Hey everyone!

Just wanted to see if anyone on Reddit has taken their GSD to get a gastroplexy and if so how was the healing process? Was it easy for you to keep your GSD from jumping on furniture, what was recovery like? The whole 9! My buddy is 3 and has to have a surgery to remove a testicle that never dropped that’s kinda high up in there and his vet recommended the gastroplexy at the same time to kill two birds with one stone.

Having a GSD I knew bloat was an issue and it honestly scares me to death so Im dead set on him getting it I just would like some more info and everyone’s experience with it!

TIA 🙂

I brush my dog two to three times a day and still lots of fur! What tools do you use and have you ever used a vacuum handheld on your dog? Not sure he would tolerate...but he loves grooming!

For those of you with 2 dogs, When there is an infraction that has occurred and you start to state your case out loud. Do the dogs both look guilty or does one actually?

Have body language that says I did it. From that can you tell who did the crime? One of my shepherds actually tells on himself by bringing me the evidence or sitting by it until I acknowledge it.

Hello all! My dog Rex has been entered into a competition for dog of the month for Kuranda dog beds. If he wins then Kuranda will donate a bunch of dog beds to a charity of my choice. My sister in law runs an animal shelter up in McCall ID that we have selected. If you feel so inclined to vote for my dog Rexy I would be grateful so we can get some much needed beds for a great cause! Today is the last day and the race is tight! Thanks!

https://kuranda.app.do/july-dog-of-the-month-contest-3485073

Totally understand if this isnt allowed and has to be taken down. Just hoping for some community love for some votes for the best dog breed!

Looking for some ideas. I recently rescued a now 1.5 y/o GSD mix (+Husky, Samoyed). I’ve had her for about 6 weeks. She’s a love and pretty mellow most of the time. But her guarding instincts are starting to emerge and it’s getting tricky being in an apartment. My neighbor’s door is directly across from mine and she goes bonkers barking when they come and go. On the advice of a trainer, I’ve been rewarding her when she notices them and then checks in with me without barking with some success. But sometimes she hears or senses them too quickly for me to catch before she reacts. I don’t want her to lose her instinct to protect our home but I want her to chill out a bit. Has anyone had success in a similar situation? Does this just take time? She’s well exercised, mentally stimulated, etc.

Tl;dr - Reactivity at front door. Help.

UPDATE!

Hey everyone! i wanted to come on here and thank everyone for all their helpful comments!

after last night we moved and washed his bed and deep clean the areas where he was actively avoiding. And i’m happy to say that he is acting a lot better and moving like his normal self!!
vet confirmed that he has a fully clean bill of health and that it most likely was something bothering him at him at home! He still is a bit more sucky then usual but i’m thinking that this is just him growing up 🤷🏼‍♀️🥺

Hey everyone! my GSD (5M) has been acting really strange lately

we actually brought him to the vet today because his behaviour was so irregular!! but vet said he is one of the most healthy shepherds she’s seen. vet said there is no physical issues and sent us home

he was fine while we were out but the second we got home the odd behaviour started right up again and had progressed more

as for the weird behaviour
- he is acting very sluggish and not interested in toys and balls (which is crazy because he is very toy driven)
- he will not go on his bed at all in the dining room and kitchen

- he refused to eat out of his slow feeder ball , we had to put his food in a normal bowl ( which again is crazy because he is very food driven)

- his ears are constantly down and tail was tucked

and he won’t make any sounds and is acting very sad and guilty like

but as soon as we leave the house it’s like all these things disappear we are quite worried about what could be causing this!!

My mom, dad and sister had left for the weekend and he usually gets a little sulky because he misses my mom but she’s been home for 3 days now so that can’t be it

the only thing i can think is that maybe he is smelling something in the kitchen and front entrance??? we had two plants that had done moldy but the one was removed a few days before this started and i’ve just found a second on that has mold aswell. i’m not sure if that could be a cause?

my dad also had to spray for ants in our living room but that’s not close to the kitchen/dinning room
and it’s not near his bed which he is REFUSING to go on

Does anyone have any thoughts or advice?
he has a previously scheduled doctors appt on thursday so we are going to keep monitoring the behaviour and bring it up to vet again come thursday he

Hi Gang, need some recommendations for our new rescue dog. He is a young (1 yr old) German shepherd/ Pittie mix with lots of energy. He is also very intelligent. I have another dog and Im not a new dog-owner, but this guy has lots more energy than other dogs Ive owned.

What routines help other busy people? I have two older children that can help but I need a plan.

Thanks!

Something that flipped my assumption recently: for large breed puppies, it's not just about getting enough calcium. Too much can cause just as many problems as too little. Phosphorus and vitamin D work the same way.

Which makes the "just add a supplement" logic seem pretty shaky. A complete and balanced diet already accounts for these ratios and adding on top throws the whole thing off.

I work at The Farmer's Dog and this comes up a lot. With a complete and balanced diet the ratios are already worked out. You're not guessing or stacking supplements on top of something that was already calibrated.

The timeline makes it even more important. Giant breeds like Great Danes can still be growing at two years old. That's a long window to get wrong.

Most of what I see in puppy communities skews toward small breeds or generic advice that doesn't apply when your dog is going to weigh 120 pounds. Anyone with a giant breed puppy find the nutrition guidance actually useful, or is it mostly one-size-fits-all?

I have seen my gsd matching my energy whenever i feel good and excited.....also once i cried in front of him and he started licking my face i dont know if he was trying to console me or was just licking my tears off my face.....so recently too i was crying and he laid on me for sometime i dont know if he wanted to climb on the bed or he just knew i was sad....have you ever experienced this kind of thing while you were crying? Did your dog ever try consoling you?

Hi Gang, need some recommendations for our new rescue dog. He is a young (1 yr old) German shepherd/ Pittie mix with lots of energy. He is also very intelligent. I have another dog and Im not a new dog-owner, but this guy has lots more energy than other dogs Ive owned.

What routines help other busy people? I have two older children that can help but I need a plan.

Thanks!

Hey all, I am finally going to be getting my GSD in the next two weeks. I am so excited. The final thing I’ve been trying to sort out is insurance, it’s changed a bit since I had my last dog, and it’s pretty overwhelming now with all the choice and options.

What insurance providers do UK GSD owners use? And what options have you found to be the best in terms of lifetime coverage and excess payments.

Has anyone been through this disease with their gsd? Weve just come home from the vet after our boy has been limping for 2 days, worse today. Weve been told OCD is a possibility, and we're organising xrays to find out.

Im very stressed about my poor guy, annd hes only so young, so wondering if anyone has had any experience with this?

My 1 yr old adult GSD used to be hungry for his food, I mean devour it. When he was around 7 months I started feeding him raw which he loves but now he wont go back to kibble. The thing is, I left for a few weeks a few months ago and he will eat kibble with the sitter, I assume he associates me with raw and the sitter with kibble, but now I cant get him to eat kibble AT ALL. He was slightly underweight but not alarming, the raw diet has helped him gain some kilos but the not eating Kibble makes it difficult.

I tried the 20-min rule but he doesn't care, and I've read that GSDs can starve themselves up to stomach ulcers just by not eating what they want. I've tried toppers: he loved egg, yogurt, bone broth. He won't budge. I love feeding him raw but I can't prepare it every meal, he also is so picky that he wont eat veggies or fruits, not even in powder supplement form.

Im at my wits end. Im trying to look for a behaviourist but we are in the middle of moving so Im looking for anything that can help.

Hello, my family will be adopting a 8 week old German Sheppard Rottweiler mix. We have previously owned a rescue dog who we thought was a husky mix (but it was impossible to know what she was mixed with). Whose only behavioural problem was sometimes being stubborn with family members that weren’t my dad. (Leash pulling, refusing to move)

We are ready to adopt a German Sheppard/rottweiler mix and are prepared to train it and socialize it well. We are of course aware that this breed has the potential to be dangerous when no trained correctly.

Since this mix is not common, I was hoping for some advice! Especially if anyone has owned one before :)

Thank you

Hello, I’m relatively new here. I ended up taking in my neighbor’s German shepherd when she had a mental break.

That mental break has turned into a severe drug/homelessness problem, and it’s become clear she isn’t going to have a safe home for a long time.

I probably should have put Shadow down a while ago, but had hoped her person would come back to usher her through.

The appointment will be in our home Monday.

Any suggestions for the ultimate last meal? Foods they love but usually can’t have or just foods they love? She cannot get in a car, but I have a lake close by I could get her to- wondering if she’d like to swim or other activities she can enjoy with back hip issues.

We just lost one of our dogs a Collie mix this weekend. Our old dog the GSD is 14 or 15 years old this year

He has bad rear knee and back arthritis. He is starting to lose his rear legs. I do not think his front legs are strong enough to support him. He is 97lbs and it would not be possible to help him romp around he is already losing control of his bowels inside.

He is still able to go on some walks but is getting weaker. I think his younger sibling energized him a lot. They were not besties but she was a very active 11 year old lady.

He just seems unmotivated last few days. Has anyone been able to manage a little mobility with a harness? He has one we use to get him in the car. I just don’t know what it would look like going in and out all day. I am so torn and just want him to have the best quality of life.

So very upsetting- our 10 week old GSD ate mulch and later was straining to poop. The mulch was sticking out of her rectum so we held her and pulled it out with a tweezer. Now I am learning that this wasn’t the best choice because of splintering and such- but what is done is done. Since then, she has been playful and happy and sleepy (her usual 15 hours of sleep a day). She has not pooped yet, but has had 1 cup of food since- I’m a nervous wreck waiting for her to go. Is there anything you can share with me to calm my nerves? I feel horrible!

https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/member.asp?name=ambach

(above is link to breeder)

Hey guys, now I’m 99% convinced this breeder is ethical, and that the GSDs they breed are what I’m after.. but i know it’s always great to have a second opinion!

We’re planning on getting a GSD throughout the next couple years, so we’re starting research on breeders now and happy to wait an extra several months if it means getting a dog from a certain litter.

Both my parents have grown up with GSDs and are set on them as they love their temperament, and I’ve raised/owned many high maintenance animals like parrots (who are rather demanding in terms of training complex behaviours, enrichment and stimulation for their minds)

We’re after a working line GSD, one that we can put into some sports that they enjoy (thinking obedience, agility, dock-diving, whatever they take a liking to) and we’ll also be putting them in a program that allows city dogs to learn to herd sheep (once they’re a bit older of course). One of my parents works full time and the other works 2 weeks home 2 weeks out rural and I’m on an alternative/flexible schooling schedule, so the dog won’t necessarily be home alone during work hours. We have a decent size yard (not sure how big, but its a typical size yard) secure fencing, and also a very big house that we are happy to donate a room or two to the dog with things for enrichment and to keep them happy (as german shepherds need a lot of mental stimulation!)

Our schedules allows us to walk them up to 4 hours on the weekdays, and as much as needed on weekends.

our main “goal” is to be able to create a fit and happy dog that does rather well at sports and training.

We’ll be working with trainers since day one essentially to create a happy and healthy dog!

we’re really quite set on a GSD, but let me know if you think this isn’t a good idea, otherwise please tell me if you all reckon this breeder is a good match!

This is my black German shepherd. He has some white on his toes. Will it stay that way. Does anyone else have a black German shepherd with white toes?

Update: Thanks everyone for the comments. I really wanted an all black pup and since it can go either way I decided why not have two German shepherds lol. I absouletly love them BOTH! And they are perfect together. I would post pictures in the comments but I don’t know how 🤷‍♀️

Hello,

I lost a picture I would like to recover. It shows a GLAWEL dog crate inside an Audi/BMW for one dog and the k9 team. Not a bus, not a double crate for two dogs ....

Any idea where to find this picture again?

My little lady just turned 6 years old and is showing signs of either hip stiffness or possibly arthritis. We were told she does not have hip dysplasia but will look into getting a second opinion just in case.

I give her a can of sardines (in oil) every night so she gets healthy omega-3s in hopes that will help. We do have a large fenced in yard and she plays with our other pup often (He is a 6yo Shepsky). We try to do 20-30 minute walks every night but have two babies under two so that doesn’t always work.

What else can I do to ensure she has healthy hips for many years to come? More consistent exercise? Any foods or supplements that are proven to work? Any tips are greatly appreciated.

Hi!
I’m planning on getting a german shepherd in the future for when i get my health together. this is going to be my first ever dog but i have experience with several dog breeds since im a dog trainer and i’ve worked at shelters, doggy day care and groomers. i’m going to be training my dog and doing stuff like bite work, nose work and maybe some agility, i’m not going to have my dog in a crate (it’s illegal in my country) and before i even get a dog i will be making a training plan for what i want to train my dog in.
so for years now i’ve been wanting a german shepherd and i feel like my life is heading in the right direction for me to get a dog and i know most things about what this particular dog breed needs but i would appreciate getting insight from german shepherd owners so i have a few questions
i will be of course getting a healthy dog i don’t care about the look of the dog only the health and mentally!

1. should i get a male or female dog
2. bite work how dose it work and how to start
3. long haired or short haired what is best for a beginner
4. best types of toys to get?
5. i’ve thought about muzzle training early on if it’s needed in the future
6. thanks in advance for your answers!

Hey guys. This is Narla and she's going through a phantom pregnancy. As you can see by the first picture she has gotten really skinny compared with pictures 4 and 5. This was her yesterday after doing a quater of a lap of the field. Just compketely flaked out. All of her toys and teddies have had to be hidden from her because she thinks they're her puppies and she isn't eating. She was hand fed some scrambled eggs and took a treat or two, but never touched the expensive dog food she loves that was bought for her to see if it would get her eating again. I'm wondering what other problems can happen with phantom pregnancies in GSD's. I know that if she is soayed during one she can get stuck in it and be forever sad and confused and stop eating, and she has been given pills to help her somehow, but i want to know if anyone has experienced this and knows what the best way to help her is? My heart is breaking for her. She's a baby herself, not even 1 year old. She doesn't understand why we are taking her "babies" away from her and she just wants to sniff them back out. She's also sad because we can't rub her tummy anymore because it will stimulate her milk. It could have been worse, like she could have had cancer (she has some lumps that turned out to be ingrown hairs, but she still has to go back if they don't go away so she can get scand and stuff) but it's just heartbreaking to watch. I feel horrible for her.

Hi everyone. I have a 12 year old senior shepherd (the love of my life!). Recently, she’s started having accidents in the house. I took her to the vet for it about a month ago, and even though they did not see any bacteria or white blood cells on her urinalysis they treated her for a UTI. This led to fecal incontinence that eventually cleared up with extra medication and the accidents in the house stopped for about a month. Now, they’ve started back up again (minus fecal incontinence). Queue a very expensive vet visit later, and x-rays show no signs of stones, urinalysis is still completely clear, and they did not perform blood work because she had just had some in March that was totally clear (this began in April). The doctor sent her home with some incontinence meds which she’s been on for about 5 days now, and we thought maybe we were in the clear, but she’s just had another accident. Any ideas of what could be going on?
Important to note: I was not sold on the idea that it was urinary incontinence because she is aware of the fact that she is peeing. She’s not waking up wet, and there are no wet spots when she gets up from the couch/floor. She does appear to be drinking/peeing more but they don’t believe it to be related to diabetes since her previous blood work did not have any indicators for that.
I’m at a loss and hopefully want some ideas to bring up to the vet at her next appointment. Thank you in advance.

By “crap” I mean literally crap and non-food items. My 7mo floof is pretty good and trains well, however, she is still a puppy. It’s really only soft fabric items. I’m very glad she doesn’t eat or mess with furniture, but I am distressed over her getting a blockage. I didn’t notice she ate a sock the first time until she passed it and tried to eat it again… she would nab my microfiber towels off the counter so I gave her one to shred. She never tried to swallow it, got over that and doesn’t care for hanging dish towels, but SOCKS and clean undies are an issue. She’s passed three socks and a pair of undies. Again, I didn’t notice, she didn’t make a sound, tummy was soft, still peed and pooped normally and handled it like a tank.

She has a variety of toys and it’s getting better but I pulled my toddlers socks out of her throat today. Socks are not allowed in common areas and she is not allowed in our carpeted bedrooms yet. I do my best in monitoring and missed my daughter taking her socks off for <5min.
She also eats her poop. It’s only when she has an accident inside and not outside so I’m thinking she’s “cleaning”?? She eats Blue Buffalo puppy kibble with occasional add-ins like berries, spinach etc so I don’t think it’s diet related.

Do they age out of this?