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The range of amounts is based on the activity of your Golden for the day, either low, moderate, or high level of activity. Golden Retrievers should have scheduled times to eat daily. The scheduled times will help them with their energy levels and keep them healthy. You can schedule their eating times as to what works best for your schedule. For example, feeding them before you leave for work and then when you get home. As a puppy, they will eat three times a day, so you will need to find times in those first few months to feed them more often. When they are an adult or senior, the scheduling of feeding times will be easier because they will only eat twice daily. For a Golden Retriever puppy, the best feeding schedule is once in the morning, noontime, and in the evening. For example, you could feed their first meal at am, lunch at noon, then dinner at pm. Planning their mealtimes around your mealtimes will often make it easier for you and the puppy. Make sure to give them plenty of time after eating to got to the bathroom a couple of times before heading to bed. Hopefully, this will help them sleep for a longer period. After about six months, your Golden Retriever can go down to two daily feedings. This usually occurs once in the morning and once in the evening. They can usually last about 12 hours between meals. If it goes past 12 hours, they could become nauseated. Golden Retrievers can experience food allergies often caused from proteins in dairy or meat products. If your dog experiences symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, or itching they may have a food allergy. They warn that feeding dogs any raw animal-source protein could cause illness because it has not gone through a process to remove harmful pathogens. However, a raw diet can be healthy if you are willing to go through the extra cleaning processes of the meat. This is a lot of work and difficult to do correctly and safely. We do not recommend it without expert veterinary help. Before starting a raw diet with your Golden, be sure to consult a veterinarian. Find one that is familiar with raw foods and can help with the proper handling of the foods. If you work hard to make sure your homemade foods are rich in the vitamins and minerals that a dog needs, then it might work for your Golden Retriever. It takes a lot more time to find recipes and make sure it has all the nutritional value of a store-bought dog food. If you are willing to research expertly formulated recipes internet is making it easier to do this , and take the time to cook for your golden then go for it! Consulting your veterinarian is a must before starting any homemade diet. A veterinary nutritionist should also review your plan before starting. Feeding your Golden Retriever table food is not the best practice but a small amount of dog healthy table food is fine. Some example table foods that are healthy for them are carrots, blueberries and plain yogurt. Just be aware that feeding them too much table food can throw their entire diet out of whack. They may not be getting enough vitamins and minerals like they do from their dog food. Conclusion Making sure your Golden Retriever is getting the right foods at the right amounts will help them live their best life. There are many choices of foods with all the right ingredients. Be sure to choose one that works best for you and your Golden. Consult with your veterinarian on which food will bring the most nutritional value to the health of your Golden Retriever. If your Golden is experiencing any health issues related to changing foods, visit your veterinarian. If this article was helpful, please consider sharing this post on Facebook with the button below! She is board certified a specialist in canine reproduction. In her day job, she is a leader in a small biotech where she and a team of veterinarians and scientists work to develop new medications for pets. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of this wonderful breed of dogs. She and her husband have 2 children, 3 dogs and one cat. They love camping and hiking and she can often be found with her head in a good book. Recent Posts. Learn more » Congratulations on your new golden retriever puppy! You now have a beautiful, smart, and loyal dog who will love you for life. To make sure they grow into a healthy and happy companion, you need to feed them the right amount of food. At months old, which is usually when they are ready to leave their mother, a golden retriever puppy should be eating 3 cups of dog food divided into three meals per day. This is based on a typical large-breed puppy food. Different brands will give a feeding guide on their packaging. However, how much and how often to feed your golden retriever will keep changing during this time of rapid growth. Golden Retriever Puppy Feeding Timeline Image Credit: PxHere All puppies are different as are the foods, but some general guidelines for feeding your golden retriever during their first year are: 0—6 weeks: A golden retriever puppy can start eating solid food when they are 3—4 weeks old. Give them a total of 3 cups of dog food per day by their third month, 3 to 4 cups by the time they are 6 months old. The AKC recommends waiting until large breed puppies are at least 12 months old before switching them over to adult dog food and more likely 18 months. The amount will depend on their weight and activity level, but a rough guide is 1—2 cups per meal. Image Credit: Kinek00, Shutterstock Large breed puppies like golden retrievers should eat three to four small meals a day for the first 3—6 months of their lives. Smaller portions spread throughout the day are easier on their tummies and help prevent bloat, a serious condition that can be deadly for dogs. It also helps them maintain their energy level throughout the day. Puppy food has more calories and fat to support their growth, as well as extra vitamins and minerals for their developing immune and nervous systems and bones. The protein source matters, too. Puppies need animal-based proteins like chicken, beef, or lamb for their growing muscles. Choose a Large Breed Formula: Large breed puppies grow quickly, which means they need extra support for their bones and joints. Formulations for large breeds contain the correct calcium and phosphorus ratio for strong bones and glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy joints. They can help you choose the right food for your puppy based on their age, weight, and activity level. But puppies need to be fed on a schedule to prevent them from overeating and becoming overweight. How do you know if your puppy is getting enough to eat? After that, their growth will start to slow down. He Has a Healthy Appetite: A healthy puppy is interested in food and eager to eat. He Has Plenty of Energy: A well-fed puppy is full of energy and ready to play. Make the most of mealtime with these tips: 1. It also helps other aspects of puppy training, such as potty training and crate training. Image Credit: Alena Marchuk, Shutterstock This means leaving food out all day for them to graze on whenever they want. Leave food down for 10 minutes and then pick up what is not eaten. If they have not eaten anything, offer it again in an hour. Slow them down by scattering their kibble around the bowl, using a puzzle feeder or snuffle mat. This will help them learn to eat slowly and enjoy their food more. If your puppy is not drinking enough water for your liking, try adding a bit of broth to their bowl to make it more appealing and help them stay hydrated. Resist the Urge to Sneak Them Table Scraps Puppies are experts at giving those big, soulful eyes that make it hard to say no. But resist the temptation to give them table scraps or human food. Aside from teaching them bad manners, it can also lead to health problems, like obesity. A lot of human foods are not safe or healthy for dogs. For instance, garlic and onions are toxic to dogs. Oily food can upset their stomach, and carbs add a lot of calories. This helps them learn that mealtime is a specific time and place and not something that happens all over the house. Let Your Puppy Eat in Peace. This includes other pets in the house and small children who might want to bother them or try to steal their food. Otherwise, meals can become a stressful experience for your puppy instead of a happy one. Conclusion Feeding your golden retriever puppy the right amount of quality dog food will establish a strong foundation for their health and happiness. In addition, make mealtimes more meaningful by turning them into lessons and bonding moments between you and your dog. The puppy phase is over before you know it, so enjoy it while it lasts! Golden Retrievers are very food motivated. If your puppy seems to be getting fat, you may need to switch to the lower end of the above recommendations. Alternatively, if their ribs are becoming too prominent, you should work to the upper ends of the guidelines. Golden Retriever puppies have much smaller stomachs than adults. This means their daily food allowance should be split into smaller, more frequent meals. Rather than just feeding them once in the morning and once in the evening, as you might plan to do eventually, their food will need to be split into 3 or even 4 portions, like so: 8 — 12 weeks: 4 meals a day 3 — 6 months: 3 meals a day 6 — 12 months: 2 meals a day However, like the feeding charts, this should only be used as a guide. Feeding too much food at once can lead to cramping, vomiting, diarrhea, and discomfort for your puppy. How to Choose the Best Golden Retriever Puppy Food Puppies need a balance of certain nutrients and vitamins to support their growth — not just as much food as possible. In fact, simply giving as much food as possible is linked to certain joint-related health problems. So, when searching for a high quality puppy food, there are a few key ingredients you might want to search for. This includes a real meat source, and the correct amount of nutrients like calcium and iron. Commercial Food vs Homemade Food There are pros and cons to every type of puppy food available. Dry food is long-lasting and easy to use during training, but can contain filler ingredients. Wet food is palatable and easy to serve, but can be more expensive and harder to use during training. Homemade food is often very appealing in terms of taste for our dogs, but is the most likely type to contain nutritional imbalances that can lead to serious health problems. So, they will continue to grow and develop physically until somewhere between 12 and 18 months. You may want to transition your puppy to a new food when you bring them home, rather than whatever your breeder was giving them. Ideally, you want to make the change over the course of a week. Replace a very small amount of their old food with their new food at mealtimes. Over the week, you can change these amounts by decreasing their old food and increasing the new. By the end of the week, they will be eating only the new food. Changing abruptly can cause stomach upsets and symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. But, Golden Retrievers should generally look lanky rather than chubby. But, the most successful rewards in this type of training are often food, such as kibble or small chunks or meat and cheese. Doing all of your training in the morning can lead to stomach upsets if your puppy ends up eating a large amount of their daily allowance all at once. Instead, try and complete shorter training sessions before each mealtime, and give whatever allowance is left for each meal after training is done. This can also benefit your training, as a hungry dog will be more motivated to work for those treats! Read the full disclosure here. Being a large and energetic dog, your golden retriever has a ravenous appetite and can eat a lot. However, overfeeding is never good and could be avoided with the help of a golden retriever feeding chart. Knowing how much to feed your golden retriever is always tricky but essential for their well-being and health. Goldens are prone to obesity and joint problems, which can only be exacerbated with an inadequate feeding plan. So, stay with me to find the right feeding plan and meal schedule for your goldie. Most first-time owners think their puppies should be chubby. In truth, golden retriever puppies are supposed to look lanky and act like they are always hungry when fed the correct amount of food. To encourage proper growth and development without making your pup obese, you will have to know how much to feed a golden retriever puppy. For example, cheaper foods use fillers and have a smaller amount of calories, thus you will have to feed more than you would when using premium large breed puppy foods. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. We all want our golden retriever puppies to be healthy and happy. We envision them running through a verdant field chasing a ball. Full of energy with the beautiful, lustrous golden coat. But, just like us, eating the proper food in the proper amounts will help your golden properly grow and thrive. After all, what we eat impacts how healthy we are. How much you should feed your golden retriever puppy will vary depending on the quality of food you feed, his age, his weight, his general health, and his activity level. Your golden will be growing for up to two years. And the amount of food during that time will have to be adjusted depending on his needs. Because most people feed kibble to their pup, this article will focus on that. Kibble is convenient and cost effective. Instead, they should be lanky and full of energy. They should love to eat their food with gusto. Instead, you should be able to feel his ribs when you pet him there. There should just be a thin coating of fat under his skin. And he should have a defined waistline. Of course you should check with your veterinarian to make such adjustments. And remember a young puppy should get only so much exercise a day. Their joints and bones are developing and can be damaged if the exercise is too extreme. Assuming you have an eight-week-old puppy, he should receive three to four meals a day. From eight weeks old until about five or six months old, three meals per day are advisable. Of course, feed at the same intervals every day and split the total amount per day in half to be given at each feeding. After about six months of age through adulthood, two feedings per day are the norm. Always check with your vet regarding how much and how often to feed. These are just guidelines. Feed him at the same distraction-free location so that he focuses on eating. As much as goldens love to eat, a young golden puppy is also very easily distracted. This can lead to possible health problems, including joint and bone problems. Goldens can easily become overweight. Free feeding can also lead to a picky eater. Some puppies figure out that if their buffets are always there, and they can just go graze at will. Most foods you purchase will have guidelines on their bag or box. When you first get your puppy, feed him the same food that the breeder or rescue fed him for a few weeks. Then, if you want to change his food, do so over at least 10 days. Add more of the new food and subtract more of the old food each day. After about five days, you should be giving him approximately 50 percent of the new food and 50 percent of the old food. Switching food over such a period of time will help prevent stomach upsets and diarrhea. Overfeeding will result not only in him becoming overweight but it will also make him grow too fast. Periodically—even weekly— test whether you can still feel his ribs without them protruding. You can then increase the amount he eats. You should also feed his last meal of the day at least 90 minutes before his bed time so that he can digest his food and potty before bed. A well-balanced, high-quality food should provide all the nutrients he requires. Golden puppies require a formula made for large-breed dogs. Puppy formulas for large-breed dogs regulate their growth. Eating too quickly can lead to digestive upsets and even bloat, which can be deadly. I rescued my golden retriever Riley when he was about six months old. To say that he ate as if it were his last meal would be an understatement. He had a voracious appetite. I bought one of the maze bowls to slow him down. The kibble is placed between each section of the bowl, and he had to forage for his food. It worked! He ate at a more normal pace. Of course, dogs should be given free access to fresh water. Other Feeding Options Although I concentrated in this article on feeding kibble to your new puppy, there are other options. There are some drawbacks to them because they may not be nutritionally complete, may be cost prohibitive, or may be too time-consuming to make. Wet Food Canned food alone or mixed with kibble is an option. But wet food alone is very expensive. He may become a picky eater. Feeding raw is controversial. Dehydrated raw foods reduce some of the risks. The ratio of calcium to phosphorous is crucial to puppy development. Homemade Diet Cooking for your best friend can be very appealing. And many people do. You know what ingredients and their quality are. But it has its drawbacks. Of course, the amount you feed is important for his growth rate and general health and well-being. But there is no one-size-fits-all in determining how much to feed a golden retriever puppy. Any amounts you see are just guidelines. Adjust them as necessary regarding your own special puppy. Do you have a golden retriever puppy? How did you determine what and how much to feed him? Please leave your comments in the section below. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist. Debbie has been training dogs for over 24 years and has nationally ranked obedience and rally dogs, agility dogs, trick dogs, and therapy dogs. Post navigation. There is also info on how to keep your puppy and your adult at his or her optimum weight. Scroll down to find growth charts to make sure your puppy is growing at the proper rate and is within the right weight range for his age. If you are looking for information on what to feed, go to How to Choose a Dog Food. Unlike with human children, a puppy that is overfed will grow too fast before they grow too fat. A good example is where a smaller puppy at 10 weeks was overfed and his growth was compared to a puppy that was correctly fed. The growth of your puppy needs to be controlled. General Guidelines for Puppies Below are some general guidelines on how much to feed puppies. Most dog food bags suggest feeding too much. Increase to about 3 cups a day by 5 months for boys and by 6 months for girls. Golden Retrievers at this age are supposed to look lanky and all Golden Retrievers act like they are starving when fed the correct amount. If left to eat as much as they want, they will all grow too fast. In the wild, dogs do not have unlimited access to eat as much as they want. They work for their food. Caloric Needs Greatly Decrease at About a Year When puppies reach about months, their caloric needs begin to decrease. Some males might need 4 cups if active and are fed a less expensive food. Make sure you take into consideration the number of extra calories being fed as treats. You should be able to feel their ribs, but not see them even when the dog is wet. If you can see the ribs, increase their food. Decrease the food if you cannot feel them. I always tell people that it is better to underfeed than to overfeed, especially when feeding puppies. Weight Range Charts Following are charts of how puppies should generally grow in weight. Keep in mind that very few puppies need to be at the top of these ranges and if you cannot feel ribs, your dog is overweight even if she is in this weight range. If your dog is still a puppy and she is over these weight ranges, you are feeding her too much. Female Golden Retriever Weight Chart Here is a chart of how girls should generally grow in weight: 2 Months — pounds.

More Use tab to navigate through the menu items. At Echocreek Poodles our goal is to provide loving companion and show families with beautiful healthy black miniature poodles. Our poodle puppies are beautiful, and intelligent with superior dispositions. We love giving references so you can hear, first hand, happy owners brag about our poodles. We have been breeding for 20 years so we have lots of references including our veterinarian who oversees our program. We breed black Miniatures and occasionally have a brown puppy. We are extremely conscientious about the long-term health of our dogs so we breed only healthy poodles with wonderful temperaments. This ensures healthy, sound pups. Our puppies are raised in our home with our family. They are well socialized from an early age. Each poodle puppy is priced according to it's own merit. Pet puppies are sold with a neuter contract as well as a limited AKC registration and are not to be bred. Puppies sold for the purpose of showing are by contractual agreement. To be added to our waiting list we require a deposit. Your deposit is a guarantee that you want the puppy and cannot be refunded. Please make sure you have thought of all the responsibilities of a new puppy before you make a commitment. We do ask for references before we place our dogs with anyone. Of course we give our references as well, including our veterinarian of over 15 years. New Echocreek Champion !!! For your friendship and for so beautifully presenting our girl! She finished with her second 5 pt Major over Specials! Daughter of Nicki. Beautifully presented by Sara Brooks. Shown by Sara Brooks. Finished with 3 majors at just 9 months September ! Bred by Terry Wellman. Owned by Cynthia Sublett. Shown by Sharon Svoboda and team. Bred by June Bierwas, Juniper Poodles. Presented by Sheila Basinger. Bred by June Bierwas. Please browse the rest of our website to see more of our dogs. Our puppy Price is for limited registration non breeding rights. Deposit are non-refundable. Full AKC Registration breeding and show rights contact us for an additional fee. Even though the poodle is so popular in France, the poodle first originated as a duck hunter in Germany. Because of its curly coat to protect it from the outdoor elements, its superb swimming abilities, its keen intelligence, the standard poodle was back in the day, and still is a magnificent retriever. Hunters wanted the poodle to have free range of motion in the water but they also wanted to protect their vital organs and anatomy from the cold. They shaved the legs, neck and tail, but left the chest, hips and leg joints covered. Poodles were imported to America in the 20th century and slowly rose in popularity. They are now among the top 10 most popular breeds. Training Needed The Standard Poodle is highly intelligent, making training a fairly simple process. They quickly understand what is expected of them and can learn a wide variety of tricks and games. Black Standard Poodles are likely to enjoy the training process. Any effort put into training the Poodle will reap large rewards. They can also excel in many canine sports such as agility, obedience, dock diving and hunting. They make great swimmers and will enjoy long walks, outdoor activities and most activities with you or your family. All our black standard poodle puppies come from champion lines and go through extensive testing to make sure our clients get puppies with premium pedigrees. At our 9. Each one leaves us fully up to date on vaccinations, and healthcare, too. To place a deposit for your own black standard poodle pup from us as top black standard poodle breeders in Michigan go to our contact page! They can be found under Available Puppies. Just like all the other toy and miniature poodles we specialize in breeding, our black poodle puppies are of a quality unlike any others you will find. Please keep in mind that just as we have high standards for our poodles, we have in many ways even higher standards for the homes and owners we send them to. We want each of our black poodles to go to an owner who we know will appreciate and care for the dog as much as we do. In order to help us make a decision on why you may be the right person for one of our black poodles, we ask that you kindly fill out our Puppy Application form to provide us with some initial information. We look forward to learning more about you and why you hope to bring one of our lovely toy poodles into your home. Before applying, however, we invite you to browse our selection of black poodle puppies for sale to learn more about them. You will be able to view pictures and learn about their temperament, birth date, size, and more! Explore our website today to learn more about our black poodle puppies and our history of toy poodle breeding in general, and please contact us if you have any questions! Our first priority, in the process of selecting our standard poodles, is health and temperament. Because of research and selection, we are able to combine these two conformation types to produce a superb, well-rounded Standard Poodle puppy who can be your newest family member. The Poodle Club of America is, of course, made up of humans that are pretty special, amazing and dedicated people. They write the standards for the breed, and the standard has to some extent changed the original look and purpose of the Standard Poodle. Our primary goal is to enrich the very small gene bank of the Standard Poodle pedigrees, which is and will continue to be the best weapon against genetic disorders. The preceding statements may raise some eyebrows and ruffle some feathers. It might even become a topic on Poodle Forum, but we stand firm in our belief and respect those who disagree. Again, because of our selective breeding, we can produce every color available in the breed of Standard Poodles. We have white standard poodles, cream standard poodles, apricot standard poodles, and red standard poodles. We offer the striking colors of jet black standard poodles, blue standard poodles, grey standard poodles, and silver standard poodles. In , after lots of research and prayer, we added the ability to produce the very controversial colors of phantom standard poodles and parti standard poodles. We also have brindle standard poodles and sable standard poodles. We are concentrating on the diversity of these colors by crossing our solid color Gentlemen with our parti and phantom Ladies. In the selection of our color variety of Standard Poodle Ladies we are striving to improve on the health and conformation. These colors are allowed to be registered with the AKC but not allowed in the conformation show ring. Our hope someday is that the non-solid variety of a Standard Poodle will be accepted in the show ring as a color variety just as the Cocker Spaniels and other breeds of color. However, a self-portrait of Rembrandt shows him with his parti colored standard poodle, in ! To see early history pictures and read more about the origin of these poodles of color, please click here. Below are slideshows of our Canine Ladies and along with links to their Pedigrees and any Health Testing. I have worked very close with my mom now for many years. I try very hard to be the manager, but my mom, who is supposed to be retiring in , sometimes has a hard time letting go. My mom and my sister Holley, helped me design and write the website in the beginning. I did all the technical work on the website as well as the routine updates. I was finally able to pass that on to my Aunt Beth when she came on board. I designed and created all of our forms and records we use in our daily work and routines, i. One of the most fascinating things I do is the research on color genetics and then studying the pedigrees for low co-efficiency. I give advice where needed as a nurse and mid-wife. I also spend a great deal of time with our Standard Poodle puppies. I thoroughly enjoy the responsibility of examining and performing our socializing protocol with our Standard Poodle puppies. In addition to taking care of our puppies at a young age, I work with the ones we keep and the ones we buy for our breeding program; on leash training, crate training, basic commands and socialization. I can often be found in the pictures and videos as well. During these times I receive a lot of puppy kisses and I get to smell the sweet scent of puppy breath. I am very involved and busy in the public relations department. I take very serious the responsibility of placing our puppies into the right forever home. This is exceptionally important to all of us and I assure you we all take it very seriously! I also manage our relationships with other reputable Standard Poodle breeders. I appreciate all your phone calls and emails, so daily, many hours are spent fielding your questions about Standard Poodles. All Standard Poodles possess specific qualities, but with varying degrees of these qualities. I make it my mission to get to know each potential new puppy owner and introduce them to puppies who match their lifestyle and personality. Darlene and April and the other ladies here, also meet and greet our families and help in the role of placing puppies in their forever home as well. Her wisdom and talent have proven to be outstanding in the design of our breeding facility and the structure of the entire breeding program. The knowledge she has passed on to me is invaluable. It makes me so conscious of the importance of superior maintenance and routine repair of the grounds. Mom still helps me answer health questions or training issues that her years of experience better qualify her to answer. I am still learning and am sure I will for many more years to come. Most of the website photography, up until was done by my mom with all of us behind the scenes making all kinds of weird noises to get the canine Ladies and Gentlemen as well as puppies to look at the camera and smile. She still is editing and preparing the photos for the website which she enjoys very much. She also did our co-efficiency work-ups and kept our pedigrees up to date with our canine Lady and Gentlemen information. In addition to all of this, Holley handled our litter registrations and all of our AKC paperwork. She was in charge of getting our contracts and guarantees to you. She also helped me reply to emails and phone calls from you about our standard poodle babies. Late in Holley weaned herself from working full time with our Standard Poodles because she was offered a wonderful opportunity to go back to her first love of training and showing American Saddlebreds. She works with an amazing woman who has shown and trained Saddlebreds for years. My mom is very thankful to Mary Ann for giving Holley the chance to do what she loves best and is such a great mentor and friend to Holley. Holley helps train and works the horses and has a great riding lesson program for children. Now I have been able to relinquish those responsibilities to April and my Aunt Beth. Blake is now a wonderful stay at home dad to our son born July 28, .She started out doing the daily poop scooping, cleaning, feeding and watering. She gave vaccines and medications. The list was endless. No one can deal with all of us with a smile every day. Her winning smile and her bubbly personality adds to the comradery among our team. Darlene now helps me manage the kennel and is the official full time groomer of all our Family Affair Standard Poodles. Our Standard Poodle puppies get their first face and tail haircut, ear cleaning and nail cutting from Darlene. Each of our adult Standard Poodles get groomed every 8 to 10 weeks, so the grooming is a never-ending cycle. Then moms and puppies are let out into their yards and exercise runs to potty and play all day. We are so blessed to have Darlene. She is pictured below with her beloved Raven. Although her first canine love is her Miniature Dachshunds, she is as dedicated to our Standard Poodle Ladies and Gentlemen and our Standard Poodle puppies as we are. Darlene is loved and appreciated by all of us, and enjoys spending time with us even on her days off. I think we can make it happen! She was very responsible and dedicated at that young age. When she wanted to join our team again at the age of 25, we were very pleased. She came back to us on a part time basis in early .She was reliable and observant when examining and observing puppies and adults. We quickly realized she was also a great asset in the office and computer department as well. In just a few months, she started full time and then took over a lot of the task Darlene had been responsible for over the years. Erica begins her day with a quick hands-on inspection of all the babies. She gives medication, routine wormers and vaccines. Erica weighs and individually identifies each puppy with different colors of fingernail polish the day they are born. For three weeks all our Standard Poodle puppies are weighed every day. All of that attention to babies must have affected her, because in early , Erica gave birth to a beautiful baby girl that looks like a china doll. Her name is Kaelyn. We are looking forward to working with Erica for many years to come and watching Kaelyn grow up.

He was surrendered over to the shelter by his owner on January 6, because he was getting nippy. When he gets excited he gets the zoomies just like a puppy and that is when he can get nippy. Just being playful. While on the leash for a walk he walks perfectly. Owner said he needs a home without other dogs and no cats. Since he can get a little over excited and can be a little nippy in a playful way would be best in a home without children. Visit with Vegas today and adopt him into your heart and home! If you have another dog and are interested in meeting another potential new furry member please bring him or her to the shelter and meet on neutral ground before adopting. No need to shuffle the animals around any more than necessary. Please know that 1 mosquito bite can create heart worms and they can be fatal if not treated. These animals are counting on you as their owner to provide them with lots a love and the proper health care so PLEASE make sure you are aware and prepared before adopting. Owning a pet is an extra expense and responsibility but is so worth every minute and penny you invest in them. They will add lots of joy and unconditional love if given a fair chance. The shelter is open Mon. Adopt a homeless pet and save a life. If you can not adopt right now come out and volunteer and make a difference in the lives of these animals while they await their FOREVER home. In order to adopt any of our "bully breeds" there is special paper work that will need to be collected and approved prior to the adoption. We love all of our dogs and want to make sure to place our "bully babies" in homes best suited for them. Boxer puppies for sale in Charlotte NC The Boxer dog breed slowly gained popularity throughout Europe in the late s. Boxer For Sale in Raleigh .Boxer puppies in Huntersville, NC. Four Seasons Boxer Rescue. Boxer Puppies for sale in North Carolina. Prices may vary based on the breeder and individual puppy for sale in Wilmington, NC. The channel FS2 will broadcast. Boxer puppies in Chapel Hill, NC. Find Boxer puppies for sale Near Raleigh, NC Despite their light and fun-loving nature, the Boxer is a hardworking, versatile, and vigilant breed that is incredibly loyal to their family. Prices may vary based on the breeder and individual puppy for sale in Charlotte, NC. He was then imported to the United States in and was accepted by the American. We have had her since she was a puppy but despite our best efforts, we unfortunately are unable to keep her and have made the very difficult decis more 1 week ago on Adopt-a-Pet. We encourage all prospective puppy owners to do their research and be prepared with questions to ask the breeder. Be happy for the ones that have been adopted… The right Boxer is worth waiting for. History: The Boxer descends from two dogs of the now extinct Bullenbeisser breed from Germany: the Danziger Bullenbeisser and the Brabanter Bullenbeisser, both of which were used by hunters for. We encourage all prospective puppy owners to do their research and. Boxers for Sale in Hickory, NC. Westminster is where the best of the best compete to earn their place in the annals of animal history. Boxer breeders in North Carolina Google Map. Whether it's Cardiomyopathy or hip dysplasia, these boxer puppies get the best veterinary attention. We have 8 beautiful boxer puppies for sale with tails docked dewclaws removed wormed and shots ready to go home looking for a great family to be a part of on ! There are obedient border collies and peppy Chihuahuas, springy greyhounds and meticulously. Ice T s previous owners had docked his tail themselves and he was missing over of their fur and was very malnourished. We are centrally located within the state — roughly the same distance to. We take pride in providing our buyers with the best Boxer puppies to add to their family. Boxer Puppies available for good home xxx-xxx-xxxx thats our contact number we also do ar. Boxer puppies for sale Charlotte, North Carolina. AKC proudly supports dedicated and responsible breeders. Although the Boxer dog breed originated in Germany, their ancient ancestry can be traced back to the Assyrian empire war dogs of BC. Boxer Puppies in North Carolina. Boxer puppy for sale in North Carolina. Boxer puppies in Rocky Mount, NC. Find your Boxer puppy for sale in North Carolina Puppies. Pure bred Boxer Puppies parents on sight There are 3 males and 1 female left. Boxer puppies in Asheville, NC. Size: inches tall, lbs. Boxer Puppies for Sale Boxers are upbeat, playful family dogs that have earned a reputation for being protective guardians or watchdogs and silly, bright-eyed, affectionate companions for children. We are centrally located within the state — roughly the same distance to the beach and mountains. Boxer puppies in Apex, NC. We've connected loving homes to reputable breeders since and we want to help you find the puppy your whole family will love. North Carolina Boxer Classifieds Hoobly. The Boxer dog breed slowly gained popularity throughout Europe in the late s. He was then imported to the United States in and was accepted by the American Kennel Club the following year. What is the average size range of Boxer puppies in Wilmington, NC? The expected weight. The channel FS2 will broadcast highlights from breed judging throughout. North Carolina Boxer Rescue. Boxer puppies in Jacksonville, NC. Adult Boxers typically weigh anywhere from 55 to pounds. Our puppies are born indoors in a temperature controlled area. History: The Boxer. We are a family kennel that raises the Boxer, Cocker spaniel, and Dachshurds. Winn Creek Boxers is a renowned breeder and kennel registered with the. History: The Boxer descends from two dogs of the now extinct Bullenbeisser breed from Germany: the Danziger Bullenbeisser and the Brabanter Bullenbeisser, both of which were used by hunters for chasing large game. CKC Boxer Pups .We are not a puppy mill nor are there kennels in the back yard. See full list on theanimalnut. You can also harness the power of Google Maps to find nearby Boxer breeders. Boxer puppies for sale in South Carolina from trusted breeders. We are just guessing but she may grown into a large medium size dog or a large dog. Tails docked, dew claws removed, heart worm preventitive, first shots, vet checked. Boxers for Sale in Wilmington, North Carolina. Full registration with. The American Boxer Club was established in .The typical life expectancy for Boxer puppies in Wilmington, NC is 10 to 12 years. Boxer puppy for sale in Kinston, NC. Breed judging is streaming live on the Westminster Kennel Club's website Monday and Tuesday from 8 a. We think she may be deaf or hearing impaired. Check with the breeder for up-to-date information on puppy availability. The modern Boxer breed we know and love today was originally developed in Germany in the late s. We recommend speaking directly with your breeder to get a better idea of their price range. We've connected loving homes to reputable breeders since and we want to help you find. It has been recognized by the AKC since .They have short coats that require minimal grooming. Boxer puppies in Burlington, NC. We have been breeding Boxers for 31 years. Find Boxer puppies for sale Near Charlotte, NC Despite their light and fun-loving nature, the Boxer is a hardworking, versatile, and vigilant breed that is incredibly loyal to their family. Should your first choices have found their forever home, let us suggest a few. All our puppies visit the vet a minimum of 3 times before going to their new home. She is current on vaccinations and is microchipped. Find Boxer puppies for sale Near Wilmington, NC Despite their light and fun-loving nature, the Boxer is a hardworking, versatile, and vigilant breed that is incredibly loyal to their family. Boxers for Sale in Greensboro. Britlyn Boxers are in Pinnacle, North Carolina. Boxer, North Carolina » Raleigh. English-bred Bulldogs and the Bullenbesiier were crossed to. We put a lot of care into socializing them so they can transition easily into their new lives. Boxer Puppies for Sale in NC Boxers are upbeat, playful family dogs that have earned a reputation for being protective guardians or watchdogs and silly, bright-eyed, affectionate companions for children. Boxers for Sale in Boone, NC. Find your Boxer puppy for sale in North Carolina. A simple brush or comb through once a week will get rid of any loose hairs and keep your Boxer looking his best throughout the year. Her mom is a boxer while dad is unknown. Boxer puppies for sale in Charlotte NC. Dog Show How to watch. We monitor closely the mother and her puppies for the first eight weeks. Phoebe is sweet and playful and eager to find her forever home. Use Petfinder to find adoptable pets in your area. Boxer mix We are currently sort of fostering an abandoned dog on behalf of Harnett County animal shelter in NC since their. Boxer Puppies available for good home Luckashjohnson. Boxer For Sale in North Carolina .We are a family kennel that raises the Boxer, Cocker spaniel, and Dachshurds breeds. No puppies where found matching your criteria. We breed for health, temperament, intelligence, agility, conformation, color and well socialized pups. Potomac Boxer Club. You may call them with your inquiry at: .Boxer puppies in Gastonia, NC. Hillside Farms is a breeding farm where they raise a variety of pets and animals. Boxer puppies in Wilson, NC. The Molossus blood makes the hardworking Boxer dog courageous, bright, and alert. Boxers in the News Welcome to PortCity Boxers, where we are passionate about raising the best quality Show Boxers and beloved family pets! During her debut into show life at the Tarheel and Concord Clusters, the week of her second birthday, she beautifully progressed from class seconds, to class firsts, onto achieving Two Reserve Winners Bitch placements under Judge Mr. Hiroshi Kamisato and under Judge Ms. Carolyn I. Gary L. Thankyou Ms. Alexander, Mr. Kamisato and Dr. Sparschu for your recognition and most of all… A huge thankyou to you Vicky East, for the Wonderful Care and Excellent Handling you gave to our girl!! Woohoo, we are so excited and proud of you sweetheart! Thanks for taking time to visit us! Our Boxers are bred for a genetically healthy disposition, intelligence, and companionship. With proper care, you will find your Boxer to be a wonderful friend to your family. We are located in the beautiful town of Wilmington, NC. As a small family oriented breeder, we focus on producing the perfect line family pets and show quality puppies. We believe in quality, not quantity. Each of our dogs were chosen for their bloodlines to ensure great dispositions and healthy pups. We offer a natural alternative for the care and nutrition of our dogs to promote a healthy Boxer. These loving dogs will make a wonderful addition to your family. A Boxer will love you and protect you for life. A Boxer is highly intelligent and can learn anything you're willing to teach. Boxers love children, and the two can help wear each other out. A Boxer will help keep you in shape because of all the exercise he requires. A Boxer is a multi-talented dog that excels in canine activities. When you want to go out, it's difficult to find a more desirable escort than a Boxer. A Boxer's short shiny coat comes in a handsome fawn or brindle, and is easy to care for. A Boxer combines strength and agility with elegance and style. Beneath that serious facade beats the heart of a clown.

Use tab to navigate through the menu items. We are proud to offer the finest AKC registered French Bulldogs available, both in standard and exotic colors! Frenchies offer a charming and clown like personality in a small package! Not to mention, the breed has an unique charm associated with their comical bat ears! The breed makes an excellent family dog with an even temperament and playful personality! We strive to raise our Frenchies to be able to not only go into any events offered, but also to be the loyal companions they are known to be! All of our Frenchies are members of our family. Each one receives the love and care they deserve! We work hard to offer our babies the best nutrition, supplements, and grooming care available! We feed Nutrisource diets combined with NuVet supplements to provide a balanced nutrient source for our dogs! We take what we do with our dogs very seriously. It's more than a hobby, it's a passion. We are devoted to provide the public with the perfect addition to their family, just as we were blessed with the many additions to ours! We do have puppies available from time to time. Visit our available puppies page. If we do not have any available, you can leave your name and number and request to be on our waiting list. You are also welcome to video chat with us and your prospective family member! Due to increased risk of theft and disease, we do not allow visitors to our home! However, we are more than happy to meet in a public location with older, fully vaccinated puppies for you to meet, as well as video chat with younger pups! We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause; however, our Frenchies are our babies and their safety always comes first! We are happy to work with any pet flight nanny or ground transport you have selected. Otherwise, we can arrange transport for you! Also, we can meet within reason depending on location and availability! It is our goal to make it as easy and safe as possible for your new family member to reach their new home! We love to hear all of the puppy stories and to see all of the photos that we receive daily. Many of the people who have purchased a Frenchie from us have become great friends, and many have came back for a second or third furbaby, or referred their friends and family to us! We are blessed to share our life and our family with them. We hope to be able to help you start your own Frenchie story, or to add another chapter to your existing one! Rarity What makes fluffy Frenchies so rare? Like we already mentioned, fluffy French Bulldogs are still hard to come by despite the huge demand in recent years. Why is that? Frenchies that carry only one LH gene have regular short coat, but they are still valuable for breeders. If such a Frenchie is bred to another carrier of the long hair gene, they are likely to produce fluffy puppies, although the chances of that are still quite low. Long-haired pups are only guaranteed if two visual fluffy French Bulldogs are bred together. Their size depends not only on genetics but on their lifestyle as well how many times you take them for a walk, do you have a backyard, do you have other dogs or pets and even the food that you give them. Male Frenchies are usually stronger and stockier than females, they have bigger heads and wider chests. Female Frenchies tend to be a bit smaller and less muscular. On average, they weigh about 5 lbs less than males: their adult size is around 25 lbs, while boys can go up to 30 lbs. They are insanely affectionate making them the perfect companion dogs, they just want to spend every minute of their time with their owner. They are extremely friendly with kids and other animals too; they love basically anyone they meet! Thanks to their easy-going nature, a fluffy Frenchie will adapt to your lifestyle very quickly no matter where you live. Even though fluffy Frenchies are most popular among French Bulldog breeders, any responsible dog owner can become the parent of one these amazing dogs. Another thing to consider is your financial situation. Buying a fluffy Frenchie is one thing, and maintaining them is a whole different story. Each pet has to visit the vet regularly to get the compulsory shots, which costs money. Not to mention any sickness, which can easily happen at any age. Vets are not cheap, but having pet insurance helps to lower medical costs. All French Bulldogs are prone to overheating due to their flat-faces, but fluffy Frenchies are in even more risk because of their thick long coat. So, if you live in an area with a hot and humid climate, you might want to opt for a regular short-haired Frenchie puppy instead. Their price ranges on a wide scale and is largely determined by their color and gender: standard colored fluffy puppies are valued around 10, USD while unique ones like lilac tan and merle can go up to 19, USD. Female Frenchies normally cost more than males. FAQ What makes fluffy Frenchies fluffy? Fluffy Frenchies have the rare long hair — LH gene also known as the Fibroblast Growth Factor which gives them their furry look. Do Fluffy French Bulldogs Shed? Regular grooming is recommended for them, especially during spring and fall. Why are fluffy French Bulldogs more expensive than other Frenchies? Fluffy Frenchies are much rarer and more unique than short-haired Frenchies because of the rare LH gene they carry, which makes them more expensive as well. When looking for a fluffy Frenchie, you will most likely come across cheaper offers than the prices detailed above. Make sure to do your research and get your fluffy Frenchie from a reputable breeder, and you will have a happy and healthy furry family member for at least a decade.

Handler and dog must work together to have a successful outcome. The pinnacle accomplishment for any dog running in field trials is to earn a Field Champion FC title designation or an Amateur Field Champion AFC designation — or for some, it might be both. Your dog runs, finds them, and retrieves them as quickly as he can while responding to hand signals or whistles from you or your handler. Contestants are judged on various traits they are born with including a strong memory for marks, intelligence, perseverance, and more. Section 7. Master Hunting Test. Dogs shall be tested in a minimum of five hunting situations as follows: multiple land marks, multiple water marks, multiple marks on water and land, a land blind and a water blind at least one that shall be a double blind in any combination. There shall be at least three series. At least one of the series shall include a walk-up. The 3 falls must be presented before a dog is sent to retrieve any mark or blind. During a double set of marks 2 falls Master judges shall include additional elements of testing, i. Train ability must be evaluated more stringently than in Senior Hunting Tests. While distance is not crucial, Master Hunting situations are more severe and difficult than Senior Hunting situations. A dog that displays unwillingness must be scored relatively lower on Marking and Perseverance than in the Senior Hunting Test. A dog that goes to the area of the fall and finds the bird unaided shall be scored appreciably higher than a dog that must be handled to a bird. Master Hunting dogs must exhibit those qualities expected in a truly finished and experienced hunting companion. The five qualifying progeny must earn a combined total of 48 points. Two of the five required progeny MAY have a combination of a six point title and a five point title or two six point titles. Points are not cumulative within a category and only the highest achievement earned in each category is recognized. Additional points may be earned by qualifying progeny. All titles below the five point level will only count towards the OS if earned by already qualified progeny. Should the titles of the five qualifying progeny not total 48 points, then additional points including those titles worth less than five points may be counted for those dogs already recognized as qualifying progeny by the point value of other titles earned. GRCA will not track the accumulation of points, only titles. Breeders VS. The sad truth is that many pet store purchased pups actually come from puppy mills. Basically, there is zero authenticity with pet stores. When it comes to adopting any animal from a pet store, there is an increased risk of unforeseen health or genetic problems. You also cultivate a life-long relationship with the breeder, meaning support is available to you anytime you may need it. With My Golden Retriever Puppies , you have the option to come and visit both the puppy and the breeder in person! Golden Retrievers are an adaptable breed, meaning they are better at adapting to seasonal changes and various types of climate than certain other breeds. Goldens sport a double-coat, which ensures that these sweet pups are able to tolerate slightly colder temperatures than their friends from other breeds. Your pup deserves better than that, which is why here at My Golden Retriever Puppies , we ensure high-quality care is taken of your pet at all times. For more about the true price of a golden retriever puppy, you can read our full price breakdown here. Location Information for Minnesota Customers Our home office is located in Ohio, but we understand that long-distance travel can be inconvenient. If you prefer to meet a breeder in person, they may be able to offer private visits at their home. Of course! Here at My Golden Retriever Puppies , we value family and authenticity, which is why we always guarantee our pups through our 2-year genetic health guarantee. Like adopting a Golden Retriever from a pet store, there is an increased risk when adopting a pup from a rescue center or shelter as well. For example, pups purchased through a shelter or rescue center are far less likely to come with the kinds of health guarantees and reassurances that a breeder can provide. What type of Golden Retrievers are sold in Minnesota? We have some good news! Ready to make your Golden Retriever dreams come true? Take a look at our convenient list of available puppies. How do I know which breeders to trust in Minnesota? Our independent network of trusted breeders have already been pre-screened and verified, so that you can focus on what really matters: choosing your dream puppy. Be the first to know when we have new puppies! All Rights Reserved. We are a top golden retriever breeder in Minnesota offering golden retriever puppies for sale and golden doodle puppies for sale. Stay up to date with news on our current golden retrievers and golden doodle litters and puppies for sale. We keep this page current, so make sure to check back or contact us if you would like to reserve a puppy. Located near LeSueur Minnesota the farm has been in the Riebel family for over years. Through selective breeding they have developed their golden retriever bloodlines into wonderful family, hunting, and companion dogs. Read more about us and our farm. A Golden Retriever puppy will be very playful and pal around with you and your family for hours. This dog breed is known for its beautiful coat and feathered coat. Goldens come in many colors, cream and blonde are the most common while darker red colors are more of a rarity. At Island Farm Retrievers we have all 3 colors available. This dog breed is one of a kind and will remain a prefect family pet for many years to come. Read More on our Golden Retrievers Golden Doodles Goldendoodles are known to be one of the most popular breeds in the United States due to their many different color phases, very trainable and intelligent, and being hypoallergenic, making them a suitable dog for any family. New pup owners and past customers with their goldens! They will be ready to go to their new homes in early to mid December. We are taking deposits now towards these litters. If December is busy, let us begin the training process for you, then you can pick up shortly before or after Christmas. Each of us plays a part in the business, including blogging and web-updates, customer contact, cleaning kennels, feeding and training the dogs, and but of course! Our kids are now in their twenties. Hunting is our favorite autumn routine. Every time Dad and Joe get home from hunting, the rest of the family storm them with questions. You could say we train our dogs for stories. After a month or so of our obedience or hunting training your dog will learn many new skills. Each of our adult dogs is trained for hunting and is hunted over. A number of our dogs are descended from field champion dogs. It fun to see that the dogs look forward to hunting as much as we do. Each year on the first duck hunt of the season Tanner will literally tremble with excitement as he anticipates the first retrieve. We also offer our training services to help your dog develop outstanding obedience and hunting skills. Our training packages can take your dog from the basic obedience starting point up to the point of being field ready. Did you know?

How often you should feed a German Shepherd puppy depends on their age and their activity level. Many owners also want to know when they can switch to adult food formulas for their German Shepherd puppies. Switch your GSD puppy to adult food when they are around 12 to 18 months old. Puppies can begin adult kibble when they are approximately 80 percent of their adult weight. This usually occurs around 8 to 10 months of age, but you can safely feed puppy food up to 18 months old as long as they are not putting on excess weight too quickly. If you want to know what to feed a German Shepherd puppy, keep reading. Finding the best food to feed your German Shepherd puppy is overwhelming at times. This means choosing what to feed a German Shepherd puppy is even more serious and intimidating! Follow this feeding guide when you need to know what to feed German Shepherd puppies. I understand! The following dog foods are all recommended for large breed puppies and meet and exceed regulated nutritional standards. Feeding a high-quality kibble from a name-brand company that uses feeding trials ensures the best quality and nutrition. Here are some of the best German Shepherd puppy foods that are research-backed. Packed with nutrients to help limit inflammation of the joints and uses fresh ingredients. Easily digestible formula for puppies prone to allergies and sensitive stomachs. Rich aroma with DHA fish oil to entice puppies to finish every last bite while giving shine to their coats. The better the food, the healthier your pup will be inside and out. Cheaper GSD puppy food lacks quality proteins that are essential for your working breed dog. Adding too much weight to your German Shepherd too soon can cause lifelong joint issues that are painful to your pet and expensive on your wallet. Most GSDs are healthy and fit on commercial dog foods that are high quality. These balanced formulas keep their bones and muscles strong throughout their growing periods and can ward off later joint issues, a common breed problem, as they mature. There is a greater demand for quality nutrition during the early growth stage. For these reasons, you must feed high-quality food. Now, consider what to feed a German Shepherd puppy based on their age. These feeding charts and guides will help keep your new companion growing strong and athletic. Tiny portions of canned, wet foods are introduced. Meals per day: 4 or more Puppies should stay with their mom for to keep them healthy. Nutrition Warning! At 8-weeks-old a GSD pup is eating more solid foods and develops a better appetite for kibble and other foods. Add in only a couple of small spoonfuls of canned plain pumpkin, unsweetened Greek yogurt, or cooked oatmeal to entice your pup to eat. Meals per day: 4 Week-Old Puppy Continue feeding the same as the 8-week-old diet. Treats are not only enjoyable for your German Shepherd, but help you to eneterain and build a positive relationship with him. Be sure to keep their zoomies under control by playing plenty of fun German Shepherd games for puppies. Meals per day: 4 Week-Old Puppy Continue to feed the kibble. Watch for excessive weight gain during this growth time as their bones cannot take extra weight! Too much weight gain too quickly can cause joint issues as an adult and prevent healthy development. Use their mental energy to help keep them more relaxed throughout the day by playing brain-boosting mind games for German Shepherd puppies. Meals per day: 3 to 4 Week-Old Puppy Keep your puppy trim and athletic by monitoring how much you feed your puppy and their body condition. You can write how much they eat and track this over time, and adjust how much your feed your German Shepherd puppy to keep them at a healthy weight. Try using fresh, raw, cut-up pieces of carrots as healthy treats or small, deseeded cubes of fresh apple as part of their training treats. Keep your eyes open for a growth spurt about to begin! Meals per day: 3 Week-Old Puppy Around 4 months old, you might notice your puppy finish their meal quickly and look for more food. Be sure to watch how many treats you give them throughout the day. You can do this by holding them safely in your arms and weighing them with you on the scale. Then, place them on the floor and step onto the scale without them to weigh yourself. Remember, around 16 to weeks old your German Shepherd puppy begins to rapidly grow. Instead, when looking overhead at your puppy their waist should look trim and not rounded outwards. German Shepherd puppies should appear sleek in their waistline. Meals per day: 3 Week And Older Puppy Continue to feed your German Shepherd puppy dry kibble with a small amount of healthy foods mixed in. You can lessen the healthy food you mix in gradually if you prefer. But, even as adults, German Shepherds love a bit of tasty toppers on their kibble. Around a year old, begin feeding your German Shepherd puppy 2 meals a day. Two meals, one in the morning and evening, are not only safer but also provide your German Shepherd with sustained energy to fuel their high-energy lifestyle. You can create a positive meal time by using the following tips: Always offer fresh water during their meal times. Keep the area where they eat their food in calm and out of the way of the family hustle and bustle. I found sitting with a book reading, just keeping my GSD puppy company, encouraged my dog to eat their meals while giving us time to quietly bond. Feed your German Shepherd at the same time everyday. The best time to feed a German Shepherd puppy is in the morning, before you leave for the day, and in the evening, about 2 hours before you put your dog to bed. Allow them to potty after eating to ensure their comfort. Your dog also needs to eat at other times of the day for their health and growth. How much you should feed a German Shepherd puppy really depends on a number of factors. Your GSD pup should eat enough to maintain their growth and energy, while not carrying any extra fat. Every dog is different. Keep in mind the number of calories in the kibble, which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Each puppy food company has a different amount of calories and size of the kibble. Here are a few things that might affect how much your German Shepherd puppy should eat. The more active a German Shepherd puppy is, the more calories he needs to eat to replace lost energy. For example, puppies need nearly twice the amount of calories as compared to adults. And older or senior German Shepherds who are less active need less food. Health Maintaining a healthy weight is essential to feeding your German Shepherd. Simply put, you can prevent some medical conditions and health problems by monitoring their waistlines. Instead follow the healthy way to bulk up a German Shepherd. To see if your German Shepherd is at the right weight you can find the average weight depending on their age. When should I change my German Shepherd puppy to adult food? Discover the online program that more than 57, dog owners have used to rapidly transform their dog into a well-behaved, obedient furry friend. This is a very controversial topic. I'll bet if you asked 10 dog owners this question you'd get 10 different answers. Growing puppies should only be fed a high quality puppy diet which you need to continue feeding until your dog reaches 80 to 90 percent of his anticipated adult weight. For many German Shepherd puppies, this occurs usually around 8 to 9 months of age. Keep in mind that individual German Shepherd puppies growth rates will vary greatly from dog to dog. If your puppy is growing exceptionally quickly, you might want to ask your vet about switching your GSD puppy to adult food even sooner. And how will you know if your puppy is growing faster than most, you may ask? Well, for one thing I would check with your own GSD breeder. And if you didn't get your German Shepherd puppy from a breeder, for example, if you got your puppy from a rescue organization or from a shelter or maybe some other source I would then suggest speaking with your veterinarian about your pups growth rate and when the change in diet should occur. You may wonder why you don't just start feeding your puppy adult food in just one meal or so. That's just asking for trouble. There's a really good reason for this slow transition from one type of dog food to another - to avoid upsetting your dog's intestinal tract or causing diarrhea. If you were to just drastically switch from one food to another without this transition period you will have runny poops and just overall messy poops and a puppy with an upset stomach. And this can be easily avoided by following the transition as suggested above. And for adult GSD's, I always suggest feeding a good quality dry food only. You don't need to supplement a good quality dry dog food with any type of canned food. A good dry food is an excellent choice for a growing German Shepherd in many respects and it is very beneficial to their teeth as canned foods can cause many problems with tooth decay. What puts man in a higher state of evolution is that he has got his laugh on the right end. Your puppy should have access to clean water throughout the day, but it should be taken away at night. Puppies between the ages of eight and twelve weeks benefit from being fed three or four times per day. Any changes in the amount of food a puppy consumes should be implemented gradually. A German shepherd puppy needs a lot of food between 6 and 8 months to grow into an adult. Adult food provides numerous superfluous nutrients that the puppy does not need at that time. Feed him tiny servings of puppy food per day. After a year, you can switch him to adult food. It is recommended to feed your dog as directed by the manufacturer. These instructions may vary by brand and composition. Make sure your dog stays fit. To feel the spine, ribs, and pelvic bones. A noticeable waistline is a must. German Shepherds are capable of consuming a wide variety of human meals, including beef, chicken, pig, turkey, salmon, tuna, and eggs. Fruits and vegetables such as apples, bananas, berries, carrots , peas, and pumpkins are also permitted. Additionally, you can feed your GSD additional foods such as rice and noodles, yogurt, and cheese. This procedure should take two to four weeks to finish. Supplements should be avoided since they may add too many nutrients to the diet that are already there. If you wish to provide a treat, eggs, cooked vegetables, or yogurt are excellent additives for improved digestion or flavor variation. Although it is natural for young German shepherd pups to be hungry, persistent hunger should be a matter of concern. Worms can make your dog be ever hungry. Carol is a paw parent, and her love for dogs started when she was just 5. She adores her two German Shepherds and a Bengal cat, who she says, "life would be incomplete without" Recent Posts. Growth and weight The German Shepherd puppy is a popular addition to many households. Sometimes called the Alsatian puppy, the German Shepherd was initially developed for herding and now commonly used as a working dog or pet. This is your guide to providing all the nutrients your new puppy needs. When Your Puppy Comes Home Although they look pretty sturdy at eight weeks old, German Shepherd puppies are vulnerable to tummy upsets when they arrive at a new home. To help them settle in stick with the food their breeder was giving them for the first two weeks minimum. You can then gradually swap over by increasing proportions over the course of a couple of days. However, if they are doing well on their original food, considering sticking with it for longer. To begin with follow the guidelines provided by the breeder, the feed manufacturer or by your veterinarian. This will vary depending on how calorie dense the food is and how it is formulated. Your puppy should be fed four times a day up to the age of four months. After this age, two larger meals at regular times will be sufficient. However, the more often you feed your pup the stronger your bond will grow. Simple sits and recalls, puppy tricks, they all make a big difference to how your dog behaves towards you and feels about you as they grow. What to Feed A German Shepherd Puppy You will find there are a lot of different opinions about what kind of food is best. Kibble and wet food are the most popular, but you do also have the option of raw or homemade meals. Puppy Kibble Great quality, high meat content kibble is my go-to for feeding larger puppy breeds. At the beginning of the day I measure out their daily food amount, then separate it into little pots. Some as meals, and the remainder to use throughout the day to reward good behavior or get off on the right foot with positive reinforcement. The FDA recently issued a notice alerting dog owners to a potential increased risk of a serious heart condition. This is called canine dilated cardiomyopathy DCM. The risk is in dogs eating foods that include peas, lentils, or potatoes instead of grains. The underlying cause of these cases is not clear, but the FDA note suggests that caution should be used in selecting foods with these ingredients for German Shepherds and other large dogs. Canned Dog Food For picky eaters canned food can be more appealing. It smells stronger, and debatably tastes nicer. These diets do not include cooked or otherwise processed foods. However, it may be more difficult to regulate a BARF diet to ensure a slow and steady growth rate in young puppies. If you find this option intriguing, you can check out our article on feeding your dog a raw diet. Homemade Diets Research has shown that in the past, poorly balanced homemade diets have been harmful to German Shepherd puppies. There is now abundant information available to anyone who is willing and able to produce a safe and balanced diet. However, modern cases studies have shown that well-meaning owners may still over-feed or create an unbalanced diet. So, this is an area where you really can have too much of a good thing. As with commercial foods, homemade diets must be properly formulated for a large breed dog. Do not deviate from recommended recipes as provided by a veterinarian. If possible, preferably a vet with a board certification in veterinary nutrition. Recipes published in popular magazine and websites may not be nutritionally complete or suitable for a large breed puppy. Is My Puppy the Right Weight? You can also refer to German Shepherd puppy growth charts to see if you puppy is gaining weight and within the normal range. However, keep in mind that some dogs will be unusually small or large but still be perfectly healthy. Do not try to maximize growth rates as this can lead to health problems later. Ensure that you are familiar with how to assess the body condition of your puppy. The ribs and spine should be easy to feel but not simple to see. My Puppy Is Still Hungry If your puppy seems excessively hungry provide more frequent but smaller meals. Young puppies cannot tolerate going without food for extended periods. With older puppies you may wish to experiment with foods that help them feel more full, and provide low calories treats. Keeping a health puppy active and occupied will help prevent them from becoming overly focused on anticipating their next meal. According to Total German Shepherd , all feeding changes should be made gradually to ensure the best possible results. The food recommended by the breeder or rescue organization should be used for the first few weeks to avoid digestive disruption, and kibble should be mixed with a little water. Clean water should be available to your puppy all day but taken up at night. Puppies between eight and 12 weeks old do best with being fed three or four times daily. After 12 weeks, feeding your puppy twice a day is fine. Any changes to the amount of food a puppy eats should be done gradually. Puppies will experience their most significant growth rates between three and six months old. In most cases, this will be around a year old, although larger males might take longer to reach this size. The Happy Puppy Site states that a lot of problems German Shepherds can encounter are due to bone growth that occurs too rapidly. These issues include hip dysplasia. Choosing the right food and feeding the right amount both play a leading role in making sure your puppy grows at an acceptable rate. A raw diet might prove beneficial once your dog has reached adult size. One of the possible benefits is reducing the possibility of hip dysplasia. When your puppy has a growth rate that follows a proper pace, the dog will reach the appropriate proportions when they are supposed to. Even though all dogs run the risk of injury, a puppy that grows at the appropriate rate has healthier bones. Puppy food for large breeds with a high protein level is best for German Shepherd puppies. Whenever possible, it is always a good idea to continue the same brand and essential formulation, but to switch to the adult version when appropriate. You will not only avoid any issues with finicky behavior but will also help ensure that your puppy continues to meet its essential nutritional needs. The outcome of taking these steps will be better overall health for your dog. Then, you will replace half the food for two days and three-quarters for two days, ultimately making the switch totally to the new food. This process should take two to four weeks. This video helps put the process of switching your dog over to another food into perspective. This relatively simple step is an essential way of making sure that your dog is nourished. Avoid adding supplements, because they may add too many nutrients that are already present in the food. Eggs, cooked vegetables, or yogurt make suitable additives for better digestion or flavor variety if you want to provide a treat. Amanda J. These guidelines may vary depending on the brand and formulation. Make sure your dog keeps a healthy weight. The spine, ribs, and pelvic bones should be easy to lightly feel. All GSDs should have a visible waistline. If the food your puppy is eating seems to be leaving them unsatisfied or they do not appear to be gaining healthy weight levels, you may need to consider following up with your veterinarian. Medium-length beef marrow bones can be a tasty treat in addition to their food, especially if stuffed with pumpkin without any spices or peanut butter. However, avoid pork or poultry bones, because these can splinter very easily. Gravy should never be given as a treat because of its potential to cause diarrhea. Another concern is that gravy might contain spices possibly toxic to dogs. Avoid feeding table scraps for the same reason. There are concerns about some kibble-based dog foods that owners should be aware of, according to Anna Burke. These foods include grain-free varieties high in potato and legume content like lentils or peas. Such ingredients increase the risk of canine dilated cardiomyopathy. Large dogs like Shepherds may be somewhat more prone to this condition. If you want to consider this diet, wait until your dog has achieved adult size. Avoid homemade diets, as these are mostly deficient in crucial nutrients that growing puppies require. Melissa Smith notes that timing is everything when it comes to switching from puppy to adult food, and your vet will play a leading role. One of the reasons why timing is so important is because the calorie content of puppy food is so high. This can make the young adult dog gain weight too quickly, in the wrong places, particularly the belly area, where fat can be dangerous. A growth spurt after a year is possible in German Shepherds, particularly males, and your vet may have a good idea of when the growth will finish. However, what about Shepherds that are not purebred? This question is very reasonable, as it is a little more difficult to guess when a mixed-breed is done growing. Compare your measurements to popular GSD growth charts for reference. Consider making sure your vet is on-board as you make the transition from puppy food to adult. Your vet will be able to spot any nutritional deficits that require addressing. Another advantage is being able to ensure the dog has proper bone growth. If your German Shepherd has needs that require a special diet, your vet will be able to provide valuable guidance about the appropriate timing. Even though you might find it challenging to think about obesity when your dog is transitioning out of puppyhood, this stage is not too early by any means. Early prevention is key to stopping many conditions besides hip dysplasia. Both obesity and being underweight can come with their share of problems for your growing dog. Obesity, when unchecked, can not only lead to bone and joint issues but can also lead to heart disease and diabetes. If your dog is underweight, Amber King recommends a high-protein diet with a moderate amount of fat. Follow up with your vet to help uncover the cause of the low body weight. Another possible health issue of concern, according to Dr. OCD is a condition that involves abnormal cartilage growth at the end of a joint. Wobbler syndrome is another condition that may have its origins in overly rapid growth. This disorder is a neurological condition that affects the spinal cord in the neck area, often leading to difficulties with walking. When you have a growing German Shepherd, the right nutrition makes all the difference in their growth and development. Even though it may feel as though the amount of information on nutrition is overwhelming, it is essential. Making the right choices early on will mean greater health and happiness for your dog. A dog that grows at a reasonable, healthy rate will do much better in life. Recommended reading:.

A litter is coming soon! Join our Big Dog Family!! I continued Training dogs because dogs are my passion. After moving back to NJ, I decided to add to our family and buy a female Boxer. However, I made the mistake of taking 2 children to pick up 1 puppy.Not much long after, as fate would have it, I met another boxer lover named Jen. She had 6yr old boxer named Ginger who has the most amazing temperament! It inspired me to breed boxers again. With the amazing well tempered beautiful litter he sired, we used him again this Spring and had two beautiful litters. And most satisfying is that all will be going to amazing homes! I own the Dam and her sister, who both are amazing. She is a brindle with black mask. The Sire is a big fawn colored black mask gentle giant. We have a 6 ur old female from the same bloodline who too has an amazing temperament! About Boxers The Boxer is a medium to large, short-haired breed of dog, developed in Germany. The coat is smooth and tight-fitting; colors are fawn, brindled, or white, with or without white markings. Testimonials from our Boxer Family From Luna's family: My family and I want to thank you for letting us be part of your boxer family. Our boxer puppy is from the last litter. She is a brindle and we named her Luna. When you first speak to John he puts you at ease and has professionalism, respect and knowledge. He includes you every step of the way and constantly posts pictures and updates about the litter. He also encourages at least 2 visits with your puppy and provides a free course on raising a boxer puppy. On pick up day he provides all paper work. .I have recommended John to several people. Our little luna is amazing She is a cuddle bug and is extremely gentle with my kids. She is playful and protective. She is a blessing and a great addition to our family. Thank you again John. Be well. From Butch's family: From the minute I contacted John on the website it was a very professional and enjoyable experience. Having the families all get together on the same day to meet their new puppies was a great experience. Pickup day was also well organized and I also enjoyed seeing all the puppies from the last litter at 6 months of age. This was our 5th boxer but by far the most enjoyable experience in getting a new puppy. We were searching for a reputable Boxer breeder and were very happy that we found John. He was very friendly and professional. He kept us updated on the different stages of Taco's wellbeing. The chance to meet our pup Taco and provide an article of our choosing to help acclimate Taco to his new family was very considerate. I would recommend him to anyone looking for a Boxer. Taco has become an integral part of our lives and we thank John for Taco. He is very friendly and answers questions - no matter how many you have! I was even able to come and meet the mother to see her personality and to meet John in person, which was a huge factor in making my decision to go with Big Dog Boxers. John cares about the dogs that come from his litter. He stays in touch and loves seeing pictures of how the dogs are progressing. You can see he truly cares about all the dogs. He has the best temperament and is very handsome. I am always getting stopped by people when I walk him he loves walks because of how beautiful his brindle coating is. Odin loves to cuddle and to play ball.Although I do not have children, Odin is exposed to my nieces and the children on my block - they all love him and he loves them - they all get excited to see each other! I do have a .My brother got one of the females from the same litter.I can't recommend John and Big Dog Boxers enough. When the time comes for me to get a second boxer, I will only go to Big Dog Boxers. From Samson's family: Having only experience with smaller breeds, we felt a little out of our depth when we decided to bring a boxer into our family. John paired us with the perfect puppy. John was terrific with providing information about the breed and answering all of our questions, so we felt much more confident when it was time to bring Samson home. From Hamilton's family From start to finish John was very communicative and responsive to all our questions and was always keeping us updated. John clearly cares about the litter and their health. We love our not so small baby boy that we got and couldn't be happier with our experience. From Daisy's Family John was great to work with right from the beginning. Answered all my questions and made sure I had all the information I needed. Daisy is a great pup and we love her so much. She has a wonderful temperament and has been easy to train. Our puppy Jasper has turned out to be oe of the finest Boxers we have owned! He is our 7th. His temperament is very sweet and funny. We had just lost our beloved Boxer 2 months prior and as fate would have it, Arnold became available. Within days we were able to meet Arnold and it was love at first site. John would send us updates as Arnold grew. John is very transparent and the puppies were loved and cared for as if he was keeping them all. Such a pleasure to work with. Please go on to Instagram and TikTok bigdogboxers to like! A young Ginger Nothing much has changed.She still runs around like a puppy! Sampson to Vet. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Click here to add your own text and edit me. Welcome to the Sergeant's Boxers website! Thank you for stopping by! We are Cassie and Luke! First off, Boxers are the absolute best family members imaginable. Luke and I gained our first boxer family member in .From the very beginning, we were hooked! We then gained our newest addition, Diva and boy does her name fit her well! We were overjoyed with our family fur-members and wanted to provide joy to other families. That is when we decided we wanted to breed Boxers and bring love and happiness to other families, just as our Boxers brought love and happiness into ours. Our family continued to grow, as did our happiness and joy! We now have 8 boxers and one spayed boxer mix. All are our fur-kids come first and foremost! Diva and Sergeant had their first litter in .Since then, we have learned so much about the breed and about producing healthy puppies. A lot of thought and research goes into each and every breeding. In the early part of , we started showing. This was such a new experience for us, but we enjoyed it so very much! Bailey was our first girl to show and she had a blast! Her face would light up when trotting around the ring. She obtained her International and National Champion Title that weekend and we were so very proud of her! Remington and Diva were a little hesitant at first, but ended up doing very well by the end of the weekend. By the 4th run, they were so excited to get out there and perform! They ran their hearts out and smiled while doing so. It also helped that daddy was there the second day and waiting at the finish line for them : Captain and Benelli went to their first show in June of .Benelli was just 3 months old and competed in the baby class. She did so very well! She gained great ratings that first day and caught the eyes of everyone there! Captain also did very well! He strutted around the ring and smiled the entire time! It was not hard to see that this was something he enjoyed so very much! We couldn't wait to get them back out there for the next show! In September of , we went to 2 shows! The first show was a UKC show. Captain and Bailey competed and had a blast. Captain obtained his UKC Champion. Bailey obtained all of the points needed and is now only waiting for her competition wins. We cant wait to call her a UKC Champion too! Captain gained his National, International and Honors Ch. At only 3 months old, Dawn made it to Best of Show during this show! It is the best feeling in the world to see the smiles on their faces and their eyes lighting up! They all had a blast! Captain obtained his Honors Bronze Champion Title. Both girls did well. They both won first in each of their classes and Dawn won Reserve Best of Breed in all four shows. We were unable to attend due to puppies being at home, but didnt want the girls to miss out on a great weekend of showing! Dawn got first in class for all three shows. Benelli got first in class all three shows. Benelli also got Reserve Best Female in two show and Best female in one show. For being at a show without mama and dad, the girls did so good! Im so proud of them and a special thanks to Angie for talking the girls! We look forward to the upcoming shows and we are so very excited!! Benelli gained another competition win and many points to add towards obtaining her UKC Champion Title! I have no doubt she will obtain the rest of the needed points and competition win needed to obtain her title soon! The girls did great, even with the judges all wearing masks! We can not wait until the next show!! This was Sergeant's first show and he surprised us all!! We had a blast! Results will be posted in each of their files. Sergeant, Harley, Captain and Dawn participated and did very well! Captain even made it to the Best of Show on Sunday! Dawn and Remi did absolutely wonderful! Harley struggled a bit. She wanted to catch the line instead of the lure! Anyways, they all had a great time and we will certainly be back for more! Harley and Captain got to attend the Norman show! Harley won Reserve Ch x3 shows. Captain and our friend Junior handler Alicia Hood won x1 best Junior class! They both did great! Can't wait until the next show! Remi also came out to the show for her very first time! Dawn and Harley also attended and both did well. Captain, of course, tagged along too! Results will be posted once they are posted on UKC site, as I completely forgot to write down results while at the show! Such an exciting sport. Watching them be so excited to chase the lure is absolutely fun times!! We traveled all of the way there to be a part of this amazing show! We earned a total of 9 titles in both Dock Jumping and Precision Coursing! Harley showed in a couple of shows there, but did not place she was too busy worrying about diving and Captain got to strut around in the TOP 10 Boxer ring! Huge Congratulations to these girls!! Information to come! This means that for every litter, Sergeants Boxers will go down the list and offer puppies to the families in order of deposits received. The family may choose a puppy from the current litter or may pass to wait for a later litter. Even if the family initially expressed the desire for a puppy from a future litter early in the conversation, they will still be asked if they would like to select a puppy when the current litter selections start. Selections start at each litter's 6 weeks of age mark. This allows the families to not only pick from color, but also from personality. Please know that these can change at any time and are only listed for reference. This is non-negotiable. Learn more about Dante - Click Here for additional information History of the German Boxer Dog While there are many theories as to the origin of the boxer, the breed is said to have reached its perfection in Germany within the past century. Most believe that the boxer comes from European line of dogs that have been around since the 16th century. Some evidence suggests that the boxer is one of the many descendants of the old fighting dog found in the high valleys of Tibet. It is also accepted that this breed is a cousin to just about all breeds within the bulldog type. The Dogue de Bordeaux of France is a breed that is similar in appearance and size to the old Tibetan Mastiff. The Bouldogue de Mida found in the south of France was apparently developed from the Dogue de Bordeaux, and it shares many of the same characteristics of the boxer. While it is generally believed that all the European breeds previously mentioned are in some way related to the boxer, this favorite breed of Germany was developed to retain all of its older qualities with a more attractive look. Other sources claim that the boxer was derived from two breeds of dog found in central Europe that no longer exist: the Danziger bullenbaiser and the Brabenter bullenbaiser. In this account, it is believed that in the s German hunters tried to create a new breed by crossing the bullenbaisers with mastiff-type dogs and bulldogs. This resulted in a tough yet agile dog that featured a streamlined body and a strong grip. This origin states that by , the new breed, called the boxer, had been established. The exact origin of the name boxer is rather obscure, but it may have taken from the German boxl. In addition to being related to the Bulldog, it is said that the boxer is also influenced by a strain of terrier. Others think that there is reason to believe that English Bulldogs were imported into Germany at one time, as evidenced by Reinagle's Bulldog, which was done in .This work of art depicts a bulldog that is very similar in appearance to the boxer. One of the first dogs to be used in military and police work, the boxer became better known as a family pet and show dog by the s. The boxer was first registered with the AKC in , but the first championship did not take place until .It was about before Americans showed interest in this breed, a time when the boxer won in Group and Best in Show.

Breeds The link has been copied! Few dogs are as intelligent and loyal as German Shepherds. With its athletic build and remarkable drive, this working breed makes excellent companions, herding dogs, police K-9s, and therapy animals. How much does a German Shepherd cost? The price of a German Shepherd puppy can vary a lot from one breeder to another. German Shepherds are active and need plenty of stimulation. Flea and tick preventatives are a must-have. You might face additional costs such as pet insurance, training classes, boarding fees, or dog walkers. Puppies tend to cost more due to the high demand. However, professional breeders charge a lot more. Professional breeders usually conduct health testing for the parents. Elbow and hip dysplasia and degenerative myelopathy are the two main tests to look for when adopting a GSD puppy. Prenatal care for the mother can be expensive. These costs can include bloodwork, ultrasounds, and X-rays. Most breeders raise the puppies for the first eight to 12 weeks. They provide nutrition, a living space, socialization, and sometimes early training. Puppies typically receive veterinary care, including a first round of booster shots and a deworming treatment. Colors German Shepherds can come in a few different colors. Black and tan and black and cream are the most common GSD colors. However, there are rarer colors, like black and silver, sable, or black. These colors meet the official breed standards, and a puppy with an unusual color can be worth more. Bloodline and Purity One of the key factors that influences the cost of a GSD puppy is the parents and their pedigrees. A breeder will look at how well the parents match the AKC breed standards. Both parents should be the right height and color. They should have a muscular morphology and the proper head shape. Breeders who are able to trace the ancestry of a litter over several generations and document that all the ancestors are purebred GSDs will charge more. You should also expect to pay more if a breeder can provide health testing information over several generations. Titles are another important factor. Show dogs can receive V, VA, or VA1 titles if they do well at an event and judges determine they meet all the standards of the breed. An IGP3 title indicates that a dog can protect its owner. Parents with IGP or IPO titles produce puppies that are worth more since breeders consider these animals to have excellent potential for training. A breeder who has an excellent reputation and many positive online reviews will attract more prospective dog owners and can afford to charge more. You can protect your dog with a microchip, but there are other steps you can take. The Fi GPS tracking dog collar helps you keep your dog safe. The design is highly resistant and waterproof for durability, and the collar comes with a battery that lasts three months. You can track your pet anywhere and locate them easily if they get lost. There are a few things you should know about this working breed. Personality of the German Shepherd German Shepherds are fiercely loyal. They make excellent guard dogs thanks to their protective instincts. They also make amazing pets who will give you lots of affection. GSDs are reliable and hardworking dogs who thrive if you constantly give them new tasks and challenges. These dogs are extremely versatile. German Shepherds have amazing potential and tend to do extremely well in training thanks to their drive and intelligence. However, they require consistent training and handling since they can be mouthy, chase prey, or become overprotective without the right training. Size and Weight German Shepherds are medium to large dogs. When it comes to weight, a healthy male will weigh 66 to 88 lbs. Lifestyle and Activity Levels German Shepherds are a working breed. Their origin dates back to the 19th century when dog breeder Max Von Stephanitz developed a new dog by breeding different herding dogs. Like all shepherds, GSDs have a strong need to stay active. Due to their athletic build, these dogs need at least two hours of exercise every day. Going for walks might not be sufficient. Your GSD will thrive if you provide plenty of opportunities to use their athletic abilities, including jumping, swimming, or running. Approximate Lifetime Care Costs The total cost of owning a German Shepherd is difficult to estimate since every animal is different. German Shepherds can be expensive. Here are a few tips to help you lower the cost. Look for a breeder who cares about the animals and who does health testing on the parents, but everything else is extra. You should also consider adopting a dog with an unknown lineage. Check local shelters or go online to look at classified ads. Check classified ads to find owners rehoming their pets. If you decide to get a German Shepherd, think about using the Fi GPS dog collar to keep your dog safe, and make sure you can bring your puppy home if she gets lost. Get more expert advice on pet-parenting by visiting the Off Leash blog at TryFi. TryFi's The Fi Dog Collar is a must-have for any pet parent, it's a GPS tracking collar that helps you keep tabs on your dog's location, activity, and sleep patterns, and alerts you if they escape your backyard. Try the Fi Dog Collar today! The link has been copied! You might also like. Apart from recurring costs such as dog food, toys, and grooming essentials, a great chunk of your finances must go to routine veterinary care and pet insurance. Annual check-ups should be done on adult German Shepherds to check their physical condition and ensure they are healthy dogs. This involves listening to the heart and checking the ears and eyes. The typical lifespan of a GSD is 7 to 10 years. Other Potential Expenses Owning a dog is already comparable to parenthood. German Shepherds, much like any other dog breed, have other needs that go beyond food, water, and shelter. Your dog will be watched over, fed, and socialized with other dogs. Grooming Services: For your GSD to have a well-maintained coat and appearance, you should take them to a professional grooming salon. They will be cleaned, trimmed, and pampered as they deserve. Emergency Treatment: Dogs grow up so fast. As your German Shepherd puppy gets older, they are more prone to health issues like hip dysplasia. Sudden injuries can also happen that will require immediate medical attention and treatment. This will allow them to join various dog shows and other competitions. Places to Find German Shepherd Puppies for Sale and Adoption Once you plan everything out financially, you are ready to find places where you can buy your German Shepherd puppy. Cheap German Shepherd dogs can be bought from puppy mills or a backyard breeder. Buying from responsible breeders is the best option to get healthy puppies that will grow up to be strong adult dogs. To help on your quest, here is a list of breeders certified by the American Kennel Club that offer high-quality German Shepherd puppies: Vom Ragnar German Shepherds — This is a small kennel located in Illinois dedicated to breeding show-quality German Shepherds with sound temperament and the best condition because they have their puppies undergo health testing. This breeder strives to match their GSD pups to the most suited families. Mittelwest German Shepherds — As a well-renowned breeder, the owner ensures that they only produce show-quality German Shepherd puppies that can serve as show dogs, guard dogs, K-9, and much more. They also import and ship their dogs worldwide. West Coast German Shepherds — If you are located in California, this breeder can offer you a health-tested German Shepherd puppy coming from the best bloodlines. Buying the cheapest puppies online seems tempting, especially if you are on a budget, but you might spend more in the future due to medical expenses. To easily distinguish a responsible breeder from a puppy mill or backyard breeder, check out our puppy buying guide. Are you considering adopting a German Shepherd instead of buying from a breeder? If you are, this list can help you find the perfect GSD pup for you: German Shepherd Rescue and Adoptions — Based in North Carolina, this non-profit organization was established to protect and promote the German Shepherd breed. German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County — This volunteer organization is all about placing unwanted, neglected, and abused German Shepherds into permanent, loving homes. Applicants are encouraged to meet up with their chosen dog prior to adoption. Matching their rescue dogs to a suitable owner is their top priority, along with the restoration of their health. For more chances of finding your lifelong companion, check out this list of the 10 best German Shepherd rescues. You can surely find one in your location! Adoption is the cheapest alternative to getting a German Shepherd Dog, and this is more suggested than buying from backyard breeders. Buy high-quality items. You will spend more on replacing them rather than having good products that can last for a longer time. Purchase supplies in bulk. When buying food or treats for your pup, make sure to stock up by buying them in bulk. This can save you a lot of money than buying small bags of kibble or cans of wet food. Keep your dog in excellent shape. To avoid expensive veterinary bills, keep your German Shepherd puppy fit and healthy. Do this by feeding them high-quality dog food equipped with the right nutrients. Groom your GSD at home. Instead of going to a professional groomer, learn to groom your German Shepherd puppy at home. All you need to do is buy the basic grooming tools and research how to groom your dog effectively. Plan your finances accordingly so no one will have to suffer in the long run. They are highly intelligent and loyal dogs that will protect you at all costs. Buying one from a reputable breeder is worth the hefty purchase price than purchasing from backyard breeders or puppy mills. On another note, you can adopt from a local rescue organization, but make sure to ask about any current health conditions that the dog may have. Aside from the financial aspect, make sure you are prepared for the full responsibility of being a German Shepherd puppy owner. Now you know how much German Shepherds cost, are you ready to own one? Share your thoughts in the comments below. My passion for animals started at a very young age as I grow up on a farm with several horses, cows, cats, chickens, and dogs on our property. Leave a Comment. German Shepherds are considered healthy dogs that can live many years. You must be able to pay for these dogs every month of their lives. For the most part, providing your dog with a lot of exercise and high-quality food will prevent the dog from developing unforeseen health issues. You will need to buy a dog-safe toothpaste, dog-safe shampoo, and certain medications, such as heartworm prevention, to keep your dog healthy its entire life. Not only do you have to feed your German Shepherd a lot of food, but you want to feed your dog food that is high quality and healthy. As long as your dog does not have any known illnesses or issues, you should not have to pay monthly prices. At the minimum, you should take your German Shepherd for an annual visit, assuming it is healthy. You also need to pay for flea, tick, and heartworm prevention. Most of these medications last for 1 to 3 months at a time. It is completely up to you whether or not you decide to get pet insurance. If you are interested in getting health insurance for your new pet, Lemonade offers customizable insurance plans and responsive customer service. If you do not want to pay for pet insurance, you can simply set up a savings account instead. So long as you have a house and a yard for your dog to play, the home environment is generally suitable for dogs. Some environmental maintenance things you will need to buy include doggie bags. You need these if you take your dog for a walk or if you have a yard that you have to maintain. You may also need to pay for carpet cleaner, deodorizer, and other items to keep the house clean, despite your heavy shedding German Shepherd. This means that your German Shepherd can help you out when you are in a pinch, but it also means that you need to provide your German Shepherd ample entertainment, or else your dog could become destructive. At the very minimum, you need to buy heavy-duty toys for your German Shepherd. German Shepherds can be really rough with their toys. So, we recommend some sort of brand specific for rough-playing dogs, such as Kong. These boxes will offer toys, treats, and more for your dog, but these boxes can be pretty expensive too. Additional Costs to Factor In In addition to initial costs and monthly payments, there are some other additional factors you need to think about. For starters, obedience training is really important for dogs of this size. Obedience training can be a bit expensive at first, but it will be worth it in the long run. You need to pay for a pet sitter or kennel whenever you go on vacations and your dog does not come with you. If you are buying a German Shepherd puppy, you may also have to pay to replace or fix items the puppy damages. Think about accidents or unforeseen illnesses too. These can cost a whole lot in vet visits. Owning a German Shepherd on a Budget If you want a German Shepherd but are worried about destroying your budget, there are ways that you can own one of these wonderful dogs without spending a fortune either. Unfortunately, there is little you can change about the price of these dogs up front, but you can save on the monthly expenses. The most important tip for taking care of a German Shepherd on a budget is to know when to splurge. When it comes to dog food, make sure to select high-quality food. This will be more expensive upfront, but it will ensure that your dog is healthy for as long as possible, resulting in fewer bills. Splurging on heavy-duty toys is another great idea. These toys will cost more at first, but they should last much longer than cheap ones. For instance, there are a lot of coupons and promo codes you can use when purchasing toys, food, and other items for your German Shepherd. Even if you find coupons, only spend money on the essentials. Not to mention, buy crates and beds that are suitable for the dog as it grows. Many people make the mistake of buying crates and beds suitable for the puppy, but the puppy soon outgrows them. The initial cost primarily accounts for the dog itself and any other items required when bringing the dog home for the first time. Even after the German Shepherd has made your home its home, you will still have to pay some pretty hefty bills for the remainder of its life. Although the initial and monthly costs for this dog are a bit high, they are required for this dog to live a happy life. If you cannot afford to provide a German Shepherd the sort of life it needs and deserves, simply do not get a German Shepherd. If your breeder had not run these genetic tests on your dog—or if you adopt a German Shepherd from a rescue or shelter, you can run the Embark Dog DNA Test using a simple saliva test you can perform at home. Dogs with CLAD, type III typically exhibit symptoms such as recurrent ear infections, skin infections, pneumonia, and other respiratory infections. Dogs with DM first lose coordination in their hind legs, then they lose muscle mass and eventually the ability to walk. It is caused by a lack of one of the proteins needed for blood to clot properly. Dogs with hemophilia A will often suffer from uncontrolled bleeding, most commonly into the joints. Uric acid is a waste product that is normally eliminated from the body through the kidneys. When the kidneys are not able to remove enough uric acid, it builds up in the blood and can cause health problems. Dogs with hyperuricosuria are at risk for developing bladder stones, kidney stones, and other health problems. P-glycoprotein is involved in the transport of drugs and other molecules across cell membranes. Drugs that are known to cause adverse reactions in MDR1 dogs include digoxin, ivermectin, loperamide, and milbemycin. There are several different types of MPS, each caused by a deficiency in a specific enzyme needed to break down mucopolysaccharides. It is caused by a genetic mutation that impairs the ability of the blood to clot properly. This can lead to frequent and sometimes severe bleeding events which can be difficult to control, even with the help of medications. Dogs with this condition are at an increased risk for bleeding and may require lifelong monitoring and medical management. Symptoms include weight loss, decreased appetite, vomiting, and increased water consumption. Affected dogs have problems with the development of their skin, hair, nails, and teeth. They may also have problems with sweating and the function of their tears and salivary glands. Dogs with this disorder usually have a very thin coat of hair, often with areas that are bald or have very thin hair. Their skin may be dry and cracked, and they may develop sores on their skin. Nails may be abnormally shaped or missing altogether, and teeth may be missing or poorly developed. Dogs with X-linked ectodermal dysplasia often experience overheating. Attend a sanctioned dog show and talk with breeders and competitors for recommendations. Ask your veterinarian for recommendations regarding reputable breeders. Check the Facebook page of the breeder and read through the comments. Remember, however, that comments can be deleted by the page owner. The breeder should be happy to share the name and contact information for customers. Ask questions. Lots of questions. The breeder should be glad to share the test results from the health tests and screenings and should be happy to let you meet at least the mother if not the sire as well of the German Shepherd Dog puppies. Ask how often the dogs are bred. Ask to tour the kennels. Are they well maintained? Do the dogs look healthy? Beware of operations that will not let you tour the kennels and breeders that want to meet you in a parking lot to hand over the puppy. Be prepared for questions. The breeder should ask YOU questions as well; be suspicious if the breeder has no questions about your past history with pets, your living situation, etc. The breeder should want to know how much experience you have with herding breeds, what your training plans are and your plans for exercising the dog. Ask if the breeder will take the German Shepherd puppy—or adult dog—back if necessary. Ask for a contract. If medical problems are diagnosed, the breeder should readily take the pup back and provide a full refund. German Shepherd breeders may adopt out of the area but, nonetheless, you will want to go to the breeder to meet the parents, view the kennels and bring home your puppy in person. This will add to your expenses—but breeders that transport a puppy by air are putting the dog at risk. If you want to buy a German Shepherd Dog from an online breeder, please think again. There are numerous scams; people spend thousands of dollars for a dog and never receive a puppy. AKC warns potential pet parents to be wary of any seller asking for payment by Venmo, in gift cards or as a wire transfer. Dogs purchased from puppy mills can mean years of heartache and expensive veterinary care—and perpetuation of a cruel industry. The pros of purchasing from a German Shepherd breeder: You may be able to select a puppy—including a choice of gender. A reputable breeder will be passionate about German Shepherds and will a resource for years to come. The cons of purchasing from a German Shepherd breeder You will pay far more for a cattle dog from a breeder than a rescue or shelter. If you find a breeder who has German Shepherd puppies for sale at prices much lower than you are seeing from other breeders, you must suspect you are dealing with a backyard breeder who has not done health screening, with an online seller who is operating a puppy mill or with someone who is running a scam. You will need to wait until puppies are available. You will need to do your own due diligence to select a reputable breeder. German Shepherd Dogs in rescues are far less expensive that those at a breeder. Puppies under a year old will be the most costly. This group provides funding to a network of GSD rescues — they do not have dogs themselves for adoption. They have a list of affiliated rescues that can help located adoptable GSDs in your region. A breed rescue is, like the name suggests, a pet rescue that is specifically for one breed of dog. These are generally small non-profit groups that operate through a foster system of volunteers who love the breed. German Shepherd rescues specialize in German Shepherds of all ages; some have primarily purebred German Shepherds while others may also have adoptable Belgian Malinois and Dutch Shepherds. How to Find Breed Rescues Along with the list mentioned above, many breed rescues list their adoptable dogs on large adoption sites such as:. Less - The German Shepherds are medium to large-sized dogs , well-balanced, muscular dog, slightly longer than tall, with a medium length coat, erect ears, and a low-set natural tail that normally reaches to the hock and is carried in a slight curve like a saber. The outline of the German Shepherd Dog is made up of smooth curves rather than angles. The head is in proportion to the size of the body, strong without appearing coarse or fine. Gender differences are readily apparent. The German Shepherd Dog is confident and fearless, willing to be approached, yet a certain level of aloofness towards strangers is acceptable. When working, the German Shepherd is alert and eager, adapting well to new tasks. Lack of confidence is a serious defect in the character of a German Shepherd. The structure of this breed was designed for efficient locomotion, particularly at the trot, so poor movement is another serious fault. History Less - The German Shepherd Dog is a relatively young breed, developed almost single-handedly in the first half of the twentieth century by a German cavalry officer, Max von Stephanitz, president of the Verein far Deutsche Schaferhunde S. Using a variety of German sheepdogs as his foundation stock, von Stephanitz developed a distinctive breed in a very short period of time, due in large part to the authoritarian practices of the German dog fancy at that time. Von Stephanitz emphasized utility and intelligence in his breeding program, enabling the German Shepherd Dog to switch easily from herding duties to other fields of work, particularly military and police work. All things German were shunned and popularity slumped. After the war, however, movie star Rin-tin-tin stimulated interest in the breed again. The striking good looks of this breed, combined with its remarkable intelligence and loyalty, have made it a favorite working and companion dog. If you are looking to buy a German Shepherd puppy, then you should find one from a reputable breeder. While these puppies are more expensive, a reputable breeder can guarantee the health and behavior of the puppy. These dogs are prone to genetic diseases such as hip and elbow dysplasia. These health issues can be avoided by genetically testing the parents, which is something reputable breeders usually do. When improperly raised puppies might have behavioral issues and can cause a lot of damage if they bite someone. A good breeder will have their dogs pass a temperament test. German Shepherd Dog Price While most dogs in shelters are adults, adopting a German Shepherd is a great way to find a dog without supporting unethical breeding. Sometimes these hardworking shepherd dogs are given up because they are very energetic. Not everyone is able to take care of a dog that needs a lot of attention and exercise. Some people buy a German Shepherd puppy without understanding the work involved in caring for this breed. Why Are They So Expensive? Breeding a healthy and well-behaved German Shepherd puppy is not easy! It is not as simple as crossing German Shepherds together. However, if you want a puppy of good temperament that is genetically healthy, there are other costs involved in the breeding and raising. This is especially important for a German Shepherd. You do not want a puppy that grows up to be aggressive or that suffers from mobility issues due to hip and elbow dysplasia. Papers A paperless German Shepherd puppy will be the cheapest. Typically breeders invest as little as possible in these pups. You get a puppy just how it is, without knowing its pedigree or background. A puppy with health certifications, temperament test results, and registration papers costs more than this. However, those papers will be beneficial not just for you, but also the puppy. This means your puppy meets the breed standard and is a purebred dog. The last thing you want is to buy a German Shepherd wolf-mix thinking it is purebred. Veterinarian Visits Reputable breeders not only genetically health test the parents, but they will also take the puppy to see a vet before 8 weeks for a basic health check. During these visits breeders will also have the puppies vaccinated, dewormed and placed on preventatives. When you buy a German Shepherd puppy from a reputable breeder, they will offer you a health guarantee. Most will also be able to provide you proof that the puppy has passed a temperament test. Training Some breeders also take the time to socialize and train their puppies. Many experienced breeders have a specialized training program that begins the process of potty training and basic obedience. This will mean you have an easier time housetraining your puppy, but you will have to pay for their efforts! These are all good signs that the puppy you are buying is of good quality. This will mean you are more likely to avoid any temperament issues or having to pay for vet visits to diagnose and treat hip and elbow dysplasia. Bloodlines Breeders who focus on breeding championship bloodlines will charge more for their puppies. A family might not need such a high-quality German Shepherd. All they need is a healthy and well-behaved puppy that will bring them years of happiness. However, there are many people who need a working dog or show dog. The most expensive dogs are those that are bred to be champions or protective and hard-working. Some breeders spend thousands of dollars just training a world class service dog. A family friendly guard dog with a protective temperament is not easy to breed consistently. Breeders have to factor in not just the genetics, but also the temperament and training. Origin The most expensive types of German Shepherds are those that are imported directly from Germany. Breeders must pay to stud and import these dogs which is not cheap. Since the German Shepherd breed originated in Germany, breeders in the US import dogs from Germany to breed puppies with a purebred lineage. Breeding in Europe is more regulated so the bloodlines are better protected. These puppies are known as European German Shepherds and are slightly different. They are smaller, have straighter backs and brighter coat colors. Some people think they look similar to a belgian malinois. Most European dogs are bred to be working dogs, while American dogs are more frequently bred for companionship. This is the same for American and German Rottweilers and American vs. European Dobermans. All of these breeder will be able to provide: Pedigree and kennel club registration. Documents that certify the puppy is free of any disease and has been checked by a veterinarian. A health warranty. Health records that guarantee the parents are genetically healthy and will not pass on elbow or hip dysplasia. These German Shepherd breeders all breed their puppies in accordance with the breed standard. None of them will sell puppies that are not registered with the American Kennel Club. Another good place to start looking for breeders is the American Kennel Club marketplace. Many of these puppies are bred to be family dogs and come with their papers. As you start looking into more well-known breeders or those that produce dogs of championship or working bloodlines, then the price of a German Shepherd starts to increase. Julia was a German Shepherd bred by the Harrison K-9 facility, highly trained in protection. She could also understand commands in three different languages. Her intelligence, as well as her ability to protect, were why she was priced so highly. Julia was bought by a billionaire businessman in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The rarest coat color is panda, which is why it is also the most expensive. These German Shepherds are black and white. It is a piebald pattern where the black coat is splotched with large patches of white. Some puppies can have other colors like tan, instead of white. Panda dogs are purebred, but the rarity of this mutation makes them very hard to find. There are very few breeders that sell the panda color. And he actually cost nothing! By the end of his life, Rin Tin Tin had appeared in 27 Hollywood films. Rin Tin Tin most notably helped Warner Bros. But these dogs come in more than just this classic color! There are 11 colors that are recognized by the breed standard. Check out the table below for some German Shepherd prices based on coat color. The tan color covers the chest, belly and legs. White A white puppy has a furry coat that is entirely white, allowing it to blend in with the snow. Its eyes and nose are black as coal. Black A black German Shepherd has a coat that is entirely black. Any other color would classify them as a bi-color. Blue A blue German Shepherd is not literally blue, but has a gray color with a bluish hue. Sable The sable color is one of the most common colors, but is a bit more interesting than the black and tan. The hairs of these dogs have bands of tan and black, giving them a very unique coloring. Some of the factors that contribute to this cost are: Food. If a breeder tries to tell you that his puppies are healthy because their parents never had any issues — do not believe him! It is impossible to diagnose e. Where can you find cheap German Shepherd Dogs? The question is — do you want to purchase a dog with questionable health and temperament? These dogs often are not purebred German Shepherd puppies, but are mixed with e. Labradors, Pitbulls or Golden Retrievers. If you end up with a dog with genetically based health conditions however, be prepared to spend a multiple of the original purchase price on vet costs! Temperament and behavior While a lot of good manners can be taught through consistent training, temperament is genetic to a certain level. When you buy an extra cheap German Shepherd puppy, you not only get a dog with questionable health, but also with unpredictable temperament! Even aggression can be genetic and can be passed on from the mom and dad to the offspring. You can save yourself a lot of time, nerves and money spent on future behavioral training by getting a well-bred and more expensive dog. What is the most expensive type of German Shepherd? Like in many dog breeds, certain rare German Shepherd colors are much more expensive than the most common colors and patterns. It is much more important that your puppy has a sound temperament and fits in well with your family and lifestyle than that he has a certain rare look. These dogs are mutts German Shepherds mixed with Miniature Poodles, Shelties or other smaller breeds. Once more, be certain to not decide on your future dog based on looks alone. A stable temperament and good health is much more integral than a certain size or weight. Working lines vs show lines The German Shepherd was originally bred as a working dog. Since his original use as a shepherd dog however, he has filled many different roles — from guarding properties over being used in the show ring to participating in Schutzhund and IPO trails. Depending on which lines your German Shepherd Dog comes from, the prices can vary a lot! Show line German Shepherds are the dogs that are bred for conformation shows. These are the type of dogs you should decide on if you would like a shepherd puppy as a pet and companion animal. If you are interested in using your German Shepherd as a protection dog and to participate in IPO trials, you should pick one from working lines. There are a lot of highly successful working line breeders both in North America and Europe. For this price, you get an absolutely flawless dog with extensive skills and perfect obedience. Some US dog owners interested in Schutzhund choose to import a puppy from old European working lines. While this might sound insanely high for a pet dog owner, for Schutzhund enthusiasts it is a typical price for a pedigreed German Shepherd pup. How much does it cost a month to own a German Shepherd? This will cover the basics: high-quality food and regular vet checks. Some German Shepherd owners spend considerably more money. Professional grooming is necessary for many German Shepherd owners, as these dogs shed heavily. This breeds tends to exhibit several behavioral issues that can be difficult to fix for first-time dog owners, including: Separation anxiety.

These duck-flavored chews are formulated with glucosamine HCL, methylsulfonylmethane MSM , turmeric, green-lipped mussels, and organic hemp oil to help promote overall joint health and relieve inflammation due to everyday exercise. Together, they can work to help support a healthy inflammatory response and promote overall health. If you have any concerns about your puppy's heart function or health, talk to your vet for their recommendations. Packed with fish oil, biotin, vitamin C, and vitamin E, these chews bring relief to dry, itchy, sensitive, and flaky skin and help make your dog's coat soft and shiny. Even better? These tasty treats support hip and joint health, immune system function, and cardiovascular activity for overall health. Made with over 25 nutrients, including omega 3s and 6s, this multivitamin tablet supports your puppy's cardiovascular system, nervous system, and immune system as well as cognitive and liver health. This supplement can be given to dogs of all ages, sizes, and breeds. This daily tablet can help your puppy maintain healthy teeth and bones. It's flavorless, too, so you can give it to your pup by hand or crumble it and mix it in with his food. Made to help prevent urinary issues, this supplement contains ingredients like pumpkin seed powder, rehmannia glutinosa powder, phytoestrogens, wild yam, and soy protein to support your pup's urinary health. Made with a bacterium known as bifidobacterium longum BL , this supplement along with proper separation anxiety training can help keep your pup calm. It can help your dog who has diarrhea or maybe recovering from parvo," Ochoa says. What To Look For It can be difficult to find the best supplements for ourselves, nevertheless for our puppies. However, there are a few ways you can differentiate between what to add to your cart and what to leave on the shelf. Ingredients Because supplements aren't regulated by the U. Food and Drug Administration, pay careful attention to the ingredients in a particular supplement. It is more of a treat that tastes good, and there are not any real supplements in the treats. Efficacy Because supplements aren't regulated, Whittenburg recommends researching any potential option and looking for peer-reviewed published studies that demonstrate their efficacy. If you'd really like to do some digging, she says you can reach out to the manufacturer to see if they follow the Good Manufacturing Practices GMP guidelines and are approved by the U. No one company makes all of those, but your vet will know the best brands in each category. Tweet on Twitter You are not alone if you are wondering whether you should give your dog vitamins. Most notably, the areas of organic supplements, weight loss supplements, and vitamins for older dogs are of great interest to consumers. With vitamins for pregnant dogs to vitamins for dogs with arthritis available these days, there is a formulation for just about any situation your furry friend faces. This can be confusing, as you could easily be led to believe your dog needs to take a fistful of supplements every day to be healthy and happy. Aside from the potential health implications of giving your dog unnecessary supplements, feeding your dog endless vitamins for no good reason is going to leave a huge hole in your hip pocket. What are the best dog vitamins? Dog Vitamins — Are They Necessary? If you have a happy, healthy dog with no preexisting health conditions who is fed a nutritionally complete diet, then there is really no need to give them vitamins and supplements at all. While most dogs will likely fall into this category, there are times that you may need to give your dog some supplementary vitamins, even if they do not seem sick. A good example of this is if you feed your dog a homemade diet. Commercially available dog foods usually include a vitamin mix specific to the type of dog they are marketed to. However, if you make your own dog food it is possible that there will be some deficiencies in their diet. There are plenty of doggie multivitamins available, however a word of caution is needed. Determining what supplement your dog needs if they are on a homemade diet is something that is best done in consultation with your vet. Maybe they need to get through a condition that has either been caused by or has led to a vitamin deficiency. Of course, you would need to have your dog examined by your vet to be sure of the issue. After a proper diagnosis, your vet may advise you to give your dog a vitamin supplement. Vitamin D has an important role in the body, as it aids in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. Dogs obtain Vitamin D through the diet and exposure to sunlight. If your dog suffers from this imbalance, they are at risk of developing problems which include: rickets both in puppies and adult dogs rubber jaw syndrome, a condition generally seen in older dogs where their bones become weak and break easily hypoparathyroidism, a condition that tends to affect smaller dogs which makes them restless, nervous, and unable to control their muscle movements Vitamin C for Stressed Dogs Dr. Bauer also mentions that vitamin C levels can become low when dogs are under stress and may need to be supplemented at these times. Vitamins for Dogs Eyes A study conducted in found that a diet without enough vitamin E led to progressive loss of vision. Again, it is important to note that the dogs that experienced this vision loss were fed on a diet of table scraps and worked as hunting dogs. Dogs that are fed a nutritionally adequate diet are not likely to experience such deficiencies. Interestingly, however, both a deficiency and an excess of vitamin A can cause issues of the skin and hair. Therefore, it is important that you have a deficiency confirmed before you give your dog vitamin A. We will talk more about vitamin toxicity later in this article. Generally, any vitamin A deficiency is the result of an inadequate diet. We have already established that this rare if you feed your dog with commercially available dog food. However, Cocker Spaniels can develop dermatitis even when they are fed a diet with sufficient levels of vitamin A. If your Cocker Spaniel has this condition, their skin will be nasty indeed: scaly, greasy, flaky, and itchy. If vitamin A-responsive dermatitis is the culprit, your pooch may well have to take vitamins for dogs coat to keep the condition at bay. And vitamins are no exception. There are many studies available that outline the dangers and side effects of Vitamin D toxicity. Large doses of Vitamin D are thought to cause permanent damage to the kidneys. Abnormal deposits of calcium in the organs and in the blood were also found in dogs that had been given large doses of this vitamin. You may have read something about the benefits of vitamin A and are looking for dog vitamins for shedding, for instance. Clearly, you cannot assume that vitamin A will do the trick. In fact, it could actually end up causing your pooch more grief. There has also been evidence of neuropathy, or weakness and numbness, in beagles that had been given excessive doses of vitamin B6. The trend among humans is to take supplements to help us through our different life stages. Concerned pet owners may wonder if there is any merit in senior dog vitamins, prenatal vitamins for dogs, or dog vitamins for immune system health. As we have seen through this article, vitamins are really only of any use to your dog if they are suffering with a deficiency. While at certain stages of life, the chances of your dog becoming deficient increase, the only way to be sure they need a supplement is to check with your vet. Needless to say, giving your dog some human vitamins that you have found in the back of your medicine cabinet is not the best idea. In fact, the dosages and combinations of vitamins specially formulated for human consumption could even be dangerous for your dog. Always consult with your vet before you start giving your dog vitamins so you can be sure you are giving them the appropriate dosage. Dog Vitamins — Conclusion To be fair, there are good vitamins for dogs out there. However, the selection of dog vitamins and supplements available is ever expanding. Working out which ones are actually going to be of benefit to your furry friend can be confusing. There are health concerns associated with giving your dog too many vitamins. Finding the right vitamin for your dog, or if they need to be taking one at all, can be hard. Be sure to discuss this with your vet. Have you ever had to give your pooch dog vitamins? What was the outcome? Do you have any experiences you would like to share, or further questions that were not covered in this article? Be sure to mention them in the comments section below. And if you found this article helpful, please share it. It has omega-3 fatty acids, which can help dogs with skin conditions and give them healthier coats. It is good for improved mobility and can ease joint pain. This might be an ideal option if your Lab has skin issues in addition to mobility issues. However, the capsule is more like a hard shell, so it can be difficult to open or puncture, but it might be too large to give to your dog orally. Also, these pills are more geared toward skin conditions and less toward joint issues. Chondroitin Chondroitin helps support the musculoskeletal system, but it quite specifically aids in lubricating and supporting cartilage. Cartilage helps cushion the bones and joints and acts as a shock absorber — it effectively prevents the ends of bones from rubbing together. Chondroitin also blocks the enzymes that break down cartilage and helps the body produce new cartilage. Glucosamine Glucosamine is used to aid in building tendons, cartilage, ligaments, and the fluid found around the joints. It can help increase the fluid and cartilage around the joints and prevent them from breaking down. Both the fluid and cartilage help protect the soft tissues and ends of bones in the joints. It can aid in reducing inflammation and decreasing joint pain and in faster recovery after a significant amount of exercise. It can also help with reducing allergy symptoms and improving skin health. They can also help control arthritis by reducing the pain and swelling of the joints, in addition to benefiting everything from the heart to the brain. Image Credit: Rosa Jay, Shutterstock Hyaluronic Acid Hyaluronic acid is a substance found in the fluids in the joints, which acts like a cushion and a lubricant. It can help decrease swelling because it has anti-inflammatory properties and aids tissue growth. Size of Dog Always double-check what age and size of dog that a product is formulated for. Many supplements are suitable for dogs of any size , but if your Lab is on the large side, you might need to give them two or more doses a day. This can add up financially. Speak to your vet before you purchase anything, though, as they can help you with this crucial decision. When she was a child, she hoped to work in zoos or with wildlife in some way, thanks to her all-consuming love for animals. Unfortunately, she's not strong in the sciences, so she fills her days with researching and writing about all kinds of animals and spends time playing with her adorable but terribly naughty tabby cat, Bella. Kathryn is hoping to add to her family in the near future — maybe another cat and a dog.Read more Advertisement. Learn more about the health issues affecting this breed, and what you can do to help keep your Lab healthy, in addition to regular veterinary visits. The Use of Supplements: In Support of a Healthier Labrador Supplements are no longer an afterthought but an important element for your Labrador's nutrition and care. Animal Necessity recommends consulting your veterinarian regarding the types of supplements that could benefit your dog's physical health and mental well-being. Some of the benefits supplements may provide for your Labrador include: Helps keep your dog's coat healthy and shiny. Boosts your dog's intake of vital nutrients missing in its diet. Helps boost metabolism to burn more calories, while regulating blood sugar to reduce the urge to overeat. Relief from chronic hip, joint, back, and muscle pain and inflammation. Increase energy levels in support of an active and healthy lifestyle. Regulate and enhance proper immune function. Helps alleviate certain types of cancers, in addition to heart disease, diabetes, and cataracts caused by diabetes. A Short History of the Labrador Retriever Kind hearted, intelligent and extremely loyal, the Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog breed in the U. Labrador Retrievers are known for their keen sense of smell, ability to find downed birds, and speed on land and through the water. We think of Labs as 'Peter Pan' dogs - they never grow up! A happy, exuberant 1 year old Labrador is still happy and super-charged at, say, 6 years of age. The breed's roots go back to the early 's in Newfoundland, to a forerunner called the St. John's Water Dog. These dogs were eager to please and were strong swimmers with short dense water-repellent coats. They retrieved fish that fell off hooks and also retrieved nets and other fishing gear. British aristocracy took note of the breed's retrieving ability and imported them to England for hunting, developing what is now known as the Labrador Retriever. Soon after the British Kennel Club made the breed official in , the breed made its way to the U. Fun Facts about the Labrador Retriever There are three acceptable colors in Labradors: black, yellow, and chocolate. Yellow Labs born with pale skin and pink noses are called "Dudleys" and are not accepted in breed registries. Labradors have webbed toes and an otter-like tail that help make them powerful swimmers. Their coat is thick, short, and dense to repel water, making them very good shedders. There are two recognized lines of Labrador Retrievers - the show line broader head, more solidly-built and the field line more fine-boned, longer legs, and more high-energy. The presence of a hindlimb lameness, especially in a young to middle-aged Labrador, must be considered ACL disease until proven otherwise - so seek immediate veterinary care for your dog if this occurs! Severe, chronic pain and arthritis results if surgery is not done as soon as possible. Even with surgery, these active dogs need joint health support to help keep their knees as healthy as possible. Severely affected dogs develop congestive heart failure CHF. If you think that your Lab has become fat and lazy, you may be right but just in case, have your veterinarian examine your dog to check for a heart murmur. It affects puppies and worsens with age, with 1 year old dogs being severely affected. This condition affects leg mobility and can cause pain and chronic arthritis if not surgically corrected. It is the most common cause of hip pain in dogs. Elbow dysplasia is a malformation of the elbow joint causing lameness and chronic pain. Cancer Labradors are more prone to cancer than many other breeds. Of those dogs, the most common kind of cancer was sarcoma tumors that form in bones and in connective tissue , such as osteosarcoma and fibrosarcoma. Labradors are also at higher risk to develop lymphosarcoma cancer of white blood cells. Affected dogs develop weakness and collapse after just minutes of strenuous exercise, and possibly die. A recessive gene mutation results in malfunction of neurotransmitters in the nervous system; fortunately there is now a DNA test for EIC. Care information for Your Labrador Retriever Caring for your Labrador Retriever is not as challenging as with many other breeds, but even so, there are certain things you can do to make sure he stays happy and healthy so both of your lives are more fulfilling. Exercise Labrador Retrievers love to exercise, which is a good thing because they tend to put on weight. It's your job to see that your dog gets regular exercise with extended walks and active playtime, such as retrieving a ball or chasing a Frisbee. They especially love the water, so if that's an option, it will make life even better for your Labrador. They are very intelligent and take to training well, which helps their overall disposition. However, Labs do have a tendency to exhaust themselves, so it is important for you to monitor their activity. Additionally, Labs with chronic joint disease will easily "overdo" themselves running, jumping, etc, but they likely will pay for this within the next 24 hours by having severe reactive joint pain. Shelter Labrador Retrievers make great house dogs and thrive when they are with people, especially children. There is nothing a Lab likes better, than to be your shadow. Having a large backyard would be ideal, but as long as they are fed properly and exercised daily, weight gain is not a big concern. Labradors are not noisy and usually are not very territorial. They get along with other animals and for the most part, are friendly to strangers. For that reason, Labs do not make good guard dogs, but often will "sound the alarm" at a knock on your door. Labradors crave attention and companionship and can be disruptive if left alone for long periods. Grooming Unlike other breeds, a Labrador Retriever does not require a great deal of grooming. However, they do shed a LOT and so brushing frequently and an occasional bath is in order. However, be careful not to overdo it as frequent baths can damage your Labrador's naturally waterproof coat. His floppy ears can also present problems. Check them regularly and use an ear-cleaning solution recommended by your veterinarian to prevent infections. Also, trim the nails every week or two, as needed. These provide instant traction to stop dogs sliding on smooth floors or stairs. Nutrition As with most animals, Labrador Retrievers need a quality, balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals to support their size, activity level and to help reduce the risk of certain diseases. Foods with essential fatty acids are important for maintaining a Labrador's healthy coat and to help reduce shedding. But as they are a breed that never stops eating, veterinarians recommended that Labs be fed carefully and not be overfed as they can easily put on pounds without an active lifestyle. A diet rich in antioxidants can have long-term benefits, especially as dogs age. Share This Guide: What People Are Saying About Supplements and Their Pets Pet owners just like you are incorporating supplements into their animal's care more than ever before, and with exciting results. Our vet doesn't understand how, but Buddy can see even though he has the big bright green glow from the PRA and the fog from the cataracts. He doesn't get eye infections anymore and there is less brown crud in his eyes. He is walking a little better, putting more pressure on the leg and not limping as much. The results were amazing! Cocoa has regained 50 percent vision in her left eye and she can now catch treats! We were told when her PRA was diagnosed that she would lose her sight completely within a year. It's been two years now and, although she can't see at night, she still sees during the day and you would never know she has a problem with sight. I was told she would be blind within 5 months. I am so thankful she was able to receive this supplement. Thank you so much! This is definitely a plus! Almost two years after his initial diagnosis - there has been no further development of his cataracts. I'm grateful to be among those who can speak personally for its benefits. Probiotics have become a big thing in both human and vet care. When there is disease or inflammation, harmful or pathogenic bacteria can displace the beneficial type, causing further illness. Probiotics are live cultures of beneficial bacteria that can displace most types of harmful bacteria and can facilitate faster response times from the immune system. The active ingredient known as Bifidobacterium longum BL works like most other probiotic cultures, but also has a naturally calming effect. This makes it an effective probiotic for dogs that have gastrointestinal issues as well as behavior issues. The main reason why Calming Care works is because there is a neurological connection between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain. Studies in mice show that when gastrointestinal bacteria from anxious mice were transferred to the gastrointestinal tracts of calm mice, the latter group began to demonstrate anxiety. Once the clinical trials were performed for use of B. For best results, use Calming Care every day for at least three to four weeks. From our findings Glandex Soft Chews are one of the best fiber supplements available. Product features: Contains ingredients to help improve stool quality and promote GI health Helps natural anal gland expression by improving stool quality Available in a tasty chewable treat or powder form Anal glands are the small marble-shaped glands within the anus of a dog. They excrete a viscous and smelly fluid that helps make the passing of stools easier. However, when dogs have digestive tract problems or issues with allergies , these glands can become inflamed and more difficult to express. Anal glands can also become impacted and form painful abscesses that require immediate medical attention. Glandex eats more like a treat for your dog. Both of these ingredients absorb water which results in bulkier, healthier stools. Glandex also contains omega 3 fatty acids which can help prevent inflammation. It also contains probiotics like Lactobacillus acidophilus to promote a healthy digestive tract.