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We have answers. Am I limited to Portland German Shepherd puppies for sale? Looking for your dream German Shepherd, Portland? If you're looking for a dog, but can't find the right one in your area, don't worry! We work with breeders and businesses throughout the United States to get your pup flown in to meet you. These partners are total professionals when it comes to transportation, and most families who choose Uptown Puppies will have their pup picked up at a local airport. How do you screen breeders with German Shepherd puppies for sale in Portland, Oregon? German Shepherd puppies for sale? Portland has the best! We're all about responsible, humane breeding. When we screen breeders who wish to join our network, we're looking for a track record of exemplary practices in animal care and customer service. Breeders must adhere to our Breeder Pledge and have no connection to puppy mills. Are German Shepherds trainable for novice owners? What about the best German Shepherd puppies Portland has to offer? German Shepherds are one of the most intelligent dog breeds. They make great pets and can be very obedient. However, they may not be the best choice for people who don't have a lot of experience training dogs. We have created a puppy finder network where families like yours can search for their dream dog without being bombarded by bad breeders. We only allow qualified breeders to join our network, and we make it easy for you to find the perfect pup. What is a puppy mill? Do they have cheap Portland German Shepherds for sale? Puppy mills are not always terrible places where dogs are treated poorly. Sometimes, these puppies can be bought from reputable mills that follow good breeding practices and provide a loving home for the pup. However, there are also many puppy mills that treat their dogs poorly and use them only for the purpose of producing puppies. These "affordable" pups often have serious health issues later in life due to their lack of care early on. Are German Shepherds for sale in Portland, Oregon good for apartments? Fact: German Shepherds need regular exercise and room to roam in order to stay healthy. Some people may tell you that it's okay to keep your German Shepherd cooped up, but the truth is that this breed needs plenty of physical activity in order to be happy and healthy. If your dog isn't getting enough exercise, they're more likely to become destructive and reclusive. Are there any German Shepherd puppies for sale near Portland? If you're looking for a German Shepherd puppy, be sure to check out Uptown Puppies. They have a wide variety of puppies to choose from, and they always have new litters coming in. With so many puppies available, it's important to act fast if you want one. Are German Shepherd puppies near Portland right for me? Well, that depends! Do you desire a loyal dog who is intelligent and hard working? If so, the German Shepherd may be the perfect pooch for you! They are protective but also very friendly towards their families. Join the club if you're looking for a loyal pet that will always have your back. Are German Shepherds good family dogs? German Shepherds may have a reputation for being fierce and intimidating, but this is not always the case. They are actually very loving dogs towards those that they care for, including children in the family. They are also quite protective of their families and will remain friendly with people they know if properly socialized from a young age. Where do German Shepherds come from? Are they only available from German Shepherd breeders near Portland? The German Shepherd is one of the oldest dog breeds in existence. In fact, evidence suggests that this breed may have originated in Germany as early as the late s. At first, these dogs were solely used to herding sheep and protecting flocks from predators. However, over the years their intelligence, obedience and temperament has made them some of the most popular dogs around. Whether you're looking for a loyal companion or a powerful hunting dog, the German Shepherd is definitely worth considering. Are German Shepherds smart? German Shepherds are one of the most popular breeds in the world. They're considered to be one of the smartest dog breeds, and because of this they require a lot of training. If you don't provide your German Shepherd with the appropriate training, he may start to outsmart you instead of obeying your commands. How fast can German Shepherds run? Where can I find the best German Shepherd for sale Portland has to offer? German Shepherds are some of the fastest dogs in the world. They can sprint briefly at a top speed of up to 30 miles per hour or run at a sustained speed of up to 15 miles per hour, sometimes for an hour or longer. Whether they're herding, working, or playing, that's pretty darn fast. Testimonials "We wanted a sister for our 6 year old GSD, Katja, she had just lost her favorite kitty Tattoo, who was 33 years old. I then started researching GSD Breeders in our area. I researched them thoroughly. From the moment Bobbi and I spoke on the phone I knew this was the perfect fit, she sent us pics of her mom n dad and pics of Zasha. All of the parents history, health records, vet checks, AKC certification and verification. We called a handful breeders and met with a couple and were saddened and discouraged. She cared, she asked tons of questions, wanted us on speaker phone to get a feel of our family. You could tell her dogs and puppies were her family just as much as any human. Bobbie encouraged us to talk it over, call her back with any questions and we were welcome anytime for a visit. We did call back with questions and planned a visit the next Saturday as they live 3 hours from us. I have never been greeted into a strangers home so warmly. All her dogs are amazing, loving, smart, beautiful and tested. Justin brought his girl Kimber home and we remained in touch by sending photos, messages and her checking in. Fast forward 1. He said to me "Mom, come on - it's Bobbie! If she's home, I bet she'd love it" so I sent a quick message and immediately she said "yes! It was intended as a short visit but we were having a nice time and Kimber and our lab were having so much fun playing with her dogs that we took much of their afternoon. She had a 5 month old puppy that we all feel in love with for her goofiness and loving manner. Sounded as though all would be fine in time but Bobbie wouldn't take that chance in case she needed extra medical care in her future etc so she gave the person who had a deposit on this girl her pick of the litter instead. Over the next 4 months she was monitored and vet checked and released with a clean bill of health. We are a busy house with 2 of Bobbie's German Shepherds, a lab and a yorkie but always try to take moments to send Bobbie updates of their antics and spoiling. I can tell you in our hunt we did not come across anyone as dedicated, responsible, committed or loving with her dogs than Bobbie and we can't leave her children or Mike out - they too were there every visit and very engaged and supportive with the dogs. Much love, " - Michelle Evjen-Freed and family Bobbie is wonderful lady, who deeply cares about her dogs. All her dogs is absolutely stunning, well behaved. I'm mom of her 2 gorgeous German Shepherds. Bobbie is very honest and responsible breeder. I love Bobbie and highly recommend her!! Julia Goudie.

Like many large breeds, a German Shepherd dog is not considered fully grown until they are about 18 months old. Female German Shepherds continue to fill out until they are around two years old, while the male German Shepherd growth rate continues until they reach two and a half years of age. Males are larger and require more time to fill out their chest and abdomen. As you can see by the German Shepherd weight chart, these dogs can continue to grow until they are three years old, but the majority of growth occurs within 24 months. If your GSD is older than 36 months and continues to put on weight, contact your veterinarian to ensure weight gain does not lead to obesity. How big should a 6-month-old German Shepherd be? A six-month-old German Shepherd puppy will be quite large, as many German Shepherds undergo massive growth spurts between two and five months old. By six months, a male German Shepherd will weigh 53 pounds on average, whereas a female will weigh about 46 pounds. How much bigger will my German Shepherd get? There are a few ways to gauge how much bigger a German Shepherd will get. First, check your puppy's age. If your GSD is younger than two years old, they definitely have room to keep growing! Another way to tell if your pup still has a lot of growing to do is their paw size. Do their paws look large compared to their legs and body? This is a classic adolescent feature of a dog and means your pup is likely still growing! Most of the time, a dog will not grow bigger than its larger parents. What is the size of a full-grown German shepherd? An adult male German Shepherd is typically 24 to 26 inches tall, while adult female German Shepherds are 22 to 24 inches tall, according to the American Kennel Club German Shepherd Standard. The estimated full-size varies significantly between sexes. In terms of weight, an adult male German Shepherd weighs anywhere from 75 to 90 pounds. A female German Shepherd weighs notably less at 55 to 70 pounds. Please keep in mind that these numbers are only estimates to give you an idea of how much bigger a German Shepherd puppy may get. Some dogs will be both smaller and larger than these weight ranges when fully grown due to a variety of genetic and environmental factors. Learn all about your puppy's physical characteristics, breed history, personality traits, and more in our comprehensive guide. Preventive care is key in helping your German Shepherd live a healthy and long life. Helping your dog maintain an optimal weight is one of the best things you can do for their health. Taking your German Shepherd to regular veterinary appointments is one of the best things you can do to ensure that they are healthy and feeling their best. Compare German Shepherd health insurance plans before they get sick or injured. They are also more susceptible to gastrointestinal tract and hip issues. A veterinarian should regularly assess your pet for these health problems and run tests for anything they may be more prone to due to their breed. Treatment for many conditions, including bloat and GI issues, can cost thousands of dollars. Dog insurance is a wise investment that can give you peace of mind by covering pet emergency expenses. Wellness plans are also available to help cover the cost of vaccinations, vet exams, microchips, and more. Some people can predict the future. For everyone else, there's pet insurance. Use Pawlicy Advisor to easily compare plans from top providers so you can find a great deal with great coverage. Get Peace of Mind Today Do you want to find the best pet insurance? Let's analyze your pet's breed, age, and location to find the right coverage and the best savings. Analyze My Pet About Pawlicy Advisor The pet insurance marketplace endorsed by veterinarians, at Pawlicy Advisor we make buying the best pet insurance easier. Final Thoughts It is important to know that a 4 month old German Shepherd differs from a puppy of an earlier age. Here, we want to tell you about these differences, about the changes in diet, exercise, and interaction with people and other animals. These doggies are very cute but they do not look like young puppies anymore. They are pretty massive animals that overgrow one foot of height. It is about pounds kg for males and pounds .It means that a puppy gained another 10 pounds during the last month. The puppy grows rapidly. Your boy can be inches cm and the girl inches cm at the shoulder. The coat has changed. They start shedding a lot like an adult dog, too. So, it is very important to brush them regularly — everyday brushing is necessary during this period. The skin is rather sensitive, so loose hair can cause allergies when it contacts the skin and the air. Teething continues. Adult teeth are replacing the milk ones. That is the process lasting for more months. The ears start perking up. Though, they are not stably erect at this age. The ears also can perk up and then fall and lay flat. It is a norm. Puppies at this age do not have strong cartilage. It will strengthen at the age of 5- 6 months. However, if your puppy lives in an environment with very loud sounds, its ears can flatten out because the noise does not allow them to perk up. You should do obedience training, a lot of walking and jogging, playing in the backyard, and other activities. Your puppy already knows that it should be protective of the members of your family. However, it can bark a lot because it is time to develop its vocal cords. Teach it not to do this so much. It is very easy to train a 16 week old German Shepherd puppy because it has a strong desire to please you. Remember that you need strict discipline because your pet can display signs of disobedience at this age as any teenager does. Your 4 month old GSD sleeps about 18 hours per day. Though, the number of hours can depend on the environment because it does not sleep so much if it has many things around to explore. Nevertheless, some puppies prefer short naps in the daytime too. In any case, let your pet have a good rest. Discuss these changes with your veterinarian to pick out the most appropriate daily schedule for better rest. Your puppy can walk effortlessly for about a mile 1. It is always ready to go outside and accompany you wherever you may go. Though, do not overload it with walking. Several walks during the day are a better option. It should get about 2 hours of active playing every day. The puppy learns a lot during its first four months. Everything seems an adventure to it. It is an exciting experience for both your doggy and you. Though, its behavior can be a bit unpredictable at times. So, you need to control it. In general, your 4 month old GSD puppy is entirely healthy, and it continues growing quickly. You need to weigh and measure your pet every time you come to the vet, or you can do it yourself at home. You may also need to get a DNA test to know what health issues to expect from your doggy when it is over 5 years old. This age is the proper time for having the third set of vaccines because they have had the first two already. The third set includes DHPP and rabies. Even if your puppy is healthy and active, you need to continuously watch out for possible disorders. You need to show your puppy to the vet, if you notice such things as changes in behavioral and sleeping patterns, sneezing and coughing, runny eyes or nose, losing weight, decrease in appetite, and other digestion issues, such as diarrhea or vomiting, red and swollen gums, heavy breathing, and excessive urination. Keep your doggy clean and protected. You do not need to bathe it very often — it can be harmful to the production of the natural oils that protect the skin. Brush your puppy every day now because of its excessive shedding. This is connected with the change of the coat from the puppy to an adult one. Grooming and brushing are very important parts of the care. You may also need the help of special grooming salons. Feeding Your 4 month old GSD is a good eater because it grows a lot. It should be fed not fewer than 3 times a day. It should take cups of kibble of natural food per meal. At the end of the fourth month, you can start the transition to two feedings per day. Do not rush to switch your pet to adult food. You can do it only when it is 6-month-old when its growth slows down a bit. You can also offer your GS puppy some treats. Never give your puppy human food or human treats — the latter is rather dangerous and can cause severe health issues. Avoid overfeeding, too. Your dog should not suffer from obesity when it is an adult because there are bad health conditions caused by it. If you decide to feed your puppy a natural raw diet, be careful about its nutritious value and high quality. It can consist of meats, vegetables, and fruits, but nothing fatty and toxic like junk food. Training There are several behavioral problems that you need to handle. The first of them is, of course, potty accidents in the home. Unfortunately, such accidents are pretty common at this age. You need to train your pet to do all its business outdoors. Since German Shepherds are very clever, it will understand very soon what you want from it. You need to be patient and persistent, though. Never show irritation or anger when an accident happens. You need to be encouraging if your puppy does everything correctly during its potty walks, but never punish it if something has gone wrong. One more unpleasant thing at this age is biting and nipping your hands or feet. You need to control it while playing to prevent the formation of a biting habit. Never scream or shout at your pet when it bites you. Your little one can be frightened, and the problem may become worse over months. It will let your puppy know that it is doing something wrong. Chewing furniture or things around can also be frustrating. Your puppy is teething, so it is a common thing now. Chewing helps it remove the milk teeth easily. Keep most things in your house out of its reach. Buy some chew toys, for example, a rubber bone or ball to discourage chewing things. A 4 month old German Shepherd puppy can bark excessively at all unknown or suspicious objects. Barking all the time can become a serious issue for you and your pet over time. Teach your doggy not to bark at something unfamiliar. It only means that your pet needs more training and socialization. Your Shepherd dog at this age does not look like that cute fluffy toy-like cub you once saw and liked. It begins to shape as an adult dog. Now, it continues to grow rapidly. So, the males can be inches cm and the females grow as tall as inches cm at the shoulder. How much should a 4 month old German Shepherd weight? Follow the weight of your pet by measuring it regularly. The puppies at this age grow very fast, so they tend to overeat. You should give your pet so much food to let it grow healthily and free from obesity. You can see that your doggy has gained about 10 pounds since the previous month. How much should a 4 month old German Shepherd eat? Your puppy should eat cups of kibble per one meal three times per day. It grows very fast, so it needs a lot of nutrients and minerals for its ears, teeth, and coat. If you feed it natural food, you can add some supplements for puppies to its meals. How far can a 4 month old German Shepherd walk? However, it does not mean that you need to walk it for such a distance every time. Consider two walks of half an hour per day if you want your puppy to grow healthy and strong, and develop all its perfect physical characteristics. Final Thoughts You can see that raising a 4 month old German Shepherd puppy and taking care of it is a responsible and complicated task. You need to know all the peculiarities of this age, so we hope that this article will help you. You should be very patient and persistent to train your dog, do a lot of exercises with your pet, socialize it, and make friends with it. In a while, you will obtain the most loyal, intelligent, and protective friend for your family and yourself. 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. Female German Shepherds may be slightly smaller, averaging 10 to 12 inches in height and 31 to 35 pounds in weight. However, there is some variation between individual dogs, so these numbers should be used as a general guide, not a hard-and-fast rule. German Shepherds are a large breed of dog, and they continue to grow and fill out until they reach maturity and become adult German Shepherds at around the month mark. During this time, they may gain an additional inch or two in height and 20 to 30 pounds. After they reach adulthood, their size will remain relatively stable. It means they have high energy needs and require a diet rich in protein and calories. The amount of food will vary depending on the age and activity level of the dog. Feed your puppies three times daily and adult dogs twice daily. For example, a highly active German Shepherd may need up to 2, calories daily, while a less active dog may only need 1, calories daily. A rule of thumb is that for each pound the dog weighs, this requires about calories daily. Regardless of the caloric intake, all German Shepherds should have a diet rich in protein and low in fat. Physical and Behavioral Changes At four months old, German Shepherds are just beginning to enter their teenage years. Here are some physical and behavioral changes you may see in your four-month-old German Shepherd. First, their energy levels will start to increase. Ensure you provide plenty of opportunities for exercise, such as walks, runs, and interactive games. Second, their coats will begin to change. German Shepherds have two coats — a dense undercoat and a softer outer coat. This process can take several months, so be patient while your pup grows into its new look. German Shepherds are known for being loyal and obedient dogs, but they may start testing boundaries at four months old. Finally, their behavior may become more independent. Be consistent with puppy training and rewards; your pup will quickly learn what you expect from them. Positive Reward-Based Obedience Training Reward-based training is an effective way to teach your dog obedience commands. It is especially well suited for puppies, who are often motivated by food. For a 4-month-old German Shepherd puppy, you can start by teaching basic commands such as sit, down, and stay. Once your puppy has mastered these commands, you can begin to add more advanced tricks to their repertoire. As your puppy learns new tricks, be sure to offer them plenty of rewards in the form of treats, praise, or both. Your puppy will soon respond to your commands with patience and consistent practice like a pro. Fur Care One of the most distinctive features of a German Shepherd is its lush, thick fur. Fluffy fur is cute but requires special care to ensure that it stays healthy and looks its best. For example, German Shepherds should be brushed frequently, at least once weekly. It helps to remove tangles and knots and can also help to distribute natural oils throughout the coat. However, avoid over-bathing, as this can strip away protective oils and leave the coat dull and dry. Nail Care Another essential part of grooming is nail care. German Shepherds have relatively quick-growing nails, so trim them regularly. If left untrimmed, the nails can become overgrown and uncomfortable for your pup. In extreme cases, they may even start to curl under and grow into the pads of the feet. You can do this at home using a dog nail trimmer or take them to a professional groomer. Either way, avoid cutting the nails too short, as this can be painful for your pup. Dental Care Another important aspect of grooming is dental care. German Shepherds are prone to dental problems, such as plaque buildup and gum disease. In addition, you can give them special dog treats designed to clean their teeth and promote oral health. It can be done at home using a dog ear cleaner and cotton balls. Apply the cleaner to the inside of the ear, and then use the cotton ball to wipe away any dirt or debris. If you notice any of these symptoms, take them to the vet for further treatment. Chew Toys for Your 4-Month-Old German Shepherd At four months old, a German Shepherd is still in the teething stage and will need to chew toys to help relieve the pain and discomfort of growing new teeth. The best chew toys for 4-month-old German Shepherds are those made of durable material that can withstand a lot of chewing. Nylon and rubber are two good options. You should also look for chew toys specifically designed for teething puppies. These toys often have ridges or nubs that help to massage the gums and promote healthy teeth growth. In addition to helping with teething pain, chew toys can also help prevent boredom and destructive chewing behavior. Be sure to provide your pup with plenty of chew toys to keep them happy and healthy. For example, a German Shepherd is susceptible to hip and elbow dysplasia , which can cause joint pain and mobility issues. They are also at risk for bloat, a severe condition that can occur when the stomach twists or fills with gas. German Shepherds are also susceptible to skin allergies and ear infections. Luckily, there are ways that owners can take to help prevent these health problems. For example, feeding your German Shepherd a high-quality diet and providing plenty of exercises can help reduce the risk of hip and elbow dysplasia. Keeping their stomachs empty before vigorous exercise can help prevent bloat. And regular grooming can help reduce the risk of skin allergies and ear infections. They will be able to provide you with more information and answer any questions you may have. Most of this sleep will be during the day, with short naps between play periods. It is usual for puppies as they are growing rapidly and their bodies need lots of rest. At night, four-month-old German Shepherds will typically sleep for several hours. If your puppy is sleeping more or less than this, it is best to consult with your local veterinarian to rule out any health problems. Puppies need short bursts of energetic play several times daily, while adults can handle more prolonged periods of moderate activity. Your German Shepherd should be getting at least 30 minutes of exercise per day at four months old. It can be through walks, runs, or interactive games. If possible, try to break up their training into two or three shorter sessions throughout the day. As they get older and more confident, you can gradually increase the amount and intensity of their exercise. Just make sure not to overdo it, as this can lead to joint problems later in life. Also read:. Well, at the 4-month age mark, the German Shepherd puppy should be expected to have fully developed their traits and various personalities, as they should be a lot more mature. This is why training should also be easier as you should be able to fully distinguish their various traits and personalities to map out a proper training program for them. Again, proper training and socializing is needed at this stage. Exercises are also highly recommended for the German Shepherd at the week mark. This should include physical exercises to keep them fast, agile, and strong while also increasing endurance. Mental exercises should also be included at this stage to keep your puppy sharper than always. Exercises are also needed to keep the 4-month-old German Shepherd puppy from being very destructive, especially in smaller environments or households and apartments. At this age, your German Shepherd puppy should feel a lot more protective of its owners than usual, and this can lead to some flashes of violent energy and vigilance. In terms of curiosity and learning, by 4 months of age, your German Shepherd puppy should be pretty keen on soaking up new experiences and knowledge, as such you would most times find them searching for various opportunities to run off exploring the environment. This should make the processes of socialization further easy for each German Shepherd puppy owner. While in their protective phase, It is natural for the 4 month German Shepherd puppy to attempt to bite you. As stated earlier, this is a natural and normal process that happens during the teething stage for the German Shepherd puppy. This should help keep them healthy and strong. In this set of vaccinations, they should receive rabies shots and DHPP. German Shepherds are known to be heavy shedders, and at this stage, they should be shedding pretty heavily, this is because they should be going through a change from puppy hair and fur to more adult hair and fur. This is why you would need to regularly groom them, comb out all loose hair and keep them looking good. A steel comb is perfect for combing through the German Shepherd puppy fur. Always make sure they take proper baths with proper shampoos at this stage in their lives. This is why you would need to be a lot more focused and persistent with your training program. Generally, the German Shepherd should be a lot more attentive to training sessions at this point so it should be a little easier if you make use of a proper training method. It has always been advised to use the positive reinforcement method of training for German Shepherds. Patience is also a highly required skill when training your German Shepherd puppy at this stage. And for socialization, as stated earlier, your puppy should be a lot more curious than before so provide them with a safe and controlled environment for them to explore. New environments, textures, sounds, and faces can help your German Shepherd puppy become a lot more confident. A 4-month-Old German Shepherd puppy should look a lot less like a puppy but a lot more like a young adult. This does not mean they any longer retain that puppy-like cuteness, that they had at 2 months and earlier. The weight of the German Shepherd puppy should be a lot higher as it is expected to be at least half the weight of a mature German Shepherd puppy so anywhere between 30 to 40 pounds for males. Female German shepherds should be slightly smaller at 28 to 35 pounds in weight. The height of the male German Shepherd should be between 12 to 15 inches. And for the female, it can range from 11 to 14 inches in height. Also, the breeding purpose does have an influence on the overall height or size of the German Shepherd puppy as puppies from working lines are often slightly smaller than the Show line German shepherd puppy. Your German Shepherd puppy should be a large dog at this point, sitting at a possible 30 to 40 pounds of weight and over 12 inches of possible height. With that being said, their appetite should also be high. This is why the feeding schedule can be slightly changed to include an extra feeding session a day, to make it three sessions in all. If your German Shepherd puppy is a lot active during the day, then the calorie count should be between and a day. And if it is less active, the calorie count should be between to each day. The feeding kibble should be quite healthy and contain the appropriate nutrients. This should be a good start, as the puppy gets a little older you can make the transition to 2 cups per meal. Ensure you do not feed your German Shepherd puppy junk food. At 4 months of age, the German Shepherd puppy does require a lot of sleep to stay functional. They should be going through a lot of changes both physically and mentally at this stage, which can lead to exhaustion pretty fast. As such, it is expected that you provide each German Shepherd puppy at 4 months of age between 17 hours to 20 full hours of sleep each day. This can be carefully integrated into the puppy schedule by allowing them to take small or short naps in between play time or walkouts. Sleep at night is quite crucial for the 4-month German Shepherds, this is why they do need to take longer night sleep than usual. They should be allowed to sleep early and you can influence this by allowing them to take their dinner early. No late-night feeding. As we have already specified, exercising your German Shepherd is a sure way to tire them out and help get rid of that excess pent-up energy that might be quite destructive if not released properly. So, exercises are pretty important for German Shepherd puppies. Exercises for the 4-month-old German Shepherd puppy can come in less organized forms or short bursts of play, this can be done for several hours in the day to keep the German Shepherd quite entertained and happy. You can also set aside 30 minutes to 45 minutes each day to fully exercise the 4 month German Shepherd. You can do this with light walks each day. This can be broken down into two separate sessions. As the German Shepherd puppy gets older, this exercise duration and intensity can change a little to make them a lot more fit and healthy. In addition to physical exercises, the German Shepherd is an intelligent canine that can handle good mental exercises. A puppy puzzle can be used on a German Shepherd of 4 months old. Just make it clear that there is a reward for solving the puzzle to keep the German Shepherd puppy interested throughout the process. With that being said, it is essential that you are patient when dealing with your German Shepherd puppy. German Shepherds are known to bite, especially during the teething stage, they can also proceed to chew furniture and other household equipment if left unchecked and untrained. To stop all these and many more, you would need to employ a much more effective training method to help keep them in check. The positive reinforcement method is quite good. It involves patience and the use of reward systems to keep the puppy in check. Be careful not to overdo it when rewarding your German Shepherd puppy at this stage in their life as they can get pretty spoiled pretty fast. German Shepherds are very intelligent dog breeds, so training using this method should do a lot of wonders. At 4 months of age, your German Shepherd puppy should be closely monitored for any changes as this is about the time frame for any possible defects to start showing signs. If you are updated on your medical records and vaccination records, then congratulations on a job well done. You can do DNA testing on your German Shepherds to be able to monitor whatever possible defects might be with your puppy. If you obtained your puppy from a proper and reputable breeder , this should not be a problem, however, it is still recommended that you carry out the necessary health testing.

If you have your heart set on adding one to your fur family, make sure you have an extra special Labradoodle name picked out! By Maddie Topliff Maddie Topliff is a Daily Paws intern and a senior at Drake University studying public relations, Spanish and advertising, but perhaps most importantly, she is sister to her human brother Ben and her two fur baby brothers Chip the cockapoo and Doug the pug. Maddie also works as an intern at Principal Financial Corporation and has a year of ad agency experience under her belt, too. Writing for Daily Paws has been absolutely paw-some, and Maddie feels lucky to be a contributor! Labradoodles have mastered how to be dogs. They're gentle with children, families, and seniors; love to be active; and are great for pet parents who suffer from allergies. With a dog so perfect, it can be hard to settle on good name for your Labradoodle. How do you encapsulate such a sweetheart in just one word? Luckily, we've done the hard part so that you can give all your attention to working on adopting one! Here are some of our favorite Labradoodle names that capture the sugar, spice, and everything nice about this pup's Lab and poodle parentage. Boy Labradoodle Names They're just your adorable boy next door! Finding a healthy black Labradoodle puppy. A lot comes into play when breeders attempt to create a specifically black Labradoodle. That is because both the purebred Labrador retriever and the purebred poodle come in three different color varieties. Genetics are difficult to control, and sometimes it takes a few generations for breeders to get the desired color of a Labradoodle right. Especially when working with a first generation F1 black Labradoodle. Where Do They Come From? The Labradoodle craze is believed to have begun in Australia. Enthusiastic breeders went on a mission to create an intelligent, friendly and responsive service dog that had all the desirable traits of the Poodle and the Lab. Still, because the Labradoodle is a newer generation crossbreed, there is a lot of speculation regarding the majority of his roots. The Labrador is an ancient breed who hails from Newfoundland, Canada. The Standard Poodle is of German descent and is believed to be over years old. Both breeds were used as waterdogs for fishing and duck hunting, and were renowned for their intelligence and retrieving abilities. Defining Characteristics of the Black Labradoodle Just about the only thing you can guarantee about what your black Labradoodle will look like will be his color. This is because he is a crossbreed. For that reason, his coat texture, size, weight and more will be left up to chance. Despite having similar temperamental traits, the poodle and the Labrador are very different looking dogs. Both the Labrador and the poodle come in three color varieties. The Lab, for example, comes in chocolate, black and yellow, while the poodle comes in black, brown and apricot. Both breeds are athletically built water dogs, however. So a prospective black Labradoodle owner can expect this crossbreed to be similarly built, with a long tail, floppy ears, and a sweet, expressive face. How Big Is a Black Labradoodle? An adult Labradoodle size is going to depend on several factors. Because he is a crossbreed, your Labradoodle full grown will vary in size. This will be based not only on which genetic traits he inherits from his purebred parents, but also how big each parent breed is. On average, the black Standard Labradoodle is around 15 to .Black Labradoodle Grooming and General Care While the Poodle is considered to be a hypoallergenic dog who hardly sheds and produces very little allergy-inducing dander in his coat, the Labrador sheds heavier twice a year during shedding season. For this reason, grooming maintenance could vary when it comes to your black Labradoodle mix. They might also shed. On the other hand, if the black Labradoodle has a coat more like his Poodle parent, his fur could be prone to matting and will need brushing a bit more frequently. However, your black Labradoodle will need an occasional bath every few weeks. He will also need his nails trimmed regularly to keep them from breaking and his ears cleaned to keep them from developing infection due to waxy build up. But these are claims based mostly on biased and superstitions, with little to no evidence supporting them. Truth be told, a black Labradoodle is still just a Labradoodle. And he will carry whichever temperamental traits he inherits from his purebred parents. As previously mentioned, the Labrador and the poodle have very similar temperamental traits. They are both family-oriented breeds who do well with children and are incredibly intelligent. However, they are also both highly energetic and athletic. For this reason, a black Labradoodle will more likely than not require a lot of time and patience when it comes to training and exercise. The black Labradoodle is the crossbreed offspring of two very intelligent and active breeds. He could therefore be prone to boredom and becoming destructive if left to his own devices without doggy jobs or activates. For this reason, we recommend early socialization and obedience training beginning in puppyhood. This will help to ensure the black Labradoodle is a well-adjusted and happy dog. Can You Show a Black Labradoodle? The black Labradoodle makes an excellent family pet and service animal when properly trained and socialized. However, he is a newer generation crossbreed and is still not officially recognized by official clubs and organizations, like the American Kennel Club. For those interested in show dogs, purebreds are the best and safest bet. Still, there are purebred standards that dogs used for show require. This means their black Labradoodle offspring is likely going to be similar. A dog with smarts and energy will require a lot of exercise. Anyone considering getting a black Labradoodle crossbreed should prepare to spend an adequate amount of time every day providing this dog with what he needs to be happy and healthy. But what kind of exercise do they require? Daily walks, jogs, hikes and swimming can all serve as excellent exercise outlets. Your black Labradoodle will also enjoy games of fetch, chase, and Frisbee in a large, fenced-in backyard. Keep in mind that the Labradoodle is the crossbreed offspring of two dogs who were bred for hunting. Make sure that you spend plenty of time working on your recall. Now, what about training? The Labrador and the Poodle are both very smart breeds, but with intelligence comes independent thinking. For the most part, the Lab and the Poodle are eager to please and make loyal, hard-working students. So long as the training sessions are kept fun, positive and rewarding for them. This means that your Labradoodle should be simple to train. Health and Lifespan A Labrador Poodle mix is likely to live into their teens. Provided the dog is well treated and that both parents have been fully health tested. Note: The Labrador Retriever colors listed above are breed standard colors. Black Labradoodles and black Goldendoodles are easily mistaken. Since Goldendoodles and Labradoodles both share the Poodle parent heritage, they have some similarities including coat colors, coat types, and size ranges. Interestingly, black Labradoodles are more common than black Goldendoodles. This is because both the Labrador Retriever and Poodle parents bring black coat colors to the gene pool. However, for the Goldendoodle, only the Poodle and not the Golden Retriever breed brings black coat colors to the gene pool. When it comes to caring for those adorable Doodle beards, the black Labradoodle may have the edge over the cream Labradoodle or those with lighter coat colors. Just like food or spots show up on our own white clothing, stains and dirt show up more on the lighter coats on our lovable pups. Both parent breeds—the Poodle and the Labrador Retriever—are high energy breeds. As mentioned above, the Poodle and Labrador Retriever are two different breeds. However, they both are high energy. For this reason, giving your Labradoodle plenty of outlets to release energy both physical and mental is important. All Labradoodles, including black Labradoodles, require daily exercise both physical and mental. If you enjoy the idea of daily walks, playing fetch, or maybe even enrolling in agility training, then black Labradoodles may be fitting for your lifestyle. Additionally, Labradoodles might crave mental stimulation and spending time with you. There are many dog enrichment activities you can do together to keep your Labradoodle happy and healthy. Black Labradoodles have a unique origin story. Wally Conron is credited for introducing the Labradoodle in the s. Finally, in his work with the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia, he crossed the low-shedding, allergy-friendly Poodle and the highly trainable, friendly Labrador Retriever. The puppy, Sultan, was the first Labradoodle to serve as a highly-regarded guide dog for many years! Some black Labradoodles go on to become therapy and service dogs. Dogs like the German Shepherd and the Australian Shepherd were originally bred to guard property. They are not natural guard dogs. Since the Labradoodle is a hybrid or crossbreed, traits like size are not as predictable as with purebred dogs. It goes back to the parent breeds—the Poodle and the Labrador Retriever. Since the Poodle breed standard includes three variations in size toy, miniature, standard , adult Labradoodles have more size variation too. The AKC does not recognize the black Labradoodle as an official breed. The Labradoodle, including the black Labradoodle, is not recognized as a breed by the American Kennel Club. This is because Labradoodles are not purebred dogs. Labradoodle coat types range from fleece to wool curly. If the Labradoodle puppy takes after the Labrador Retriever side of the family, the coat may be shorter. However, Labradoodles of all coat types and lengths do need frequent grooming. Plan on at-home brushing and scheduling regular grooming appointments. Use natural lighting to photograph your black Labradoodle. Be prepared to fill your phone with pictures of your lovable Labradoodle. Use natural lighting help you create stunning photographs of your black Labradoodle. Lighting will be your friend to help you capture the details that can get lost when taking pics of black dogs. With your love , time, attention, and patience, your Labradoodle will be eager to fit in with your pack. The U-EL license is applied only for the staff of the organization that holds the account. Maximum number of electronic items is unlimited applies as a total of each type of usage. This is an additional license to the rights included within the regular Royalty-Free license. Note that the other restrictions still apply. Time Limited Exclusivity This license represents an exclusive right to use the downloaded media, but such exclusivity will only last for a limited period of time. Dreamstime will disable the image immediately after the buyer acquired this license. The Contributor will be required to disable the file permanently from all other places where he or she may sell it, as soon as possible after the sale occured, but no longer than 72 hours. 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The buyer can use it exclusively exclusivity applies from the moment that the file was downloaded using this license; buyer must take into account potential past downloads made for media and choose it accordingly or investigate further via support , and include it in any type of design with just a few restrictions: sensitive subjects may still apply and the buyer may not claim that the file was created by him nor resell it as his work. The agency will disable the media immediately after the buyer acquired this license. The Contributor is required to disable the file permanently from all other places where he may sell it, as soon as possible after the sale occurred, but no longer than 72 hours. This license grants the buyer exclusivity so the Contributor needs to keep in mind that exclusive media is represented by concepts, models, wardrobe, and subject matter which provide a unique creative message and small variations in the image variations in camera angle, model posture or gesture, for example do not enable other files as being different. All such variations rendering the media very similar in concept and message to the one sold under SR-EL should be removed from sale as well. The photographer acknowledge and agrees to provide the buyer with full ownership for the file retrieved using the SR-EL license. Labradoodles are a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle and are not recognized as a standard breed, but have gained in popularity as guide dogs and family dogs. This puppy is black with white markings and wavy haired coat. Designers also selected these stock photos.

Showing 1 - 33 of 33 resultsPage 1 - 33 results Sort by Your listing deserves to be on top. Dewormed, first vaccinations and clear health check. These babies are desensitized to.See all Female Puppy Brockville Looking to re-home a 13 week old puppy, part shepherd, husky and retriever. She is very active. Born on June 29th, just a little over 2 months old. Straight backs. We are a small family-owned dog.I would like to find a good and loving home that has space for them. They still need a little bit of leash training but they know all of the basic.He was born on June 22nd and is 9 weeks old. He eats solid food and use puppy pads already. The parents Jax and Ember are the best of friends, both have kind and loving temperaments and have been raised in our family.They were born on June 22nd and are 11 weeks old. They eat solid food and use puppy.Golden, Husky and Shepherd Mixed Puppies!!! Puppies will come with vet papers that include their first shots and.Looking for a furry bundle of joy? Look no further! These 4 adorable puppies are ready to find their forever homes. They're cute, cuddly, and full of love. Don't miss out.Currently rehoming him due the fact I am overworked and after a recent tragedy in the family I no longer have the time nor emotional capacity to care for.Contact for further information. Serious enquires only please. There are 3 girls available. They will come fully vet checked with first and second shots, de worming and a clear bill of health.Mom is our family pet, quiet and calm and loves children. Ready to go home with you! Females and males available. Showing 1 - 40 of 57 resultsPage 1 - 57 results Sort by Your listing deserves to be on top. Dewormed, first vaccinations and clear health check. These babies are desensitized to.See all Female Puppy Brockville Looking to re-home a 13 week old puppy, part shepherd, husky and retriever. She is very active. Born on June 29th, just a little over 2 months old. Ready to come home. London Beautiful Siberian Husky pups ready To come home with you. Born July 21st, they will begin 8 week September 15th. Your pup comes home with their first shots,a vet exam, a chew toy and some transition.Straight backs. We are a small family-owned dog.I would like to find a good and loving home that has space for them. They still need a little bit of leash training but they know all of the basic.He was born on June 22nd and is 9 weeks old. He eats solid food and use puppy pads already. The parents Jax and Ember are the best of friends, both have kind and loving temperaments and have been raised in our family.First puppy is calm and fluffy. Second puppy is a little more energetic and likes to chew. They were born on June 22nd and are 11 weeks old. They eat solid food and use puppy.Golden, Husky and Shepherd Mixed Puppies!!! Puppies will come with vet papers that include their first shots and.Visit Website Below to Order Now! Looking for a furry bundle of joy? Look no further! These 4 adorable puppies are ready to find their forever homes. They're cute, cuddly, and full of love. Don't miss out.Ready To Go! The proud parents had a litter of 7 to choose from. Dad is a.Currently rehoming him due the fact I am overworked and after a recent tragedy in the family I no longer have the time nor emotional capacity to care for.Contact for further information. Serious enquires only please. There are 3 girls available. They will come fully vet checked with first and second shots, de worming and a clear bill of health.Mom is our family pet, quiet and calm and loves children. Ready to go home with you! Females and males available.

And we all know that German shepherd head tilt is one of the cutest gestures they can do. But have you ever wondered why dogs tilt their heads? For all we know, there might be disturbing facts about German shepherd head tilt. After all, German shepherds tilt their heads more often than with other breeds. There are actually many people that made theories behind this behavior. Some involve hearing, while others are concerned with vision. So read this blog post and learn about the possible reasons behind German shepherd head tilts so you can be sure of what to do when you encounter the behavior again. Because German shepherds have a particularly better sense of hearing than most breeds. Not only that, but they can also pinpoint the source of a certain sound. When German shepherds concentrate on locating the source of the sound, they tend to tilt their heads. Just like with radios of sorts, they need to adjust the position of their ears so they can perfectly hear the sound. Contrary to common belief, German shepherds try to understand what you say despite having different languages. A prime example of these gestures is hand signals. As previously said, German shepherds are intelligent. One of the ways to communicate with their owners is head tilting. Take note, however, that German shepherd head tilts can mean different things depending on the situation. A recent study discovered that those with flat faces and big mouths are the ones that often do head tilts. Presence of Ear Problems This might be the most serious case of German shepherd head tilts. It is known that head tilting is one of the signs of ear problems or infections. This complicates things since you may find it difficult to separate German shepherd head tilts involved with ear problems and those that are not. You can distinguish between the two with these following signs: Tilting their head repeatedly in an abnormal rate have a high likelihood of having ear problems. Head tilts without communicating with you or without any strange sounds can also mean your German shepherd has ear problems. You were shown six possible reasons behind head tilts. You even learned about the issue with ear problems. But look at the bright side, it may also be just a simple habit of your dog. The bottom line is, you are now aware of the reasons why dogs tilt their heads. Peter My name is Peter and I am a dog lover. I have two German Shepherd dogs, one of which is called Biscuit because his coat is very light with brown patches. My wife and I moved from the UK to Ohio where we now live with our two daughters. We love squash on weekends and following the English Premier League closely! Previous Article. It feels almost impossible not to melt when they do their infamous German Shepherd head tilt. Have you ever wondered why these dogs tilt their head? However, we seem to notice it more frequently in this breed than in others. German Shepherds actually have a better sense of hearing than most other dog breeds. When they concentrate, they tilt their heads to scope out where exactly a specific sound is coming from so that they can hear it perfectly. Image Credit: thraniwen, Pixabay 2. Head tilting is also seen in other smart breeds like Retrievers and Labradors. Think of head tilting similar to how we gesture with our hands. Image Credit: Happy monkey, Shutterstock 4. To See Better This breed is known for its rather large snouts that sometimes block the view when looking from certain angles. Sometimes they tilt their heads just because they are trying to get a better view. They could also be trying to see their owner better. After all, you are their favorite person. Ear Problems While most reasons for head tilting, there are a few circumstances that might require you to take a closer look. Health tilting, while normally fine, is sometimes the sign of an ear infection or other types of ear problems. It can be especially challenging to distinguish between normal behavior and them trying to tell you that something is wrong. If your dog is tilting their head at an abnormal rate, then it could be a sign of an ear infection. You should check the inside of their ears every week. Check for strange odors, weird colors, discharge, or any other things that seem abnormal. Habits Humans develop habits, and dogs do as well. Dogs may not even have a reason for tilting their heads. After they do it for so, it simply becomes a part of their everyday mannerisms. Similar to how you unconsciously smile or shake your head, dogs have the capability of doing the same. Conclusion The subtle head tilt of a German Shepherd is quite alluring. Their enormous ears and big brown eyes are enough to make your heart melt. Even though this is an expected behavior, you should always keep an eye on them and make a note of any weird behaviors that are accompanied by head tilting. There can be a number of reasons why dogs do the head tilt, but the most likely reason is that you are reinforcing the behavior in your dog. But their regal heads and tall, cocked ears definitely make the head tilt look more pronounced and deliberate. We will talk much more about this and other reasons in this article. Watch a German Shepherd Do the Head Tilt Just in case you are brand new to German Shepherds and you are not quite sure what all the fuss is about, you can watch this YouTube video of two adorable German Shepherds tilting their heads. These reasons are not mutually exclusive. Your dog may actually tilt their head for all kinds of different reasons depending on what is going on at that time. Reason 1: You think it is cute and respond positively How do you react when you see your German Shepherd doing the head tilt? Do you run to get your camera to take a picture or video? Do you drop whatever you were just doing and devote your full attention to your dog? If you were your German Shepherd, all of these behaviors would likely be good enough reasons to do the head tilt again and again. They could be having trouble because of a medical issue as we will talk about in the next few sections here. Or they could simply be evaluating your body language , tone, facial expression, or other cues from every different angle. While this period of evaluation might look to you like your cute dog is just tilting their adorable head, your dog may be using their senses to pick up extra cues to take their direction on what to do next from you. Reason 3: Your dog has an ear infection One commonly overlooked possible reason for why a dog might tilt their head is because they have an ear infection or ear mites. While you are more likely to see your dog tilt their head to rub their ears on something because they itch, you may also see the head tilt happen if there is fluid build-up or infection in the ear causing swelling in the ear canal and trouble hearing. Reason 4: Your dog is having trouble hearing well Speaking of trouble hearing, sometimes a German Shepherd may cock their head to one side to pick up frequencies or to gather more information about what they may be hearing. Dogs can hear very well and use their hearing not just to detect the source of a sound but also its location, distance, and threat potential. When your German Shepherd cocks their head, this may help the ears communicate a lot more information about what they are hearing from you or around you. Reason 5: Your dog is having trouble seeing clearly Still, another frequently overlooked reason why some German Shepherds may cock or tilt their head is due to vision needs. One canine biologist hypothesized in Psychology Today that dogs with longer muzzles, like the German Shepherd for instance, may do more head tilt behaviors because they are trying to see without having their own muzzle blocking what they see. In this study, the biologist noted that more owners with long muzzle-type dog breeds said their dogs frequently tilted their heads. This is another possible reason why it might be important for your German Shepherd to tilt their head to try to get the best and clearest view of what they are looking at. So when your German Shepherd tilts their head and makes those mournful puppy dog eyes at you, it is likely not a coincidence. But it all gets a lot more interesting when you start to look at why your particular dog tilts their head at you. Now that you have a deeper understanding of the current theories about why dogs tilt their heads at their people, you can start to take a closer look at when your German Shepherd does this and what it might be linked to. Does your dog want treats? Is it almost time for dinner or their evening walk? Is your dog trying to work out a particular tone in your voice or a look on your face? Do you have something yummy that smells delicious and your dog wants to try it? Could it be your dog is frustrated because you are patting the family cat? These are all interesting questions to ponder as you and your dog continue to get to know each other better. You may even want to jot down what happened just before you looked up to see your dog tilting their head at you to start to connect the dots. When to Have Your Dog Checked By Your Veterinarian Earlier here we mentioned that sometimes the head tilt behavior may actually be due to medical issues with vision, hearing, or discomforts such as infection. This can be particularly important to know about if your German Shepherd is in their senior years of life, a time when eye cataracts, skin and ear infection or hearing loss can be more common for many dog breeds. Dogs may not have human language abilities — although it sure would be wonderful if they did! The more you can learn about all the different reasons your dog may do the head tilt, the better you and your dog can talk to each other about what you each want and need.

Exercise, Growth, and Joints Exercise Labradors not only love exercise, they need exercise. We all look forward to taking our puppy for a walk, however it is important not to over-exercise your puppy. In natural play, puppies will romp until they are tired and then stop to lay down for rest. When walking a puppy on a leash, they cannot stop when they normally would for rest. Too much exercise or walking can severely damage their bone and joint structures irreversibly. This should be taken seriously. THE RULE is: No more than 5 minutes of exercise for every month of age So that means, at 2 months old 8 weeks , your puppy only needs to exercise or walk for 10 minutes per day. At 3 months of age 15 minutes of exercise and so on. If you walk your puppy too far too soon, your puppy may develop hip and elbow dysplasia as they get older. Labradors have been known to develop dysplasia younger than other breeds of dogs. In many of these cases, it is often due to environmental factors such as over-exercise, running on hard or strenuous surfaces such as concrete or sand , continual jumping or agility work. Things to avoid with your puppy: No jumping in or out of car, especially larger cars. Lift the dog or use a ramp. No throwing balls or frisbee great distances for your puppy to chase. The sudden stopping and over reaching with the front legs is dangerous. No agility, jumping or flyball before years old Do not let other dogs knock or push the puppy over continually, includes body-slamming Avoid much stair climbing which can increase the risk of dysplasia No fast turns or roll-overs Good exercise: Swimming is great, since there is no weight-bearing impact on their joints. Remember, labradors love water! Walking on leash, for no longer than the recommended length of time for their age Self-directed play is an overriding rule for any puppy under 18 months old. The majority of exercise should be free play, exploring, and noodling around Hide and seek games are fantastic, as the dog can move at its own pace looking for its toy or treat or you. Size is a factor as large dogs, especially ones that like to play with paw whacks, can inadvertently injury a young puppy. Supervised play is critical. You need to teach the puppy a release command. All these games are forms of exercise for puppies and are a great way to help your puppy learn useful lifelong skills and qualities. Growth plates and bones: Development and injury Growth Plates Growth plates are soft areas that sit at the ends of the long bones in puppies and young dogs. They contain rapidly dividing cells that allow bones to grow longer until the end of puberty. Growth plates gradually thin as the hormonal changes approaching puberty signal the growth plates to close. In puppies, this closure normally completes between 18 to 24 months old in labradors. After sexual maturity, the growth plates calcify and the rapid cell division ends. The growth plates become a stable, inactive part of the bone, now known as an epiphyseal line. Dogs bones are held together with muscles, tendons and ligaments soft tissue. In an adult dog, if a joint experiences a stress such as bending the wrong way or rotating too much, the bones will hold firm and soft tissue will be pulled, resulting in a sprain or tear. Why this matters so much, is that unlike a sprain, injuries to the growth plate may not heal properly or not heal in time for the puppy to grow up straight and strong. Injury to a growth plate can result in a misshapen or shortened limb, which creates an incorrect angle to a joint resulting in yet more future injuries when he grows up, including dysplasia. These xray images show open and closed growth plates in a puppy and adult dog. Bone Strength In addition to having soft growth plates at the end of long bones, puppies bones in general are softer. Spiral fractures of the tibia lower leg bone are very common in puppies. A spiral fracture is where the bottom half of the bone twists in the opposite direction of the top half. Any exercise that puts torque twist on a bone puts the puppy at risk of a fracture. For an example, movements such as twisting and turning suddenly can cause these type of fractures. Hip and Elbow Dysplasia This is where we recommend you read our Health and Genetic Testing page, where we talk about hip and elbow dysplasia. It is critical that you, as a puppy owner, understand as much as you can about hip and elbow dysplasia, how you can help prevent it, and what your breeder should be testing for. On the other hand, an underfed or malnourished puppy or dog is also at higher risk of injury. Muscles mass directly influences strength, likewise inadequate calcium and nutrients affect bone density. A body condition score of about is healthy for a young puppy. Once an adult, the ideal body condition score would be about 5 for a healthy, fit labrador. Sterilisation Desexing In larger breeds, sterilising young puppies at a young age has shown to increase the risk of joint disorders and injury. We recommend sterilisation occurs between 24 months old for this reason. This recommendation is outlined in our Health Guarantee. We discuss this more under Desexing or Sterilisation. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. Whether young or old, big or small, yellow, black, chocolate, from field lines or show lines, your Labrador needs exercise. It will keep their heart and muscles strong, their mind stimulated and their weight under control. But how much exercise does a Labrador need? Labradors Are a High Energy Breed The Labrador Retriever is a high energy working breed, initially bred for very physically demanding work retrieving game for hunters. This would involve all day hiking, running and swimming in sometimes difficult conditions. So Labrador Retrievers were bred to have lots of energy and be very active. And though their main role in life today is as a family pet, they still have those same genetics that made them suited to their original role. Dog Ball Thrower. Yes, you can throw a tennis ball extra far with the Chuckit, but two reasons why I love it: 1. In this state they will often resort to destructive behaviors such as digging and chewing…and will often be very restless, may bark excessively and try to escape your home and garden at every opportunity. Insufficient exercise can also lead to weight problems with Labradors. Excess weight is a problem because it can lead to all sorts of problems such as damage to their joints hips and elbows , heart disease, increased blood pressure and increases the risk of diabetes. So a lack of exercise leads to behavioral problems, hyperactivity and possibly an assortment of health problems. However, as a general rule of thumb, a normally healthy adult Labrador Retriever will need 1 hour of exercise every day. The more relaxed Labs just 45 minutes per day, the more energetic 1. This can be made up of running, swimming, playing fetch , jogging alongside you…anything that goes beyond a gentle walk. But if the first consideration is your Labradors age, how much do puppies and the elderly need? Nice for long runs with your Lab. If you have older dogs or children, the puppy may well try to keep up with them and over-exert themselves, playing to exhaustion and damage their developing joints. So keep an eye on them and interrupt play if need be, to give them plenty of rest. Once they are fully grown, they can go out for much longer. The 5 minute rule should be sufficient to keep your lab puppy fit, burn off excess energy yet not over-exert them and cause possible developmental issues. Continue the 5 minute rule until your puppy is at least one year of age where you can then begin to exercise them more vigorously. This is highly dependent on your labs overall health and can vary wildly from one Labrador to another. Some labs may need to slow down from the 7th year onwards, while others remain extremely active beyond their 10th year. As Labradors get older, many develop arthritis, dysplasia and other health issues that can prevent a Labrador from enjoying or needing exercise as much as they used to when young and healthy. They will likely still try to chase a tennis ball all day and hike mountains just to please you, even if it may be doing them more harm than good. Try not to put them in this position. As your Labrador ages, you need to be more observant , looking for changes in their movement, excessive panting, slowing down, feeling tired. And during grooming sessions and massage, check for any painful spots indicative of sore joints or other problems. We noticed Linus was stiff getting up in the morning and decided to try adding glucosamine to his diet. We saw a noticeable difference a few days later and an added spring in his step. If your Labrador tears around your home like a tornado. If your Lab displays any of the restless and destructive symptoms described above, try increasing their levels of exercise for a few days and see if their behavior problems improve. However, if you have money burning a hole in your pocket you might want to check out PetSafe Automatic Ball Launcher. Over-exercising very young and elderly Labradors can do more harm than good. For your adolescent and adult Labrador, exercise them well. As a general rule of thumb, aim for 1hr per day and scale this up or down depending on your Labradors individual needs. This could mean 45 mins for the more sedate and elderly, or 1. And at the end of the day, think of it like this: You have the best exercise machine to rival that of any gym to keep you fit and healthy yourself. And hey, what fun!!! What better motivation and need is there to keep yourself in shape? Do you mostly agree with the above? Please let us know in the comments section below. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. For a list of all the supplies we get for our new service dog puppies check out our New Puppy Checklist on the PuppyInTraining. These tips will also help you to advance your dog so that, eventually, you can trust them to be off the leash in a safe area. Don't release your dog until they can demonstrate knowledge and obedience on the long leash and in many different settings. To begin with, walk them in the house and in the yard. Dogs learn 'contextually and by repetition'. These hints will help you to become the pack leader. Be certain that this is only reason that your dog will follow you. Make time to walk your dog Whether you walk your dog in the morning or evening will be influenced by your program. Whenever you exercise your dog, the walk should allow for 'focused time' and 'free time'. Two leashes will facilitate this. If they are under 12 months old, take some water with you. Also take a back-pack and a treat belt available on Ebay. I recommend no more than thirty minutes of walking in total for a dog under 14 months old as their growth plates are not set until this time. Be careful of overly vigorous activity, particularly if you have an older but playful dog. I don't recommend running for more than very short bursts for the same reason. Healthy hips and elbows are critical for a healthy, active and long life. Use two leashes - a long leash approx 7m and a short leash approx 1m Start your walk with the labrador pup on a short leash. The short leash will help you to direct and guide the dog. This allows you to maintain full control over your dog. Set up your walk for success. Start by getting the dog to sit or at the least be stationary and under your control. As you begin, keep your dog behind your body alignment. Be patient and encourage your dog. Do not show aggressive frustration. This will only cause confusion and fear or aggression. If your dog is not complying, stop and reset. You are the master Walking in front of your dog demonstrates that you are the master or the pack leader. You should be first out the door. The dogs should exit the compound only at your command. This is essential whether you are walking 1, 2 or more dogs. If your dog controls the pace and direction of the walk, they are the pack leader. Your dog should be beside or behind you during the walk. Dogs learn contextually The next two hints are important training essentials. Firstly, labradors learn contextually and their training in not immediately transferable to a new environment. Using the same disciplines and routines, train your dog the same way in different settings. This will entrench your expectations. Correct immediately Secondly, a labrador has about a five second retention of information. After five seconds the dog has lost any association between your assertiveness and their behaviour. If they disobey you, you must correct them within five seconds or not at all. If the dog is disobedient or simply does not understand, reset and start again. The long leash I'm a big fan of the long leash. A long leash will help you to correct bad behaviour at a distance. After a period of training with the short leash, remove it and connect the longer lead. Keep the leash in your hand, releasing it slowly and progressively. As they master this, you can back away while the dog is 'sitting and staying'. Reward your labrador pup with vigorous affection and a treat. After this, you should allow them to wander and sniff around. All this time you will keep your dog on the long leash and under your control. Be sure that the free time is less than their focus time. During the socialisation phase, 8 - 16 weeks, you will need both leashes as you expose your labrador pup to other dogs. As you walk your dog, you will come across small and large dogs that are aggressive. Walking on either leash will give your complete control. And it will ensure safety at all time. You new labrador pup has no innate road sense. Walk them, getting close to roads. Expose them to vehicles so that they do not panic. Reward your dog for good behaviour. Remember that dogs register tones and frequencies, not words. Use higher tones to affirm, reward and encourage. You approval is the greatest reward for a Labrador. Direct eye contact without high vocal affirmation will be interpreted as aggression. Use lower growling tones to reinforce disapproval. Try to avoid 'No' as a command. It is too general and therefore confusing to the dog. Always reward and reinforce obedience to specific commands. Use food treats to begin with, however you must gradually phase them out. Your vocal affirmation and affection should be your longer term goal. As your dog maintains the proper behaviour, reward them with treats. Reward your dog after the walk I recommend that you reward your labrador pup after the walk. Let them have a drink firstly then give them a portion of food that is less than a meal but more than a treat. It will not take long for your dog to anticipate the whole experience. When you appear with the leashes, they will become very enthusiastic. If you adhere to these eight hints and maintain the discipline of your training, you and your dog will value and enjoy the experience. Finally, remember to pick up after your dog. Don't go on a walk without your poop bags on hand! Find a vet you can have confidence in. Pawling Chocolate and Black Labradors. Just like us, Labradors need plenty of exercise on a daily basis. Whether you have a young or old dog, they all need to get the blood flowing to stay healthy and live long happy doggie lives. Regular exercise with your Labrador is very beneficial for you both. Exercise stimulates neuron growth in the brain, encourages the production of endorphins with a known mood-boosting effect , helps strengthen your bones and muscles, improves blood pressure, and can significantly help with depression. Are you having a hard time figuring out how much exercise your lab needs? Answers vary drastically from one dog to another. The amount of exercise to give your Labrador depends mostly on the age of the dog. The key to taking your Labrador puppy out for exercise is to be patient. Some labs are athletic, and thus need more exercise than others. Also, certain Labradors are genetically programmed to be energetic and have high metabolism rates, whereas others are more laid-back. Here are some exercise guidelines a new lab owner can follow to make sure their dog gets the right workout. With older dogs or children, a lab puppy may well try to keep up with them and exhaust themselves before they reach their adult size and stamina. Hold off on structured games and other forms of heavy physical activity for the first three months. This will set the stage for long-term, healthy exercise habits. This rule states that you should take your Labrador puppy out for at least five minutes of exercise per month of age up to twice a day until he or she is fully grown. This can be anything from a walk around the block to a run in the dog park. How old your dog is will make a difference in their stamina. To determine how much exercise your dog needs, first take their age into consideration. Labs that are four years old and above need between one and two hours of exercise per day. The truth is Labradors can lead a perfectly healthy life with just an hour of daily active playtime. The Labrador Retriever was bred to retrieve game for hunters. That means they naturally love to play fetch. All you need is a toy for playtime and room for running around. Tug-of-War is less cardio-oriented but helps with muscle mass and body structure in growing dogs. Plus, they love it! It requires that you prepare your puppy with a proper agility training course. Agility training is great for completing a total-body, structured workout, while also providing mental stimulation for your labrador. This involves activities such as going through walkways, tunnels, and hurdles to reach the other end. You will need to train your lab to engage in the activity and this involves proper instruction. Find one that fits his size and abilities, as well as your own personal comfort level. Either due to space or having a small yard, it may be difficult to get their puppies out every day. The good news is that, with a little creativity, indoor exercise can be just as viable and fun! Here are a few ideas you can try at home. Try Treadmill Training Sessions With Dogs A dog can be trained to use a treadmill and enjoy it, but the experience will take time. Build an Obstacle Course for Your Labrador Use everyday things found around the home or office to create an obstacle course. It also boosts their energy levels and problem-solving skills. For example, you might use old boxes and trash bags to make a tunnel, chairs or stools to jump across, and other furniture for your puppy to climb. At first your puppy may not catch on, but with effective use of the treat and lots of encouragement, you can help it learn as it goes. Hide-and-Seek With a Treat! Hide a treat around the house, and let your puppy work to find it. As you hide treats around the room, remember to make sure they are not hiding somewhere that is unreachable. Tip 2. Make sure that all the activities are not just what you enjoy but what is enjoyable for the puppy. Otherwise, they may get frustrated and stop cooperating with you. Include treats and praise whenever they accomplish something. All dog breeds respond positively to lots of physical affection and verbal affirmation. This will make the activity more enjoyable for the puppy. Keep fun as the central theme and good health will flow. Tip 3. Make an Exercise Routine and Schedule for Your Dog Lab owners, take note: maintaining the health of an adult Lab is all about consistency. And this starts with walks at a young age. Take regular walks with your dog, no matter the weather conditions. Walk at the same time each day in order to create an exercise pattern that both you and your dog can stick to. Maybe you can get the puppy used to a leash and casually walk through your neighborhood with it. That way, you can vary the activity occasionally. In six months, increase the amount of time your dogs are running to 15 minutes. This keeps their energy high and stops weight gain as they mature. Conclusion As a dog owner, your foremost responsibility is protecting the health and safety of your pet. Insufficient exercise causes health problems in dogs , like hip dysplasia especially those already prone to hip or joint problems. Share on. Tweet on Twitter Puppy exercise requirements vary between different types of dog, and as a puppy grows the exercise they need will increase. It is possible to give a puppy too much exercise so I will give you a puppy exercise chart, as a guide to how far a puppy can walk at different ages. Taking your new puppy for a walk We all look forward to the day we can take our new puppy for a walk. For many people, daily dog walks is a huge part of why they bought a Labrador in the first place. Others already take quite small puppies for quite long walks and are surprised to discover that many experts believe this to be a bad thing. So just how much exercise does a puppy really need? How much exercise does a puppy need? This rule of thumb says that a puppy should have no more than five minutes of walking for every month of his age. So that would be fifteen minutes a day maximum for a three month old puppy, twenty minutes for a four month old and so on. This concern about excessive exercise has arisen because it is widely believed that exercise is a factor in the development of serious joint disorders. Especially in larger breed puppies such as Labradors Breeders are particularly concerned about hip dysplasia, a serious and complex disorder of the hip joints, that is believed to be influenced both by inherited factors passed from dogs to their puppies and by environmental factors In addition to factors influencing growth rates, the stresses and strains placed on the vulnerable growing joint by excessive exercise are believed to be a contributory environmental factor in the development of inadequate hip joints. It seems likely, that a puppy that had inherited a tendency for poor hips, could have its soft and still forming hip joints made a good deal worse through prolonged or hard exercise. It is also possible that a puppy that has inherited excellent hips, will come to no harm whatsoever through hard exercise. On the contrary, a certain amount of free running exercise is a good thing Running off-leash A Norwegian study published and which included labradors, showed that puppies given the opportunity to exercise off leash in a park before the age of three months were less likely to develop hip dysplasia HD , not more. Stair climbing The same study showed that puppies that had to climb stairs on a regular basis during the same period were at increased risk of HD You can read about this study in Science Daily. So what does this study tell us? Well, it is only one study, but it suggests that playing in a natural way, with other pups or simply running about at their own speed is probably going to benefit a small puppy Strenuous exercise Whereas more strenuous activity such as climbing hills and stairs, may not be such a good thing at a very young age. Another study has suggested that running hard for a retrieve, may not be great for joint health either. And some breeders also prevent dogs from jumping for the first twelve months to reduce impact on the shoulder and elbow joints. This may be especially important for some of the heavier breeds of dog, and those that are slow to mature. How far should my puppy walk? But how does that translate to distances walked? If you like to think in distances rather than time, a mile is around steps for an adult human and takes about twenty minutes at a moderate walking speed. So a maximum walk for a four month old Labrador might be about a mile. And of course if you are walking out and back again, that means not taking the dog more than half a mile from your home or car, whichever is your starting point. With young puppies, you need to keep a balance. Think about the overall energy your puppy is expending rather than focusing on walking alone. Walking is only one form of exercise and is no more valuable or important than games or training exercises. If you have been to visit a friend with your five month old pup and their dog has played for half an hour in the garden with yours, your dog does not need a walk as well. It is the total exercise that counts. How much exercise is too much? And you are bound to know of someone whose puppy had far more exercise than this and came to no harm. However taking a puppy for long walks or asking him to negotiate very steep or uneven surfaces when he is little, is probably a bad idea. Beware of letting a puppy play for too long with an older dog that does not want to stop. And keep an eye on children who may inadvertently exhaust a puppy by encouraging him to play when he needs to sleep. Crating your puppy when he is tired or overexcited, will enable you to make sure that your puppy gets some well deserved down time. Summary Young puppies need the time and space to run about freely, and free running exercise is beneficial. You do not need to attempt to prevent puppies playing in the garden, trotting about the house or playing with another young puppy for a while. Provided that the puppy is free to stop and rest whenever he wants. As far as we know at the moment, formal exercise — walking on a lead — for example, is probably best restricted using the five minute rule as an approximate guide. And strenuous exercise such as stair climbing, and chasing balls should be limited or avoided altogether in puppies under three months of age. Remember, an adult dog can become an amazing athlete, but like all athletes, fitness and stamina are best built up in gentle stages if injury is to be avoided. Do talk to your vet about exercise at your first appointment with your puppy. We are still learning about hip dysplasia. Research is ongoing, knowledge increases all the time. Your vet should be up to date with the latest information regarding the optimum amount of exercise for your new puppy. Published in April , the Happy Puppy Handbook covers every aspect of life with a small puppy. It will help you prepare your home for the new arrival, and get your puppy off to a great start with potty training, socialization and early obedience. This article was originally published in and has been extensively revised and updated for References Slater et al. Diet and exercise as potential risk factors for osteochondritis dissecans in dogs. Am J Vet Res. Sallander et al. American Society for Nutrition. Krontveit et al. Risk factors for hip-related clinical signs in a prospective cohort study of four large dog breeds in Norway. May 9, Aug 12, This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. You want to show off your new labrador retriever puppy. Is it safe to walk your puppy outside? How far can you walk a puppy? Or is it time for a puppy stroller? Puppies usually receive a series of vaccinations starting at six to eight weeks old. Some say wait another two weeks until the vaccinations are fully effective before taking him to places where other unknown dogs may have been. As far as getting our puppies out and about we follow the guidelines set forth by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. The Primary and Most Important time for puppy socialization is the first three months of life. During this time puppies should be exposed to as many new people, animals, stimuli and environments as can be achieved safely and without causing overstimulation manifested as excessive fear, withdrawal or avoidance behavior. For this reason, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior believes that it should be the standard of care for puppies to receive such socialization before they are fully vaccinated. They grow more quickly than their smaller counterparts but mature more slowly. Exercising a larger breed puppy too much can lead to orthopedic problems and arthritis. Also, brachycephalic dogs with short muzzles like pugs and shih tzus have a lower tolerance for exercise because they can overheat more easily and have more difficulty breathing. And some breeds, like working, herding, and sporting dogs have a higher exercise need even as a puppy. So your border collie, golden retriever , labrador retriever etc. A rule of thumb is a puppy can walk five minutes for every month of age starting at eight weeks. So a two-month-old puppy can walk about 10 minutes. And a three-month-old can walk for 15 minutes; and a four-month-old for 20 minutes. And so forth. Of course these are general guidelines. Important Considerations When Walking Your Puppy In addition to how far your puppy should walk, there are many things to take into account regarding his excursions. Over weeks, build his endurance. He may have to potty or be thirsty. Avoid the hottest or coldest parts of the day Young puppies can be susceptible to temperature extremes. They may overheat and suffer from heat exhaustion, which can be deadly. In cold weather, puppies may require a coat or sweater to help keep them warm. Breeds with short muzzles such as shihs tzus or Lhasa apsos are especially susceptible to extremes of weather. And salt to melt snow can be dangerous to our dogs too. Places that are slippery can be dangerous for you and your dog to explore. Also, areas with sharp surfaces are hazardous. This can especially occur with blacktop. Also try not to walk him on surfaces that have any chemicals, such as salt to melt snow or weed control, as some are toxic to dogs. Get him used to grass, pavement, and dirt trails. Note From Colby: This is uber important for service dog puppies in training. If a service dog cannot walk across sand, grass, pavement, metal grates, etc without any kind of reaction, then the dog is not suitable as a working service dog. A walk or two a day as well as other play should be enough. Remember not to go so far on other walks, as you have to take into account the portion of the walk returning home. If at any point your puppy seems to be lame, limping or otherwise showing discomfort, end the walk. If your puppy shows any lameness, a vet visit is in order. Give your puppy a few exercise sessions a day You can break up his walk and give him two or three short walks a day. A little fetching his favorite toys can help meet his needs. Some free running in the house or safely enclosed yard can be fun for him. Stuffed Kongs and puzzle toys can help exercise his mind. Remember: He needs physical exercise as well as mental stimulation. Remember to bring the essentials Poop bags and water are important on your walks. You can bring a collapsible bowl or a water bottle with a built-in bowl so your puppy can drink. Be visible! There are reflective and lighted vests , leashes , collars , and harnesses you can purchase. Why Walk Your Puppy on a Leash? He can get exercise other ways such as playing fetch or playing with another friendly pup. But to be able to properly socialize your puppy, he needs to be taken to places on a leash. And socialization involves not only having him meet friendly people and dogs but also exposing him in a positive manner to new sights, sounds, experiences, and footings. There are many benefits to walking your dog, in addition to socialization, including: Physical and mental exercise Your new puppy wants to explore the world with you. In order to grow up to be a healthy adult, your pup requires both. New sights and sounds will stimulate him and help him grow into a well-rounded adult. Weight control Regular short walks will help keep your puppy fit and at the correct weight for his age and breed or mix. Bonding time Regular walks also provide a time for you and your puppy to bond. You puppy will learn that fun, enjoyable things happen when you both interact. And the walks will help provide a basis for a life-long bond with your pup. Reduces unwanted behaviors Exercise helps lessen destructive behaviors. A well-exercised puppy is less likely to engage in destructive chewing, jumping, digging, and other undesirable behaviors. Have him perform a sit. Work with attention. Practicing training exercises he already knows while on his walk will help him learn to do them in everyday life, with distractions. Lessens anxiety and stress The socialization and real-life experiences help a dog cope better with everyday life. There can be too much of a good thing. Even though we want our pups to get a sufficient amount of exercise, we can overdo it. Following the above guidelines should lead to a safe amount of exercise. Too much walking and exercise can also lead to arthritis developing early in life. Too much exercise can lead to severe exhaustion and limping A puppy can get over-tired and even over-heat. Just like when we overdo it, he may have sore muscles and may limp. A vet visit is in order if you see him limp. Over-exercising even can lead your puppy to being more vulnerable to injuries. Too much exercise can cause injuries to heal incorrectly If you exercise a puppy with injuries, he may not heal correctly. Final Thoughts Walking your puppy has many health and socialization benefits. But a walk with your new puppy can be a bonding experience. As a plus, you can show him off to your friends. What about you guys? How much do your walk your puppy? Tell us about your experiences in the comment section below. Related Articles:.

Ponderosa pines surround it, and the dogs can play and run around, making it a dog paradise! They prioritize health, temperament, and companionship when breeding, yet their poodles are almost certainly show-quality. Their mission is to offer families the best animal friend possible. This is why this kennel does not crop tails or remove dewclaws. They believe that pups are perfect in their natural state. The Labradoodle pups here are bred with a great deal of affection. They spend a lot of time socializing their pups to make sure they grow up to be great family pets. Puppy Culture breeding program enables them to breed confident, joyful, and eager to learn. Within the first eight weeks, they ensure that all puppies are socialized with children and exposed to various sights, smells, and sounds. The puppies will be well-adjusted and more confident as a result of this. Until they go to their new homes, they consider all puppies to be their family members. They believe in building partnerships. Even after their customers have gone home with their dream pup, they stay in touch with them. If you have any queries concerning training, grooming, or health, do not hesitate to contact them. We have listed breeders are the most trustworthy sources for a healthy Labradoodle puppy. Although there are many of them, each of these companies has been recognized by organizations or organizations that oversee breeding methods and dog-breeding facilities. For people who enjoy dogs with hypoallergenic coats, Labradoodles make ideal family pets. All Labradoodle owners need to take their dogs for a walk or a run around the yard. Labradoodles require far less grooming than other breeds due to their hypoallergenic nature! These links are affiliate links, so if you do end up using the links, I will earn a commission. Dog Food: Every dog needs to eat correctly, and finding the best food for your dog can be challenging, as the market is absolutely flooded with products. These days I have two adorable fuzzy rascals around me, that ensures I get plenty of exercise and laughter throughout my day! Legal Information The owner of this site, LabradoodleHome. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Labradoodle Home does not intend to provide veterinary advice. All articles and posts are aimed at giving users a better understanding of their dogs. The content on this blog is not a substitute for veterinary guidance. Amazon OneLink. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Ginger and Pablo will be due mid-September and ready for new homes just before Thanksgiving! Please call or email for more information, or to see if she is still available, check our Instagram link for the latest updates! We offer payment plans, and discounts for teachers, public servants and good Samaritans! Our family strives to cultivate a lineage of healthy Labradoodles with intelligent, sociable, and gentle temperaments, as well as non-shedding coats. Our breeding program focusses on producing puppies who are ready to be working service dogs and loving companions. We offer lifetime support for friends and families in caring for their new companion. How beautiful it is to find someone who asks for nothing but your company Our love for Labradoodles began when we got our first dog Hazel Joy. As animal loving allergy sufferers, we were so happy to be able to have a pet that did not make us feel sick AND who was such a joyful addition to our family! She was great with our small children--never aggressive and very patient with their antics. We were inspired by our experience and started High Road Labradoodles so that we could provide others with the same positive experience. Our dogs live at almost feet in a dog mountain heaven. The closest main road is called The High Road to Taos, hence our name and our standard of care! They run free on our property and socialize with children, adults, cats, bunnies, and birds. Our dogs have a hand built adobe passive solar dog house with a doggie door and incredible views of the sunset! They are working dogs too--they are trained to alert us when visitors--both 2 and 4 legged-- arrive; they are also trained to watch and protect our children when hiking, and around the land. All of our puppies are whelped indoors, and grow up surrounded by the sounds of our home--laughter, singing, drumming, bangs and clangs, vacuums, television and music. We provide them with many surfaces to walk on--starting with wooly padding and advancing to brick, tile, and wood flooring. Eventually, they get to adventure outside and explore grass and the earth. At about 6 weeks, we "personality test" our puppies using Volhard's Puppy Aptitude Test, in order to gain a solid sense of each individual temperament. This goes a long way in matching puppies to homes where they can thrive! We give thanks and praise to the Most High God for all of His grace and mercy. We have had many happy customers and our goal is to pair you with a dog that will enrich your life! Thank you for taking time to explore our site and our furry guys! Please contact us with any questions or inquiries! Pablo loves hiking up in the mountains. Proudly created with Wix. We raise high-quality Mini Labradoodles as well as a few other breeds. We also have partnered up with several other reputable breeders that raise mini labradoodle pups that meet our strict genetic criteria and testing. So we usually have a good selection of very high-quality puppies. View Our Available Puppies! F1B Mini Labradoodle Puppies are a second-generation cross or hybrid. The father is a Mini Poodle and the mother is an F1 Labradoodle. The F1B Minature Labradoodles usually have soft hair that is usually wavy or curly. Thes puppies are considered semi-hypoallergenic since they shed minimally. These puppies can be a good fit if a person that has mild pet allergies. Once F1B Mini Labradoodles reach 6 months old they require to be groomed once every 8 weeks or so to keep their fur healthy and to stop matting. Adult F1B Mini labradoodle dogs range in size from 14 inches in height and pounds in weight. The average life span is typically years of age. The F1BB puppies usually have curlier coats and will be totally hypoallergenic. Once the F1BB pup is 6 months they will need regular grooming every 6 to 8 weeks. F1BB Puppies are usually slightly smaller than F1B puppies and range from 12 inches in height and pounds in weight. Mini Labradoodles are known for their intelligence and the ability to be trained very easily. They make amazing family pets and love to participate in family activities like swimming, hiking, camping or just playing tag in the yard. This breed is also a good choice for people who live in apartments as long as they get at least minutes of exercise a day. So if you live near Albuquerque New Mexico and are looking for a healthy and beautiful Mini Labradoodle puppy that can be delivered to you then check out our available pups now by Clicking Here. Below are some Mini Labradoodle pups that have been adopted. Questions about Labradoodle puppies for sale in Albuquerque NM? We have answers. Give me an overview of Labradoodle puppies for sale in Albuquerque NM. The Australian Labradoodle has a total of six parent breeds! How can I use Uptown to find a Labradoodle for sale in Albuquerque? Ready to find your perfect Labradoodle? Great, then start here! Begin by searching for a Labradoodle for sale Albuquerque, and keep looking until you find one you love. Will I be able to find Labradoodle puppies in Albuquerque right now? There are lots of Albuquerque Labradoodle breeders and businesses in our network with Labradoodle litters. Simply begin searching and see what you can find. You could be meeting your adorable new puppy in no time at all! Transparency surrounding the breeding of Labradoodle puppies Albuquerque is something we take incredibly seriously. They all have incredibly high breeding standards for your complete peace of mind. How can I meet my new Albuquerque Labradoodle for sale? All the Labradoodle breeders Albuquerque in our network are experts at arranging travel for puppies, so just ask the breeder and they will explain exactly how to proceed. Is Uptown Puppies very different While many people like to visit the breeder in person, this is simply not possible a lot of the time. So we have provided a place where you can search for Labradoodle puppies for sale Albuquerque conveniently without having to worry about puppy mills or scammers. If that sounds good to you, start your search here today! Which is the best type of dog food for my Labradoodle? The best type of dog food is the one that your dog enjoys eating! On top of that, it should also be healthy and nutritious to provide your dog with everything they need in their diet. Will I find cheap Labradoodles for sale in Albuquerque when I search here? There are lots of different prices when it comes to Albuquerque Labradoodles for sale, but this is not a place to find the cheapest puppies. Here, the Labradoodle Albuquerque breeders and businesses provide extremely high breeding standards and a boutique service, so you know your dog is coming from a great place. How much should I groom my Labradoodle? Australian Labradoodles don't shed, which is one of the things that many people like about them. But as a general rule, you should aim to clip it about four times a year. Will my Labradoodle need much exercise? Labradoodles are fairly active dogs, but they have low to moderate exercise needs. A daily walk is usually fine, though they will probably be happy with two because they love being out and about and discovering the world around them. Labradoodles have kind, people-focused personalities that are highly trainable. It is not easy to raise puppies in the midst of our home, but it is the best way to produce best friends. When old enough, they spend their days outside in play yards with fun equipment to enhance their development. Evenings, it is back to the house to settle down with us and all of our dogs to enjoy snuggle time. We interact with our puppies at each developmental stage in specific science-based ways to produce well-balanced puppies. Our Pledge As a veterinarian, Mark, has helped me make temperament, health and sound structure the priorities with our labradoodles. We do evaluations and testing on our breeding stock. We utilize current research to promote health and trainability as we raise our puppies. Structure, temperament, and health are the guiding principles of our breeding program. Your browser does not support the video tag. Puppy Socialization at Desert Waves This litter is having a blast socializing with an unrelated mamma dog, Cleo. Dog Care Products Love your Labradoodle with these excellent nutritional products. These outstanding products will help you take the very best care of your beloved labradoodle. We happily adhere to their strict breeding standards and code of ethics. We are proud to be members of the Australian Labradoodle Association of America. Our puppies are never raised in a kennel.

They are intelligent and easily trained, making them great pets for first-time dog owners. They are also active and playful, but not so much so that they require hours of exercise each day. Despite their small size, Pomapoos are relatively tough and can hold their own in a household with children or other pets. Overall, the Pomapoo makes an excellent companion for those who want an active yet low-maintenance pet. Pomapoo Puppy Health Considerations Though generally very happy and long-lived — with an average lifespan of around years — our Pomapoos for sale are not without their unique health concerns. Like every breed of dog, there are a few conditions you should be aware of before you consider purchasing one of our Pomapoo puppies for sale. Understanding the risks allows you to know the signs and prevent small health concerns from turning into big ones. Pomapoo puppies are at a somewhat elevated risk for developing the following conditions: Luxating Patella Dental Problems Tear Duct Disorders Some of the most common health concerns for Pomapoos include conditions such as Luxating patella, which is a dislocation of the knee joint, and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, which is a degeneration of the hip joint. Some Pomapoos may also be born with congenital deafness. Finding a Pomapoo puppy for sale from a reputable breeder can also dramatically — although, not eliminate — the risk of your dog developing some of these conditions. The most common coat colors are black, brown, cream, and white. Some Pomapoos may also have markings of different colors on their face or body. Pomapoos require regular grooming to keep their coat healthy and free of tangles. Brushing their coat daily with a soft bristle brush or comb will help to remove loose hair and prevent matting. Pomapoos should also be bathed once or twice a month using a dog shampoo. In addition, their coats should be trimmed every few months to keep it looking neat and tidy. By taking proper care of their coat, you can help your Pomapoo stay looking and feeling his best. Meet Pomapoo Puppies for Sale. Shih Pom vs Pomapoo Comparison Charming, playful, smart, fun, and charismatic are just some of the many reasons why the Shih Pom and the Pomapoo are so loved. The Shih Pom and the Pomapoo are both immensely popular with dog lovers worldwide. They impress with caring personalities, Poodle Mixes An Introduction To Doodles Poodle mixes, or doodles as some endearingly call them, are crossbreeds between a purebred Poodle and another purebred dog from a different breed. To give a few examples, Goldendoodles, Cavapoos, and Poochons are all Poodles mixes. They have a Poodle parent and a parent from a different breed. What makes Poodle mixes so special is a subject that we could talk about for hours. But to simplify things, these dogs are unique, friendly, They sport an elegant stride, a dainty demeanor, and a positive outlook on life. This lovely Doodle breed is known to be agile, sweet, happy, friendly, and gentle. Pomapoos get along great with kids, dogs, and other household pets, and, thanks to their tiny size, they fit wonderfully in micro-apartments and call laps their home. They are also easy to train, fun to play with, and a joy to have around. A designer mixed breed between a Toy Poodle and a Pomeranian, the Pomapoo is equipped with an amazing set of qualities, is off-the-scale adorable, and makes a loyal and affectionate companion pet for any lucky dog lover. Life Span Did You Know? These little dogs are smart and loving with playful, affectionate, and charming personalities. As a developing breed, the Pomapoo may not be recognized by the American Kennel Club, but they are recognized by other dog registries. A Pomapoo is a combination of two very cuddly and affectionate companion breeds, so it comes as no surprise that they are also cuddly, affectionate, and loving dogs that thrive on attention. As long as they have been properly socialized, they are social and friendly with children, other dogs, and other pets. They will even tend to warm up to strangers once introduced, especially if it means getting more attention and affection. They do tend to alert bark, which can become a nuisance behavior if you do not train your dog to stop barking early on. Pomapoos are highly adaptable dogs. They tend to do well in apartments as well as larger homes. Although they are fluffy, their small size means they may need to bundle up with some winter dog products to stay warm when out on walks when the temperatures drop. Because they bond so closely with their families, they do not like to spend long periods of time alone. Potential health concerns to be aware of in a Pomapoo include patellar luxation , epilepsy, cataracts, and tracheal collapse. Reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing preventable issues to puppies. So, make sure you are asking about the health and genetic history of both of the parents. You can also ask about any health tests or clearances that have been done. A Pomapoo is an intelligent dog that picks up on things quickly, is eager to please, and thrives on praise and positive reward. They can be a little bit stubborn at times, but as long as training is kept consistent and positive, they tend to do well with owners of all experience levels. Some of the benefits of puppy training classes include strengthening your bond, reinforcing training, socialization, and more. Either way, a Pomapoo will require a lot of grooming just like their parent breeds. Nail trims once or twice a month are usually enough to keep them from growing too long. Weekly ear checks with careful cleanings as needed can help prevent ear infections. As a small dog breed, the Pomapoo is more prone to developing dental diseases, which makes good dental care for dogs early and throughout their life even more important. Daily brushing with dog-friendly toothpaste or daily use of an enzyme toothpaste, in addition to cleanings at the vet, is ideal. A Pomapoo may be energetic when they play and have bursts of higher energy, but they sit in a low to moderate range and will tire themselves out quickly. Daily walks plus some playtime are usually enough for this little dog. They will likely be up for more if you are because they love spending time with you. A fully-grown Pomapoo usually stands inches tall and weighs pounds. Pomapoos generally live for years on average. Although Pomapoo is the most common, this hybrid breed is also sometimes called a Pompoo, Pooranian, or Pomerdoodle. Featured Pomapoo Article. This compact, intelligent, and loving puppy inherited some of the best qualities from both of its parents. Pomapoos are also known as Pooranian, Pompoo, and Pomeroodle. We treat your pets like the valued family members they are. They also are known to socialize well with other pets and people. The main colors of Pomapoos are brown, black, white, red, fawn, and sable. They tend to have short to medium length coats and are light shedders. Routine brushing will help make your fur-legged friend look and feel his best. Fun and loyal two of his best traits. Providing a safe, natural, comfortable, and healthy environment for the nursing mother and her baby is essential. Here at Premier Pups, we work hand-in-hand with our breeders. We spend consistent on-site time with our selected breeders and can undoubtedly say that our puppies come from a caring environment. We directly take un-staged, unedited, and only authentic scenes at our breeder locations. We only align ourselves with breeders whose standards are much higher than the rest.

How often you should feed a German Shepherd puppy depends on their age and their activity level. Many owners also want to know when they can switch to adult food formulas for their German Shepherd puppies. Switch your GSD puppy to adult food when they are around 12 to 18 months old. Puppies can begin adult kibble when they are approximately 80 percent of their adult weight. This usually occurs around 8 to 10 months of age, but you can safely feed puppy food up to 18 months old as long as they are not putting on excess weight too quickly. If you want to know what to feed a German Shepherd puppy, keep reading. Finding the best food to feed your German Shepherd puppy is overwhelming at times. This means choosing what to feed a German Shepherd puppy is even more serious and intimidating! Follow this feeding guide when you need to know what to feed German Shepherd puppies. I understand! The following dog foods are all recommended for large breed puppies and meet and exceed regulated nutritional standards. Feeding a high-quality kibble from a name-brand company that uses feeding trials ensures the best quality and nutrition. Here are some of the best German Shepherd puppy foods that are research-backed. Packed with nutrients to help limit inflammation of the joints and uses fresh ingredients. Easily digestible formula for puppies prone to allergies and sensitive stomachs. Rich aroma with DHA fish oil to entice puppies to finish every last bite while giving shine to their coats. The better the food, the healthier your pup will be inside and out. Cheaper GSD puppy food lacks quality proteins that are essential for your working breed dog. Adding too much weight to your German Shepherd too soon can cause lifelong joint issues that are painful to your pet and expensive on your wallet. Most GSDs are healthy and fit on commercial dog foods that are high quality. These balanced formulas keep their bones and muscles strong throughout their growing periods and can ward off later joint issues, a common breed problem, as they mature. There is a greater demand for quality nutrition during the early growth stage. For these reasons, you must feed high-quality food. Now, consider what to feed a German Shepherd puppy based on their age. These feeding charts and guides will help keep your new companion growing strong and athletic. Tiny portions of canned, wet foods are introduced. Meals per day: 4 or more Puppies should stay with their mom for to keep them healthy. Nutrition Warning! At 8-weeks-old a GSD pup is eating more solid foods and develops a better appetite for kibble and other foods. Add in only a couple of small spoonfuls of canned plain pumpkin, unsweetened Greek yogurt, or cooked oatmeal to entice your pup to eat. Meals per day: 4 Week-Old Puppy Continue feeding the same as the 8-week-old diet. Treats are not only enjoyable for your German Shepherd, but help you to eneterain and build a positive relationship with him. Be sure to keep their zoomies under control by playing plenty of fun German Shepherd games for puppies. Meals per day: 4 Week-Old Puppy Continue to feed the kibble. Watch for excessive weight gain during this growth time as their bones cannot take extra weight! Too much weight gain too quickly can cause joint issues as an adult and prevent healthy development. Use their mental energy to help keep them more relaxed throughout the day by playing brain-boosting mind games for German Shepherd puppies. Meals per day: 3 to 4 Week-Old Puppy Keep your puppy trim and athletic by monitoring how much you feed your puppy and their body condition. You can write how much they eat and track this over time, and adjust how much your feed your German Shepherd puppy to keep them at a healthy weight. Try using fresh, raw, cut-up pieces of carrots as healthy treats or small, deseeded cubes of fresh apple as part of their training treats. Keep your eyes open for a growth spurt about to begin! Meals per day: 3 Week-Old Puppy Around 4 months old, you might notice your puppy finish their meal quickly and look for more food. Be sure to watch how many treats you give them throughout the day. You can do this by holding them safely in your arms and weighing them with you on the scale. Then, place them on the floor and step onto the scale without them to weigh yourself. Remember, around 16 to weeks old your German Shepherd puppy begins to rapidly grow. Instead, when looking overhead at your puppy their waist should look trim and not rounded outwards. German Shepherd puppies should appear sleek in their waistline. Meals per day: 3 Week And Older Puppy Continue to feed your German Shepherd puppy dry kibble with a small amount of healthy foods mixed in. You can lessen the healthy food you mix in gradually if you prefer. But, even as adults, German Shepherds love a bit of tasty toppers on their kibble. Around a year old, begin feeding your German Shepherd puppy 2 meals a day. Two meals, one in the morning and evening, are not only safer but also provide your German Shepherd with sustained energy to fuel their high-energy lifestyle. You can create a positive meal time by using the following tips: Always offer fresh water during their meal times. Keep the area where they eat their food in calm and out of the way of the family hustle and bustle. I found sitting with a book reading, just keeping my GSD puppy company, encouraged my dog to eat their meals while giving us time to quietly bond. Feed your German Shepherd at the same time everyday. The best time to feed a German Shepherd puppy is in the morning, before you leave for the day, and in the evening, about 2 hours before you put your dog to bed. Allow them to potty after eating to ensure their comfort. Your dog also needs to eat at other times of the day for their health and growth. How much you should feed a German Shepherd puppy really depends on a number of factors. Your GSD pup should eat enough to maintain their growth and energy, while not carrying any extra fat. Every dog is different. Keep in mind the number of calories in the kibble, which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Each puppy food company has a different amount of calories and size of the kibble. Here are a few things that might affect how much your German Shepherd puppy should eat. The more active a German Shepherd puppy is, the more calories he needs to eat to replace lost energy. For example, puppies need nearly twice the amount of calories as compared to adults. And older or senior German Shepherds who are less active need less food. Health Maintaining a healthy weight is essential to feeding your German Shepherd. Simply put, you can prevent some medical conditions and health problems by monitoring their waistlines. Instead follow the healthy way to bulk up a German Shepherd. To see if your German Shepherd is at the right weight you can find the average weight depending on their age. Just a few months ago, your little ball of fluff was tumbling around, getting into mischief. This article will help you determine when to switch your puppy to adult dog food, how puppy and adult dog foods differ , how to select the best adult dog food, and how to transition foods smoothly to ensure that your pup is set up for a life of good health. According to AAFCO, puppy foods should be higher in protein, fat, calcium, and phosphorous than adult dog foods. These macronutrients and minerals help support lean muscle and bone growth. They also provide enough caloric density to enable the puppy to grow and perform basic bodily functions such as breathing, digestion, and movement. Many puppy food manufacturers also include higher amounts of compounds like omega-3 fatty acids to support proper brain and eye development as your puppy ages. Large-breed puppies need specially formulated puppy foods that contain less fat , calcium, and phosphorous to moderate their rate of growth. This helps prevent skeletal diseases such as elbow and hip dysplasia that can result from growing too quickly. You need to ensure that your puppy has the extra protein, fat, and minerals they need to support their growth and development and prevent various bone, joint, brain, and eye disorders. But aside from breed size, you also need to consider whether they are spayed or neutered or if they are a highly active dog that needs more calories. Breed Size Because of their faster growth rate, smaller breeds such as Chihuahuas , Yorkshire Terriers , and Pugs reach adult size sooner than larger breeds such as Golden Retrievers , German Shepherds, and Dalmatians. The guidelines below will help you to determine when to start feeding adult dog food: Small breeds under 25 pounds when fully grown reach adult size at months of age. These breeds will be ready for adult dog food at months of age. Medium-sized breeds such as English Springer Spaniels , Australian Shepherds , and Border Collies are pounds when fully grown, and they reach adult size at months of age. With growth rates between those of small breeds and large breeds, medium-sized dogs will be ready for adult dog food around months of age. Large breeds are over 50 pounds when fully grown. There are many large breed dogs, from the Boxer to the Great Dane , so the point at which these breeds reach mature size and weight can vary between 15 and 24 months of age. With the wide range of breeds under this category and a generally slower rate of growth, these dogs will need to stay on puppy food until they are months old to ensure they have enough protein and other nutrients during this stage. They also need to get those nutrients in the proper ratio to support the growth and proper development of their larger skeletons. Activity Level Athletic dogs may benefit from staying on puppy formulas longer, as the extra protein supports lean muscle growth and function, and the extra fat and higher caloric density can allow energy for high-intensity activities. Spaying or Neutering Breed size is not the only factor when determining when to transition your puppy to adult dog food. Because puppy foods contain a higher calorie density, feeding the correct amount during the remaining months of puppyhood is very important to prevent obesity as the puppy matures into an adult. Spaying or neutering does not usually slow the growth rate of your puppy, but it may affect the growth plates in the bones of large breed puppies, setting them up for joint problems later in life. In addition, unspayed female dogs who will be bred early in life may need to stay on puppy food longer to support gestation and lactation following whelping. Switching Too Early or Too Late Because the timing of switching your puppy to adult dog food is so important, there can be negative consequences from both switching too late and switching too early. Dogs that are taken off puppy food too late may be more predisposed to obesity and associated health problems later in life, given the fact that puppy formulas have more fat and calories per cup than adult dog formulas. The extra protein and calories in puppy foods can also increase the rate of growth in certain dog breeds if they are not fed a breed-specific puppy food formula. If these breeds are left on puppy formulas too long, they can be more predisposed to developing joint problems in the future. Similarly, if your puppy is taken off a puppy formula too early, they may suffer from nutritional deficiencies and growth abnormalities, failing to reach adult size around the expected time and increasing their risk of future bone, joint, brain, and eye issues. How to Pick the Right Adult Dog Food When it is time for your puppy to transition to adult dog food, how should you go about selecting the best adult formula for them as they become young adults? The young adult stage is typically considered years of age, as middle age starts by year in many dog breeds. While most dogs are generally quite healthy during this stage in their lives, feeding them appropriately during their young adult years can help lower the risk of obesity, arthritis , and dental disease as they age. Choosing a Brand The many adult dog food companies are not all equal in terms of quality. Dry Food vs. Wet Food The next step is to decide whether you would like to feed your dog dry food, wet food, or a mixture of the two. Both types of food have positive and negative aspects, and the choice to use one, the other, or both depends on the specific needs of your dog. For example, wet food: Has a higher moisture content than dry food and may be better for dogs that do not drink much water. Has a lower calorie density per volume than dry dog food, allowing dogs to feel fuller on fewer calories, which helps control their weight throughout their lives. Is often more palatable and appetizing than dry food, so it may be a great option for picky eaters or for stimulating the appetite of dogs that are less interested in food. Can be beneficial for dogs with oral abnormalities or dental disease, as it is easier for them to chew. By contrast, dry food: Can be a more economical option than wet food. Is a great option for easier portion control and for dogs that tend to graze throughout the day rather than consume a full meal in one sitting, as dry food will not spoil as rapidly if left out for long periods of time. Is beneficial for dental health, as the crunchy pieces act as an abrasive against the teeth during chewing and help prevent tartar buildup and thus tooth and gum disease. Can be easily used as a tool in puzzle toys for enrichment and mental stimulation. Is be used in slow feeders for reducing the rate at which dogs are able to consume their meals. When your pup eats more slowly, the risk is lower of them swallowing too much air and developing bloat, a potentially dangerous condition. Nutritional Requirements The final step in selecting the best adult dog food diet is to examine the Guaranteed Analysis panel on the bag or can of food and ensure that the formula meets a few major nutritional requirements. Other formulas have glucosamine for joint health or probiotics for gut health. Some dogs are sensitive to chicken and do better on beef- or salmon-based formulas. If you are unsure of the additional needs for your dog outside of the key ingredients and nutrients listed above, consult with your veterinarian. This will help ensure gut regularity with less physical activity. Remember that dog treats and other sources of calories in the diet need to be included when determining the appropriate amount of food for your young adult dog. How to Switch Your Puppy to Adult Dog Food Once you have selected the best adult dog food for your puppy, you are ready to transition them slowly onto their new diet. Because rapid diet changes can cause gastrointestinal upset in dogs, such as vomiting and diarrhea , it is recommended to introduce the new food slowly over a period of five days or so. Continue to feed your puppy as many times per day as they are used to throughout this process. If your puppy develops vomiting, diarrhea, or lack of appetite, stop feeding the adult dog food and see your veterinarian. How Often to Feed Your Dog For large-breed puppies, it may be best for them to continue to eat three times per day. For medium-breed puppies, they should continue to be fed twice daily when they have been transitioned to adult dog food. For small-breed puppies, you may consider transitioning them to eating twice daily instead of three times per day after they are fully on adult dog food. This may involve providing more attention and playtime for your dog as they become accustomed to fewer feedings per day. Consider extra walks, extra playtime, or brushing to distract them from feelings of hunger. Some dogs may benefit from high-fiber adult dog food to increase feelings of fullness between meals. Your dog may also enjoy cleaned, raw fruits and vegetables such as sliced carrots, cucumbers, or apples without the core or seeds. If you have any questions about transitioning your puppy to adult dog food, contact your veterinarian. In addition, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist can be a great resource for any issues that come up, and they can help develop the best diet and feeding schedule for your new family member. Featured image: iStock. Help us make PetMD better Was this article helpful? Your puppy should have access to clean water throughout the day, but it should be taken away at night. Puppies between the ages of eight and twelve weeks benefit from being fed three or four times per day. Any changes in the amount of food a puppy consumes should be implemented gradually. A German shepherd puppy needs a lot of food between 6 and 8 months to grow into an adult. Adult food provides numerous superfluous nutrients that the puppy does not need at that time. Feed him tiny servings of puppy food per day. After a year, you can switch him to adult food. It is recommended to feed your dog as directed by the manufacturer. These instructions may vary by brand and composition. Make sure your dog stays fit. To feel the spine, ribs, and pelvic bones. A noticeable waistline is a must. German Shepherds are capable of consuming a wide variety of human meals, including beef, chicken, pig, turkey, salmon, tuna, and eggs. Fruits and vegetables such as apples, bananas, berries, carrots , peas, and pumpkins are also permitted. Additionally, you can feed your GSD additional foods such as rice and noodles, yogurt, and cheese. This procedure should take two to four weeks to finish. Supplements should be avoided since they may add too many nutrients to the diet that are already there. If you wish to provide a treat, eggs, cooked vegetables, or yogurt are excellent additives for improved digestion or flavor variation. Although it is natural for young German shepherd pups to be hungry, persistent hunger should be a matter of concern. Worms can make your dog be ever hungry. Carol is a paw parent, and her love for dogs started when she was just 5. She adores her two German Shepherds and a Bengal cat, who she says, "life would be incomplete without" Recent Posts. When should I change my German Shepherd puppy to adult food? Discover the online program that more than 57, dog owners have used to rapidly transform their dog into a well-behaved, obedient furry friend. This is a very controversial topic. I'll bet if you asked 10 dog owners this question you'd get 10 different answers. Growing puppies should only be fed a high quality puppy diet which you need to continue feeding until your dog reaches 80 to 90 percent of his anticipated adult weight. For many German Shepherd puppies, this occurs usually around 8 to 9 months of age. Keep in mind that individual German Shepherd puppies growth rates will vary greatly from dog to dog. If your puppy is growing exceptionally quickly, you might want to ask your vet about switching your GSD puppy to adult food even sooner. And how will you know if your puppy is growing faster than most, you may ask? Well, for one thing I would check with your own GSD breeder. And if you didn't get your German Shepherd puppy from a breeder, for example, if you got your puppy from a rescue organization or from a shelter or maybe some other source I would then suggest speaking with your veterinarian about your pups growth rate and when the change in diet should occur. You may wonder why you don't just start feeding your puppy adult food in just one meal or so. That's just asking for trouble. There's a really good reason for this slow transition from one type of dog food to another - to avoid upsetting your dog's intestinal tract or causing diarrhea. If you were to just drastically switch from one food to another without this transition period you will have runny poops and just overall messy poops and a puppy with an upset stomach. And this can be easily avoided by following the transition as suggested above. And for adult GSD's, I always suggest feeding a good quality dry food only. You don't need to supplement a good quality dry dog food with any type of canned food. A good dry food is an excellent choice for a growing German Shepherd in many respects and it is very beneficial to their teeth as canned foods can cause many problems with tooth decay. What puts man in a higher state of evolution is that he has got his laugh on the right end. Growth and weight The German Shepherd puppy is a popular addition to many households. Sometimes called the Alsatian puppy, the German Shepherd was initially developed for herding and now commonly used as a working dog or pet. This is your guide to providing all the nutrients your new puppy needs. When Your Puppy Comes Home Although they look pretty sturdy at eight weeks old, German Shepherd puppies are vulnerable to tummy upsets when they arrive at a new home. To help them settle in stick with the food their breeder was giving them for the first two weeks minimum. You can then gradually swap over by increasing proportions over the course of a couple of days. However, if they are doing well on their original food, considering sticking with it for longer. To begin with follow the guidelines provided by the breeder, the feed manufacturer or by your veterinarian. This will vary depending on how calorie dense the food is and how it is formulated. Your puppy should be fed four times a day up to the age of four months. After this age, two larger meals at regular times will be sufficient. However, the more often you feed your pup the stronger your bond will grow. Simple sits and recalls, puppy tricks, they all make a big difference to how your dog behaves towards you and feels about you as they grow. What to Feed A German Shepherd Puppy You will find there are a lot of different opinions about what kind of food is best. Kibble and wet food are the most popular, but you do also have the option of raw or homemade meals. Puppy Kibble Great quality, high meat content kibble is my go-to for feeding larger puppy breeds. At the beginning of the day I measure out their daily food amount, then separate it into little pots. Some as meals, and the remainder to use throughout the day to reward good behavior or get off on the right foot with positive reinforcement. The FDA recently issued a notice alerting dog owners to a potential increased risk of a serious heart condition. This is called canine dilated cardiomyopathy DCM. The risk is in dogs eating foods that include peas, lentils, or potatoes instead of grains. The underlying cause of these cases is not clear, but the FDA note suggests that caution should be used in selecting foods with these ingredients for German Shepherds and other large dogs. Canned Dog Food For picky eaters canned food can be more appealing. It smells stronger, and debatably tastes nicer. These diets do not include cooked or otherwise processed foods. However, it may be more difficult to regulate a BARF diet to ensure a slow and steady growth rate in young puppies. If you find this option intriguing, you can check out our article on feeding your dog a raw diet. Homemade Diets Research has shown that in the past, poorly balanced homemade diets have been harmful to German Shepherd puppies. There is now abundant information available to anyone who is willing and able to produce a safe and balanced diet. However, modern cases studies have shown that well-meaning owners may still over-feed or create an unbalanced diet. So, this is an area where you really can have too much of a good thing. As with commercial foods, homemade diets must be properly formulated for a large breed dog. Do not deviate from recommended recipes as provided by a veterinarian. If possible, preferably a vet with a board certification in veterinary nutrition. Recipes published in popular magazine and websites may not be nutritionally complete or suitable for a large breed puppy. Is My Puppy the Right Weight? You can also refer to German Shepherd puppy growth charts to see if you puppy is gaining weight and within the normal range. However, keep in mind that some dogs will be unusually small or large but still be perfectly healthy. Do not try to maximize growth rates as this can lead to health problems later. Ensure that you are familiar with how to assess the body condition of your puppy. The ribs and spine should be easy to feel but not simple to see. My Puppy Is Still Hungry If your puppy seems excessively hungry provide more frequent but smaller meals. Young puppies cannot tolerate going without food for extended periods. With older puppies you may wish to experiment with foods that help them feel more full, and provide low calories treats. Keeping a health puppy active and occupied will help prevent them from becoming overly focused on anticipating their next meal. According to Total German Shepherd , all feeding changes should be made gradually to ensure the best possible results. The food recommended by the breeder or rescue organization should be used for the first few weeks to avoid digestive disruption, and kibble should be mixed with a little water. Clean water should be available to your puppy all day but taken up at night. Puppies between eight and 12 weeks old do best with being fed three or four times daily. After 12 weeks, feeding your puppy twice a day is fine. Any changes to the amount of food a puppy eats should be done gradually. Puppies will experience their most significant growth rates between three and six months old. In most cases, this will be around a year old, although larger males might take longer to reach this size. The Happy Puppy Site states that a lot of problems German Shepherds can encounter are due to bone growth that occurs too rapidly. These issues include hip dysplasia. Choosing the right food and feeding the right amount both play a leading role in making sure your puppy grows at an acceptable rate. A raw diet might prove beneficial once your dog has reached adult size. One of the possible benefits is reducing the possibility of hip dysplasia. When your puppy has a growth rate that follows a proper pace, the dog will reach the appropriate proportions when they are supposed to. Even though all dogs run the risk of injury, a puppy that grows at the appropriate rate has healthier bones. Puppy food for large breeds with a high protein level is best for German Shepherd puppies. Whenever possible, it is always a good idea to continue the same brand and essential formulation, but to switch to the adult version when appropriate. You will not only avoid any issues with finicky behavior but will also help ensure that your puppy continues to meet its essential nutritional needs. The outcome of taking these steps will be better overall health for your dog. Then, you will replace half the food for two days and three-quarters for two days, ultimately making the switch totally to the new food. This process should take two to four weeks. This video helps put the process of switching your dog over to another food into perspective. This relatively simple step is an essential way of making sure that your dog is nourished. Avoid adding supplements, because they may add too many nutrients that are already present in the food. Eggs, cooked vegetables, or yogurt make suitable additives for better digestion or flavor variety if you want to provide a treat. Amanda J. These guidelines may vary depending on the brand and formulation. Make sure your dog keeps a healthy weight. The spine, ribs, and pelvic bones should be easy to lightly feel. All GSDs should have a visible waistline. If the food your puppy is eating seems to be leaving them unsatisfied or they do not appear to be gaining healthy weight levels, you may need to consider following up with your veterinarian. Medium-length beef marrow bones can be a tasty treat in addition to their food, especially if stuffed with pumpkin without any spices or peanut butter. However, avoid pork or poultry bones, because these can splinter very easily. Gravy should never be given as a treat because of its potential to cause diarrhea. Another concern is that gravy might contain spices possibly toxic to dogs. Avoid feeding table scraps for the same reason. There are concerns about some kibble-based dog foods that owners should be aware of, according to Anna Burke. These foods include grain-free varieties high in potato and legume content like lentils or peas. Such ingredients increase the risk of canine dilated cardiomyopathy. Large dogs like Shepherds may be somewhat more prone to this condition. If you want to consider this diet, wait until your dog has achieved adult size. Avoid homemade diets, as these are mostly deficient in crucial nutrients that growing puppies require. Melissa Smith notes that timing is everything when it comes to switching from puppy to adult food, and your vet will play a leading role. One of the reasons why timing is so important is because the calorie content of puppy food is so high. This can make the young adult dog gain weight too quickly, in the wrong places, particularly the belly area, where fat can be dangerous. A growth spurt after a year is possible in German Shepherds, particularly males, and your vet may have a good idea of when the growth will finish. However, what about Shepherds that are not purebred? This question is very reasonable, as it is a little more difficult to guess when a mixed-breed is done growing. Compare your measurements to popular GSD growth charts for reference. Consider making sure your vet is on-board as you make the transition from puppy food to adult. Your vet will be able to spot any nutritional deficits that require addressing. Another advantage is being able to ensure the dog has proper bone growth. If your German Shepherd has needs that require a special diet, your vet will be able to provide valuable guidance about the appropriate timing. Even though you might find it challenging to think about obesity when your dog is transitioning out of puppyhood, this stage is not too early by any means. Early prevention is key to stopping many conditions besides hip dysplasia. Both obesity and being underweight can come with their share of problems for your growing dog. Obesity, when unchecked, can not only lead to bone and joint issues but can also lead to heart disease and diabetes. If your dog is underweight, Amber King recommends a high-protein diet with a moderate amount of fat. Follow up with your vet to help uncover the cause of the low body weight. Another possible health issue of concern, according to Dr. OCD is a condition that involves abnormal cartilage growth at the end of a joint. Wobbler syndrome is another condition that may have its origins in overly rapid growth. This disorder is a neurological condition that affects the spinal cord in the neck area, often leading to difficulties with walking. When you have a growing German Shepherd, the right nutrition makes all the difference in their growth and development. Even though it may feel as though the amount of information on nutrition is overwhelming, it is essential. Making the right choices early on will mean greater health and happiness for your dog. A dog that grows at a reasonable, healthy rate will do much better in life. Recommended reading:.