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Use tab to navigate through the menu items. What IS a Bernedoodle? These are NOT mutts which implies a breeding between unknown breeds or not carefully planned. These are designer breeds that are bred for a specific purpose. We produce an incredible bernedoodle that displays the qualities of both our champion line Standard Poodles and the Bernese Mountain Dog pedigrees. The advantage of a carefully planned mixed breed is that you get the added advantage of a phenomenon called "hybrid vigor". This process shuffles new combinations of genes that helps to increase longevity and decrease the usual ailments that impact many purebred dogs such as various forms of inherited types of cancer not all cancers have a genetic basis such as small and large cell lymphoma which is usually a result from environmental exposure. The bernedoodles are super healthy and are not as prone to the same issues that Bernese mountain dogs and standard poodles are. As a result, you have a family member for a lot longer and that will live a vibrant and healthy life if properly cared for diet, exercise, and family integration are all important components toward helping the dog to live a long happy life with you.You can see the links above about the qualities of Standard Poodles and Bernese Mountain Dogs as both are extraordinary breeds in their own right and for many, purebreds of these may be a great option as well. We prefer the Bernedoodle as they get the best of both breeds, incredibly loyal, goofy, smart, playful, intelligent, and has one of the best dog personalities we have seen in a family dog. The Premier F1 Standard Bernedoodle is a low- to mostly nonshedding we use standard poodles that do not carry the improper coat alleles and Bernese mountain dogs that have thick wavy curly coats.If you want a guarantee on non shedding, then you should try to select an F1b or F1bb bernedoodle. Both look amazingly similar to the F1 standard bernedoodles but maybe a little smaller. We will produce about 2 F1b and F1bb standard bernedoodle litters per year for those wanting a more curly coat in their bernedoodles. Premier Bernedoodles love to be with the family and do not do well in enviroments of isolation. Wherever the family is, that's right where they want to be. They are stunning dogs, and you'll likely get alot of attention and people asking you what kind of dog you have. They are beautiful and along with their incredibly gentle personalities, you will have an absolutely stunning dog. They are a perfect companion dog that love to go on walks through the city or hikes in the woods or mountains or a swim at the beach. They love it all and will be at your side the entire time. They don't tend to wander away as they prefer to be with you.They equally love just hanging out with you on the couch watching your favorite movie or watching you reading a book. They really love it all as long as you're a part of it. They are so loyal to the family. Bernedoodle puppies do have energy like most puppies, and this will continue thru about years of age at which time they really mellow out. They are not nervous nor hyper but will need some off leash time where they can really stretch their legs and run. The old motto "a tired puppy is a good puppy" always prevails! Just make sure they have a lot of fresh water and a cool spot to cool off afterward. Due to the the recombination and shuffling of new genetic variations, they do show some variation in their coloration however they also all have a common morphology that tells you it's a bernedoodle. Although we do take deposits on a first come, first pick basis, we will know the puppies well, their personalities, and can help select a puppy that best fits your lifestyle and what you are looking for. We only use Standard Poodles and Bernese Mountain Dogs to produce our Premier Bernedoodles so that any dog we accept into our Premier Bernedoodle program have passed stringent health tests, display family oriented personalities, and exhibit the best of conformation so that our bernedoodles are absolutely beautiful. Be very cautious when purchasing a purebred or bernedoodle without doing your due diligence as the puppies will always be cute, but will exhibit the personalities of the bloodline used later in life.Therefore, use a reptutable breeder that has invested in the dogs they use for their breeding programs and that raise them as their own family members. They should be able to produce their pedigrees as well, and should have both parents on site so you can see how they react to you. We are very Type A when it comes to the quality of dogs which makes it more difficult to give referrals. We are always going to be biased and believe that the wait for a Premier Bernedoodle is worth it and you'll be very happy you did! Also you can visit your local humane society and help rescue a dog at the shelter.If you have young kids be sure to get a younger dog from the shelter that can adapt to your family. But if you're looking for a unique new family member, a Premier Bernedoodle will be a true delight. Colors and Fur Our Premier Bernedoodles will be traditional tri-color much like a Bernese Mountain Dog , abstract tricolor similar to a traditional tricolor with less white in the face , sable similar to a traditional tri-color but has more reddish-browns due to the poodle genetics we use , phantom, merle, merle tricolor, or bi-colored brown and white, black and white, or shades thereof. Our F1b's will consist of black and whites, traditional tricolors, abstract tricolors, and lots of variable brown and reddish brown and whites. Color never reflects temperament and personality so usually most people don't really care too much what color they are. They are all really beautiful. Although there's variation due to the hybrid vigor present as a result of the recombination of genes in many arrays, there is definitely a bernedoodle appearance that is fairly consistent. If you let the hair grow, they will look like big shaggy dogs that you can't help but to give a big hug to. And they enjoy every minute of it! Our Premier Bernedoodles will tend to have wavy curly coats due to the coat types we require in our bernese mountain dogs which helps to minimize or eliminate shedding.We do make sure that our standard poodles do not carry the genetic marker known as the "Improper Coat" allele or IC for short. Wavy curly coats do require a little more grooming as compared to straight, but many, straight coats shed more.Although they are considered to be large, they don't act like a large dog in the house. They are generally very careful and calm natured as adults however they do have some puppy-fun energy thru the puppyhood stages and thru 3 years of age. They love people and other pets! We do thorough genetic testing of our adults that we use in our breeding program to assure that you are purchasing the healthiest of bernedoodle puppies. Our Bernese mountain dogs come from very long-lived blood lines in Western Europe and these longer lifespans is one of the many reasons we obtain our Berners from several specific populations known for their longevity. Obviously we can't guarantee lifespan as there are many variables outside of our control not to mention, environment, stress, climate, food, etc. But track record seems to show a longer lifespan. What's the Difference? An F1b is an F1 standard Bernedoodle backcrossed to a standard poodle or could be a backcross to a Bernese mountain dog but we generally use the poodle as the backcross. An F1bb is an F1b standard Bernedoodle backcrossed to a standard poodle. Behaviorally they are all very similar with the F1b and F1bb's being slightly smaller than our F1 standards and tend to have slightly curlier coats to a tight wave. If you're looking for a smaller standard Bernedoodle these would be a great option. Pictures are posted below with the other pictures. We continue to get lots of praise from those that have purchased our F1b and F1bb standard bernedoodles. Is the Bernedoodle for Everybody? I would like to think so, but if you do not plan on being with your bernedoodle and keeping it with you, in your home, as part of your home, this is definitely not the dog for you. They thrive on being with the family and not isolated we believe this is the case for all dogs, and especially bernedoodles. Any of our puppies kept in a permanent kennel situation, on a tether, or the like, will violate the terms and conditions of our puppy contract and will have to render the puppy or dog back to Premier Doodles see puppy contract in link above. We definitely support crate training, but these dogs are not meant to live their life in a crate nor kennel! If you want a pet that prefers to be in isolation, you may want to consider a nonsocial pet perhaps a Betta fish! Yes we have done a lot of the hard work the first 8 weeks as we do extensive early neurological stimulation bio-sensor and Puppy Culture program, along with starting crate training and housebreaking, BUT, they are puppies and will need your undivided attention for the next weeks as they work towards being completely housebroken and earning more privileges. They have been communicating with their siblings for the past 8 weeks using their mouth. During their normal daily interactions, you will occasionally hear a loud "yelp" in response to one biting another too hard. This yelp usually ends the mouthing behavior. Now puppies have fur and people generally do not. When you bring your bernedoodle home, they will likely display some degree of mouthing behavior toward their human family. This will usually stop this behavior. We then redirect their desire to mouth to something more appropriate like a chew toy and after a few seconds of cooperating we praise them. The good news.We have a Puppy Guide under our tab "Puppy Central" on how to unpack this process so that you can have success. If you put them time in early, they will have this knocked out in a few days. The rule of thumb is to get them outside ALOT.Be sure to purchase two Midwest XL crates can get from our Puppy Store , one for the back door and one next to your bed. The power of meiosis specialized cell division event that occurs in the reproductive organs, ovaries for females and testes for males and crossing over assures that each offspring will be diverse and different and this difference will be noticeable in color and a little bit in behavior. All will be superior, but some will be more playful and others less so, some will mouth more than others, etc. Available Puppies.Check out our "Available Puppies" tab at the top to find out how to get onto our Master List for a future puppy! Our Bernedoodles are from excellent bloodlines and all Pedigree information traces back to their AKC lineage. Our Dams and Sires have obtained extensive health clearances prior to being bred. These dogs will have a higher success rate for non-shedding, and are recommended for families with allergies. F1 Bernedoodles all have loose wavy coats that are typically minimal to light shedding, while F1B Bernedoodles coats can be loose wavy just like the F1 or curly and there are both coat types within the F1B litter. The F1B Bernedoodle is typically minimal to non-shedding. The coat of a Bernedoodle can vary from straight, loose wavy or curly. An F1 Bernedoodle will have a loose wavy coat, while an F1B Bernedoodle litter has both curly and loose wavy coats within the litter. The coat colors of Bernedoodles can vary based on the color genetics of the parents. We will also have Parti Bernedoodles. Daily walks are a must if you don't have a safely enclosed area for them to run freely. The Bernedoodle can be independent and does great being with family engaging in play, then happily laying on their own with a toy. It is still unknown how long Bernedoodles will live as it is a newer cross. The expected lifespan is hoped to be years. As with any dog, socialization and training should start while the dog is still a puppy and continue throughout its life. Look for a puppy kindergarten class locally or join the AKC S. Puppy Program , training based on positive techniques. You do not have to be an AKC purebred puppy to participate in their S. Puppy Program. Find a class here. This is a great place to start socializing and training. A well-socialized, well-trained Bernedoodle makes a wonderful family companion. Early socialization and training establishes those lifetime bonds between the family and puppy as these programs teach you how to communicate with your new puppy and get started on the right foot. For allergy-friendly needs, F1b puppies are optimal Standard-sized need space to stretch Mini or tiny sizes available for smaller spaces see puppies Why Should I Get a Bernedoodle Puppy? Like many other types of Doodles, the Bernedoodle breed is well known for its high intelligence, loyalty, great health, and longevity. As loyal as they can be, the Bernedoodle is quite gentle and goofy when it comes to their personalities. With such a big and loving heart, the Bernedoodles can also serve exceptionally well as guard dogs. Bernedoodles are also incredibly friendly dogs and great around children, which makes them a fantastic family dog breed! Why Central Illinois Doodles? Our Bernedoodle pups are also raised according to the highest ethical standards and undergo early socialization, ensuring they grow healthy, well-mannered, and incredibly friendly. And if you need proof, the insurance of health warranty backs up our Bernedoodle Puppies. No matter what you may call them nicknames include Bernese Mountain dog poodle mix, the Bernese Mountain Poo, the Bernedoodle, the Berne-doodle, and even just the Doodle , the mini Bernedoodle is the perfect companion for all lifestyles. Check out our Bernedoodles for sale at Central Illinois Doodles today. We are one of the best Bernedoodle dog breeders in the Midwest, helping you find your high-quality Bernedoodle companion. History of Bernedoodles As covered, the Bernedoodle is a mixed dog breed. Due to their pedigree, Bernedoodles are very affectionate , incredibly loyal, and good-natured, which are the traits they inherit from Bernese Mountain Dogs. Bernedoodle puppies are also very well-mannered, a trait common among Poodles. At least not to the level this magnificent breed deserves. Bred from Great Mastiffs and other types of guard dog breeds, the Bernese Mountain Dog was brought over to Switzerland approximately 2, years ago by the Romans. Aside from being known for having a loving personality, these breeds are only one of the four kinds of Sennenhund-type dogs from the Swiss Alps. These dogs were generally known as farm dogs that worked hard. Eventually, the Bernese Mountain Dog breed mixed with the Poodle breed led to the creation of the incredible Bernedoodle dog breed. Types of Bernedoodles. Available Bernedoodles Everyone wants the perfect puppy. You are looking for the puppy you can love, and the one who will love you back with unconditional puppy love. We understand and will help you find the puppy that is just right for you and your family! Our family raises adorable Tiny, Mini, and Standard Bernedoodle puppies. We provide our puppies with loving care from day 1 and ensure the puppies stay healthy, allowing us to present you with a happy, active puppy dog pal. We are best at producing Tri-colored Mini and Standard Bernedoodles and our puppies make great companions and playmates. Browse our website to see photos of Bernedoodle puppies for sale. We also picture many of the puppies who have found their forever homes. Learn about our family, our puppies and their parents, and how you can become the proud owner of a new puppy! Our puppies go to their forever home with the following: Prepaid ICA Registration Health certificate from our vet Up to date on vaccinations Up to date on dewormers Micro chipped 2 year genetic health guarantee Dew claws removed. Life Span Did You Know? These large, fluffy dogs are known for their non-shedding coats and lovable personalities. Bernedoodles tend to be a great addition to any family! Although the Bernedoodle is not currently recognized by the American Kennel Club, they are recognized by other dog registries. As long as they are properly socialized, they tend to be open and friendly dogs that get along well with just about anyone. These dogs tend to do well with children, other dogs, and other pets. Although they can be initially wary and watchful at first, they even tend to warm up quickly to strangers once introduced. Bernedoodles are highly adaptable dogs. They thrive in homes with yards where they can run. Despite their size and energy, they can also adapt to apartment living as long as they get enough daily exercise and attention. These dogs tend to handle the cold better than the heat; you may even have some trouble getting them to come back inside after some playtime in the snow. Because Bernedoodles bond so closely with their families and enjoy nothing more than being around them, they do not like to spend long periods of time alone. They can also be prone to skin issues like sensitive skin, allergies, and hot spots. Reputable breeders screen their dogs to avoid passing issues to puppies. Make sure you ask about the health and genetic history of both of the parents. You can also ask about any health tests or clearances that have been done. As a large dog breed, the Standard Bernedoodle is also at risk for bloat like both parent breeds. The Bernedoodle is a highly intelligent and easily trained dog breed. Some facts about Bernedoodles are that they are a good fit for owners of any experience level and tend to pick up commands easily. Although they tend to grow out of this initial stubbornness with age, puppy training classes will certainly help with training and socialization early on. Bernedoodles tend to have a longer coat that ranges from curly to wavy. Although they tend to be non-shedding, they still need a lot of maintenance to keep their coat looking great. Daily brushing to remove tangles and prevent mats along with grooming every weeks are recommended. Nail trims once or twice a month are usually enough to keep nails from growing too long. Ear checks weekly with careful cleanings as needed can help prevent ear infections. Brushing daily along and cleanings at the vet as needed are an ideal start to a good dental care routine for your Bernedoodle. Standard Bernedoodles can range from moderate to high energy. They tend to sit in a more moderate activity range and have bursts of higher energy when they play. These dogs are known to play hard and energetically until they are tired, but are not usually considered high-energy dogs. Daily walks plus playtime and some time to run should be enough for a Bernedoodle. But, these dogs will likely be up for more activity if you are. They will love the opportunity to spend more time being active with you. A fully-grown Standard Bernedoodle usually stands inches tall and weighs pounds. Standard Bernedoodles generally live for years on average. A Bernedoodle is also sometimes called a Bernese Mountain Poo. Featured Bernedoodle Article.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions from Poodle owners like you. What should I feed a picky Poodle? What should I not feed my Poodle? Human food! You should also avoid toxic foods for dogs like chocolate, garlic, onions, etc. Do Poodle need a special diet? Small-breed dog food is sometimes recommended by vets, but most small breeds can eat regular dog food without an issue. What is the best homemade food for Poodles? Soft dog foods that require little chewing are the best options for Poodles with no teeth. Should I put my Poodle on a diet plan? Unless your Poodle is overweight, suffering from a specific health condition, or has allergies, they should not be put on a diet. Your vet will be able to tell you if your dog requires a new diet, less or more food, or prescription dog food. If your dog needs to lose weight, here are some tips you can try. Sticking with Blue Buffalo, we think that their canned puppy food is a contender for the best dog food for Poodle puppies. What should I look for in a dog food for my Poodle? Look for a dog food that is high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and contains essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Avoid dog foods with artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors. Should I choose wet or dry food for my Poodle? Both wet and dry food can be suitable for Poodles. However, dry food may be better for dental health as it can help scrape off plaque and tartar. Can I feed my Poodle a homemade diet? Yes, you can feed your Poodle a homemade diet, here are some vet-approved recipes. While dog food specifically formulated for Poodles may be beneficial, it is not necessary. What is the best dog food for a Poodle with sensitive stomachs? Look for a dog food that is made with easily digestible ingredients, such as chicken or lamb. Avoid dog foods that contain artificial ingredients or fillers. Can Poodles eat grain-free dog food? Yes, Poodles can eat grain-free dog food, but it is important to make sure that the food still contains essential nutrients and is not lacking in any areas. How much should I feed my Poodle? The amount of food your Poodle needs depends on their size, age, and activity level. Consult with your veterinarian to determine the appropriate amount of food for your Poodle. Should I choose a dog food that is high in fat? No, it is important to choose a dog food that is balanced and does not contain excessive amounts of fat. Too much fat can lead to obesity and other health problems. Is it necessary to feed my Poodle a dog food with added supplements? Can I feed my Poodle a vegetarian diet? Poodles require meat-based protein in their diet and typically cannot thrive on a vegetarian diet unless carefully prepared. Here are some vegetarian and vegan recipes and store-bought foods. Should I avoid dog foods that contain by-products? While by-products are often viewed negatively, they can provide essential nutrients for dogs but not when cooked in with kibble. By-products, such as chicken liver are healthy for dogs. Consistency is important for their digestive health. What is the best dog food for a senior Poodle? Look for a dog food that is lower in calories and fat, higher in protein, and contains joint supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin. Can I feed my Poodle a raw diet? Yes, a raw diet is a great choice. Updated March 4, This post contains affiliate links and we will be compensated if you buy after clicking on our links. Poodle puppies are lively and rambunctious creatures who are ready for anything. The breed has a long history that dates back several centuries. While many people know them for strutting their stuff at a dog show or performing tricks at a circus, most Poodles end up being a lovable member of the family. Good nutrition is crucial for proper development. In a hurry? The first is their size classification. There are three main Poodle varieties. These include Toy, Mini, and Standard. Toy Poodles are the smallest of the bunch, maxing out at about nine pounds as an adult. Standard Poodles, on the other hand, can get quite large. They can weigh as much as 70 pounds. However, most stay around the neighborhood of 60 pounds. All dogs start out small. They experience a significant growth spurt during the puppy stage. Before you know it, your young dog will be approaching their adult size. You need to have a good idea of how big your dog will get to supply them with the right amount of food. With a protein content of 31 percent, your puppy will receive all the amino acids they need to grow strong muscles. To support their changing digestive system, plenty of probiotics are added as well. Buy on Chewy 2. Most of it comes from deboned chicken and chicken meal. The dry food also has plenty of healthy fat to support their growing coat and brain. Healthy doses of calcium and phosphorous are included. These ingredients support bone growth and may be able to help your puppy avoid joint and skeletal issues in the future. Buy on Chewy 3. Chicken, lamb, and salmon all contribute to the high protein content. Because so many animal meat sources are used, your puppy can get a complex profile of amino acids to support their muscles. The kibble is also chock-full of fruits and vegetables. Ingredients like apples, spinach, and blueberries give your puppy a dose of vitamins. This particular formula is ideal for Standard Poodles. Buy on Chewy 4. It supports ocular health, improves their digestive system, strengthens their immune system, and provides plenty of energy. It does this with high-quality ingredients. Chicken and turkey are the main protein sources. Buy on Chewy 5. Chicken meal, turkey meal, and lamb meal are the most prevalent ingredients in the recipe. They make up the 24 percent protein content. The food also has a number of beneficial nutrients. Buy on Chewy nutritional requirements While the Poodle size classifications are vastly different, their nutritional requirements remain the same. The only thing that will be different is the amount of food you provide. During the first year, your dog is developing muscles, strong bones, and healthy organs. Poodle puppies are quite active. This constant activity eats up a lot of energy. Not only that, but their bodies are changing. On average, Poodle puppies will need about 55 calories per pound of body weight. More active puppies may need upwards of 60 calories. On the other side of the spectrum, lazier pups will need about .You can use this general guideline to figure out how much food your puppy will need at various stages of development. If not, you may have to soften the kibble a bit to get them to eat or start with wet food. Compared to their birth weight, Poodles will be surprisingly large for only being a few months of age. Toy Poodles The average weight of a Toy Poodle at three months is about two and a half pounds. Miniature Poodles Miniature Poodles typically weigh about five pounds at this age and need approximately calories to stay healthy. Standard Poodles Standard Poodles are well on their weight to reaching adulthood at three months. They should already weight about 20 pounds. This equates to over 1, calories every day. You should continue to monitor their growth and adjust their diets as needed. Toy Poodles Toy Poodles almost double their weight by this age. They typically weigh in at just under five pounds, thus requiring about calories. Miniature Poodles By six months old, most Miniature Poodles tip the scales at about 9 pounds. Standard Poodles At around 35 to 39 pounds, Standard Poodles will do well with just over 2, calories of food. One Year of Age Take out the birthday candles and some dog-friendly cake! This is a great time to look back on your previous weigh-ins to see how much your puppy has changed. Your Poodle should be close to their target adult weight. They will continue to grow a bit longer, especially Standard Poodles. However, the changes will be a bit more difficult to see. Toy Poodles While it may not seem like much growth, Toy Poodles have come a long way since birth. Your tiny canine companion should weigh in at about six pounds and require about calories of food each day. Miniature Poodles Miniature Poodles have an average weight of about 13 pounds when they are one year old. As a result, you should be feeding them just under calories. Standard Poodles At a year old, your Standard Poodle is probably too big to be a lapdog anymore. Most puppies weigh about 50 pounds. They will need between 2, and 2, calories each day. Young Poodles need to eat many times throughout the day. When their suckling off their mothers, puppies typically free feed. Your dog will have the urge to eat a lot as a result. From there, you need to slowly decrease their meal frequency. When you hit the six-month mark, go down to three meals. At one year old, you should try to work your way down to two meals. Your puppy may not like this very much. If they seem to have a problem with hunger throughout the day, you can continue to feed them three meals for another few months. The time to switch your puppy to adult food will depend on a couple of factors. Some dogs take a bit longer to reach their adult weight than others. They need continued support as they make that last push to adulthood. Switching too early can do more harm than good. This is because they are considered adults at about one year old. The other two classifications continue to grow, albeit slowly, until about a year and a half. Their digestive system is still quite sensitive to changes. You can ease the transition by introducing small amounts of adult food to their puppy formula. Dry food and wet food both have their advantages. Starting off with canned food gives your puppy the opportunity to develop stronger muscles before they move onto something tough. It should be noted that wet food is usually less dense than kibble. To avoid weight gain, you should move onto dry kibble when your puppy is about six months old. Here are some great recipes for young Poodle pups. The food comes in a mash form. It can also be mixed in with dry food for an additional kick of flavor. It comes in a convenient tray for mess-free eating. The recipe is comprised of great ingredients like beef and liver. There are also visible vegetables. Over to You Creating an effective diet plan for a growing Poodle puppy is a lot different than doing so for an adult. They need all the fuel they can get. With a bit of extra knowledge and planning, you can provide your dog with a great diet that helps them grow up to a healthy adult. Feeding a Poodle Overview Ensuring that your Poodle is on a well-balanced diet is one of the most important elements to keeping your canine family member healthy, both now and into the future. This section will cover all Poodle feeding guidelines including how often to feed a Poodle, serving sizes, dry vs wet, grain vs grain-free, and top recommended kibble. Don't need all of the details and just want to know which brands are recommended? New Puppies - The Importance of Gradually Switching Foods Before you even bring your Poodle home, it is very important to discuss with the breeder or shelter worker if you are adopting a rescue exactly which brand of food they have been feeding to your Poodle. A fast change in food can cause upset stomach and digestive problems. Breeders and shelters are buying food in bulk and have to feed many dogs which is a factor in which brand they choose; so there is a good chance that you will want to offer your Poodle something different. Have both the current food and the new food on hand and make a gradual switch over the course of 3 weeks. Though you will be leaving food out at all times, it is important that the food is fresh. Do not just top it off throughout the day, rinse and clean the bowl as necessary so that old food is not stuck at the bottom of the dish. Puppy: Starting at just about the 3 month mark, Poodles of all varieties should be eating 3 meals per day, plus snacks. Adult: When a pup matures into an adult, this does not necessarily mean that they should suddenly be given only one meal a day. Smaller dogs such as Toy Poodles and Miniatures often do best with 2 or even 3 meals per day. Standards have a bit more tolerance to a single dinnertime feeding, however many can also benefit from having food split up into two servings. Several snacks can be given in between meals and this is particularly helpful is a Poodle is a fast eater. How Much to Feed a Poodle Exact serving size varies quite a bit depending on the type of food. There is a big difference in calories between wet vs dry and low quality vs high quality. And, the amount of food that a Poodle should be eating depends on the dog's age, activity level, individual metabolism, and health status. Even the weather can play a role since dogs tend to eat a bit more in the winter and a bit less in the summer. In regard to calorie requirements, puppies need more calories per pound than their adult counterparts, approximately 40 to 55 calories per pound, daily, compared to adult dogs that need about 35 to 45 calories per pound, daily. S enior Poodles typically have slower metabolisms and reduced mobility and therefore usually require slightly fewer calories, in the 40 calorie per pound range. If you are feeding your Poodle a commercial food, follow the suggested feeding guidelines. These are usually pretty spot-on. Since these are based on both age and weight, do not estimate how much your Poodle weighs but rather know what this is within a pound or two. If you are feeding your Poodle homemade food, a rough guideline for serving size is 1 ounce of food for each 1 pound of body weight, daily. As you can imagine, this can vary quite a bit depending on the exact ingredients. Using the 1 to 1 rule as a starting point, what your Poodle consumes within 15 minutes is usually a good amount for each meal. Wet vs Dry If a Poodle had their way, most would opt for wet food. However, dry food is recommended since this is much better for the gums and teeth. In addition, dry kibble tends to be easier on the stomach and intestines and a diet of all wet canned food can lead to runny stools. Grain vs Grain-free Until relatively recently, there was not much debate on this subject; if a dog tended to have gastrointestinal or allergy issues when on a diet with grains, they were switched to a grain-free recipe. However, this changed when it was discovered that several dogs that were breeds not prone to dilated cardiomyopathy developed that particular heart disease and also happened to be fed grain-free kibble. Lots of pet parents immediately thought that they needed to change their dogs back to grains; however, many more studies need to be done. In fact, the most recent update from the Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University suggests that 'grain-free' alone may not be the issue at play. For now, it is theorized that a certain diet dubbed a BEG diet may be to blame. This stands for boutique small local brands with exotic meats non-traditional meats like alligator, bison, ostrich, venison, and kangaroo and grain-free along with peas, legumes, or potatoes as one of the top 5 ingredients. Currently there are no recalls of grain-free dog food brands and the FDA is still investigating any possible links including the BEG theory. If your Poodle does not do well with any grains at all, you may wish to stick to a brand that has traditional meats like chicken, turkey, or beef or a fish-based recipes. And, if you are not sure about which grains your Poodle may do okay with, you may wish to opt for wholesome non-wheat and non-gluten grains like rice brown or white , oatmeal, quinoa which is technically a seed. Exact recommendations for the best foods include both grain and grain-free options. Elements to Keep in Mind When Choosing Food for Your Poodle What to avoid: It's no wonder that pet parents have a difficult time navigating the many choices of dog foods in their quest to find the best brand to give their Poodle, there are a lot of ingredients to avoid: Artificial flavoring like MSG which can cause terrible allergic reactions. Artificial coloring. Some of the worst are Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 2, and Yellow 6 which are linked to very serious issues including neurological and behavioral issues like insomnia and hyperactivity and serious health issues including some cancers. Chemical preservatives. This can be tricky to avoid since these do not always need to be labeled; if these are added to protect 'protein meals' in low levels, you'll never see it listed as an ingredient. These are meats and animal parts deemed unfit for human consumption. Examples are lungs, spleen, spinal tissue, genitals, hooves, beaks, intestines, and more. Generic meats or oils. This can, by law, be any species of animal whatsoever and are usually 4-D animal parts: Sourced from dead, diseased, dying, or disabled zoo animals, farm animals, or even roadkill. These are very common in cheaper subpar brands and are inexpensive ingredients that are added only to plump up the food but offer little to no nutritional value. Examples of fillers include corn, soy, wheat middlings, peanut hulls, oat husks, and cereal grains. Ingestion of fillers is a contributing factor in coprophagia eating feces and is linked to malnutrition. High grain count. Though some wholesome grains may be desired next section , high levels of wheat or gluten can cause upset stomach issues and allergies. What to look for: Knowing what to avoid can help you identify some of the better brands though exact recommendations are below. This means zero artificial additives. Natural preservatives. Wholesome ingredients. For meats and proteins this includes chicken, turkey, duck, lamb, rabbit, beef, and many types of fish including whitefish, haddock, salmon, and cod. You'll also want your Poodle to have some vegetables and fruits which provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Zero fillers. Every ingredient should serve the purpose of providing nutrients and never added simply to bulk up the recipe. The right balance of healthy grains. Though some Poodles will need to avoid all grains, most do very well with select non-wheat, non-gluten options including oatmeal, quinoa, and rice. Added extras. Next, we'll cover exact recommendations that fit all of the above criteria. Best Food for Poodles: Recommended Brands Please note that if you have not yet read ' Grain vs Grain-free ' section, you may wish to do so before continuing. Top recommend food with grains: 1. Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry. For larger miniatures and standards, you'll want to opt for their regular Complete Health. There are also puppy, adult, and senior formulas. All of these have no wheat, corn or other fillers, artificial coloring or flavoring, soy, meat by-products, or chemical preservatives, so you can feel very confident that your filling your Poodle's bowl with truly wholesome, healthy food. These recipes also have excellent levels of omega-3 fatty acids. And, this is made in the USA. Halo Natural Holisitc Dog Food. This top brand has found its niche by offering a purely holistic, organic recipe with non-GMO veggies and fruits and meats with no antibiotics, no hormones, and no factory farming. The protein base is chicken and liver, the two grains in this are oats and barley, and vegetables and fruits include peas, blueberries, cranberries, carrots, and sweet potato. All other ingredients are to naturally preserve the kibble or are vitamins and minerals. This particular recipe is for small breeds, however there is also an original for larger dogs. Halo is made in the USA. Top recommended food without grains: 1. Merrick is a great brand which offers this recipe for small breeds, like toy Poodles and another option for larger dogs which would include miniatures and standards. Protein bases include Texas beef, lamb, chicken, and salmon. There is no corn or other fillers, wheat, gluten, artificial additives, or chemical preservatives. And, there are excellent levels of omega-3 and both pre and probiotics. Merrick is also made in the USA. The CORE formula from Wellness is, by far, one of the very best grain-free foods on the market today. It hits very single checkbox of what you are ideally looking for in a food for your Poodle and it has some superior extras. There are excellent levels of glucosamine and chondroitin, omega fatty acids, and antioxidants. There is both a small breed formula and an original formula for minis and standards as well as puppy recipes and a reduced fat option. Wellness is made in the USA. What to Feed Your Poodle if Home Cooking You will want to have a mix of protein, healthy grains, vegetables and fruits. Proteins can include beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, veal, and fish cod, flounder, salmon, whitefish. Vegetables can include sugar snap peas, green beans, lima beans, spinach, peas, zucchini, carrots, sweet potato, and regular potato. Fruits can include blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, apple, and pear. Extras can include eggs, salmon oil, extra virgin olive oil, certain cheese with low levels of lactose Colby, Monterey Jack, Swiss cheese, and cottage cheese and plain whole white yogurt. Note that if you home cook, you will want to include a daily vitamin and mineral since it is near impossible for any combination of foods to offer a dog every nutrient that they need. Snacks Snacks and treats are also an important part of a dog's diet. Dry treats often labeled as baked or crunchy are best to tide over the appetite in between meals. Moist or chewy treats are best when used as training rewards and to reinforce good behavior. Rapid ingestion of food can lead to gas, vomiting, or upset stomach and is linked to killer bloat. Types of Nuts that a Poodle Can Eat - If you are snacking away on some nuts and want to share them with your Poodle, see which ones are safe and which are not. Poodle Begging Behavior - Giving into begging for table scraps or extra snacks contributes to this bad habit. See how to react if your Poodle won't stop begging. Overly Picky Poodles - Read how to address finicky eaters to make mealtime less stressful for both of you. All rights reserved. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon. Share Us. Deboned chicken is the first ingredient and it contains turkey and pork to make sure your Poodle gets plenty of protein. Available in 4-lb, lb, and lb bags. If you have a Poodle puppy, congratulations! Most people know that they are very smart but not everyone is prepared for their energy, especially as puppies. We recommend that you waste no time working on some basic obedience lessons and house manners. Some not all Standard Poodle puppies can be destined to grow to be around 70 pounds as adults. If you have a Standard Poodle puppy and he is headed in that direction, we recommend that you feed him a food for large breed puppies. If you have a Toy or Miniature Poodle puppy, we suggest that you feed him a food formulated for Toy or small breed puppies. These puppies burn up more calories per pound than bigger puppies and they need more calories. Their food has to be calorie-dense, meaning that each little bite should be packed with more calories. Between two and three months you can expect to feed your puppy regardless of variety about four meals per day. Between three months and six months, you can change to feeding about three meals per day. After six months you can gradually switch to feeding your puppy two meals per day. Two meals per day are usually recommended for adult dogs. This is especially important for a larger dog like a Standard Poodle which can be prone to bloating — multiple small meals are thought to help prevent bloat. Smaller dogs also do well eating at least two meals per day. Most Poodle puppies can start to eat an adult dog food between 10 and 12 months old. Kibble is more convenient for most people and it usually costs less per ounce than canned food. If you have a Toy or Miniature Poodle, a canned food could be fed as a regular diet without breaking the bank. It can become much more expensive to feed a Standard Poodle a diet that is completely made up of canned food, however. In terms of what to expect as your puppy grows, that will depend on which variety of Poodle you have. We had problems finding good growth charts for Poodles that focused on weight instead of height. But we did find this one which we will use for our estimates. Not all Standard Poodles will grow to be this large. Obviously, Toy and Miniature Poodles will be much smaller and their calorie intake will be less. Like other puppies, Poodles grow rapidly in the first several months of life. Their body and their brain are growing exponentially. But this growth will start to slow. Toy and Miniature Poodles will mature faster than Standards. They will usually look like adult dogs well before they are a year old. A Standard Poodle can take up to two years to be fully mature. Toy and Miniature Poodles can usually start eating an adult food by the time they are about 10 months old. He may not be fully mature but he should be able to eat an adult diet at that time. Purina, .Some companies make foods that double as senior foods and weight control dog foods. If your older dog is a little paunchy, one of these foods could be suitable since it might help your dog lose a little weight. There is no requirement that you must feed your older dog a senior dog food, especially if he is still doing well eating his regular dog food. These check-ups can include bloodwork and let your veterinarian catch small problems before they become big problems. All of the ingredients should be easy to digest. Many older dogs start to have problems metabolizing and using nutrients as they get older. Unless your dog has a definite kidney or urinary tract problem, there is no reason to avoid meat protein for your older dog. FAQs Should a Poodle eat dry or canned food? Poodles can eat both dry and canned dog food. Toy and Miniature Poodles will certainly enjoy canned food. But kibble is always a practical choice. Should my Poodle eat a grain-free diet? Poodles can eat either grain-free or grain-inclusive dog foods. There are no current scientific studies that support the idea that grain-free dog foods are better for your dog than grain-inclusive foods. Dogs, unlike wolves, have developed several enzymes that let them digest starches. LA Times, , Nature, Of course, if your dog has a food sensitivity or food allergy to a grain, it would be wise to avoid that ingredient. Do Poodles have sensitive stomachs? Of course, some individuals can be sensitive to some foods or ingredients. Why does my Poodle fart so much? All dogs fart, some more than others. In some cases dogs have gas because of a change in food. Foods that contain a lot of peas, lentils, and legumes, or other fiber, can also cause dogs to have gas. If the gas smells very bad, it could be something more serious, so see your veterinarian. Is a Poodle considered a small breed? Toy and Miniature Poodles are considered to be small varieties of the Poodle. The Standard Poodle is a large variety of the same breed. They were the number one breed in the United States from until .Even today Poodles are ranked as the seventh most popular breed in the U. All of the varieties of Poodle are popular around the world. She is the author of several books about dogs and other animals. Post navigation. Below are some of the frequently asked questions by Poodle lovers! What is the recommended amount of food for a Poodle? It depends on how active your Poodle is. A very busy poodle will require more food than a sedentary poodle. For example, puppies need more calories than adult dogs, and elderly dogs need fewer calories than adult dogs. The best way to determine how much food your dog needs is to feed them a diet based on their age, weight, and activity level. Consult with your veterinarian if you have any questions about how much food to feed your Poodle. Can my Poodle be fed dry dog food kibble instead of wet food? There is no definitive answer to this question. Some people believe that dry food is better for dogs because it helps keep their teeth clean, while others believe that wet food is better because it contains more nutrients. Ultimately, the best diet for your Poodle will depend on his individual needs and preferences. There are pros and cons to both dry dog food kibble and wet dog food. Ultimately, the best food for your Poodle depends on his specific dietary needs and preferences. It can also be easier to portion control because the kibble can be weighed or measured. Wet dog food is usually more nutritious than dry dog food since it contains more fresh ingredients, and it can be a good choice if your Poodle has difficulty chewing or swallowing. Can poodle puppies eat dry dog food? Yes, dry dog food is safe for poodle puppies. As long as the food is specifically meant for puppies, it will provide them with all the necessary nutrients to grow and develop properly. Make sure to choose a food high in protein and low in carbohydrates, as puppies are naturally carnivores and need more protein than adult dogs. The majority of puppies have little trouble chewing dry dog food. However, you can soften the kibble by adding a little water or wetting it if they do. Until then, continue providing whatever diet is appropriate for his age and weight. If my Poodle has difficulty chewing, what should I do? You can do a few things if your Poodle seems to have trouble chewing. One option is to feed your dog softer foods, like canned food or boiled chicken. You can also purchase a special diet for dogs with dental problems. Finally, you can ask your veterinarian about giving your dog prescription toothpaste or chew toys designed to help clean their teeth. Can my Poodle eat grains? Grains are a good source of carbohydrates, proteins, and fiber, but they also contain gluten which can be hard for some dogs to digest. In addition, dogs that are allergic to grains will often have skin problems, digestive issues, and excessive shedding. Can I feed leftovers to my Poodle? Leftovers can make a nutritious meal for your Poodle if they are not too fatty or high in salt. Be sure to avoid giving them any toxic food to dogs, such as chocolate, grapes, or onions. You can also give them cooked meat, rice, and vegetables. A balanced diet is essential for keeping your Poodle healthy and happy. Feeding your poodle leftovers can also be unhealthy, as they may not be getting the balanced diet they need. Instead, try to give your Poodle specifically-made dog food tailored to their nutritional needs. This will help keep them healthy and prevent any weight problems from developing. Do I have any options if my Poodle is a fussy eater? You can do a few things to get your Poodle to eat. One is to try different types of food. Sometimes, all it takes is a change in diet to get a dog to start eating again. You can also try mixing wet and dry food or warming up the food slightly before serving it. If your Poodle is particularly fussy, you may have to resort to hand-feeding her small meals several times a day until she starts eating on her own again. What foods are toxic to poodles? Yes, there are a few foods that are toxic to poodles. Chocolate, raisins, garlic, and the artificial sweetener xylitol pose a threat to poodles. Cavities and gum disease are common problems in dogs, and they can cause a lot of pain and discomfort for your pet. The vet will be able to diagnose the problem and recommend treatment. In many cases, cavities can be treated with antibiotics or surgery, and gum disease can be treated with a special diet or surgery. Your Poodle may be having trouble chewing because its teeth are not clean. You might also want to try giving your poodle rawhide bones or chew toys to help keep its teeth healthy and clean. What other foods should poodles never eat? Yes, there are other foods that poodles should never eat. Other dangerous foods for poodles include grapes, raisins, chocolate, and onions. Why not give my Poodle those treats that look like bacon, hot dogs, and pork chops? Poodles are prone to obesity, and these treats are high in fat and calories. Stick to crunchy treats that are low in fat and calories instead. My dog eats the grass in my yard and other plants. How can I prevent this? However, this has yet to be proven. Is fiber necessary for poodles? Yes, poodles need fiber. A high-fiber diet will help keep their bowels regular and help minimize the risk of constipation. Is a low-fat diet for my Poodle appropriate? Dogs have higher fat, and dietary requirements than humans and do not often suffer from the same obesity-related health issues that humans do. A low-fat diet would be dangerous for your Poodle and could lead to deficiencies in essential fatty acids. Feed your dog a balanced diet appropriate for their breed and age, and make sure they get plenty of exercise. Could I feed my Poodle raw foods? There are pros and cons to a raw foods diet for your Poodle. On the one hand, a raw foods diet can be healthier for your dog because it is more natural and closer to what they eat in the wild. However, on the other hand, it can be more expensive and time-consuming to prepare than a traditional kibble diet. If you consider switching your dog to a raw foods diet, it is important to consult with a veterinarian or animal nutritionist to ensure that your pup is getting all of the nutrients they need. A raw foods diet should always include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and high-quality protein sources like meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. Is frozen raw food a good option for poodles? Yes, I do recommend frozen raw foods for poodles. I recommend all dogs eat a diet of at least some frozen raw food. Frozen raw food is the healthiest type of diet you can feed your dog. It contains all the nutrients and enzymes your dog needs to stay healthy and strong. Plus, feeding your dog frozen raw food can help protect them against many common health problems, including allergies, skin problems, weight gain, diabetes, and cancer. Is it okay to feed eggs to my Poodle? How about eggshells? You can feed eggs to your Poodle, but you should take care not to give them too many eggshells. Eggshells are a great source of calcium, but if your dog eats too many, they could end up with an eggshell calcium overdose. A safe dose for a healthy poodle is about 5 grams of eggshells per day. Poodles, do they need supplements? Yes, Poodles do need supplements, and there are a few are particularly beneficial for joint and bone growth. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are two of the most popular supplements for joint health, and they can help reduce inflammation and improve joint function. Omega-3 fatty acids are also important for joint health, as they can help reduce stiffness and pain. Vitamin D is another important supplement for Poodles, as it helps to maintain bone health and prevent osteoporosis. What man-made food can Poodles eat? Raw and cooked carrots are safe for your dog, as are cooked eggs, salmon, and blueberries. However, be sure to avoid grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, and anything else that might be harmful to your pup. Conclusion — Final Verdict! Now that you know a little more about the best dog food for Poodles, we hope you feel confident in your ability to choose the right food for your pup. We wish you and your pup all the best in finding the perfect diet! Related Links. Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese Grapes and raisins Sweets and desserts Avocados Dogs can have dried cranberries as a treat, as these berries are good for digestive and bladder health. However, raisins and grapes are toxic to dogs and can lead to significant kidney failure. If you fear your dog has eaten raisins or grapes, reach out to your veterinarian as soon as possible. Dry Food Vs. Wet Food Dogs should rely on dry food as opposed to wet food. However, wet food should be a consistent portion of their diet. Although most dogs would eat only wet food if they could, too much wet food can cause digestive problems and make dogs sick. Dry food offers fibrous content that dogs need for a healthy bowel movement. Wet food offers food rife with vitamins and minerals — alongside an appealing taste for most dogs. However, dry food can help with tooth health and fight gum disease. A healthy combination of dry and wet food can lead to a well-balanced meal and a happy dog. The best possible dog food varieties include those that offer your Poodle only the healthiest and high-quality ingredients available. Although some of these dog food choices may be expensive, they also offer lean proteins like duck and sweet potato, so you know your Poodle is getting only the best from their diet. Although the first ingredient is a chicken by-product, this dog food option is rife with protein, vitamins, and minerals that will help your Poodle feel at the top of its game. The kibbles included in this dog food choice are enriched with omega-3 fatty acids and contain vitamins that will assist in healthy coat formation and healthy gums. Not only is this brand recommended by vets around the world, but it also includes a flavor that dogs seem to love and ingredients that pet owners can feel good about. While the cost for this dog food option is a touch high, it offers the security of knowing that your dog will have all the nutrients and vitamins needed to live a long and healthy life. Each variety contains the exclusive Nutrivantage, and no filler or meat bi-product. Chicken meal and rice flavor. No Corn, no wheat, no soy, no meat bi-products. We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Alongside lean protein and quality sources of fat, this dog food option also offers tons of vitamins and minerals. Although this dog food choice is expensive, it is also ideal for dogs who are currently training or need a boost in their performance. Contains one 1 30 lb. Blue Buffalo is notorious for making only the best dog food with real meat as the first ingredient. This is rife with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants that will help your Poodle thrive. Additionally, this dog food is also enhanced with vitamins and minerals specifically for immune system support. ALL NATURAL: Created by nutritionists, veterinarians and animal lovers, our recipes provide an ideal balance of nature's finest ingredients, carefully selected to nourish and sustain your dog's.However, the calorie content of this food is a little high, which can cause weight gain. Additionally, this dog food brand is more expensive than the average, although it does have everything your Poodle will need to keep them healthy and happy. Larger Poodles may not get all the nutrients and vitamins they need from this dog food option, as it is meant for smaller breeds. This choice may be the least expensive choice for dog food while maintaining high-quality ingredients and food rife with minerals and vitamins. There are no artificial ingredients, and there is plenty of protein in this food option. This brand prides itself on not including any animal by-products or fillers. This product is rife with vitamins and minerals necessary for healthy gums and a full coat. Poodles Require Special Nutrients Poodles need more protein than other dogs because of their lean shape, meaning that Poodles may require a unique brand of dog food that can offer enhanced vitamins, minerals, and protein content. Whether you are looking for the best Poodle dog food available on the market or preparing for adoption, these top seven dog food options stand apart from other dog food options because they offer more essential nutrients for your Poodle. Although some options are expensive, these brands can help your Poodle avoid harsh and destructive ingredients like artificial dyes linked with cancer in animals, fillers, and empty calories. Instead, they boast quality and put healthy dog food ahead of profit. Small Poodles may be less than 40 pounds, meaning they may need even more nutrient-dense food to accommodate their small stature — something these dog food brands are passionate about providing. With the best dog food for Poodles on this list, you can be sure that your Poodle is getting everything they need from its diet. Similar Posts. Life Stage The first thing you need to consider is what stage of life your Poodle is in. We have quite a few choices on our list that should work well, whichever life stage your Poodle is in at the moment. You want a blend that has essential vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and more to ensure your pooch has everything they need in the nutrition department for a healthy, happy life. For years, it was thought that any dog food that was grain-free should be good for your pooch, now it might not be. The FDA warns that it is possible that grain-free foods can lead to cardiomyopathy in pets , Poodles included. These are a few of the things that you need to consider when choosing the right food for your standard Poodle. Final Thoughts This concludes our reviews of the eight best dog foods for standard Poodles. Human-grade ingredients including USDA turkey delivered straight to your door: what more could you want? Featured Image Credit: everydoghasastory, Shutterstock Written by Patricia Dickson Author Patricia is an experienced pet writer and lifelong animal lover. Mystery and Link have been with her since birth. Binx was found under her house as a kitten and promptly welcomed into the family. Patricia enjoys volunteering at her local rescue shelter and sharing her extensive knowledge of pets. Although certain health issues that Poodles may experience are congenital and beyond our control, others can be influenced by environmental and lifestyle factors, such as diet. Some of the most common health issues faced by Poodles include the following: Food allergies. Certain ingredients in their food can cause allergies in Poodles. This occurs when the immune system of some dogs identifies a specific protein, carbohydrate, or other ingredients in their diet as foreign and reacts to it as if it were a harmful substance. Food allergies in Poodles may present as dry, itchy skin, ears, or paws. However, intolerances do not involve the immune system but can lead to vomiting or diarrhea. We highly recommend conducting an at-home dog food allergy test like the 5Strands kit. This particular kit can test for up to ingredients and determine which ones may cause food intolerance in your dog. Once you receive the results, you can use the list to avoid dog food formulas that contain potential allergens. This is a life-threatening emergency where the stomach fills with gas, causing it to twist on itself. Common signs of bloat in Poodles include a hard, distended, or bloated abdomen, retching, painful abdomen, excessive drooling, pacing, increased heart rate or pulse, and collapse. Hip dysplasia. It can cause pain and difficulty moving. Common symptoms include loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, depression, increased water intake, increased urination, sluggishness, jaundice, and clotting problems. Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. These are thyroid issues that can affect Poodles. Hypothyroidism is an underactive thyroid gland, which can cause weight gain, lethargy, and skin and coat problems. Hyperthyroidism is an overactive thyroid gland, which can cause weight loss, increased appetite, and restlessness. This is a neurological disorder that can cause seizures in Poodles. Seizures can range from mild to severe and can be triggered by stress, excitement, or illness. It is more common in puppies and can cause weakness, lethargy, seizures, and coma. Poodles are a dog breed that requires a balanced diet to maintain optimal health and energy levels. If a Poodle is not receiving adequate nutrition from its diet, it may become lethargic and inactive. On the other hand, if a Poodle consumes too much food or a diet that is high in fat, it may become overweight and have difficulty maintaining a high activity level. Poodle owners must feed their dogs a diet appropriate for their age, size, and activity level. This may involve consulting a veterinarian or animal nutritionist to determine the best diet for their Poodle. In addition to providing proper nutrition, Poodle owners should ensure that their dogs get enough exercise and mental stimulation to maintain a healthy activity level. This can include activities such as daily walks, playtime, and training exercises. Poodle Puppies. Require a diet that is higher in calories and protein to support their growth and development. They also need a balanced calcium and phosphorus diet for healthy bone growth. Feeding high-quality puppy food formulated explicitly for Poodle puppies can help ensure they receive the necessary nutrients during this crucial stage. Adult Poodles. Require a diet that is lower in calories and protein to maintain their weight and prevent obesity. They also need a balanced diet of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to support their overall health and energy needs. Senior Poodles. Senior dogs may require a diet lower in calories and fat to maintain a healthy weight and higher fiber to support digestive health. Senior dog foods often contain joint supplements to help mobility and joint health. Avoid common allergens. Poodle often develops food allergies or intolerances, so it may be helpful if your Poodle dog food is free from common allergens, such as corn, wheat, chicken, and beef. Poodles can have sensitive digestive systems. Look for a dog food that adds probiotics to its formula. Dog probiotics support a healthy digestive system and immune system. Digestibility: Poodles can be prone to digestive issues, so look for dog food that is minimally processed, such as fresh dog food. Lower-quality kibble may contain fillers, artificial preservatives, and other ingredients that can be harder to digest and may cause digestive upset in some dogs. Joint support. To support Poodles with hip dysplasia, look for dog food that contains Glucosamine and chondroitin. These ingredients can help promote healthy joint function and reduce inflammation. Hormonal support. Thyroid support. To support Poodles with hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, look for dog food that contains omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and other nutrients that support healthy thyroid function. Limited ingredient diets. For Poodles with epilepsy or other food sensitivities, a limited-ingredient diet may be helpful. Look for dog food that contains a single protein source and limited carbohydrates to help minimize potential triggers. Chapter 2: The Reviews.

Breeders first crossed a Chow Chow with a German Shepherd to create a superior breed that would be an excellent herding dog and a loveable companion without the various health issues for which the parent breeds are well-known. Said to be one of the oldest dog breeds still alive today, Chow Chows were used in hunting in ancient China. One Chinese Emperor was alleged to have kept more than 5, of these dogs! Queen Victoria also loved Chow Chows, even carrying her beloved bet with her wherever she went. While Chow Chows serve their role as guard dog well, they are not overly aggressive, and in fact, their personalities are quite similar to that of a cat. Fiercely independent, the Chow Chow is quite happy to be left to do his own thing. However, this reserved and smart temperament can also make this breed quite stubborn. These adorably fully dogs are one of the few breeds in the world to have a blue tongue. The military captain used various local breeds to create the ultimate smart, fit dog that would excel at herding and be exceptionally driven. Rescued during World War Two, this survivor went on to star in a number of silent films in the s. Due to their intelligent and protective nature, German Shepherds still perform working roles today, and you will often find these dogs serving in military and police forces. Here they are used as guard dogs, searching and rescuing, as sentries, drug detection, or as messengers. Their watchful, vigilant nature can make this breed a bit wary of strangers. What does a German Shepherd Chow mix look like? The beautiful and graceful Chow Shepherd has the face of a German Shepherd with a long muzzle. The ears stand up like a German Shepherd, before flopping down at the top. The tail curves up and round, like that of the Chow Chow. Want to know what this breed will look like? The German Shepherd Chow mix will be a medium- to large dog, standing 22 to 26 inches 56 to 66cm tall and weighing between 45 and 90 pounds 20 and 41 kg. However, some dogs of this cross can even reach a weight of 95 pounds 43 kg! With this mix breed being a relatively new breed of dog, you may find Chow Shepherds bigger or smaller than this. Due to their average size, the Chow Chow Shepherd will require a big home with a large yard, although they can adapt to smaller homes if they are provided with enough daily exercise. At night, these dogs will want to be indoors with their family. Their coat colors mainly come in black, dark and light brown, gray, red, fawn, and cream. Some can have white, tan, and blue fur. Temperament: Is a German Shepherd Chow mix aggressive? The playful nature of the German Chow makes them the right choice for families with older children, and while not aggressive, they might not be as tolerant of rough play from young kids. They also will become bored and destructive if left alone by themselves for too long and can suffer from separation anxiety. This protective breed will also watch over its family and are wary of strangers, without being overly noisy. While this can lead to them being aloof with new people, the German Shepherd Chow mix will get along famously with other people, children, and dogs alike with the proper socialization. New dog owners may struggle to tame their independent steak. Still, experienced dog owners will find a loveable, hard-working pet whose stubborn nature is a quirky part of their personality. This makes the intelligent Chow Shepherd both an excellent guard dog and a fantastic family pet. Caring for the Chow Shepherd Chow Shepherds have double coats that help keep them warm in colder temperatures and cool in hotter weather, making this dog a good choice for extreme climates. It is not all easy going though when it comes to caring for the German Shepherd chow mix. This breed does have some specific requirements when it comes to exercise, grooming, and feeding. They will want space where they can play and enjoy doing daily activities with energetic owners. This dog will require at least one hour of exercise daily with hiking and strenuous walks highly recommended. It will take quite a bit of exercise to tire out the Chow Shepherd, so alongside your daily walks, jogs, and hikes, you will also want to plan some visits to the dog park, a game of fetch, or tug of war. Do Chow German Shepherd mix dogs shed? The German Shepherd Chow mix is not a great choice of pet for anyone prone to allergies as these dogs are heavy shedders. They are the cross of two-parent breeds known to shed, and as a result, the grooming needs of the Shepherd Chow are relatively high. Also, be prepared to vacuum your house regularly. When brushing your dog daily, also check their ears for pests and debris and wipe them clean. You can trim the nails of your dog twice a month. These dogs do have healthy nails that can grow very long if left unattended. Bathing, on the other hand, is only necessary when needed and should be done using a dog shampoo that is specifically formulated for long coats. Feeding the German Shepherd Chow mix You should feed your Chow Shepherd a diet of high-quality dry dog food specially designed for medium to large-sized dogs with lots of energy. Three to four cups of kibble can be split over two meals; however, you may find that just one feeding a day is sufficient for your dog. Be sure to stick to a regular feeding schedule and limit the number of treats you give to your German Shepherd Chow mix. You may also want to consider providing your dog with supplements that help alleviate joint diseases common in this breed. This includes fish oil, glucosamine, and chondroitin. How long do German Shepherd Chow mixes live? The average lifespan of a German Chow is between 9 and 15 years. With that life expectancy, we can say that this crossbreed is generally healthy. These ailments include Canine Hip and Elbow Dysplasia, which affects the joints, Entropion, which causes a variety of eye problems, and Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus or Bloat, which causes stomach pain and issues with digestion. Also, the German Shepherd Chow mix may be prone to allergies. Other costs, such as treats, toys, training, collar, leash, and bed, etc. German Shepherd Chow mix breeders and rescues While you may struggle to find a particular breeder for a Chow German Shepherd mix puppy, you can try checking your local shelter or rescue center to look for any Shepherd Chows in need of a loving home. You may also be lucky enough to find this crossbreed at a breed-specific German Shepherd or Chow Chow rescue. These dogs are eager to learn and easy to train. Does the German Shepherd Chow mix make a good family dog? Always ready to play, these dogs are great for active families. However, they need proper training to prevent aggression and may not be as tolerant around small kids. Is the German Shepherd Chow mix right for me? If you are active, have lots of time to dedicate to your dog, and a house with space for them to roam, this dog may be the perfect fit! Should you get a German Shepherd Chow mix? The Chow Shepherd will need to be trained and socialized correctly to ensure they interact nicely with other pets and children. Do you have a Chow Chow Shepherd mix? Let us know in the comments below. These dogs can be challenging for novice owners, and ownership may be best suited for those with more experience. If you do decide to bring one of these dogs home, be sure that you have the time necessary to devote to their training. You may also want to budget funds for a professional trainer, just in case you have trouble achieving the desired results on your own. If you own one of these dogs, as they often suffer allergic reactions to flea bites. The symptoms of such a reaction include a rash, excessive scratching, blisters, bleeding sores, and pus discharge. You should brush them with a flea brush regularly, as well as use a medication that kills fleas in every stage of their life cycle. They have strong independent streaks and often come to you for affection on their terms. This is great if you enjoy your space, but it provides something other than the traditional dog ownership experience. This can include digging their way out, wriggling through loose boards, or even jumping the fence entirely. They can quickly figure out what you want them to do, as well as how to get you to do what they want you to do. This means they take to training well and require as much mental stimulation as physical. Chow Shepherds are loyal and loving toward their families and would do anything to protect them. However, that instinct can sometimes cause them to be standoffish or worse toward strangers. While this makes them excellent guard dogs, it can make having visitors over a dicey proposition. Are These Dogs Good for Families? They can get rambunctious while playing as well, which may make them dangerous around elderly family members. This can make them quite popular with older kids, though. They generally tend to ignore them. Before you take the plunge, there are a few important things you should consider. We recommend feeding them a high-protein diet to ensure they have all the energy they need. This should also help to stave off obesity although portion control is your best bet there. Keeping their weight at manageable levels is important, as the breed tends to suffer from joint issues later in life. Walks are necessary but not sufficient, and you should work in other training as well. Obedience work is a good idea, as is agility training. Chows can be standoffish and even aggressive toward strangers, so you must socialize your Chow Shepherd puppy as early and often as possible. These dogs shed constantly. They have thick, dense coats with heavy undercoats, so while their shedding is bad during the winter, it becomes nearly unbearable in the summer. You should brush their teeth several times a week and trim their nails as needed. Be sure to clean out their ears regularly as well, as they can be prone to ear infections. They often inherit the swayed back that German Shepherds are known for, and this can lead to joint and spine problems down the line. Beyond that, here are a few other things to watch out for: Minor Conditions. Sheprachow Description The Chow Shepherd is not a purebred dog. It is a cross between the Chow Chow and the German Shepherd. The best way to determine the temperament of a mixed breed is to look up all breeds in the cross and know you can get any combination of any of the characteristics found in either breed. It is very common for breeders to breed multi-generation crosses. Louie the Chow Shepherd as a puppy at 3 months old with his toy. She also has a purple spotted tongue you can't see. I adopted her when she was a year old. She is a wonderful dog. She is very loyal to me. If I ran through fire she would do it to. She loves my family as well but when she sees me its like she hasn't seen me in forever. She is highly intelligent. I can tell her to stay and not to run the street without her moving till I say come. She will play fetch but only for a bit. When she hears a noise from over the fence she waits to see what I will do. If I say no she will do nothing and if I say, "Lilly whats that? She prefers to follow me then anyone else. She is not an aggressive dog but rather a defensive dog. I have known her to mistreat a sign and snap, but not to bite, to warn. She will happily curl up in my pillow but when I start crawling in bed she gets out and on the floor into her bed. When she is out side alone she will never bark unless someone is over the fence but if I yell her name once she will stop barking. She never barks in the house. Unless she is in my room and hears a different voice in the house but I can either say stop or let her out to run to the stranger just to smell but she really could care less about the person. She hates being smothered by strangers only my family and I and a couple friends. She hates when strangers stand close behind her. She doesn't mind dogs as long as they are smaller then her. She hates when a dog is over the fence. A Boxer came on our property once and she attacked it. I broke it up very fast I am aware of the danger, I am a vet tech. She follows me everywhere. She loves my family but when I'm there she will only listen to me. I don't walk her on a leash because she will follow me anywhere. She will run back and forth barking and growling. And doesn't like strangers coming in the back yard. Learned that the hard way with the gardeners. We have a game I chase her and she maneuvers around the trees but I stop and run she will run and bite my hands or shorts or shirts and bark and growl but if I turn around and chase her she will freak and run then crouch and let off a good bark, but once I say Lilly no more she will immediately stop and come to me so I can kiss her. When I feed her I put the food in front of her but she will not eat until she sits and I shake her paw. She will drop a treat out of her mouth if I tell her to. She is very loyal to me, she knows I love her and I adopted her. She was probably 2 years old at that time so I am guessing she is around 13 now. She was very energetic, smart, wouldn't eat from her bowl until given permission, loved being with my grandchildren and me always. Her worst habit as I discovered early on was being aggressive to other dogs which probably was a result from her long term confinement at the pound. Now at her age she is arthritic and moves pretty slow.I feed her an excellent diet and walk her twice daily to maintain muscle and keep her mobile. We are bonded as much as any human and dog could ever be in this life. She is the best and I pray every day that I can be the person she thinks I am. The dog requires some outdoor space to loosen up when bored. Not only does the dog typically captures the bodily appearance of a Chow Chow, but also has a curved tail that is unlike the tail of a German Shepherd. The dog is also seen to inherit the long muzzle of the German Shepherd parent dog side along with a black accent on its face and pointy ears. This makes the German Shepherd Chow mix resemble the facial appearance of a bear or a lion. This dog is a quick learner, making it easily trainable even as a puppy. Part of its personality that you should try to address while training your dog is its stubbornness which originates from the nature of its Chow Chow parent dog side. Obedience training should be your initial and primary training method on the dog. Unlike the stubbornness of a Chow Chow, the German Shepherd Chow mix find great pleasure in exhausting itself with constant play time and attention by its owner. Without any form or source of mental or physical stimulation, the dog can easily become bored and may end up acting more aggressively or destructively to release its restrained tensions. The dog is prone to chasing things that run by it, so make sure it is always kept on a leash once the dog is taken for a walk or any other outdoor activity. German Shepherd Mixed with Chow Chow Puppies for Sale Before buying a German Shepherd Chow puppy, you need to consider your budget and the costs involved after paying for its ownership. About more than a thousand dollars is required for purchasing the puppy and providing it with medicines and vaccinations. The typical price of a German Shepherd and Chow Chow offspring range from two hundred and fifty dollars to seven hundred and fifty dollars. The best way of looking for this puppy is by checking out dog breeders who specialize in breeding German Shepherd Chow offspring. Besides crossing out possible health issues from parent dogs, your other concern when looking for quality breeders is the price of their puppies. Another budget-friendly method is by looking at adoption centers or German Shepherd Chow mix breeders who are open to adoption. An excellent and responsible dog breeder is someone who makes as many background checks on the buyer as possible. Below are some adoption sites and dog centers to get a German Shepherd Chow puppy: Petcurious. You could also attend professional dog shows, contact or join dog clubs, or talk with a veterinarian who may know or refer a German Shepherd Chow mix breeder to you. Since the dog would appear like its Chow Chow parent dog, its long hair can result in excessive shedding. Having a vacuum around can help you clean up the mess in your surroundings. You should shampoo the dog only when necessary such as flea or skin problems or in cases when it starts to smell unpleasing using shampoo products made for long coats Chow Chows. This dog shampoo is formulated with a Sweet Pea Vanilla scent for a more pleasing smell on the dog. It is also specifically designed for Chow Chow coats and is hypoallergenic. This dog shampoo is a good alternative for skin allergies and infections. It contains Bentonite clay which helps in alleviating itchiness, dry skin, and hot spots. Earthbath All Natural Pet Shampoo. Also formulated as a moisturizer, this dog shampoo includes Aloe Vera extracts. Do not forget about maintaining the nails of the dog. Just like many dogs, the German Shepherd Chow mix also needs its nails trimmed once in a while using specialized nail clippers for dogs. This is a genetic illness that is common to many dogs in general. In other cases, obesity and improper nutrition and diet can contribute to the development of hip dysplasia as well. The hip joints of the dog slowly deteriorate and could result in skeletal malformation. Flea Allergy. Irritation can occur once ticks or fleas get into the coat of your dog. The long coat of the German Shepherd Chow mix can provide the perfect and warm atmosphere for the pests to breed and feed for their eggs. Scientifically termed as gastric dilatation and volvulus or GDV, bloat is the result of gas filling up in the stomach. As the stomach expanses, the diaphragm and blood vessels get squished and could cause breathing and heart problems to the dog. Eye Problems. Pannus or chronic superficial keratitis is a common eye problem with the German Shepherd breed. When it is left untreated, the dog may experience blindness. It is usually common for the dog at its middle to the old age of seven to nine years and above. Heart Problems. Vital signs that you should be wary of are breathing problems, behavioral changes, weight and diet changes, abdomen swelling, and weakness. There are several reasons for the dog to catch a heart problem but being aware of the signs and symptoms should help in treating it as soon as possible. The German Shepherd Chow mix does not necessarily have any health issues or illnesses that were specifically pointed out. Nevertheless, the sicknesses and health problems that were mentioned above can still be passed on to the offspring derived from the genes of both parent dogs. Healthy supplements including chondroitin, fish oil or omega three acids and glucosamine should help in preventing or reducing hip dysplasia problems. According to the American Feed Control Officials, a German Shepherd Chow mix puppy should eat protein at about twenty-two percent, while an adult German Shepherd Chow should consume only eighteen percent of protein. Protein from whole meats including beef, fish, and chicken are recommended in its diet. It features the following ingredients: salmon, chicken meal, menhaden fish meal, pea derivatives, sweet potatoes, carrots, blueberries, and parsley. It is made grain-free and packed with protein. Ingredients are as follows: duck, chicken meal, turkey meal, whitefish meal, egg protein, peas and chickpeas, sesame oil, and almond oil. It is another grain-free dog food with a hundred percent satisfaction guarantee. This dog food contains a variety of animal protein and healthy fat sources. Ingredients include salmon, chicken meal, menhaden fish meal, lamb meal, chickpeas, split peas, dried potatoes, and sunflower oil. It is a unique-tasting and premium dog food made of real beef, dried whole eggs, pork meat meal, beef liver, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, salmon oil, cauliflower, apples, green beans, carrots, blueberries, and other sources of antioxidants. This dog food is full of nutrients and proteins without containing wheat sources. The ingredients include turkey, turkey meal, chicken meal, chicken fats, chicken liver, salmon oil, peas, and potatoes. Feeding your German Shepherd Chow mix should have a balanced diet just like any other dog. You should consult with your veterinarian about these dog foods and devise a holistic dietary plan. Too much protein is too much calorie for the dog and may result in too much weight. If you want to obtain the best food for your sweetheart, this is a place to start. Senior dogs have specific nutritional requirements and you should search for their food in the best senior dry dog list. In case you have welcomed a puppy into your home and the little munchkin is just getting used to a regular diet, take a look at the list of the best puppy food brands. Your sweetheart comes from two different parents, which makes your pups more likely to grow to love dry dog food for small dogs or best large breed dry dog food. The same is expected from its offspring too. Hence, the German Shepherd Chow needs a daily dose of mental and physical stimulation to stay on the right track of things. Aside from doing activities with the dog including running, hiking, jogging and cycling, training is also another way of stimulating since German Shepherd Chows enjoy pleasing their owners. Below are some activities that you should do with the dog: Swimming. Swimming is not only an exciting activity for both the dog and its owner, but it also burns a lot of fuel or energy from the dog. The German Shepherd Chow mix is a friendly dog to people, but it is equally essential for it to recognize other dogs and behave in the same manner towards them too. Dogs, in general, are curious animals, and you can keep their curiosity in check by teaching it how to be around and respect other dogs. The dog will eventually learn new social skills. Scenting or Tracking Games. The German Shepherd parent dog side of the German Shepherd Chow mix was tracking dogs that loved to hunt things. Some games include finding the treat, hide and seek, and find the toy. Obedience Training. There are many ways to train your dog, but it all boils down to giving it commands and following your orders. Any form of training should keep the dog mentally and physically engaged and exhausted too. The Chow Chow parent dog side of the dog is known to be independent due to its stubborn nature and may choose not to obey you when you tell it to do something. Here are some training methods that you could apply to the dog: Puppy Training. The most important part of training the dog as a puppy is giving it your time and company. This should teach your dog the value of your bond with it and will soon acknowledge you as its alpha. Let it play with toys that you give so that it learns that being with you is a rewarding experience. Positive Reinforcement. Rewarding your dog while teaching it commands can come a long way to its relationship with you. You give your dog a reward such as a treat or a toy whenever it successfully responds to your command but gives it nothing until it learns how to react correctly to your call. A German Shepherd Chow mix needs to be taught how to socialize and behave properly around both humans and animals. If the dog would live in a home with children, it should be exposed to them as early as possible so that the dog learns how to tolerate your kids and feel more comfortable around them. They are playful towards any member of the family and is also easy for anyone to get along with as long as the person is introduced to the dog properly and not spontaneously. It is generally a peaceful dog that barks less unless provoked or neglected of attention. Some traits that make German Shepherd Chows great family pets are loyalty, protectiveness, and loving. It is also a perfect watchdog because the dog when faced with a stranger or someone not belonging with the family, becomes wary and can show intimidation as a warning sign to potential intruders. This is not just an energetic dog, but it is also a larger dog breed in size. In terms of lifestyle, the dog does very well with owners who are also active outdoors. The family does not necessarily need to have an energetic attitude towards the dog since it can be stubborn too, but owners should set daily activities that include the dog in their routine. Overall, the German Shepherd Chow mix is an excellent dog breed and family pet to own. With the parents of two dog breeds that are geographically far apart, a combination of the German Shepherd and the Chow Chow seals the deal. Although a playful pup sounds endearing, consider how many games of fetch or tag you want to play each day, and whether you have kids or other dogs who can stand in as playmates for the dog. Click here for more information on this characteristic Chow Shepherd Highlights Chow Shepherds are mixed breed dogs. The main colors of Chow Shepherds are fawn, cream, gray, red, brown, and black. They generally have a beautiful blend of two or more colors. Chow Shepherds will most likely have long, dense coats and are not a good choice for allergy sufferers. Regular daily brushing and extra brushing during shedding season with a de-shedding brush may be needed. Chow Shepherds have high energy levels. One hour daily of rigorous exercise is a good starting point. Hiking and other adventurous activities are strongly recommended. The Chow Shepherd makes a great addition to a big family with older kids who know how to play nicely with dogs. This pup will not tolerate rough play from small kids. Chow Shepherds are highly trainable and thrive on positive reinforcement. Do not leave them alone for long periods, as they can get separation anxiety easily Chow Shepherd History The Chow Shepherd mixed breed may have existed naturally over the years, however breeders wanted to mix the two parent breeds to minimize health problems that affect many purebreds as well as create an ultimate herding and companion dog. They continued to create Chow Shepherds as demand for the mixed breed pups climbed. To better understand the Chow Shepherd, you may wish to learn about the history of their parents: the Chow Chow and the German Shepherd Dog. Chow Chows are one of the oldest breeds, believed to have originated in Mongolia China. One Emperor was said to have kept 2, pairs of Chow Chows for hunting expeditions. If you would like to learn more about this fascinating breed you can read more about Chow Chows. German Shepherds are a herding dog from Germany. One military captain, Max Von Stephanitz had a favorite pastime, which was breeding and developing the ultimate German herding dog. After retiring from the military, he did just that, and the German Shepherd Dog we see today is the result. Learn all about German Shepherd Dogs. Even though Chow Shepherds got their start as a designer breed, some have ended up in shelters or in the care of rescue groups. Consider adoption if you decide this is the dog for you. Check your local shelters, look up Chow Shepherd rescues, or check with breed specific German Shepherd and Chow Chow rescues, as they sometimes help to re-home mixed breeds. That said, as a mix between German Shepherd Dog and Chow Chow parents, you can expect the Chow Shepherd to be in the medium to large category. Most weigh in at 45 to 90 pounds and range in height from 22 to 26 inches at the shoulder. With them being so new, many can be smaller or larger than average. Chow Shepherd Personality Chow Shepherds make excellent family companions and watchdogs. These pups hail from a line of two working parents. Their German Shepherd parents regularly work as military, police, and guard dogs, while their Chow Chow parents have jobs as guard dogs. Chow Shepherds like to be active and get lots of attention and praise from their human. They are highly trainable and thrive on positive reinforcement. Do not leave them alone for long periods, as they can get separation anxiety easily, which can lead to depression and frustration. This can result in unwanted behaviors, such as chewing and destruction around the home. Some dogs show pain and lameness on one or both rear legs, but you may not notice any signs of discomfort in a dog with hip dysplasia. As the dog ages, arthritis can develop. Hip dysplasia is hereditary, but it can be worsened by environmental factors, such as rapid growth from a high-calorie diet or injuries incurred from jumping or falling on slick floors. Entropion causes the eyelid to roll inward, irritating or injuring the eyeball. One or both eyes can be affected. If your Chow Chow has entropion, you may notice them rubbing at their eyes. The condition can be corrected surgically. Elbow Dysplasia: This is a heritable condition common to large-breed dogs. This can lead to painful lameness. Your vet may recommend surgery to correct the problem or medication to control the pain. Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus: Commonly called bloat , this is a life-threatening condition that affects large, deep-chested dogs like Golden Retrievers , especially if they are fed one large meal a day, eat rapidly, drink large volumes of water after eating, and exercise vigorously after eating. Bloat occurs when the stomach is distended with gas or air and then twists. The dog is unable to belch or vomit to get rid the excess air in their stomach, and the normal return of blood to the heart is impeded. Blood pressure drops and the dog goes into shock. Without immediate medical attention, the dog can die. Suspect bloat if your dog has a distended abdomen, is salivating excessively and retching without throwing up. They also may be restless, depressed, lethargic, and weak with a rapid heart rate. Your vet can help you develop a care routine that will keep your dog healthy. Check their ears for debris and pests daily and clean them as recommended by your vet. Trimming their nails twice a month is strongly recommended. These pups have thick strong nails that can get out of control very easily if neglected. One major concern when it comes to your Chow Shepherd care will be maintaining their oral health. Brushing their teeth three times a week should help prevent any major problems. Normal play on grass is fine, as is puppy agility with its one-inch jumps. Chow Shepherd Feeding An ideal Chow Shepherd diet should be formulated for a medium to large sized breed with high energy. You should stick to a regular feeding schedule and not leave food out during the day. Limit their amount of treats, as well. One single feeding per day may be recommended, though it will really depend on your dog. As with all dogs, the Chow Shepherd dietary needs will change from puppyhood to adulthood and will continue to change into their senior years. You should ask your veterinarian for recommendations about your Chow Shepherd diet, as there is far too much variation among individual dogs—including weight, energy, and health—to make a specific recommendation. Chow Shepherds will most likely have a long, dense coat and are not a good choice for allergy sufferers. Chow Sheps descend from two heavy shedding parents. Their coats will require much care. Baths are required only as needed. With these heavy shedding pups, extra vacuuming is recommended. You may benefit from a robovac for day-to-day cleanup. Chow Shepherds have double coats that give them an edge when it comes to extreme weather. Many of these dogs absolutely love to run and play in the snow. This dog would have been a great training partner for Rocky in Rocky IV when he went to train in Siberia! Keep in mind they are indoor dogs and need to live indoors with their families. As with every breed, you should always teach children how to approach and touch dogs, and always supervise any interactions between dogs and young children. No dog, no matter how friendly, should ever be left unsupervised with a child. Chow Shepherd Rescue Groups It may be hard to find a breed specific rescue for Chow Shepherds because they are a mixed breed. However, you may want to try Chow Chow or German Shepherd Dog breed specific rescues, as they often care for mixes, as well. Here are some rescues you can try:. This energetic hybrid dog breed is becoming increasingly popular. The Chow Chow German Shepherd is a designer breed. To create a new breed, it was bred from two different pedigrees. Designer dogs are more robust and healthier than their parent breeds. But, poor breeding can have the opposite effect and magnify any existing health problems. Before you buy or adopt a Chow Shepherd, make sure to do extensive research. Type of coat: Thick, dense coat lengths may vary. Shedding: Moderate to heavy with seasonal shedding Lifespan: Approx years Variations in Color: Tan, brown, chocolate, black, silvery grey, and red colors and patterns may favor one parent breed. Notable Features: Large ears and tufts, with ruffled fur around their necks may vary depending upon each dog , thick coat, and a face that resembles a German Shepherd Daily exercise: High exercise requirements, many hours of intense exercise daily Daily Food: You should eat one to two meals of kibble per day for medium-large dogs the recommended amounts will be in your dog food packet. A Chow Chow was first crossed with a German Shepherd by breeders to create a superior breed that could be a great herding dog and a loving companion. Chow Chows are the oldest dog breed. They were used for hunting in ancient China. According to some reports, a Chinese Emperor kept over 5, of these dogs. Queen Victoria loved Chow Chows and even took her beloved bet everywhere she went. German Shepherds are still working dogs today because of their intelligent and protective nature. You will often see them serving in the military and police forces. They are used here as guard dogs, search and rescue, sentries, drug detectors, or messengers. This breed can be a little wary of strangers due to their vigilant and watchful nature. The graceful and beautiful Chow Shepherd is a German Shepherd-like face with a long muzzle. The tail curves upwards and around, much like the Chow Chow. Because they are a cross between two parent breeds that shed, their grooming requirements are high. Daily brushing with a de-shedding tool is necessary for your German Shepherd Chow mix. If the seasons change, you should do it more often as he will shed more. You should also be ready to vacuum your home regularly. Dogs with healthy nails can grow very long if they are not taken care of. Chow Shepherds are loyal to their families and cautious of strangers. Chow Shepherds are similar to German shepherds and can be trained to guard their family members. They also have less separation anxiety than traditional Chow Chows. Chow Shepherds are stubborn, however. Chow Shepherds are intelligent and can make training challenging. Chow Shepherds can sense inconsistency and uncertainty in a trainer and will react accordingly. Chow Shepherds can be socialized with other pets, but it takes effort. Chow Shepherds may not be the right choice for families with small children and pets. Chow Shepherds need mental stimulation as well as physical exercise. Chow Shepherds are very social and love attention. They can be irritable if left alone. They may chew on and destroy furniture or cause damage to it while their owners are away. Purebred dogs are more expensive than mixed breeds. Shepherd Chow mixes can be slightly more expensive than other popular breeds but have had problems with dangerous breeders. Many puppy mills used unsafe breeding methods to produce the Shepherd Chow mix when it first became popular. These puppies were often sick or abandoned at the pound. Although price is not everything, it can be a good indicator that your puppy will likely suffer more from a lower price. However, it is important to do your research and get the license of the breeder before you buy from them. They can be socialized from a young age and will do well. However, it is better to have one of these breeds in your home to teach your children how to respect animals. They will get along well with teens and tweens and love to play together all day. Keep your Shepherd Chow mix on a schedule and keep them from eating too many treats. Usually, they will need only one or two meals per day. Ask your veterinarian what you should feed them each day. Grooming Needs Chow Shepherds require regular grooming due to their dense, thick coats. It is recommended that you brush your Chow Shepherd at least twice a week. Your Chow Shepherd will require more frequent brushing during shedding season. Chow Shepherds should not be used if you have allergies. After bathing your Chow Shepherd, dry it thoroughly. Chow Shepherds love playing in the snow and it keeps them cool in winter. Exercise Needs Chow Shepherds require a lot of exercise. Your dog will be happy and healthy if you give them at least one hour of intense exercise each day. Chow Shepherds are often unable to be left alone so make sure they have access to a safe area. For a Chow Shepherd to stay energized and healthy, running, hiking, and playing fetch and throw are all great options. Other German Shepherd Mixes.

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Beneficial Oils: Omega 3 and 6 - helps support your puppy's natural immunity. British and Irish Farmed: we only work with suppliers we know and trust. A Wholesome Bowlful: we believe nothing is better for your dog than nature's most nourishing food. We carefully prepare all our meals right here in the heart of England with natural ingredients from British and Irish farms and only use suppliers we know and trust, to make delicious and nourishing food for dogs. Made with natural ingredients. High in tasty meaty proteins. No cereal or soya fillers. All the vitamins and minerals your dog needs. No artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. All natural meaty goodness with added vitamins and minerals, for great tasting, complete and balanced recipes every meal time. It's fun being as fit as a Butcher's dog. Suitable for home use as well as for working dogs. Main features: Reflective edges and chest strap: One of the most important functions of the IDC-Powerharness is that it works well as a visibility vest too. The grey line on the chest strap and the edges of the harness are made of reflective materials to help keep your dog visible even from a great distance, when out walking in the dark. Scientifically proven comfort: a chest strap leaving the neck of the dog free. Heavy-duty buckles: The high-quality buckles of the IDC-Powerharnesses are thoroughly tested and checked. The buckles work perfectly during wintertime, and do not break even in frosty weather. Closable handle: With the new handle fixing option, you can fix only the steel ring, only the handle, both of them or none of them. With these you can minimize the dog's chance of being stuck. It's really important especially for hunting dogs, search- and rescue dogs. Side bag attachment option: Side bags are available in 3L and 4L versions for Powerharness sizes 0 to 4. A smaller IDC Universal side bag is also available. With its cm3 capacity, it is ideal for carrying documents, vaccination papers, cellphones and dog treats. Flashlight holder: The flashlight holder is made of an elastic, high quality German material, so it can hold various sizes of flashlights. It can be used simultaneously with the side bags. It is essential for search and rescue dogs and service dogs working at night. Water repellent cover: Developed to be water resistant, highly durable, comfortable and secure, the IDC-Powerharness is the dog harness of choice for professional trainers, security personal and pet owners alike. Since ! Recommended by dog trainers, veterinarians, search and rescue and working dog organizations for 10 years now. If you've been looking for premium natural dog treats that won't break the bank then your search is over! A delicious range of flavours, shapes and textures, without any artificial colours. Great for training aids or just as a reward to make their day a happy one. Baltic dried sprats for dogs are high in healthy fish oils like Omega 3. Pork is the only ingredient making it a perfect pet safe alternative for a good boy or girl. Have regular preventative treatment against worms and fleas Have a fuller history than at a rescue centre We will also offer insurance for the first four weeks after rehoming. We expect people who rehome from us to take on ongoing costs going forward. Health and behaviour Our dogs have their own unique quirks and personality. They are very special and provide lots of love. Some of our dogs may not have qualified as they have health conditions or behavioural issues which affect their ability to be a guide dog. These health and behaviour issues can range from mild to major, including skin issues, lameness, high excitement, recall issues, separation anxiety, poor travelling or poor lead behaviour. Welcoming a dog into your home and lives is a big emotional and financial commitment. Animal welfare is our top priority and as such we strongly recommend that you arrange public liability insurance and insurance cover for veterinary treatment. Behaviour It may be that one of our dogs has shown some behavioural issues such as: positive and negative reactions, recall issues, separation anxiety, poor travelling or poor lead behaviour. Dogs may have received different levels of training — some may not even have entered early training, so it is worth bearing that in mind too. There can also be golden retrievers, curly coat retrievers and German shepherd dogs to rehome. Sometimes, we also have crosses, including with poodles. Commitment A dog must not be left alone for more than four hours in any hour period. You must be able to meet the mental and physical needs of one of our dogs. Do you have any puppies? No — we do not home very young puppies. A dog has to be a certain age before a decision is made about its potential to be a working guide dog, the typical age for withdrawn dogs is usually between months old. We would encourage all people considering rehoming a puppy to look at our rehoming scheme and consider a withdrawn or retired dog. If you are still considering a puppy then you may wish to read about our puppy walking scheme. How much does it cost to rehome a dog from Guide Dogs? All of our dogs are neutered, microchipped, health checked and have regular preventative treatment against worms and fleas. Volunteering as a puppy raiser or fosterer is a great way to support our work. Loves to chase his tail and pesky flies, he is a soft-at-heart pup who has a Big character. A change in our circumstances unfortunately means we are unable to keep him although we would most dearly love to. A loving home for him is needed. He's had a health check from the vet and comes from healthy and well-tempered parents. Absolutely loves his food so will be able to train fully. He understands pointing to indicate a direction for him. House trained, microchipped and wormed. He is good at being protective over guarding the household and is not in the slightest territorial over food or toys. He will allow you to take a bone or food off him with ease. He loves to play ball more than anything, and loves walks, long grass, new scents, chewing on moon bones and chicken. This lovely pup needs a sizeable garden and ideally, someone who is used to similar breeds and has time to train him fully. He has great potential. He would be ideal for flyball. He can jump up - he is only a puppy so can be trained - and will certainly grow up into a big, handsome dog. He has excellent parentage. He is a stunning boy and whenever we go out always attracts compliments. A good choice if you're looking for a good-natured furry friend that will be your loyal companion and protector for years to come, He is very loveable characterful boy with a great personality and a goofy soul who just wants to play. Replies to msgs after 7pm

Contact Us Our Mission Our main goal is giving comprehensive help to homeless, abandoned, hurt, unwanted and ill animals, especially Golden Retrievers. Golden Retriever breed has become very popular in Poland, what results in a great number of its representatives in the whole country. Many Golden Retrievers have wonderful lives — they are healthy, loved and they live long at the side of their owners. However, not all Golden Retrievers turn out to be so lucky. Great popularity of this breed together with human lack of responsibility and insufficient knowledge, caused that Golden Retrievers end up in animal shelters, they are abandoned or passed from one to other irresponsible hands. Very often these dogs are neglected, ill or in old age, in need of loving care and expensive treatment. In we decided to set up Golden Retriever Rescue Foundation. It was set up from the initiative of people, who love dogs, especially Golden Retrievers, for whom the fate of animals is not trivial. We love this breed, we have fondled Golden Retrievers at our homes, they are our real passion, and the thought that such wonderful animals get to animal shelters, are being hurt or are in real need, is not irrelevant to us and makes us help them as much as we can. The www. Copying content without the consent of the owner is prohibited and constitutes an infringement of copyrights. Cookies policy Polityka Cookies. We are a northern California breeder near Sacramento that prides itself on choosing our breeding dogs for top health, temperament, and beauty that conforms to the breed standard. Our dogs are selected from champion lines with health clearances. We will only breed dogs that pass all of these tests, so we can continue reaching to improve the breed through imposing high standards for our dogs. We breed dogs from these lines to continue a heritage of excellence in the breed. This standard is different from the AKC standard for golden retrievers, but both are accepted and licensed. The English type should have a blockier and fuller head, shorter muzzle, lower ear set, rounder eyes, stouter body structure, as well as a lighter color than the American type see comparison figure below. As an adult, it has been a pleasure to now show and selectively breed these beautiful English Golden Retrievers. Raising our English Golden Retrievers is a family endeavor that includes everyone from the youngest to the oldest. It is wonderful to make family memories with our dogs and children together. Our English Goldens are first and foremost pets who live and play among our family. Our children are involved from showing our dogs to whelping the puppies. Our puppies go home to their new families very loved and well socialized. In Northern California, we are located in Newcastle which is at the base of the Sierra Mountain foothills; close to Sacramento, and about miles from San Francisco or about miles from San Jose other cities near us are Roseville, Loomis, Folsom, Orangevale, Auburn, Lake Tahoe about an hour , and Reno about 2 hours. We can deliver our puppies to you if you are out of state, and personally travel with the puppy to bring your puppy to you. We cordially invite you to visit us and meet our beloved puppies and amazing dogs. We're located in the California Gold County just 25 miles east of Sacramento. Surrounded by golden foothills, we offer the perfect place to meet and enjoy the dogs. Expect to be greeted with wagging tails and wet noses during your visit, as our dogs are always excited to meet new people. Please let us know when you would like to visit by booking an appointment. The care and love you, Heather, and all at Classic Heritage devote to these pups is remarkable. The efforts taken to ensure pups are matched with their new happy forever home are excellent. Everyone I met was equally professional, educated, loving, kind, and a lot of fun. All of the dogs are beautiful and happy.We have had the best experience and have the most loving pup so anything we can do to help Classic Heritage we would. We have recommended you to everyone who has asked. Already as a child I dreamed about my own dog. My dream came true when I was 10 years old. Jacky - a red cocker spaniel - my first dog. He was a wonderful companion for plays and walks. He showed me how true and unconditional is the love of a dogs' heart. When I was 17 years old, during a holiday in Spain I met a wonderful golden dog. He amazed me with his beauty, intelligence, temperament and will to please his owner.Already then I knew that one day a dog like him will live in my home. The dream, it came true a bit unexpected 5 years later. Maksymilian - my first golden and also the first really my dog. Together we learned the ups and downs of true dog - human friendship. He made me love this breed to bits. He changed my whole life. He painted my world gold.Doggie friends and companions. Long lasting discussions, journeys together. Walks, training, shows.Today it is the most important part of my life. My world is the few cold noses and wagging tails. Few pairs of eyes, always full of love, acceptation and devotion. My dogs live at home. They are part of the family and best friends. Partners for journeys, long walks and quiet evenings at home. Loved and spoiled.That year also my first litter was born. Our puppies are raised at home together with people, cat and other dogs. Their birth is a great happening and time spend with on rising them is an unforgettable experience. My wish is that dogs of this special breed will be with me for the rest of my life and that the puppies bred by me will lead a happy, healthy and long life with their loving owners. In for my contribution to cynology I was awarded a bronze badge of honor Polish Kennel Club. In , I passed the exam and become assistant of Polish Kennel Club. I would like to thank a few persons without whom my life would not be like it is today. Thank you.Agnieszka Lukaszczyk. We are dog lovers and entrepreneurs that specialize in quality Golden Retriever puppies. We are located in beautiful New England; in Hampden, Maine. We like to consider ourselves collectors, if you will! Our British Cream aka Euro Cream retrievers are almost pure white, with some light shades of tan. We do invite you to compare, and ask any questions you may have as well. Our Golden Retrievers are happy, healthy, obedient animals of only the highest quality! Our program concentrates on the traits of the family dog first; health, trustworthiness, gentleness, loyalty, beauty and longevity. Then, we incorporate the correct and proven genetics, imported and genetic lines that are proven through generations, not by just a few individuals, to pass on the history of the breed to their offspring. Show champions along with champions of the field events. These bloodlines are gathered from around the world! This results is an European bred Golden Retriever that is very beautiful, strong, athletic and extraordinarily capable and willing to please. These are wonderful animals with the history of the breed embedded in their very soul. They come from genetic lines that formed the foundation of the Golden Retriever breed! They are truly loving dogs that live to be loved, and will be a pleasure for you to work with. Over the years, we have developed many friendships with happy owners and quite a following on Facebook. We have many repeat customers and referral customers. We also breed dogs which become service dogs. NEADS places a high premium on these qualities because our assistance dogs need to be structurally and psychologically sound in order to assist someone with a physical disability. Our program places dogs with those who can benefit from both the functional and emotional support the companions provide: picking up a dropped article, opening a door and holding it open as the client passes through in their wheelchair, retrieving a bottle of water from the refrigerator, and many other tasks. Many of these tasks help people who have limited dexterity or mobility. Our rigorous standards are based on 35 years of experience training assistance dogs for those with a physical disability, autism or hearing loss. These qualities begin with a breeder who pays attention to quality breeding and early development practices. Director of Programs and Communications PO Box West Boylston, MA — You will find lots of pictures of Goldens to enjoy, and important questions and discussions about food, health, play, and events. Please visit us on facebook at:. Email Charity southbranchgoldens. Contact us Welcome to South Branch Goldens! For over 70 years, South Branch Goldens has been dedicated to raising healthy, loving, AKC registered golden retrievers. Our golden retrievers have excellent temperaments and make great family pets. Our breeding program concentrates on health, temperament and characteristics consistent with the Golden Retriever Breed Standard. Our Goldens are show quality with genetics from European Champion lines. Click the link below to place your order for NuVet products Order NuVet This section of our home page is dedicated to the faithful, old souls of South Branch. These goldens have been there and done that. They have blessed their families with many wonderful memories including those such as this: Our beautiful Hayden earned his puppy wings yesterday at the age of 16 years 7 days. Do you know if any of his litter mates lived this long? And how about his parents…there is an empty spot in our hearts but so thankful for all these years with him, he actually was in pretty good health, eye and hearing ok, but his hind legs would give out and he would fall. The picture was taken yesterday before we said goodbye. Hayden made a lot of friends the police chief neighbor , postman who cried when we told him , the UPS driver who stopped if Hayden was outside even with no delivery, the city of SL workers who stopped everyday to give him a cookie, etc…. License Number DS. We fell in love with the Golden Retriever breed years ago when our family adopted an American-type Golden puppy. But, when our golden passed of cancer, we were devastated, and determined to find a puppy with better health. We started researching in , adopted our first English Goldens a few months later, followed by our first litter born in .It's important to us that your puppy is not just a pretty face, but a healthy dog that will be with you for years to come. Each dog that is brought into our program is extremely vetted. In addition to conformation, our dogs must pass health clearances — including hips, elbows, eyes, heart, and ICH testing — before admission into our program. We only accept dogs that pass these clearances in the top percentiles. We truly hope to leave a mark on the world where whether our puppies serve as companions, making the burden of everyday life a little lighter — or service dogs, by providing crucial life changing skills to those who need it. We have trained companions, service dogs, therapy dogs and emotional support dogs all over the United States. We love the stories of how our dogs are being used to improve lives and make a difference! Boyscout, Registered Therapy Dog. Trigger, an A. The puppies have big, beautiful, blocky heads, and simply gorgeous color. They are intentionally socialized and raised with children, resulting in good-natured, friendly dogs. Top Quality Health Careful, ethical breeding practices, and top health clearances. Family Owned All puppies are born in our laps, socialized and raised on our Indiana farm. Training Programs We have a variety of training programs to ease the transition into your family life. Individualized Care Top facilities, with full-time manager. Close to vet care. Core Clearances Our dogs must pass health clearances — like hips, elbows, heart, and more. Champion Bloodlines. We have a passion for Golden Retrievers since we have been children. Located in the beautiful State of MN the land of 10, Lakes, our family relates to animals and enjoys raising exceptional, extra healthy, high quality puppies. All of our puppies are giving early neurological stimulation from the moment they are born. Our pups are loved, touch, cuddled and well socialize around other pets, children and adults of all ages. We have such a strong connection with each and every golden and puppy we have is a great rewarding experience. We are so blessed to be able to do what we love every single day. English Goldens are meant to be loyal and always by your side. Our sire and dams are from the highest quality world championship lines from around the world. You can view more information on OFA. We specialize on the traits of the family dog first, health, trustworthiness, calm, gentleness, loyal and beauty! Then we incorporate the correct genetics that have been proven over again and again through generations through selected individuals to pass on the history of the breed to their offspring, show champions along with field champions events! We got these bloodlines from around the world! Genetic lines that formed the foundation of the Golden Retriever breed! Each time a special unique litter is ready to be born we excitedly watch and see the unique genetics that emerge. Our goal is to improve the breed and your life with happiness! We are proud to offer the quality of the breed to our clients. To collect the Champions of the past to the present , the present to the future and would like you to visit our other pages to see more details about True Sound Golden Retrievers! We always love to hear and help our families with any questions regarding care, feeding, training or anything else.

Knowing the best commands to teach your German Shepherd is essential to living happily with them. Commands for German Shepherds establish a two-way street of communication. First, there are basic commands, and then I jump right into more advanced commands and tricks. After getting a German Shepherd, new owners often complain about a lack of communication with their dogs. This makes teaching your GSD easier since you have an essential foundation built. You can also teach different commands for German Shepherds for fun, fitness, impulse control, and even bonding. Basic Commands for German Shepherds Your goal for training commands for your German Shepherd is to master the basics first. German Shepherd Dog training commands generally begin with the basics. Teaching your dog good manners and how to behave in public helps you to handle a large breed dog with confidence. These basic commands for your GSD are useful in your daily life and are a great place to start. A marker word is any word or sound such as a clicker used to mark when your German Shepherd does something correctly. The most common marker words are yes and good. But first, you must teach the meaning of this word to your dog so they understand. You must say the marker word or click the clicker followed immediately by a treat. Repeat your word, along with giving them a treat, until your dog becomes excited about the word. Name Recognition The foundation of German Shepherd training is teaching your dog their name. If you have a multi-dog home, then training their name will let your dogs know who needs to obey. Sit The sit command is part of basic training. It helps them settle down, stay still, and keeps them from jumping on guests. Sit is a great behavior to have on cue to teach your German Shepherd to ask for something they want, prevent them from darting out open doors, and keep them in the car for you to leash them before releasing them. Down The next command is down. Down teaches your German Shepherd to relax, settle for longer periods, and to rest until their next command. Having your German Shepherd in a relaxed down position provides you with better control. But, the most important command will be your following stay command. Stay Stay, while a basic command, is actually a more complex behavior. This is because in order for you to teach your German Shepherd to stay they need to resist distractions. This training is called proofing a behavior. Come Teaching your puppy the come command is a life-saving skill. The come command, also called the recall, is an essential life-saving skill you must teach your German Shepherd. Mastering this command not only gives your dog more freedom but also allows you to take your dog more places. When your dog understands the come command gives you more confidence because you know your dog will return when called. Speak Most owners find that teaching their German Shepherd to speak is much easier than training them to be quiet. The German Shepherd is bred as a watchful and alert companion and is a notorious barker. Generally, when your German Shepherd barks you can add in a command, such as speak, to capture their barking. Quiet As a herding breed, one of the jobs of the German Shepherd was to bark at predators or hazards. This is engrained in the breed. Early on, teach your German Shepherd to be quiet to help counteract their barking. They bark a lot by nature to ward off danger from their home and keep their family safe. Need help with your dog barking at strangers? Often thought of as one of the most useful German Shepherd training commands, the cue wait means to respect the boundary. The wait is also valuable when you need to have your dog pause in certain areas or rooms of your house. It only means your dog must hesitate until you give your permission to cross over the boundary where the wait due was delivered. Watch me or look at me is another great command to teach your German Shepherd. German Shepherds that learn this training are less likely to become distracted in public settings, learn patience while waiting for rewards, and develop better self-control skills. With everything else going on, watch me can get your dog in a better frame of mind. Plus, it allows you to give your dog another command to follow. There are also other ways to get your German Shepherd to listen to you , without a command. While out on walks you might need your dog to ignore old food in the dirt or a neighborhood cat or dog that has her attention. Telling her to leave it keeps her away from those distracting objects for a moment. Drop It Has your dog ever grabbed your shoes and ran through the house with them? If so, then you must teach your German Shepherd the drop it command. Train your dog to drop it by using the reward method to make the training positive. Repeating this training with different items of value, and always keeping your reward worth more than what she has to drop, will give you better results. Stand Why would you ever want to teach your German Shepherd the stand command? Stand also gets your dog up from another position like down or from a trick like a rollover. Especially useful for puppies, the settle cue lets your dog know they need to behave calmly. Heel The purpose of the heel command is to teach your German Shepherd to walk on a loose leash beside you. Have your GSD on your left side, which is the traditional heel side. Hold a treat in your left hand and guide your dog along the seam of your left leg while walking a few steps. Give her the treat for following along on a loose leash. For most herding breeds loose lead walking is a difficult behavior since dogs naturally walk faster than us. Training this command will help you to enjoy safer and more relaxed walks. You can also start training your German Shepherd to walk on a leash right now. You can introduce your dog to new commands to keep up their training skills or purely for entertainment. With the right set of commands, you can give your German Shepherd a job around the house to keep them mentally stimulated and out of trouble. Here are some training commands to give you something fun to teach your German Shepherd and keep their intelligent minds engaged. Maybe you want them to continue walking and pass another dog. Up Training your German Shepherd to get up on something is a great trick. Plus, if your dog learns to jump up when you ask, then they can join you on the couch for movie night, jump onto a stool for easier grooming time, or even increase their activity on walks. Off The off command tells your dog they need to place all four paws back on the ground. This means if they have paws on you, on someone else, or on the furniture they should get all of their paws onto the floor. Instead, teach them the off command so you can guide them with your voice. Shake An easy and cute trick to teach your German Shepherd is shake, also known as give paw. Teaching your dog to give you their paw even helps to desensitize your German Shepherd to having her paws touched. To spice things up with this trick, teach your dog to shake with each paw by naming them different commands. Little by little, your dog will slowly start to lean over to reach the reward. Some German Shepherds are more reserved and will need time to go into the rollover. Not all German Shepherds understand how to return a toy or ball to you once thrown. So, training your German Shepherd to fetch or bring will help them learn how to carry their toys to you for a game. Plus, fetch is a great way to exercise your dog to keep them fit and happy. Use take it to give them permission to have their food, treat, or toy. Go Potty If you want to train your dog to use the bathroom on cue then a potty command is useful. Go potty is a good cue to pair when your puppy does their business outside. After pairing the cue enough times, your German Shepherd learns that go potty is their command for using the toilet. Place instructs your dog to go to a designated spot, sometimes a platform or mat, and wait for the next cue. This is a great behavior to have in your repertoire. Imagine being able to send your German Shepherd to their place when someone knocks on your door. This trick takes more patience than rollover because your dog must stay very still to make the trick convincing. Pair this trick with a few others and you have a complete show for your next party. When your dog goes to bed she will lay down and remain there quietly. Unlike with her place command where she waits for your next words. You can also give your dog a treat to keep her busy and make her go to bed cue rewarding. Try a Kong toy for your German Shepherd that she chews to help relax her while in her bed. You can get your dog to stay in their bed longer by offering them the best bed for your German Shepherd. But, in the beginning, you might notice your new German Shepherd is hesitant to put her paws on you. Spin Spin is a beginner trick for German Shepherds. Use a bit of tasty food to lure your dog into a turn. Keep repeating this action, then pair the word spin with the behavior. For another challenge, teach your German Shepherd to spin the other way. Spin also helps your dog stay limber by stretching her neck and back muscles. Use the word free to tell your German Shepherd that she can go about her own way. For example, use free when releasing your dog from a wait at your back door into an enclosed yard. Before you give the free cue, always make sure the surroundings are safe and free from dangers. Instead, try the break command to teach your German Shepherd to stay near you for her next cue. Then, move on to the next cue so your dog keeps learning and improving. Training Command. Here are some fun, and even some unusual, tricks to teach your pooch. Speak- This one usually comes a bit easier than one might expect. Get your dog excited, or even a bit rambunctious. Now, hold a treat, and let your dog see that you have a treat. Your dog, if already trained, may do tricks it already knows, such as sitting or laying down. Once your dog goes through the tricks it knows, it will try to figure out what you want. Your dog will become excited. Give your dog the command to speak. Practice this with people at the door. If your dog becomes quiet when told, give them a treat. Beg- If your dog already knows how to sit, this one is quite simple. Get your dog to sit. Then, holding a treat, raise your hand above its head. Most dogs will automatically pick their front feet up and beg. If your dog is standing on its back feet, try putting the treat closer to the dog. Give the command as you raise your hand. Once your dog begs properly, give it a treat. Shake- Another simple one. Have your dog sit. If your dog allows you to do this, give it a treat. Do this one or two times more. Now, give the command again. This time, simply put your hand out for your dog. Give the dog a treat when this happens and practice from there. Now, flip your hand over. When your dog goes to give you their paw, move your hand away and give your dog a treat. Your dog may be confused at first. Eventually, your dog will be waving without your hand up. Be sure to give your pup lots of praise! Toss it just a few feet from you. Chasing them will only make it a different kind of game, one you will not likely win. Instead, call them back to you, and wait for them to come back with the toy. If they drop it somewhere, go get it, and toss it again. Keep doing this until the dog brings the toy back. Once it does, reward it with a treat. Keep practicing, and soon your dog will have this trick down in no time. Put Away- This one is both fun for your pet, and useful for you. Many dog owners are also parents. What if you could teach your four-legged friend to do the same? Well, you can. Give your dog a toy. As soon as the toy is dropped into the box, give them a treat. Instead, give them their toy again, and repeat the process. Soon your dog will be doing the laundry and dishes too! Dance- Dancing can bring joy to all, including your dog. Give your command, and have your dog hold the position. Give them a treat once they have held it for a moment. First, start with having your dog lay down. Next, show them that you have a treat. Let them smell and even lick the treat, but do not let them have it. If your dog gets up, start over and repeat the process. Each time your dog masters a few more inches, give them a treat. Soon they will be an expert crawler! Kiss- This one is for the ultimate dog-lover, and not the germaphobe. Almost all dogs love to lick, but getting one to touch noses with you without leaving a slimy slick mess across your face is another story. Do this a few more times and soon your dog will have it down pat. Play Piano- This one is super cute, super fun, and super easy. When your dog goes to shake, move your hand and let them hit the keys. When the piano makes a sound, immediately give your dog a treat. Each time your dog hits a key, give a treat. Expand by having them play than one key. Walk Backwards- This is actually more useful than you would think, especially when trying to get your dog to move away from something dangerous or not appropriate for you dog to be around. If your dog is having trouble with it, nudge your dog with your leg or body. Each time the dog takes a step back, praise and reward it. Fetch a drink from the fridge- This trick should only be taught to a dog who is not going to eat everything in your fridge once it is opened. Tie a rope to the handle of your fridge. Encourage your dog to pull and tug on it until the door pops open. When it does, give your dog a treat. Now, add the next element. Encourage them to open the fridge and take the toy. Then have them close the fridge. After they have that down, work on getting your drink out and bringing it to you. You now own a drink-triever, a close cousin to the golden retriever. Prayer Time- This one is great if your dog already knows how to jump up with their front paws. Have your dog sit, and then have them jump up on your forearm and hold the position. Give them a treat each time they hold the position a little longer. Sing along with songs- This one is usually really easy, especially if your dog is already vocal, but it may be a bad idea if you have close-by neighbors or live in apartments. If not, lead by example and begin howling at your favorite music to howl at. Soon, your dog will be howling right along with you. Slalom- This can one of the best tricks to help your dog with speed, agility, and overall exercise and health. Use a treat to weave your dog slowly between the poles. At the end of the poles, give your dog their treat. Repeat this until you can simply give your verbal command and your dog automatically does it. Take a bow- For this one, start your dog in the standing position. Once they are back to standing, reward your dog with the treat and praise. If your dog is having trouble keeping his backside in the air, use your arm, or another object of good height to encourage his buttock to stay in the air. Most dogs usually catch on pretty quickly. It is super easy to lure your pooch into spinning with a well-placed treat in front of their nose. Once your dog makes a full spin, give them the treat. Repeat until your dog is spinning on their own. Just be careful not to let them get to moving too fast. Start by having your dog lay down. As you give the command, have your dog roll onto their side using the treat to coax them. Once they are in the correct position and holding it, give them the treat. Keep practicing until your dog falls or roll over without the treat. Enjoy the hours of fun to come with these awesome tricks! To train a German Shepherd puppy dog you must be consistent, kind and clear. German Shepherd dog puppies are divinely cute and for a reason! Just like babies are cute, puppies will win your heart even after destroying your favorite pair of shoes or that expensive carpet! Making sure you use them will start you on the right side of training and pave the road for you to get an obedient dog. The good news is that you do not need any special equipment to have an obedient GSD puppy. All you need is love and treats. The most important German Shepherd puppy training tip is socialization. Some vets will tell you to keep the pooch inside until the full set of vaccines is completed. Unfortunately, if you do keep your pooch safe inside until he is months of age, his socialization period will have closed forever and your chance to raise a friendly and confident dog drops significantly! That said, it is ultimately your decision whether you want to take the risk to take him outside or not. Most large US cities do not have too many disease problems and taking your puppy to a class where the trainer checks that every puppy has had the first set of shots is mostly safe. However, if you leave in a rural area, make sure there is not an outbreak of a disease that can affect your pooch. Of all the German Shepherd puppy training tips, I suggest you really think this one through. As a dog trainer, I recommend you find a safe puppy socialization class because this developmental period is critical to prevent behavior problems in the future. Apart from that, you also need to socialize your puppy daily on your own, this link will explain the process and give you a list of things to check as you go! Tip 2: Teach your German Shepherd puppy to use his mouth properly. You may have noticed that your German Shepherd puppy likes to chew on your shoes, toys, boxes, carpets, pillows, your hands…well, pretty much everything! Before you loose your mind and all your precious possessions let me tell you that this is normal puppy behavior. At this age dogs explore everything with their mouths and even though annoying, it is a great time to teach your pet what is appropriate for his mouth as well as how to soften the bite. The reason German Shepherd dog puppies have sharp teeth is because they are capable of learning how much or how little pressure to apply when biting different things. This is good news! To train a German Shepherd puppy to do this follow this link! Tip 3: Potty train your German Shepherd puppy the right way. Right around now you are also probably dealing with potty training, the best German Shepherd puppy training tips for potty training are outlined below. You should know how many times, and when to take you puppy out. I am sure you have heard all sorts of things against the use of food for training. To do this, you need to find the things that your dog likes most and use them as rewards. Food will be one of them, so use it. But also use anything else, like walks, petting, play time, toys, etc. So, of all the German shepherd puppy training tips here, I don't want to hear any excuses for this one! Done the right way, your pooch will respond to your command even when empty handed. Hope my website is helping you better understand and train your dog. Do you want to help? Be a modern philanthropist through Patreon. This is a hard concept to understand for us, clever human beings. When we learn something new, we can very easily generalize the concept to any situation, that is what makes us creative creatures. Fortunately, you have a German Shepherd puppy, they are clever and chances are they will need less repetitions than the average breed. To help you out on this matter, this link will take you to a step-by-step guide to train a reliable command. Tip 6: Train your German Shepherd puppy to ask for permission. Dog commands and fun and useful and you can probably find hundreds to teach your GSD. This one though - Ask for permission - is technically not a command, because you will not ask your canine to do it every time, instead you want to teach him to do it on his own every time the occasion requires it. Take time to do this with your puppy, it will be worth it! This is another one of the most important German Shepherd puppy training tips because a dog that asks for permission is an obedient and safe dog. To prevent a dog from jumping on people it is imperative to teach that same dog not to jump when he is a puppy. If he jumps again, then ignore again. When I say ignore, I mean it! No eye contact, no pushing or kneeing…nothing. Keep turning around if you have to. Pulling on the leash is another of those dog behaviors that people think come out of the blue, but actually they happen because there was never formal training done. To prevent pulling on the leash all you have to do is make sure your puppy understands that he gets rewarded food, petting, attention, verbal praise, keep on walking, etc. Pay close attention to what he does during those first few walks together and make sure you reward him for staying close to you! Got any German Shepherd puppy training tips to share with us? Tell us about them here! Those ideas came from research done in wolfs in captivity and have now been debunked by new research done in wolfs in the wild. The new research says that you need to be a good leader, kind of like a parent. Alphas are most often the parents of the group. Provide shelter, food, safety and limits. This article tells you more about it! Tip The best German Shepherd puppy training tip is… Reward good behavior and ignore bad behavior. This rule is amazing and will work wonders, besides it is really easy to apply, all you have to do is pay attention to your German Shepherd puppy and reward the good things he does. You need to figure out what the reward is and remove it. For example, when a dog is laying down, it is harder to bark. This Form cannot be submitted until the missing fields labelled below in red have been filled in What is your DOG's name? Please note that all fields followed by an asterisk must be filled in. If your dog can learn tricks, then he can learn obedience and good manners. Go ahead…have some fun with your dog and teach him a new trick! The best way to teach a trick is to make it fun for him. Use praise and small treats to reward your dog. Only practice new tricks for a few minutes at a time. You never want your dog to get bored when learning new things. Some dogs are born with more instinct to chase things and carry things in their mouths. Let go of his paw. Do this a few time every day. See if he raises the paw by himself. Your dog is not slow; he is just learning! Crawl Start by having your dog lie down. Play Dead Have your dog lay down on his tummy. Encourage him to stay their for a couple of seconds. TIP: You can use a treat to lure your dog into a lying down position. Give him the treat after he has completed the trick. Roll Over Start by having your dog lie down on his belly. You can stand over him or kneel beside him. Using a treat, hold it near his nose and move it around and behind him, so that he follows with his nose and rolls over. Tell him what a great dog he is and give him the treat. If your dog looks uncomfortable, try another trick. Go Back This is an easy one! After your dog is walking backwards with you, try walking toward him only a step or two. As your dog reaches down to get it he may try to lie down , slip your hand under his belly to hold his rear end up. Wave Your dog should already know how to shake hands before learning this trick. Face your dog and hold out your hand as if you are going to shake. TIP: At first your dog may not lift his paw very high. You may have to encourage him a little with your hand so he thinks you are going to shake with him. Waving your hand a little may help to get his paw into a waving motion as well. Our Sponsors.

Tweet on Twitter Many dog owners are discovering that homemade dog food recipes are the way to go for their pooch. Besides being a possible money-saving option, healthy homemade dog food is a choice that is easier than you may think, as well as being a great-tasting alternative to commercial dog food. The best homemade dog food recipe is made with one ingredient that no commercial brand can match: your tender loving care! Have we got you thinking about how to make homemade dog food yet? Healthy dog food recipes Whipping up balanced homemade dog food recipes in your own kitchen can be a satisfying and rewarding experience for both you and your beloved pooch. And what could be better than having an eager, experienced taste-tester at your elbow? Are you interested in raw dog food recipes? Dog food recipes with chicken? How about easy dog food recipes? Believe it or not, developing an organic dog food recipe is no harder than making homemade dog food for allergies , or assembling natural dog food recipes. Making homemade dog food While using cooked dog food recipes or raw dog food diet recipes is not overly difficult, it is a process that requires a bit more exertion than flipping back a canned food tab or ripping into a pound bag of kibble. Pet nutritionist Cailin Heinze, VMD, endorses the practice of deploying balanced home cooked dog food recipes, but cautions that dedication to the process is a key component. Best homemade dog food recipe Canines are omnivores, meaning they are able to eat meat, vegetables, and grains. Dogs require a formulation that is high in protein and fat in order to meet their nutritional needs. To learn more about low fat canine diets, we recommend reading this excellent and informative article. Which is why you may want to consider homemade senior dog food recipes and homemade dog food recipes for skin allergies. No one knows your dog better than you; you have the inside track when it comes to knowing which best dog food recipes will appeal to your pooch. Will it be natural homemade dog food, simple dog food recipes, or homemade raw dog food? When it comes to dog nutrition homemade food may be a big plus. Make your own dog food recipes At the beginning of your homemade dog food journey we recommend that owners stick to canine diets endorsed by animal care professionals or veterinarians. How do you know this is the case for the recipes you use? For those of you who would like to sample raw homemade dog food recipes, stay tuned. Both of these recipes from the American Kennel Club are animal expert-approved, high protein options: Mini Omelette Recipe for Dogs: This omelet recipe calls for 2 eggs plus ingredients, which may be enough to satisfy one pup. Eggs should be cooked for at least 10 minutes at F 82 C. Frozen Meat Treats Recipe for Dogs: This frozen meat treat recipe is especially convenient as you can pop one out of the freezer any time to serve as a refreshing snack, or to reward an especially good dog! Not only is the recipe a nutritionally complete homemade dog food, there are different, convenient versions for pooches of varying sizes. So, if you have a small dog, use the recipe for a 15 pound pooch. Likewise, there are balanced dog food recipes for 30 and 60 pound pooches. The recipes take the guesswork out of portion sizing, although you can choose to make enough to serve leftovers the following day. Keep in mind that switching out or changing up a recipes ingredients can result in an unintended outcome. In addition, your vet may want to examine your pup, including skin, body condition and coat, in a few more weeks to insure that there are no possible diet-related issues to be concerned about. Homemade allergen-free recipes The most common canine food allergens are eggs, corn, beef, chicken, wheat, soy, and milk, according to the Merck Vet Manual. While it can be difficult to find a recipe that lacks all of these ingredients, Paula Terifaj D. Raw dog food recipes Feeding your pooch a raw dog food diet can replicate the diet of dogs in the wild and has become popular in recent years. There are two main types of raw canine dog food models, the BARF diet biologically appropriate raw food proposed in by Australian veterinarian Ian Billinghurst, and the RMB diet raw meaty bones diet. You can also buy prepackaged raw dog food in most pet stores and in some supermarkets. For more details about feeding your dog a raw food diet, be sure to read this excellent and informative article. The wide-ranging article covers the risks and rewards of feeding your pooch raw food, and honestly addresses the debate surrounding the practice. Homemade dog food portions Many recipes use specific measurements and amounts for their ingredients. A food scale is much more accurate for measuring meat portion volumes than regular household measuring cups. You can buy a food scale at your local pet store or at any big box store. Dessert always comes after dinner What could be better than a hearty, healthy homemade meal? A delicious homemade dessert to top it off! Here is a fun and pleasing snack recipe from the American Kennel Association that is sure to delight any doggy diner. Although these everyday substances are fine for human consumption, they have the potential to make your pooch sick, or worse result in serious illness. According to Dr. There is really nothing better than a meal made with love, something that your dog will now be able to attest to, or bark at. Do you have a favorite canine breakfast, lunch or dinner recipe? How about a doggie snack or treat recipe? Fact checked by Emily Estep Emily Estep is a biologist and fact checker focused on environmental sciences. Emily has been a proofreader and editor at a variety of online media outlets over the past decade and has reviewed more than articles for The Spruce Pets for factual accuracy. All growing puppies need proper nutrition. However, choosing the right diet for your puppy can be an overwhelming task. When you choose to feed your puppy home-prepared food, it takes a certain amount of commitment on your part. Make sure you have the time to prepare the food properly and on a regular basis. There's a lot you need to know before you can start feeding your dog an appropriate homemade diet. Like humans, dogs have specific caloric requirements and need certain vitamins and minerals to stay healthy. Puppies have even more specific needs in order to grow at an appropriate rate and thrive. The food you feed your puppy must be complete and balanced. It must also be designed to support growth. One of the biggest mistakes pet owners make when they decide to feed home-prepared diets is not following the right recipes or, not following a recipe at all. Preparing the right puppy diet is about more than just feeding enough calories. It must also have the proper balance of protein, fat, and calories for a growing puppy. When you begin to develop a home-prepared diet, make sure your puppy gets everything it needs in its diet to keep it as healthy as possible and help it grow. The best way to do this is to consult with your veterinarian. You might even want to ask for a referral to a veterinary nutritionist. Working with a vet, you can design a diet that meets all of your puppy's nutritional needs. Your vet may have recipes for you to use or may guide you to a website like BalanceIT. These websites have recipes developed by veterinary nutritionists. They can help you choose a diet that is complete and balanced but also meets other needs. In many cases, you can choose your preferred ingredients or find formulas designed for puppies with specific needs like large breeds or health issues like allergies. How to Prepare Homemade Puppy Food In general, puppies need about twice as many calories per day than their adult counterparts. According to the Committee on Nutrient Requirements of Cats and Dogs of the National Academy of Science, a pound puppy that is expected to weigh 33 pounds at adulthood needs to eat about calories per day. In addition, puppies need more protein, fat, vitamins and minerals than adult dogs. Many owners who feed home-prepared diets set up a regular schedule , setting aside time weekly or monthly to prepare and portion the diet. The food can be prepared in bulk and portioned into containers one container per meal makes it extra-easy. You can keep meals frozen for several months or refrigerated for about 5 days. When the supply of pre-prepared meals runs low, it's time to make a new batch. If you like to feed a variety of foods, you can make multiple batches and color code by ingredients, rotating out the different meals. Remember to increase portions appropriately as your puppy grows. Raw Diets for Puppies There's no doubt that home-cooked diets for puppies can be healthy when done correctly, but what about raw food? There is much controversy over raw food for dogs. The AVMA and other agencies warn of the risks of dangerous pathogens in raw pet food. Some other experts see the potential benefits of raw food for healthy adult dogs. However, puppies are a different story. Raw food may contain dangerous pathogens that can lead to illness in people and some dogs. Like children, young animals may not have the immune systems to fight off pathogens found in raw food. If you feel you can safely handle raw food and you are willing to assume the risks, talk to your veterinarian about transitioning to raw food when your puppy gets older. In the beginning, you might choose to offer a combination of cooked and raw foods to see how it works out. Raw diets should never be fed to dogs coming into contact with immunocompromised humans. In addition, raw diets are not recommended for dogs with immune system issues. Brush a dog biscuit baking tray with coconut oil. Mash the ripe banana in a bowl until smooth. Ensure there are no large chunks left. In a medium-sized bowl, blend the gluten-free flour and oats. Add coconut oil, water, mashed banana, unsweetened applesauce, and fresh blueberries. Mix until well combined. Gently pour the wet mixture into the bowl containing the dry ingredients. Stir until you get an even consistency. Drizzle in the CBD oil and give it another stir to ensure even distribution. Use a tablespoon measure to scoop out portions of the mixture. Press each scoop firmly into the dog treat baking mold. Place the tray in the oven and bake the treats for 30 to 40 minutes. They should be firm to the touch and slightly golden when ready. Once the treats have cooled, transfer them to an airtight container for storage. This easy-to-make recipe ensures your Labrador Retriever gets a nourishing and delightful meal. This batch yields approximately four servings, which can be stored in your refrigerator. Ingredients 1 lb. Cut the chicken into half-inch pieces. In a frying pan with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, cook the chicken on medium heat for about 15 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside the pan drippings. Rice preparation. Once done, set aside. Gravy creation. Over medium to low heat, warm the chicken drippings in the pan. Gently stir until it becomes a smooth mixture. Continue cooking until it evolves into a thick gravy consistency. Combining ingredients. Add the cooked chicken, rice, peas, and carrots to the gravy. Simmer the mixture for approximately 10 minutes or until the veggies are tender. This enhanced dog food recipe combines the richness of turkey with the nourishment of vegetables and quinoa — a superfood known for its protein and fiber content. Ingredients 1 pound of ground turkey 1 cup of quinoa 1 cup of carrots, finely chopped 1 cup of green beans, finely chopped 1 cup of spinach, finely chopped 1 tablespoon of fish oil A sprinkle of turmeric for anti-inflammatory benefits, optional Directions Cooking the turkey. Over medium heat, cook the ground turkey in a non-stick skillet until fully done. Preparing the feast. Combine the quinoa, cooked turkey, and water in a large pot. Bring this mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low. Let it simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until the quinoa becomes soft and translucent. Adding vegetables. Introduce the carrots, green beans, and spinach to the pot. Allow the mixture to cook for another 10 minutes, ensuring the vegetables are tender but not overly soft. Finishing touches. Let the meal cool to room temperature before serving. Extra portions can be refrigerated and consumed within five days. Adding eggs and beneficial herbs ensures your Labrador Retriever gets essential vitamins and nutrients. Begin by boiling the eggs until they are hard-boiled. Once done, peel and finely chop them. Beef cooking. Once done, drain off any excess fat. In a large mixing bowl or container, combine the cooked brown rice, browned sirloin, chopped eggs, diced or shredded carrots, peas or green beans, minced parsley, and the optional sprinkle of turmeric. Drizzle with olive or safflower oil. Stir together. Using a large spoon or spatula, gently mix all the ingredients until they are evenly distributed and well combined. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you want more homemade dog food recipes and cooking options for your Labrador Retriever, cookbooks can be useful for various recipes. Maintaining a healthy weight is easier when your Labrador Retriever is fed the right dog food. However, identifying a healthy gut is not an easy task. Skin or coat issues, excessive tiredness, allergies, weight loss, malnutrition, and obesity can be caused by unbalanced and insufficient meal plans. If you detect any of these symptoms while feeding your dog meals, stop doing it immediately and seek expert advice. Below is a list of the most common toxic ingredients dogs need to avoid. Small Pets Indian Homemade Food that can be given to Labradors and Golden Retriever Dog Breeds Pet dogs are so very aligned as first of the kin in most dog loving Indian homes that it is impossible not to share the human food tid bits with them. The pleading gaze of big brown eyes are hard to avoid and it seems almost cruel at that time to not share our food. But there is always an apprehension regarding the suitability of the human food for our dogs and puppies. Premium commercial dog food brands like Royal Canin , Hills Science plan and Solid Gold Dog Food offer complete and balanced nutrition to assure fulfillment of all basic needs of the pet. In respect to the safety and health of the dogs , you would be glad to know that there are plenty of human foods which the dog can eat to acquire protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. So one does need to walk consciously, but anddo understand that most things which are healthy for you may not be as healthy or even fatal for our four-legged companion. Boiled or scrambled egg, chicken, fish, mutton, beef, pork are all commonly eaten at home and are good sources of protein and fats. Chicken is being a popular dish in most non-vegetarian Indian kitchens is often shared with the home grown and stray dogs, pl ensure to avoid any dinner table offering that entails onion, garlic, excess oil and spices. Even cooked chicken bones are not recommended as it is brittle and may cause oral injuries and in some cases even fatal obstructions in the intestines of dogs that will be required to remove surgically. Grains and Pulses Whole grains like brown rice, wheat, oats, barley, millet and quinoa and pulses supply various important nutrients to the dog. A blend of brown rice and mashed boiled vegetables constitutes an easy and good healthy meal for your furry friend. Some of the dogs can be allergic to wheat; for rest of the doggie population it can be safely eaten in the form of chapatti Indian wheat bread and whole wheat pasta without salt, sugar and acidic sauces. Soybeans also go well with dogs, provided your dog is not sensitive to it. Whole wheat or brown breads can be fed in small quantities. Do not feed these 10 foods to your dog. Storehouse of important vitamins, minerals and fibres, fruits and vegetables are naturally low in calories. They not only make one healthy and energized but also cut the risks of several diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease and certain cancers. Though low in calories, any fruit or vegetable carry the risk of upsetting the stomach in case of excessive intake. Fruits Fruits are a great power snack to quench in-between meal time hunger. Banana, oranges without rinds , watermelon, muskmelon, berries strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries , mango are great fruits for dogs. Serving a blend of fruits to the dog, cut into chewable pieces, mixing various flavours, will make fruits more interesting for the dogs. While feeding an apple, just take a very good care to remove all the seeds as they are poisonous for the dog. Certain seeds, like apple seeds contain cyanide which may not be harmful for us because of the small dose of toxins. But the same dose can prove poisonous to our dogs. Grapes and raisins are a complete No-No for the dogs; they can cause irreversible kidney damage — just keep the dogs away from them. Vegetables Boiled, cooked, peeled, raw or as scraps — vegetables are good for your dog. The fresh and crunchy vegetables like carrots, broccoli, cucumbers and spinach are good for health and do a lot of good to the teeth of the dog as well. Sweet potatoes, green beans, pumpkin, bottle guard, peas, tomatoes compulsorily ripe and potatoes boiled or mashed are also much loved veggies. Onions are not be ingested by the dogs in any form raw, cooked, dried, powered as it can damage the red blood cells of the canine. Garlic is also capable of harming the red blood cells of the dog; some people argue that garlic in small quantities act as natural antibiotic. Raw veggies can be eaten by dog but when it comes to relatively greater quantity, the vegetables should be boiled and then mashed or cut into chewable pieces. Treats In small amounts, our canine partners can enjoy cottage cheese, peanut butter, popcorns sans salt and butter , sunflower seeds shelled and plain white yogurt. More natural and plain a treat is — minimum sugar, salts, preservatives — more will they suit the health of your dog. BUT do remember that chocolate, coffee, macadamia nuts, raisins are toxic for your pet. Be very careful with them. Certain dogs, just like humans, can be lactose intolerant; apart from them, milk, in moderate quantities, can be safely digested by all dogs. Cottage cheese is loved by most dogs. Curd and buttermilk are also good sources of prebiotics and calcium. It is recommended that before you offer a new food item to your pet you should consult your vet. Allergies and reactions to particular food stuffs would vary from dog to dog, so it is a good habit to observe your dog each time you feed it a new eatable. Care should be taken to avoid artificial sugar and have minimal salts pinch of salt a day would suffice. About Shikha Sharma Shikha Sharma believes that Mother Earth is our mutual abode, where all creatures have an equal right to live with dignity. This belief is clearly reflected in her wonderful writing pieces that revolve around animals and their well-being. She is the blog editor of Pets World. More like this.

Easiest Dog to Take Care of: Top 10 Breeds for a Happy Home Do you ever dream about having a furry best friend who loves to play fetch, gives the warmest cuddles, and greets you with the happiest tail wags every time you come home? A friend who is not just any dog, but the easiest dog to take care of? We know, it sounds like a dream come true, right? But we also understand that bringing a new puppy home is a big step. It's like adding a new member to your family, a little brother or sister.Top 30 Smartest Dog Breeds In The World If you're a dog lover, you've probably heard the age-old debate: which dog breeds are the smartest? While all dogs have their own unique intelligence and personality, some breeds have proven to be consistently brilliant over time. In this guide, we'll explore the top 30 smartest dog breeds ranked, from problem-solving whizzes to trainable and intuitive pups. We've done our research to provide you with an updated and informative.These pooches are joyful, lively, eager to please dogs. They are adventurous, kind, family-oriented pups who love hiking, swimming, canine games, sports and any, and all, family activities. These puppies are merry and bouncy little marshmallows. They are cuddly and sweet pups who love running around, playing, making friends and are very enthusiastic learners. The breed is divided into 3 recognized categories: Toy Poodle; Mini; Standard. Although they differ in size, one thing is for sure: they are glamorous companion pets. Questions about Poodle puppies for sale in Kentucky? We have answers. Give me an overview of Poodle puppies for sale in Kentucky. Poodles come at different prices. Different things to consider are their height, size and weight, color as well as experience of the professional breeder. You will be able to afford one! Can breeders arrange travel for Kentucky Poodles out of state? Yes they do! The breeders, companies and businesses in our network know that perfect families do not always live close by, and sometimes far-distance travel arrangements have to be made. You may even be able to pick up your pup from an airplane close by or even around the corner - it all depends! How do you screen miniature Poodle breeders in Kentucky? We really care about puppies and their well being, so it is of the utmost importance that anyone who wants to be connected to us is screened under strict rules - and then they have to take our Breeder Pledge. The health of your puppy-to-be, its wellbeing, the way it is taken care of, the place it is brought up in - all of this matters to us. Why is Uptown Puppies different from other miniature Poodle breeders Kentucky? The internet is available to absolutely everybody - and that includes scrupulous breeders who are out there just wanting to cash in by selling puppies. We care deeply for dogs and puppies and we love connecting good and honest breeders with families who just want to open their homes to a new and wonderful puppy. What is a puppy mill like for miniature Poodle Kentucky? A puppy mill is an awful place that is unfortunately legal. Dogs are treated terribly and all their owners want from them are their puppies which they make money out of. Are there any miniature Poodle puppies Kentucky for sale now? We just need to know a little bit about yourself and exactly what you are looking for. Then begin your search and find the Poodle of your dreams. There are breeders, companies and businesses out there that are really excited to place their beautiful puppies in your home. What kind of dogs are mini Poodle puppies Kentucky? Poodles are actually part of a group of formal dog breeds. The Poodle is available in Toy size, Miniature size and large, regal, Standard size. They are highly intelligent and their origins belong to both Germany and France. How do I know I can trust you with miniature Poodle puppies in Kentucky? It is hard to monitor all the puppy scams that happen daily on the internet so we make sure that we have a secure Breeder Pledge and a strict screening process, in order to create the best of relationships between our customers and our breeders, companies and businesses. Our reviews reveal all!

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:. 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.