and revisit training later — we want training to be associated with fun, and not something they begin to dread. There are a variety of reasons to crate train your dog. Use your crate: [25] X Research source To keep your puppy safe when you cannot watch her. To keep your belongings safe when you cannot watch your puppy. When your puppy is home alone. To give your puppy a place to calm down. When traveling. To keep your puppy away from children or other dogs. To aid in house training and other behavioral training. Never use your crate to punish your dog. And once your dog is no longer a puppy and can be trusted not to destroy the house, do not crate your dog when you are away. Save the crate for special times — i. For the most part, your dog should enter her crate voluntarily. The type of crate you use is up to personal preference, though many find that wire crates are the most durable and comfortable long-term solutions for dogs as well as being used at most kennels where you might board your dog. The most important thing is that you get the right size crate. If it is too small, your dog will not be comfortable. If it is too large, it will provide the den-like space dogs crave. Your dog should be able to stand in the crate without hitting her head, to turn around comfortably, and to lie on their side with their paws stretched out. Also buy a divider if purchasing the crate for your puppy. Your dog should enjoy her crate. It should provide a comfortable place for her to relax, so much so that she should choose to spend time there. Make sure to: [28] X Research source Put the crate in a room where you spend lots of time, so your puppy does not feel abandoned. Keep it a comfortable temperature: out of direct sunlight and far from fireplaces and radiators. Place soft bedding inside. Place chew toys inside to give your dog something to do. Cover your wire crate with a towel or crate cover. This will give it more of the den-like feel your dog craves. If you do it well, crate training will be much easier. Throw some new dog toys in, too. Let your dog explore the crate on her own. Let her go at her own speed. Every hour or so put more treats in the crate when your dog is not looking. Be sure to subtract all these treats from their daily food allowance. Also start feeding your dog in the crate. At first, put the bowl just inside so they only have to poke their head in. After 2 or 3 successful feedings, move it to the middle, then all the way back. Show your dog a treat and toss it in the crate. Move away and wait for her to leave the crate. Always use your cue words. Repeat the whole ritual several times a day until your dog is happily entering the crate to fetch treats. After tossing a treat in once or twice to warm your dog up, use your command word without a treat. If she enters, praise profusely and give a treat or two. Also praise her when she leaves. Repeat this training several times a day for two or three days, until your dog is entering and leaving the crate on command. If your golden puppy struggles with this step, go back to the previous one. Ask your puppy to enter the crate and sit. Slowly close the door. If you have to bang it shut before your dog escapes, then she is not ready for this step. When the door is closed, praise and give treats, then open the door and let her leave. Gradually lengthen the time they must sit in the crate before you let them out. Do sessions of training where they wait ten seconds, then 30, 45, and a minute. When your dog can comfortably stay in the crate for a minute, you will want to start moving away while she is in the crate. In the first session, move only a few feet away before you come back. Move to different areas of the room and keep looking at your dog. Next, try training sessions where you move around the room without paying attention to your puppy. Add moments when you step out of the room briefly and return. Finally, leave the room. At first, stay out for only five minutes. Gradually increase the time you are gone to 30 minutes. Go back to the previous step or reduce the time you are leaving her. Always remove your puppies leash and collar before putting her in the crate, as they are choking hazards. For a puppy, these will need to be shorter trips, as a puppy cannot be expected to go more than 3 hours or so without urinating. She needs to be able to get up and stretch her legs. Vary the time you put your dog in the crate. Sometimes do it ten minutes before you go. Sometimes five. Sometimes right before you head out the door. Praise your dog for entering her crate, then go. Now that your puppy is comfortable in her crate, she can sleep there overnight, but be sure you can hear her. Puppies often need to pee in the middle of the night. January 24, In search of a new forever best friend? Not sure what puppy breed works best for you and your family? What does it take to be considered ideal for a family dog? How do you know if the Golden Retriever is the right fit for you and your family? A Brief Background on Golden Retrievers! Bred in the highlands of Scotland by Lord Tweedmouth in the mid to late s, Goldens are a cross between a Yellow Retriever and an extinct dog breed, the Tweed Water Spaniel. Lord Tweedmouth wanted the ideal gundog to accompany him during fowl hunting and be able to withstand the rugged terrain and rainy conditions. Aside from being able to retrieve fowl, Lord Tweedmouth wanted an even-tempered dog to have at home when not hunting. And so, the Golden Retriever was born. Later in the s, they soon became a popular breed amongst American families when President Gerald Ford had a Golden named Liberty as his family dog. Golden Retrievers, like their name states, are golden! Their luxurious coats come in a variety of light to dark shades, ranging from light like the white Golden Retriever or English Cream to dark golden colors, even close to chocolate. Their coats feature feathering down their backs, chest, belly, hindquarters, and tails. Goldens have soft expressions combined with floppy expressive ears that give them a puppy-like appearance even as adults. Another thing to note of the Golden Retriever is that those fluffy coats are actually what are known as double coats. A strong water repellant coat on top coupled with a dense undercoat to regulate their body heat. This all means these pups can be heavy shedders! What are Golden Retrievers Personalities like? There is something to be said about being named a perfect family dog. The Golden Retriever breed is loyal, affectionate, playful, and gentle. If brought into a home with children, your Golden Retriever puppy will be a great addition for help introducing your new Golden Retriever pup to your kids and how to play together, check out our blog! But being a great family dog doesn't mean they are easy! Goldens have lots of energy which can come out in more jumping and being more mouthy, especially as puppies. Check our training tips for raising a well-mannered Golden at the end of this blog! Two to three daily walks are a must, and throw in fun activities like hiking or going for a swim, your pup will stay golden! Golden Retrievers are eager to please type of breed. They generally have happy go lucky demeanors which lends itself to affection and friendliness, including toward strangers. If you wanted a pup that could eventually become a service dog, a Golden Retriever is a great choice and make for excellent working pups! As a high-energy breed, Golden Retrievers do best in a home that will provide them ample access to romp around. Homes with fenced in yards or access to a park or field on a daily basis where they can run and fetch to their hearts content are the best environment for Goldens! These pups, with consistent early socialization, can adapt and thrive to living in a home with other dogs, or pets, and children! They love to play and make great playmates. That being said, their social nature can lead to dependencies on their owners and family. Golden Retrievers may develop separation anxiety if left alone and not properly trained from an early age. Golden Retrievers may also contract heart disease called subvalvular aortic stenosis SAS that with early diagnosis and treatment can allow for a regular life-span. When you are looking to add a Golden Retriever puppy, make sure you are working with a reputable breeder that cares for the health quality of the dogs they breed. Take advantage of that natural drive and eagerness to please by setting foundations at home. Start your puppy a regular daily puppy schedule to create structured routines in the home. Include consistent feeding, nap, play and obedience training times throughout the day to help your Golden pup learn what to expect and build confidence at home. During their puppy training focus on their obedience commands to help your puppy learn to look to you for guidance, build their communication with you, and solidify a trusting relationship! Since Golden Retrievers love to work, positive reinforcement and food rewards will be valuable motivators to get your puppy focused and listening. In-person and online puppy training programs will walk you through how to teach the commands, exercises to help your puppy learn them, and troubleshoot when your puppy needs it! Teach Your Golden Retriever How to Greet New People and Dogs While their open friendly disposition will help your puppy make new friends where ever they go, make sure to teach your puppy the right way to do so! Some overly energetic and friendly pups can get excitable around new people and dogs. That can result in some unwanted whining, lunging, and jumping. When done correctly, socialization helps teach your puppy the proper way to greet people, other dogs and create boundaries. During socialization sessions, you can work with your puppy on those common over-excited behaviors when meeting strangers. And if you're not sure how to do this on your own, hire a local puppy trainer or join an online puppy training school to help set you up for the best success! Do Calming Obedience Exercises With all their high-energy and high-drive, teaching your Golden how to be calm in everyday scenarios will help tame that wild side! Great calming exercises include having your puppy learn to wait for their food bowl and in thresholds each time you enter or leave a space. This also extends to activities like fetch. Goldens are a natal for this! This can be done simply by having your pup drop the toy when they return and pausing for a few moments giving them a chance to settle before throwing it again for them to retrieve. Teach Them to Walk Nicely on Leash Many high-energy pups have a tendency to lunge toward exciting new things! Couple that with a social nature, and you may encounter that your Golden Retriever puppy will start to pull on leash. Focus on teaching them proper leash manners including how to walk in Heel position and how to pass other people and pups without lunging, jumping and excited whining, barking or nipping at them! That can greatly help possible bad encounters with strangers and other dogs while teaching them great habits! Did you recently bring home a Golden Retriever puppy? Are you still planning and not sure what breed fits your lifestyle? Let us know in the comments! Check out these blogs related to puppy training and more! As long as they are socialised well as a puppy, Golden Retrievers can happily fit into family life. They are gentle but need to be treated with respect by all members of the family, including young children, as like any dog their patience will eventually run out. Common health problems in Golden Retrievers Like any purebred dog, Golden Retrievers may encounter some breed-related health problems throughout their lives. Often, Breed Clubs will also be able to provide advice on what tests your breed may need and where to get these done. Make sure the parents of your puppy have had the relevant health screening to reduce the chances of your puppy being affected by these upsetting conditions. For Golden Retrievers, this is because they can have short legs in proportion to their body and a tendency to become overweight. Eye problems — screening tests are available and dogs should be screened on a yearly basis, especially if intended for breeding. Multifocal retinal dysplasia - abnormal development and growth of the back of the eye retina which can lead to blindness. Generalised progressive retinal atrophy GPRA — slowly leads to progressive blindness over months or years. Retinal pigment epithelial dystrophy RPED, or central progressive retinal atrophy — a genetic problem which causes issues in the back of the eye retina and loss of vision. Glaucoma — high pressure within the eye causing pain and loss of vision. Ichthyosis — a skin disease that causes thickening of the footpads and makes other areas of skin rough and covered with thick, greasy flakes that stick to the hair. Caring for your Golden Retriever Golden Retrievers are usually real big softies and can make a great addition to a home. How much noise they make will be down to the individual dog. Training and socialisation Golden Retrievers thrive off training and are very intelligent dogs. They love nothing more than to be given tasks to do to keep them occupied and have fairly good problem-solving skills — for a dog! As long as your Retriever is properly socialised from a young age , they should be confident around new people and situations. Retrievers also like their chill out time but will be more than happy to show you plenty of affection on their own terms. Exercise Golden Retrievers are very active dogs and need plenty of opportunities to exercise , play and get rid of excess energy. Your Golden Retriever will need a minimum of two hours of good exercise per day. You can find out how much exercise your dog needs , or even find exercises you can do together. Because they are intelligent dogs, Golden Retrievers can get bored easily so make sure you keep their brains active as well as their bodies. As their name suggests, retrieving is what they were bred for, so nearly all Golden Retrievers love a good game of fetch! Grooming Golden Retrievers have medium to long coats and generally do shed a lot. They are not a dog to take on if you hate hoovering! Ideally, they should be brushed or combed three times a week at a minimum. Where necessary you can trim their coat with the right tools, but seek advice from a professional dog groomer or vet first. You may also find that your Retriever loves water including any and all muddy puddles and swimming. Make sure they stay safe around the water and if they get mucky, use a dog safe shampoo. Will you give now to help people and pets in need? As the cost of living continues to rise, vet care could be out of reach for many. Donate to our emergency appeal now to provide vital vet care to pets in need and keep families together during this crisis. Donate Golden Retrievers and children If you have a young family then Golden Retrievers can be fantastic with children. If socialised properly from a young age, Retrievers can be quite calm and tolerant. Always supervise children and vulnerable adults with your Golden Retriever and make sure you can recognise the signs of unhappiness or anxiety in your dog to help avoid any conflicts. As with every breed, you should always teach children how to approach and play with dogs with care and kindness, to prevent any issues. Golden Retrievers and other pets Well-socialised Golden Retrievers are very easy-going, which usually means they can be great around other dogs and pets, too. Any introductions should be done carefully and following the right advice for your other pet, too. Always supervise your dog with other pets, even if they have known them for a long time. Obesity can cause other health problems for your Golden Retriever, so keeping them in shape is extra important. Make sure to monitor their weight and keep an eye out for any sneaky snacking. Your vet will be able to tell you how much your dog should be eating. If you give your dog an occasional treat or use treats for training, remember to take this into account and reduce their daily food allowance. Use healthy treats in moderation instead. You should try to feed your dog at the same time every day to get them into a routine. Remember to leave a gap before exercising and after eating. Beware unusually cheap puppies as they could come from a puppy farm. If you want to buy a pedigree puppy, we recommend looking for a Kennel Club Assured breeder as they have to do extra health tests and meet higher standards. Set-up costs Puppy vaccines — if you rescue a dog, reputable centres will often vaccinate them for you. Remember that ongoing booster vaccinations will be needed to continue their immunity. Neutering — you should usually arrange for your dog to be neutered at around months old, though your vet will be able to advise you exactly when is best. Check prices at your local practice as these will depend on your vet and where you live. Some rescue centres will neuter any dogs they rehome, saving you this cost. Equipment — including a collar and tags, lead, harness, dog beds, dog bowls, pet-safe toothpaste and toothbrushes, grooming brushes and toys. Keep in mind that all these will need to be replaced with wear or damage or if your dog outgrows or damages them! Ongoing costs Food. Preventive healthcare — budget for routine vet visits to help stop your dog getting ill and catch any problems early. They need annual check-ups, vaccinations and regular flea and worming treatments. Check if your vet offers a health care plan as this can help spread the cost throughout the year. Accessories — including lots of poo bags, replacing worn toys and grooming accessories, buying doggy toothpaste and any other extras they might need. Other costs Training — basic training is very important and dogs can benefit from formal classes. Some dogs may have, or develop, behavioural problems which might need professional management. Boarding — you may also need to budget for boarding or dog sitting costs if you are planning to go away from home on holiday. If you are having difficulty with veterinary costs, you can check if you are eligible for treatment at PDSA here. PDSA Pet Insurance Fun facts As they were bred to fetch game, they have a naturally gentle grip, called a 'soft mouth', so they don't damage the birds they carry back in their mouths. Golden Retrievers have an amazing sense of smell and are often used as search and rescue dogs in other parts of the world. They absolutely love water well, most of them do. Most Retrievers will take any opportunity to have a swim. Luckily, their coats are thick to keep out water and keep them warm. Golden Retrievers make really good assistance dogs and are often a top choice for training to be Guide Dogs for the Blind. Make sure you have the knowledge and dedication to give to these sweet natured dogs to keep them happy and the time and space to exercise them. While they make great family pets, make sure you are absolutely ready to take on the commitment of getting a dog first. Rehoming centres There are plenty of rescue centres across the country where you may find a Golden Retriever. Breed-specific rescues that specialise in Golden Retrievers are out there too. Good rescue centres should let you know of any health and behaviour problems. Breeders If you buy a Golden Retriever puppy from a breeder, make sure your puppy will be well socialised and have all necessary health checks and vaccinations. We recommend looking for a Kennel Club Assured breeder as they meet higher standards. Not sure if the Golden Retriever is the right pet for you? Schools Hospitals The veterinary clinic. Plus puppies are a great stress relief and your puppy may be just what the staff need to get through a hard day. Not only does it keep them healthy but it may also decrease the tendency toward poor behavior and helps them sleep. There are many things you can do with your Golden Retriever beyond just neighborhood walks, here are some suggestions: Swimming. Even puppies can swim, just take the time to introduce them slowly to deep water. Throwing a toy helps. Playing catch. Playing ball is great exercise, just avoid tossing things like discs where they may try to jump and injure them selves Tug of War. Gentle tug of war is a great game that most Goldens love. Playing with other puppies or similarly sized dogs Chasing the kids around the yard. Have them drag a rope toy and run let your pup catch it every once in a while. This has the added benefit of exercising your kids too. Training your Golden Retriever puppy is essential, he or she needs to understand what is good behavior and what is not. Golden Retrievers are very smart dogs who learn quickly and enjoy training with their people. House training and teaching basic commands is an essential part of raising a Golden Retriever puppy. Additional training, whether that is advanced obedience or training them to do tricks, can be a great way to enjoy your puppy and creating a lasting bond. Golden Retriever puppies are able to learn as well as adults by 8 weeks of age. Even younger pups can learn basic behaviors like sit with just a little patience. Here we give a few suggestions, but we have a fantastic article on Training your Golden Retriever that goes into detail. Here are some commands every dog should know. Your Golden Retriever puppy should come right away every time you call. Carry treats in your pocket and practice this command everywhere you go. Coming when you call could save your dogs life one day. This one is critical for when you want your Golden to stop jumping on guests or when you want your pup to calm down. It can also be used in place of sit for not jumping on guests. Leave it. This one is important to get them away from that dead animal they want to roll in, the goose poop they want to eat, or the pacifier that your neighbors toddler dropped in front of your pup. Yes wait not stay. This means walk by my side without pulling on the leash. Some Fun Tricks and Commands to Teach Your Dog One of the best parts of raising a Golden Retriever puppy, is seeing first hand how smart they are and how much they love learning new things. Here are a few just for fun things you can teach your dog. Bring it. Point to a toy or object and have them bring it to you. Turn off the light once they are big enough to reach the switch. Off is easier than on but they can learn that too. Jump through the hoop. All you need is a simple hula hoop and a partner. Note Golden Retriever puppies should not jump higher than a inches before 6 months. They should not jump more than shoulder height before 1 year of age when their growth plates are closed. High five. Yup this is exactly what it sounds like, having your pup give you a high five. Be careful not to use the same hand signals for other commands. For example holding your hand up by your shoulder usually means sit, so you should hold your hand in a different spot for high five. If you are loving teaching these tricks, AKC has a Trick dog title you can earn with your dog. Or if you love dancing, canine freestyle, dancing competitions for you and your dog might be fun for you. Again, this could be an entire article on its own, but since I have not written one, I have included a link to a video that I think will be helpful. What I like about this trainer is his emphasis on positive reinforcement rewards and NO punishment negative reinforcement. This is exactly the technique I used to train my own dogs. See what you think. For other helpful tips see our article on article on Training your Golden Retriever. Also, you will discover while raising your Golden Retriever puppy, that they can be a bit exuberant or really hyper in the case of some field bred lines , check out this article on How to Train your Golden Retriever to be Calm. Dogs are by instinct more comfortable sleeping in a den a confined space with only one opening. Staring crate training early will make sure everyone in your household gets the right sleep. Even if you plan on letting your Golden pup sleep in your bed again I remind you they will be big dogs, so prepare for a bed hog , crate training can be helpful as a safe place for your pup to stay while you are not able to watch them. This is especially important if you plan on raising a Golden Retriever puppy while working. See our article on How to crate Train a Golden Retriever for tips. That is where some really great dog toys come in. This critter is on of our favorite toys for Golden Retriever Puppies. It is fairly sturdy so it can handle a lot of shaking and a little bit of tugging. Plus it is just really cute and will pose well with your pup for all sorts of photos. Make sure to watch your puppy carefully. You may need to change types of toys as your puppy gets older. Many companies claim their toy is chew proof but there is no such thing. However if your puppy becomes a moderate chewer, here are two that my dogs enjoy. Best Ball Toy View on Amazon This ball is made of tough rubber and is a different texture than the ever ubiquitous tennis ball. My dogs can pop, skin and take apart a standard tennis ball in about 5 minutes, making it both a hazard and a waste of money. They come in a couple of sizes so you can get the larger ones as your puppy grows. Here I have recommended the 3. It comes as a set with a ball thrower and a ball but you can get the balls separately if needed. The good news is that inside is a regular Kong toy so even after they remove the fabric, your pup will still have a toy to play with. The Wubba is great because they or you can throw it around, play tug, or just fetch it. They do come smaller for younger puppies. For more dog toy ideas and recommendations, check out our article on the Best Dog Toys for Golden Retrievers. This needs to start early with letting them get used to normal things like brushing, bathing, and dental care. You should gently brush your Golden Retriever puppy as often as times a week for just a few minutes. It is not that they need it, as much as you are training them that the brush is nice and feels good. Wait until they are sleepy and treat it like a petting session at first until they get used to the idea. For the rest of the list of recommended brushes here is the Full article, Best Brushes for Golden Retrievers. When to bathe and groom your puppy might become obvious. I find that there is not much of a need to put dates in the calendar because they find something to get into that necessitates a bath every couple of weeks. The first veterinary visit should be right after you bring your puppy home even if the breeder or shelter has already started their puppy shots. At that visit your veterinarian will make sure your pup is healthy and recommend the preventative care your pup needs. This may include a series of vaccinations to protect against common infectious diseases, heartworm and intestinal worm preventatives, and flea and tick medication. It takes tons of time, money and dedication. If you are not a professional breeder or are not willing to do all of the things necessary to become a responsible breeder, then your puppy should be spayed or neutered. For detailed information in this required surgery and when do have it done, see our article on Spaying and Neutering Golden Retrievers. Conclusions on Raising a Golden Retriever Puppy Following these essential steps when raising a Golden Retriever Puppy will help you to have a happy, healthy family member for years to come.