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From rabbits and cats to kids and adults, the Pushon loves everyone equally! As such, he is truly a family kind of dog. This means that he loves doing everything with you, including play time outside. In fact, one of his favorite things to do is curl up on your lap while you watch TV. This is never good because it often translates into bad behaviors, like chewing and barking. This is great for if you ever have to downsize. You will never be able to get the watchdog truly out of a Pushon. Why should he be scared of anyone? If you attack this problem head-on and early enough, you should be able to train him out of it. This is scary. He can keep up with them, and he has patience for them if they get a little out of hand. And a healthy weight for an adult Pushon is between 10 and 14 lbs. Pushon Colors As for colors, the Pushon can be black, light or dark brown, gray, cream, or white. This is because most mixed breeds do not have a definitive origin point, and his history may help you understand his persona. The Bichon Frise, for example, made her way to the U. The Pug also has an illustrious history, being the favorite dog of Chinese emperors, and later Tibetan monks living in monasteries. Both the Pug and the Bichon Frise are intelligent breeds who can understand your commands and execute them quickly. However, the Pushon tends to have more of a stubborn streak than either of his parents do. One of the best ways to get the Pushon to listen to you is to heap on the praise. When you leave bad behavior unchecked, it only gets worse and can ultimately become permanent. This online resource has hundreds of fun informative dog training videos that can help you learn the basics and more. The grooming needs of the Pushon can vary wildly from dog to dog. It all depends which parent he takes after. Either way, though, you should expect to brush him every day to keep him looking healthy and free of mats. Perhaps one of the most important things you can do for the Pushon is to regularly brush his teeth. Brush his teeth 2 or 3 times a week to keep them clean. You should also check and clean his ears once a week if he inherited floppy ears. This will reduce the amount of moisture that builds up in them, which can cause infection. We wrote an article on Bichon Frise Grooming that will offer some additional step by step guidance for grooming your Pushon. Check it out here. Staying Healthy Keep an eye out for any symptoms of any of the following conditions, which tend to commonly affect the Pushon breed: Allergies fleas, some medications, etc. This post may also contain other affiliate links and Bichon World might be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them. Small dog breeds are great options for a whole range of households and lifestyles. They are often suited to modern living in a way that many larger breeds are not, and can live much longer than the larger breed, meaning that you get a companion for longer. The Pushon is a great small bichon frise mixed breed with plenty of positives — but you should know as much as possible about a breed before adopting or buying a dog. Whether you are looking for food for your dog or other pet supplies, Chewy. It is the combination of a Bichon Frise and a Pug and was likely bred to eliminate some of the health conditions associated with the two parent breeds. The breed itself does not have much of colorful history, but both of its parent breeds do. The Bichon Frise, for example, has been traced back to the 13th century. It is thought to be closely related to the Poodle and the Barbet Water Spaniel, and is directly related to the Tenerife dogs which were transported around the Mediterranean by Spanish travelers. It is uncertain how the breed then found its way to Europe, but once it did, there were plenty who fell in love with it! The bichon-type breed had a surge of popularity in the 16th century when the French royals decided to keep the Bichon Frise as pets. From France, the breed spread across the globe. It was eventually recognized as an official breed by the American Kennel Club in .The Pug, on the other hand, has a more extensive history still. The small flat-faced dog has recently gained lots of popularity, but it is by no mean a modern dog. The breed can be traced all the way back to BC in Asia. There, the dog was bred as a companion pet for the super-wealthy. The breed was well known and beloved around Asia. It was a common pet of Tibetan monks and was beloved by royals and aristocrats alike. After being transported from Asia to the West by a range of different invaders and travelers, the breed had a large surge of popularity in the 19th century in the West. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in Most recently, the breed has been bred for flatter and flatter faces and is now the cause of concern for many scientists and vets across the world. Pushon Appearance, Coat, Size, and Weight The Pushon is a small dog, measuring 10 to 11 inches tall and weighing between 10 to 13 pounds. Like most small breeds, the Pushon tends to reach full size within a year, and may then get stockier as time progresses. The breed can have brown or amber eyes and can come in white, cream, Isabella, black, brown, or sable. Their coat can be short or medium depending on the lineage, and typically the coat will be completely straight. The breed is recognizable for its usually sturdy appearance and wideset ears with small rounded paws. They are often longer than tall and have wide eyes. How much exercise and stimulation they require, the amount of grooming they need, and even whether they need yard time or if they suit being indoors can vastly change whether or not a breed is suitable for your home and lifestyle. The Pushon is a relatively medium-level maintenance breed in most aspects. The breed will require daily brushing, especially if your Pushon has inherited the longer hair of the Bichon Frise, and they will need bathing every couple of weeks. Owners should be sure to regularly wash the eyes and ears of a Pushon and to ensure that the wrinkles around the muzzle are fully dry after washing to prevent infection. In terms of exercise, the breed is pretty active. They will require around 60 minutes of exercise each day in the form of active playtime or walks. Without this, owners may find them hard to manage and they may even act out. The most important thing for the Pushon is that they get enough exercise but also have somewhere to cool off, as the Pug genetics will often mean that they do not fare well in high temperatures. The Pushon is known to be an entertainer and a companion. They are just as happy sitting on your lap relaxing as they would be running around a garden with the children. They will often strive to be the center of attention and will do almost anything to remain there. The breed is curious and lively, but also incredibly loving and social. They get on well with children of all ages, and can even form strong attachments to other animals in their home, whether that is a dog, cat, or even a rabbit. In terms of training, the Pushon can prove to be a bit of a challenge. However, this is not because the breed lacks intelligence. In fact, the breed is of relatively high intelligence, they are just incredibly stubborn. This can make toilet training hard and can make other tasks such as recall a daunting job. So long as you are patient, though, and use plenty of positive reinforcement and attention, the Pushon is capable of learning plenty of tricks. After all, the Bichon Frise was once used in circuses around the world! Since the breed is intelligent, owners should be sure to provide the Pushon with ample enrichment and stimulation. This might take the form of puzzle toys, hide-and-seek games, socialization, frozen toys, or even just lots of playtime. Failing to provide such stimulation may result in a bored dog. Boredom can lead to depression in canines, especially in breeds as sensitive as the Pushon, so this should be avoided at all costs! It is also important with a Pushon that training and socialization start at a young age. Pushon Health and Lifespan Often, pure-bred dogs have a large list of health conditions that they are particularly susceptible to. This is often why mixed breed dogs are created; to avoid the illnesses of the parent breeds. The Pushon is a prime example of that. However, that does not mean that the Pushon is without any health concerns. There are still some conditions to which the breed is prone. Usually, though, these can be treated or avoided with the help of a vet and proper care. The conditions that a Pushon is likely to encounter or develop include patellar luxation, cataracts, canine hip dysplasia, Legg-Calves-Perthes disease, corneal ulcer, flea allergy, dry eye, ear infections, and skin allergies or irritation. Despite this, the breed has quite a long life expectancy. On average, a Pushon can be expected to live for between 12 to 14 years with adequate care and exercise, providing you with a long-term friend and companion. Pushons should be fed a nutrient-rich diet to properly satisfy their needs. Kibbles or wet foods higher in protein are particularly ideal for this breed. When feeding your Pushon, be sure to always fill the bowl up, even if that means getting a smaller bowl. Many Pushons have flat faces, like the Pug, and this can lead to them struggling to eat from emptier bowls. They push their face into the bowl and this can often cause choking or blocked airways. This means that they are the direct descendants of both one Pug and one Bichon Frise, as opposed to having Pushon parents. This often means that it is hard to tell which traits from each parent the puppy will have until it is born and begins to grow. Pushons Usually Inherit the Fluff Pugs are a short coat breed, but the Bichon Frise has a curly, fluffy coat that is absolutely gorgeous. They may shed less than other small fluffy dogs, but they will still shed more than a hypoallergenic breed would. Is Pushon the Right Breed for You? Pushons are great dogs. They are truly dynamic, wonderful, and social puppies that grow into smart, feisty adults. So long as you know how to train them, they can make incredible pets for most households. But is a Pushon right for you? The breed inherits a certain sensitivity from the Bichon Frise. Being alone all day, five days a week could very easily cause the Pushon to develop separation anxiety. This can manifest as poor behavior, acting out, being more vocal, or even forgetting toilet training. Separation anxiety is not fair for you, nor is it fair for the dog. So for those who are likely to be away from home a lot, consider a different breed. Otherwise, you might find yourself constantly fighting with a dog who just wants attention. Alternatively, however, the breed is incredibly well suited to small spaces. Just be sure to give them enough exercise and to play with them on a regular basis, and they should be completely happy living in an apartment. The breed is highly adaptable, too, when it comes to living space. The breed would be happy in a country farmhouse or a studio, so even if your situation changes — the Pushon will not be a concern. If you are planning to move a Pushon into an apartment though, be sure to train them out of their vocal tendencies first, otherwise, you will not be making a good impression to your neighbors! Post navigation. With their wondrous willingness to please their masters by giving them company, the Pushon makes an adorable companion dog. They love attention and enjoy being praised for anything good that they do. Pushons seek for contact. They are also good with children, and by virtue of their playful nature, they have enough energy to spend some quality time with them. These little dogs are brave hearts and seldom display timid or shy behavior. Care Exercise Give your dog some time to walk and run outdoors every day. Since housetraining this breed might be tough, you can also utilize the everyday routine walk time for your dog to eliminate. They love to play. Let them play with your kids and other pets. They are exceptionally friendly with cats. Keep its leash away during playtime. Grooming Pushons are low shedding dogs; however, their hair grows rapidly and hence, they need to be brushed regularly, at least times a week. This is even more important for individuals born with a double coat as against some with single. Those that have wrinkly faces should have their folds cleaned from time to time with a soft wet cloth, so as to ward off chances of skin infections. Bathe them no more than once a month. You can also seek for quarterly professionally grooming sessions. Health Problems They tend to have dermatological issues like dry skin, and might be allergic to many a thing including spider bite and bee sting. They are also prone to upset stomach, since they are in a habit of picking up and eating anything they find. Training The playful and smart nature, along with its willingness to please has made your pushon an ideal dog to learn tricks. Teach your dog the trick to salute. For that, ask your puppy to give its paw. Repeat this frequently with a little patience, and your dog will learn to salute and greet you or anyone visiting your place. Housebreaking might be a little tough for this dog. So begin it right from its puppy days. For that, you must assign a particular spot for it to poop or pee. Reward it every time it obeys you and maintains hygiene. This should reduce the chances for it to feel the urge during sleeping hours. Lifespan Sociability Pushons may not be purebred dogs, but their status as a designer dog breed has created quite a demand for them. Adopting a Pushon will generally be less expensive, but finding a Pushon at a rescue or shelter might be difficult due to the popularity of designer dog breeds. Pushons are usually first-generation hybrids. In the designer dog breed world, there are two types of hybrids: first-generation and multi-generation hybrids. Goldendoodles and other popular hybrids are often multi-generational, but Pushons are usually first-generation mixes. Pushons are perfect apartment dogs. Finding the right dog can be tough, especially for apartment living. Thankfully, these happy-go-lucky dogs are the perfect apartment companions! Except for some possible excessive barking, Pushons will easily adapt to urban and apartment environments. Pushons are usually fluffy. While pugs have silky, shorthaired coats, Bichons are famous for their fluffy, long coats. Not all Pushons will have the Bichon-esque coat, but most will inherit it. Pugs are one of the most unique dog breeds today, known for their many quirks and characteristics. They can go from playful to stubborn in a flash, making them notoriously challenging to train for first-time dog owners. At the end of the day, Pugs simply want to have fun and be with their families. Bichon Frise dogs are classic lap dogs, known for their cheerful and affectionate temperaments. These fluffy dogs can easily adapt to most living environments, making them suitable for a wide range of individuals and families. Though Bichons and Pugs are quite different at times, they both crave affection and human interaction. Pushons, as a result, are usually the same and will gladly follow their favorite people around. Housebreaking aside, Pushons have great temperaments and will be quite loyal to whom they see as family. Are These Dogs Good for Families? While they can be great family dogs, we recommend them only for families with quieter, older children that can understand how to handle small breeds safely and responsibly. Since Bichons and Pugs are companion-based breeds, Pushons rarely exhibit high prey-drive levels. Size Life Span The Bichon Mix is a mixed dog breed that is not currently recognized as a designer dog breed. These puppies are a cross between a Bichon Frise and another dog breed. As such, they can take on traits from one parent or a combination of traits from both parents. In order to get a better idea of what to expect in your puppy, make sure you ask the breeder about the other breed in the cross. You can also spend some time with the mother to get an idea about what size to expect in your puppy as well as a hint at potential temperament. The Bichon Frise is known for being the quintessential companion dog and lap dog. They tend to be gentle, love to cuddle, and are very playful. They also tend to get along fabulously with children, other dogs, and other pets. Should your Bichon Mix take more after their Bichon Frise parent, they should have a similar temperament. They could have any or all of these characteristics or inherit more traits from the other parent breed in the mix. Before deciding on a Bichon Mix puppy and bringing them home, have a conversation with the breeder about the other parent breed to get a feel for the potential temperament your puppy could have. The Bichon Frise is a highly adaptable dog breed and your Bichon Mix should be as well. In general, they should be able to adapt well to apartment living or to a larger home as long as they get enough attention and exercise. Bichon Frise do not like to spend a lot of time alone because they love their families and you should expect nothing different with your Bichon Mix. They also should do well in most climates. As with any dog breed, they are sensitive to extreme temperatures. Asking the breeder about the other parent breed can give you a good idea of what to expect. Mixed dog breeds can inherit the health concerns from one, both, or neither of their parent breeds. On the Bichon Frise side, potential health concerns can include bladder infections, eye disorders, luxating patellas, and allergies. Reputable breeders will screen their stock to avoid passing on disorders to puppies. So, in addition to asking about the other parent breed in the mix, also ask about the genetic and health history specific to both parents. The Bichon Frise is a highly trainable dog breed that is eager to please and loves to perform. Should your Bichon Mix puppy take after their Bichon Frise parent, they will also be easy to train and may also be difficult to housebreak because they are a small dog. As long as the other parent breed in the cross is also highly trainable, the Bichon Mix should be a good fit for owners of all experience levels. Regardless, they will respond best to positive training methods focused on praise and rewards. Also, puppy training and obedience classes are generally a plus and are great opportunities for socialization. Grooming requirements could vary with your Bichon Mix. Although the Bichon Frise has a low-shedding coat that can be hypoallergenic, their coat also requires daily brushing and monthly professional grooming. Depending on the other dog breed in the mix, you could have a lower maintenance coat that is still low-shedding or you could have a high maintenance coat that might still shed — it all depends on the other dog breed and which parent your puppy gets its coat from. You should be able to get a good idea about what to expect by asking the breeder about the other parent breed and looking at the grooming requirements for that breed. The activity level of your Bichon Mix may vary depending on the other parent breed in the cross. In general, a Bichon Frise has a moderate activity level and is known for having short bursts of high energy. Daily walks plus some playtime is usually plenty for a Bichon Frise. Your Bichon Mix may require more or less exercise depending on the other dog breed in the mix. The Bichon Frise is a small dog that stands inches tall and weighs pounds. Your Bichon Mix could be bigger or smaller depending on the other parent breed, so you want to make sure you ask the breeder about the parents. Looking at the mother dog may also give you a general idea about the potential size of your Bichon Mix once they are fully-grown. A Bichon Frise generally lives years and you could likely expect something similar for your Bichon Mix. The other parent breed in the cross may affect this range or may not. Talking with the breeder can help give you an idea of how much it could be affected, if at all. Featured Bichon Mix Article.

From a very young age we train our puppies in a few things that aid them in being successful adults as family members, companions, service dogs, agility dogs. The Coltriever is a mid sized dog, they weigh between pounds and are built similar to a Golden Retriever. Available Puppies Our next litter will be in September ready for their new home in early November. Usually we have… Early Learning Each of my litters is born inside my home, rather than a kennel setting. This allows them to hear the sounds and smell the scents associated with a household from the very start. They are continually exposed to the everyday sights and sounds of a family home. This includes potentially scary sounds such as vacuum… About Our Puppies I have been raising Coltrievers in Lacey, Washington since .They are a designer dog, which is a mix of Golden Retriever and Border Collie breeds. They are a mid- sized dog, weighing between 40 and 80 pounds. The conformation of a Coltriever is similar to a Golden Retriever. Their colors vary with some black… She has turned out to be the sweetest, most fun dog ever. We love her so very much!! So thankful that I found that photo of her on your website last summer — one of our greatest blessings. Shelly Tigard Or. Our dog, Scout, was an instant playmate to my kids, aged 2 and 5. They are active, dedicatedly loyal, and have an intense eagerness to please their owners just for a little attention. Their obedience is quickly reflected through their affectionate and friendly nature, thus making them good with kids. Though some Gollies might tend to be shy, they are highly sociable, being in a jovial mood most of the time. Hence, they do not do well when kept alone for extended periods. Some dog enthusiasts think that so much of cheerfulness in their character failed to make them a good guardian. This assumption, however, is not correct, since their alertness is readily apprehensible from their barking instinct. Gollies are very active and responsive, making for excellent watchdogs. They would start to bark the moment they come across a stranger around and alert their family members about the same. Care Exercise These canids need regular exercise to burn down their calories. Take them out on a walk or jog on a routine basis to channelize their energy positively. Let them play in an enclosed yard if you have one. A total of around 90 minutes of daily physical activities is enough for this breed. Grooming The coat of the Golden Collie is average to long, and their shedding is moderate to high. For this, they need high maintenance, especially if your dog is double-coated, having a long and rough outer coat with a soft undercoat. Brush them regularly, at least times a week, so as to keep their coat smooth and glossy. Regular brushing also promotes blood flow and enhances hair growth. Hence, it is better to consult your breeder about the health history of its parents. Interactive toys that make sounds or dispense treats would give your dog the incentive to work harder. Try frozen Kong toys stuffed with peanut butter. This trick should work. To prevent your dog from being overly excited when your guests come in, teach him to display a controlled behavior when the doorbell rings. Ask your puppy to sit close to the door, and press the doorbell, holding a treat in your hand. If your puppy starts to show any sign of excitement, go close to it and ask it to calm down, showing the gift, but do not give it away. Next, repeat the process and do the same, if your dog shows any sign of excitement. Give the treat as it obeys you and sits down calmly. Doing this activity from time to time would help your dog will learn to put a check to its overly wild behavior as well as refrain from incessant barking habits. Both working breeds may do different tasks, but combining them makes an intelligent, loving, obedient, and agile offspring. Getting to know the Border Collie and Golden Retriever will already give a hint of what your Coltriever would be like in terms of looks and behavior. Through generations, this sheepdog which is the definition of the term Collie in Scottish became popular. Nowadays, Border Collies are touted as the smartest and the most excellent herding dog. They have a height of 18 to 22 inches 46 to 56 cm and a weight of 30 to 45 pounds 14 to 20 kg , where the females are a tad smaller. Black and white are the most common combination seen in the breed, though. They have high energy levels that would require lots of physical and mental stimulation. The popular and affectionate Golden Retriever A lord named Dudley Marjorbanks of the Scottish Highlands wanted to create a gundog that can adjust well to rugged grounds and rainy climates. After long years of breeding, he finally got the hardworking and smart Golden Retriever. Goldens are beautiful, large dogs that can stand between 21 to 24 inches 53 to 6 cm and can weigh up to 75 pounds 34 kg. They can either have wavy or straight hair, and feathering on their chest, underbody, legs, and tail. It can be light or dark gold, and some have a paler shade that gives a cream hue. Goldens are bright and are often used in different kinds of jobs, such as search and rescue missions. What does a Border Collie Golden Retriever mix look like? The Golden Border Collie will either inherit features from both its parents or more on one parent. Since both of the parent breeds have a fairly dense, double-layered coat, so will this hybrid. Some may get the rough and corded fur of the Border Collie, while others get the wavy and silky look of the Golden Retriever. The colors of the Border Golden Retriever can vary from black, black and white, yellow or golden, light or dark brown, chocolate, and red. Most of them have markings on their face and chest. Both the Borders and Goldens range from moderate to heavy shedders, so expect the Coltriever to do so as well. How big do Border Collie-Golden Retriever mixes get? When full-grown, this mixed breed can weigh 45 to 75 pounds 20 to 34 kg , with a height of 24 to 25 inches 61 to 64 cm. With the easy-going, happy, and kind personality of the Golden Retriever, and the eager to please, hardworking, and intelligent Border Collie, this crossbreed seems to be quite a perfect canine. Are Border Collie Golden Retrievers good family dogs? Border Golden Retrievers may not be an excellent guard dog or watchdog, but you can rely on them to be top-notch alarms! If you keep a pretty garden, it may be an issue because this pooch loves digging and getting dirty in the mud. Once she sees a muddy area, distract her away from it. Is the Golden Retriever Border Collie mix easy to train? This crossbreed is very trainable as it inherited the intelligence of the Border Collie and Golden Retriever. You can start training from puppyhood to help avoid behavioral issues from developing, too. Agile dogs will do excellent at agility rings, but with this mixed breed, they can do so much more! Their high energy levels would require them to be active as much as they can. As a pet, a lot of walking, running, hiking, and swimming would be great. For mental stimulation, there are a lot of puzzle toys where you can hide treats, and the dog has to figure out how to get it. Kick it up a notch because the Golden Border Retriever is considered as a sporting and working dog, too. They can be trained and used for herding, retrieving, and other canine sports. This designer pooch has a coat that helps it adjust in all weather conditions. Bathing should only be done once or twice a month, or when necessary, to avoid drying out her skin. Weekly brushing is needed to keep her hair from taking over your house. It should depend on factors such as their size, age, daily activities, and their current health condition. A Border Collie would generally require to 1, calories a day, while a Golden Retriever needs to 1, calories. For their mixed-breed offspring, it can be anywhere between those numbers. There are also dog foods that are best for working or sporting dogs. The Coltriever requires at least 90 minutes of exercise a day. With their high activity level, you can give your fur baby up to minutes, if your time and energy allow it. A technique you can do is start slow, then increase the time of exercise gradually as you go. Health problems the Golden Retriever and Border Collie cross may inherit No matter if the dog is pure or a crossbreed, all canines are susceptible to particular ailments. The breed parents may pass health conditions to their litter, especially the illnesses that they both have. Golden Retrievers are prone to heart problems like subvalvular aortic stenosis, eye conditions such as pigmentary uveitis, as well as cancer. Other diseases that the Border Collie and Golden Retriever mix may have are allergies, bloating, and elbow and hip dysplasia. With proper care combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle, your Golden Border Retriever can enjoy their average life expectancy of 12 to 15 years. Border Collie Golden Retriever mix breeders Reputable breeders test their dogs used in breeding for genetic conditions that are common in each breed. They are going to provide medical certificates as proof that the Border Collie and Golden Retriever parents are free of ailments before breeding. Get the chance to observe if the puppies were born and raised in a clean place. Since they are known to shed frequently, they can cause allergies and other irritations. The basic grooming processes needed are: Brushing their furs weekly with a solid bristle brush to prevent them from shedding their coats too much; Cleaning their ears weekly to prevent ear infections; Bathing of one to two times a month; and Having their nails trimmed once they get too long. For first time owners who do not have experience with grooming dogs, this can be difficult because this breed requires high-maintenance grooming. You should see a veterinarian first to ask the grooming practices necessary for your dog. You need to follow the practices always. Excessive shedding is possible, so bath should be given at most twice a month. Their skins can also dry out if bathing is done irregularly. When bathing your dog, use a shampoo specialized for their furs to keep the quality. This mix is also prone to ear infections. Prevention is better than cure, so every week cleaning of the ear should be done. Their ears are one of the essential parts of their body. They cannot carry out their daily activities if their ears are in bad condition. Also, you must also trim their nails if they got too long to avoid future injuries from scratches. There are times that they even scratch their skins, so you must always monitor their nails. Golden Border Retriever Health Problems If the parents of the mixes have disorders, the chances are high that the offspring can inherit the disorder. However, there are cases in which the puppies are healthy even if one of the parents is diagnosed with a disease. It is better to check the pedigree of the crossbreed to verify if it is free from a severe illness. In biology, there is an incident known as hybrid vigor; it means that the offspring is better than its parents in several aspects such as physical characteristics and health. When you adopt a Golden Retriever Border Collie crossbreed, these are the following disorders that can attack your puppy: Skin Allergies Heart Diseases Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Because this breed shed too much, they are vulnerable to skin allergies. Once grooming is not taken care of, allergies can follow. Aside from the allergies that the shedding will bring you, your dog can also be affected by excessive removals of coats. Even though they are medium-sized dogs, bloating is also common to them. When the food matrix is not followed correctly, obesity can happen; it is a prerequisite to severe disorders. The excess weight of your dog can result in heart problems. As mentioned, this breed is highly intelligent, one of the mental diseases that this breed can develop is the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD which can be similar to humans. It will be a nuisance not just for your dog, but to you also. If they have their check-ups regularly, most of these mixes live up to 15 years. Make sure to prioritize their health. Border Collie Mixed with Golden Retriever Food Requirements Researches have proven that the amount of food intake in an individual dog is varying. The nutritional requirement of each dog is dependent on factors like weight, height, and the activities done by your dog. In the case of Border Collie mixed with Golden Retriever puppies, there is also no suggested food servings. For this breed, table foods or the foods consumed by humans cannot be fed to them. They are sensitive regarding the food they are eating. The dog food that you must give to the puppies should contain the necessary amount of vitamins and minerals for their growth. Puppies can be fed thrice in a day. As they grow, their needs for food is decreasing. To prevent obesity in dogs, a meal given twice in a day is recommended. Make a schedule on when to feed them so that they will be used to it; make sure to follow it regularly. In feeding your dogs, make sure to check the suggested amount of servings in the pack of the dog food that you bought. Monitoring the feeding habit of your dogs is essential. Their optimum performance will be achieved if they are given the right amount of food. There are also diets designed for highly skilled dogs. You should consult a veterinarian if you are planning a diet for your dog. Make sure to match their food matrix with their activities. If you want to give your pooch a happy and healthy life, start with nutrition. Avoid food that could be harmful to their health, such as the worst dry dog food. In case you brought a puppy to your home and the little munchkin is just getting used to regular food, take a look at the list of the best puppy food brands. Older dogs should also eat healthy food which is suggested in the best senior dry dog list. Your puppies come from two different parents, which makes them more likely to grow to love dry dog food for small dogs or best large breed dry dog food. They require long hours of exercise. An average of 90 minutes a day is recommended. The hours needed for their exercise is comparably longer to the number of minutes required by some breeds. The reason for this is their highly active lifestyle. Without exercise, the level of their energy can be difficult to match. Even if you are not supervising them, they can exercise on their own. Allocate a place in your home where they can play around. They will eventually stop exercising once they get tired because these dogs know their limits. If you have a backyard at your home, it is the perfect spot for your dog to exercise. Let it run around your yard. With that simple activity, risks of developing serious heart conditions can be reduced. Besides, extra calories can also be burned; therefore, they can be less prone to obesity. As discussed, Golden Collie can make a great exercise companion. You can have them join you in your exercise routines such as: Jogging.

Prevalence: Common Boxers are stocky, muscular and powerful. Males grow to about 25 inches and weigh from about 65 to 80 pounds 30 to 36 kilograms ; females grow from about 21 to 25 inches and weigh from about 50 to 65 pounds 22 to 30 kilograms. Boxers have regal, distinctly shaped square heads. Their jaw is undershot and the muzzle blunt. They have a broad, deep chest and a relatively short, strong back. Boxer's ears fold over naturally, but traditionally, their ears have been cropped to stand erect. Their tails generally are docked and carried high. Their feet are compact and the toes are arched. The boxer's coat is short and sheds moderately. Some boxers are a rich, fawn color and others are brindle. Their face or mask is usually black, but many have white face markings and white on the chest and paws. Personality: Boxers are intelligent, high-energy, playful dogs that like to stay busy. Their temperament reflects their breeding. They prefer to be in the company of their owners and are loyal pets that will fiercely guard their family and home against strangers. Few boxers bark excessively. If a boxer barks, chances are there is a good reason. Many boxers are vocal, however, and make a growling noise that's really just the dog's way of talking. Living With: The boxer has a high need for companionship and exercise. If these needs are not met, boxers can be destructive if left alone in the house. Boxers are ideal for people who want a canine companion with them most of the time or for larger busy families with homes that are often occupied by someone. They can do well on a country estate or in a city apartment as long as they have the opportunity to romp and expel energy. If you live in an urban area, regular walks are necessary. Boxers are intolerant of hot weather, and care must be taken to prevent them from getting overheated. They also need protection from the cold since they are short-coated. Their coats, however, are very easy to care for and will be shiny and bright as long as they have a good diet, are bathed occasionally, and are given regular rub-downs with a grooming mitt or brushings with a rubber curry. Some boxers drool excessively, and some snort and snore. Like other larger dogs, boxers are not particularly long-lived. Their life expectancy ranges from about seven to 10 years. History: Boxers are descendants of extinct bullenbaiser breeds crossed with mastiff, bulldog and possibly Great Dane and even a terrier. They were developed in Germany in the 19th century, initially as bull baiting dogs and later as butcher's helpers, controlling cattle in slaughterhouses. Some breed historians say boxers are named from the German word boxl, their slaughterhouse designation. Other fanciers contend the name boxer comes from the characteristic way that they use their forepaws to play, sparring much like a human boxer. After the breed rose to become among the most popular in America. Boxers are considered working dogs. They were one of the first breeds employed as a police dog, and they have been used as seeing-eye dogs. But they are also bred to be companion and guard dogs, perhaps best known for being loyal family pets that are especially fond of children. Related Pet Care Articles. 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 Boxer Overview Boxers, large, muscular, square-headed dogs, appear imposing until their mischievous and joyful eyes reveal their true nature. Boxers reach full maturity at three years, boasting intelligence, alertness, and fearlessness, while remaining friendly. Their loyalty to the family is remarkable, though they can be headstrong when faced with harsh training. With minimal grooming needs, Boxers make excellent family companions, as long as they receive ample physical exercise and mental stimulation. Their origin traces back to Germany, and their short, shiny coats are usually fawn or brindle with white markings. Docked tails and cropped ears are common, but many owners now prefer leaving them natural. Boxers are renowned for their love and loyalty, often trying to be lapdogs. Their strength and courage make them suitable for military, police, and search-and-rescue work. Proper care includes indoor living due to their sensitivity to extreme temperatures. Boxer Highlights Here are some of the highlights of the Boxer breed: Affectionate: Boxers are very affectionate dogs and love to be around their people. They are known for their wagging tails and slobbery kisses. Playful: Boxers are also very playful dogs and love to have fun. They are always up for a game of fetch or a good belly rub. Intelligent: Boxers are very intelligent dogs and can be easily trained. They are often used as working dogs, such as therapy dogs and search and rescue dogs. Trainable: Boxers are also very trainable dogs and can be taught a variety of tricks. They are eager to please their owners and love to learn new things. Loyal: Boxers are very loyal dogs and will always protect their family. They are known for their bravery and willingness to stand up to danger. The Bullenbeisser was used as a hunting dog for centuries to hunt bear, wild boar, and deer, tasked with catching and holding the prey until hunters arrived. Over time, Bullenbeissers lost their jobs on estates and began to be used by farmers and butchers to guard and drive cattle. The Boxer we know today was developed in the late 19th century when a Munich man named Georg Alt bred a brindle-colored female Bullenbeisser named Flora with a local dog of unknown origin. Schecken was then bred to an English Bulldog named Tom to produce a dog named Flocki, who became the first Boxer to be entered in the German Stud Book after winning at a Munich show that had a special event for Boxers. One of her pups was a white female named Meta von der Passage, considered to be the mother of the Boxer breed, even though photographs of her show that she bore little resemblance to the modern Boxer. Our great line of sires all trace directly back to this female. She was a substantially built, low to the ground, brindle and white parti-color, lacking in underjaw and exceedingly lippy. As a producing bitch few in any breed can match her record. She consistently whelped puppies of marvelous type and rare quality. Those of her offspring sired by Flock St. Salvator and Wotan dominate all present-day. The breed became known in other parts of Europe in the late s. Around , the first Boxers were imported into the U. Lehman of New York. When Word War I broke out, Boxers were enlisted into the military, serving as messenger dogs, carrying packs and acting as attack and guard dogs. Boxers started becoming popular in the U. Through them, the breed was introduced to more people and soon became a favorite companion animal, show dog, and guard dog. In the early days, there was a lot of controversy within the club about the Boxer standard. In , the club finally approved a new standard. The latest revisions of the standard were in .Today, the Boxer ranks 7th among the breeds and varieties registered by the AKC. Boxer Size The height at the shoulder for males usually ranges from .Females typically stand 21 to .Strangers are met with wariness, but they respond politely to friendly people. They display aggression only in defense of their family and home. Temperament is influenced by factors like heredity, training , and socialization. Boxer puppies with good temperaments are curious, playful, and open to approaching and being held by people. Socialization, early exposure to diverse experiences, people, and places, is crucial to ensure they grow up as well-rounded, friendly dogs. Enrolling them in puppy kindergarten classes and regular interactions with visitors, neighbors, and various environments help develop their social skills. Boxer Health Boxers are generally a healthy breed, but like all dogs, they have certain health conditions to be aware of. Here are some conditions to watch out for, along with precautions: Cancer : Boxers are prone to mast cell tumors, lymphoma, and brain tumors. White Boxers with excessive white markings can get sunburned and may develop skin cancer. Apply sunscreen to their ears, nose, and coat when they go outdoors. This condition can lead to fainting and sudden death. A veterinary cardiologist can diagnose it after detecting a heart murmur. Affected dogs should not be bred. Boxer cardiomyopathy BCM : An inherited condition causing an irregular heartbeat due to an electrical conduction disorder. It can result in weakness, collapse, or sudden death. Detection is challenging, leading to unexpected fatalities. Dogs showing signs of this condition should not be bred. While some dogs show signs of pain and lameness, others may not exhibit discomfort. X-ray screening helps detect hip dysplasia, and affected dogs should not be bred. Hypothyroidism : Caused by a deficiency of thyroid hormone, leading to infertility, obesity, mental dullness, and lack of energy. It can be managed with daily thyroid replacement pills. Corneal Dystrophy : Non-inflammatory eye diseases inherited in Boxers, affecting one or more corneal layers, causing opaque areas in the eyes. A weakened immune system can lead to demodectic mange, resulting in localized or generalized skin issues. Gastric dilatation-volvulus GDV , also called Bloat or Torsion : A life-threatening condition more common in deep-chested dogs like Boxers. Feeding habits and exercise patterns can contribute to GDV. Immediate medical attention is crucial. Allergies : Boxers are prone to both environmental and food-related allergies. Itchy, scaly skin should be examined by a vet. Responsible breeding is essential to reduce the risk of deafness. Boxer Care Boxers are indoor dogs due to their short noses and coats, making them unsuitable for outdoor living. However, they enjoy playing in a fenced yard. Engage them in play or walk them twice daily for at least half an hour to keep their muscles toned and their energy satisfied. Activities like fetch, long walks, or dog sports like agility and flyball are great options. Adequate exercise ensures good behavior—a tired Boxer is a well-behaved Boxer. Training is crucial for Boxers, as their size and strength can inadvertently harm people. Their temperament, being happy and excitable, requires early and consistent training using firm, fair methods with positive reinforcement through praise, play, and food rewards. Be consistent to avoid pushing boundaries. Settle them down before training class with a walk or play session for better focus. Housetraining requires patience; some Boxers are trained by four months, while others take longer. Regular potty breaks and praising them outdoors are essential. Crate training is recommended for their successful training. Boxer Feeding For an ideal Boxer diet , choose high-quality food suited for medium-sized breeds with high energy. Optimize their chances for a long, healthy life by providing proper nutrition. To prevent weight gain, adhere to a regular feeding schedule with two meals per day. Limit treats and avoid leaving food out all day. Consult your vet for personalized recommendations based on factors like weight, energy levels, and overall health. Boxer Coat Color And Grooming Boxers boast a sleek, short coat with tight skin, accentuating their athletic bodies. They come in fawn or brindle colors, occasionally with white markings. Fawn ranges from light tan to mahogany, while brindle displays striking black stripes on a fawn background. White markings should not cover more than one-third of the coat, and excessive white is discouraged due to potential health issues like skin cancer and deafness. They lack the gene for a solid black coat, so black Boxers are not seen. Bathing should be done as needed. Maintaining dental hygiene and nail care are essential. Regularly brushing their teeth prevents periodontal disease, and trimming nails every few weeks keeps their feet in good condition. Starting grooming routines early in puppyhood helps them become accustomed to the process, ensuring positive veterinary exams and handling as adults. Regular grooming also provides an opportunity to check for any potential health issues, such as sores, rashes, or signs of infection, promoting early detection and care. Boxer Children And Other Pets Boxers are fond of kids and make excellent playmates for active older children. However, their rambunctious nature may be too much for toddlers, possibly causing accidental knocks during play. Never leave a dog unsupervised with a child. With proper socialization, Boxers can also get along well with other dogs and cats, particularly if raised together. Boxer Rescue Groups Boxers are often purchased without any clear understanding of what goes into owning one. There are many Boxers in need of adoption and or fostering. There are a number of rescues that we have not listed. Many can be found with a quick internet search. Back to Top Boxer Temperament With their muscular physique and dark eyes, Boxers might seem tough and serious. You can often catch them sitting with their rear legs out in front of them like people and rolling back into a lazy dog position. Often described as being more human than dog, Boxers are known to be quite sensitive. Sad puppy dog eyes warning! Boxers perform brilliantly as guard dogs and service, assistance and therapy dogs and in roles such as drug detection and search-and-rescue. But that protective nature can work against them, too. Back to Top How to Care for a Boxer Exuberant, playful and sensitive, Boxers require a good deal of exercise and training. But the extra effort is worth it thanks to their good nature and charming personalities. Brushing your Boxer a few times a week using a rubber curry brush or a hound glove can help keep shedding in check and keep the coat healthy and tight to the skin. Speaking of brushing, brush their teeth daily to prevent tartar buildup and dental disease. Get the how-to here. Unless they get really dirty, Boxers only need to be bathed once a month. Training Training is a great way to provide physical activity and mental stimulation, which are especially important for Boxers. So, a Boxer puppy will benefit greatly from early socialization and dog training classes. The good news is Boxer dogs are highly trainable due to their intelligence and excellent problem-solving skills. Canine sports like obedience, agility and herding are all great options for burning off that Boxer energy. Interactive toys , puzzle games and scent work which teaches a dog to identify and track various odors also can keep Boxers mentally stimulated throughout their life. To determine if a dog food is complete and balanced, look on the package for a statement that says it meets nutritional standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials AAFCO. Boxers are prone to heart issues. More on that below. At around 6 or 7 years old, they may need to transition to a senior diet to help manage their weight, which can become an issue later in life. Be sure to speak to your veterinarian as they can help you choose the best food for your dog based on their activity level, weight, age and unique needs. Treats can be an effective training aid, but giving too many can cause obesity. And of course, your Boxer should always have access to clean, fresh water. Well-trained Boxers make great running companions for short, brisk runs when the weather is moderate. Boxers also love to play fetch. Growing Boxer puppies should be exercised less than adults. Ideal Environment Boxers need room to roam, so apartments may not be ideal. A house with a big yard for activity and exercise would be best, but living in an area where long walks are possible will also suffice. Ulcers: Eye ulcers are a common condition in Boxers. Signs are extreme tearing, squinting and redness. If you suspect your Boxer has an eye ulcer, take them to a vet who can diagnose and treat it. Degenerative Myelopathy: This incurable spinal condition spreads through the central nervous system and can leave a Boxer unable to walk when they get older. Dragging the hind legs is often the first sign dog parents notice. A doggy wheelchair can help improve mobility and quality of life. Hip Dysplasia: Boxers have a predisposition to this skeletal condition in one or both hip joints. If your Boxer has trouble getting up from sitting or navigating stairs, it can be an indication of the disease. A veterinarian can diagnose hip dysplasia with an examination and X-ray. Treatment varies depending on the severity, and may include physical therapy or surgery. In mild cases, the dog may not need treatment. In moderate to severe instances, medication may be needed. Most often, exercise is limited in Boxers with this condition. Cancer: Unfortunately, Boxers are prone to several different cancers, including hemangiosarcoma and lymphosarcoma, as well as tumors. Allergies: Just like in humans, seasonal allergies affect dogs, and the Boxer is no exception. Baths, air filters in the home, and avoiding walks during times of day when pollen counts in your area are highest can help ease Boxer dog allergies. Boxer underbite, when the upper jaw is shorter than it should be, can be common. If the upper incisors dig into the lower jaw, teeth will have to be extracted. Back to Top Boxer History The sleek Boxer we know today can be traced back to Medieval Germany—it was bred down from the larger German breed, the Bullenbeisser, or bull biter, whose forte was hunting ferocious game like bear and wild boar. A jack-of-all-trades, Boxers have been athletes, cattle dogs, police dogs, war dogs in both World Wars , watchdogs, protection dogs and guide dogs for the blind. You can also reach out to a Boxer rescue organization to adopt a Boxer or keep an eye out for the breed at your local animal shelter. FAQs Are Boxer dogs hypoallergenic? No, Boxers are not considered hypoallergenic. Even though their coat is short, they do shed. The good news is they require little grooming. Are Boxers dangerous dogs? Boxers are not considered an aggressive dog breed, but they can be dangerous without proper training because of their size and power. Obedience training early on is important to channel their energy in positive ways. Do boxers drool? Since Boxers have drooping jowls, they produce large quantities of saliva and, yes, they do drool. What are the most popular Boxer dog names? For more dog name ideas, here are our suggestions for the top dog names. What are the most common boxer mixes? The most common Boxer dog mixes are: Boxer-Pitbull mix Bullboxer. They have a great sense of humor and are quite cuddly, considering their stocky selves to be right at home on your lap—even when they reach up to 80 pounds! They love their people, they love to please, and are extremely intelligent and loyal," says breeder Marc Hatten, owner of Mountain Crest Boxers in Huson, Mont. Boxers have a short, glossy coat —usually a fawn, brindle, or white color —that's soft to the touch, often with flecks of white across the chest, face, and paws. His square head is a unique feature, lifted high above a strong back and tapered hindquarters. Most boxers have broad, black faces, also known as masks. Their ears create a floppy frame around their masks, although some dog owners have traditionally cropped the ears so they stand up. Though this is controversial; according to the American Veterinary Medical Association , cropping is almost always done for cosmetic reasons and has no proven health benefits. Don't let the downward frown of the jowls fool you—they're happy dogs! Because boxers weigh between 50—80 pounds and top off at nearly 2 feet high at the shoulder, they're considered medium- to large-sized dogs. Temperament While your boxer is a puppy, introduce him to as many adults, children, and other pets as you can so he develops strong connections and learns good manners. Boxers can be suspicious around new people and animals, so the earlier they interact with other pets and families at a dog park or in the neighborhood, the better. A boxer dog's temperament is naturally friendly and fun without being overly jumpy, barky, or excitable—once they graduate from their awkward puppy phase, that is! They reach full maturity in about three years, which is longer than other dog breeds. So positive reinforcement training is a must to help properly channel a young boxer's abundant energy. Fortunately, they're easy to train and eager to please, so they respond well to cues and leash training. Boxers dislike routine, so teaching them new tricks from time to time keeps their curious minds engaged. Hatten recommends two essential reasons for crate training boxer puppies : to curb undesirable habits caused by boredom and to provide a sense of security. This provides a safe retreat as he adjusts to new people and surroundings, also referred to as a "decompression period. Some experts recommend that the crate—with door open—be placed in an area where your new companion can easily see you and approach for reassurance whenever he needs to, reinforcing the new bond. Ask your veterinarian or a certified trainer for more tips to ease your boxer into the family. Living Needs Owning a boxer means you want a dog that can keep up with your lifestyle and be a true canine friend. They wouldn't be well-suited to an individual or family that couldn't provide these basic activities and socialization aspects. It's not unusual for boxers to need at least 30 minutes—or more—of exercise and dedicated play each day. Because of their dutiful personalities and intelligence, they've been trained to work in K9 units with police, as messengers during WWII, cattle wranglers, and guides for people with visual impairments. So with this type of energy and attention to detail, it's no wonder they thrive with people who are active in the great outdoors and enjoy running , hiking , camping , enjoying family outings in the park, working on farms, and exploring other environments that provide healthy engagement. American boxer dogs have lean, muscular bodies designed for movement and short, easy-care coats, so they're ready to go when you are. A mature boxer can also be a trusty and loyal companion for an apartment dweller or senior citizen who enjoys daily walks and has a fenced-in yard or accessible park area that allows for plenty of fetch time. Care Clean your boxer's teeth every day if possible to prevent tartar buildup. Fortunately, a specific doggie toothbrush and toothpaste makes this an easy task. Ask your veterinarian for tips. Sparkling teeth and healthy gums also help reduce drooling. Boxers don't drool as much as other breeds, but slobber can happen regularly depending on the size and shape of your dog's nose and jaw. Keep his coat sleek and shiny by brushing him a couple of times a week with a hound glove or rubber curry-brush. They don't shed a lot , but regular brushing helps control any fur that does fly. Because boxers are generally clean, they only need a bath about once a month, and that's a good time to trim their nails and clean their ears , too. Some boxer dogs have deeper facial folds than others, so you might need to wipe these clean with a damp washcloth, especially after a vigorous romp outside nosing through dirt. Health Because boxers have short coats, they often need sweaters or jackets to protect them in cold weather. They're also more sensitive to hot temperatures. They don't sweat , and their snub noses and fleshy mouths can't provide adequate cooling from panting like other dogs. So if it's warm out, time walks in the early morning or late evening when the sun isn't at its hottest. If you notice your boxer is a bit overheated , apply chilled water to his ears, belly, and genitals, where blood vessels are closer to the skin. Because they're so playful, they might also enjoy a quick cool down by frolicking in a small wading pool placed in a shady backyard spot. According to Upstate Veterinary Specialities , particular boxer health problems include cardiomyopathy—specifically, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy ARVC , which appears in some dogs 5—7 years old. This is a genetic disease that occurs in nearly 40 percent of boxers. The heart muscle is gradually replaced by fibrous, fatty tissue, and causes an irregular heartbeat. Symptoms of ARVC include fainting, shortness of breath, and difficulty exercising. Unfortunately, some dogs don't present any symptoms of ARVC at all, and may die suddenly because of it. According to the American Boxer Club ABC , other potential medical conditions include hip dysplasia , degenerative myelopathy—a progressive disease that affects the hindquarters and spinal cord— thyroid issues , and tumors. When you're looking for a boxer puppy, ask specific testing questions of your breeder. In the 19th century, German and Belgian breeders created bullenbeissers from other dogs of that line, including the mastiff and English bulldog , and used them as large game hunters and for cattle control. Further refinement of that breed revealed a sleeker type of dog—the boxer. Some canine historians believe the name boxer comes from a German reference for the bullenbeisser's role in slaughterhouses—boxl—while others say it describes how the dogs use their front paws in play. The American Kennel Club officially recognized the boxer breed in .A boxer named Sigurd was born in and sold to a California kennel when he was 5 years old, according to the ABC. He and his offspring were the first boxers in the U. Fun Facts American boxer dogs are known for their goofy personalities. They also have a special wiggle frequently referred to as a "kidney bean"—they curve into a semi-circle shape and spin around when really excited! Boxers are favorite companions of many famous folks. Actress Jennifer Aniston, who usually has at least two or three pooch pals, adopted a pit bull-boxer mix in named Sophie. Actress Jessica Biel, along with pop music sensation husband Justin Timberlake, have frequently been snapped by paparazzi while on walks with their boxers, Buckley and Brennan. Was this page helpful? With a distinct build and highly recognizable face, the breed is a hard one to forget. Even though many people fall in love with Boxers for their wrinkly faces and droopy jowls, their personalities make it nearly impossible not to be impressed by a Boxer dog. Playful and clever, Boxers are patient with children and protective of their loved ones, making them a popular choice for families. Breed History Bred for hunting and working, the Boxer is a distinct breed that originated in Germany in the late 19th century. These characteristics were most likely seen in the now extinct breed known as Bullenbeissers, which were used to bring down large game and to keep an eye on the livestock. The Boxer breed that we are most familiar with began with a man named George Alt. Living in Munich, Alt imported a Bullenbeisser from France. The breed name, Boxer, has two possible origins. While no definitive history of the name exists, the former, while not as fun, is more likely than the latter explanation. Attributes While the breed is barrel-chested and athletic looking, perhaps the most distinguishing feature is the shape of their head. With a snout about half the length of the skull, coupled with some wrinkly jowls, the head of the Boxer served them well when hunting — mainly to breathe while holding on to prey until their owners arrived. Boxers have a sturdy build and muscular body, weighing anywhere from pounds and standing inches tall, with the female members of the breed being significantly smaller than their male counterparts. Boxers come in several colors, including brindle, tan, black, and even white. However, like most white-coated animals, white Boxers do run a higher risk for deafness. There are no indications, other than the increased risk of deafness, that white Boxers are more prone to other types of health concerns or temperament issues. Giving a Boxer the exercise and energy outlets they need can go a long way toward having a well-behaved pooch. Conversely, a Boxer with high energy but no outlet can go from clownish to destructive. This, of course, can be avoided with plenty of stimulation and activity — which are also great ways to form a bond with these playful pups. Boxers, like most dogs, also need regular nail trims, teeth brushing , and an occasional ear cleaning. Your veterinarian can recommend an ear cleaning solution. And, remember: use a cotton ball to wipe the ear clean and never go down deeper than your first knuckle. Also, avoid using cotton swabs. They can actually push dirt and debris further down into the ear. And those wrinkles — make sure to clean them out with a damp towel to help avoid any possible infections. Have you been thinking about getting health coverage for your pet? Very real potential for health problems and a short lifespan A Boxer may not be right for you. Keep in mind that the inheritance of temperament is less predictable than the inheritance of physical traits such as size or shedding. Temperament and behavior are also shaped by raising and training. With an adult dog, you can easily see what you're getting, and plenty of adult Boxers have already proven themselves not to have negative characteristics. If you want a puppy, you can avoid some negative traits by choosing the right breeder and the right puppy. Unfortunately, you usually can't tell whether a puppy has inherited temperament or health problems until he grows up. More traits and characteristics of Boxer dogs If I was considering a Boxer, I would be most concerned about.Health problems. Most Boxers, unfortunately, do not live a long life. This is partly due to unwise breeding practices such as inbreeding and linebreeding, which are more likely to pass along defective genes. It's also partly due to the deformities in their structure, especially their shortened face. An alarming number of Boxers die of cancer or heart disease in middle age. Other health concerns include eye diseases such as corneal ulcers , digestive diseases such as ulcerative colitis , hypothyroidism, itchy allergies, skin tumors, and more. Prospective Boxer owners should be aware that they might be taking on expensive health problems over their dog's lifetime. Read more about Boxer Health. Boxer sounds. Boxers are not quiet dogs. Now I don't mean they're yappy! Not at all. But they do vocalize with grumbles and grunts which owners find endearing and also snorts, snuffles, and snores which bother some people. Only you know whether you're one of those people. Gassiness flatulence. All short-faced breeds gulp air when they eat, and that air has to go somewhere, after all. However, commercial diets make flatulence worse by including fibrous or hard-to-digest ingredients. Boxers who are fed a homemade diet of real meat and vegetables have much less trouble with gassiness. Many Boxers, especially those with loose lips, slobber or drool, especially after eating and drinking. You seldom see Boxers in obedience competition. They have an independent mind of their own and are not pushovers to raise and train. Many Boxers are passively stubborn and will brace their legs and refuse to do what you want them to do. Some want to be the boss and will make you prove that you can make them do things. You must show your Boxer, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say. Read more about Boxer Training. Older Boxers can be quite mellow, but most young Boxers up to about two years old romp and jump and play with vigor, and things can go flying, including small children or infirm people. Potential dog aggression. Most Boxers are fine with other family pets, including the family cat. But many Boxers are dominant or aggressive toward strange dogs of the same sex, and a few Boxers view cats as prey. An expert researcher and author of 15 books about dogs, she loves helping people choose, train, and care for their dogs. To help you train and care for your dog Dog training videos. Sometimes it's easier to train your puppy or adult dog when you can see the correct training techniques in action. The problem is that most dog training videos on the internet are worthless, because they use the wrong training method. I recommend these dog training videos that are based on respect and leadership. Respect Training For Puppies: 30 seconds to a calm, polite, well-behaved puppy. For puppies 2 to 18 months old. Your puppy will learn the 21 skills that all family dogs need to know. If your dog is over 18 months, you'll want Respect Training For Adult Dogs: 30 seconds to a calm, polite, well-behaved dog. Again your dog will learn the 21 skills that all family dogs need to know. Teach Your Dog English Words is a unique Vocabulary and Respect Training Program that will teach your adult dog to listen to you and do what you say. Related posts you might enjoy.

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click on a link and purchase the item. This comes at no extra cost to you. If your Golden Retriever is like mine, they just want to play all day. It contains a mix of games that will mentally stimulate them, physically stimulate them, games with toys involved, and games with no equipment needed. Here are the best games to play with your Golden Retriever: Chase All puppies love chasing and being chased, so this is a fun way to tire them out. Treat Toss Treat toss is another way to get your puppy practice coming to you. This is a great game to play to pre-practice recall, get your pup some exercise, and have them learn that good things come from you. This game obviously requires lots of food, so instead of feeding your puppy their meal in a bowl, you could just play this game. To play this game, you and your partner each grab a handful of treats kibble will be fine for young puppies and sit across the room from each other. For more fun or more advanced dogs, there are a few ways to mix this game up. The other option is to take it outside. This is best with older puppies who are not so distracted and who are good at coming when called. We play this game with my 3-year-old Golden Retriever all the time in our backyard where we stand on opposite sides of the yard to get him some exercise. Want to potty train your Golden Retriever puppy fast? Click here to download the Potty Training Cheat Sheet! Tug Tug is a classic game that you can play with Goldens of any age. Once your pup learns how to drop it , you can mix in practicing other commands between sessions of tug. This makes it a great way to get physical and mental exercise, plus bond with them. The only equipment you need to play tug is a rope toy like this one from Amazon. We play fetch with tennis balls he likes the Penn tennis balls better than balls made for dogs or the West Paw Zogoflex Zwig stick. And if you want to make it easy to throw the tennis ball farther, you can get a Chuckit! Launcher to throw the ball like a major league outfielder. Open Sesame This is a fun game to mentally challenge your Golden Retriever puppy and teach them some impulse control. The first step is to grab a treat in your closed fist and hold it out to your pup. The moment they pull away, open your hand and give them the treat. This will teach them that patience, not pestering, will get them what they want. Getting a Golden Retriever puppy? Check out the Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook. Airplane Game The Airplane Game is a great game to get your puppy to pay attention to you. To play this game, hold a treat in your hand. She might even jump , bark , or paw at you to get the treat. Immediately reward her for doing so. Muffin Game To play the Muffin Game, take a muffin tin and put treats in it. Then, put balls or other objects over the treats so your pup has to move them to get the treats. Oliver loves this game and this is another idea I got from Brain Training for Dogs. The only requirement is that they either know how to stay or you have a partner to hold them still while you hide. I usually have a few treats to give to Oliver when he finds me, but you could also have a tug toy to play with them as a reward. This game is great because it helps them practice stay and recall , as well as builds the bond with you two. You can also play this game with their toys where you hide one of their favorite toys in another room and they have to go find it. Wrestle Mania Wrestle Mania is what it sounds like — wrestling with your pup! Oliver and I wrestle a few times a week and he loves it. Building A Bond With Them Having a solid bond with your puppy will help them want to behave and obey you more — not to mention this is the whole reason you got a Golden Retriever! Playing games, having fun, and exercising with your pup are all ways to have a better relationship with them. When I was a kid, the only thing that motivated me to learn math was that I wanted to keep score of basketball games. Playing games like Open Sesame will help your pup with impulse control, the Airplane Game will help get them to focus on you, and tug interspersed with tricks and commands is a fun way to practice those behaviors. Have any questions about these games? Let me know down in the comments! Related articles:. To help you narrow your search, the Hounds Lounge pack has broken down the fun games to play with your pup into six different categories, including DIY games, games to make dogs smarter, indoor games, games to keep dogs fit, sense of smell games, and games for older dogs. Start reading now, and find the perfect dog games to play with your fur fam. To play the following games, you can use household items you already have on your paws! Start playing by dropping treats into each muffin cup, covering them with tennis balls, and handing the tin off to Fido! Once your woof has figured out how to reach the treats, you can up the ante by only putting a treat in some of the cups but covering them all with tennis balls. This game requires your dog to solve problems and flex their sniffer! Treat Burrito To cook up a treat burrito, all you need is a towel and some small treats! Lay the towel out flat, then scatter treats all over its surface. Roll the towel up slowly, keeping each treat in place, then serve up the burrito to your pooch. Cardboard Tube Treats Cardboard toilet paper and paper towel rolls can be repurposed into dog toys! One game option is to fill a cardboard tube with peanut butter, then give it to your woof to lick up. You can freeze the tube if you want to keep Fido occupied for longer! Another way to use cardboard tubes to play fun games with your dog is to arrange several tubes in a shoebox so that they all support each other and stand up straight. The tubes should all be roughly the same height. Your woof will thoroughly enjoy hunting down every bite. Snack Track Down This game can involve empty containers of any size, from shoeboxes to yogurt cups rinsed clean, of course. Place a few containers on the ground, with at least one hiding a smelly treat! Then, bring Fido in to sniff out the prize! When you first play this game, you might want to poke holes in the containers to make the treats easier to smell. As your pooch becomes a pro at this game, you can make it harder by adding more containers and spreading them out farther, with only one container hiding a treat! Fill the pool with balls, then sprinkle small treats on top. When your dog enters the pool to get their paws on the treats, the balls will shift, and the treats will move! This game — and most of the dog games to play above — is also a good option for feeding a fast eater. Hide-and-Seek To play hide-and-seek with your woof, have them sit and stay while you go find a hiding place. Treasure Hunt A treasure hunt is similar to hide-and-seek, except you will hide a smelly treat or toy rather than yourself! Tell your dog to sit and stay, then go hide the prize. If they know all these tricks, your pooch is sure to be at the top of their Doggie Daycare class. Stop and Go Some fun games to play with your pup can also reinforce training. Get Fido a little riled up and excited, then create some space between the two of you. Keep playing by repeating this routine a few times over! Stop and Go teaches your dog how to control himself, plus it strengthens his listening skills. A great way to teach them new words is to name their favorite toys, people, and activities. Below are great dog games to play for rainy days, late nights, and for folks who might not have a yard! Clean Up, Clean Up Looking for fun games to play with your pup that are also beneficial to you? Clean up is the clear winner! With this game, you teach your dog to literally clean up after themselves. Introduce a toy bin or laundry basket, and teach your dog to drop their toys inside. Snuffle mats require your dog to sniff out treats that are hidden in folds and pockets. This game is quiet and mess-free, making it perfect for playing with dogs in the great indoors! You can order a snuffle mat on Amazon, or you can easily make your own with a sink mat and strips of fleece from an old blanket! Clear some space and then use household items to design your course. Your woof could weave around stacks of books, shimmy under chairs, hop over blankets or jump through a hula hoop! Even indoors, an obstacle course offers great mental and physical stimulation. Staircase Run If you have stairs in your house or apartment, they offer fun and physical dog games to play! However, be careful not to run too fast, or you could take a tumble! After a few runs, your woof will be pooped out! Obedience Training If you and Fido will be inside together for a good chunk of time, why not work on some training? First, show your dog a toy or a treat, praise them as they are coming to you, then reward them. After a few repetitions, whenever your dog looks at you and starts to move towards you, add in your chosen verbal cue come, here, etc. Make sure to only add in the cue when you are confident your dog is moving towards you. You can slowly up the ante by asking your dog to come before showing them the treat. But, be sure to reward with a high-value treat like chicken, cheese, or beef liver, when they get to you. Also, try slowly adding distance within your low-distraction environment. With positive reinforcement and treats, learning can be fun — and even considered a game! Good training ensures that dogs listen to their owners and stay disciplined, even during fun times! Give your woof a workout with the games below. Tug-of-War Tug-of-War is a classic game, but did you know that the tugging and pulling is also great exercise for your dog? Typically using a rope toy, you and your dog can play tug-of-war inside or outside, and little space is needed. You want to challenge your woof but also allow them to win on occasion! This will teach your dog that they are not allowed to nip at you and, if they do, the fun is over. Fetch Fetch is another classic that burns some serious calories. If you also want to get some exercise while playing fetch, try out this tip from our blog, 8 Ways to Make Exercising with Your Dog More Fun : Take your dog for a normal round of fetch using a ball or their favorite toy. Repeat until you are both pooped! Play fetch with a tennis ball or other ball designed for retrieving. If you really want to get your dog excited, play fetch with a frisbee! Sprinkler Fun Sprinklers offer fun games to play with your pup and your kiddos! If you have little ones and furry ones in the family, playing in the sprinkler is a great way to keep everyone happy on a hot day. Set up your sprinkler where the grass is dry and show your pooch how to jump over the water! Impawtant Note: While your dog can get a sip of sprinkler water, you and the kids should stick to drinking water from inside the house. Get a soccer ball and teach your pooch how to nudge it with their snout. Eventually, try softly kicking the ball toward your pooch and see if they pass it back. If Fido masters passing, give him a shot at playing defense! Dribble the ball up to him, and see if he steals it from you. Before you know it, your woof will be a regular footballer! Chase Bubbles See how many bubbles your pooch can pop! Get a bottle of nontoxic bubbles for kids, and blow a few at a time in front of Fido. Pretty soon, your fur baby will be romping around bursting bubbles! From a classic bath to a spa treatment, your fur baby can get the services they need to look like a million bones. Therefurr, playing with dogs is extra fun when smells are involved! Check out these scent-focused dog games to play with Fido. Close your hands into loose fists, then present your dog with both hands. Your pooch will sniff around a bit, but they should ultimately linger on the hand with the treat, which you will then give them as a reward! To make the game more challenging, have a friend join in to double the pawsibilities! This game involves making Fido work for his food! Play this game by getting Fido distracted or tucking him away before preparing his meal. This is a great mental exercise and a chance for your dog to use his instincts! Stroll and Sniff Walks are a great way to allow your dog to exercise his nose — out and about, there are so many new scents to take in! You can turn a walk into a game by bringing along some small treats and pausing every now and then to drop a treat into a grassy area. Show your dog the treat before you toss it, and then give them a little time to track it down. Then, bring your dog around and show them where the trail starts, and watch them follow it to their reward! Once Fido has mastered short trails, you can create longer ones with more space between each treat. Bring several dog toys into an open area, either indoors or outdoors. Scatter them around the ground. Then, get your pooch and start playing with one of these toys. Both of you should make plenty of contact with the toy so that your scents will linger. The goal is for Fido to bring back the toy you were both just playing with. The dog games to play listed below are senior dog-friendly, as well as great options for dogs with joint problems, arthritis or other health concerns. Swimming If your older dog — or young dog — likes water, swimming is one of the grrreat games to play with dog. Cavaletti Course This game is a toned down version of an obstacle course, making it perfect for older dogs. Set it up by placing a few poles such as broomsticks about a foot apart. Then, slowly walk your pooch through the course while keeping them on a short leash. This is a good strength exercise, and you can make it more challenging by lifting the sticks one or two inches with crushed soda cans or pillows. Modified Fetch Fetch is a timeless dog game to play! You might consider rolling the ball on the ground instead of throwing it. Know when to wrap up fetch and move into nap time! Backward Walking Back it up, Fido! Backward walking is a fun game that helps your dog strengthen their rear legs and also improves balance and coordination. When you get close enough to him, Fido should take a step back, and you will reward him with a treat! Puzzle Dog Games to Play Puzzle games are grrreat dog games to play for any woofs, including seniors! Fun and Games with Furriends! Their furrst day of daycare is free! Make a reservation now at any of our locations. Even if you take your dog for long walks daily, boredom can still set in if they do not have an opportunity to activate their mind. In particular, Golden Retrievers need a job to do to keep their brain busy throughout the day. Without this type of interaction with the world, you just might find that your dog develops some behavior problems. Golden Retrievers need mental stimulation daily to prevent nuisance behaviors like barking or destructive chewing. These games help keep their minds sharp and prevent cognitive decline in old age. You can practice it with puzzle toys, nose work games, and by allowing them to explore the world. If you think that your Golden Retriever could benefit from some mental stimulation, here is everything you need to know. This breed is known for its helpful relationship with its owners. They are known to be excellent at hunting and fieldwork. Others are highly trained in specialized areas to help act as a sight for the blind or to track down individuals in search and rescue work. Golden Retrievers need a job to do to keep them happy and healthy. If you spend much time at all with a Golden Retriever, you are likely to notice that their brains and bodies are always busy. A dog who does not get enough activity each day is likely to show some disruptive behaviors like barking or destructive chewing. You must give these dogs a job or they will find one on their own. Mental stimulation gives your canine a job to do and relieves them from their boredom. As a result, they are less likely to seek out ways to alleviate their boredom on their own. A mentally exhausted dog is often a happier dog. A Golden Retriever needs a good bit of physical exercise each day to manage their energy levels. Many owners do not realize that mental exercise also plays a role in how tired your dog is at the end of the day. Mental stimulation can help them to feel more tired than just physical exercise like a walk around the neighborhood. A tired dog is a happy dog. Benefits of Mental Stimulation for Golden Retrievers Did you know that your dog can show a cognitive decline in its later years? As your Golden Retriever ages, there is a likelihood that they might start to go downhill mentally. They might have high anxiety, physical fatigue, and a decrease in social interaction. Some may even forget basic commands that do not get used regularly. Mental stimulation can help to prevent this type of steady decline when it comes to your pup. It activates parts of the brain that have gone dormant when dogs are left to their own devices. Games and other mentally stimulating activities can keep your dog feeling younger for longer. However, mental stimulation is good for dogs of all ages. Boredom can cause dogs to misbehave. If they are not given a task, chances are that they will start to look for one on their own. This is when your pup is likely to get into trouble. They might begin to chew on furniture, bark incessantly at the neighbors, or even have housebreaking accidents. Many of these behaviors are easily avoided if your dog feels that they have a job to do. Mental stimulation can also help occupy your dog while you are away. Some dogs may suffer from separation anxiety. However, their experience of this feeling can be lessened if they have something to occupy their attention in your absence. This is why it can be good to leave puzzle toys and simple games for your dog to do while you are away. Get ready to curb some of those bad behaviors and set your dog up for success with these twelve activities. Teach your Golden Retriever a New Skill Training your dog to learn a new skill is one way to activate their brain. This can be anything from basic obedience for young puppies to more advanced skills for older dogs. If your dog already knows a wide variety of skills, you can even start to apply them in new ways. For example, a dog who knows how to retrieve might learn to fetch items from around the home. For those who are unsure where to start with training, consider signing your pup up for a group obedience class at a local pet store. A trainer can help you understand the basic concepts of teaching your dog something new. When the class is over, you will have all the tools you need to teach your dog other skills that were not included in the class. Find It If your dog already has a basic stay command, ask him to do so in one room. Meanwhile, you will go to an adjacent room and hide some delicious snacks. Make sure to choose something that has a strong smell to it. Let him use his nose to seek out the treats that you hid. Puzzle Toys Maybe your Golden Retriever needs some mental stimulation, but you simply do not have time to spend with them today. The good news is that they can still get their brain moving even without you present. Purchase a Kong ball or some puzzle toys that they can play with, in your absence. Stuff them with high-value rewards that they will look forward to. For example, you can fill a Kong ball with peanut butter and then pop it in the freezer for a few hours. This will keep your dog busy for hours. Exploration on Walks Walking your dog daily is important to keep them tired and happy. However, you can also use this as an opportunity to exercise their mind. Once in a while, you can give them free rein to explore as you go. They can sniff and experience the world in a new way instead of just being held in a heel position. Working their mind out this way is important. However, you may want to teach your dog a command to release them from a heel position and let them know that exploration is okay. The question is, does he know them by name? Teach your dog distinct names for their favorite toys so that they know which ones to retrieve. You might teach them the difference between ball and rope, for example. If they have lots of toys, you might need to be creative with the simple names you assign to each one. Once they know the names of their toys, you can hide them and ask your dog to find or retrieve them. Agility Courses Most dog owners associate agility courses with physical exercise, but obstacles also teach your Golden Retriever to use their brain as well. They must figure out how to balance on the seesaw, weave in and out of the poles, and how to go over or under a set of hurdles. Agility courses can easily be made out of common household items or you can set up an elaborate course in your backyard. No matter what, this is one activity that is great for Golden Retrievers in both body and mind. Shell Game You have probably seen the shell game played on the street before, but have you ever played it with your retriever? Take two or three cups and hide a treat under one of them. Shuffle the cups around and then ask your dog to find the treat. This forces them to pay attention visually to where the treat goes while you are shuffling. They can even use their sense of smell to find the treat. You need to give them one if you want to keep their minds active and healthy. Teach them to hunt, get them involved in a sport like flyball, or take them for long hikes where they have to carry the pack. Anything, where they have some responsibility, can help to stimulate their mind. More Play Time A lot of dog owners leave their pups to their own devices during the day. However, interactive playtime can be very mentally rewarding for your Golden Retriever. You should be an active participant in the game you choose whether it is fetch or tug. Take Your Dog on Errands How often does your dog get out of the house? Besides his daily walks around the neighborhood, your pup does not have many opportunities to explore the world at large. You can stimulate their mind by taking them with you when you run your errands. Take them along when you go to fill up the tank, head through a car wash, or go to pick up dinner. Your dog will be excited to spend time with you! Buy New Toys for your Golden Retriever If your dog is already used to puzzle toys, you might have to freshen up their toy box from time to time. Once they learn the trick to securing their snacks, the game becomes a bit stale for them. Think of it this way: would you want to play with the same three toys over and over? Try blowing bubbles in the backyard for the little ones and the canine companions. Watch as everyone tries to chase and catch the bubbles. Your dog will love this game because there are endless opportunities to chase the bubbles, but they will never truly get to catch them at the end. Mentally Stimulating Your Golden Retriever No matter what game you choose to play with your pup, they will soak up all of your attention. These mentally stimulating games and activities will keep them happy and tired. After all, a tired dog is oftentimes a well-behaved dog. Because Golden Retrievers were bred for work, it is all the more important to make sure that they are mentally stimulated each and every day. Related Questions How much mental stimulation does a Golden Retriever need? Golden Retrievers should have about twenty to thirty minutes of mental stimulation every day. This is in addition to their daily walks or physical exercise. If you want to combine these tasks, consider teaching your dog games like flyball or agility. Are Kongs mentally stimulating? Yes, Kongs can be mentally stimulating for dogs if you pack them full of treats. For example, you can pack it full of peanut butter and then freeze it overnight. This will require your dog to work harder to get to those tasty morsels. How do I know if my dog is mentally stimulated? Dogs who are mentally stimulated are often better behaved. Dogs who bark, whine, and destroy things often need an outlet to channel their energy. Consider some of the activities on this list to curb some of these destructive behaviors. References Ellis, Nicole. Greenberg, Aurora. Helmer, Jodi. Hi, I'm the owner of Juniper Pets! You can often find me playing fetch with my dogs, working out or cooking up something legendary in the kitchen. Hope you enjoy my blog! Recent Posts. If you click on a link and choose to make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no cost to you. Making sure your Golden Retriever gets plenty of exercise is vital to its health and well-being. Physical exercise ensures your Golden Retriever has healthy muscles and bones, that its heart and lungs get stronger, and it helps maintain a healthy weight. However, for your Golden Retriever to be well-balanced, it also needs mental stimulation and socialization. Boredom in dogs can often lead to destructive behaviors. So, what are some good activities for Golden Retrievers? Good activities for Golden Retrievers incorporate physical exercise and mental stimulation and should include training and socialization whenever possible. Physical activities help burn excess energy and maintain physical health, while mental-focused activities aid in cognitive skills and problem-solving. The game also works on recall skills as a bonus. Fetch is simple and cheap. You throw it an item such as a tennis ball, frisbee, or practically anything your dog can comfortably carry, and your Golden gets it and brings it back. Or, if the weather is lousy, you can play a shortened version in the house. The tug game is widely recommended by most science-based trainers and animal behaviorists. Begin by showing your dog a toy that they like and that is suitable for the dog. You may have to really wiggle it and shake it around if your dog has never played before. The goal is to get their interest peaked, and movement usually does it. Every game has its rules, and this applies to a game of tug too. Your dog cannot make contact with skin or clothes, and you decide when the fun begins and ends. Rules for us humans are that no aggressive pulling is allowed, nor is pulling aggressively up at steep angles or side to side. The tug of war game is an excellent way for your dog to learn and reinforce skills such as let go, sit, and go-play commands. The tug game can be combined with fetch as well. Teach your Golden to let go and ask for a sit. Mixing it up keeps it more exciting and mentally stimulating. Follow the Leader Follow the leader is a great training game that teaches your dog to follow you while having fun. If your Golden goes right, you go left; if your dog runs ahead of you, you slow down; if your Golden slows down or stops, you run. The rule is that he follows you. It can be a quick activity to start or end a play or training session, and it works well as an add-on to other activities. I usually like playing follow the leader before a fetch game. Puzzles and Games Many pet stores and online retailers carry puzzle games and lick mats, so if your budget affords it, these can be fantastic options to keep your dog mentally stimulated. Puzzle feeders can be used with your kibble, while lick mats work well with peanut butter, yogurt, or dehydrated foods such as beef liver treats. All dogs need mental stimulation, especially higher intelligent dogs such as the Golden. Many games engage a Goldens brain and include anything from hiding treats in toys to commercial puzzle games. Or we put a treat or two in a muffin tin, put tennis balls on each hole, and the goal is for our Golden to find the reward. Or create a foraging box. Keep some boxes in various sizes, such as cereal boxes. Sprinkle some treats in each box and then place the smaller box inside a bigger one and those inside an even bigger one. Your Golden has to use its nose to locate the treats and must figure out how to get the goodies out. Kong toys work well also. You can put some loose kibble in there for your Golden to locate, or you can soak the kibble, put it inside the Kong and freeze it for the next day. Your Golden will need to figure out how to get the tasty reward out. You can use make-shift pylons any object will do , use Hoola hoops, small jump obstacles like cardboard boxes, stairs, brooms, rolled-up blankets, and whatever you think of. Teach your Golden to run through the obstacle with you. Have your Golden run-around, over, and under the obstacles. Find a hiding space. Someplace where your dog cannot see you, but your Golden should still be able to hear your when you call. Once you find the right spot, say behind a curtain or door, call his name. Your Golden will find you pretty quickly unless you are a great hider , but they love seeking you out and finding you. Another variation is using treats. You can do this activity indoors or, if you have a yard, then outdoors. Use cheese, boiled chicken, apples, or any high-value treat your dog loves. You may have to show them the first few treats, so they get the hang of the game, but they catch on quickly. Bubble Game Cheap, fun, and no training is required. Great for kids as well. Get a bubble blower. Blow bubbles. Your Golden Retriever will chase the bubbles and jump up, snapping at bubbles to break them. Just make sure the bubbles are pet friendly yes, they make bubbles for dogs , and off you go. You can use a PVC pipe, an old fishing rod, or a sturdy stick think hockey stick, eh. Attach a long rope or string, and now add a furry toy, a rag, or a dog toy, and you have a flirt pole. The flirt pole is excellent for physical activity and mental stimulation. Your Golden has to run, jump, and anticipate changes of direction and plan for what will happen next. It also benefits those dogs with a more innate prey drive by stimulating that instinct. The rule is, though, you must let your Golden catch the lure or toy on occasion. It also prevents frustration. Not allowing a dog to catch its toy is teasing and can cause behavioral issues. Once your Golden catches the lure, now you can transition into a game of tug. All handy things for your Golden to learn. And, the teaching moment is all wrapped up nicely in a fun play activity. Just remember, dog training is supposed to be fun, so keep it that way. It can be fun and still accomplish the goal at the same time. The best teachers know how to do both. Or teach your Golden an invisible boundary, so it stays out of the kitchen or stays back from the door. Not only are these complex skills a great way to invigorate the mind, but it teaches skills that benefit both them and you. Activities That Require Classes Obedience Training Formal obedience classes are a wonderful activity and one that I consider essential. It combines socialization, mental stimulation, and training. Your Golden gets to meet new dogs and people, learn basic commands, and do all this in a distracting environment. Obedience classes ensure your Golden gets a great foundation of obedience and manners while simultaneously building and strengthening communication between your Golden and you. You each must learn to work together as a team. Hold up. Are you looking for a good online training program for your Golden Retriever? I recently wrote an article comparing some of the most popular online dog training systems. Canine sports classes are especially suited for dogs with high energy or dogs with very ingrained instinctual drives like herding dogs. Scent Work Scent work training is excellent for dogs. Scent work is also great for fearful and reactive dogs as it teaches them to focus and be confident. Nose work starts by teaching your dog how to seek out treats and toys, kind of like puzzle games and hide and seek. Then it expands and increases in difficulty to entire rooms, outdoor areas, and vehicles. Scent detection is actually a competitive canine activity. If you and your dog have an interest, then competitive events are an option. Doggie DayCare Doggie daycare is great for puppies and older dogs alike. Just like children need to play with other kids their age to get exercise, mental stimulation, and to learn how to socialize — your Golden is no different. So, you get a day to relax or run errands. It also helps teach your Golden Retriever to be away from you, which can reduce separation anxiety. If you work and have your Golden in there every day, then you know your pup is getting exercised along with plenty of social and mental stimulation. This a tired pup — physically and mentally. A shout-out to his best friend Milo for the fun times. Strictly Outdoor Activities Swimming For this one, you need a body of water. Golden Retrievers are bred to retrieve waterfowl from lakes, and their coats are designed for the water. Golden Retrievers are very well adapted to tolerate cold because of their double coats, and they dry off quickly. The result? Goldens are ideally suited to the water and love to swim. Body of water includes lakes or ponds, pools, and even slow-moving rivers or streams. If swimming is done in a pool, be mindful of pool chemicals and chlorine. Give your Golden a good rinse after a pool swim. Did you know that overbathing can be bad for a Golden Retriever? Dock Diving Of course, with this one, you need both a lake and a dock. Once your Golden is comfortable with the water, just run and jump off the dock. Chances are your Golden will follow. Dock diving incorporates swimming plus diving plus fetch all rolled in one. Make sure you put a life jacket on them, though. Kayaking and especially canoeing are easier for your Golden, but paddleboarding will take training for the both of you. These activities can involve swimming too if you decide to take a dip with your Golden sometimes that may be unavoidable. However, the real benefit is mental stimulation new sights, sounds, and smells and the time you spend together. Hiking Hiking is an excellent activity for people and dogs alike. It usually incorporates inclines depending on the terrain and offers a host of other sights and sounds for your dog. Not all trails allow dogs, so check in advance to be sure. And if the trails do allow dogs, then most will require that you keep them leashed. Keeping your Golden on a leash is a good idea anyway since if you lose your dog in a thick brush or a forest, you may never get them back. Also, you want to be mindful of any encounters with small animals like squirrels or porcupines or bigger critters like bears. Just keep them leashed to be safe. Rocky and ungroomed, jagged trails can cause issues with their paws, so be alert to the type of landscape on the hiking path. Make sure to bring water and snacks for you and your dog. Also, throw a small backpack on and take some essentials just in case. Bring a first aid kit along at a minimum. Remove any you find and be thorough. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are not unlike walking or hiking in that it gets your Golden Retriever outdoors and trotting beside you. Usually, groomed trails or shallow snow is best, or your Golden may have difficulty navigating itself through the snow. Bike Riding Biking can be an excellent exercise for you and your dog if you have a well-behaved and well-trained Golden. You want your dog to trot beside the bike, which means you need to keep the speed reasonable. It would be best if you had excellent control of your dog, so training your Golden gradually with the bike beforehand is a good idea. You should also wear a helmet. Be very mindful of temperature in the summer; your Golden can overheat quickly. Bring water and snacks for your dog. If your Golden falls behind, then it may be tiring. Turn around and walk your Golden back home. Yes, you can over-exercise a Golden Retriever. Walking During walks, your dog is exposed to the world outside his home. He gets to experience various sights, sounds, smells, and environments, which mentally engage him. Walking is the foundational exercise for all puppies and dogs, which is no different for Golden Retrievers. Walking should be the staple exercise for your dog throughout most of its life. Dogs love to walk, and walking helps bond your dog to you. You may find your dog wants to stop frequently and check things out. A solution is to mix up your walking sessions. One that focuses on fast walking for exercise and another where your Golden gets time to smell and investigate his environment. One is more physical, the other more mental. Both are social. Running Running is a great cardio workout for both humans and dogs. However, refrain from running with your Golden before 14 to 18 months of age due to developing joints, muscles, and bones and the impact of running on those. And be sure to get a thumbs up from your vet first. Every so often, stop and ask your Golden to sit or change directions and vary the terrain. Keep it fun and your dog guessing. If running in the summer, be cautious of not overheating your Golden, so stick to cooler mornings or evenings and bring water for the both of you. The article details the age they can start, how much they can run, how fast and how far, and much more. Check it out here: Need a Running Partner? How About Your Golden Retriever? Playtime is a perfect opportunity for you and your dog to bond. Luckily, there are several fun games that you can play with a Golden Retriever! As a dog owner, it is your responsibility to keep your pet active and entertained. Learning some of a Golden Retrievers favorite games will create many memorable moments for you and your furry friend. Read on and learn more about the games that Golden Retrievers like to play! This article may contain affiliate links and loyalgoldens may earn a commission if a purchase is made. Unlock your goldens natural intelligence and see just how quickly problem behaviors disappear. This is the best at home dog training I've ever used! There are two ways to play this game. One way is where you hide, and your dog looks for you. Once they find you, make sure you praise and encourage them to do it again. Another way is to hide treats in interesting places and ask your dog to look for them. Since Golden Retrievers love treats, and they will work hard to ensure that they get them. The challenge of looking for the treats uses up some of the dogs excess energy, gives them a chance to exercise their body, and provides the mental stimulation a Golden needs. You can also play a version of hide and seek where you hide a dog treat in a puzzle toy like this one by Outward Hound on Amazon. Your Golden Retriever has to figure out how to get to the treat. Discover how to train your Golden Retriever by playing games : 21 games to play with your Golden that will make them smarter and better behaved! Note: Play Hide and Seek with treats in moderation since giving them too many extra treats will end up causing more harm than good. You can also try playing hide and seek with your dogs favorite toy instead. The game is fun, helps keep your dog active, and is a good way to teach them manners. This is a rope made of special material that will not hurt their teeth or have any harmful chemicals. Try the Mammoth Tug Rope found on Amazon. When playing tug of war, always remember that the game ends when the dog touches your hand with his mouth, so you should teach them this rule from the beginning. This helps ensure that the game remains safe since some dogs can get carried away when playing tug of war. Alternatively, a safer and very fun to watch way to play tug of war with your pooch is to set up a bungee out in the yard where your Golden Retriever can play the game all by himself. Watch how excited these two Goldens are to play with their new tug of war bungee. Like humans, dogs enjoy spending time in the water, especially on a hot afternoon. When teaching, use a doggy life jacket Amazon for safety. After your dog has learned how to swim, you can then have fun playing other Water Games, such as dock diving or swim racing. You can also bring along some of their toys and play a game of fetch in the water. You can play this game both indoors and outdoors. Also ensure that your Golden Retriever is running on a carpet. Otherwise, they are at risk of slipping and hurting themselves when running to get the toy, especially if the floor is slippery. For an outdoor game of fetch, the bouncier the dog toy the better. A Jolly Ball is a ball and a rope combined. This is a durable rubber toy that really bounces! The inside is hollow so it can be filled with peanut butter or dog treats for an added surprise. Clean Up Teaching Your Golden to Clean Up As its name suggests, Cleanup is where your dog will collect the toys that have scattered on the floor while you were playing. Imagine that! Though this may take time for them to get, Golden Retrievers are smart and will eventually be in a position to pickup and put away anything you ask him to. Pretty cool! You can improvise with items such as blankets, old furniture, or wrapping paper tubs, creating your own obstacle course. Use treats to lead your dog through it. This is a fun and an ideal exercise for your dog, especially if you are trying to help them lose weight. Here is a YouTube video to guide you on how to play some agility games: How to play games with agility training. Is it a sport or a game? To ensure safety in the game, make your Golden Retriever sits downstairs while you throw the treat onto the top landing. When your dog is coming downstairs, encourage them to run slowly to reduce the risk of injuries. Under, Over, and Through Golden Retriever Obstacle Course Teaching your dog to go under, over, and through objects is not only a good brain game, it is also good exercise for them. Use an item such as a chair and teach them to crawl under the legs of the chair as a response to the command you give them. You are also likely to bond better with your dog when they see you joining them. You can set up all sorts of obstacles to climb over, go around, and crawl under using items in your home. Cardio Twist Golden Retriever Slalom Game This game is often played in dog competitions, but you can play it at home as well. Set up poles using household items such as chairs or stools and have your dog weave between them. If you have other people in the game, they can also serve as poles. Weave between the poles and instruct your dog to follow you at your pace. Change your pace from fast to slow from time to time. Cardio twist is not only a great workout for you and your dog but it also helps them learn coordination. Golden Retriever slalom. You can also use pillows, chairs, people, anything really. Since dogs have a powerful sense of smell, you can make a game out of it. The follow your nose game is similar to hide-and-seek. You play it by hiding something yummy and smelly in a scent bag and instruct your Golden Retriever to look for it. Avoid hiding the bag in an obvious place. Hide it somewhere where your dog will have to put in the effort to get it, so as to challenge and stimulate them. This dog game is best played outdoors since there are many hiding spots, including underground. Golden Retrievers, young and old, love to chase bubbles out in the yard. You and your dog can have hours of fun with this one without requiring much effort on your part. An old dog will enjoy this game as much as a young dog will! This Golden Retriever loves her bubbles! Conclusion It is impossible to exhaust the list of games to play with your Golden Retriever. But whenever you have a chance, entertain and bond with them by joining them in the games listed above. And remember that safety comes first, so always ensure that your playing area is safe to avoid any risk of injuries for you and your Golden Retriever. The Three Cup Game 1. As golden retriever likes to chase you can make your own chase toy by attaching a toy to the end of a rope and tying it onto a stick you can wave around for your dog to chase. You can also make your own puzzle toy with a muffin tin, some tennis balls and a few treats. Stairway dash If you have a stairway, make it a game to run up it and burn some serious energy. To get the most exercise from this game with the least risk to your dog's joints, start at the bottom of the stairs. Put your retriever in a sit-stay and throw the toy up to the top landing. Make it more exciting by keeping your dog in a stay while creating a buildup, such as saying "Reeady…. Let your dog come back down the stairs at his own pace, encouraging a slower return since it's the downhill climb that risks injury. After 10 or so repetitions of this, golden retriever will be totally tuckered out. Agility Training Golden retrievers tend to enjoy doing dog agility training and are a good way to keep your pooch occupied in every way possible, both their body and mind. And the best part is this can be done in your backyard. Set up items like tables and hula hoops and get your retriever to go around, under, or over them. You can even work on balancing on top of smaller items. It helps you to build a bond with your golden as you work together towards a common goal. Many dogs can be trained to get comfortable on a treadmill. Start off by simply having them in the same room as the machine while it is on so they can get used to the sounds and sights. You can then turn off the treadmill, get them to stand on it, and give them a treat. After they seem comfortable, turn it on at a very low speed and encourage them to stay on with treats. If they have problems getting used to it, try standing in the front of the treadmill and giving them the occasional treat for motivation. Remember to always supervise your dog when they are on a treadmill and never tie them to it. Hiding Treats All dogs love treats and you can take advantage of this to give your golden retriever some exercise. Take some of their favorite treats and hide them around your home in various places. Consider putting them underneath rugs, behind chairs, under tables, or behind doors. Your dog is likely to get exhausted looking for the treats and get a great workout in the process. Just remember to restrict yourself to a reasonable number of treats. Giving them too many can make them sick or defeat the point of exercising by leading to weight gain. Under, over and through Training your dog to perform new tricks like high-fives or lying down is great mental exercise. However, training them to do tricks that require physical skill exercises both mind and body, making teaching certain tricks perfect for pooping out the pooch when inside on a rainy day. One of the things you can do with your dog to get started is training him to go under, over and through objects. Set up an item like a kitchen chair, a step stool, or some other sturdy object on legs. Next, teach your dog how to crawl under the object and stay there, crawl all the way through the object, walk around the object, and how to jump over it entirely. The Three Cup Game Another great nose work starter game. Get out 3 cups and line them up in a row in front of your dog. To start put a treat under one of the cups while your dog is watching, give him the OK to show you which one is the right cup. Once your dog seems to get the hang of it you can make it more challenging by mixing the cups around after you place the treat. More Training. Read articles about:Dog Activities 5 Games to Play With Your Dog One of the best parts of being a dog owner is finding fun and constructive games for dogs. Engaging in physically and mentally stimulating exercise with your dog is a great way to keep them healthy. It also strengthens your bond. All you need is a yard, park or field, a tennis ball or frisbee and an enthusiastic dog to have some fun. Fetch is an excellent game for energetic dogs. It provides plenty of physical exercise while helping them fulfill their instinct to run. It can also keep your dog mentally engaged and challenged by trying different objects for him to run after. For example, a frisbee may be a bit trickier to catch yet more fun to snag in midair. Try adjusting the height, distance and direction of your throws to keep your dog interested. Tug of War Another classic game most dogs love is playing tug of war. Great for both indoor or outdoor play, tug of war is fun and engaging for your dog. Plus, all that pulling and tugging is a good source of physical exercise. Only pull gently for a few seconds at a time. If they seem too little, explore other play activities. Try using a rope, or a dog toy made from soft rubber. If your dog has a history of back and neck injuries, try another activity until talking with your veterinarian. This dog enrichment game is a fun way for them to exercise their problem-solving skills. This game uses a flirt pole. A flirt pole is a long pole or stick with a rope attached to one end. You can either purchase a flirt pole or make one with a little bit of DIY. Tie a toy to the rope of the flirt pole and drag it slowly, occasionally stopping as your dog gets ready to pounce. Agility training is the ultimate mental and physical stimulation for dogs. It will help your dog burn off excess energy and help tire them out for a long nap or a restful night of sleep. Set up an obstacle course in a yard or park with objects from around the house. You can use boxes to jump over, cones for them to weave between and anything else that comes to mind. If you have a hula hoop, teach them to jump through it and, of course, reward them with treats as they make progress. Avoid Overstimulation There are lots of games to play with dogs both inside and outside. This leaves your dog excited for their next play session rather than exhausted and discouraged. Find out more tips and insights on dog ownership from our experts on our Pet Expertise page. Related articles. Make sure you subscribe to my YouTube Channel as I am going to be showing you some of the things I use to build a small course in my tiny yard. I will also show you how I teach my 6-month-old Lab to navigate it. Biking Biking is an all-out endurance effort for your dog. I like biking with my dog because it ramps up his cardiovascular response and gives him a great workout without killing me. Be careful with these because you will have a problem if you have a pound Lab tied to your bike and that dog decides to take after a cat. Running This is another oldie but a goodie when it comes to exercising your dog. You might not consider this a game, but if you change up your route enough, your dog will love the change in scenery. More important than what your dog sees is what he will smell. Keep in mind that your dog can run much farther than you can. So, unless you are training for a marathon, a typical run might not be enough exercise for your Retriever. Everyone gets stuck in traffic or caught in a last-minute meeting at the end of the day. These treats can be great at the last minute or, with a little preparation, they can be even better. If something unexpected comes up and you cannot get to your planned activity with your dog, then fill one of these with treats and let your dog wrestle with it for a while. Something sticky inside like peanut butter will really force your Lab or Golden to work even harder. You want the food to just be on the point of soggy without turning into mush. Now, fill the KONG treat with your soggy food and freeze it. When you get home, pull out the treat and set it out for your dog. He will work on that treat for 20 to 30 minutes trying to get the frozen food out. Adventure Hikes When you take your dog to a new field you will watch him cover at least 4 times the territory that you do sniffing and marking and learning. So, if you take a nice 1-mile-hike in a new field, your dog will likely cover 3 to 4 miles. In addition to the great physical workout, your Retriever will also be using his mind trying to figure out what he is smelling. Your dog will access long-term memory banks to see if he has ever smelled these things before. Bubbles, Bubbles, and More Bubbles Have you seen these bubble guns? They make my kids go bonkers—mostly the 2-year-old and the 5-year-old. Well, your dog is likely to enjoy chasing these wisps on the wind just as much as your children. My daughter and Odin playing with the bubble maker Get one of these guns and set yourself on one side of the yard hopefully with a crosswind and then fire away. Your Retriever will chase the bubbles and then wonder where it went after chomping down. This is almost always good for a couple of Instagram or Snap Chat posts. To make one of these great tools, get a 5-foot stick or an old fishing pole and tie a rope to the end of it. Hold the toy still on the ground until your dog approaches it. Just before he launches himself for the toy, pull it out of his reach. This will really rev him up. When he gets closer, move it again. After a couple of times, you will probably see your dog go into stealth mode. Crouching and creeping. Odin and me, just playing with a flirt pole that I made out of the Christmas light stick. His mind is going to be racing with ways to get this silly toy. It is an excellent game for both physical and mental stimulation. I like this game because it does not require a lot of me physically. For the most part, I can stand in one place and give my dog a real mental puzzle. Once your dog has those commands down pat, then you are ready to play. It also helps if your dog knows some hand signals for those commands as well. Take your dog to one side of your yard and put him in a sitting position. Then walk 10 or 15 yards away, but make sure your dog can still see you. Hold your arms out wide to your pup. If he is familiar with the hand signal, he should run towards you. Now, in the middle of his run, hold up the hand and give him the STAY command. Hopefully, your Retriever stops in his tracks. Give him the hand signal or the voice command SIT. Repeat the process until your dog reaches you. You should have some kind of a treat in your pocket to reward him for being so obedient and focused. Note: You might need to teach this activity in pieces and start with shorter distances. The mental side of this activity is fantastic. Your dog will have to focus intently on you and your commands. It will require serious self-control and it is important that every dog practice self-control on a regular basis. I doubt the chef in your house is going to want you using the one out of the cupboards. You also want several tennis balls and a smelling treat for your dog. Put the treat in one of the muffin tins and then cover it with a tennis ball. Put several more tennis balls in the other muffin places. This is another one of those activities that will use the mental aspect more so than the physical. It is a great option when you are forced indoors with weather that is either too hot or too cold. Puzzle Games If you are looking to purchase something already to engage your dog, think about one of the following puzzle games from Amazon or Chewy.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. You need the best exercise for German Shepherd puppies to keep them healthy, fit, and, more importantly… Out of mischief! Quite the opposite is true for your fast-growing breed! German Shepherd puppies should stick to only five minutes of continuous, on-leash leisurely walking at a time, based on their age in months. So, an 8-week-old puppy can walk for 10 minutes at a time on a leash, while a 6-month-old can walk on a leash for 30 minutes at a time. However, your puppy can enjoy low-impact, gentle exercises for longer periods of time. You can play games that work on sustained growth multiple times per day safely. Instead, exercise on soft surfaces, for example: Grass Sand Dirt paths or trails Stretching of soft ligaments at too early an age, strains on young, growing joints, and carrying too much weight on their overall framework can and will harm your young puppy. This leads to problems in adulthood, which you could avoid! Remember to watch for: Panting heavily with rapid breath Lagging on their walks for longer than usual Stopping on walks and standing Lying down on their belly or side If your dog is hyperactive and displays excessive chewing and destructive behavior, they may need engaging brain stimulation to help them use their brains to engage in their environments constructively. Ideally, you also need to teach them basic commands and house manners. Start now with basic obedience training to avoid later behavioral issues. Eventually, your active, adult GSD will need at least 2 walks of 45 minutes each source. Other great ways to exercise your German Shepherd puppy include working on their balance, enjoying mental stimulation, and playing gently with toys they love. Until your vet clears your dog as having their bones fully fused this is around 12 to 18 months of age , activity should be cautious and slow-paced. Up to twelve months of age, natural free running is the best way to exercise German Shepherds. With free running, your dog is off-leash and can stop or slow as they wish. Limit and monitor on-leash walks and activity while your German Shepherd is growing. When walking on a leash, allow them to Walk at their own pace Stop and start as they please Sniff around leisurely to explore the grass, flowers, and trees Lay down, roll around, and dig in approved digging places Use a no-pull harness with a design that allows for natural shoulder movement to avoid unnatural gait development. Try this padded no-pull harness on your German Shepherd to avoid any neck injuries to her while she is young. This design also limits pulling and helps teach nice leash walking manners. The handle on the back of the no-pull harness makes it easy to grab your pup to stop them from running into a hazard or just to catch them! Read more helpful information on the benefits and disadvantages of using a harness or a collar to help you choose the right equipment for walking your new puppy. There are plenty of other ideas to try with your new baby German Shepherd. Even better? You can find so many ways to learn what your new German Shepherd puppy likes to play with for their fun and games! Keep reading for a German Shepherd puppy exercise chart and specific, step-by-step fun games to keep your new pup happy and healthy. Exercising puppies heavily too early in life may lead to joint damage. This is especially likely in large breeds with rapidly growing and heavily loaded joints, such as your GSD. High-Impact Activity to Avoid Jumping, especially from couches, furniture, or cars Twisting such as chasing a toy that wildly moves in many directions Exercising over hard or uneven ground especially sidewalks and asphalt Keep exercise short and frequent, as this is more beneficial than long, infrequent periods of activity. Stick to softer surfaces, like grass and dirt paths, while your pup is young and their bones are not fully fused. Most GSD owners simply want to take train their puppy to walk on a leash in the neighborhood and park without getting pulled down the street. There are three basic ways to communicate how you want your German Shepherd puppy to walk on a leash with you: the stopping method, the turning method, and the luring method. The Stopping Method Open the door, but only open the door if your dog is sitting. This step could take some time and practice. Once you both are out the door, have your dog sit again. You need to lock the door and your dog needs to sit for this. During your walk, have your dog sit for you at various times. When he does offer a tasty, high value, quick-to-eat treat. Now immediately start walking again and give the release cue. Stand still and wait until he sits. This could take a while. This is important, especially because one day your little pup will be large enough to injure you if they pull you along on the walk wildly! This will take lots of time and patience. But setting a strong and obedient walk foundation allows you to enjoy your walks more and maintain control over your large breed dog as they mature and grow stronger. The Turning Method Use the same steps as above to get outside your house and begin your walk, except instead of stopping and waiting on your dog, turn in the opposite direction and begin walking the other way. Quietly turn around and guide them along when they get a few steps ahead of you. You may also tire of turning. But stick with it. Either of these techniques takes plenty of patience and a strong mental character. But your dog loves to learn. Their mind is like a sponge at this young age, but they also lack obedience skills and an attention span. Use treats and toys to get your dog to follow you. The Treat Luring Method: Hold the treat at their eye level in front of them so they can see and smell the treat. Take one or two steps forward, having them follow the treat with their nose and eyes. They will probably keep following the treat. She loves them! Take a couple of steps forward while squeaking the toy. As they follow, keep stepping forward and squeaking the toy. After a few successful steps forward, let them play with the toy as their reward. Keep up this game to motivate them to follow you. Eventually, your dog gains confidence in their new surroundings and with your help and will walk on their own. Never allow your dog to run loose near traffic. Never unleash your dog in a new area. Never allow your dog to eat objects found on the ground. They could be poisonous! Never think a person running or someone on a bicycle sees your little pup. Puppies are quick moving and can dart in front of a moving person causing them to trip and fall. This can also injure your dog as they may fall on top of them or kick or step on them. Pup is distracted Remember that being outside with your dog is equivalent to you going to Disney Land! Give them a chance to develop their attention skills, or use the high value treats to make them pay attention to you. If you are limited in the places you can go, choose different routes so your dog gets to experience new smells and sights. The dog looks stressed or afraid Find quieter areas to walk in or use the lure and reward method to help them overcome their walking fears. Carry them home and end your walk. Next time, go a shorter distance and take less time. Use positive training and rewards to communicate. The best walking setup for a puppy is a no-pull harness that connects at two different points in the front and back. No-pull harnesses are great for introducing your puppy to structured walks while keeping them safe and happy. Need More Manners Training? Your GSD needs to learn more than just walking nicely. He also needs to learn all the basics of obedience. Use this free training guide to get started today! This activity is usually one of the longest and hardest to teach since you are competing with the sights and smells of the great outdoors! Stay patient, positive, and stick to your training. Your doggie will love you for it! She has a Bachelor of Science degree, with Honors, and has been training dogs for over a decade. Related Posts. Post header Skip post header How much exercise does a German Shepherd need? Making sure your German Shepherd gets plenty of exercise and mental stimulation is really important for keeping them healthy and happy. Regular exercise can not only keep them in good shape, but it can also help improve their behaviour and well-being. How much exercise does a German Shepherd need? German Shepherds are highly active dogs , originally bred for working and guarding flocks of sheep, and more recently used by military and police forces. All this means that German Shepherds are among the most high-energy dogs out there. Of course, their exercise needs can vary based on a number of factors including age, fitness level, general health, food intake and more. That said, most German Shepherds usually need at least 90 minutes of exercise daily. This can be spread across the day and include all sorts of high-energy activities, like walking, running and playing. To get an exercise goal tailored to your dog, simply download the free PitPat app and enter their details. How much exercise does a German Shepherd puppy need? This is especially true for this breed since they are prone to conditions like hip dysplasia. As a rule of thumb, puppies will need five minutes of formal exercise such as walkies for every month of their age. These walks should be opportunities to explore their environment, work on training and good behaviour outdoors, and socialise with other people and dogs in a controlled manner. How much exercise does a senior German Shepherd need? You can also set your own goals manually in case they have higher or lower exercise needs. What types of exercise are best for German Shepherds? German Shepherds excel at all sorts of exercise and canine sports thanks to their working background. In addition to their daily walks, you could try:. Beginners often have a lot of questions: how long should they walk with a German Shepherd, how often should they do it, and what are the rules of feeding and vaccination. Therefore, before the responsible purchase, it is important to get acquainted with the nuances of ownership. At what age can you walk a German Shepherd? Experts have different opinions about the age at which a German Shepherd can go for a walk. There are two polar positions, so owners should consult their breeder or veterinarian. Some experts, when asked how to properly educate the pet, argue that it is categorically not recommended to walk puppies before they reach 3 months old. This is due to the high vulnerability of puppies to infections, which they can catch while playing with other dogs during the period when routine vaccinations have not yet been done. Put napkins or gravel or sand on it. Keep a close eye on your puppy. The negative side of this approach is the increased likelihood of encountering puddles of urine at night even in adulthood. According to the opposite opinion, up to 2 months old puppies still have the immunity received from their mother, so you should start walking outside as early as possible. Increased production of vitamin D due to exposure to sunlight, preventing the development of rachitis. Frequent exposure to nature increases the production of general immunity. If you decide to walk your puppy from an early age, you must choose a small but clean area and prevent him from coming into contact with other animals, especially stray ones. Until the German Shepherd reaches the age of six months , you should carry him in your arms when walking up a flight of stairs. His spine is not yet strong enough, so sprains when going up and down are detrimental. How long should you walk The duration of a walk with a German Shepherd puppy should increase in increments. In the first days, minutes is enough to familiarize the dog with the world and empty the bowels and bladder, but you need to go out times a day. It is better to go out right after feeding. Further, the duration of time outside should be in accordance with age: three months — about half an hour, the puppy should definitely run; four months — from 40 minutes to 1 hour; at six months, the normal mode of walking is established — at least two hours, twice a day. If it is possible to walk longer, you should take advantage of the opportunity. You need to figure out how to walk your German Shepherd correctly. To do this, you need to follow a few tips. It is important to use every walk outside to teach your dog to potty outside the apartment or house. While the dog is still very young but is already used to having to pee outside, spontaneous but short walks at night are likely. Up to 6 months old, it is important to make sure that the dog does not jump over any obstacles. As with ladders, this harms the skeleton and back muscles. You should try to take your German Shepherd outdoors during daylight hours so that he can enjoy the sunlight. After exploring the nearest surroundings, you should decide where to walk for an extended period of time. Great if there is a park or square nearby where it is allowed to walk the dogs. It is also important to go to special doggy playgrounds. You need to give your pet some freedom to get to know other puppies and adult dogs. It allows: Control the movements of the dog and accustom the puppy to the leash. Helps in the initial stages of training. Prevents him from eating unhealthy food picked up off the ground. Provides safety when stray dogs appear. More mature dogs can be leashed to a collar. Answering the question of when you can put the collar on the puppy, many experienced breeders responded with a recommendation to do it as early as possible, so that the puppy got used to the foreign object initially. Before buying a collar or harness, it is important to pay attention to the material: Leather — is the most durable, suitable for walks and training, but it is recommended to replace it in rainy or snowy weather. Leather gets wet, stretches, and loses its durability from moisture; Tarpaulin — holds its shape in all conditions, but is prone to contamination and has a short lifespan; Synthetic — is versatile and does not have the negative qualities of the previous 2. To properly put on the harness or collar during the period of accustomization, you need to create a comfortable atmosphere for the puppy: calmly call by name, and offer a treat. Before buying, it is important to measure the pup. This will allow you to choose the optimal size collar, in which the German shepherd will feel comfortable, and walks will be a pleasure both for the pet and for its loving owner. David W. I admire German Shepherds. They are magnificent dogs! I have been dealing with dogs, namely German Shepherds, throughout my life. I have been working part-time as a dog trainer and instructor for about 5 years, dealing mainly with German Shepherds. So I know a bit about these animals. Therefore, I decided to share my knowledge and experience about this fantastic breed. If you need help with advice and care tips or want to know more about German Shepherd dogs, welcome to this blog. Search for: Search Button We're an affiliate We may earn an affiliate commission when you purchase through the links on our site. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Walking by a German Shepherd puppy is a development milestone through its growth phase. By understanding the developmental stages of a puppy, you can know the best times to start certain activities. Having a new puppy is an exciting time. You may want to do many things with them, play or take them for a walk. So, when do German Shepherd puppies start walking? This however does not indicate the right time to immediately start taking them outside for walks which would put their health at risk. In this article, we will discuss German Shepherd puppy development to understand the growth stages, when it is safe to start walking your puppy, and how much walking is best. They are toothless and cannot walk. At this time they are completely dependent on their mother who feeds and cleans up after them. During this time they mostly sleep and nurse, doubling their weight in the first week. The eyes open followed by their ears. They start standing up and take their first steps, they can now support their weight and stop crawling on their belly. They also start becoming playful. A puppy at this time still cannot defecate by themselves so their mum licks their anal and genital areas to stimulate the area to enable them to pass stool. The milk teeth start emerging at this time and remain until teething begins. Socialization starts where they are exposed to people and other dogs or animals. This is also the period that is important to help them learn behaviors that are expected of them. Although young and their brains are still developing, they can still learn new things such as potty training. They can also defecate and urinate on their own now. At 8 weeks of age, they start losing their baby teeth and start the teething stage where the adult teeth start to emerge. The teething period lasts up to months of age where all the adult teeth will have emerged. Once a German Shepherd puppy is adopted and taken to their new home, socialization and training continue. Recommended Reading: Why does my German Shepherd puppy sleep so much? A German Shepherd is considered a puppy from the newborn stage up to the adolescent stage at 5 to 6 months. The beginning of the adolescent or teenage stages marks the end of the puppy stage. The adolescent stage lasts until the German Shepherd is 2 years old. The adolescent German Shepherds are like teenage humans as maturity begins and rage with hormones. They are alert but emotionally developing as they transition to adults. Their body is fully in the adult form however their brain is still developing. When should I start walking my German Shepherd puppy? Wait until your puppy gets all their vaccinations for infectious hepatitis, parvovirus, and distemper which are given through a series of shots. Thereafter wait 10 to 14 days after the last vaccine short that is the last booster shot is provided at around 16 weeks depending on when they went for their first shot. This waiting period is necessary because puppies are vulnerable to contracting infections and the immune system is still developing. After this time it is safe to start walking your puppy. How much walking does a German Shepherd puppy need? The amount of walking a German Shepherd puppy needs depends on their age. There are no fixed rules on how much walking or exercise to provide a German Shepherd puppy, however, the recommendation is no more than five minutes of walking for each month of their age two times a day. For example, a 6-month-old puppy should have no more than 30 minutes of walking twice a day. For large breed puppies such as a German shepherd, too much exercise would lead to bone and joint problems therefore they should not be overworked or exercised. Also, note when your puppy seems tired or reluctant to walk so that you also allow them to rest or take a nap to recuperate. Conclusion: When do German Shepherd puppies start walking? German Shepherd puppies start walking between 2 to 4 weeks old but this does not mean that they should start being exercised or being taken out for a walk. I hope this article helped you know German Shepherd puppy development to understand the growth stages, when you should start walking your puppy and how much walking is best. By having this in mind, you should be able to safely start exercising or walking your German puppy without putting their health at risk. If you liked this article, you may also like to learn more from the below resources on German Shepherds. Related Posts. German Shepherds are an extremely active high energy dog and require at least one hour a day of energy-burning activity, but more is preferred. The German Shepherd is also very intelligent so it is important to challenge their minds. They learn new skills quickly making them easy to train with the right guidance. German Shepherd Exercise Requirements There are three main types of exercise and activity you must provide your German Shepherd every day. Daily walk 2. Mental stimulation German Shepherd Walking Time The daily walk is essential for a German Shepherd not only to release some pent-up energy. The walk allows your German Shepherd to stimulate the mind with the sights, sounds and smells they come across. The length of the walk is only limited by your time and energy as a German Shepherd can go all day long. Ideally, the minimum should be 30 to 45 minutes daily. This can be just once a day, or two walks a day would be better if your schedule allows. Dogs also like routine, so try to schedule the walk for around the same time each day. Daily walks are much better than nothing all week and a big walk at the weekend. If your German Shepherd has good recall and comes on command, walks at the park off the leash are ideal. Alternatively, you can use a retractable leash to allow them more freedom while maintaining control. In general, German Shepherds are obedient and usually have good recall if trained. You can add extra resistance to the walk by using a weighted vest or dog backpack. This is more than sufficient to tire them and strengthen their muscles without overworking them. Other ways of increasing the resistance on the walk are to walk on sand or include uphill sections in the walk. Ideally, you need to find activities that can burn energy in a short period of time and use these skills. This can include high-intensity games and strength training is recommended to keep their muscles in peak condition. By keeping the muscles strong they will support the joints and tendons preventing injury. Providing the right type of toys for German Shepherd is also a great way to provide exercise and mental stimulation for them. For the best type of toys for German Shepherds see here. These are some of the recommended activities and exercise ideas to play with your German Shepherd. Flirt Pole A Flirt pole is like a giant cat tickler for dogs. It has a long handle with a bungy type rope with a lure or toy attached to the end. You simply move the lure along the ground around in circles or in different directions as your dog chases it. This activity is ideal for a German Shepherd as it works the whole body and strengthens their muscles. It is important that this be a controlled exercise. For a full guide to flirt pole exercise for dogs see here. German Shepherds are generally ball or toy crazy can play this for hundreds of throws. A great alternative is to use an Automatic Ball Launcher so your dog can play Fetch by themselves. As the German Shepherd is highly trainable as long as you focus their attention they learn to use this quickly. They come in a variety of sizes, styles and are also available with a handle or rope attached for tug of war. Being a herding dog this is a great activity that caters to their natural herding instincts. Check out the video to see what great exercise and fun they are for dogs. Frisbee Toss Most dogs can chase and catch a ball. But a Frisbee requires a little bit more skill, coordination, and timing. German Shepherds look spectacular playing this due to their agility. Roll the Frisbee on the ground towards your dog. They will instinctually want to grab it in his mouth. If you feel like your dog is ready to go to the next level, toss the disc a little higher and further. Backyard agility Set up an agility or obstacle course in your backyard. You can use items you have around the home, build your own agility or you can get reasonably priced agility sets on Amazon. You can include tasks such as the weave, hurdle jumps, tunnels or jumping through hoops or a platform to jump on and stay. Stair Exercise A good energy burner if you have stairs in your home. Have them return down the stairs at a slower pace to avoid injury. Walking up stairs or a hill strengthens the rear legs as the full body weight of your dog is on each leg as the step. As they descend the stairs they are using the opposing muscles for stability. For more on stair exercise for dogs see here. Running, biking or skating with your dog The faster your dog is moving the more energy they will release. Try running, biking or skating with your dog to really get them moving. As the German Shepherd has good levels of stamina and can go for long distances, they can make great running partners. Just be sure to build up the distance and intensity of the activity over time to prevent causing injury to your dog. Swimming Many German Shepherds are keen swimmers. Swimming is a great exercise for a German Shepherd as it burns energy and uses all the muscles groups, in particular, the front legs and shoulders. It is a good exercise for dogs recovering from injury. For more on swimming for German Shepherds see here. Tug of War A firm favorite of all strong dogs. Make them crouch and pull back to use extra energy. Ensure that this is a controlled game and they release when you want them to. Also, a great way to build muscle and strength. Spring Pole A spring pole is simply a spring connected to a rope that hangs from a tree branch or beam with a lure or toy attached to the end. This allows your dog to play tug of war with him or herself even if you are not there. Popular with a lot of dogs that love a good game of tug of war. Dog toys that move on their own There are many dog toys available that shake, rattle, roll and move about on their own. This activity would be best as a supervised and control game as a dog like the German Shepherd could destroy these type of toys. Self Playing Dog Toys There are a variety of dog toys that your dog can use to play by themselves. This way your dog can still get some physical activity and mental stimulation without your direct involvement. Play with other dogs Provide the opportunity for your German Shepherd to play with other dogs. This is not only great to burn energy and stimulate their mind, but teaches them important social skills. Not all German Shepherds are dog-friendly, so ensure yours is to prevent the possibility of fighting. Dog sports There are many dog sports that your German Shepherd would enjoy including agility or fly ball. Consider enrolling your German Shepherd in a local club. You can enter as a serious competitor or simply for fun. Provide a digging area or pit Many dogs love to dig including many German Shepherds. Just be aware that if the weather is warm and you use sand, it may get hot. You can wet it down with the hose if it is. All dogs need an outlet for their minds. If they are not provided the opportunity to challenge their minds they will come up with their own ways to achieve this. This usually manifests itself in bad behavior such as excessive barking, digging, escaping and other destructive behaviors. Some ways to provide mental stimulation and enrichment include; Puzzle Toys Puzzle toys are ideal for dogs like the German Shepherd to challenge their minds and test their problem-solving skills. Due to their high intelligence, try to find puzzle toys that are a bit more challenging as they tend to work these out quite quickly. In addition to puzzle toys, Kongs for dogs are another great way to get your German Shepherd to solve a problem and challenge the mind. Scenting and nose games German Shepherds can have a keen nose. Playing scenting and nose games helps to provide mental stimulation. Chew Toys Provide your German Shepherd with good strong chew toys. Chewing is a great way to occupy them. In addition, chewing releases endorphins and helps to relax a dog. Many dogs hold stress in the jaw. For more on the benefits of chewing and the best chew toys click here. Learning Teaching new commands and tricks is also excellent to provide mental enrichment. A popular game that involves learning is to teach them the names of their toys. Dogs can learn hundreds of words and names. For more ideas to provide mental stimulation and enrichment for a German Shepherd see here. Food enrichment Turn mealtimes into an opportunity for your German Shepherd to get a mental challenge and enrichment. Instead of feeding them from a bowl, give them activities that require them to work for their food. To learn more about feeding enrichment for dogs see here. To learn more about environmental enrichment for dogs see here. Over exercised dog symptoms German Shepherds can go hard and keep going, often not knowing when to stop. With any dog, it is possible to over-exercise them, especially in hot weather. It is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of a dog that has overdone it. How much exercise does a German Shepherd puppy need? The exercise suggestions above relate to a healthy adult German Shepherd. The exercise needs of a puppy are quite different. With puppies, their bones, muscle, and joints are still growing and developing. Overly strenuous walks are not necessary and in fact, could possibly cause harm. An activity that is high impact on the joints should also be avoided. The best exercise for a young puppy is free play with age-appropriate toys. Socializing with other puppies or friendly adult dogs is a great way to burn some of that puppy energy along with teaching them the social skills they need. As your German Shepherd puppy gets older you can take them for short informal walks allowing them to sniff and explore and get used to being on a leash. Check with your vet when it is alright to venture out to the park or street. The general rule of thumb for walking a puppy is around 5 minutes for every month of age. So, for example for a 4-month-old puppy, a walk of 15 minutes to 20 minutes is enough. Monitor your German Shepherd puppy on the walk for signs such as lagging behind, lying down or panting. End the walk if they seem too tired. Mental stimulation is important for puppies and can tire them just as much as physical activity. For more on mental stimulation for puppies see here. However, it is still important that they remain reasonably active to keep their joints and muscles mobile and to manage their weight. Many dogs develop arthritis as they age. Exercise for them becomes a balancing act. It is important to keep their joints mobile and manage weight, but too much can make them sore. German Shepherds are also a breed that is prone to hip dysplasia. In conclusion, how much exercise does a German Shepherd need The German Shepherd is high energy, strong and has good levels of stamina. They are also very smart and need to have their minds occupied as well. It is crucial to provide adequate physical and mental exercise and activity to release pent-up energy and prevent boredom. A minimum of 45 to 60 minutes a day of exercise plus purposeful activity including muscle strengthening and activities that provide mental stimulation is recommended. The cost of not doing so can be an unhappy and frustrated dog. This can lead to behavior issues such as barking, digging, escaping and destructive behavior. Author Joseph Coleman A lifelong writer and proud dog dad. Joseph started this blog dedicated to helping other dog owners find accurate information on how to keep their pets at their healthiest through exercise and nutrition. His passion for all things canine shines through in his writing, and he believes that every dog deserves the best possible care. If you're a dog owner looking for reliable advice on how to keep your pup healthy and happy, be sure to check out Joseph's work. Puppies Establishing an efficient exercise routine for a German Shepherd puppy is extremely important for your GSD to live a healthy lifestyle. While there is no exact science to knowing your German Shepherd puppy exercise limits, it is best to slowly ease into a routine and your puppy will gain stamina over time. Dogs are creatures of habit and love a routine. Accordingly, if you normally walk your puppy first thing in the morning, your pup will start to expect and look forward to those morning walks as soon as you roll out of bed. Try and establish an exercise routine that you can maintain long term, so your puppy can grow to learn the routine. The American Kennel Club UK recommends two exercise sessions of 5 minutes per month of age during puppyhood 1. When Allie was a puppy, I found short walks multiple times a day worked well. I started Allie with short minute walks times a day as an 8-week-old puppy. This served two purposes, to get some of her energy out, as well as getting her used to walking on a leash. Finding the Right Length of Walks for Your Puppy Although there are many recommendations as to how long to walk your German Shepherd puppy, it is best to look to your puppy for clues on its limits. Start with 10 minutes, 2 times a day. If you find your puppy is still a ball on energy increase it to 15 minutes, or you can add in a third minute walk. You want to find the walking time that is right for your individual GSD puppy as all puppies are all different and will require different amounts of exercise. Keep in mind, that it can be dangerous to push your German Shepherd puppy beyond his or her limits at a young age. If your German Shepherd puppy show signs of being tired or exhausted, stop the walk immediately and allow your pup to rest. Final Thoughts Establishing a solid exercise routine for your German Shepherd puppy is an important step in establishing the framework for a healthy lifestyle. In addition to walks, I would include short play sessions in the yard with a ball or play with toys in the house as well. The most important thing with walking a German Shepherd puppy is to start with short walks and play sessions and build on that process as your puppy grows. How much exercise does your German Shepherd puppy need? Your puppy does not need nearly the amount of exercise an adult dog does. Adult German Shepherds require two hours or more of exercise every day. And within that time, the duration of exercise depends on intensity. Your dog would not spend an entire two hours performing high-intensity exercises unless in formal training. A typical routine would include 20 to 40 minutes of rigorous exercises such as jogging, vigorous playing, or other activities. Some examples are practicing Shutzhund, preparing for herding or agility trials, or learning search and rescue. The remainder of the time dedicated to exercise, you should spend on training, ongoing socialization, and moderate- and low-intensity activities. You can include warmup and cool down in a moderate or leisurely walk. Keep in mind any puppy who is not full-grown does not need to engage in rigorous exercise for extended periods. What is the five-minute per month rule? However, one rule that makes sense as a loose guideline, is to exercise your pup for five minutes per month of age. You can do an exercise session twice a day. If you bring a GSD puppy home at ten weeks old, your exercise guideline would tell you to work with her for about .A six-month-old puppy , which you may be tempted to treat as a miniature adult, should still only get about half an hour of exercise twice a day. By 10 or 12 months , your Shepherd is up to his quota of nearly two hours split into multiple sessions during a day. However, you should still limit jumping and long-distance running until you are sure your puppy has finished growing. How do you know when your Shepherd puppy has stopped growing? This closure signifies your dog has finished growing and can engage in exercises that may be too strenuous for bones that are softer when lengthening. Once growth plates close and the joints no longer have laxity from extreme youth, you can take exercise to the next level. How can you tell if your Shepherd has stopped growing without a radiograph? According to Animalso. Use particular caution with certain working lines as they may not reach full maturity until the age of three years. Even though Czech and Eastern German lines have lower incidences of hip dysplasia than show dogs, you still need to treat their growing bones with care. Common beliefs notwithstanding, if you neuter a German Shepherd at a young age, the decrease in testosterone generally will delay growth plate closure. You will notice that neutered male German Shepherds are often taller than their unaltered counterparts. Therefore, assume if you neuter your dog, he will physically mature a little later. Mentally he will mature worlds ahead. How does hip dysplasia affect German Shepherd puppies? Hip dysplasia is a growth abnormality that affects most large-breed dogs and many small breeds as well. As you likely know, the hip is a ball and socket joint. The ball is the head of the thigh bone or femur, and the socket is the acetabulum or cup in the pelvis. In dysplasia of the joint, the femoral head grows at a different rate than the socket. Rather quickly, the femoral head no longer fits correctly or congruently within the socket, affecting function and causing scrapes across the protective cartilage, according to ACVS. Inappropriate looseness of the joint exacerbates the condition by allowing too much movement within the joint. Depending on the severity, affected puppies and dogs may show mild to life-altering symptoms. Signs of joint laxity or looseness usually occur first, although they may go unnoticed. Visible space between the head of the femur and the pelvis — Sometimes you can feel the excessive space when you cannot see it. Crying out in pain — Even if it has not progressed yet to degenerative joint disease, joint looseness can be painful. Abnormal gait — Your puppy may appear to bunny hop in the rear legs or exhibit other gait abnormalities that you would not classify as obvious lameness. Lame — Your dog will show lameness if she is in pain. Difficulty getting up or laying down — Your puppy may even show consistent reluctance to get up. Decreased interest in playing, especially if it involves running. Exercise intolerance — Your pup will play, but not for as long as you would expect. Maybe your dog seems to tire easily. Difficulty negotiating stairs — Joint looseness greatly affects the athleticism of your dog. Will not sit square — Many trainers advocate you enforce your dog sitting square as a sign of true obedience. Dogs with hip issues, they are unable to sit comfortably unless their hind legs are to one side or the other. Joint laxity can be difficult to judge in young dogs. Puppies have a greater degree of laxity than adult dogs to accommodate growth. Joint laxity should limit how long you walk a German Shepherd puppy , especially one under six months old. Joint laxity means your puppy will experience significant instability when walking, predisposing her to stumble and fall. Signs of osteoarthritis mostly manifest as pain, dysfunction of the joints, decreased range of motion, and even grinding sounds as the leg moves. Degenerative joint changes, believe it or not, can occur in puppies only several months old. German Shepherds do not typically have a problem with obesity. Although it seems counterintuitive, too much nutrition is not an ideal thing for the GSD. If a large-breed dog grows too quickly as a puppy, he can be more vulnerable to hip dysplasia if he already carries the genes. The dilemma comes with balancing exercise requirements and nutrition, so you have a happy and fit puppy who is not overweight but also does not overexert herself. How does exercise affect hip dysplasia? Although hip dysplasia has a large hereditary basis, over exercising a puppy can exacerbate the problem in a dog who might not otherwise develop any symptoms. It is important not to allow your puppy to run excessively or jump during her growing months. Moreover, if your puppy has excessively lax joints, overstretching during long and strenuous running or launching and landing for jumps can cause direct injury to the hips and surrounding soft tissue. Your puppy can also injure her growth plates. An X-ray at an early age gives you an idea if your puppy is already showing the effects of DJD or degenerative joint disease. Your veterinarian may be able to advise you further if your exercise program is too strenuous for your puppy based on any changes in the joints. How do you know your puppy overexerted himself? You may occasionally find that your puppy overdoes it. Perhaps you took him to a birthday party for his Labrador friend, and you did not have the heart to break up their play session. Most of the time, a play date that gets out of hand or a walk that runs over the anticipated time allotment will not cause any permanent damage. You can assess your pup the following day for signs of overexertion and know to take it exceptionally easy for the next day or two. Listen to your puppy Although you should leash-train your GSD at a young age, starting as soon as you first bring her home, there is much to be said about freeform exercise. The biggest benefit of your puppy exercising a good part of her time in the early month off-leash is she can self-regulate her activity. You will notice when puppies are tired or become sore, they will stop dead in their tracks. Make sure your puppy is in a safe environment, and she can engage in fairly unrestricted exercise on her own. When you are walking your puppy on a leash, under no circumstances should you push her to go beyond the point where you are dragging her, or she sits down and refuses to move on? You may have to carry her the remainder of the journey. As your German Shepherd approaches adolescence at five to seven months old, you will have to monitor his exercise more because what he can do will begin to exceed what he should do. Running over rolling terrain for miles or training strenuously for pursuit work is not ideal for an immature Shepherd and can be potentially harmful. Best length of time to walk a German Shepherd puppy: you know best! When facing the question of how long should you walk your German Shepherd, use the rough guidelines of five minutes per month of age a couple of times a day. Otherwise, allow your pup to dictate her level of tolerance for playing and romping. You can spend additional time with your puppy building a bond through affection and play, while still limiting duration. Your pup will need some time during the day to herself and sleep. This video shows the progression of a puppy and how his exercise abilities change. It perfectly illustrates how the young Shepherd dictates how much exercise he can tolerate. Notice, in the beginning, the interaction with his owner is a large part dependent on easy contact. As the puppy progresses in age, he gradually attempts more. If you watch puppies even three and four months old engaged in self-directed play, their actions are marked by frequent pauses to rest or think about the next move. Rarely will you see a German Shepherd laying still, but as in the video, puppies will take time to rest if left to their own devices. Swimming is a great form of exercise, but not all German Shepherds love water. This video shows that just because your German Shepherd puppy is not on a leash does not mean you are not walking her. Training should take up a good portion of your walks or exercise sessions, whether on- or off-leash. As much of a brilliant pupil as this puppy is, her session should not be longer than 15 minutes. Notice her yawn, which can be a sign of tension or a wandering mind, indicating the exercise should move to something else or stop.

Fatigue Behavior changes loss of appetite, reluctance to engage, etc. If you notice any of these signs, make an appointment with your vet so they can perform screenings such as chest x-rays, blood tests, and an echocardiogram an ultrasound of the heart and nearby blood vessels to assess the issue. The condition can be serious if left untreated, but thankfully there are many treatment options available, such as diet therapy and medication. What To Feed a Labradoodle To live a long and happy life, Labradoodles must consume the proper amount of high-quality dog food and have access to fresh water. A balanced diet will help your pup maintain a healthy weight and avoid health conditions such as heart disease and hip dysplasia. If a pet parent is willing and able to cook for their dog, Whittenburg suggests a fresh, homemade diet that has been formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. Boutique brand and grain-free foods should be avoided. That includes servings of food in the right amount that provides more than 40 nutrients that pets require in their respective life stages, including proteins, fats, carbs, and vitamins, minerals, and independent amino acids, according to the Pet Food Institute. While there is no one-size-fits-all way to feed a Labradoodle and a consultation with your vet is recommended, Whittenburg says Labradoodle puppies under 6 months old should generally be fed a minimum of three times a day and adult dogs should be fed twice a day. Unless recommended by a veterinarian, dogs fed a complete and balanced commercial food diet should not need any nutritional supplements. However, Labradoodles that are fed a homemade diet may require supplements to ensure they are getting all the vitamins and minerals necessary to thrive, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, glucosamine, and a variety of antioxidants. Behavior and Training Tips for Labradoodles Labradoodle Personality and Temperament The high-energy, attention-seeking, intelligent Labradoodle requires frequent exercise, interaction, and play. While every Labradoodle is different, proper socialization is a must for helping your dog become a well-behaved companion. These dogs are not known to be excessive barkers, but the right amount of training and exercise is required to ensure they learn to behave appropriately. Labradoodle Training Because Labradoodles are a hybrid of two highly intelligent breeds, they are eager to please and highly trainable, according to Philippou. They can be taught to excel at everything from basic tricks like sit, stay, and roll over to running agility courses. Always use positive-reinforcement techniques, like using treats to reward good behaviors, during training. Due to their gentle and sharp-witted nature, Labradoodles can even be trained to become service dogs. Fun Activities for Labradoodles. Remind children to be calm and gentle. One of the healthiest things you can do for your puppy is give pup lots of love and attention lots and lots of attention. Dogs are extremely loyal by nature and are happy when they please you. Studies show that emotionally, dogs benefit from being petted by humans as mush as humans do from petting dogs. So spend time with your little companion. Melanies Gorgeousdoodles Puppies, my loving passion The first few months are very important for establishing good habits. It is always best to be prepared and read up on the best early training skills. Remember you have to train yourself and your family to be consistent! Here are some things you can do to help your Labradoodle pup feel as comfortable as possible. Teach children to always when hand feeding puppy dog a treat to do so with food in palm -of -their -hand. Many commercial foods are acceptable but be sure to choose a well-balanced one without any grians and no corn meal. Exercising doodle puppy Exercise is an important part of labradoodles overall health Puppy develops good motor skills and balance and life skills from being out and about. Playing games such as fetch challenge a puppy mentally. Remember, exercising helps puppy go poop so take a poop scoop. Rinse thoroughly and stand back — doodle will shake and shake! Grooming Brushing or combing with a wide tooth comb your Labradoodle regularly keeps his coat looking nice and it feels good to your doodle. And just as important, this is time for you puppy to bond. Important that you keep or have a groomer your doodle hair trimmed a little around their eyes, month and privates. There are lots of good book on dog training! Her website has a lot of excellent resources. Click to find link to order Virbac products for the best price. Training We Recommend: A Great Beginning: We start to train and work with our puppies from the first day, socializing as well as following the suggested guidelines of the best trainers in the US. We have a well researched program of using sounds, small tasks, toys and other materials to influence and help your puppy be an easy going, fun loving, social and well trained adult. Trainers tell us that the most important time for your puppy is between 8 and 11 weeks so we work with you to understand what you can do to continue to prepare your puppy for the world. Training: We recommend training your puppy as much as possible. The best puppies know their boundaries and are taught what is expected with love and devotion. The sooner your puppy is trained the sooner it is given more freedom. Therefore, strict training results in big rewards for puppy and owner. Labradoodles are easily trained. They should be completely potty trained within 4 to 6 weeks after pick up. Most are sitting, staying, shaking paws, and retrieving by 3 months of age, many can get the newspaper and more by then with proper attention. Puppies will jump up and it takes time and consistency to break this habit early. Crate training or room training is recommended: First I will cover crate training then room training. Crate Training: First get over the fact that to you it is a cage, to them it is a safe place when they are alone, safe from outside things and noises puppies have yet to become fearless of. They view it as their cave, a place they can sleep with the peace of mind. The crate should be just big enough for them to stand up, walk in a circle, and lay down. This is a different size at 8 weeks as it is at 4 months. Therefore I like something like the Life Stages Ultima Triple Door Folding Dog Crates from Petsmart where there is an additional wall that can be adjusted to increase the crate size as the puppy grows. It should contain toys. Bedding is typically used to pee on so do not use bedding until later once the dog can easily go all night without "going". I think the crate should be in a room, a selected safe room that later when the crate is no longer used becomes the place that when visitors come over who are not "dog people", the dog would stay in while these visitors are there. The first night the crate can be in a bedroom close to people and then later moved into the safe room if you desire. Some puppies pee in their crate at first and some don't, have patience. The point of the crate is to discourage peeing for a period of time. First crate the puppy for an hour or two and at night, then gradually longer. The point is to take the dog out before it has to go to the bathroom and as time goes by it can hold it longer and longer. Never more than 4 hours except at night when at first I recommend you get up twice during the night and let the puppy out, after two days wait and let the puppy out once in the middle of the night, gradually extend the wait time an hour until finally they have gone all night. After a few months I recommend graduating to room training. Remember to remove food and water an hour or more before leaving the dog in the crate, the puppy should be let outside and empty when left in the crate. Room Training: Select a safe room that when visitors come over who are not "dog people", the dog would stay while the visitors are there. For example, an extra bathroom or utility room. It should contain a wee pad if needed and toys. Bedding is typically used to pee on so do not use bedding until later. Some puppies pee in their space at first and some don't, have patience. This is the reason for the wee pad, see "wee pad" for how this is used and gradually removed. The point of the room is to discourage peeing for a period of time and keep them out of trouble. First confine the puppy for an hour or two and at night, then gradually longer. The room should be used up to a year when you are gone and at night. The sooner the puppy is trained and you can trust them the sooner they have free roam of the house. Remember to remove food and water an hour or more before leaving the dog, the puppy should be let outside and empty when left in the room. Wee pads: We put wee pads in the utility room when the puppies move into there, the wee pad is placed to one side. They have some chemical that draws the puppies.Take them out as much as possible; the point of the wee pad is an emergency situation only. Eventually they only use the wee pads at night. I suggest the wee pad be placed close to bed, in their "room" or at the back door in case someone doesn't notice them at the door. It works like this, and please don't punish them for using the wee pad but don't congratulate them either, congratulate them when they go outside. Eventually they select to please you versus the wee pad and then they just stop using the wee pad. When it is dry for a few days take it away.Food: We recommend free food and water all day if you are home. We use the best puppy food available. We do not feed people food to our dogs ever, some things you would never imagine are actually toxic listed below. When you pick up your puppy we give you a bag of food so you can continue it or mix it with whatever you desire slowly decreasing the amount of our food over time. But understand what you are feeding your dog. To find a good food read the first 5 ingredients on the bag. Now ask the following questions: What are the protein sources? We believe the primary source should come from quality animal protein, not vegetable protein or grain. Foods that list 2 or more grains in the first 5 ingredients may have more vegetable protein than animal protein. We prefer Chicken as the main ingredient. What about grains? Two or more grains listed in the first 5 ingredients means your food may have more vegetable protein than animal protein. Grains such as soy, corn, corn gluten and wheat gluten can be difficult to digest, which means less nutrition, possible allergic reactions and more clean up. Wheat, barley, rice, corn and oats are all man-raised crops that a dog would never eat in the wild. These ingredients are not properly digested and in many situations cause a dog to show allergy symptoms. Are there by-products? Some manufacturers consider by-products inferior sources of protein and, depending on the source, they can be difficult to digest. These ingredients contain meat sources that are typically unsuitable for human consumption. What are the fat sources? Some fats are better than others. We believe the primary fat source in dog food should be animal based because animal fats contain a profile of fatty acids that are easily metabolized and thus are generally more available to the body. We use Madden pin brushes on our labradoodles and have found this brush to be excellent quality. If you catch them in play mode during the day, you will only be reinforcing that brushing time is something to get all riled up about. Nail Clipping Clipping their nails is also a good exercise to do when you find them tired out. They tend to care a lot less about things. You can start by just clipping the nails on one paw. This way your pup learns this is quick and no big deal. It also gives you the opportunity to practice this exercise 4 days in a row, rather than once and then having to wait for them to grow again. When clipping, clip just the tip of the nail where it starts to curve downward, holding the nail clippers parallel to the bottom of the paw. Be careful not to clip too much, otherwise it will hurt and the nail will bleed. Lean towards clipping little bits more often than trying to get a lot off all at once. Ear Cleaning Ear cleaning is something that labradoodles need since they have those long ears that trap and hold in moisture. Check their ears every few weeks and if you notice they look dirty, then get a cotton ball or makeup remover pad, etc. Never push anything down in the ear, you could damage the ear and cause your puppy pain. Do the other side, and finish with an ear drying powder. In fact, over bathing can harm this quality in their coat, and actually cause you to need to bathe more often. If they get dirty, let them dry and simply brush the dirt right out. It is good to get them used to getting wet though, and when you do use shampoo, we recommend a tearless shampoo specifically designed for dogs as their PH balance is different than humans. A good minute walk daily will meet this need your new family member has. Up until then, their joints are developing and jogging on pavement would not be good for their joints. However, this does not mean you have to limit their activity. Running across the yard chasing a ball at their own pace and will is good for their developing body, and talking walks through the neighborhood is an excellent way to meet their exercise needs. Follow this labradoodle puppy care guide to help with the transition. A few things you might want to have with you when you pick up your puppy are a bottle of water, some baby wipes, and a towel or a blanket. If you are meeting your puppy at the airport, your puppy may be thirsty from the trip. We put a frozen dish of water in the crate, but it is usually long gone by the time your puppy arrives. The wipes are needed in case the puppy may have soiled the crate. The towel or blanket also, in case the puppy has soiled the crate, is for you to hold your puppy or to put in the crate. Using a Leash to Bond with Your Puppy When your puppy first arrives to your home, we suggest you keep the puppy on a leash for the first couple of days. Do your best to have the primary caregiver be the main person handling the leash. We also suggest you not have outside visitors to the home for the first couple of days. Give your puppy some time to adjust to her new family first before she meets your world. Your puppy is going to be a little confused at her new surroundings. From the beginning your puppy needs to learn that she is at the bottom, below even the youngest child. She needs to learn who her main leaders are and what the boundaries are in her new home. Labradoodles are people loving dogs! Your puppy will want to bond. Your puppy is smart and will quickly learn that the person attached at the other end of the leash is important to her. Your Labradoodle will look to you for example and comfort. She will learn that you are her source of not only example and comfort, but also food! Using the leash these first few days will help your new puppy learn who to trust and who to please. Other Advantages of Leash Training Your New Puppy Even if you are not holding onto the leash, you can control where she goes easily by stepping on the dragging leash. This is much more comfortable to a dog than having you lunge over her to get her. Keeping her on a leash also allows you to monitor where your puppy is in the house, and help her learn which rooms you would like her to be in and where she is not allowed. Lastly, having her on a leash helps her adjust to the idea of a leash so that she is ready to be trained to heel on a leash. A crate can be a useful and comforting tool or it can be an overused source of misery for your puppy. We suggest using a crate for very short periods of time during the day and for your puppy to sleep in at night. During the day there will come short periods of time where you have a task to do that requires your full attention. While your puppy is still in the house training stage, the crate can be very valuable to you. By putting your puppy in the crate for short amounts of time during the day, say an hour, maybe two, you can accomplish what you must do and also help puppy control her bladder. As soon as you let her out, immediately take her outdoors to relieve herself. Using the crate this way will encourage her to only go to the bathroom where it is appropriate to go. If your puppy is not crate trained already, you will have to work up to the hour or two hour mark. By the time your puppy arrives, she should be able to sleep around 7 hours through the night in a crate. Of course all puppies are individuals and so the time can vary. Your Golden Xpress Labradoodle puppy is used to being in a crate, but she is also used to smelling and hearing her siblings nearby. She may have adjustments to make in her new home because of this. Another factor in labradoodle puppy care is that their little tummies often get upset over the first couple of weeks in their new homes. To help her adjust to your home atmosphere and sleeping during the night, keep her crate in your bedroom at night. Keeping your hand down by the wire door is comforting to her. Responding to her cries with talking or tapping encourages your puppy to cry and whine more. Tapping on the crate lightly is ok, but not in response to her noise making. Another thing to think about with regard to labradoodle puppy care is if your puppy starts to wet her crate, you need to first check and see if her crate is too big. Generally, dogs do not relieve themselves in their sleeping places. If so, either use a smaller crate or block part off with a box. If her crate seems the right size, you may need to take out anything like blankets or soft materials. When your puppy has successfully kept her crate dry for a couple of weeks, try putting the bedding back in. Feeding Your Puppy At first, your puppy will need to be fed 3 times a day. Once they have adjusted, offer food to them all day so they learn not to gorge at meal time, and always make sure your puppy has clean, fresh water available to her. Feed your puppy in a quiet place, free from distractions. Put a good amount of food in her bowl and let her eat as much as she would like. After about 20 minutes or so, remove the food. Repeat this morning, mid-day and evening. It helps keep teeth and gums in better shape than wet food does. DO NOT feed your puppy people food. Your food does not provide the nutrition that your puppy needs. She will choose to have the people food and not eat her own. Feed your dog people food and you will have one unhealthy puppy. Just make sure you choose high quality dog treats with some nutrition. At Golden Xpress Labradoodles we give our dogs and puppies different kinds of treats: dog biscuits, dog turkey or chicken jerky. The jerky is good for a training aid around the house — to teach the puppy to come or to sit, or down. They are very intelligent and very willing to learn, and this makes them easier to train. Just remember that they are puppies so be patient. Lots of Loves Above all labradoodle puppy care requires lots of love. Make sure you pet her and hold her so she knows she belongs to your family. Labradoodles are loyal, loving dogs — give your puppy your love and she will return it tenfold. Labradoodle puppy care is something we can help you with! SCL has been breeding and raising Labradoodles since .Our opinion is that puppies should be raised with the sights and sounds of a typical home from day one, since it is typical homes our puppies go to. They should be exposed to as many varied sights and sounds as possible. Our puppies are born in our bedroom. A quiet and safe environment for mama to feel secure in is extremely important. A stressed mama releases stress hormones and her milk is affected, which affects babies. The stress hormones pour through the milk to babies resulting in higher stressed dogs as they mature. It is amazing how stress can negatively impact the development of puppies in so many different ways. We do not allow other dogs into the room, or other people into the room. A mama feeling a threat will quickly jump up and can unintentionally step on and harm, or kill, a newborn puppy. All of these reasons and more are why our pups are born away from the traffic of the rest of the house and in a place mama can relax in and feel safe in. We weigh them daily, check their identifying tags, change bedding, clip nails, etc. Just enough handling that they become used to us, but not so much that they are put under negative stress. Once puppies are about weeks old, we move them from our bedroom to our puppy nursery. The sights and sounds puppies are exposed to increase, but we are still able to control the degree of stress to mama and not have her and babies right in the middle of where people are coming and going through the main part of our home. Like most families, we have people in and out all the time, but we do not want mama feeling strangers are a threat, and we do not want visitors feeling they can handle puppies just because they are in the middle of our home. We control the exposure puppies have at this age and introduce them to things carefully. We want every experience to be a positive one. We want our puppies to be safe from disease and bacteria others may bring into our home. Around 4 weeks, they are introduced to a potty box, they begin eating mush, and they have much more people interaction with our family members or friends that have been taught how to properly handle a puppy, so the experience is positive for the puppy. They are exposed to a variety of musical instruments, as we are a musical family. They hear the radio, sometimes a movie on t. We begin introducing little slides and toys and rotate out daily. At about weeks of age, puppies begin being introduced to the great outdoors. We have a wonderful outdoor play yard with artificial turf, play toys, wading pools, and a variety of toys. Pups experience all sorts of new textures under foot, and have room to run and play. They are introduced to crates without doors and quickly learn to love them as a safe place. When weather does not allow for outdoor play, pups have a 12 x 12 indoor play area with much of the same types of toys and structures. During this time their exposure to outdoor things begins. Lawn mowers, goats, horses, cars, cats, chickens, etc. They are taken for walks in a puppy stroller. They visit the vet office. We increase their level of exposure as is positive for them and do everything we can to make sure they are well adjusted, relaxed, happy puppies. In general, we follow a raising and socialization program designed to slowly increase the exposure and stress to puppy as they are able to cope with it in a positive way. Our goal is to provide families with puppies that have had the best start in life that we can possibly give them. Once they leave our care, it is necessary for families to be committed to continuing this positive exposure and socialization. The next few months are just as critical as the first two. Build on the foundation we started and you will end up with one of the most rewarding experiences and relationships with your dog. This video on our YouTube channel visually walks you through all the things you need to prepare for your new puppy. What should you be doing for your puppy once he has joined your family to ensure you are providing the environment necessary to help your puppy be an outstanding companion? At Spring Creek, we are very careful to provide the appropriate socialization and experiences while raising each litter. It is up to every family to continue the careful raising of their puppy during the following critical periods after the puppy has left us. This document is a great resource for understanding what happens as a puppy develops. It is very important to understand that the risk of parvo is much less than the risk of ending up with a puppy with very serious socialization issues that result in families choosing to give up their dogs later or even have them euthanized due to extreme fear and fear aggression issues. A few of the large guide dog organizations have done studies on the risks of parvo versus the risks of poor socialization and found the risk of parvo to be extremely low compared to fear and aggression issues that resulted from well intentioned people keeping their puppies secluded and isolated until vaccinations were completed. We do not encourage keeping your pup isolated, and we DO encourage as much safe socialization as you can find with your puppy in meeting other people and other dogs. That is a wonderful and rewarding experience, but it does require a lot of work as well as require understanding what you need to allow and need to do in order to prevent problems from developing. This includes testing your children. How can you help your puppy and children get along and help your children know what is appropriate handling of a puppy? The info below is invaluable and every family with a child that wants to adopt a puppy should read these pages as well as talk about these things regularly with your children. If you are not supervising your children with your puppy, or if you are not requiring your children to handle puppy appropriately, you are almost certain to have issues develop. He grabs your pants and hangs on while growling. He growls when you try to take something from him. And, you start to wonder if he was the dominant one in the litter. You are sure you are doing everything right and that there is just something wrong with your puppy. ALL puppies growl, nip, and bite. If children are involved in your home, you should not expect a puppy to respect your child, and it will be up to YOU to supervise and make sure you intervene if a puppy growls or nips at your child. Children are not capable of correcting a puppy in an appropriate manner, and if you tell your child to correct puppy, you will likely make the problem worse. Since puppy knows your child does not have the same authority as you do, they will almost certainly react to being corrected by them and growl or nip or bite even more. They see your children as equals and they are treating them as they would another puppy in their litter. Why would you expect anything different from your puppy? He is not a stuffed animal and he does have a mind of his own. Like your teenage child, a juvenile puppy wants to explore their limits and it can be frustrating. Growling and nipping that is part of the normal communication process for a puppy CAN turn into very concerning behaviors if you do not know how to communicate with them properly. How to train properly using rewards and keeping training fun. Understand methods for correcting behavior that will not result in your puppy challenging you further. Always have a calm and confident attitude. If you have read this and are concerned you may not know how to properly deal with normal growling and nipping, then you need to get professional help involved with you and your puppy as soon as puppy is in your home. If you do not, then look for another trainer immediately. Not all are created equal and a trainer who knows what they are doing will absolutely be able to help you train your puppy, identify problems, and know how to resolve them when they come up. We personally highly recommend hiring a behaviorist to help you with training, not just a normal dog trainer. There is a BIG difference between a trainer and a behaviorist and their knowledge is extremely helpful and useful, especially when it comes to working with normal, but problematic behaviors. All foods are not created equal. Many of the ingredients used in dog foods are fillers that have been shown to be the very reason that so many pets are developing diseases that shorten their life span or make their quality of life less than desirable. Do you really want to feed your dog these foods? We have researched dog foods, and have found that there are companies using high quality, holistic ingredients. Foods that are not made with fillers and poor quality ingredients, but foods that will contribute to helping your dog live a long and healthy life. Also, the Dog Food Advisor online reviews dog foods and is an excellent resource to utilize. The cost of a quality food may initially seem high, but remember that you are feeding less than you would if you were purchasing a cheap grocery store food as their system absorbs more of the food and they eat less, which also results in smaller stools. Your dog is a loved family member and deserves to be fed a quality food that will keep him in good health for a very long time. There are a couple of foods on our recommended list for you to consider feeding your puppy. Three brands are available from privately owned local stores as well as can usually be ordered online. All the below foods are from companies that do not have recall histories, have fabulous food reviews from owners and independent dog food review sources, focus on fresh, quality ingredients, and have years of history proving their reliability, safety, and commitment to providing a quality product. We try to keep this list updated with cost breakdown, but prices vary a bit depending on where you purchase, so the prices below may be slightly different than what you find in a storefront or online store as things change constantly. Our preferred quality, all natural puppy food that does NOT contain chicken, beef, fish, wheat, corn, soy, etc. They frequently have intro discounts and if you set up a couple products on auto-ship you get free shipping! Our preferred adult dog food! Does not contain chicken, beef, fish, wheat, corn, soy, etc. When you receive a puppy from us, our recommendation is to continue feeding the food that puppy is accustomed to for at least a couple of weeks. After a few weeks, changing to another food doing a slow transition at least 7 days is completely fine. Please feed a food that does not contain the ingredients below. These are common sources of allergy, digestive, or other health issues for dogs.

We use our own Snowy River Training Program to help our puppies develop into confident and well-behaved companions. We offer a wide range of Labradoodle colors and sizes to choose from, including mini and medium. We are committed to providing the best possible homes for our Labradoodles and will work with you to ensure a smooth adoption process. Bashful Life is better with a Labradoodle by your side! Come and meet Bashful! He is a sweet loving, cuddly boy. Already crate trained and loves to go for walks. Also, loves the water! Come and meet Doc. He loves adventure and would love a home with an active family. Already Crate Trained! Frequently Asked Questions Description for this block. Use this space for describing your block. Any text will do. With decades of experience, we have been breeding the finest Labradoodles and providing families with loving, healthy, and well-socialized puppies. What is the breeding process at Snowy River Doodles? Our breeding program focuses on producing puppies with excellent temperaments, sound health, and beautiful coats. We carefully select our breeding dogs from top-quality lines, ensuring the highest standards in health and temperament. Our puppy has begun potty training and crate training. What does that mean? We use a litter box placed in their pen starting at three weeks of age and gradually make the pen larger as they begin to recognize the potty area. This trains the puppies to potty in one area. When you go home, that area will be outside. At six weeks, they begin spending time outside. At this time, they also start eating at least one meal a day in a crate by themselves and they spend some time in a crate for a few hours during the day. We put an old towel and chew toy in the crate with them. Do you ship? No, we no longer ship puppies. We feel that there are enough labradoodle breeders across the country to find one locally and there is no need to put a puppy through this stressful process. I am willing to meet owners at the Philadelphia or Harrisburg Airport if you wish to fly in and take your puppy back home with you under your seat. Please inquire if you are interested in this. There are additional fees and requirements. Our Labradoodle puppies are raised in a loving home environment where they receive early socialization and basic training. We introduce them to various sounds, surfaces, and experiences to ensure they are well-adjusted and prepared for life with their new families. Can I visit Snowy River Doodles to meet the puppies and their parents? At Snowy River, we prioritize the health and safety of our puppies. Only families with deposits will be able to visit once puppies are 6 weeks old. And meet the parents at that time. His parents are Tally and Huey. Tina was very responsive throughout the adoption process and you can tell she really cares about her dogs and where the puppies go. Eli has a huge personality and is such a sweetheart. Training was pretty easy as he is super smart. He adapted well when we added our daughter in and is very patient with her. We love our Eli so much and he has added so much to our little family. Thank you Tina for the best companion and snuggle buddy. He is smart, funny and still, at 6 years old, very mischievous! He is the second doodle I got from Snowy River Labradoodles. Sadly his brother, Baxter has crossed the rainbow bridge. They have the most wonderful temperament and are just so much fun. Tina does a wonderful job working with the puppies and is such a pleasure to deal with. There has never been and never will be another dog like her! She smiles at us, she stands up and hugs us when we get home, she brings pure happiness to everyone she meets! She is a little more timid when going out in public so pet therapy is not in her future career. She is still the sweetest! She comes around and gives everyone in our family love, not missing anyone. When you arrive home, she always goes and grabs her babies to show you. She knows so many tricks and was so easy to teach! Our year-old daughter taught her sit, roll over, shake, jump through a hula hoop, tell a secret, weave between your legs, high five and even how to push a button to ask for a treat. She likes to put on dog shows for our company! We really did our research before purchasing our first doodle and man did we choose right when we came to you! We sincerely thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Mini Labradoodle vs Mini Sheepadoodle Comparison Two dog breeds, one purpose: to make your life a joy-filled journey powered by strong bonds, friendship, and unconditional love. Meet the Mini Labradoodle and the Mini Sheepadoodle. Two very adorable and friendly dogs with upbeat personalities, the Mini Labradoodle and Mini Sheepadoodle make the perfect addition to any lucky family. Your way of life, hobbies, and work schedule are all important factors that can help determine which of the two dog breeds is a good fit for your lifestyle.Welcoming a new puppy into your home is an exciting time filled with joy, cuddles, and a few inevitable challenges. One of the most common questions new puppy owners ask is, "When can puppies go outside? They are fun, easygoing, and gentle. Mini Labradoodles enjoy canine games like chase, fetch, and Frisbee, and thrive on cuddles and love. Energetic, friendly, and full of life, the Mini Labradoodles make wonderful jogging and hiking companions. They are known to enjoy a good swim, a long stroll, and are very fond of adventures. The Mini Labradoodle puppies are happy, energetic, and bright bundles of joy. They are loving and eager to please, love to play and cuddle, and are excellent training students. A cross between Labrador Retrievers and Mini or Toy Poodles, the Mini Labradoodle may take after one parent breed or the other in appearance or they may have their own unique look with an added bonus of a hypoallergenic coat. We raise high-quality Mini Labradoodles as well as a few other breeds. We also have partnered up with several other reputable breeders that raise mini labradoodle pups that meet our strict genetic criteria and testing. So we usually have a good selection of very high-quality puppies. View Our Available Puppies! F1B Mini Labradoodle Puppies are a second-generation cross or hybrid. The father is a Mini Poodle and the mother is an F1 Labradoodle. The F1B Minature Labradoodles usually have soft hair that is usually wavy or curly. Thes puppies are considered semi-hypoallergenic since they shed minimally. These puppies can be a good fit if a person that has mild pet allergies. Once F1B Mini Labradoodles reach 6 months old they require to be groomed once every 8 weeks or so to keep their fur healthy and to stop matting. Adult F1B Mini labradoodle dogs range in size from 14 inches in height and pounds in weight. The average life span is typically years of age. The F1BB puppies usually have curlier coats and will be totally hypoallergenic. Once the F1BB pup is 6 months they will need regular grooming every 6 to 8 weeks. F1BB Puppies are usually slightly smaller than F1B puppies and range from 12 inches in height and pounds in weight. Mini Labradoodles are known for their intelligence and the ability to be trained very easily. They make amazing family pets and love to participate in family activities like swimming, hiking, camping or just playing tag in the yard. This breed is also a good choice for people who live in apartments as long as they get at least minutes of exercise a day. So if you live near Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and are looking for a healthy and beautiful Mini Labradoodle puppy that can be delivered to you then check out our available pups now by Clicking Here. Below are some Mini Labradoodle pups that have been adopted. His breeding program focuses on improving the health and well-being of the breed by selecting breedable parents with the best traits to produce healthy, multi-generational Labradoodle puppies. He also begins crate training each puppy at five weeks. In addition to getting microchipped, socialized, vaccinated, and dewormed, each puppy goes home with ALAA registration and a two-year health guarantee. Limited Litter Availability Ethical breeders usually limit the number of litters their breedable Labradoodle mothers produce each year to ensure that each puppy gets equal attention as their littermates. This protocol lets the mothers get months of rest before producing their next litter or retiring. Limited litter production also applies to breeders who specialize in breeding other designers Doodles. Health Prioritization Reputable breeders offering Labradoodle puppies for sale in PA should get their dogs tested for several hereditary health issues to avoid producing litters with potentially unhealthy puppies. Although Labradoodles are a generally hardy dog breed, they can become susceptible to eye, hip, elbow, knee, and cardiac diseases. Experience with the Breed The best Labradoodle breeders should have extensive knowledge and experience working with the breed they can relay to first-time owners with countless questions. The time it takes to bring your puppy home after filling out an application can vary depending on where you look. I was very lucky in that my breeder had a litter of puppies available at the time I was looking for one. In fact, I spotted an advert for puppies on Facebook, and I was able to go and view them right away. At the time, the pups were only four weeks old, so I did have to wait for four weeks until they were old enough to leave their mother and had received their first vaccinations. That time gave me a chance to buy everything I needed for the new arrival and to puppy-proof as best I could my home and garden. Your life will suddenly get a whole lot busier once your furbaby lands! We made a list of ethical breeders from nearby states, which you can try:. Puppy Breeds The Labradoodle is a hybrid breed of dog derived from breeding a Labrador Retriever and a poodle. At their best, Labradoodles are intelligent, friendly, and affectionate. They come in three sizes: miniature weighing 15 to 30 pounds , medium 30 to 45 pounds , and standard 45 to more than pounds. Because they are a crossbreed their traits are not fixed, so there is no guarantee that the Labradoodle puppy you purchase will fall into the desired weight range. Labradoodles have a moderate activity level. Larger Labradoodles may be more active than their smaller kin. They need a good walk or active playtime each day, and, if youre interested and the dog's overall health is good enough , they are athletic enough to participate in such dog sports as agility, flyball, obedience, and rally. They can also be excellent therapy dogs. Both of the breeds used to create Labradoodles tend to be smart and learn quickly. If you begin socialization and training early and use positive reinforcement techniques such as praise, play, and food rewards, you will be rewarded with a wonderful companion. Their large size gives them the sturdiness to withstand roughhousing with little children. Their endearing temperament makes them the perfect addition to any family. They are also a very hearty dog, being a hybrid. They can live for years on average. Poodles have a reputation for being hypoallergenic, meaning that they can be tolerated by people who have allergies to dogs. Because they have the Poodle in their heritage, Labradoodles are sometimes promoted as being hypoallergenic. But allergies are not caused by a particular dog coat type but by dander. Some people with mild allergies react less severely to particular dogs like the Labradoodle. Do you think a Labradoodle puppy might be right for you and your family? Check out our available puppies page to see our precious Labradoodles for sale! Name Required.

My story started here. My best friend, my constant companion, everywhere I went, she went with me. She protected me, helped teach me about life, and was my Best friend for 16 years. My inspiration. I'm Robin.I breed long coated German shepherds. My dogs are from European countries with outstanding lines. I breed for temperaments, beautiful red and black color, quality not quantity. I am a small hobby breeder, breeding with attention to detail. My dogs live with me in my home, not outside in kennels. They are a part of our family. Feel free to visit our Ranch in Pennsylvania to see for yourself. SG1 Baldrsens Tequila is beautiful, graceful,and with great confirmation in show lines. Tequila is very protective of her family. Excellent Mother! They say the eyes are the mirror to the soul. Our Bobbie is protective of her family, a joy to be around and one of the prettiest long coat Black German shepherds I ever had the pleasure to own and love. Eve has Good Hips and Elbows, Dm test score is "A" Eve has matured into a very stunning female, highly intelligent, and is high drive with a willingness to learn. We are a small hobby breeder of West Showline German Shepherds with only a few litters a year. Our dogs are part of our family, share our home, and travel with us. We are located in Halifax, PA about 30 minutes north east of Harrisburg. I was impressed with their working ability and superior intelligence along with a loving demeanor that was absolutely unmatched. As I was learning more about the breed and looking for my perfect addition to my family, I saw the Long Coats for the first time and fell in love. Our dogs have brought pure joy and happiness into our home and it is our goal to bring the same joy and happiness into yours! They have sound temperaments, are very intelligent, easy to train, loyal, and protective. Everyone is encouraged to stop in for a visit of our home, meet our family, and see our GSD's. It is our goal to produce top quality German Shepherds with a stunning black and deep red coat with loving personalities, outstanding character, and family protection in one perfect package. Integrity is Very important with us, you will Never feel pressured into getting a Puppy, we are very honest and direct with our process and time table when we will have Puppies available. All the Information Posted about our Dogs can be verified through Documentation. Our Pictures are Never Altered or adjusted to mislead you into thinking our dogs are better than they are, and to be Honest we do not need too : The day you pickup your Bergerhaus puppy you will be invited into a Secret Facebook page called Bergerhaus Puppy Club if you so choose to accept here you can interact with others Bergerhaus puppy owners, watch littermates of your baby grow, become friends with other puppy owners, and ask advise from everyone in the group! Life Span Did You Know? The German Shepherd is one of the most versatile, well-recognized, and popular dog breeds in the world. The modern German Shepherd is descended from a family of various German herding dogs. Breed standards were not developed until the late 19th century when Captain Max von Stephanitz, a German cavalry officer, worked with Arthur Meyer and other breeders to develop the ideal German herding dog. Stephanitz and Meyer wrote the breed standard in and the American Kennel Club recognized the German Shepherd as a member of the Herding Group in .Although they were originally bred as herding dogs, they were also bred for versatility, which made the German Shepherd an all-around working dog that could excel in a variety of applications. German Shepherds are one of the common dog breeds employed in K-9 units in both police and military applications. They also make great service dogs and, of course, are still awesome herding dogs and farm dogs! The German Shepherd is a strong-willed and highly intelligent dog. They have a playful, energetic spirit and tend to get along with children, other dogs, and other pets, which makes them a great family companion. A born protector, the German Shepherd will provide a great sense of security for their family while their loving and lively personality will make them fit right in as a companion. German Shepherds are naturally protective and can be wary of strangers at first. A well-socialized German Shepherd will bark to alert you and tends to warm up to strangers once introduced. German Shepherds are dogs that were bred to herd and work. This, plus their high energy, makes them a better fit for homes with fenced yards where they can run. They can adapt well to larger apartments as long as plenty of time is dedicated to ensuring they get enough exercise, mental stimulation, and attention every day. A bored, ignored, or under-exercised German Shepherd can often become a destructive one. They also can be sensitive to their surroundings and large gatherings can be off-putting. With a longer coat, they tend to prefer cooler climates and are sensitive to heat. The German Shepherd is a generally healthy breed, but there are some potential health concerns and good breeding practices make a big difference. Potential health concerns to be aware of in a German Shepherd include hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia , and degenerative myelopathy. Reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing preventable issues to puppies. So, make sure you are asking about the health and genetic history of both parents. You can also ask about any health tests or clearances that have been done. As a barrel-chested breed, the German Shepherd is also at risk for bloat. While the German Shepherd is highly intelligent and highly trainable, they are generally not recommended for novice owners. If you are a novice dog owner, enroll in puppy training classes or enlist the help of a professional dog trainer; not just for your dog, but for yourself as well. Training assistance will help you grow in experience and build a strong bond between you and your German Shepherd puppy, which is essential. Also, the GSD has a thirst for training and fulfillment. They get bored easily and especially with repetition, so continued training with your German Shepherd throughout their life will be necessary. German Shepherds have a medium-to-long double coat. They will shed year-round and heavier as seasons change. Brushing a few times a week is usually sufficient; brushing daily is even better and your GSD will likely love you for it. Bathing is occasional on an as-needed basis. Ear checks weekly with careful cleanings as needed can help prevent ear infections. German Shepherds are high-energy working dogs. Not only do they require a lot of daily activity, but they also are a herding breed that was made to run, guard, and observe, so they need a job to do to be happy and healthy. Daily walks plus playtime, time to run, and other activities are usually enough for a GSD, but they will likely be up for more activity if you are. With their versatility and athleticism, you can try a lot of different activities when puppies finish growing and they are cleared for higher-impact things. A fully-grown German Shepherd usually stands inches tall and weighs pounds. German Shepherds generally live for years on average. Corporal Duncan brought him back to the United States and Rin-Tin-Tin became one of the most famous dog actors in history. Featured German Shepherd Article.

Life Span Did You Know? The Boxer is one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States. It has been recognized by the AKC since .Although the Boxer dog breed originated in Germany, their ancient ancestry can be traced back to the Assyrian empire war dogs of BC. The modern Boxer breed we know and love today was originally developed in Germany in the late s. English-bred Bulldogs and the Bullenbesiier were crossed to create an energetic and agile hunting dog to chase wild game. The Boxer is a popular family companion and a versatile working dog. As a member of the Working Group, Boxers can be found competing in dog sports like agility, obedience, and herding. They also make great service and assistance dogs, as well as therapy dogs, and can be found working as search and rescue dogs, drug detection dogs, police dogs, and military dogs. The Boxer is a muscular and energetic dog that tends to have a happy, friendly disposition. They bond closely with their families and tend to get along well with children and other dogs. They can even do well with other pets despite their high prey drive if they are socialized and trained with them. As long as they are well-socialized, Boxers are generally upbeat, playful, and friendly. Although they have a natural instinct to protect their family from unwanted visitors, they do tend to warm up once introduced and are happy to make a new friend. They can be prone to barking a lot if you do not work on socialization and training your dog to stop barking early on. Boxers can be highly adaptable dogs. Although they have a lot of energy and are better suited to homes with yards where they can run, they can adapt to apartment living as long as they get the daily exercise, attention, and mental stimulation they need. As with any non-arctic dog breed, they are sensitive to very cold temperatures. Boxers are also a brachycephalic breed, which means they are even more sensitive to heat than other dogs. A Boxer is also one of the most affectionate dog breeds. Because they bond so closely with their families and get bored easily, they should not be left alone for long periods of time. Potential health conditions to be aware of in a Boxer include hip dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy, thyroid issues , and heart conditions like aortic stenosis and cardiomyopathy. Good breeding practices make a big difference and reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing preventable issues to puppies. So, make sure you are asking the breeder about the health and genetic history of the parents and about any health tests that have been done. Boxers are intelligent dogs that are eager to please their owners. Despite their energetic personality, they are one of the best dog breeds for first-time owners and are highly trainable dogs. They tend to excel at almost any task put before them! Because of their open, friendly nature and high energy, they have a tendency to jump up at people in excitement and playfulness. Since they grow into powerful dogs, you will want to make sure you train your dog not to jump up. Boxers have smooth and short coats that will shed a little year-round and require minimal grooming. A brush-down once or twice a week and the occasional bath as needed will keep their short coat healthy and looking great. Nail trims once or twice a month are usually enough to keep nails from growing too long. Checking ears weekly and carefully cleaning as needed can help prevent ear infections. Checking and wiping their facial wrinkles weekly or a few times a week if your dog is prone to getting into things can help keep their wrinkles clean and free of irritation. Dental diseases, like gum disease, are the most common health issues in older dogs because dental care is often overlooked; and, it can lead to other serious health issues. Brushing daily, plus cleanings at the vet when needed, is ideal. The Boxer is a high-energy dog breed that needs plenty of daily exercise to stay happy and healthy. Due to their high prey drive and urge to chase, they should only be let off-leash in secure areas. Boxers tend to get bored with repetition, are excellent problem solvers, and are naturally exuberant. A fully-grown Boxer usually stands inches tall at the shoulder and weighs pounds. Boxers generally live years on average. In Germany, the Boxer was one of the first dog breeds chosen for police training. Featured Boxer Article. Look no further! We have a network of trusted breeders who ensure that our puppies are healthy, happy, and ready to be your new furry best friend. What are Boxer puppies? Boxer puppies trace their origin to 19th-century Germany, where they were developed as versatile working dogs. Around the mids, German breeders aimed to create a loyal and courageous dog capable of performing various tasks. They crossed Bullenbeissers with Bulldogs and selected for traits like strength, intelligence, and agility. The result was the Boxer we know today. Boxers quickly gained popularity as police and military dogs due to their loyalty, trainability, and protective instincts. They were officially recognized by the American Kennel Club AKC in , solidifying their status as a distinct breed. Over time, Boxers transitioned from working roles to beloved companions and show dogs. Their friendly demeanor, boundless energy, and affectionate nature make them cherished family pets worldwide. The origin of Boxer puppies is a testament to the careful breeding and selection that have crafted a breed known for its remarkable combination of strength, intelligence, and affection. Temperament of Boxers Boxers are known for their playful and energetic temperament. They are intelligent dogs that are eager to please and love to learn new things. Boxers are loyal and protective of their family, making them great watchdogs. They are also affectionate and make great companions for children and adults alike. With proper training and socialization, Boxers make great family pets. We offer a vast selection of healthy and happy Boxer puppies that will make excellent family pets. With our commitment to quality and affordability, we make it easy for you to find your new furry best friend. About Vincent Hello! Are you looking for a lifelong companion? Look no further. I am here and just perfect for you. Trust me! I am very loyal, and I can make you smile with just the way I wag my tail. I have a wonderful disposition. Oh, silly me! Well, choose me today!