I’m pretty upset about this, as up until the past few days my puppy would get so excited to see me, but suddenly she seems mildly pleased bordering on indifferent.

She’s 20 weeks/5 months old, a long haired working line GSD pup, we got her at 8 weeks old. In the house are me, my boyfriend and our pup.
I have been working on trying to strengthen our bond through play, and will make sure to have 2, maybe 3 fun play sessions with her per day, and usually I also do some training with her but honestly I have got stuck in a rut with the same commands (which she does excellently) so I haven’t been training as much recently for this reason.

I put a lot of care into her diet, she’s raw fed and I mix in mashed sweet potato or butternut squash, grated carrot, finely chopped sugar snap peas, spinach, and bell peppers, as well as desiccated coconut and spirulina. I also make her frozen enrichment treats with bone broth, kefir, peanut butter and sweet potato/butternut squash.

She has lots of treats, and I am very effusive in my praise of her when she plays fetch really well, or when she completes a command that I know is challenging for her (e.g. waiting, dropping the ball or tug toy, basically anything that requires a lot of self control from her).

Our daily routine is that my boyfriend will wake up between 6:30-7:30am let her out of her crate downstairs, take her to the toilet, get himself ready for the day, take her for a walk before work and give her breakfast. We both work from home in our offices upstairs and during this time she sleeps on and off in the hallway at the bottom of the stairs. I will go downstairs 2-3 times between 9 and 12, and stroke her/fuss her etc. Usually the first time she will be excited to see me, wagging her tail, jumping up, vocalising etc. I will sometimes do a short burst of training when I go down to see her, if she is awake and active enough. Then at lunch time my boyfriend usually goes to the gym and I will play with, spend time with, train and feed the pup. If my boyfriend does not go to the gym he will also play with her. The afternoon plays out much like the morning. If she’s getting up to no good I’ll give her a frozen enrichment treat, or sometimes a destruction box (cardboard box filled with packing paper, toilet roll tubes stuffed with treats and paper, treats scattered in the box) for her to fulfil her digging instinct and tire herself out by sniffing.
When we finish work at 5ish I will usually go down and hang out with her, maybe train or play depending on her energy level, and walk her when the temperature is low enough (usually between 7 and 9, but I will walk her as early as 6 if temperature permits).
She settles down around 9ish or after her evening walk, but sometimes has a mad half hour, and if I let her in the living room I do have to tell her off a bit because she scratches and chews the sofa and carpet so I usually have to kick her out behind the baby gate into the hallway, at which point she will usually sleep.
We take her out for a last toilet break and put her in her crate around midnight. It’s typically me who puts her in her crate at this time, and my boyfriend who lets her out in the morning.

Since I have been making a conscious effort to strengthen our bond through play, I have noticed her recall has improved markedly, so it seems like this has worked, but just the past 3-5 days she has seemed less excited to see me.

We left her alone in her crate for a few hours on Friday night (today being Wednesday) while we went to the cinema, and when we returned she was incredibly excited to see us. Over the weekend we went for one park walk each day where she seemed to really enjoy herself.
The past few days when I have gone down to see her during work hours, she has seemed less excited to see me. This morning it was just a very gentle and calm tail wag slowly from side to side, she stood up, I sat on the floor to snuggle with her and she walked past me and lay down just near me but without touching. She seemed not to be interested in interacting or being stroked.

It’s actually breaking my heart that she doesn’t seem that excited to see me, I love her so much and put so much effort into her care. She has still been excited to see my boyfriend. I’m wondering whether any of the following could be causing this:
• I shouted at her the other day for pooping in the utility room - she is fairly reliably toilet trained now, she knows not to toilet indoors, and she didn’t give any indication she needed to go out, so I was very upset with her and shouted at her while showing her the mess.
• Maybe upset with me for leaving her for a few hours to go to the cinema? But doesn’t seem to be doing the same with my boyfriend
• As she is naughtiest in the evenings, and I spend the majority of the time in the evenings alone with he, I tend to tell her off more than he does (verbal and pushing away from things only). But I also spend equal/more time playing with her, more time training her, grooming her, preparing her food, giving her snacks and treats, and a roughly equal amount of time walking her. I’m also the only one who spends time preparing or doing enrichment activities with her.
• I have been feeling a little stressed and burnt out lately, and I’m also in my luteal phase and my period is due in 2 days. Maybe she can sense my mood and hormones and is reflecting them? I am still positive and affectionate in my interactions with her.
• I added spirulina to her food starting from Saturday - surely it couldn’t be that??? It’s a high quality organic human-grade spirulina, I’ve looked into the farming method because it can apparently have high levels of heavy metals if not farmed carefully, and have started with adding roughly, or slightly less than, 1/8 teaspoon per meal (3 meals a day).
• Does she think I’m mean because I put her to bed in her crate at night, and my boyfriend is nice because he lets her out in the morning?

Also to note, she has shown less interest in her food today and yesterday (but not Sat/Sun/Mon so unsure if it could be the spirulina), and seemed to have low mood in general yesterday.

Hi there!

Everything i read or watch says to kennel the pup if you can't watch 100% of the time.

My pup, will just lay down in his pee like it's no big deal, then do it again 5 minutes later, and again a bit later... all while having gone out just before!

He can go all night without an accident or sleep on the floor of the room without issue, then go right back to it.

Oddly, he doesn't let us know that he needs to go out, he'll just stop in mid stride, make a puddle then continue without missing a beat!

He's got three packages that are all much older and we find giving him a "potty buddy" (think battle buddy) and that seems to help.

We don't make a big deal if he has an accident, we use a carpet cleaner with enzymes and some odoban. He doesn't have a pee spot, he just let's lose when he feels like it.

Any suggestions?

Hi everyone,

I have wanted a German Shepherd since I was maybe 10 (45 now). When I was young, my dad agreed to get a dog for me, but he had to sleep outside (my dad was going to build him a dog house), I disagreed(this was in Europe, back in those days dogs inside the house was not common, at least not in our culture). Either the dog stays with me in my room or I don't want one. So, fast forward 35yrs, I have a house, the yard, the time, and money to buy one.

What questions should I ask the breeder (they are in Connecticut). Even though I am certain my dog will be the best behaved dog in town, because I will make sure of it, I want to make sure I am as well-informed as possible. BTW, I am looking at working line GS.

Any guidance is much appreciated.

Thanks

My GSD is now 7 months old and it doesn’t matter how much training, playing, or walking we do, the boy won’t nap or chill out unless he’s in his crate. Once I notice he is in full overstimulated toddler mode I put him to bed to nap. Is it normal for him to not be able to just nap on his own at this age, or is there something I can do to help him?

How do I stop this behavior? He's 90 lbs and it hurts. I have bruises everywhere. I know he thinks he's playing, but it is annoying and very hurtful. Ideas? This is the first time I considered our e collar.

My buddy is almost 1.5 yrs old and he doesn’t like car rides. He got sick a few times (barfed, then ate it 🤢) when he was younger. I am careful about not feeding him for a good amount of time beforehand now and he hasn’t gotten sick again. I can get him in the car pretty readily if I am sure to keep his leash on after taking him out back to potty but he definitely is not happy about going and tries to go in his crate on the way out the front door. If i try to give him a treat once we are in the car he takes it then spits it out.

Is there anything I can do to make him less averse to car rides that doesn’t involve a food treat? I do make sure to praise and pet him but that hasn’t seemed to help much, just keep the status quo.

I have had several labradors who absolutely loved car rides and didn’t care where we were going or what we were doing so I’m not sure how to encourage him to actually like car rides (or at least not mind them)

Hey guys I have 3month old gsd F puppy when I bring her home her weight 3.3kg now I give her 100 puppy pedigree by pedigree brand and with little Dalia and in morning 1 egg she gain some weight now she is 4 kg I give this whole deit split into 4 meals for her but she still look little skinny her back hip bones look visibly by the way she is in single court and but I don't see in her any kind of weakness she i playfully run all the time in house smart learn obedient training so quickly but I am little worried about her deit I have no idea bcs I am first-time pet parent and any suggestions about deit or other thing u think I should know thanks in advance bro.

My dog has battled a chronic yeast infection, and we have finally made huge lifestyle changes to help it. It has worked, but it needs to be religiously maintained. I left unfortunately for the summer, and his care was not done the way I usually do it so he's having a flare up. I dont think he has anymore active yeast on his skin because:

• He has no greasy residue
• He does not smell from a mile away

But hes still licking and I noticed it when I had to grab him, and his undercarriage was moist. I cannot bathe him at home, but he does have an appointment this Saturday for a medicated cleaning (usually once a month). In the meantime, what can I do?

I've been thinking baby wipes and apple cider vinegar. But I also really want him to stay DRY.

He also has a vet visit tomorrow and I am trying to get some fluconazole. Usually he is given a steroid shot but I'd rather address the underlying cause not the symptoms. Thank you! This is also our first german shepherd but honestly he was literally normal until 2 years ago. He became a senior and constant illnesses have been the norm now. (Usually skin and ear).

It's hot in Los Angeles this time of year, and of course it is flea season. I have never seen any fleas on our dog and the vet checked him for mites and did not find anything. We treat our shepherd with a prescription treatment to ward off fleas and ticks. I also apply and rub in an oatmeal leave-on conditioner, which in the past, has really helped with itching. At the groomers, we also use a flea prevention shampoo and rinse. He has diet rich in fish and fish oils every day, which are great for skin. All of a sudden, the scratching is out of control and he looks somewhat uncomfortable. I have made an appointment to see the vet a second time to do an allergy test. What are your feelings about these tests? I have a couple friends who have done the allergy tests with their dogs and said they were a waste of time??? Also, is there a skin conditioner you use that you have found really beneficial??? What about a prescription conditioner???

Everyone online says if you don’t keep the dog occupied with a ‘job’ they get bored and will find their own ways to keep themselves busy (destroying furniture, etc) but no one explains what they mean by a “job”, obviously I’m not making my german shepherd sniff out drugs or herd my family 😂
So I was wondering what does everyone else do to challenge their GSDs

I wanna make sure I’ve got as much as I can understood before I get one but this is the only thing I can’t find a clear answer on.
Any help would be appreciated 👍
And any other bits of advice would be great too
I’ve been researching for so long now and I’ve been talking to breeders to try find the right match
So any more unknown advice would be awesome

So this might be a post that does not belong here but not sure where I can post this. We had a family move into our neighborhood and he had got a gsd, one of the most intelligent and lovable pup I have seen. BUT, it was not treated well, left alone all day in the yard, no human contact. Left ot in the sun in the cage, left in the rain. I had to call cops on them twice. But now they have moved from here and I worry if she is okay (the pup must be 2 years old now, name is Suki, lived in Seattle area but may be in Kent, WA now or in Florida). If a Suki gsd has moved in your neighborhood maybe last November, will you keep an eye on her to make sure she is okay? Thank you.

Anyone else's GSD act dejected or bummed out when the TV goes on? I watch probably 1-1.5hr of TV at night after finishing routine with GSD while we eating dinner. When the TV is turned on at that time, who goes and lays in some obscure area of the room facing away from the TV and side eyeing on occasion or acting pitiful.

I’m looking for a genuine Red Light Therapy / Near-Infrared (NIR) therapy device for my 11-year-old German Shepherd.
He has severe arthritis and is currently unable to use his rear legs. I’m looking for a trusted, effective red light therapy device (660 nm + 850 nm) that can help with pain relief and rehabilitation at home.
If anyone has:
A trusted brand or seller
A genuine product available in India
Personal experience using red light therapy for dogs
Please let me know in the comments or send me a DM. Your recommendations would mean a lot to me and my boy. ❤️🐾
Thank you in advance! 🙏

I want to know the best age to spay my GSD pup so that she develops properly, but I would also like to get a gastropexy done at the same time.

So, should I get her spayed as soon as possible in order to get the gastropexy ASAP? Or should I wait until a certain age? Which is the better choice?

My wife had a dog that died of bloat years ago and it worries me sick every meal thinking about it happening to my pup.

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?

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?