I have two beautiful German Shepherds, both 12 years old now, which I brush daily. I enjoy the brushing and love my dogs.

A friend of mine wants to buy a Shepherd and shave him to control shedding. I am really upset with her. Told her that she should not buy a Shepherd if she is going to shave him and that she should consider another breed. She insists that shaving is not only OK but recommended by Vets.

Am I wrong or is she?

You are absolutely right.

Long haired, double coated dogs do not need to be shaved…..ever. Unless the dog has passed the point of no return in the matting department, the best type of grooming for these dogs is a vigorous undercoat raking with a special tool that helps remove the undercoat, a bath, and a blow dry to help separate the hair.

The guard hairs on the top that do not shed out provide protection against the rays of the sun, and actually insulate the dog from the heat. Dogs left with just the undercoat WILL shed. It may shed shorter hair, but it will still shed.

Sometimes the hair will NOT grow back. The older the dog, the less likely the guard hairs will regrow. The undercoat will regrow, but the upper hair sometimes does not.

Skin that is damaged by UV rays that they would not otherwise be exposed to, can take a long time to heal, and the dog may have scaling and dandruff for quite some time after the hair has regrown.

Unless she wants to shave the dog for medical reasons she should consider another breed. GSDs shed. That's something that needs to be considered and accepted. In my opinion the cons far outnumber the pros.

around how many months will my german shepherd start to urintae with his leg up… his currently 9 weeks old.

I'm not sure exactly how long it takes. I know every dog is different but it will happen. I use to wonder the same thing. Its like a proud papa waiting for there son to show his man hood. Dont worry it happen. Then you have to deal with him tagging everything in the house.

I have a german shepherd who has just turned 6 months and I would like to train him as a protection dog. I live in London, England so if you know of anywhere or anyone who trains dog in protection I would be very grateful.

hahaha, protection dog are you going to be a drug dealer when your older that you need a protection dog,,

if you gsd loves you and you get into trouble when your walking him, he will protect you even without going into this silly protection classes, (never heard of them before)

but if your going to use the dog for protecting a premises you will need a special license and proper training

In the neighborhood i live in there is always a possibility of people trying to enter my home. I have a one year 9 month old German Shepherd and want him to be more aggressive towards strangers.What do i do?

the only german shepard that should be people aggressive is a police dog trained by a Professional to stop criminals in there tracks

I've been wanting another dog for quite a while, and I was wondering how much a respectable, decently-bred German Shepherd puppy would cost. If anyone knows some good breeders, that would also be much appreciated!

Oh, and to keep people from yelling at me… Yes, I KNOW that you can find wonderful dogs at shelters. I am simply inquiring into different areas, but keeping my options open.
Oh, and any breeders would have to be reasonably close to Atlanta, GA.

we got a german shepherd last month and she costed 1,200$, purebred from a breeder

My new german shepherd i got about 2 weeks ago has just turned 6 months old. He is of good breed his father is a k9 unit from czlevakia (please ascuse spelling) and he started out as the confident, curious and protective GSD people look for. But recenlty he has been wary of strangers and after i greet them backs away when they attempt to pet him and wont come when they stand next to me.

Is there any socializing techniques to solve this problem? or is it too late?

4-6 months is when the happy-go-lucky stage gives way to adolescence, when a pup may begin to view the world with more suspicion . Things as simple as a trash bin on the street, which may have had no effect before, are suddenly cause for suspicion and careful approach. This can be the make-or-break period for some dogs with an 'edge', to see which way the temperament will go.

Contrary to other remarks here, it's genetic & has nothing to do with prior socialization/rearing mistakes (neglect/abuse aside). Particularly with working lines (and Czech dogs are well known for being 'civil' or 'sharp'), you're dealing with a higher level of genetic suspicion and aggression than most show or 'pet' lines. Both are desired traits in working dogs, . HOWEVER they must be accompanied by strong , stable nerves/social confidence. Without it, suspicion and aggression become a liability rather than an asset.

This is the dilemma when breeding dogs for protection work, as even the most solid, accomplished dogs can produce offspring that 'fall short'. Pups that fall short in suspicion/ aggression can still make excellent, social companion/pet dogs. Those that fall short in nerve strength/confidence rarely do.

Yes, you can absolutely attempt more socialization at this time. Letting them have 'success' with that bad old trash bin, to continue acclimating to environmental stimuli, strangers, dogs, etc, is still quite achievable. But it must be done from a 'neutral' perspective. Meaning, you should ask strangers to act as if your pup isn't even there, totally ignoring him until HE initiates contact. It's just as important to practice good obedience and read his cues in every situation. Never push a dog through an uncomfortable situation, it only makes him more fearful.

Realize that dogs such as this have limitations and shouldn't be expected to be super stranger friendly/social. But many of them can be neutral and obedient.

It would be wise to have your breeder or a local trainer/schutzhund club help you assess his temperament and bring him along. If he started out as confident & curious, he should have enough balance to work with. A responsible breeder will not want you to keep a dog that may be truly unstable/dangerous, and will offer you a replacement.
I wish you the best of luck with your pup!

We are hoping to get a male German Shepherd pup. Personally, I would love to adopt, but my mom is insisting on getting a full blooded German Shepherd from a breeder.

Nice to see someone with so much fore thought before getting a dog :D. I have a blog that will guide you through getting a pup and its first nights and training. See http://www.teachingpuppies.com/

You need to make sure that you are aware of financial costs and know how to spot a good breeder these will help.

To see if you are ready for a dog and general info
http://www.teachingpuppies.com/am-i-ready-for-a-new-puppy

Picking a pup out of a litter and breeder tips
http://www.teachingpuppies.com/picking-the-perfect-puppy

Bringing him/her home (getting your house ready)
http://www.teachingpuppies.com/bringing-your-new-puppy-home

To avoid the crying at night
http://www.teachingpuppies.com/my-puppies-first-night

The ever important housetraining!
http://www.teachingpuppies.com/8-easy-steps-to-housetrain-your-puppy

In order to introduce your animals to each other you must put in a little forward planning, but its okay you have already done it just start again. This guide is a step by step easy to follow write up so make sure you know what you are doing before beginning.
Try http://www.teachingpuppies.com/how-to-introduce-a-new-puppy-to-your-other-pets
You should also teach your puppy the ‘leave it’ command this is not only for objects but also helps them control their bite inhibition (become more aware of how people and other animals like to be interacted with). This will show you how (its really easy) http://www.teachingpuppies.com/how-to-teach-my-puppy-to-leave-it

Adopting A German Shepherd Dog? Master dog trainer Adam G. Katz tells you some things about the german shepherd breed, that you may not know.
http://www.dogproblems.com

Duration : 2 min 22 sec

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Tags: German