Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve Got Questions. We’ve Got Answers.
What food should I feed my German Shepherd Puppy?
To learn more about what human foods are safe to feed your new fur family member, click here.
Considering puppy food, after much research and careful consideration, we have had much success and pleasure in using dog foods from Victor. For puppies in particular we recommend using Victor Professional. It is ideal for sporting pups and those with high physical demands, and we have seen much success once we started to use Victor foods including: Improved coat quality, stools, enthusiasm to eat, and maintaining a healthy weight. Click here to see more.
Another alternative food you could use as recommended by my veterinarian is the Hill's Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Chicken Meal & Oat Recipe Dry Dog Food. It is slightly more expensive, but still highly recommended. Be sure to pay attention to the consistency of your puppy's stools to know whether the food is working for them! If they have consistently runny stools, it may be a sign you need to switch.
How often should I exercise my puppy?
German Shepherds are very high energy dogs. They require consistent training and an outlet to release energy. If they are not in an enclosure in which they can run freely, they should be taken out for a walk at least 2-3 times a day as they get older. You will have to monitor your puppy closely to see what they can handle. A good rule of thumb is to let them exercise at least 5 minutes for every month of age. As you are walking them, look for signs such as lagging behind, lying down or panting to know when they have had enough. Walking your puppy may be a challenge if they are untrained, so if you are having trouble, try using treats on your walk to let your puppy know what you like. Positive reinforcement leads to the best results. Pay close attention to your leash tension to let the puppy know what your desired proximity is. It is also encouraged for you to enroll into some obedience classes for further training.
Health related things about my puppy?
Puppies will receive:
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First set of vaccinations at 6 weeks of age. Puppies should be vaccinated ever 3-4 weeks afterwards. For a complete vaccination schedule, click here!
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Deworming at 2, 4, 6 & 8 weeks
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Vet checked at 6-7 weeks of age
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Socialized
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We will begin to potty train puppies using puppy pads before they go home.
Sleep:
Expect your puppy to sleep a lot! This is normal! Puppies at 8 weeks of age can sleep on average for 14-20 hours a day, so do not be alarmed if they are napping ever so often.
Ticks/Fleas/Intestinal Parasites:
Something that we have always used to protect against parasites is Trifexis or Simparica Trio. You will need to contact your veterinary professional before using either, and it is strongly recommended you do so once you receive your puppy at 8 weeks old. These treatments are a superb product in that:
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They are an oral monthly product that rapidly kills fleas on dogs and is effective in preventing heartworm disease and treatment and control of adult hookworm (A. caninum), adult roundworm and adult whipworm infections in dogs and puppies 8 weeks of age or older and 5 pounds of body weight and greater.
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Approved by the FDA as safe and effective when used according to the label.
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Spinosad, one of the active ingredients in Trifexis, began to kill fleas on dogs 30 minutes after administration with 100% effectiveness within 4 hours in a well-controlled laboratory study.
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Trifexis continues to kill fleas for a full month after treatment.
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Dogs with signs of flea allergy dermatitis showed improvement in erythema, papules, scaling, alopecia, dermatitis/pyodermatitis and pruritus (itching) as a direct result of eliminating the fleas.
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Available in different strengths. Each tablet is formulated to provide a minimum dosage of 13.5 mg/lb (30 mg/kg) spinosad and 0.2 mg/lb (0.5 mg/kg) milbemycin oxime according to body weight.