German Shepherds began in Germany, as their name implies. These dogs are big and very intelligent. They are widely used by the police and military as guard and attack dogs. They have very large and strong teeth and can cause serious injuries to anyone who is attacked by one of them.
Many people use them as pets at home, but you have to have them from a young age to teach them to socialize with all family members. Because otherwise they will have an aggressive and dangerous character.
His hair is dark brown with a black cloak. They are very susceptible to heat, this breed adapts easily to cold climates and low temperatures. If you have one at home and it is summer, you have to have a well-roofed place with good ventilation so that the animal is comfortable and calm. It is easy for him to get dehydrated, so you have to place a large container with fresh water for him to drink whenever he gets thirsty.
Symptoms of dehydration are a dry nose, a dry, protruding tongue, and red, swollen gums. We recommend that the water be boiled, so that its intestines are not filled with parasites.
It should be noted that they are hunting dogs and sheep herders. One of their limitations is that they are short-sighted at night. Therefore, this characteristic must be taken into account properly, because it can be unaware of its owners at night. But they have very sensitive hearing and it is recommended that their owners speak to their German Shepherds when they get home, so that if they do not recognize you by sight, they do so by hearing.
This breed needs to be fed in the best way possible, as they have many problems with their bone formation and need enough calcium for their growth and to be healthy in old age.
German Shepherds eat large portions of food, weigh up to 100 pounds, and need plenty of room to run and exercise. You have to take them out for a walk, and to socialize with other people and with other buts of different races without getting hurt. At home you can train him by reinforcing his obedience with lots of love and good food.
In this article we will give you a series of techniques so that you can prepare a balanced diet for the German shepherd and it can be healthy and strong. On the other hand, it is important that you take him to the vet so that you can check him with his vaccinations and to give him his treatment to eliminate parasites.
In this same order of ideas, it is necessary to maintain rigorous hygiene and bathe them with anti-flea shampoo. Since being so hairy, the ticks that any other dog has near their house stick to them a lot.
When you take your German shepherd out for a walk, we recommend that you do it with a strong chain and a muzzle, to prevent it from biting any person or animal that is in the way. After it is adapted, you can remove the muzzle and walk alone with the chain.
If you are going to get a German shepherd, you have to buy it as a puppy and raise it with the other pets you have at home. For example: a cat, because if you don’t do it this way, due to its hunting characteristics, if you have a large German shepherd and you bring a cat to your house as a pet, it will surely eat it.
They are very good for sports, especially if you like jogging. They have a lot of energy and can accompany you on the trot. Or if you like to skate they are excellent to go out with them. Of course, you have to give them the necessary calories so that the German shepherd does not get too skinny.
It is important to note that these dogs were used in World War II as area reconnaissance and attack dogs. The leader, Adolf Hitler, kept several as pets in his house and in his office.
They are excellent for detecting drugs at airports, and at the borders of many countries. Their intelligence is such that in a very short time they are ready to carry out their police duties in the best possible way.
These dogs can last more or less about 25 years of age, of course giving them a good diet and constant physical training. They are a bit picky about their ears, so you have to be cleaning them very carefully. Since any bloody pot can easily catch a maggot.
Here are some tips so you can give your German shepherd a balanced diet, high in fiber and low in fat.
Instructions for feeding a German shepherd
- To begin with, we recommend that you give your German shepherd two meals a day, one in the morning and the other at night.
- At breakfast we recommend that you give him concentrated food for large dogs with a little chicken broth, so that it is soft. Because if you give it to him dry. This can grow when the dog drinks water and can cause an upset stomach.
- Take all the scraps and shells left over from preparing your meals and mix it with a cup of brown rice. You boil it for half an hour and you can add a finely chopped beef kidney to provide protein.
- Another dish that German Shepherds really like is chicken feet. You have to cut their nails, because they cannot be digested. Then you put them to boil with a little lentils and spinach chopped into small pieces.
- When this is at room temperature, you place it in its respective dish and ready your pet will be happy and will eat until satisfied.
- To give your sheepdog more energy, you can take 300 grams of corn and boil it for 3 hours until it softens; after it is soft you add half a kilo of chicken livers. With a carrot and some coriander branches. This puts everything to boil for another hour and when it is cold, you will have a super food for dogs.
- Take the chicken bones and fish bones and boil them for about 4 consecutive hours, after they cool down, grind them with an electric grinder. Then grind some au Yama and some aborigines, mix this with cornmeal, and with that dough prepare some baked cookies, so you can use them in training to reward your activities.
- Take a whole beef heart and boil it for 4 hours. When it is soft, chop it into small pieces and mix it with half a kilo of peas and a cup of rice. To this recipe you can add ripe banana shells, chopped as small as you can and about two grated carrots, this provides a good amount of fiber. Let it boil for another half hour and that’s it.
- Place a container with enough water, so that it can drink all day, since it is vitally important that the dog is hydrated, otherwise it becomes very aggressive and can give it constipation.
- Another recipe that is very good for its amount of protein and low cost, are chicken heads. These are removed from the beak and boiled for at least half a kilo, and mixed with little lentils and some diced potatoes and you will have a very tasty meal for your pet.
- The important thing is that you are varying its food; never give it a recipe for several days, because you will be limiting the nutrients that it may lack in its body and that the animal can also get bored if you only give it the same thing over and over again.
What do you need to feed a German shepherd?
- Concentrated food for large dogs.
- Chicken soup.
- Carrot.
- Eggplant.
- Spinach.
- Waste of vegetables.
- Chicken livers.
- Normal and brown rice.
- Beef kidney and heart.
- Lentils.
- Chickpeas
Tips for feeding a German shepherd
- To begin with, the best advice is not to add salt to your pet’s food, this causes kidney stones and renal colic that can take his life.
- German Shepherds cannot be fed sweet or sugary foods, as they are prone to diabetes and can go blind.
- It is important to note that canned dogfood is not good, you can only give it to him in an emergency or on a day that you could not cook his diet. Since they are very harmful to your liver, due to the chemical components it contains.
- Do not give your dog leftover food from different people; these dogs are very prone to contracting distemper, even if they are vaccinated.
- Don’t add oil to the dog’s food or chicken or beef hides. Fat is very detrimental to their health and can cause cardiac arrest.
- Do not give your dog cold meats or anything that contains vinegar because it can irritate his digestive tract.
- It is recommended that you tell the vet to prescribe a good vitamin supplement so that your dog is healthy and strong.
- Take him to see the vet at least once a month to check his weight and health status.
- Put the garbage well covered and do not let your dog take it out at night, as it can eat inappropriate things and can get sick.
- If you go for a walk to the beach or to the mountains, we recommend that you take your German shepherd and he will enjoy with your family as one more members.
- He is aware of the consistency of his waste because if it is very loose or very dry and hard, you have to know that something is happening with his diet that is affecting him. Get advice as soon as possible from your family veterinarian.
- We recommend that the dish where you are going to put the dog’s food is clean and well washed, because if it is with fly waste, the animal can get seriously ill with its digestive system.
- Dedicate time and care to your dog, these animals are very grateful and can feel the treatment you give them. Not only is a good diet enough, but they need a lot of attention and caresses to be healthy and strong. Just like any member of the family.
- If you have any behavior problems with your dog, there are many training schools for this breed. Where they can teach them many good customs and how to pay attention to your rules.
- It is important that you know that these dogs have a strong character and when they are eating from their plate they are very territorial. After you put the plate of food on it, move away quickly and don’t approach it until after it has eaten everything and leave the plate empty, because if you approach it and it is eating, it is most likely that it will bite you.