Hey there buddies. This post is from a German Shepherd lover and I can write like a million things about them. If you're interested in my pet's name, it's Harry and he's a five and a half year old smarty. Just so you now, he is there in the lead image. Fascinated by my pet's awesomeness and generally, sheer smartness and sturdiness of this breed, I am gonna share with you my experiences in parenting so far and also, what GSDs(German Shepherd Dogs) like the most and also a few tips regarding their upbringing.
I got him when he was just 3 months old. He was big enough in comparison of dogs we generally see in this age group but it took him seven days to open up in his new family. It was when a passerby stopped at my gate that he barked for the first time and of course it was his first cry for me. After meeting him, I had to train him on a lot of things and rules to live in a family but thanks to this breed's amazing intelligence, it was a piece of cake. First thing which was very annoying was his peeing and pooping anywhere inside the house, then choosing his eating bowl, knowing his food preferences(they may differ from dog to dog and family practices), agreeing upon his walking schedule, fixing his permanent territory in the house and many other things.
First things first and this is not for GSDs but any dog, if you wanna tame one, be ready to be a responsible parent as it's seriously gonna be a hard task if you aren't passionate enough or are immature. You have to take care of puppy like a baby and of course, you will be treated as parent only. This is my personal experience, as in my family, if my dog needs something or someone scolds him or he wanna play or anything, he always comes by side and mostly, he lies by my side. Though they can't speak our language but they convey everything very amazingly, it's just, you need to be right amount of responsible and connected to communicate perfectly with them.
As harry grew up, he learnt habits like he started warning when he needed to excrete, he appears outside kitchen on his food timings, loves sleeping on floor instead of cushions or mats(loves cold environment), a fan of non-vegetarian food and he found his own spots to sit inside house. He goes out three times a day and is super excited whenever its time. You need to select a deep and wide bowl for your GSD as they have teeth which are suitable for meat only and while feeding them other edibles, they need a big bowl as they spill food unsuitable for their teeth and also, deep bowl will help them have food comfortably as per their mouth length.
Play with them daily whenever you are with them and make your dog learn fetch, mine really enjoys it but he is only semi trained for it. After some throws, he never returns stick back. I feed my dog with non-vegetarian food and since I am from India, my general cuisine includes rice and I feed him with rice and curry also(vegetarian diet). He doesn't like oily foods, occasionally eats fruits(orange mostly) and I treat him with chocolates sometimes as he loves them. It's been a really sweet and lovely time so far and everyday, we get connected a bit more than past day. I adopt total ahimsa(non-violence) while training him, I mean I scold him on mistakes but never hit him and you should too.
Some GSD stuff:-
They have a really thick tail and they really know how to wag it to show their excitement. Sometimes, my dog unknowingly beats door so badly with tail, it feels like drum beats.
They love making sounds. Shrill voices when they need something or need attention and being guard dogs they won't disappoint you, dragging you fiercely on streets towards other dogs and barking like anything but it depends on their training.
Super cute head tilt whenever they find something confusing or are curious about.
Their ears are their identity and they use them pretty amazingly to add to their charm and also, they rotate them as per the noise feedback from surroundings.
If you let them join you on your couch or bed, they will really do insane activities till they feel bored or distracted.
They love playing. They are very energetic dogs and they really can play whole day if you are ready. This behavior goes on onset of later years of their life(after half their age mostly).
I really can write a million things but I don't wanna flood your minds with small details and obvious things.
Their favorites:-
They love being rubbed near ears. Avoid poking in their ears as they are very sensitive and your dog really gets angry if you go in their harshly.
They love belly rubs.
As for their energetic nature, they love being engaged in activities.
If there are any open areas around you and your dog is not a hazard for others(unlike mine), sure thing, take them there and let them be themselves. You will be overwhelmed with their enthusiasm and energy.
Every dog loves treats. Treat them with their favorite food and take care of their health, don't spoil them.
Long walks are also lovely to keep them fit and if your GSD is young, if will be preferred for sure.
Some tips:-
They feel comfortable in cold temperature but they feel uncomfortable once it goes above above normal room temperature and after 30 degrees it becomes really hard for them to keep their tongue inside their mouth. So, do arrangements as per your budget like cold water in summers, some may like ice and airy spaces for them.
Take care of their coat. Their shiny coat easily catches a lots of dust so you may dry brush it or make them take a bath.
Vaccination must be done on regular intervals for the sake of dog as well as others.
There are tablets for intestinal worms which can be given once in three months after consultation with doctor.
Don't put them in compact spaces, if they grow up to their size, it becomes really hard for them.
You can always take care of your dog following best strategy for you as per your financial condition as well as time availability.
Just a advice, don't tame them if you are not ready for it. You are only making their life bad if you can't spend a part of your time on them.
At the end, lots of love for you guys and dogs of course. If you guys wanna ask anything about GSDs or general dog parenting, you can comment and we can discuss based on our experiences.
Yes dear nice information about this dog and breed.i like the dogs.