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Tom Thorpe Blog Does your golden retriever snarling or growling? Golden retrievers are considered affectionate and slow to anger but if your golden retriever is snarling or growling, there may be reasons that something made your furry friend do that. That said, why does your golden retriever snarling or growling? These are just some of the few, but we will further look into this behavior further as we move along. This is the main reason why they are an excellent fit for being the best family dogs on the planet. These dogs are active dogs. So they enjoy more with a lot of physical and mental activities, not to mention strenuous activities. Also, they are adaptable to almost all lifestyles. However, if they are not properly trained and not properly socialized while they were puppies, their behavior might not be what the majority of the people think. Instead, like any other canine breeds who were not trained properly, they might become aggressive and will not be as cheerful, happy, affectionate, as they seem to be. On the other hand, below are the common characteristics that golden retrievers possess. With full of vim and vigor, they can even outmatch the energy level of their pet owners. Their energy is obvious especially when they are starting to explore and try something out of their mouth be it food or your pieces of furniture. If you have raised a golden retriever puppy before, you very well know what it feels like to raise those pooches. However, when adulthood strike in their life, their behavior will change over time, although they will are still an active dog not compares to when they were still young. Adult golden retrievers have usually a calm demeanor, slow to anger, and really act mature. Their temperament changes and will prefer more nap time than outdoor activities every now and then. Prioritize Outdoor Exercise and Mental Stimulation Because they are highly energetic dogs, they needed some release of their excess energy by way of exercising and providing them mental stimulation. Golden retrievers originally bred and raised as hunters of waterfowls and known to retrieve the birds shot by the hunters. They also have a large amount of energy. That said, they are fourth on the list according to Dr. Golden puppies are easy to train from basic obedience training to complex training such as tricks, fetching, and even for service dogs. Because of their nature being bred as hunting dogs back in the old days. Especially, for persons with disabilities. Moreover, they are also perfect as service dogs be it search and rescue and even sniffing dogs. They are Friendly Towards Other Animals Goldens really get along with other pets and animals, be it rabbits, cats, and other dogs. As long as they have been properly trained or at least trained with proper socialization, they are going to treat their fellow creatures with love and affection. In fact, they can be a perfect companion with other breeds. But sometimes they will be dominant to other animals will somehow hurt them due to their medium-sized stature. Although generally golden retrievers are kind to both humans and other pets in your household. This is the reason why your golden retriever is very slow to anger. With that said, golden retriever breeds have a reliable temperament and they will only act inappropriately if something bad happened. Because you are among the examples of being a responsible pet owner. Cuddling is what they want from their master Given that the Golden Retrievers are generally affectionate, they want to cuddle from their master or other family members as if it gives them a reason to live. This kind of character is what makes them the best pillow other than your pillow. They will not be angry if you want to sleep beside them. But are there any behavioral problems that Golden Retrievers have like snarling or growling? So far, we have laid out some of the good characteristics that golden retrievers possess. What makes golden retriever snarling? What makes them act inappropriately? These are just some of the questions that need answers. In order to prevent any harsh treatment that your golden retriever snarling, you can just give them just subtle hints of dismay instead of raging towards your golden retriever. So, this might be the factor that causes your golden retriever snarling. Fear Aggression Golden Retrievers are gentle giants and rarely they will turn into aggressive behavior. If, for some instance, they begin to snarl or growl for unknown reasons, there could be an underlying root cause as to why they act differently. One factor to look at is the fear of aggression. Although when golden retrievers feel they are in grave danger or feels threatened by human or other dogs, they likely become unusually quiet. But in the long run, this unusual quietness can turn into violent reactions like snarling or growling. Fear aggression or simply instilling fear in your golden retriever is not a good idea. Why would anyone plant fear in their pet dogs in the first place? But if you do, you are doing harm than good here. They might even bite you instead of snarling at you. Feels Alone The last thing you want to do with your golden retriever is to be left alone. Golden retrievers are better off having proper socialization with other family members and even yourself. Leaving them alone is not in their nature. Hence they are meant to be as companion dogs as their original roots. That said when your golden retriever is being left alone. They might develop an unusual and bad behavior which is anxiety, or worse, they might become aggressive when left alone for too long. Also, being left alone for too long is one of the reasons why your golden retriever is snarling at you. The fact that their mental health has affected turning into something agitated and irritated. To prevent any mental health issue or snarling at you, let a family babysit your golden retriever if ever you are going out for long hours. It Could be From Pain Some simple explanation why your golden retriever is snarling is because of the pain induced by injury. If the snarling is due to physical pain such as limping, your golden retriever is badly hurt. Much better to bring your golden retriever to your vet to diagnose the problem and strategize the solution and treatment. Sometimes dogs have defense mechanisms and that includes growling and snarling especially when potential danger arises. Some of these aspects are caused by moving on into a new location where your pet is unfamiliar with the place. So, if ever your dog is feeling anxious and something irregular is going n with his behavior, be sure to attend to his needs. Dominating nature Some of the reasons why your golden retriever is snarling is due to their dominant behavior. That said, they may snarl or growl at the trainer. Always give your golden retriever positive reinforcement just to ease the training progress. Dog treats are the best companion in order for your golden retriever to train easily. That said, this will make him comfortable and his attitude will gradually change from being aggressive to calm. But it will take time for them to become a responsible pooch. Fix any pain As previously mentioned above, one of the causes why your golden retriever is snarling is because of the pain she is suffering. The best thing you can do is to immediately take your pooch to the vet just to rule out any possibility of being injured. The point being is, most golden retrievers will only act inappropriately if something bad happens to them. Given the fact that golden retrievers act appropriately and also because they are known for being gentle creatures. Dogs can also be stressed out by certain people that they consider a danger to their possessions. So while they may be fine with you handling and cleaning their toys, they may not be okay with someone else doing the same. Signs of possessive growls: Possessive growls are low-level growls accompanied by lifting the upper lip. If you get too close the dog will start barking and may snap and lunge at you. You can also check out my post on why dogs parade their toys to learn a bit more. Aggression While goldens are not usually aggressive, they certainly can be in certain situations, and growling can be a warning sign that the dog is going to be aggressive. You can learn how to deal with an aggressive golden retriever here in full detail, but what you need to do regarding growling is that goldens become aggressive only when under extreme stress. This stress can be caused by anything really, even staying alone for too long can cause them to get stressed and eventually aggressive. Signs of Aggressive growls: Aggressive growls are deeper and more elongated and drawn out, and they get higher in pitch as you get closer to the dog. Pain growls are easier to recognize because they are only triggered when the dog feels the pain; so for example if their paws were hurt while running, they may only growl when they step on the injured paws. They may also growl only when certain parts of their body is touched. Your dog could also growl at you to let you know that they are hurting. Signs of pain growls: Pain growls are often accompanied by other signs of injuries or illnesses such as a decline in appetite, recent weight loss, hair loss, biting or licking specific areas of their bodies, changes in mood or sleep schedules, or a sudden drop in activity levels. If you notice any of these signs, you should take them to the vet quickly. Fear Your dog could be growling because they are afraid. They could be afraid of certain people, certain actions, certain places, or any other triggers of fear. Dogs commonly growl in situations that are strange, unfamiliar, or overwhelming to them such as during thunderstorms or fireworks. If your dog is fear growling, the solution would be to use counter condition the dog to desensitize them on whatever they are afraid of. The dog could also be fearful of mundane things as it brings back bad memories — which is not uncommon with rescue dogs that suffered a life with an abuser before they were adopted. Signs of fearful growls: Fearful growls are often accompanied by other signs of fear such as cowering, shaking, drooling, heavy panting, or barking. Beware that a fearful dog can be a dangerous dog and they could bite. You can learn more about why and when golden retrievers bite here. Territorial All dogs can be territorial to some extent, some more so than others. For example, your dog may have a spot inside the house that they consider is theirs and may not be okay with the other pets in this spot. You can learn more about how to help your dog get along with other pets in the house here. Signs of Territorial Growls: Territorial growls are similar to aggressive growls in tone and pitch but they tend to be slightly lower pitched. It gets louder as the person gets deeper in the territory and may quickly turn into barking and aggression soon after. You may notice your dog standing behind the fence and growling. This what frustrated growls mean. They can happen in different situations when they dog is feeling frustrated for an unnecessary reason. Signs of Frustrated growls: Frustrated growls often have a lower-pitch to them and they sound a bit sadder to the human ear. They can turn into barking, whining, or howling depending on how the situation develops. Happiness Dogs can also growl when they are very excited, and these happy growls are the most common when dogs are playing together a bit rougher than usual-such as in an intense game of tug war. This is not a destructive behavior, even though it may look like it, the dog is just too excited. Signs of happy growls: Happy growls are short, quick, and repeated in a fast pace. Happy growls are often accompanied by other signs of happiness or playfulness such as tail-wagging, displaying the play bow where they raise their put in the air and stretch their front legs, happy smiles, and other happy noises. You can learn how to identify the types of golden retriever smiles here. Because it works Dogs repeat behaviors when they work. If they have growled once to get your attention and it worked, they will simply repeat it. If they growled to get you to spend time with them, they will repeat it. You must first determine the cause for the growling. Here are a few ideas on how to deal with the issues that are causing your dog to growl: Possessiveness Growls: You can work on training your dog to not be possessive and even exchange their items. Repeat this, but every time, come a bit closer to them. Fear Growls: You should work on desensitizing your dog towards what scares them. You can do that by exposing them to a tiny version of this element and then gradually increase the dose. Here is how you can desensitize them in a simple way: You can start by playing fireworks on your phone on a lower volume and comfort your dog while they work. Keep reassuring them at every step and rewarding them for staying calm. This process may take days, weeks, or months. If your dog seems to be afraid of everything, desensitization may not work best. You can learn why your golden retriever is afraid of everything here and learn what you should do. I tried to break down the steps as simply as possible so that anyone can follow them on their own, but if you think you need professional help, please get it. Some behavioral problems are too deep to fix on your own and may need a dog trainer or a behaviorist to fix them. As you can see, these examples focus on solving the root problem and not the growling itself. They are the only warning signs that the dog can give. When dogs are taught to suppress their growls, their aggression may come as a surprise. This is why you sometimes hear about dogs that bite without giving any warning — because they were taught to not give warnings when their growling was suppressed. The second mistake is confrontation. The explanation for this last part is that women tend to be more empathetic and sensitive to the emotions of others than men, which is why women generally do better in emotion recognition studies. Traces of a higher pitch in the growl is a sign of fear. Shorter growls that are in a sequence are non-threatening and playful. If you liked the article, you can share it using the share and pin buttons at the end of the post. Yes, it is normal for golden retriever puppies to growl when they are in pain, afraid, or trying to protect their food, favorite possessions, their humans, or their territory. You should not try to suppress the growls, especially at this young age, and instead try to solve the root cause of the growls. Are Golden retrievers Stubborn? No, Golden Retrievers are not stubborn, they are obedient dogs that love pleasing their owners, and a well-trained and well-socialized golden retriever is rarely stubborn. Helpful Resources. A golden retriever growling may show aggressive signs due to a number of reasons. If your dog too is showing such signs, the first thing for you to do is to take him for a complete checkup. There may be some physical problem behind his growling habits. Before reaching out for any solution, consider the age of your dog. Your dog might just be entering canine adolescence. This is the age when dog starts showing his dominant behavior. Female dogs, at this age start noticing that adult dogs have started reacting differently towards her. These are visible but subtle signs that many people miss upon. Your dog may start wagging his tail when growling. You need to know that wagging tail shows nervousness apart from happiness; so you have to be careful enough. For dogs, everyone around them; be it people or other dogs, are part of a pack. According to them, everyone in the pack has a rank. If you are able to outrank the other dogs, your Golden retriever dog will consider you superior. You can learn to be on that top position by reading books and getting more knowledge about dog behavior. You can also join an obedience class to know more about your dog and his instincts. Golden retrievers have a lot of energy and they like to be lively. If you have children at home, you will find these dogs to be friendly and fun to play with. The cute behavior of these dogs remains till the time they are puppies. After they grow up, the need to be trained well so that they do not turn aggressive and learn to obey their masters. The habits you allow them to develop will make a change in their overall behavior. It will be hard for a dog to change its habits but if you start training him early, his behavior can be changed to good. Golden retriever puppies tend to chew things. As they grow up, they tend to chew on to other things as well. If you try to get things out of their mouth, they may start growling. The golden retriever growling nature can even become more aggressive if you force him more. You can teach him not to growl and chew onto things. Praise him when he chews the right thing and remove the things from his mouth carefully when he is chewing something he should not. Your dogs should also understand that you can take his food bowl or toys. He will thus not growl on you when you touch either of them. Golden retriever growling training should also be given to dogs as they play and bark. You might understand that the dog growls playfully but a visitor can easily get frightened by it. It will be wise if you give them proper training to not make such noises. Are Golden Retrievers Aggressive? The Honest Truth Posted on April 5, by Galen Kauffman Share: Golden Retriever owners will most times be highly indignant if you dare to suggest that their Goldens have even an iota of aggression in them. They will be quick to tell you that dog experts will even use this big golden, friendly dog as an example breed when looking to confirm what a calm, amicable dog is. And the puppies? Are golden Retrievers aggressive as puppies? Not at all. Alright, so as a puppy it is only natural that he will nip and bite your hand as he is teething. He has the cutest little growl too. However, not training your puppy and not taking him along to socialization classes can allow this puppy habit to develop into something serious. Is Aggression Common in Golden Retrievers? Are Golden Retrievers aggressive? Only very seldom. Calm and laid back as your Golden Retriever is, there are going to be times when your golden doggo may be aggressive. They are loving, playful, calm, friendly, smiling, amiable dogs. Are male Golden Retrievers aggressive more often than females? Not really. As mentioned, these dogs are rarely aggressive, but it is more likely that the male Golden Retriever will be more aggressive than the female. Aggression in Golden Retrievers nearly always comes from poor breeding, bad dog owners, inadequate training, and lack of socialization. You can also add in abuse, neglect, and cruelty. Golden Retrievers are known as control groups for aggression A control group is a standard to which comparisons are made in a dog aggression experiment. There is a control group and an experimental group. The inclusion of a control group helps the researcher to make conclusions from the study. It is only with a control group that a researcher can determine whether a treatment can have an effect on an experimental group. In the study, golden retrievers were tested and used as a control group. Seventy Golden Retrievers were tested in the temperament test. Levels of escalation in aggressive behavior were scored. A total of .Goldens are not typically aggressive Most Golden Retriever owners are familiar with the good-natured temperaments of their Goldens, and they would consider an aggressive Golden Retriever to be an unheard-of thing. Dogs are like kids and the Golden is just a big loving child wanting to please you. And rightly so. Nobody in their right mind would want an aggressive Golden Retriever around their small children. Nonetheless, even though the chances are almost nil that your Golden has any aggression in him, there are one or two factors that can cause aggression in Golden Retrievers, and with good reason, and we look at some of them below. Fear Fear causes any dog faced with a threat to defend itself by biting. Veterinary behavior specialists tell us that fear-related aggression is just that — it is used as self-defense. It may well be out of sheer desperation that a cornered dog bites when it anticipates a threat. A Golden Retriever that has been regularly smacked learns to generalize — believing that every human hand wants to strike him. He goes into self-protection mode by biting the hand that reaches out to him. Fear is also instilled in a dog such as the Golden Retriever when an owner uses harsh, cruel punishment-based training methods. Harsh behavior increases aggression but also anxiety. Danger Dogs act in unusual ways when they sense danger. Can Golden Retrievers be aggressive in the face of danger? This abuse can take different forms. Goldens who have suffered from emotional and physical abuse can respond to anyone with aggression. He will in all likelihood be scared, agitated, and aggressive. Socializing your Golden Retriever will prepare him for a broad range of situations so that he is able to interact with various animals, people, and situations. It teaches him to react to the world out there in a calm way without fear and aggression. Illness Aggression in a Golden Retriever can have a medical cause. Just like the human child gets whiney, cranky, and aggressive when ill and with a bad headache, our canine friends do as well. Medically-induced aggression in a Golden Retriever can result in warning signs of growling, baring teeth, and general aggression. Brain inflammation occurs in conditions such as rabies and encephalitis. The aggression in this instance is most times a neurological reaction to the effect of the inflammation on the brain. Low thyroid levels affect mood and thyroid therapy can relieve aggression in dogs with hypothyroidism. Dogs are like humans in some ways and if they have woken up feeling under the weather, they may respond by showing signs of aggression. Injury There are many causes of aggression in dogs and injury is a common cause of canine aggression. Your Golden Retriever is nearly always a well-behaved dog, so if he suddenly shows signs of aggression, you just know there is something unusual up with him. If you find him acting out of character and wanting to nip you, get him to the vet as soon as possible for a thorough examination. He could have chewed on something that has caused injury to the teeth or even lodged somewhere, causing injury and pain inside the mouth. Irresponsible Breeding Canine aggression always poses concerns. Aggression in dogs is researched by people wanting to understand breed differences. Research always reveals that the Golden Retriever is a calm, good-natured golden beauty with hardly an aggressive bone inside him. But what about irresponsible breeding? A dog can suffer from all kinds of complications in pregnancy and when ignored because of the costs it can be tragic and heartbreaking. A responsible Golden Retriever breeder is one who knows the breed well and who has health clearances to show that both parents are free of genetic disorders. They follow the AKC breed guidelines for health testing. The test includes hips, elbows, thyroid tests, hearing tests, DNA testing, and heart tests. Also before breeding, dog parents need additional tests for Brucellosis testing and both dogs need to be up to date with all their vaccinations. Their characteristics, their bad attitude, their lack of affection, their lack of concern, and their troublesome lifestyle all cause aggression in Golden Retrievers. Signs of Aggression in Golden Retrievers Golden Retrievers are sometimes like other dogs in showing their aggression and they will growl and bark while simultaneously becoming hyperactive. Their floppy ears are raised, the feathered tail is raised and stiff and their hackles are raised. If your Golden has turned into a bit of a biter, snapper, and growler, there has to be a good reason. So how does one stop aggression in Golden Retrievers? Socializing Ensure that your Golden Retriever puppy stays with his mother until he is 8 weeks of age. Just like young kids have to be disciplined in order for them to display appropriate behavior, your puppy Golden will need to be trained and socialized. Check out with your local vet where the best puppy socialization classes are. Choosing a Good Breeder By the time your Golden Retriever puppy is 8 weeks old, he is ready to go to his new home. The way he has developed so far will be dependent on how the breeder has raised him and his siblings. Puppies kept in an unloving, cold, hostile environment will have aggressive tendencies later on and not be able to function properly in your household. Choose a good breeder very carefully. Are you wanting to buy the cutest, most beautiful, friendliest, balanced, loving, non-aggressive Golden Retriever puppy? My Golden Retriever Puppies has just what you want, after all, they are the trusted source for responsibly-raised Golden Retriever Puppies in Ohio. Know your breeder and find yourself a healthy, lively, happy, amicable Golden who has been raised with love and care and dying to shower you with Golden Retriever kisses. Training Although it is difficult to find one iota of aggression in a Golden Retriever, any kind of aggressive behavior can be avoided with proper training. Apart from early socialization, you can train your dog firmly, fairly, and consistently. You could also allow a reputable professional dog behaviorist or trainer to train your Golden to mix with other people and dogs without showing aggressive tendencies. Positive reinforcement training is great when a tasty treat is given as a reward for the desired behavior. Never confuse your dog, and make sure that everyone in the family uses the same signs and commands that he is familiar with. Exercise If you want to avoid aggression in your Golden Retriever, exercise him. Dog aggression is a concern for any dog owner and even your mild, calm Golden can begin to feel the stirrings of aggression when he is never exercised. The Golden Retriever is a large dog and he is also a sporting breed. Your Golden will need a consistent workout every day for at least 20 minutes at a time. Hitting a ball for him with a tennis racquet can be an excellent running exercise for him. You have to be patient with him and show him kindness, gentleness, and fairness when training him. Conclusion Are Golden Retrievers aggressive? They can be, but only under certain circumstances. It is things such as improper breeding, abuse, and fear from humans that put aggression into any dog. Know your Golden and get him to the vet if you suspect uncharacteristic aggression which could be brought on by pain or illness. You can easily find one by checking out our puppies here! All our puppies are raised by our own group of small, independent breeders who lovingly care for and socialize with each of them daily so they grow up happy. We even take all the extra steps to provide the best healthcare for them. Galen has been connecting quality Golden Retriever breeders with loving families since and is the founder of My Golden Retriever Puppies. He and his wife have four children and love spending time together, traveling lived oversees for 4 years , enjoying the outdoors and connecting Golden families. Be the first to know when we have new puppies! All Rights Reserved. Print Retrievers, for the most part, make great family dogs. They are also smart, so they learn quickly and their strong willingness to please often makes retrievers a great addition to the family. But some retriever puppies are a high-energy ball of fire, one that is difficult to train or even handle in daily life. And sometimes there will be signs of aggressive behavior that are concerning. However, there is a fine line between puppy play behavior and hyper and aggressive behavior. Some owners are reluctant to stop such behavior thinking that it is just puppy behavior and therefore the dog will outgrow it. If you have a retriever puppy that is hyper or aggressive you might wonder what can be done and why they are acting that way. Here is some guidance on this topic. What are normal puppy behaviors? It is normal for very young puppies to nip at your hands and your feet. It is also normal for them to chew on things, jump on you and walk all over you. An 8-week-old puppy nipping at your hand might at first seem cute and sweet. But one bite from those exceedingly sharp puppy teeth and you might decide its not so cute. Those teeth can puncture your skin in a second and draw blood just as quickly. So, while it may be normal for a puppy to nip at your hand or foot, it is not a behavior that you want to ignore. Puppy play is naturally aggressive When puppies playing with their litter mates, the play can be very aggressive. This is natural, as dogs, they are always figuring out their pack and where they fit into the pack. Recognizing puppy play You can recognize when a retriever puppy is playing by the stance they take. They also may run around in circles, growling, or barking in high pitched barks, but when they do this their ears will be up, their tail wagging and they do not look threatening. It is uncommon for puppies under 12 weeks of age to exhibit true aggression. True aggression involves a dog exhibiting prolonged growling with a stiff posture and baring of teeth. Their hackles the hair on their back will be raised and they will be poised in a threatening position with ears back. If you were to approach a dog in this position which I do not recommend they will often move toward you and try to bite or snap at you. This type of aggression is something to be fearful about and is not healthy. Isolate the dog as much as possible and consult a veterinary or other professional for help or advice. What are signs of aggression in puppies All puppies can act aggressively, but if you take steps to address the aggressive behaviors while your dog is a young puppy, you can make a huge difference on how or whether that aggression progresses. These are all forms of aggression and none of them should be tolerated, not as a puppy and certainly not as a dog. There are also dominance behaviors that puppies exhibit that are often mistaken as aggression. They include things like jumping on people, stepping on people, pushing you around, forcing you to pet them and others. While these behaviors can be done aggressively, and should still be corrected immediately, they are not the same as aggression. Definition of puppy Because we often get clients that bring out their dogs that are close to a year old and refer to them as puppies, I want to define what I consider a puppy. A puppy is a dog under six months of age. Most retrievers are a good size by around six months. They will often continue to grow up until about a year and a half, but they have the bulk of their size by the time they are six months. And by six months, you need to have a handle on any aggressive behaviors, or you are going to struggle with eliminating them. Is it normal for a puppy to be very aggressive? It is normal for a puppy to test you with aggressive behaviors. And to be clear, that place should be at the bottom of the pack, under all your family members. I understand that your dog is a part of your family but allowing your dog to be in a position above any or all your family members is just asking for trouble. Treating your dog as a human and attributing your dog with human thoughts and reasoning is not fair to your dog or to your family. Love your dog, but make sure your dog is the lowest member of your pack and you will have a much easier time with obedience and basic good behavior. How to stop puppy growling Growling is often the first step for dog aggression. Or, if you try and take a toy away from your dog. No matter how or when you see the aggression start, it is important to nip it in the bud right away. A sharp NO command sometimes is all that is needed, especially if it is well-timed with the first sign of the growl or nip. Other times you may need to grab your dogs muzzle and squeeze. If these corrections do not seem to be helping, I would immediately crate my dog if it growled at me. Be sure you do not let your dog out of the crate while he is exhibiting a growling behavior. Only let him out if he is behaving appropriately. How to stop puppy nipping or biting A dog that nips or bites you often started as a very young puppy. We teach our puppies at 8-weeks-old that biting and nipping people is not allowed. And at this very young age, they learn it very quickly. Your pup may cry out or squirm, but that is fine. In fact, you need to be quite stern to make an impression. If it continues, you are not being firm or consistent enough. How to stop puppy growling while tugging During play, it is not uncommon for retriever puppies to growl and tug at toys, blankets, even your pant leg. This behavior is usually just playful and natural. However, I would still try to end this behavior as soon as possible. While almost harmless at first, this behavior can escalate quickly as your dog grows bigger and stronger. You can end this behavior first by not participating in it. If you start tugging with a toy with your puppy, you are going to encourage the behavior. The second step is to discourage the behavior with a sharp NO command. It can help if you say GIVE when you take the item. This will start to teach him the GIVE command that will be helpful later if you are a hunter. How to stop puppy baring his teeth A puppy or dog that bares his teeth to you is threatening to bite you. Even if the puppy goes no further than to bare the teeth and growl, you need to end this behavior. This behavior is far more dangerous than the puppy that nips at your hand. The nips may be done in play, since that is how puppies play with one another, but baring of teeth and growling is different. And you must handle it differently. I am not talking about lifting your dog off the floor with the shake, but if your puppy is very young, that may indeed be a great correction. Have you ever witnessed a mama dog correct her puppies? This is not a violent thing, just a natural correction for a puppy. The puppies rarely cry out or whimper when given this correction, they just walk away and understand that the behavior they were exhibiting is not acceptable. If your dog continues to bare his teeth even after this correction, you may have a bigger problem on your hands, and I would proceed carefully. True dog aggression is no joking matter. Dogs with aggression problems can snap at any time and go from baring their teeth to full out attacks. Hyper behavior is different from aggression. A hyper dog has a lot of energy and may not know how to control or channel that energy. Often hyper behavior is a genetic trait. In this sense, it is not something that you can eliminate. But you can take steps to make it more manageable. Exercise more Dogs that are hyper need more exercise than dogs that are more docile in nature. If your dog is hyper and is not getting enough exercise, the hype behavior is going to drive the dog to other behaviors that you may not enjoy such as chewing up your dining room table leg or your favorite pair of shoes. For instance, if your dog is hyper and is jumping up and down all the time, and you not only allow the jumping but pet him or her and give praise while your dog is jumping, then you are unknowingly rewarding the jumping behavior. Give your puppy time to mature Retrievers are often full of energy while they are young, well some a bit longer, but tend to slow down as they mature. But as they mature they do usually slow down and become a bit less energetic. Training Highly energetic dogs can benefit greatly from structured training programs. Programs such as the ones we offer here at Otter Tail Kennels, can teach an energetic dog control and channel their energy into hunting or retrieving which can make home life more manageable. There are even some things you can do at home to get more control of your energetic dog. Practice sitting I know this sounds boring, and for you it is. But for an energetic dog that does not like sitting at all, having them sit for 30 seconds, or a minute or two can be very challenging. They will need many reminders at first, but over time they will learn to settle and sit calmly. You can slowly increase the amount of time. This simple obedience drill will help your dog learn control. Teach your dog the kennel command so that when you say Kennel, they run into their crate and stay there until you release them. This basically sends your dog on a time out and forces them to practice control and settle. Final thoughts on why my puppy is so hyper and aggressive For dogs under 6 months of age, much hyper and aggressive behavior is simply puppy play. You must teach your puppy boundaries and the earlier you teach them the better. Be consistent in your corrections and persistent, and over time you will reap the benefits. You can email me ottertailkennels gmail. I would be happy to discuss your goals for your retriever and tell you about the programs I offer. Until next time happy retrieving. Like a sentence in a language, each growl carries a message, and your role as a pet owner is to learn this unique language. Remember, context is key. The situation, body language, and even the pitch of the growl can provide hints about what your pet is trying to say. Fear or Anxiety Golden Retrievers, despite their generally affable nature, can feel threatened or anxious. In such instances, you might hear a low, intense growl. Discomfort or Pain Just as humans might groan when in discomfort, dogs often express physical pain or discomfort through growling. If your pup growls when touched in a specific area, it might be a sign of physical distress. Always pay close attention to such growls; they might warrant a vet visit. Playfulness Ever heard a playful, rumbly growl during a game of tug-of-war? These growls are usually less intense and are accompanied by relaxed body language and wagging tails. Protectiveness Golden Retrievers are loyal dogs, often protective of their territory and their humans. If a stranger or another animal encroaches on what your Golden considers their domain, you might hear a growl of warning. Possessiveness This is common when your pet has a favorite toy or a delicious treat. Playful Growl Sound: Low, rumbly, and full of good vibes. When It Might Occur: Often heard during games, like fetch or tug-of-war. Body Language: Expect an enthusiastic wagging tail and overall relaxed posture. When It Might Occur: Could arise if your Golden feels threatened or anxious, or if someone unknown encroaches on their space. Body Language: Look out for rigid body language, a tense facial expression, or hair standing up on their back. Please back off. When It Might Occur: You might hear this when you touch a sensitive spot or if your pet moves in a way that causes discomfort. Body Language: Unusual stiffness, limping, or avoiding touch could accompany a pain growl. I need help. Possessive Growl Sound: Can range from a low, grumbly growl to a surprisingly fierce one. When It Might Occur: If someone or another pet gets too close to a treasured toy, food, or even their favorite human. Body Language: The ears might prick up, the body may stiffen, and they may stand over the item or person protectively. Please respect my space. Each Golden Retriever is an individual with their own personality and way of expressing themselves. Spending quality time with your pet, observing, and learning from their unique communication style is key. Here are some strategies that can help you navigate these growling moments, promoting good behavior and strengthening your bond with your furry friend. What to Do: Give them some space and allow them to calm down. Never punish a dog for growling in fear or discomfort, as this can lead to more aggressive behavior. Check for Discomfort When: If your pet growls when touched in a specific area or during certain movements. Pain-induced growling should never be ignored. What to Do: This is generally fine, as long as the play remains friendly and non-aggressive. What to Do: Training can help mitigate possessive behavior. Always reward good behavior. If the behavior persists, consider seeking help from a professional dog trainer. Consult a Professional When: If your Golden Retriever exhibits consistent aggressive growling or if their behavior changes suddenly. Remember, patience and understanding are key when dealing with growling. Instead, focus on understanding the root cause and addressing it appropriately to foster a strong, loving relationship with your Golden Retriever. Biological Basis of Growling Growling, like other vocalizations in animals, arises from a combination of physical and neurological processes. The larynx, often referred to as the voice box, is the key player in producing the sounds we hear as growls. When a dog growls, the muscles of the larynx contract in specific ways, modulating the flow of air from the lungs and producing different types and pitches of growls. The brain plays a crucial role in coordinating these actions and interpreting situations that warrant a growl. Different parts of the brain are responsible for the perception of threat, fear, pain, and joy, triggering the appropriate vocal response. Psychological Aspects and Research Findings Psychologically, growling serves as an essential tool for social communication among dogs. It helps maintain social hierarchies, express emotions, and convey intentions. Dogs are highly social creatures, and their communication skills have been honed over thousands of years of evolution. Recent research has shed light on the intricate nature of dog growls. This finding indicates a high degree of sophistication in canine vocal communication. Furthermore, research has found that humans, too, can often interpret the emotional content of dog growls. The exploration of the science behind Golden Retriever growls underscores the complexity of their communication skills. As we continue to study and understand this fascinating field, we enhance our ability to communicate with and understand our loyal companions better. Determining whether a growl is a playful jest or a serious warning can sometimes be tricky, but understanding the context and watching for accompanying body language can provide valuable clues. Evaluate the Context: Context plays a massive role in decoding a growl. Our dogs, Gunner and Daisy, play biting, and growling. However, if the growling happens when a stranger approaches, it might be a warning sign. Understanding the circumstances can help determine the meaning of the growl. Conversely, if their body is stiff, ears are pinned back, or teeth are showing, the growl may be a warning sign. Listen to the Sound: The sound of the growl itself can give clues. High-pitched, light growls are often playful, while deep, low growls can indicate a warning or threat. However, always consider this in conjunction with context and body language for accurate interpretation. Note the Duration and Intensity: A long, drawn-out growl might indicate fear or discomfort, whereas short, intermittent growls could be playful. Similarly, the intensity can vary; a fierce, loud growl might be a warning, while a softer, less intense one might indicate playfulness or slight discomfort. Remember, these are general guidelines, and individual dogs may vary. Remember, each Golden Retriever is unique, so observation and patience are key. Apply these learnings in your interactions and take your understanding of your Golden Retriever to a new level. More Posts You Will Like:.

You've come to the right place. Here, at Premier Pups, our Mini Bernedoodles are happy, healthy, and ready to embark on a life-long journey with their new families. These puppies are raised with love and cared for by the best in the business. We align ourselves only with the best breeders that meet our high standards. All our Mini Bernedoodles come with a year health guarantee that backs up our Premier Promise. Nationwide delivery is available for all out-of-state customers looking to adopt a Mini Bernedoodle. The beautiful Mini Bernedoodles are a blend of fluffy looks and darling personalities. They can be small or medium depending on their generation, but regardless of their size, they are simply adorable. Mini Bernedoodles are designed to be loyal and loving companions for equally loving owners. They thrive in a setting where attention and fun are plentiful. We partner with the best dog breeders in the nation to offer you healthy, happy Mini Bernedoodle puppies. Find your dream Bernese Mountain Dog and Poodle mix puppy today! A few of our Mini Bernedoodle Pups. Questions about Bernedoodle puppies for sale in Austin TX? We have answers. Give me a an overview of Bernedoodle puppies for sale in Austin TX. Because they are a cross of two intelligent dogs, the Bernedoodle itself is playful, smart and the ultimate companion. Austin Bernedoodle breeders always aim to combine the best traits of two dogs when crossing breeds but the size of the puppy typically depends on the size of the relevant poodle parent. What if there are no Bernedoodle litters near me? One of the greatest benefits of working with Uptown Puppies is knowing that you are associating with top-rated breeders and puppy businesses from around the country. Most of the breeders who are a part of our network have experience arranging transport for all sorts of dogs, including newly sold puppies. What process does Uptown use to screen breeders? From breeder expertise to years of breeding experience, animal care compliance and facility reviews. There is a reason that when you begin your search for Bernedoodle puppies for sale in Austin or Bernedoodle breeders in Austin there are so many results! Why is Uptown Puppies superior to an online search? A great question! Uptown Puppies is different from finding a puppy through an online search because when you type a popularly searched phrase like Austin Bernedoodles for sale or Austin Bernedoodle puppies for sale into Google or Yahoo, what you are actually doing is sorting the breeders by marketing budget and not reputation. As with most breeds, Bernedoodles for sale in Austin are priced based on a variety of different factors including coat color, size, personality and even the experience of the breeder involved in the sale. No matter your price range, with the help of the Uptown Puppies network you are sure to locate a Bernedoodle puppy within your price range while also avoiding puppy mills and other fraudulent businesses. In fact, it is much more likely that you will come across a smaller, backyard breeder or even a large puppy mill. Puppy mill is a term used to describe any breeder or puppy business that is breeding puppies for profit and not prioritizing the health and safety of the dogs. Puppy mills often fall into the trap of inbreeding which can cause a lot of issues for future owners down the road! Can I find a Bernedoodle puppy near me? Of course. Our network is expansive and contains hundreds of the top rated puppy breeders from around the country. No matter the color, size or location of the dog you are looking for, we definitely have you covered! Get prepared to connect with one of our preferred breeders where you will have the chance to meet and then express your interest for one of many Bernedoodle puppies in Austin! What should I expect from my new Bernedoodle puppy? You should expect an affectionate, loving puppy that wants to be around their family all of the time. Bernedoodles have thick, hypoallergenic, non-shedding coats which can be perfect for anyone who has slight allergies to dogs that they are trying to avoid aggravating. How do I know your company is trustworthy? At Uptown Puppies, our main goal as a business is to eliminate backyard breeders and puppy mills entirely by empowering successful, ethical breeders across the country. What is a backyard breeder? Unfortunately there are a lot of backyard breeders out there and most end up not caring too much about the well-being of the pups in the crucial few weeks after they are born. This can cause costly medical bills down the line! View Our Available Puppies! You should not confuse Mini Bernedoodles with Standard Bernedoodles. Our adorable Mini Bernedoodle are of the F1 variety. All the doodle moms are purebred Genetic Tested Bernese Mountain dog females. Our mini Bernedoodle pups usually end up weighing pounds and around inches tall when full grown. Most Mini bernedoodles live to be around years old. Mini Bernedoodles have become really popular because they shed very little after they shed their puppy coat, they are very hypoallergenic. We have specialized in breeding Mini Bernedoodles as well as a few other breeds for many years. They are a big part of our family and farm. We have also partnered up with several other reputable breeders that raise mini bernedoodle pups that meet our very strict criteria and genetic testing. We usually have a good selection of very high quality doodle puppies. So if you live near Austin Texas and are looking for a healthy and beautiful Mini Bernedoodle puppy then checkout our available pups now by Clicking Here. Below are a few of our Mini Bernedoodle Pups!

Our puppy Price is for limited registration non breeding rights. Deposit are non-refundable. Full AKC Registration breeding and show rights contact us for an additional fee. Place a Deposit Standard Poodle Size Standard poodles have a shoulder height of over 15 inches or taller. There are 3 size varieties of poodles. The smallest is known as a toy poodle and their height is 10 inches or shorter, Miniatures are 15 inches or shorter and then the Standards are more than 15 inches in height. The standard is sometimes broken down into more sizes. The smallest of the Standard poodles is sometimes called a Moyen. The Moyen standard poodle is usually anything over a shoulder height of 15 inches and no more than 20 inches. Then some also classify a Royal Standard poodle to be any shoulder height of 25 inches or more and weighing more than 60 pounds at adult size. We classify our black and brown standard poodles for sale to be average size, usually ranging inches tall to the shoulder, and weighing lbs. Personality and Character traits for our Brown standard poodle puppies in Michigan The Brown Standard Poodle is extremely intelligent and easy to train, as are all poodles. They are also graceful and elegant and aim to please. Our Brown poodle puppies for sale are very people-oriented and bond closely with their humans and make great companions. Also our Brown Standard Poodle puppies in Michigan gets along well with other animals and dogs, as well as children and are friendly toward everyone making them ideal family pets. Do Poodles have to be foo-foo dogs? At dog shows, Poodles are usually seen in the elaborate foo-foo Continental Clip. Most pet owners however, prefer the simpler Sports Clip, in which the coat is shown to follow the outline of the squarely built, smoothly muscled body. Poodles are not sissy dogs. Standard Poodles are athletic, eager to learn and please, are over the top smart and remarkably versatile. The Standard, with his greater size is one of the best all-around dogs for the family. Conformation indicates what the animal appears to be. But performance indicates what the animal actually is. We are passionate about demonstrating the versatility of the Poodle. Our dogs excel in a wide variety of performance sports, conformation, and service work. Our program has produced many titles in obedience, conformation, rally, dock diving, Fast CAT, lure coursing, nose work, disc dog, trick dog, etc. The Poodle is one of the most versatile breeds of dogs. Athletic and energetic, they make a wonderful outdoor friend. Calm and intelligent, they make the perfect indoor companion. Their warm, loving nature makes them excellent with children. Poodles are recommended by the AKC for allergy sufferers because they do not shed and have very low dander. We are also passionate about bettering the brown Standard Poodle as there is a limited gene pool of quality dogs compared to other Poodle colors. We love their fun personalities! We have been certified as an AKC Breeder of Merit because of our dedication to the Standard Poodle breed, performance show achievements, and commitment to fully health certifying all breeding dogs. We are a member of the Better Bred breeder community that works toward maintaining diversity while decreasing complex genetic disorders within the Poodle breed. All our dogs are fully health certified by the OFA and CHIC for numerous orthopedic and genetic diseases by a multitude of genetic tests and physical examinations so our puppies come from a healthy background. As a member of the Better Bred community, all our dogs have also been tested at the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory as part of the Canine Genetic Diversity project which helps breeders to improve the health of breeding programs. An increase in genetic diversity decreases the likelihood complex autoimmune disorders and other complex diseases. We fully support this research which helps reduce complex genetic disorders within the Poodle breed. All our puppies come with a written 2-year genetic health guarantee. Bloom Standard Poodles Happy, healthy puppies. We are a small, home based kennel producing litters of black and brown standard poodles each year. Our poodles live in our home and are a part of our every day lives. My poodles bring so much joy to my everyday life and I want to bring this joy to your family with the breed I love and could not live without. Not only do they resemble their parents, we do everything in our power to socialize them as much as possible from the time they are born until they join their new family. Our litters are raised in our home, underfoot socialized with all the sights and sounds they will encounter with their forever families. We use Puppy Culture in the raising of our litters and begin introducing them to grooming no later than 3 weeks old. Sound in temperament and structure we are proud to say that all of our parents are carefully chosen, health tested and shown to their CKC Championships before producing their first litter. Poodles are such a versatile breed and we truly believe at Bloom Standard Poodles that our dogs can face any challenge and succeed. From conformation titles to service dog prospects, our dogs certainly fit the bill for any family. Please see Picking a Reputable Breeder below for more information on what this entails. Their purpose was to retrieve waterfowl out of bodies of water for their hunters. They have a wooly water resistant coat and webbed feet to help with swimming! This is the trim hunters would use on their dogs. The hair left on the legs is to protect their joints from the cold water, their jacket and poms on the hips to protect their kidneys, hip bones and vital organs! The rest of the body is shaved short so the dog would move faster in the water without getting tired. Poodles can be described in many ways. Intelligent, gregarious, goofy, playful, willing to learn and hilarious! These dogs are typically more active physically and mentally. Because they are so smart they require a family who is prepared to meet their physical and mental demands through training, remaining active and keeping their brains busy! They will so easily outsmart you if they are given the chance! My dogs will go on 20km hikes if I want, or lay on the couch all day. Poodles are so versatile! They can hunt, compete in the conformation ring, do agility, lure coursing, obedience, herding, scent detection. Poodles are a great breed choice for a service or therapy dog because of their willingness to learn and please their humans. Norman, Vienna and Echo racing to get the ball in the pool! They LOVE to get dirty! They require professional and regular grooming to keep their coat, skin, ears and nails happy and healthy. Poodles have a single coat, meaning they grow hair like humans do and do not produce undercoat. They do not shed undercoat and produce less dander than some other breeds however their saliva can affect people with allergies. They can even be groomed to look like other breeds of dogs like Bichon, Schnauzers, Bedlington Terriers and more! If you can imagine it, you just have to find a groomer who can do it! Below are some examples of colours and hairstyles! If you are interested in a poodle that is NOT black or brown, please contact us so we can help you locate a reputable breeder who may have a puppy in your favourite colour! Here is Anna, an Apricot poodle sporting an adorable teddy bear face! This is a totally acceptable trim for those with active lifestyles or a lower grooming budget. While brown poodles are always born very dark, they typically fade to a lighter colour. Echo is the typical happy go lucky boy that I always dreamed of. He is the household favourite by so many visitors, if you scratch his bum he will be your best friend forever. His favourite pastime is naps on the couch and swimming in the pool. Echo is not a part of the breeding program, rather just a part of my family. Vienna loves chasing her ball, giving hugs and being picked up like a baby. She is my sidekick, anything I throw at her, she is totally game! Vienna is our first Canadian Champion. She attained her Canadian Kennel Club Championship at a young .She also achieved her Canine Good Neighbour title at 11 months old. We have other sporting titles in progress! Vienna is 41lbs and .She truly brightens my day. She is as sweet as she looks and will do anything she is asked. Vida loves running on the farm with her best buddy Norman, visiting and playing tug with her littermate Kohl and kissing her mommy Vienna. Vida has taken the show world by surprise. A petite brown female who has won Multiple 6 Best Puppy in Shows, 4 Group 1st and many other group placements by various judges across Canada and North America. I really cannot brag enough about her accomplishments, the compliments from the judges and everyone who adores her. I never expected this much from my first homebred puppy. We are currently training to be an agility star! Norman loves every human, baby, dog, puppy, cat, really everything. Norman is 2 points away from his Canadian Championship title having only been shown 3 weekends! Norman is co-owned by myself and Becky Godbey of Magic Hour. Norman pictured with his handler Allison Hardie winning a Best Puppy in Group at his first show under a judge from Brazil! Norman and Vida - two peas in a pod! Carter lives in St Catherines, Ontario with a close friend Christina. Christina and Carter do everything together. Carter will be available at stud to approved bitches when he is of age with clear health testing. Carter is black and carries for brown. Carter showing off his new Canine Good Neighbour certificate! Carter is a natural at lure coursing AND agility! Not sure a standard poodle is for you? That is FINE! However, this is a very important topic. Many people chose to rescue an adult dog or puppy, or shop for a breeder. Whatever you decide PLEASE do your research on a breed that would suit your individual lifestyle and family, not just what you think looks cute! Each breed has different instincts and natural tendencies that may not be suited for homes with small children, overly active or underly active families. For example, border collies are bred to herd sheep. It is absolutely possible to bring a dog with herding instincts into a home with children, but it takes a lot of training to ensure that the dog is not going to try and herd or nip at children. This is their instinct, to herd small animals. So whatever breed you choose please ensure you are prepared to deal with their natural tendencies. Each breed may require a higher or lower need for grooming. Every breed needs their nails trimmed and ears cleaned regularly! Please do your research and even contact a local groomer to see what type and frequency of grooming your breed requires. Every breed requires regular vaccinations and visits to a trusted veterinarian to ensure they are kept in good health. All purebred breeds and mixed breeds are prone to a certain amount of health issues, whether they be genetic or not. If you have any questions about other breeds, or breeders please contact us to we can do our best to steer you in the right direction! Check out this article! Standard Poodles, along with all other breeds can reproduce genetic problems that can affect the puppies they produce. We only breed our dogs who have these same credentials. Backyard breeders simply breed for profit, not for the betterment of the breed. Breeders do this in dogs, cattle, chickens, sheep, cats etc. Purebred dogs have a written out Breed Standard which judges will evaluate against the animal you are presenting them. Dogs who are a good example of this breed standard in both their structure and temperament are awarded in conformation. Titles and Qualifications are available in many sporting events such as field trials hunting , agility, herding, obedience, and more! Mom and littermates teach puppies manners and proper social interaction. There is a higher risk of puppies developing poor social manners and separation anxiety if they are removed from their mom and littermates before 8 weeks of age. Our puppies typically go to their new forever homes from weeks of age. Dogs under 2 years old are not physically and sexually mature. If they breed the same mom and dad time and time again, this has no goal but profit. Many people believe that mixed breed dogs are healthier due to their genetic diversity. This is simply not true. Yes, mixed breed dogs are not as closely related as purebred dogs, but without health testing there is absolutely no way of ensuring both parents and puppies will end up healthy. So many NON health tested purebred and mixed breeds are unfortunately riddled with genetic and structural issues both parents may have passed along to their puppies. Two breeds often means double the potential health problems. If you are searching for a mixed breed we highly recommend a reputable rescue organization. Our studs are not available to people who want to breed poodle mixes. Puppies Our promise to you… We carefully pair our mom and dad to produce beautiful, happy and healthy puppies that would suit any family and adapt to a variety of lifestyles. We produce and show quality black and brown standard poodles. We focus on health, temperament and structural soundness. Our males typically mature between lbs and our females lbs. We currently have no puppies available. We would love for you to fill out our puppy application. Send us an email at groomtobloompetsalon gmail. We will send you a Puppy Application and a copy of our Puppy Contract so we can get to know you a little bit better, and you know what we would expect for the absolute best care of your new family member. Please fill out your answers with some thought, this will help me choose which pup in the litter would be best suited for your family. This deposit is non-refundable if you change your mind or buy from another breeder. If you are approved you are more then welcome to schedule a meeting to come meet our pack! We have puppy socials around 6 weeks old where you and your family will be invited to come meet the litter! All puppies have their tails docked and dewclaws removed within 72 hours of birth unless there is a specific request not to in which full payment to secure this specific puppy will be required before birth. Puppies will have started crate training and house training. They will be microchipped, have their first set of vaccinations and a Health Certificate from our veterinarian and come with a trial of Pets Plus Us pet insurance. We deworm our puppies at 3, 5 and 7 weeks old. Specializing in Lovely Chocolate Browns "Once you have a poodle everything else is a dog" Frannie Need a hunting partner? How about a chocolate standard poodle for hunting? We do specialize in chocolate but have other colors available also. We know that you will enjoy getting to know this intelligent versatile breed who also has retrieving skills as well. That is why we have successfully placed our poodle pups in 42 states and France in a variety of homes such as hunting, obedience, therapy dog, conformation, service dogs, Canine Good Citizens CGC , and cuddly couch potatoes too! We look forward to speaking to you about your next canine companion to partner with you as you make new memories together. Please note we do specialize in the chocolate standard poodle puppies, but we at times are blessed with black, blue, cafe au lait and cream poodle pups as well. Our new contact information can be found easily on each page that you click to as we have relocated to Minnesota after 30 odd years in Alaska where Ben-Cher's started our chocolate poodle breeding program. Although retired from my grooming salon and doggie bed and breakfast, I now concentrate full-time on raising our high quality chocolate poodle puppies. There is a litter available now, so please do give us a call or fill out the Puppy Home Questionnaire.I may just have your standard poodle pup here waiting for you! Or phone Cheryl Ann personally at .Our Browns tend to be more "muscular" than what you would typically see at a dog show and for sure have loads more boning than the average chicken boned poodle you may meet. This is because our Browns are Working Dogs, and must be physically capable to work. This is very difficult to have achieved and took years to develop. Our pups "may" get a sprinkle of grey hairs through their coat as they mature, and may even lighten on their muzzle or tail area when they age. There really is no guarantee on colour. We do have the darkest browns, with substance, that you will find in the "world". Temperament : Our Browns are sweet natured and calm. All our poodles have calm laid back temperament. NO anxious, hyper pacing or barking. Our Browns love to be with you in the same room or on the couch beside you cuddling during a movie. I use my browns as my jogging partners as they are taller and able to do 6km with a good pace with me without any stress or strain and they actually look forward to it and enjoy the activity. Browns and all poodles will actually do any activity that pleases you as that is just the breed's nature. Our Browns are the darkest browns you will find in the world!! Well we don't, and thanks to our Foster homes, helping us out you don't have to either! Our Quest for brown was a long one. We bought and re-homed many in our search for a dark brown that was calm and laid back, that would produce puppies we would be proud of, and know that we could in good faith, place in pet, obedience and therapy homes. There was no way I would produce unhealthy, or hyper brown poodles, so our standards were very high. This cost us financially, emotionally, and took many years. I could not find browns like what I wanted to own, or produce so I waited and kept searching for over 5 years. I can also only house "3" Standard Poodles, so it made the journey even more difficult. Our Story A house is not a home without a Standard Poodle. As you already know, my name is Wendy. My older sister Holley and I were born in the sand hills of North Carolina and have lived here all our lives. Most of the time when we were children, it was just Cindy my Mom, and the two of us. My mama accepted Christ as a young teenager. Holley and I were blessed to have accepted Christ as our personal Savior at a young age. We also attended and graduated from Christian schools which was another way my mom wanted to assure us of a happy future, with Christ at the center of our lives. Mama saw to it we had every type pet we wanted from parakeets and ferrets to horses. She also made sure we learned the huge responsibility of taking care of them. We learned at a very young age the importance of good cleaning practices, feeding habits and medical care to assure that our pets were all happy and healthy. When Holley was a young teenager and I was about ten we raised and sold rabbits, hamster and mice to local pet stores. We did this to help mama support our horse-showing hobby. The miracle of birth and the sadness of death was a part of our everyday lives. Although things were not perfect in some areas of our lives, this was an amazing, blessed way to grow up. This allowed her to have the biggest desire of her heart, which was to stay at home with Holley and me. This decision allowed her to have a very successful career with an ample income to provide for us. Into the shop one day walked a beautiful pair of black Standard Poodles. It was a mother and her son. Venus, the mother, was a gorgeous, loving, elegant, and petite Standard Poodle. Her son, Keegan, on the other hand, still just a puppy, was a huge combination of fun, personality, intelligence and striking good looks. We were surprised that we fell in love with the Standard Poodle and the Westie, because our favorite breeds had always been the Collie and Sheltie mini collie. Mama groomed Keegan and Venus every few weeks and also trained Keegan. As a result the two were in the shop and in our home on a regular basis. Keegan would come and stay just because we loved him. We grew to love their more confident, protective nature and large size, in comparison to the Shelties. A huge plus in comparing the breed to the Collie, was no shedding or odor. These qualities and the intelligence and loyalty of Keegan and Venus, convinced us this was a breed worth sharing with everyone. This was not always easy for my mom, as a single parent, or for us, as two young girls. But we had lots of support and help from our family, friends, and great employees. We drew most of our strength and wisdom from our Lord and Savior. He was a tall, slender, gentle giant with green eyes and dark hair and was only 16 and Holley only .He became our right hand man and we depended on him during some difficult and trying times. They would become husband and wife after Holley graduated from high school in .Mom met a wonderful man, David! He soon became her husband and the spiritual leader of our family. What a blessing he was then and continues to be. He loved babies of any type, preferably, human, but also loved the horses and puppies. With his amazing sense of humor rubbing off on all of us, work sometimes felt like play. I started flying lessons and thinking about my future. I started praying that God would let me soon meet my husband to be. While taking flying lessons God answered my prayers. I met the man of my dream…Blake. He had blue eyes and dark hair. He was handsome and soft spoken.

I am familiar with common and uncommon health problems they may face so when my boyfriend and I decided we were ready to adopt our own english puppy finding a reputable breeder that prioritizes health was most important to us. Erica and Mitch of Bruiser Bulldogs are just that. They are experienced, ethical and quality breeders. I was referred to them by my friend that I trust after I saw their gorgeous healthy puppy. Our Puppy Primrose is the light of our lives! Bruisers was there to assist us every step of the way. We would highly recommend Bruisers Bulldogs to anyone looking for their own happy, healthy pup! Leah H. We were lucky to have come across Bruiser Bulldogs and even more so the fact that they were near our family and hometown made it even better. We have had Clementine Callie for four months now, and she is a wonderful dog. Her personality is amazing, and I think part of it is breeding and the other part is Erika and her family lovingly raising the puppies in their home with plenty of attention and snuggles. I also was impressed that, rather than send the puppies out right at 8 weeks, Erika kept ours for a few extra weeks because she was tiny and not read to leave her mom yet. It's that care that differentiates Bruisers from other breeders. Emily R. Erica was easy to work with thru the entire process from application to adopting and now beyond as we host our new family member, Chief. Her on-call support and willingness to provide open, honest advice to all of our questions and concerns continues to be appreciated. We would highly recommend Bruiser Bulldogs to anyone looking for an English Bulldog to join their family. Elizabeth W. Lady L. They are experienced, responsive and knowledgeable about all things bulldog related. They went above and beyond for us and are truly dedicated to all of their pups! We love our little girl so much and would recommend Bruiser to anyone looking for a healthy beautiful bully. Jonathan E. Erica and Mitch are trustworthy, excellent communicators, fair, passionate, and produce the best bulldogs. We were at the top of the waiting list for months and Erica reached out every litter to see if we were finally ready for a bulldog. When we were, she was very easy to work with. Her knowledge on bulldogs is outstanding. We had many questions on the process and she always knew what was best for the puppy. We've had Penny formerly Blair for two months and she is very healthy, energetic, playful, and sweet. She is great with other people and dogs. We are so happy with our pup. When we are ready for bulldog 2, we will only consider Bruiser Bulldogs. Mitch C. Bowser was born April and is an integral part of our family. When we were first exploring English Bulldog breeders our biggest concern was the overall health of the dogs. We decided to work with Erica at Bruiser Bulldogs because we liked their focus on improving the breeds breathing abilities and the fact that the puppies are raised within her family environment before coming home with their new owners. Bowser also breaths clearly and our vet was impressed with his overall health from the moment we brought him home. All that said we know English Bulldogs have a predisposition to many health issues and that his current health can not predict the future. With that In mind its important to start with a breeder that open to answer any of your questions as Erica has ours, and that strongly believes in improving the breeds overall health profile. Adam B. My sister ended up finding Bruiser Bulldogs and we knew right away that they were the breeder for us. In September we ended up driving 9 hours to pick up two Bruiser bulldog puppies- one for my husband and I and one for my mom. Jackson and Penelope have been nothing but a joy. They are both very athletic and healthy. They are also HUGE snugglers and always want to be with you. It is an absolute pleasure having these two bullies in our lives! Erica is very knowledgeable about the breed. She is very hands on throughout the process and is just overall a kind and honest person to work with. With all that being said I cannot recommend Bruiser Bulldogs enough! Collyn C. One of the reasons we chose Bruiser Bulldogs was due to the claims about breeding for health. During our first visit at our vet's office, he told us that our pup was one of the healthiest English bulldogs he had ever seen. He is healthy, happy and social. Would recommend to anyone. Christina S. We seen our dog on their website and sent them an Email. Mitch called us and personally walked us through the process and made sure we had the right dog for our family. We couldn't be happier when we picked up our dog Ramsey, Erica made sure we had everything we needed and then some. They are truly amazing people who breed truly amazing dogs! Jim T. Prepare to be loved by this affectionate and pleasing boy! Enzo is a little man, weighing just 25 pounds at 3 years old, looking to show love and loyalty to his new family! Enzo is a special needs boy without full use of his front paws likely due to untreated swimmer's syndrome , but he does not let it stop him from being playful, affectionate, or doting on his humans. He gets along with everyone he meets, though he hasn't met any kiddos yet. He absolutely adores getting pet and will try in his special way to expose his belly to you for more pets! Enzo has low to medium amount of energy and will keep himself busy by lounging wherever he feels comfortable including his crate or simply watching his humans do their routines doesn't even mind the vacuum noise! But if he has rested long enough, he enjoys some food-motivated playtime! He and his special paws will feel most comfortable in a home with carpeting or rugs to help him grip his way to where he needs to go. He is intelligent and catches on to routines quickly. For example, once he understands what it looks like for his humans to prepare him dinner, he will get very excited and possibly give a little excited bark in eager anticipation. While Enzo has impacted mobility, he doesn't let it stop him from being affectionate, playful, and independent. He can even be spunky and sassy in a playful way during his few higher energy moments, where he wants to play or simply needs mental stimulation. Enzo has done well with the other dogs he has met, and he doesn't mind cats either! Enzo could happily play with another dog who is gentle enough and understands his needs. His housebroken needs look a little different than your typical dog in that Enzo needs the use and support of belly bands or diapers to help him with his pee breaks. Don't worry, though. There is no need for someone to express his bladder. However, he is catching on that if his humans carry him outside a few times a day, he will do his 2 business outdoors as he can move his bowels on his own as well. Enzo would love to pour his love and affection towards his new family, who wants to love on him just as much! Are you what Enzo needs in his life? Albert's Dog Lounge is a specialty rescue focusing primarily on senior and special needs dogs. Our process includes an approved application, reference checks, a homevisit, and then a meet and greet with the dog. Learn more about Albert's Dog Lounge, our mission, and adoption policies by visiting Albertsdoglounge. From one vet to another, we can get different age estimates on the same dog and they can vary by several years. We are only making an educated guess based on a few factors like teeth, fur color, and overall body condition, but for dogs who have not been given adequate vet care and food, it can be even more difficult. Every dog is an individual, and we do our very best to age appropriately but make no guarantees as to the age of any dog in our program.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. While most people associate training with puppies, the reality is that you can learn how to train a 1 year old German Shepherd using the proper techniques. And, you might even find that an adult German Shepherd is easier to train than a young puppy because they have more attention span and self-control. A 1-year-old German Shepherd may still show many puppylike behaviors, but also have behavior you find troubling in other ways. He might test his independence and show undesirable behaviors, or has never been given proper training to understand how to live in a home. These tips are useful for owners that have recently adopted an adult dog, or they can be used to train an older dog that needs to gain new skills. This could prove more challenging than socializing a puppy because your 1-year-old German Shepherd may have developed some reactivity or fears around certain triggers. You must take things slowly when socializing. Keep your dog at a safe distance from new animals or people and reward him as he pays attention to you rather than the other people or pets. Step back and go to a place your dog feels safe. Remember to be patient, give plenty of extra rewards, and understand that setbacks might happen. You might not have the most social companion in the world, but you can definitely help your pet learn to become friendlier and less scared source. Keeping your dog safe is a priority. So, teach him to come on command, and practice this essential command until your dog returns to you… Every time. Teach this on a short or long leash first to prevent them from making mistakes and hindering their training to the command. Follow the German Shepherd Training at Home essentials for teaching them their basic commands. Stay Consistent When training your 1-year-old German Shepherd, there are some basic steps you can take to improve your success rate. Your one-year-old dog needs consistency. If you occasionally reward unwanted behaviors, such as jumping, those behaviors will continue. Only reward behaviors you like, such as sitting by the door to greet guests. You must respond the same to the unwanted behavior in order for your dog to learn the expectations you have. Instead, use unique commands for each action. If you need ideas of what to call your commands, then search for the word in this List of German Shepherd Commands. Burn those massive energy reserves that seem to be built into every young German Shepherd. Walk your dog at least 45 minutes to 1 hour twice a day. But know that even this amount of exercise is generally too little for a German Shepherd. You could also start to train your pet for nose work and tracking for fun and competition. One-year-old German Shepherds have a lot of energy. Your one year old dog also needs time to chew on appropriate toys to help release their stress and provide them with an outlet for their energy. Provide a tough German Shepherd chew toy that helps keep them calm. Reward based training works on the principle of rewarding good behaviors so that your dog wants to repeat them in order to get a treat, or the reward some owners use special toys during training for dogs not motivated by food. But, remember to keep the treat as a reward that is used for special occasions, like your training. If you have the treat in your hand all the time to reward them they will begin to listen to you only when he sees a treat. Using healthy, tasty treats and lots of verbal praise are highly effective training methods for a one-year-old dog. Enroll in a supportive online brain training and obedience class to practice your training at home and to keep things fun and upbeat. Instead of the same old training routine every day, incorporate interesting German Shepherd games to help teach your dogs the basics. Games are useful training for a 1-year-old German Shepherd because they take advantage of the energy and youthfulness that your dog still has. They also help get your dog excited about learning and create a stronger connection between you and your German Shepherd. Take a time off, a mini-vacation day, to give him a break. For example, give him an extra special treat just for looking at the nail clipper or being in the same room with it. Then, give him a treat when he sniffs it or walks over to it. Counter-conditioning, when done correctly, will result in a more confident companion and a more resilient pet. This could include unwanted behaviors, such as jumping on guests or pulling on the leash. They could have developed bad habits that need to be extinguished so that you can live comfortably with them. Training your dog is a life-long process. It should be ongoing no matter what the age of your German Shepherd. And, training helps avoid an out-of-control German Shepherd. Special Considerations While your new dog may arrive with some problem behaviors your breed is highly trainable and wants to please you. These tips will help you teach your German Shepherd the appropriate behaviors you want in your home. Start teaching your one-year-old dog the rules for your home as soon as they arrive and are comfortable. Be sure everyone in your family is on the same page for training. It will be easier to train your German Shepherd when everyone agrees on appropriate behaviors and uses the same commands and rewards. They will learn faster and retain their training longer. Take the time to know the unique personality of your dog to help them excel at training and living with you. Take into account any health issues you might be unaware of. Get your dog checked by your veterinarian. They may have problems with obedience due to underlying health issues, like painful hips. They come with their own background history that can make them nervous about their new surroundings and even their new owners. It may take months for your dog to become comfortable in their new home. Training is an excellent way to bond with your German Shepherd and understand him more. A new German Shepherd can be a challenge without the right help. And a one-year-old GSD needs all the help you can give tem to become a well-mannered companion. Can you really afford to not help your new German Shepherd learn all they can to live with you? References and Resources Nicholas, Jason. Buzhardt, Lynn. Bender, Amy. Gibeault, Stephanie. She has a Bachelor of Science degree, with Honors, and has been training dogs for over a decade. Related Posts. Like many large breeds, a German Shepherd dog is not considered fully grown until they are about 18 months old. Female German Shepherds continue to fill out until they are around two years old, while the male German Shepherd growth rate continues until they reach two and a half years of age. Males are larger and require more time to fill out their chest and abdomen. As you can see by the German Shepherd weight chart, these dogs can continue to grow until they are three years old, but the majority of growth occurs within 24 months. If your GSD is older than 36 months and continues to put on weight, contact your veterinarian to ensure weight gain does not lead to obesity. How big should a 6-month-old German Shepherd be? A six-month-old German Shepherd puppy will be quite large, as many German Shepherds undergo massive growth spurts between two and five months old. By six months, a male German Shepherd will weigh 53 pounds on average, whereas a female will weigh about 46 pounds. How much bigger will my German Shepherd get? There are a few ways to gauge how much bigger a German Shepherd will get. First, check your puppy's age. If your GSD is younger than two years old, they definitely have room to keep growing! Another way to tell if your pup still has a lot of growing to do is their paw size. Do their paws look large compared to their legs and body? This is a classic adolescent feature of a dog and means your pup is likely still growing! Most of the time, a dog will not grow bigger than its larger parents. What is the size of a full-grown German shepherd? An adult male German Shepherd is typically 24 to 26 inches tall, while adult female German Shepherds are 22 to 24 inches tall, according to the American Kennel Club German Shepherd Standard. The estimated full-size varies significantly between sexes. In terms of weight, an adult male German Shepherd weighs anywhere from 75 to 90 pounds. A female German Shepherd weighs notably less at 55 to 70 pounds. Please keep in mind that these numbers are only estimates to give you an idea of how much bigger a German Shepherd puppy may get. Some dogs will be both smaller and larger than these weight ranges when fully grown due to a variety of genetic and environmental factors. Learn all about your puppy's physical characteristics, breed history, personality traits, and more in our comprehensive guide. Preventive care is key in helping your German Shepherd live a healthy and long life. Helping your dog maintain an optimal weight is one of the best things you can do for their health. Taking your German Shepherd to regular veterinary appointments is one of the best things you can do to ensure that they are healthy and feeling their best. Compare German Shepherd health insurance plans before they get sick or injured. They are also more susceptible to gastrointestinal tract and hip issues. A veterinarian should regularly assess your pet for these health problems and run tests for anything they may be more prone to due to their breed. Treatment for many conditions, including bloat and GI issues, can cost thousands of dollars. Dog insurance is a wise investment that can give you peace of mind by covering pet emergency expenses. Wellness plans are also available to help cover the cost of vaccinations, vet exams, microchips, and more. Some people can predict the future. For everyone else, there's pet insurance. Use Pawlicy Advisor to easily compare plans from top providers so you can find a great deal with great coverage. Get Peace of Mind Today Do you want to find the best pet insurance? Let's analyze your pet's breed, age, and location to find the right coverage and the best savings. Analyze My Pet About Pawlicy Advisor The pet insurance marketplace endorsed by veterinarians, at Pawlicy Advisor we make buying the best pet insurance easier. Final Thoughts When your 1 year old German Shepherd looks or behaves differently from the common descriptions you may find on the Net, you start worrying. You want to go to the vet immediately and spend a lot of time asking questions. Most often, your veterinarian does not find anything bad, but in a while, the situation repeats. However, there are some vital things that you need to know about your pet to feel calm and relaxed. Your pup is almost full-sized now, but it needs some more time to mature and develop emotionally. Reinforcing good habits and giving proper care can help much. We have prepared a set of helpful tips to help you ensure that everything is OK, no matter whether it was born in your household or you adopted it later. Now, it is about its adult size and weight. You should know that there are differences between male and female dogs. Your boy Shepherd weighs lbs kg , and the girl doggy can weigh lbs kg. Some dogs can be lighter or heavier at this age, but you need to measure their weight just once a week to ensure that they are not overweight or underweight because many health problems may start here. However, if you do weigh your pup regularly, you may notice that gaining weight has already slowed down. Female Shepherds almost reach their full adult weight while males continue growing muscles. Even if you notice the slow-down in your male doggy, it is a pause, not a stop. They continue to become heavier until they are two. The height of your pup at one year of age also varies between males and females. The boy is usually inches cm tall, while the girl is shorter at its withers — inches cm. However, in some dogs, the ears may stand upright at the age of eight months or even later. However, at one year, floppy ears in your dog may mean either damage to the cartilage and its poor development or doubtful purity of the breed. Anyway, you have to consult your vet about what to do next. Hormonal changes and seasonal reasons may cause immense loss of fur. That is why these dogs are often called German Shedders. Your pup had stopped teething by the time it reached 6 months. However, you must not be surprised if it lasts until one year. Every doggy is different, and their dental development stages may vary. In general, at the age of one year, you may expect a total of 42 white, shiny, and sharp adult teeth in your dog. In fact, it can vary for different animals, too. Even if you managed to establish close bonds with your doggy by this time, you may occasionally encounter misbehavior, aggression, and testing its independence and your leadership. It only means that you need to engage your four-pawed friend as much as possible and continue its basic training. Be aware of possible casts of aggression toward strangers. It can happen when your pup is bored, excited, or poorly socialized. Another issue is chewing up the furniture and clothes or biting and nipping. Even if your doggy is not teething now anymore, there may be such problems. Your Shepherd tries to attract your attention inappropriately, so you need to be patient and stop such attempts as soon as you see them. If you feel that your GS will continue with such behavior, contact an experienced dog trainer. However, the trend for your puppy is to calm down around the age of one year. So, you will see grown-up behavior very soon. The aim of all German Shepherds is to herd and guard, and the guardian breeds reach full maturity later than other breeds. Shepherds are working dogs , so it takes more time for them to set close social bonds with their counterparts and pack members because they are aimed at defending flocks from large predators. Your pup may not seem too confident. Confidence develops between 1 and 3 years of age. Nurturing is equally important. Even if your doggy has individual characteristics relevant to its breed and age, such as being friendly, reserved, stubborn or cooperative, shy or bold, you can develop its personality and build up the desired behavioral patterns with other people, changing places, or animals around. Make your training and cooperation rewarding. The opportunities for your doggy to become a happy and loyal companion are unlimited. Other behavioral patterns include exercising, sleeping, and walking. Your German Shepherd is very strong and energetic at this age, so it needs at least two hours of exercise per day. They can include an hour of walking 5 minutes per every month of age and off-lead exercises in a safe area. Your pup may get bored very fast, so play and train it in turn to make a variety. Your pup does not require as much sleeping time as before because it is curious, active, and investigating. The number of hours it may need per day reduces to instead of as before. However, even if your doggy sleeps more than 18 hours, it can be a norm because the sleeping patterns and needs can differ between dogs, and other factors may influence sleep time. However, you need a veterinarian check-up just once a year to ensure everything is going on properly. You must also watch out for unusual signs that may indicate health problems. They include weight loss, personality changes, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, sneezing and coughing, gagging, excessive urination, thirst, itchy skin, urination difficulties, swollen gums, runny nose and eyes, spelling disorders, and anything that your doggy unexpectedly starts displaying. Functional disorders can appear later, at 5 or 6 years old. However, you need to know that your pup at this age can experience ear infection, kennel cough, Lyme disease, heartworm, influenza, and fleas or ticks invasions. Some of these issues can be severe and even life-threatening. Regular checkups can prevent most health disorders. Apply heartworm treats and collars against ticks and fleas if your vet prescribed it. This time also requires booster shots of the main vaccines, such as rabies, distemper, and parvovirus. Your vet may tell you about the specific law regulations against rabies in your area that you need to observe. Your vet can also recommend titer testing to understand whether your dog has acquired enough immunity from puppy vaccinations. You may also need to renew the pet insurance for cases when your dog needs expensive treatment or faces life-threatening conditions. For example, you must be aware of gastric dilatation volvulus or bloat threat. Your pup may also suffer from hip dysplasia later; this insurance can cover medical symptom management. Your insurance policy should also relate to public liability if your doggy bites somebody or causes damage to their belongings. The age of one year is also crucial for deciding to spay or neuter your dog. However, consider all pros and cons of this procedure at this age. Since your pup continues growing, any procedures that can cause hormonal changes can lead to joint disorders. So, many vets recommend male neutering after the dog becomes completely mature. Anyway, talk to experts and get advice from them. As for females, your vet can recommend spaying your girl after its first heat cycle without letting it enter the next one. Feeding Your 1 year old GSD is a strong and highly energetic animal. It needs an appropriate diet to grow and stay healthy. Talk to your vet and choose the best variant of adult food for your doggy. Overfeeding can lead to health problems, so try to schedule meals properly. Your dog needs feeding two or three times per day. The common amount per day is cups. You have to spread it equally between the meals. To spread the meals in time, feed your pup at 10 a. Feeding can provide a new milestone at this age. It is a transition to adult food. While your German Shepherd is a puppy, it needs high-caloric food to grow. Though now, it does not grow so quickly and intensively. It means they need fewer calories than puppies to avoid overweighting. However, if your pup is still growing too rapidly, you need to reduce the amount of food to avoid joint problems. The transition to a new diet can be gradual if possible. It can be implemented for several days. Start with giving your dog 1 part of the new food and 3 parts of the old food for several days. Then, transit to equal parts of old and new food in the next two days. At last, your doggy can eat 1 part of the old and 3 parts of the new food without any digestion problems. Now, you can end up rejecting the old food altogether. When you decide how much food to offer your doggy, consider its levels of physical activity. Less active pups should eat less to avoid overweighting. Provide your doggy with enough water. Generally, a young German Shepherd needs 0. So, if your pup weighs about 70 pounds 32 kg , it will need ounces 1. Training Your 1 year old German Shepherd is still emotionally unstable and immature, so you have to continue training to promote proper behavior and reduce nervousness. You must focus on two types of training now — obedience training and building up working habits. When you continue obedience training, reinforce rewarding behavior by treating your pup positively. Remember that your Shepherd can get bored and restless without engagement. When your pup displays bad behavioral patterns, use distractions and redirect its attention to something more desirable. While training, reward its positive behavior with praise, patting, and treats. Never overdo training and make calming pauses. Ignore demanding behavior, such as pawing, jumping, or barking. Do not apply physical punishment, and never yell at your pup. If your dog has had an accident, never rub its nose in it. Your encouragement should be continuous but do not laugh or giggle when your doggy does something inappropriate. Stop the unwanted behavior immediately, but never punish your pet after the fact. Remember that teaching your German Shepherd new tricks and advanced commands is never too late. Of course, it should have acquired the simplest skills and obedience habits by this time. Though you may even find it easier to work with your doggy at this age because it has a longer attention span and more self-control now. In fact, dogs can learn something new at any age. That is why it is important to continue training your pup on its way to maturity. Your doggy needs a lot of exercise at this age — not less than two hours per day. Walking can take about one hour 5 minutes for every month of its life. You may divide this time into two walking sessions during the day. Other exercises must include playing and training. Mental stimulation and socialization are also important parts of exercising. How much should a 1 year old German Shepherd eat? Your dog is still growing, but this process slows down. The overall amount of food your pet needs per day is cups divided between 2 or 3 meals. Never feed your dog once a day — it may have digestion problems. It has to be funny, alert, and loyal. It is individual. So, follow the tips presented in this article and recommendations from your vet and dog trainer. This age is not the easiest for a dog owner. You have to be patient and consistent. However, if you are persistent, you will soon get an intelligent, obedient, and loyal companion. 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. Should I be booking spay or neuter surgery? A one year old German Shepherd is nearly full-sized physically, but emotionally they still have a lot of maturing to do. How much should a 1 year old German Shepherd weigh? A male German Shepherd typically weighs between 60 and 84 pounds on his first birthday. And a one year old female German Shepherd usually weighs between 46 and 68 pounds. Since females mature faster than males, her weight on her first birthday is closer to her final adult weight than her brothers are. When do German Shepherds stop growing? In fact, females may only gain a couple more pounds after her first birthday — the ideal weight range for adult female GSDs is 50 to 70 pounds. Male German Shepherds also stop gaining weight as rapidly after they turn one. But, in common with other large and giant dog breeds, this tends to be a pause, rather than an end to growing. Fully grown male GSDs weigh between 65 and 90 pounds. German Shepherd puppies need a diet which is specific to their age, and predicted adult weight. And the smallest females are likely to be fully grown. This article can help you choose an adult diet for your year-old German Shepherd. If possible, transition your dog onto their new diet gradually over a period of several days. Give them 3 parts old food to 1 part new food on days 1 and 2. Then equal parts old and new food on days 3 and 4. And finally, 1 part old food to 3 parts new food on days 5 and 6, before ditching the old food altogether. Your puppy is now eating like an adult! German Shepherds were originally developed as the ultimate herding and guardian breed, and guardian breeds tend to reach emotional maturity later than other dogs. As working dogs, this results in a longer window to form a close social bond with their flock — which gives them the emotional motivation to defend it against large predators. Their temperament is going to continue developing for many months yet. One study of German Shepherd behavioral development found that confidence continues to increase significantly between their 1st and 3rd birthdays. There is also a corresponding decline in nervousness and jumpy reactions. There are some traits we think of as being innately German Shepherd, but nurture is just as important as nature in determining how friendly or reserved, cooperative or stubborn, bold or shy, your GSD is. Keep building up a pattern of positive experiences with places, people and other animals. And use training to build their confidence and make cooperation with you rewarding. Training a 1 year old German Shepherd Your year old German Shepherd Dog may look fully grown, but emotionally they are still immature, and their confidence is still under developed. There are two important kinds of training for a 1 year old German Shepherd: 1. Keep rewarding good behavior and good decisions, to get more of both in the future and turn them into established habits. These articles will help you train a 1 year old German Shepherd with confidence:. Your German Shepherd Puppy: 8 Weeks To 1 Year Old Apr 08, If you're interested in what the progression of your puppy from 8 weeks to 1 year should look like, and how to achieve it; you've come to the right place. If you're expecting a timeline of what achievements you should hit at specific times, this isn't it. All puppies and dogs learn at different rates based on everything from the drive level, interests in reward, your level of training skill etc. Instead of focusing on what tricks and obedience positions your puppy learns, focus on building a relationship with your puppy. Millions of people have adult dogs who won't let them cut their nails or bathe them and must go to a professional groomer. There's nothing wrong with using a groomer's services, but if you must because your dog won't allow you to, it's because you didn't bond with the dog and condition it as a puppy. To begin building a foundation takes a lot of treats, time, socialization, conditioning, and focus training to get engagement. Let's start with socialization. Socialization doesn't mean you let your puppy play with random dogs and strangers. It's quite the opposite. Socialization means you desensitize your puppy to the presence of other dogs and people to the point it doesn't acknowledge them. Other dogs and people become background noise that they're uninterested in. If you view socialization as getting a puppy to love everything, everyone, and every dog they see, you won't have their engagement. If you don't have their engagement on you, they aren't going to listen to you. You'll be the owner who gets drug down the street every time your dog wants to say "hi" to a stranger or new dog. Not only that, but not every stranger is friendly, nor is every dog. It's better to train your puppy to completely ignore everything except you on your walks. Since we've brushed up on what socialization should be and why, let's get into engagement. Engagement means that your dog looks to you. When you say their name, you have their undivided attention. They are looking at you, waiting for instruction. If you've ever had a dog, not come when called, 9 times out of 10 it was doing something it deemed more engaging than looking to you. That means to your dog, that other thing they were doing was more important than anything you had to say or wanted them to do. That becomes life threatening if a dog deems that engaging with the dog across the street is more important than coming when called. So how do you build engagement? Well, thankfully, it's easy! Start from day one by saying your pup's name. If they look at you, click your clicker or say "yes" and give them a treat. If they come to you, even better, give them a treat for looking at you, and another for coming. Your job is to court their attention and reward every time you get it. Before long, your puppy will look to you for everything. Once that happens, training can begin. If you skip this step, you will notice that during training your puppy may sit for you, take the treat, then decide to run around or sniff the ground etc. Those things means that training will take longer because you don't have engagement. Now that you've gotten the engagement you need, start training by making everything a learning experience and a game. You should be upbeat and excited. When you teach your dog to sit, mark the behavior with a click or a yes and reward with a treat excitedly. This only serves to increase engagement. You're not only a treat machine, you're also a fun friend. The more fun you are, the less fun distractions are. You can even begin to blend this into socialization. For example, your puppy sees another dog being walked across the street and starts to focus on them. You call their name, they look at you because you give treats for engagement, and you're way more fun than playing with another dog they don't even know across the street. This is the corner stone of having a dog who obeys commands every time, and not just when there's no distractions around or when they feel it's convenient. We've all either said, or have heard people say "Well, he usually does it when it's just us! Remember, while you're building this bond, trust, and engagement, you also need to start conditioning your puppy. Lift all 4 paws. Open the mouth. Check their ears. Touch their undersides. Open their eyes.This is the time to condition your puppy to being examined, medicated, temperature checked, bathed, nails clipped or dremeled etc. Lastly, during this time, you should be trying your hardest to build drive to play tug with a ball on a rope or tug. Food is great, but many dogs have more prey drive than food drive. If you have such a dog, a ball on a rope or tug is a powerful training agent. It also helps build a bond because puppies love food, but puppies also love to play. Later in life, you'll find it easier to stuff a ball in your pocket than a full pouch of treats as well. All of this sounds like an informal amalgamation of building trust, building a bond, training, desensitization, conditioning, building engagement and drive etc. But that's because this is exactly what raising a puppy in the most efficient and most reliable way possible is. Taking your time and blending all these aspects together until they're one and the same. Trying to create a schedule of when a puppy should know this, or that will not nearly be as fun for you or the puppy. It'll only make you both frustrated and feel like you're failing. But if you take your time, by 12 months, your puppy will know everything you would've put on that schedule, have bonded with you, think training and learning new things is fun, and be a pleasure to groom and vet! If you enjoyed this article, please leave a like and share. Thank you.

Exercise, Growth, and Joints Exercise Labradors not only love exercise, they need exercise. We all look forward to taking our puppy for a walk, however it is important not to over-exercise your puppy. In natural play, puppies will romp until they are tired and then stop to lay down for rest. When walking a puppy on a leash, they cannot stop when they normally would for rest. Too much exercise or walking can severely damage their bone and joint structures irreversibly. This should be taken seriously. THE RULE is: No more than 5 minutes of exercise for every month of age So that means, at 2 months old 8 weeks , your puppy only needs to exercise or walk for 10 minutes per day. At 3 months of age 15 minutes of exercise and so on. If you walk your puppy too far too soon, your puppy may develop hip and elbow dysplasia as they get older. Labradors have been known to develop dysplasia younger than other breeds of dogs. In many of these cases, it is often due to environmental factors such as over-exercise, running on hard or strenuous surfaces such as concrete or sand , continual jumping or agility work. Things to avoid with your puppy: No jumping in or out of car, especially larger cars. Lift the dog or use a ramp. No throwing balls or frisbee great distances for your puppy to chase. The sudden stopping and over reaching with the front legs is dangerous. No agility, jumping or flyball before years old Do not let other dogs knock or push the puppy over continually, includes body-slamming Avoid much stair climbing which can increase the risk of dysplasia No fast turns or roll-overs Good exercise: Swimming is great, since there is no weight-bearing impact on their joints. Remember, labradors love water! Walking on leash, for no longer than the recommended length of time for their age Self-directed play is an overriding rule for any puppy under 18 months old. The majority of exercise should be free play, exploring, and noodling around Hide and seek games are fantastic, as the dog can move at its own pace looking for its toy or treat or you. Size is a factor as large dogs, especially ones that like to play with paw whacks, can inadvertently injury a young puppy. Supervised play is critical. You need to teach the puppy a release command. All these games are forms of exercise for puppies and are a great way to help your puppy learn useful lifelong skills and qualities. Growth plates and bones: Development and injury Growth Plates Growth plates are soft areas that sit at the ends of the long bones in puppies and young dogs. They contain rapidly dividing cells that allow bones to grow longer until the end of puberty. Growth plates gradually thin as the hormonal changes approaching puberty signal the growth plates to close. In puppies, this closure normally completes between 18 to 24 months old in labradors. After sexual maturity, the growth plates calcify and the rapid cell division ends. The growth plates become a stable, inactive part of the bone, now known as an epiphyseal line. Dogs bones are held together with muscles, tendons and ligaments soft tissue. In an adult dog, if a joint experiences a stress such as bending the wrong way or rotating too much, the bones will hold firm and soft tissue will be pulled, resulting in a sprain or tear. Why this matters so much, is that unlike a sprain, injuries to the growth plate may not heal properly or not heal in time for the puppy to grow up straight and strong. Injury to a growth plate can result in a misshapen or shortened limb, which creates an incorrect angle to a joint resulting in yet more future injuries when he grows up, including dysplasia. These xray images show open and closed growth plates in a puppy and adult dog. Bone Strength In addition to having soft growth plates at the end of long bones, puppies bones in general are softer. Spiral fractures of the tibia lower leg bone are very common in puppies. A spiral fracture is where the bottom half of the bone twists in the opposite direction of the top half. Any exercise that puts torque twist on a bone puts the puppy at risk of a fracture. For an example, movements such as twisting and turning suddenly can cause these type of fractures. Hip and Elbow Dysplasia This is where we recommend you read our Health and Genetic Testing page, where we talk about hip and elbow dysplasia. It is critical that you, as a puppy owner, understand as much as you can about hip and elbow dysplasia, how you can help prevent it, and what your breeder should be testing for. On the other hand, an underfed or malnourished puppy or dog is also at higher risk of injury. Muscles mass directly influences strength, likewise inadequate calcium and nutrients affect bone density. A body condition score of about is healthy for a young puppy. Once an adult, the ideal body condition score would be about 5 for a healthy, fit labrador. Sterilisation Desexing In larger breeds, sterilising young puppies at a young age has shown to increase the risk of joint disorders and injury. We recommend sterilisation occurs between 24 months old for this reason. This recommendation is outlined in our Health Guarantee. We discuss this more under Desexing or Sterilisation. Post header Skip post header How much exercise does a Labrador need? Labradors are amongst the most popular family pets in the UK thanks to their loyalty, gentle nature, and intelligence. Like most dogs, they thrive with regular exercise, keeping them healthy and happy. How much exercise does an adult Labrador need? A healthy adult Labrador generally needs at least 80 minutes of high-quality exercise per day. Of course, when setting exercise goals for dogs with existing health issues including obesity , you should consult your vet first. What types of exercise are best for Labradors? When we say high quality, we mean just that. Try and incorporate off-lead time into their exercise routine and take a ball or toy to play fetch with — running will help to raise their heart rate and burn off more calories. How much exercise does a Labrador puppy need? For their first three months, your puppy will get enough exercise from tearing around the house, playing and causing chaos. How much exercise does an old Labrador need? At an advanced age, your dog will have less energy in general and be more likely to suffer from health issues that may limit their mobility. Be observant — being the loyal companions they are, Labradors will push through a lot of pain to keep up with you. Watch for excessive panting, changes in their movement, and exhaustion as signals that they have overstretched themselves and adjust their activity accordingly. Can you over-exercise a Labrador? Labradors have the capacity to build up incredible fitness that will see them on the go all day long, but for most, there is a limit on how much they can do. Gradually increase their activity levels, using a PitPat to check in on their progress. How far can a Labrador walk? A working Labrador could be expected to cover many miles every day through the undergrowth and even water. However, your pet Labrador will have slightly different stamina, depending on how much exercise they are used to. Getting out and about with your Labrador keeps them happy and healthy and can be a highly rewarding experience for you both. Download our app for free to see if PitPat is for you. You might also like Single page Single page Top 10 most active dog breeds Got energy to burn? Single page Single page 10 ways to exercise your dog indoors Whether you find yourself stuck indoors because of the weather or for any other reason, your dog still needs plenty of exercise. Here are our top tips for exercising your dog indoors. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. Whether young or old, big or small, yellow, black, chocolate, from field lines or show lines, your Labrador needs exercise. It will keep their heart and muscles strong, their mind stimulated and their weight under control. But how much exercise does a Labrador need? Labradors Are a High Energy Breed The Labrador Retriever is a high energy working breed, initially bred for very physically demanding work retrieving game for hunters. This would involve all day hiking, running and swimming in sometimes difficult conditions. So Labrador Retrievers were bred to have lots of energy and be very active. And though their main role in life today is as a family pet, they still have those same genetics that made them suited to their original role. Dog Ball Thrower. Yes, you can throw a tennis ball extra far with the Chuckit, but two reasons why I love it: 1. In this state they will often resort to destructive behaviors such as digging and chewing…and will often be very restless, may bark excessively and try to escape your home and garden at every opportunity. Insufficient exercise can also lead to weight problems with Labradors. Excess weight is a problem because it can lead to all sorts of problems such as damage to their joints hips and elbows , heart disease, increased blood pressure and increases the risk of diabetes. So a lack of exercise leads to behavioral problems, hyperactivity and possibly an assortment of health problems. However, as a general rule of thumb, a normally healthy adult Labrador Retriever will need 1 hour of exercise every day. The more relaxed Labs just 45 minutes per day, the more energetic 1. This can be made up of running, swimming, playing fetch , jogging alongside you…anything that goes beyond a gentle walk. But if the first consideration is your Labradors age, how much do puppies and the elderly need? Nice for long runs with your Lab. If you have older dogs or children, the puppy may well try to keep up with them and over-exert themselves, playing to exhaustion and damage their developing joints. So keep an eye on them and interrupt play if need be, to give them plenty of rest. Once they are fully grown, they can go out for much longer. The 5 minute rule should be sufficient to keep your lab puppy fit, burn off excess energy yet not over-exert them and cause possible developmental issues. Continue the 5 minute rule until your puppy is at least one year of age where you can then begin to exercise them more vigorously. This is highly dependent on your labs overall health and can vary wildly from one Labrador to another. Some labs may need to slow down from the 7th year onwards, while others remain extremely active beyond their 10th year. As Labradors get older, many develop arthritis, dysplasia and other health issues that can prevent a Labrador from enjoying or needing exercise as much as they used to when young and healthy. They will likely still try to chase a tennis ball all day and hike mountains just to please you, even if it may be doing them more harm than good. Try not to put them in this position. As your Labrador ages, you need to be more observant , looking for changes in their movement, excessive panting, slowing down, feeling tired. And during grooming sessions and massage, check for any painful spots indicative of sore joints or other problems. We noticed Linus was stiff getting up in the morning and decided to try adding glucosamine to his diet. We saw a noticeable difference a few days later and an added spring in his step. If your Labrador tears around your home like a tornado. If your Lab displays any of the restless and destructive symptoms described above, try increasing their levels of exercise for a few days and see if their behavior problems improve. However, if you have money burning a hole in your pocket you might want to check out PetSafe Automatic Ball Launcher. Over-exercising very young and elderly Labradors can do more harm than good. For your adolescent and adult Labrador, exercise them well. As a general rule of thumb, aim for 1hr per day and scale this up or down depending on your Labradors individual needs. This could mean 45 mins for the more sedate and elderly, or 1. And at the end of the day, think of it like this: You have the best exercise machine to rival that of any gym to keep you fit and healthy yourself. And hey, what fun!!! What better motivation and need is there to keep yourself in shape? Do you mostly agree with the above? Please let us know in the comments section below. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. For a list of all the supplies we get for our new service dog puppies check out our New Puppy Checklist on the PuppyInTraining. These tips will also help you to advance your dog so that, eventually, you can trust them to be off the leash in a safe area. Don't release your dog until they can demonstrate knowledge and obedience on the long leash and in many different settings. To begin with, walk them in the house and in the yard. Dogs learn 'contextually and by repetition'. These hints will help you to become the pack leader. Be certain that this is only reason that your dog will follow you. Make time to walk your dog Whether you walk your dog in the morning or evening will be influenced by your program. Whenever you exercise your dog, the walk should allow for 'focused time' and 'free time'. Two leashes will facilitate this. If they are under 12 months old, take some water with you. Also take a back-pack and a treat belt available on Ebay. I recommend no more than thirty minutes of walking in total for a dog under 14 months old as their growth plates are not set until this time. Be careful of overly vigorous activity, particularly if you have an older but playful dog. I don't recommend running for more than very short bursts for the same reason. Healthy hips and elbows are critical for a healthy, active and long life. Use two leashes - a long leash approx 7m and a short leash approx 1m Start your walk with the labrador pup on a short leash. The short leash will help you to direct and guide the dog. This allows you to maintain full control over your dog. Set up your walk for success. Start by getting the dog to sit or at the least be stationary and under your control. As you begin, keep your dog behind your body alignment. Be patient and encourage your dog. Do not show aggressive frustration. This will only cause confusion and fear or aggression. If your dog is not complying, stop and reset. You are the master Walking in front of your dog demonstrates that you are the master or the pack leader. You should be first out the door. The dogs should exit the compound only at your command. This is essential whether you are walking 1, 2 or more dogs. If your dog controls the pace and direction of the walk, they are the pack leader. Your dog should be beside or behind you during the walk. Dogs learn contextually The next two hints are important training essentials. Firstly, labradors learn contextually and their training in not immediately transferable to a new environment. Using the same disciplines and routines, train your dog the same way in different settings. This will entrench your expectations. Correct immediately Secondly, a labrador has about a five second retention of information. After five seconds the dog has lost any association between your assertiveness and their behaviour. If they disobey you, you must correct them within five seconds or not at all. If the dog is disobedient or simply does not understand, reset and start again. The long leash I'm a big fan of the long leash. A long leash will help you to correct bad behaviour at a distance. After a period of training with the short leash, remove it and connect the longer lead. Keep the leash in your hand, releasing it slowly and progressively. As they master this, you can back away while the dog is 'sitting and staying'. Reward your labrador pup with vigorous affection and a treat. After this, you should allow them to wander and sniff around. All this time you will keep your dog on the long leash and under your control. Be sure that the free time is less than their focus time. During the socialisation phase, 8 - 16 weeks, you will need both leashes as you expose your labrador pup to other dogs. As you walk your dog, you will come across small and large dogs that are aggressive. Walking on either leash will give your complete control. And it will ensure safety at all time. You new labrador pup has no innate road sense. Walk them, getting close to roads. Expose them to vehicles so that they do not panic. Reward your dog for good behaviour. Remember that dogs register tones and frequencies, not words. Use higher tones to affirm, reward and encourage. You approval is the greatest reward for a Labrador. Direct eye contact without high vocal affirmation will be interpreted as aggression. Use lower growling tones to reinforce disapproval. Try to avoid 'No' as a command. It is too general and therefore confusing to the dog. Always reward and reinforce obedience to specific commands. Use food treats to begin with, however you must gradually phase them out. Your vocal affirmation and affection should be your longer term goal. As your dog maintains the proper behaviour, reward them with treats. Reward your dog after the walk I recommend that you reward your labrador pup after the walk. Let them have a drink firstly then give them a portion of food that is less than a meal but more than a treat. It will not take long for your dog to anticipate the whole experience. When you appear with the leashes, they will become very enthusiastic. If you adhere to these eight hints and maintain the discipline of your training, you and your dog will value and enjoy the experience. Finally, remember to pick up after your dog. Don't go on a walk without your poop bags on hand! Find a vet you can have confidence in. Pawling Chocolate and Black Labradors. Just like us, Labradors need plenty of exercise on a daily basis. Whether you have a young or old dog, they all need to get the blood flowing to stay healthy and live long happy doggie lives. Regular exercise with your Labrador is very beneficial for you both. Exercise stimulates neuron growth in the brain, encourages the production of endorphins with a known mood-boosting effect , helps strengthen your bones and muscles, improves blood pressure, and can significantly help with depression. Are you having a hard time figuring out how much exercise your lab needs? Answers vary drastically from one dog to another. The amount of exercise to give your Labrador depends mostly on the age of the dog. The key to taking your Labrador puppy out for exercise is to be patient. Some labs are athletic, and thus need more exercise than others. Also, certain Labradors are genetically programmed to be energetic and have high metabolism rates, whereas others are more laid-back. Here are some exercise guidelines a new lab owner can follow to make sure their dog gets the right workout. With older dogs or children, a lab puppy may well try to keep up with them and exhaust themselves before they reach their adult size and stamina. Hold off on structured games and other forms of heavy physical activity for the first three months. This will set the stage for long-term, healthy exercise habits. This rule states that you should take your Labrador puppy out for at least five minutes of exercise per month of age up to twice a day until he or she is fully grown. This can be anything from a walk around the block to a run in the dog park. How old your dog is will make a difference in their stamina. To determine how much exercise your dog needs, first take their age into consideration. Labs that are four years old and above need between one and two hours of exercise per day. The truth is Labradors can lead a perfectly healthy life with just an hour of daily active playtime. The Labrador Retriever was bred to retrieve game for hunters. That means they naturally love to play fetch. All you need is a toy for playtime and room for running around. Tug-of-War is less cardio-oriented but helps with muscle mass and body structure in growing dogs. Plus, they love it! It requires that you prepare your puppy with a proper agility training course. Agility training is great for completing a total-body, structured workout, while also providing mental stimulation for your labrador. This involves activities such as going through walkways, tunnels, and hurdles to reach the other end. You will need to train your lab to engage in the activity and this involves proper instruction. Find one that fits his size and abilities, as well as your own personal comfort level. Either due to space or having a small yard, it may be difficult to get their puppies out every day. The good news is that, with a little creativity, indoor exercise can be just as viable and fun! Here are a few ideas you can try at home. Try Treadmill Training Sessions With Dogs A dog can be trained to use a treadmill and enjoy it, but the experience will take time. Build an Obstacle Course for Your Labrador Use everyday things found around the home or office to create an obstacle course. It also boosts their energy levels and problem-solving skills. For example, you might use old boxes and trash bags to make a tunnel, chairs or stools to jump across, and other furniture for your puppy to climb. At first your puppy may not catch on, but with effective use of the treat and lots of encouragement, you can help it learn as it goes. Hide-and-Seek With a Treat! Hide a treat around the house, and let your puppy work to find it. As you hide treats around the room, remember to make sure they are not hiding somewhere that is unreachable. Tip 2. Make sure that all the activities are not just what you enjoy but what is enjoyable for the puppy. Otherwise, they may get frustrated and stop cooperating with you. Include treats and praise whenever they accomplish something. All dog breeds respond positively to lots of physical affection and verbal affirmation. This will make the activity more enjoyable for the puppy. Keep fun as the central theme and good health will flow. Tip 3. Make an Exercise Routine and Schedule for Your Dog Lab owners, take note: maintaining the health of an adult Lab is all about consistency. And this starts with walks at a young age. Take regular walks with your dog, no matter the weather conditions. Walk at the same time each day in order to create an exercise pattern that both you and your dog can stick to. Maybe you can get the puppy used to a leash and casually walk through your neighborhood with it. That way, you can vary the activity occasionally. In six months, increase the amount of time your dogs are running to 15 minutes. This keeps their energy high and stops weight gain as they mature. Conclusion As a dog owner, your foremost responsibility is protecting the health and safety of your pet. Insufficient exercise causes health problems in dogs , like hip dysplasia especially those already prone to hip or joint problems. Share on. Tweet on Twitter Puppy exercise requirements vary between different types of dog, and as a puppy grows the exercise they need will increase. It is possible to give a puppy too much exercise so I will give you a puppy exercise chart, as a guide to how far a puppy can walk at different ages. Taking your new puppy for a walk We all look forward to the day we can take our new puppy for a walk. For many people, daily dog walks is a huge part of why they bought a Labrador in the first place. Others already take quite small puppies for quite long walks and are surprised to discover that many experts believe this to be a bad thing. So just how much exercise does a puppy really need? How much exercise does a puppy need? This rule of thumb says that a puppy should have no more than five minutes of walking for every month of his age. So that would be fifteen minutes a day maximum for a three month old puppy, twenty minutes for a four month old and so on. This concern about excessive exercise has arisen because it is widely believed that exercise is a factor in the development of serious joint disorders. Especially in larger breed puppies such as Labradors Breeders are particularly concerned about hip dysplasia, a serious and complex disorder of the hip joints, that is believed to be influenced both by inherited factors passed from dogs to their puppies and by environmental factors In addition to factors influencing growth rates, the stresses and strains placed on the vulnerable growing joint by excessive exercise are believed to be a contributory environmental factor in the development of inadequate hip joints. It seems likely, that a puppy that had inherited a tendency for poor hips, could have its soft and still forming hip joints made a good deal worse through prolonged or hard exercise. It is also possible that a puppy that has inherited excellent hips, will come to no harm whatsoever through hard exercise. On the contrary, a certain amount of free running exercise is a good thing Running off-leash A Norwegian study published and which included labradors, showed that puppies given the opportunity to exercise off leash in a park before the age of three months were less likely to develop hip dysplasia HD , not more. Stair climbing The same study showed that puppies that had to climb stairs on a regular basis during the same period were at increased risk of HD You can read about this study in Science Daily. So what does this study tell us? Well, it is only one study, but it suggests that playing in a natural way, with other pups or simply running about at their own speed is probably going to benefit a small puppy Strenuous exercise Whereas more strenuous activity such as climbing hills and stairs, may not be such a good thing at a very young age. Another study has suggested that running hard for a retrieve, may not be great for joint health either. And some breeders also prevent dogs from jumping for the first twelve months to reduce impact on the shoulder and elbow joints. This may be especially important for some of the heavier breeds of dog, and those that are slow to mature. How far should my puppy walk? But how does that translate to distances walked? If you like to think in distances rather than time, a mile is around steps for an adult human and takes about twenty minutes at a moderate walking speed. So a maximum walk for a four month old Labrador might be about a mile. And of course if you are walking out and back again, that means not taking the dog more than half a mile from your home or car, whichever is your starting point. With young puppies, you need to keep a balance. Think about the overall energy your puppy is expending rather than focusing on walking alone. Walking is only one form of exercise and is no more valuable or important than games or training exercises. If you have been to visit a friend with your five month old pup and their dog has played for half an hour in the garden with yours, your dog does not need a walk as well. It is the total exercise that counts. How much exercise is too much? And you are bound to know of someone whose puppy had far more exercise than this and came to no harm. However taking a puppy for long walks or asking him to negotiate very steep or uneven surfaces when he is little, is probably a bad idea. Beware of letting a puppy play for too long with an older dog that does not want to stop. And keep an eye on children who may inadvertently exhaust a puppy by encouraging him to play when he needs to sleep. Crating your puppy when he is tired or overexcited, will enable you to make sure that your puppy gets some well deserved down time. Summary Young puppies need the time and space to run about freely, and free running exercise is beneficial. You do not need to attempt to prevent puppies playing in the garden, trotting about the house or playing with another young puppy for a while. Provided that the puppy is free to stop and rest whenever he wants. As far as we know at the moment, formal exercise — walking on a lead — for example, is probably best restricted using the five minute rule as an approximate guide. And strenuous exercise such as stair climbing, and chasing balls should be limited or avoided altogether in puppies under three months of age. Remember, an adult dog can become an amazing athlete, but like all athletes, fitness and stamina are best built up in gentle stages if injury is to be avoided. Do talk to your vet about exercise at your first appointment with your puppy. We are still learning about hip dysplasia. Research is ongoing, knowledge increases all the time. Your vet should be up to date with the latest information regarding the optimum amount of exercise for your new puppy. Published in April , the Happy Puppy Handbook covers every aspect of life with a small puppy. It will help you prepare your home for the new arrival, and get your puppy off to a great start with potty training, socialization and early obedience. This article was originally published in and has been extensively revised and updated for References Slater et al. Diet and exercise as potential risk factors for osteochondritis dissecans in dogs. Am J Vet Res. Sallander et al. American Society for Nutrition. Krontveit et al. Risk factors for hip-related clinical signs in a prospective cohort study of four large dog breeds in Norway. May 9, Aug 12, This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. You want to show off your new labrador retriever puppy. Is it safe to walk your puppy outside? How far can you walk a puppy? Or is it time for a puppy stroller? Puppies usually receive a series of vaccinations starting at six to eight weeks old. Some say wait another two weeks until the vaccinations are fully effective before taking him to places where other unknown dogs may have been. As far as getting our puppies out and about we follow the guidelines set forth by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. The Primary and Most Important time for puppy socialization is the first three months of life. During this time puppies should be exposed to as many new people, animals, stimuli and environments as can be achieved safely and without causing overstimulation manifested as excessive fear, withdrawal or avoidance behavior. For this reason, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior believes that it should be the standard of care for puppies to receive such socialization before they are fully vaccinated. They grow more quickly than their smaller counterparts but mature more slowly. Exercising a larger breed puppy too much can lead to orthopedic problems and arthritis. Also, brachycephalic dogs with short muzzles like pugs and shih tzus have a lower tolerance for exercise because they can overheat more easily and have more difficulty breathing. And some breeds, like working, herding, and sporting dogs have a higher exercise need even as a puppy. So your border collie, golden retriever , labrador retriever etc. A rule of thumb is a puppy can walk five minutes for every month of age starting at eight weeks. So a two-month-old puppy can walk about 10 minutes. And a three-month-old can walk for 15 minutes; and a four-month-old for 20 minutes. And so forth. Of course these are general guidelines. Important Considerations When Walking Your Puppy In addition to how far your puppy should walk, there are many things to take into account regarding his excursions. Over weeks, build his endurance. He may have to potty or be thirsty. Avoid the hottest or coldest parts of the day Young puppies can be susceptible to temperature extremes. They may overheat and suffer from heat exhaustion, which can be deadly. In cold weather, puppies may require a coat or sweater to help keep them warm. Breeds with short muzzles such as shihs tzus or Lhasa apsos are especially susceptible to extremes of weather. And salt to melt snow can be dangerous to our dogs too. Places that are slippery can be dangerous for you and your dog to explore. Also, areas with sharp surfaces are hazardous. This can especially occur with blacktop. Also try not to walk him on surfaces that have any chemicals, such as salt to melt snow or weed control, as some are toxic to dogs. Get him used to grass, pavement, and dirt trails. Note From Colby: This is uber important for service dog puppies in training. If a service dog cannot walk across sand, grass, pavement, metal grates, etc without any kind of reaction, then the dog is not suitable as a working service dog. A walk or two a day as well as other play should be enough. Remember not to go so far on other walks, as you have to take into account the portion of the walk returning home. If at any point your puppy seems to be lame, limping or otherwise showing discomfort, end the walk. If your puppy shows any lameness, a vet visit is in order. Give your puppy a few exercise sessions a day You can break up his walk and give him two or three short walks a day. A little fetching his favorite toys can help meet his needs. Some free running in the house or safely enclosed yard can be fun for him. Stuffed Kongs and puzzle toys can help exercise his mind. Remember: He needs physical exercise as well as mental stimulation. Remember to bring the essentials Poop bags and water are important on your walks. You can bring a collapsible bowl or a water bottle with a built-in bowl so your puppy can drink. Be visible! There are reflective and lighted vests , leashes , collars , and harnesses you can purchase. Why Walk Your Puppy on a Leash? He can get exercise other ways such as playing fetch or playing with another friendly pup. But to be able to properly socialize your puppy, he needs to be taken to places on a leash. And socialization involves not only having him meet friendly people and dogs but also exposing him in a positive manner to new sights, sounds, experiences, and footings. There are many benefits to walking your dog, in addition to socialization, including: Physical and mental exercise Your new puppy wants to explore the world with you. In order to grow up to be a healthy adult, your pup requires both. New sights and sounds will stimulate him and help him grow into a well-rounded adult. Weight control Regular short walks will help keep your puppy fit and at the correct weight for his age and breed or mix. Bonding time Regular walks also provide a time for you and your puppy to bond. You puppy will learn that fun, enjoyable things happen when you both interact. And the walks will help provide a basis for a life-long bond with your pup. Reduces unwanted behaviors Exercise helps lessen destructive behaviors. A well-exercised puppy is less likely to engage in destructive chewing, jumping, digging, and other undesirable behaviors. Have him perform a sit. Work with attention. Practicing training exercises he already knows while on his walk will help him learn to do them in everyday life, with distractions. Lessens anxiety and stress The socialization and real-life experiences help a dog cope better with everyday life. There can be too much of a good thing. Even though we want our pups to get a sufficient amount of exercise, we can overdo it. Following the above guidelines should lead to a safe amount of exercise. Too much walking and exercise can also lead to arthritis developing early in life. Too much exercise can lead to severe exhaustion and limping A puppy can get over-tired and even over-heat. Just like when we overdo it, he may have sore muscles and may limp. A vet visit is in order if you see him limp. Over-exercising even can lead your puppy to being more vulnerable to injuries. Too much exercise can cause injuries to heal incorrectly If you exercise a puppy with injuries, he may not heal correctly. Final Thoughts Walking your puppy has many health and socialization benefits. But a walk with your new puppy can be a bonding experience. As a plus, you can show him off to your friends. What about you guys? How much do your walk your puppy? Tell us about your experiences in the comment section below. Related Articles:.

With both Jade and Bear being so laid back and relaxed, along with being very social with other dogs and people we think these puppies will be very confident, relaxed and super chill while still being very easy to train and a very loving and friendly companion that is very intuitive with they family and pack mates. If you are looking for a lower maintenance Wolfdog that will be easier to go on adventures with or an easier family dog than some of our pairings with more content, this is the pairing for you! Puppies will be mostly a thick plush coat with a smaller possibility of a few being long coated. Coat colour possibilities are solid liver, patterned liver, wolf grey, solid black, seal, agouti, and variations of sable. Puppies will have the possibility of blue eyes or gold eyes and a large body type. Puppies will be raised in house on the Puppy Culture Protocol and will socialized from birth to as many people, animals and situations as we can. Although this is much more work for us, we find this greatly benefits the puppy later in life and that is what is most important. This waiting list is currently full however please check back regularly! If Jade ends up having more puppies than expected we may have a few puppies that will be available. Ammena is in Heat currently and if all goes to plan puppies will be born in October! The height of these crossbreeds varies from 21 to 24 inches. Males and females have little height difference. You can expect this crossbreed to have a medium-length, double coat. The colors of their coat can be a combination of black, gray, red, gold, and brown. This type of coat helps them cope with the extremely cold environment. The Malamute German Shepherds are diligent working dogs. On top of that, they are alert and aware of their surroundings. They make excellent watchdogs. They bark appropriately without being annoying and disturbing. They have keen senses to discern suspicious acts and people. Another trait it possesses is its affectionate nature. The gentle and loving German Shepherd Malamutes can come off as intimidating at first sight. In reality, they are fluffy and lovable dogs that enjoy the company of people. You must apply good researching techniques to locate professional breeders when it comes to crossbreeds. Professional breeders allow you to access the documents of the puppy, including health records and DNA testing. They also provide a suitable environment for the upbringing of the dogs. They will help you become reassured that the dogs will grow to have minimal problems regarding their health. Visit the breeders in their location is highly recommended. Another way to verify a breeder is through this visitation. You might think that another good place to acquire this crossbreed is through purchasing in pet stores. I advise against this method. As a breeding ground, the puppy mill has thousands of stories supporting the terrible conditions for breeding. The puppy mill does not provide the most suitable environment for rearing puppies. In this place, the puppies are forced to mate with one another and give birth. This mixed breed is relatively rare. There are some breed-specific and non-profit rescue centers all over the country. You can check out these rescue shelters to obtain a new fluffy companion. Their shedding process usually involves a lot of mess and hair, especially during periods with warm weather and when placed in a blistering environment. Brushing the coat needs to be done for three to five times per week. If your dog has a collar, remove it when brushing the coat, and do not leave out the neck area unkempt. You should pay attention to spots where tangles occur often, like the base of the ears. You can prevent loose hair from the brushing process by dousing the coat with water. Another tip for maintaining the shine of the coat is using a slicker brush instead of a pin brush. You can also get rid of loose hair and some debris by using the brush. If you notice that your dog is uncomfortable each time you brush or comb its coat, you should consider starting a desensitization training. The process starts with using your hands to familiarize the dog with the brushing activity. After some time, you may alternate between using a real brush or comb and using your hands. You can finally change to a full-time brushing with a slicker brush after a few weeks. The little parts of the Malamute German Shepherd Mix, such as its eyes, nose, nails, ears, and paws, must be cared for as well. You should check for ear infection signs like the accumulation of earwax. A cotton ball and an ear solution formulated for dogs are must-haves for sanitary ears. For dried and scaly paws, you may utilize Vaseline as treatment. The popular opinion of daily bathing for dogs is not advisable to follow. The indication for bathing the dog is its appearance or smell. You may use formulations with ingredients that are soothing to its skin, like aloe vera. It is important to determine some early signs of skin lesions. If you are unable to do the necessary steps for grooming, you should opt to bring your pup to a professional groomer in your locale. There are many innate and environmental factors affecting the health status of the crossbreed. Some of these factors are genetic make-up, the environment where it grew up, nutrition, and level of activity. There are some health problems with a predilection to one of the parent breeds. As a reliable owner, you must be cognizant of the health risks of this crossbreed. Obesity: This mixed breed tends to eat more than its requirement. This should be controlled because it makes the dog vulnerable to many diseases, such as back pains, cancer, and joint problems. Chondrodysplasia: This condition may lead to hip dysplasia. Degenerative myelopathy: This is an untreatable and progressive disorder that results to the inability to move the hind legs. Von Willebrand disease: It is a blood disorder that causes a lot of blood loss. One of the things you can do is to acquire vaccines. The recommended vaccines for puppies are rabies, measles, and a combination vaccine called DHPP. I strongly advise seeking the help of a trustworthy veterinarian to become knowledgeable on the signs and symptoms to watch out for. Malamute Crossed with German Shepherd Food Requirements There is no fixed quantity of food for a dog, even among those with the same breeds. You need the most appropriate diet that will result in the optimal condition of your dog. The general amount of food suitable for an adult German Shepherd Malamute mix dog may vary from 2 cups to 3 cups of high-quality food items. Two to three meals per day are advised for these crossbreeds. Your dog requires healthy bones and joints for its activity. It needs a healthy amount of calcium for that. Calcium will also aid in giving the best status of immunity. Another vital mineral for the development of bones and joints is phosphorus. Below is an inventory of the recommended dry food for the Malamute crossed with German Shepherd dogs. It includes nine simple key ingredients. It has a meat component that ensures a tasty and adequate amount of animal protein. It does not have any unhealthy additives. This brand has a 4, 12, or pound bags available. Purina HA Hypoallergenic: This hypoallergenic formulation is perfect for some dogs which may be predisposed to developing food intolerance and allergies. The optimal effect of this product is achieved by giving this alone for eight to 12 weeks. You can combine this food with other kinds of high-quality kibbles after the said period. It does not have allergenic materials like soy, whey, and gluten. It does not have artificial flavors. It contains Omega-6 fatty acids that help in moisturizing the coat and adding the healthy glow for the skin. It has easy-to-digest and organic components such as rice, chicken, and barley. It has reported on nutritional breakthroughs. It possesses prime chicken and customized fiber system for easy digestion. The German Shepherd Malamute mix may be at risk for overfeeding and obesity. An easy way to determine this is by doing the hands-on test and eye test. These two tests will require you to examine the dog beside you and looking at its waist from above. You will feel the ribs of the dog when you press down if the dog is not overweight. A positive result of this test should alert you as a responsible owner. A veterinarian can help immensely in managing the diet and other health concerns of your dog. You should consider involving one while planning for acquiring a new family member. Whether you adopt a big or small doggo, feed them only with premium-quality food to keep them happy and healthy all the time. Steer clear of the worst dry dog food , and get only the best dry dog food for your furry companion. If your furry buddy is still but a munchkin, consult our list of the best puppy food brands for nutrition ideas. In case your pooch is well past their prime, make sure to serve them only the best senior dry dog food to keep those frail bones, well, not so frail! Do remember that your adorable mixed pup carries the genes of their vastly different parents. They may inherit the palate of either, so you can offer them both the best dry dog food for small dogs and best large breed dry dog food and stick with the one they choose as their favorite! The period of physical activity engagement should be at least one hour. An appropriate blend of physical and mental stimulus for this mixed breed is necessary to avoid boredom and destructive behaviors. Some examples of possible physical activities for the Malamute German Shepherd mix are hiking, fetching, and running. Another consideration for the exercise period is the venue for the activities. I recommend a big area in a well-ventilated place for this crossbreed. The Kong Ball is a widely known toy for mental motivation. The use of this toy will aid in the digestion and mental health of the dog. It comes in different sizes, so you can get a suitable one for your dog. The German Shepherd Malamutes have a notable strength in biting. It is an under-stuffed toy that has a squeaker. It is made of a tough material, perfect for hours of rough play. They could become hardheaded as well. Your contribution to the morale boost will help the process. Below are some guidelines on training this mixed breed: Limit the Duration of the Training Sessions: A way to prevent misbehaviors during the training sessions is keeping the sessions short. A great crate has a comfortable bed and optimum ventilation. The period for crate training varies from 30 minutes for younger puppies to eight hours for adult Malamute German Shepherds. This training will benefit the mental health of the dog as well. It will help in having a calm disposition, particularly during travels, and it will also ward of possible separation anxiety. Positive Rewards-based System: This training method avoids the classical penalty techniques when dogs misbehave. You can have a box of treats ready for the training sessions. You should also provide cuddles and words of encouragement and approval when the dog abides by the rules. Every dog has a unique way of following the commands. If you want to learn more about the proper techniques, you may opt to ask for some advice from professional trainers. It is essential to provide positive words and gestures to make the dog feel at home. One phase of the training a dog called early socialization is necessary for developing healthy coping mechanisms to a new environment and people. Early socialization will hone the puppy and help in becoming mature. This will contribute to their potential in becoming therapy dogs, service dogs, or herders. The owners will hold the puppy each day until four weeks. The next phase continues until 16 weeks of age. This phase involves exposing the puppy to various kinds of animals, people, textures, fragrances, and sceneries. The above-mentioned tips on training may be applied during early socialization. The Malamute German Shepherd dogs are generally good with children. They will give affection and friendliness to the little ones. You still need to be careful with the child-dog interactions, especially when the dog is still young. You must also teach your children how to respect and play with the dog within respectable bounds. Another characteristic of German shepherd puppies for sale is their training temperament. In most instances, the Alaskan Malamute will be a very energetic dog. German Shepherds are normally one family pet , as they may be suspicious of strangers. Her mixes are very popular. She is considered a friendly dog breed as well. The black German shepherd has plenty of qualities. Some people believe that Black German shepherd is rare due to their coat color and uniqueness. With time, the dog will probably become connected to the operator and with different pets living in the same property. Today Shepherd dogs are crossbred with several other varieties of dogs. A good deal of individuals is confused about black german shepherd dogs. The 2 breeds could be unshakable and rather difficult to deal with if not prepared appropriately. Alas, many large breeds like the German Shepherd Husky become hard to handle as soon as they reach adulthood. German Shepherd Alaskan Malamute Mix Puppies For Sale — Important Characteristics If you are interested in German Shepherd breeding to produce a healthy, conformationally correct dog, you will want to learn about the different German Shepherd breeds available for purchase. First of all, you must decide on whether you want to adopt a German Shepherd or raise a German Shepherd as a hobby or show dog. The grooming can be quite expensive so it is definitely not something to do without the proper tools and training. Grooming the German Shepherd mix, you may wish to consider adopting from a shelter or rescue group. An important part of German Shepherd breeding is working out how to care for your German Shepherd puppy during their first three to six months of life. The successful breeders have done so by spending a lot of time with the young dogs, training them, and then showing them off when they are older. Some Alaskan puppies for sale have been goaded into training by the public, and others have been trained by experienced professional dog breeders. If you choose to buy your dogs from a private, registered, and reputable breeder, you will likely pay a premium price for your precious pet. However, if you have the resources to adopt from a reputable animal shelter or rescue group, you may be able to find your dog for less than you would pay at the showroom. If you are going to use an adoption center or rescue group to find a German Shepherd for sale, you should ask about the kind of German Shepherd mix that they are selling. Malamute dogs are members of the larger class of breeds known as mountain dogs. Their forefathers were large breed dogs that roamed through Europe, Asia, and other areas of North America. Because of their compact muscular structure, they are naturally good climbers and jumpers. Because of their thick coat, they do require regular grooming, but they also like to spend time out in the fresh air and the snow. Historically, these dogs were used extensively by hunters as herding dogs. When they became too weak to serve as herding stock, these dogs were crossed with the Alaskan malamute, and the German Shepherd was born. Because of their friendly nature and athletic abilities, these dogs soon became popular as sled dogs. These dogs are very active, strong, and intelligent. They have the drive to work even when there are no humans around, and because of their training, they can become great companions to young children. They will quickly respond to training methods, but this also means that they need plenty of human contact throughout their life. Because of their loving and playful nature, German shepherd mixes have a special bond with their owners. The dog is eager to please, and they can learn new techniques fairly quickly. However, they are not overly aggressive or possessive of their owners. In fact, they are a very gentle breed that is eager to please in any situation. Because of their calm personality and trainability, these dogs make wonderful family pets. Many people choose to get a German shepherd as the first designer dog breed. This is because of their sociability, energy level, and agility. In addition, they have the outstanding temperament, great intelligence, and a strong work ethic. You can expect to pay anywhere from three hundred dollars to eight hundred dollars for a full-breed adult malamute, although you may find that the prices drop a little if you are looking for puppies. Share this:. As a mixed-breed dog, an Alaskan Malamute Mix can take on any combination of characteristics from one or both of the parent breeds. From the Alaskan Malamute side, you can expect an energetic, high-energy family dog that is loyal, a bit stubborn, playful, and affectionate with their families. Alaskan Malamutes are known for being excellent family dogs that are loyal and affectionate with a playful, energetic personality. You should be able to expect something similar from an Alaskan Malamute Mix. They tend to get along with children and other dogs. Alaskan Malamutes do have a high prey drive, so an Alaskan Malamute Mix may need some extra socialization if there are smaller pets in the household. Alaskan Malamutes are moderately adaptable dogs. They grow to be large dogs with a lot of energy, so they do not tend to do well in apartments. Their high prey drive and urge to wander also means they should only be let off-leash in securely fenced areas. As such, they tend to prefer homes with fenced-in yards where they can run. As an arctic breed, they tend to prefer colder weather are one of the dog breeds that love winter. They also do not like to spend long periods of time alone. The other parent breed could affect this in an Alaskan Malamute Mix. So, you should talk to the breeder about the other parent breed, but also be prepared for a moderately adaptable dog with these traits. Although a mixed-breed dog can sometimes win the genetic lottery and inherit no health conditions common to either parent breed, this is not a guarantee. An Alaskan Malamute Mix can inherit health conditions common to one, both, or neither of the parent breeds. From the Alaskan Malamute side, potential health conditions to be aware of include luxating patella , retinol atrophy, and day blindness. As a larger dog breed, they are also more prone to bloat. Because reputable breeders screen their stock to avoid passing issues to puppies, you should be able to ask about the health and genetic history of both of the parent breeds. Although an Alaskan Malamute is highly-intelligent, likes to work, and often enjoys training, they are also notoriously stubborn with an independent nature and a lot of energy. Because of this, they tend not to be a good fit for first-time dog owners. Novice owners can be a good fit, but training classes are highly recommended. Regardless of owner experience, puppy training classes are often still a good idea as they often offer opportunities to socialize a puppy. An Alaskan Malamute Mix can end up with a coat similar to either one of the parent breeds or a coat that is a combination of both of them. If they end up with an Alaskan Malamute coat, it will be thick and fluffy. Daily brushing and a bath every weeks are enough to keep an Alaskan Malamute coat looking great. Monthly nail trimming is usually sufficient to keep nails from growing too long. Dental care for dogs is often overlooked, which is why gum disease is one of the most common health issues in dogs. Alaskan Malamutes are known for being high-energy working dogs that need a lot of daily exercise and a job to do to be happy and healthy. Although the other parent breed in the cross may affect this, you should be prepared for a potentially high-energy dog with an Alaskan Malamute Mix. But, Alaskan Malamutes are also athletic and versatile dogs, so they can often adapt to a wide variety of activities. A fully-grown Alaskan Malamute usually stands inches tall and weighs pounds. The other parent breed in the cross could affect this in an Alaskan Malamute Mix. You can get a better idea of what size to expect in your Alaskan Malamute Mix puppy by asking the breeder about the other parent breed and also meeting the mother dog. Alaskan Malamutes generally live years. Although the other parent breed in the cross could shorten or extend this a little, you can likely expect a similar life span in an Alaskan Malamute Mix. Featured Alaskan Malamute Mix Article.

Some Moyen Poodles may have parti-colors, a combination of two or more colors; phantom markings; and Sable Personality and Temperament of Moyen Poodles Moyen Poodles are known for their intelligence, playfulness, and affectionate nature. They are very friendly, loving, highly intelligent, loyal, and sometimes mischievous. They are perfect for families and individuals who want an obedient but fun companion. Moyen Poodles are social dogs and enjoy spending time with their owners and other pets. They thrive on attention and affection and may become anxious if left alone for long periods. They are also highly sensitive and would break down if their favorite person gets too stern. In terms of energy level, Moyen Poodles are energy maniacs. They enjoy daily exercise and playtime and must have an energy release to remain well-behaved. They are also brilliant, making it to the number two smartest dog as per Dr. Health Issues Common to Moyen Poodles Several academic sources look into common Poodle health problems to better prepare potential owners. Some of these issues include: Hip Dysplasia: a genetic condition that affects the hip joint, causing pain and discomfort in the affected dog. Eye Disorders such as cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, and glaucoma. These conditions can cause vision loss and discomfort in affected dogs. Moyen Poodles are at an increased risk for this condition, which can cause symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and lethargy. Thyroid issues like hypothyroidism. Studies show that deep-chested canines, including Poodles, are most susceptible. Neurological issues like epilepsy. Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease, causing an insufficient blood supply to bones. Mild to moderate problems like allergies, obesity, dental issues, skin conditions, and ear infections. Moyen Poodles are a relatively healthy breed with a long lifespan. Care and Grooming Needs for Moyen Poodles Feeding Requirements Moyen Poodles are medium-sized dogs that require a balanced diet to maintain their health. Feeding them high-quality dog food formulated for their size and activity level is recommended. Moyen Poodles should eat twice a day to prevent bloat, with the amount of food depending on their weight, age, and activity level. Exercise Needs Moyen Poodles are active dogs that require regular exercise for 1 to 2 hours to stay healthy and happy. They enjoy brisk walks, runs, playing fetch, and swimming. Grooming Tips Moyen Poodles have a thick, curly coat that requires regular grooming to prevent matting and tangling. Brush them daily with a slicker brush and a metal comb. Also, trim their coat every six to eight weeks to maintain length and prevent matting. Moyen Poodles also require regular bathing, with a frequency of once every four to six weeks. It is essential to use a mild dog shampoo and conditioner to avoid skin irritation. Additionally, their ears should be cleaned regularly with canine wipes to prevent infections, and their nails should be trimmed every four to six weeks with clippers to prevent overgrowth. Brush their teeth at least twice a week and alternate with a doggy mouth wash. Poodles need professional grooming a few times yearly to maintain that famous Poodle look. These include the teddy bear cut, summer cut, German trim, puppy cut, and continental cut, among many others. This video wonderfully illustrates Poodle haircuts: Training a Moyen Poodle Moyen Poodles are super intelligent, eager to please, and quick learners, making them an excellent breed for obedience training, agility training, and even therapy work. When training a Moyen Poodle, it is essential to use positive reinforcement, such as treats and praise, and be consistent. Moyen Poodles benefit from socialization training, obedience, and crate training. It is important to start all these training early, ideally when the dog is a malleable puppy, but it is never too late to start. Remember that these dogs are sensitive, so you must learn how to discipline without punishing them. In addition to obedience and socialization training, Moyen Poodles can also excel in agility training. Their intelligence and athleticism make them a natural fit for this sport. However, it is crucial to start agility training gradually and under the guidance of a professional trainer to prevent injury. Moyen Poodles as Family Pets Moyen Poodles are an excellent choice for families looking for a loving and intelligent companion. They are easy to train, hypoallergenic, affectionate, and great with children, making them an ideal family pet. Suitability with Children and Other Pets Moyen Poodles are gentle and patient with children, making them an excellent choice for families with young kids. However, always supervise interactions between your Klein Poodle and children to prevent accidents. These dogs also do great with other pets and animals, especially with proper socialization. Ideal Moyen Poodle Home A home with a yard. People with active lifestyles. Adult supervision around young kids. This section will provide information on where to find Moyen Poodles, including adoption and rescue organizations and breeders. Adoption and Rescue Organizations Adoption and rescue organizations are a great option for those looking to adopt a Moyen Poodle. These organizations typically have a variety of dogs available for adoption, including Moyen Poodles. Some of the most reputable adoption and rescue organizations for Moyen Poodles include:. Breeds The link has been copied! Did you know that officially classifying poodles works a little differently than classifying other dog breeds? This dog breed, though always remaining one breed, comes in three distinct sizes. However, there is a fourth size that is already recognized in Europe and growing popular in the US, despite no official recognition. This size is known as the Moyen poodle. What Is a Moyen Poodle? Poodles are unique in that they are one breed that comes in different sizes. You can get the size by crossing a Standard poodle with a Miniature one, but it takes a bit of work to get there. The puppies produced by this pairing will produce puppies of varying sizes. It takes about 4 generations for the sizing to even out. Then you can breed two Moyen poodles and expect to get a litter of Moyen poodle puppies. Physical Characteristics of the Moyen Poodle Moyen poodles are sturdily built, with a rectangular body shape. They are small enough to make the perfect lapdog, yet large enough and adventurous enough to go hiking or take part in other physical activities. They love to go swimming, play fetch, and run as fast as their little legs can take them. Like other poodles, they have either a curly or corded coat that grows continually with little shedding. Moyen Poodles come in all the same colors and patterns as Standard and Miniature Poodles, including black, white, cream, silver, gray, brown, apricot, and red. Grooming Moyen poodles require regular grooming to maintain their coats and keep them looking their best. The frequency of grooming will depend on the type of coat your dog has. Curly-coated Moyen poodles will need to be brushed and combed several times a week to prevent mats and tangles from forming. Corded Moyen poodles will need to be brushed daily to prevent their cords from matting. Both types of coats will need to be trimmed or clipped every few months by a professional groomer. In addition to regular grooming, Moyen Poodles will also need to have their nails trimmed on a monthly basis. Temperament Moyen poodles are highly intelligent and easily trained. They are active and playful, but not hyperactive. With their pleasant temperaments, they make great family pets and do well with children. As with all dogs, they should be socialized early on, but they are naturally friendly and will generally be accepting of visitors. Even so, they are also good watchdogs, as they will bark to alert you to strangers. Because of their intelligence and trainability, Standard poodles are often used as service dogs. Moyen poodles are also a great service dog option with all the intelligence of a Standard poodle in a more conveniently-sized package. Training Start training your Moyen poodle early. Like all dogs, the earlier you start training, the better. Be consistent with your training sessions. Positive reinforcement training methods tend to work better with all dogs as opposed to punishment. However, this is especially so with Moyen poodles and their sensitive personalities. Above all, be patient. Training a Moyen poodle, or any dog for that matter, can be challenging at times. But patience is key. Frequently Asked Questions About Moyen Poodles Interest in the Moyen poodle is growing as people become more aware of this unique size. Are you considering adding a Moyen poodle to your family? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions that may be helpful to know. What's the difference between a Moyen Poodle and a Standard Poodle? The biggest difference between Moyen Poodles and Standard Poodles is size. Moyen Poodles are usually between 15 and 20 inches tall at the shoulder, while Standard Poodles can be up to 27 inches tall. Moyen Poodles also tend to have a bit more energy than Standard Poodles. Are Moyen Poodles good family dogs? Yes, Moyen Poodles make great family dogs. They're intelligent, playful, and loving, and they get along well with children and other pets. Their medium size makes them neither too big nor too small. They fit perfectly in the car and can easily accompany you on all your adventures without the challenges of a large dog. Do Moyen Poodles require a lot of exercise? Moyen poodles need moderate exercise and they're content with a daily walk or play session in the yard. Toy poodles tend to have a reputation for hyperactivity, but Moyen poodles are calmer. Of course, they still need to stay active to stay healthy and insufficient exercise can lead to hyperactivity. All poodles make great family pets. As loyal, trainable, and low-maintenance dogs, poodles have been highly popular among dog owners for years. And it's no wonder why--with their intelligence, charming personalities, and good looks, they make wonderful companions for people of all ages. The Moyen poodle is a great size that bridges the gap between the tiny Toy versions and the larger Standard version, giving dog owners the perfect medium-sized option. Adding this delightful pet to your family means years of loyal, loving companionship. Would you like to learn more about TryFi. The Fi Dog Collar is a GPS tracking collar that not only tracks your dog's location, activity level, and sleep pattern, but also alerts you if your dog escapes. If your dog escapes, this is the fastest way to find him. Give the Fi Dog Collar a try today! The link has been copied! You might also like. How Big Is a Moyen Poodle? This dog is a medium-sized breed that is smaller than the Standard Poodle and larger than the miniature variety. But this is where things get a bit confusing. In Europe, this type of dog fits in its own category. That means that only Poodles larger than them are considered a standard size. Most full-grown Moyens stand between 15 and 20 inches when measured at the withers. They generally weigh at least 20 pounds and go up to 30 pounds. A brown Poodle in a studio. However, in North America, we see some overlap between these medium-sized and Standard Poodles. As we talked about earlier, the AKC says that the typical variety is at least 15 inches at the withers. The minimum in the AKC requirements is 15 inches tall at the withers, but many exceed this substantially. The AKC says that a male Standard Poodle should weigh between 60 and 70 pounds , while a female ranges between 40 and 50 pounds. Medium-sized dogs are usually just as strong and capable for outdoor adventures, such as running and hiking. Standard Poodle playing with a toy in the grass. The Miniature Poodle A Miniature Poodle is smaller than a Moyen, with height at the withers ranging from 10 to 14 inches. It usually weighs between 10 and 15 pounds. Of course, Miniature and Toy Poodles cannot have the same physical capabilities as the larger Moyen and Standard Poodles. Other than physical size, the only significant difference between Medium-sized and Miniature Poodles is lifespan. Miniature Poodles tend to live a bit longer, with an average of 14 years. By contrast, 12 years is the average standard lifespan. Can Poodles live outside? What Organizations Recognize Moyen Poodles? For the AKC, any Poodle 15 inches or taller at the withers is considered the standard variety. There is one American dog organization that recognizes the Moyen as a distinct variety: the Dog Registry of America. This is a simple breed registry where you can register your Moyen Poodle and receive a certificate as proof of registration. Like other Poodle sizes, this one is available in many colors. These colors are fawn, brown, grey, white, and black. The other is the direct importation of Moyen Poodles bred in Europe. No matter where you get your Moyen Poodle, make sure the breeder is reputable. Two cute Poodle puppies on a basket. Being slightly smaller than many Standard Poodles can make them more agile and nimble during competitions. Some professional groomers stay away from large Standard Poodles. Instead, they bring medium-sized dogs to competitions. After all, with this smaller Poodle, grooming is quicker and easier. You may find medium-sized Poodles referred to as Moyen Poodles. If not, you can find a Standard Poodle on the smaller end of the spectrum. Poodles Are Smart Like all other varieties, the Moyen is extremely clever. Poodles are one of the most intelligent types of dogs on the planet. It comes in second, only after the notoriously brainy Border Collie. Compared to other breeds, Poodles are easy to train. Poodles, including Moyen ones, are so intelligent that people often train them as service dogs. This medium-sized dog can be more convenient than Standard Poodles because of their size. A smiling Poodle lying on the floor. Poodles Are Friendly and Affectionate The Moyen Poodle is excellent if you want an affectionate and sweet-tempered dog. One of the many reasons these dogs make great pets is that their size makes them easier to cuddle. A super cute Poodle sitting on its owners lap. Plenty of Grooming Required Poodle grooming is quite different from grooming most other kinds of dogs. If you want to make your pet a show dog, grooming will be intensive and time-consuming. Even if your Moyen will be a family pet, some grooming is still necessary. Moyens and other kinds of Poodles people use as show dogs are usually professionally groomed. There are complex grooming techniques and cuts that are necessary for the ring. A groomer holding the Poodle ears. Set aside time to give your Poodle about one hour of exercise daily. This breed almost always loves playing fetch! The bigger your Poodle, the more exercise it will probably need. Two Poodles are playing at the park. By medium-sized, we mean it falls between a large Standard Poodle and a Miniature Poodle in size. My wife and I love playing with our active miniature Labradoodle Max. We want all Oodle puppies to be healthy and happy, have lots of fun and be part of the family. Load More. Conclusion What is a Moyen Poodle? They are larger than the Toy Poodle but smaller than the Standard Poodle. They are known for their elegant appearance, with a well-proportioned body and a graceful gait. Moyen Poodles have a dense, curly coat that requires regular grooming to keep it looking its best. These dogs are highly intelligent and trainable, making them excellent candidates for various dog sports and activities. They are also known for their friendly and affectionate nature, making them great family pets. Grooming Needs Due to their curly coat, Moyen Poodles require regular grooming to prevent matting and keep their fur in good condition. Regular teeth brushing and nail trimming are also essential parts of their grooming routine. Why Moyen Poodles Make Excellent Family Pets Moyen Poodles are known for their friendly and sociable nature, making them great companions for families. Moyen Poodles tend to be very friendly with kids and get along well with other animals, making them an ideal choice for families. They are eager to please their owners and are quick learners, which makes training them a breeze. Additionally, Moyen Poodles have a moderate energy level, so they enjoy both playtime and relaxation. They are happy to join their families on outdoor adventures or simply cuddle up on the couch. In conclusion, Moyen Poodles are a unique Key Takeaway: Striking a balance between elegance and adaptability, Moyen Poodles are the perfect medium-sized pet. With their friendly nature, high intelligence, and moderate energy levels, they fit seamlessly into various living situations. Regular grooming keeps them looking sharp while their sociable disposition makes them excellent family pets. The Breeding Process of Moyen Poodles Imagine the perfect blend between a standard poodle and a miniature one, resulting in an adorable medium-sized bundle of joy. This is exactly what moyen poodles are. The breeding process for these intervariety moyens often involves pairing up a mini with its larger counterpart. This combination leads to first-generation moyens that possess an impressive coefficient of inbreeding COI score — zero. A zero COI score , quite interestingly, indicates no shared ancestors within five generations, which plays out positively towards their overall health status as well as genetic diversity. Why all this effort? To achieve such consistency among breeds like the beloved moyen, stringent guidelines set by canine organizations worldwide such as FCI Federation Cynologique Internationale are followed meticulously by ethical breeders who are passionate about preserving distinct attributes associated with each type. But if done right using best practices endorsed by bodies like the American Kennel Club amongst others, potential owners will have themselves not only great family pets but also service dogs should they wish so. Discover the art of breeding moyen poodles. This dedication results in a healthy, diverse breed that makes an excellent family pet or service dog. These medium-sized dogs stand between 15 and 20 inches at shoulder height, weighing in around a manageable lbs. Their elegant stature comes from their well-balanced body structure. Their dark oval-shaped eyes, coupled with ears hanging close to their head, create an expressive face full of character. This continuous growth allows them to flaunt long hairstyles while keeping your furniture hair-free. Whether soft waves or tight curls adorn these intervariety moyens depends on genetics and grooming routines. Just like standard and miniature poodles , these larger dog varieties can come in almost every imaginable color, ranging from solid black through multicolored patterns such as brindle markings. Tail And Posture: Elegance Personified Moyen Poodles have always been admired for carrying themselves proudly, thanks largely to the square build characteristic more commonly associated with large dog breeds like standard poodles. Whether docked or left natural, their tail length tends not to be overly long but just right enough, allowing enthusiastic wagging during moments of joy. Key Takeaway: Moyen poodles, standing inches tall and weighing between lbs, are admired for their well-balanced stature and expressive faces. Overgrowth can quickly become an issue if left unattended. You might assume that these fluffy creatures need frequent baths — however, once every three weeks should suffice unless they get particularly dirty during outdoor activities. VCA Hospitals provides detailed guidance on bathing frequency based on different factors. WebMD Pets offers helpful tutorials explaining how to maintain oral health in pets, including teeth care tips. Remember, just like humans, our furry friends too need clean teeth. Keep your moyen poodle looking sharp and healthy. What is a Moyen Poodle? A Guide to This Unique Breed Explore what a moyen poodle is, their unique traits, grooming needs, and why they make excellent family pets in our comprehensive guide. Dive in now. Temperament Traits That Make Moyen Poodles Great Family Pets Moyen poodles are renowned for their sharp intellect, a trait that makes them highly trainable and adaptable. Their quick learning capabilities make them ideal candidates as service dogs. Their intelligence also means they enjoy mental stimulation, which can be provided through engaging games or puzzle toys. Sociable Companions A notable characteristic of moyens is their innate sociability. They have an inherent love for people, making these intervariety poodles wonderful companions in any setting. This affectionate nature extends to other animals too; if you already have pets at home, rest assured that your moyen will fit right into the mix. Moyens value independence enough to spend time alone without getting anxious — a quality appreciated by families who may need to leave the house occasionally due to work commitments or errands. In addition, moyens strike an endearing balance between playfulness when engaged with interactive tasks, and tranquility during quiet times where they relax alongside family members. Exercise Guidelines For Dogs covers all about ensuring sufficient physical activity daily. Families can rely on Moyen poodles as adaptable and active companions that fit well into their unique lifestyle. Key Takeaway: Moyen poodles, with their sharp intellect and sociability, make excellent family pets. This high level of intellect makes them highly trainable and eager to please their owners. The cornerstone in training your Moyen Poodle is effective communication. This intelligent breed responds well to positive reinforcement techniques such as rewards or praise rather than punitive measures. These methods make the learning process enjoyable for both owner and dog while also strengthening trust between them. Socializing Your Moyen Poodle When raising a Moyen Poodle, socialization plays an important role in shaping its temperament into one that fits seamlessly into family life. Early exposure from 8 weeks — 4 months old to different environments, people, and situations helps create well-rounded adult dogs who adapt easily wherever they go. Puppy classes offer safe spaces where young pups can interact under professional guidance, which aids immensely during this critical phase. In addition to these formal settings, try introducing new experiences at home too. Regularly invite over friends who handle him gently; let him explore various parts of the house supervised; gradually introduce household sounds, ensuring each experience remains positive, thus fostering curiosity about the world around. Discover the joy of training your Moyen Poodle. Their intelligence makes them eager learners. Remember, consistency in commands and positive reinforcement are key. Socialization from an early age is also crucial for a well-rounded pet. Health Considerations For Your Moyen Poodle Moyen poodles, like all other varieties of this intelligent breed, have specific health considerations that potential owners should be aware of. Understanding these can ensure your moyen remains a healthy and active member of the family. Hip dysplasia is an inherited condition that affects the joint between their hip and thigh bone, causing discomfort during movement. On the other hand, PRA gradually impairs vision, leading to eventual blindness. The Positive Impact Of Mixed Breeding Incorporating mixed breeding into generations of moyens may contribute positively towards genetic diversity, thereby improving overall health conditions within this breed. Preventative Measures To Adopt As An Owner Maintaining a healthy diet and providing regular exercise helps keep dogs physically fit, mentally stimulated, and free from behavioral issues caused by boredom. Routine grooming helps detect skin abnormalities early, and dental hygiene prevents oral infections that could lead to systemic illnesses if left untreated. Finally, vaccinations protect against infectious diseases such as parvovirus, distemper, rabies, etc. Remember, prevention is always better than cure, so taking proactive steps in healthcare is of paramount importance for every responsible owner out there. Key Takeaway: Keep your moyen poodle hale and hearty by staying informed about common health issues like hip dysplasia and PRA. Regular vet check-ups, a nutrient-rich diet, ample exercise, routine grooming, dental hygiene and timely vaccinations are crucial. Remember mixed breeding can boost genetic diversity to improve overall health conditions. Moyen Poodles have a dense, curly coat that is low-shedding and hypoallergenic, making them a great choice for individuals with allergies. Moyen Poodles are renowned for their amiable and loving temperaments, making them ideal family pets. Grooming Needs Moyen Poodles have a high-maintenance coat that requires regular grooming to keep it in top condition. They need to be brushed frequently to prevent matting and tangling. In addition to regular brushing, Moyen Poodles need their ears cleaned regularly to prevent infections, and their nails trimmed to keep them at a comfortable length. Dental care is also important to prevent dental issues. They are patient and gentle with children, making them suitable for households with kids. Moyen Poodles are able to adjust to a range of living environments, whether it be an apartment or a home with outdoor space. They are active dogs that require regular exercise, such as daily walks or playtime in a fenced yard. Furthermore, Moyen Poodles are highly trainable and eager to please, making them easy to train. They excel in obedience training and can learn various Key Takeaway: Moyen Poodles, sitting between Toy and Standard sizes, are known for their elegance, intelligence, and hypoallergenic coats. Frequently Asked Questions About Moyen Poodles As an intriguing variety of the beloved poodle breed, moyen poodles often raise a few questions. This section will shed light on some commonly asked queries about these remarkable dogs. What exactly is a moyen poodle? In essence, a moyen poodle , or klein as they are known in Europe, sits comfortably between miniature and standard sizes. How large do moyens grow to be? Are moyens suitable family pets? A resounding yes. Thanks to their inherited intelligence from parent breeds along with an affectionate nature, they make excellent companions for families worldwide. Their high trainability, coupled with their love towards humans, ensures seamless integration into any household environment. The AKC currently does not have official recognition nor classification under its registry system for this variant, largely due to its unique intermediary stature which falls neither within miniatures nor standards according to traditional classifications. Grooming requirements: Do they differ among various Poodle types including Moyens? All variants of Poodles, including Moyens, possess hair instead of fur, akin to human hair growth patterns. This necessitates regular grooming sessions such as brushing, combing, and trimming, ensuring proper maintenance, upkeep, aesthetic appeal, and health considerations alike. Ever wondered about moyen poodles? Not officially recognized by AKC but winning hearts across America with their intelligence and affectionate nature. These intelligent companions are known for their playful spirit, loving nature, and adaptability to various living environments. Being smaller than standard poodles but larger than toy variants, moyens fit comfortably into different home settings — from apartments to spacious houses. Moyens as Family Pets: More Than Just Companionship A significant characteristic that makes these intervariety moyens stand out is how seamlessly they blend with family life. Moyen poodles have an uncanny ability to understand human emotions, which leads owners to often describe them as empathetic creatures who provide comfort during challenging times. This emotional intelligence also helps in forming strong bonds between the dog and its family members, creating lifelong friendships that everyone cherishes deeply. The Value Addition: Moyens As Service Dogs Beyond being great family pets, moyen poodles make excellent service dogs owing to their trainability factor coupled with innate empathy towards humans. Service Dog Training from AKC provides valuable tips if you plan on training your pet effectively for such roles. Their empathetic nature and high intelligence make them great companions and service dogs. Whether in a small apartment or large house, their adaptable size fits perfectly while their playful spirit brings joy to everyday activities. Their temperament traits have caught your attention too. High intelligence level? Easy trainability? Loving nature making them great family pets? We also touched upon training techniques for your moyen poodle and why socialization plays such an integral role in their development. Intrigued by Moyen Poodles yet? Table Of Contents:. Unlike many dog breeds — which come in only one size — the American Kennel Club recognizes three distinct Poodle sizes: toy, miniature, and standard. But the Moyen Poodle is of a fourth, medium-sized variety. They generally weigh between 20 — 25 lbs and will stand approximately 15 — 20 inches tall. A litter of Moyen Poodle puppies can be a result of breeding a male and female Moyen Poodle, or by breeding a standard Poodle with a miniature Poodle. This makes them a medium-sized canine companion! Personality and Temperament Did you know? They are an extremely popular breed. And no wonder why! Moyen Poodles embody all the best traits of Poodles. They are loyal dogs that do very well in families, often bonding closely with both adults and children alike. Their energetic nature makes the Moyen Poodle a great choice for those with active lifestyles. They are playful, smart, and will happily trot alongside you during a hike or splash in the water at the beach. In addition, Moyen Poodles are watchful dogs. Though rarely aggressive, the Moyen Poodle like all dogs requires proper socialization to avoid becoming nervous or timid around strangers. This is especially true for rescues. Good news! Moyen Poodles are highly intelligent dogs. Statistically speaking, out of dog breeds Poodles were found to be the second smartest, as cited by The Smart Canine. Their IQ makes them excel at obedience. Moyen Poodles can participate in agility, tracking, retrieval, and even dog dance competitions! These dogs thrive when given the chance to use their brains. However, they can be emotionally sensitive. Common Questions Do Moyen Poodle puppies shed? Moyen Poodles shed very little. They are available in a wide range of colors which include: black, white, apricot, cream, brown, blue, and more. One characteristic is the same across all varieties however, and that is their tendency to be low shedders. Moyen Poodles have dense curly coats. This earns them a spot as a hypoallergenic dog breed. Have allergies? A Moyen Poodle may be perfect for you. Do Moyen Poodles bark a lot? Lifespan On average, a healthy Moyen Poodle will live between 12 — 15 years. Famous Moyen Poodles All throughout history, humans have loved dogs. Of course, this includes Poodles! Elvis Presley famously owned a Poodle named Champagne who he lived with while in Germany. Violette de Ayala — founder of femcity and bestselling author — shares her home with a darling Moyen Poodle named Georgie. A post shared by Anne Devereux-Mills annedevmills Rescue Information You can find the dog of your dreams at a Poodle-specific dog rescue which are located throughout the United States , or check any rescue group in your area. You can search for adoptable Moyen Poodles online at:. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. The American Kennel Club states, "Poodles come in three size varieties: Standards should be more than 15 inches tall at the shoulder; Miniatures are 15 inches or under; Toys stand no more than 10 inches. All three varieties have the same build and proportions. You will also hear this size referred to as Klein, which is the German term. Here in the states we consider Moyen poodles to be about 15" - 20" at the shoulder, and about lbs. Since the AKC calls any poodle over 15" at the shoulder standard poodles, if you purchase a Moyen poodle and register them with the AKC, they will need to be registered as a standard. The AKC calls poodles one breed with three varieties. Intervariety means you are breeding a mini to a standard, a mini to a toy or a moyen to a standard. Intervariety poodles are NOT a mixed breed! First generations moyens are often created by breeding a mini to a standard intervariety. When this happens, there will not be a complete uniformity in size, meaning some puppies will be bigger and smaller than others. It takes about 4 generations before they will produce "true to type" and be considered moyens. We are trying to be clear that our intervariety moyens are "first generation" moyens, meaning we are not sure EXACTLY how big the puppies will grow to be. One additional plus of breeding a mini to a standard is that the co-efficiency of inbreeding COI will be zero. Proudly created with Wix.

However, the first thing you need to know is that silver Shepherds are very rare, and their fur coloration is not a sign of another breed but a result of color mutation, especially of red and tan hairs changing under the influence of certain genes or alleles. You may have heard a lot about these unique dogs, but as long as some facts are true, others are absolute myths. History and Causes of Silver Color in German Shepherds The history of this Shepherd coloring dates back to , and this fur tint is considered to be the closest to the original German Shepherd. A German officer and veterinarian, Max von Stephanitz, spent about 35 years researching and breeding ideal herding dogs. Then, in , a new breed was registered. It had a wolf-like appearance, was strong and alert, and was used as a working dog for herding sheep, serving in the police and military, and guarding. According to the American Kennel Club report, it was the third most registered breed in .However, the AKC breed standards focus on rich colors , and washed-out tints that are undesirable for the show ring. Probably, it is one more reason why this coloring is so rare in GS dogs. Therefore, how can this rare and unique color appear in German Shepherds? Every set of genes has two copies. They may be similar or different from each other. If they differ, one copy dominates and results in specific physical characteristics. The other copy produces recessive traits that are not physically displayed. However, these recessive traits can appear in further generations under specific conditions. Both parents need to have a dilution recessive gene to receive a silver color. This gene called the KIT, influences the tan and red colors, making them cream or pale beige. Another dilution gene is the Agouti or A-locus. It affects black, wild sable, and tan colors and also produces a silver coat hue. Therefore, silver refers to black or grey wold-like coat colors and any other diluted GS colors. Appearance and Character of Silver German Shepherd Dogs The appearance of a pure silver or black and silver German Shepherd does not differ much from the dogs of this breed with other colors. Such pups have a long muzzle, domed forehead, long bushy tail, black nose, and erect ears. The average height of these male dogs is inches cm , and females are usually inches cm tall. An adult male weighs pounds kg , while adult girls can weigh pounds kg. The type of coat is short-medium, medium, or long. The latter is pretty rare. Because these animals are double-coated, they are heavy shedders , especially in the seasons of spring and early autumn when they prepare for temperature changes. Since silver Shepherds are a subtype of the mainstream breed, they have a build and physique fully identical to other German Shepherds. Their coloring ranges from cream to off-white with a metallic sheen. They usually have pure black spots among the silver areas. The size of the black areas depends on the color that the Agouti gene has diluted; for example, silver bi-color dogs are mostly black with minimal silver areas on saddles and blankets. It is a result of red or tan modifications. As for their temperament, these pups do not differ much from their counterparts, either. They are brave, loyal, confident, and intelligent. Like other German Shepherds, they are alert, protective, energetic, and territorial. These pets are quite independent and versatile. They are aloof to strangers and can become superb family pets if properly trained. Socialized silver Shepherds are friendly to children and other pets in the household, and they can be perfect dogs for new owners. Such dogs can work in the police, military, and search-and-rescue services. However, they bond with one person only, and it has to be taken into consideration while training to help them extend their protection drive to the entire team or household. Silver Shepherds need a lot of exercise and a good trainer who is confident and consistent and applies only positive reinforcement. Not every German Shepherd carries the Agouti gene that produces a silver coat. That makes the breeding process quite challenging and expensive. Moreover, even if both parents are the recessive gene carriers, they are not guaranteed to produce silver offspring. If you get only one silver puppy out of four in a litter or do not get any, the price of such a rare pup doggy will grow up. These dogs are not a mixed breed. They are purebred, with the same appearance, physical and behavioral patterns, and care needs as their counterparts. Though pure silver German Shepherd dogs are even rarer, most colors can get this stunning silver tint that differentiates this type of dog from other German Shepherds. Even the AKC accepts pure silver as a variation of registered colors. However, even if you register your doggy with this organization, it does not mean you can win prizes on most shows. You may wonder whether your pet needs some specific care because of its coat color. In fact, there is nothing specific, though you need to consider the characteristics and requirements for this breed. Nutrition is an important part of care, and feeding your doggy with high-quality kibble, a mixed diet, or a raw handmade diet rich in protein, fat, and useful carbs, is a must to preserve the shine of its fascinating silver coat. However, extensive brushing is recommended twice weekly, and you can do it even daily in shedding seasons. Your pet will need a medium-to-high amount of exercise. Walking with your dog twice a day for at least 45 minutes per session will do a lot of good. As well, your doggy will need training and socializing. These pups are easy to train, and you can teach them a lot of commands. The lifespan of a silver Shepherd is, on average, years. Vaccination is also very important when you take a silver puppy home. Develop a schedule with your vet and accurately follow it. Despite any misbeliefs, the coat color does not influence the overall health of silver Shepherds. They can suffer from common health problems among all other dogs of this breed. You can prevent or manage many of these conditions if you provide your pet with proper care. It is not true. However, some animals can be more aloof than others, while some individual dogs can be friendlier or more aggressive. Like all other German Shepherds, they need proper training and socialization. In addition, they do not like staying alone for a long time. They can get bored and destructive if you do not play or exercise with them. Try to include more problem-solving puzzles in the everyday training routine, and you will get a perfect pet and companion. Even the rarest blue-silver German Shepherd dogs can have the same issues as their red, tan, sable, or black counterparts. One more thing that is usually misunderstood about silver Shepherd breeding is that this color is possible only from two silver parents. In fact, any dog that has a recessive silver coloration gene can produce silver offspring. However, knowing beforehand how many puppies in the litter can be silver is impossible. That leads to breeding difficulties and the rarity of the silver Shepherds. You may wonder why it is so cheap if the dog is immensely rare. The matter is that these dogs are not accepted at the conformation shows. You can register your pup with the AKC, but the chances it will be successful in the show ring are minimal. So, breeding this tint in dogs is not popular among professionals, which accounts for a price reduction. Is a silver German Shepherd rare? Yes, this color is very rare among German Shepherds. Only the two dogs with a dilution recessive gene can produce the puppies with this tint. They do not need to be silver themselves. They can only be carriers of it. On the contrary, you never have a guarantee that a silver Shepherd will necessarily produce any silver offspring if its mate does not have that recessive gene. The color can even display in the second or third generation. Final Thoughts If you want to adopt a silver GSD and make it a part of your family and household, you need to know more about these beautiful animals. They are very intelligent, courageous, loyal, passionate, and energetic. They become superb guards and trustworthy companions. However, you have to train your dog properly to teach it to do commands and be more aloof and confident while communicating with strangers and other animals. Such pups look truly majestic, especially black and silver German Shepherd dogs. They resemble some fantastic creatures, sometimes rather scary and intimidating. However, they are very kind and caring if exercised and trained properly. You have to be ready to provide your new pet with much time and attention to avoid the development of certain behavioral problems and enjoy your time with your stunning pet. 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. Are they healthy dogs? Strong, rich colors are generally preferred in this working bred dog. This may be why silver grey dogs are less common. Washed out colors, including blues and livers, are considered a serious fault. The white coat color is undesirable within the official description, and even leads to disqualification from the show ring. Where Do They Come From? The black and silver German Shepherd is essentially the same as any other color of German Shepherd Dog. The history of the German Shepherd Dog, of course, can be traced back to Germany. Cavalry Officer Max von Stephanitz decided he wanted to breed the ideal herding dog. Von Stephanitz spent 35 years dedicating his life to improving the breed. Expanding from its pastoral herding roots to showing its utility as a service dog and in police and military canine units worldwide. The Genetics of the Silver German Shepherd Coat color genetics are complex, with the exact genes responsible for silver coloration yet to be fully identified. Within the German Shepherd breed, the gene for sable is dominant over all other colors and patterns. The first registered German Shepherd Dog was sable in color. While you may see a working silver sable Shepherd, that would be a very unusual color combination. Different colors Bear in mind as well that the final color of a puppy will only be clear once the outer coat has fully developed. This means that a relatively dark coated puppy could develop into a mature black and silver German Shepherd Dog. They are large dogs, weighing between 50 — 90 pounds and standing between 22 — 26 inches tall. And have a muscular, strong body, with pointed ears and a dense double coat. You may have seen parent dogs advertised as black saddle silver German Shepherds, but what does that actually mean? Any German Shepherd Dog with silver coloration is less likely to have a silverback German Shepherd pattern. Grooming The double coat of the German Shepherd does require brushing every few days to remove loose hairs. They will also shed twice a year, leaving a significant amount of hair behind! Color vs Temperament There is no link between the gene for silver fur and the typical temperament traits of the dog. German Shepherds have a reputation for being fiercely intelligent, intensely loyal, and enthusiastic about work or exercise. This is a brave and courageous breed, as well as being more aloof than some others. They are good around children they know, and often take on a guardian role for those within their own family. Training and Activity All German Shepherds are intelligent dogs, regardless of their coat patterns. Their high level of intelligence means they are a joy to train, and enjoy positive, reward-based training methods. These are active dogs, and require regular daily exercise. Mental stimulation is just as important as physical exercise for German Shepherds. Be sure to challenge yours with activities such as agility, or learning tricks, as a way to keep both their mind and body stimulated. Unfortunately, all German Shepherds can be prone to a range of health conditions. Hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia are both common in the breed. Parent dogs should have been given a score for their hips and elbows. By selecting parent dogs with high scores, you can reduce the chances of your puppy developing these conditions. This is the result of abnormal cartilage growth. Other health conditions that can affect this breed include: Degenerative myelopathy. Lifespan Sociability Difficult to find, the silver German Shepherd puppy can cost more than a standard color. Their rarity means that it is unusual to find this coloring in shelters. As they are still used as guard dogs, you must meet a rescue dog before you consider adopting them. Check with the Kennel Club for recognized breeders and be prepared to ring around to find silver or grey German Shepherds because they are rarer. Meet the puppy and at least its mother before buying and taking your new dog home and ask for evidence of health screening to ensure that it has less chance of hereditary conditions that the breed is prone to. The dog was first bred in by Max von Stephanitz. He wanted to create the ultimate herding dog. Von Stephanitz believed that the dog should be bred primarily for herding but their purpose soon evolved. Many critics say that the modern breed is too far from his ideas to be considered a true German Shepherd. The word dog is included in the breed registry to differentiate from German Shepherd people. In Germany, it has the breed name Deutscher Shaferhund and in parts of Europe it is also sometimes known as the Alsatian, a name which was given to it after World War II when its popularity waned and breeders wanted to reinvigorate its popularity. Following the formation of The Seeing Eye in , the breed was trained and used for the purpose. It was later decided that the German Shepherd was better suited to police work while the friendly demeanor of the Lab and the Retriever meant they were better as blind dogs. It tests the ability of the dog but was also designed to identify those that were untrainable. The sport is more inclusive now and allows dogs of other breeds to compete. They found many uses during the conflicts, from running messages to identifying danger and alerting their handlers to the presence of those dangers. They are still used in conflicts around the world, today. A post shared by Fenris Fangs fenrisfangs 6. Rin Tin Tin the Movie Star The recognizable image of the breed and its ability to follow commands even under great pressure has seen the breed used in a wide variety of occupations and settings, including on set as movie stars. Most people have also seen the black German Shepherd and some may have even seen the white. There are 11 recognized colors including the tan and black, white, and black variations. Silver is one of the other colorations that is considered acceptable. Although liver and blue are recognized colors, these are considered to be faults. They Rank as the Third Most Intelligent Breed in the World Bested only by the hyper-intelligent Border Collie and the equally smart Poodle, the German Shepherd is ranked as the third most intelligent breed in the world. They are well known for their loyalty, watchfulness, and their energy levels, but they are also renowned for being highly intelligent animals. This has pushed their popularity as a working breed. Final Thoughts The German Shepherd is one of the most popular breeds in the world, and especially in the US where they are ranked as the 2nd most popular breed. This is, in part, because they are not only popular as pets but also as working and service dogs. They have a very loyal following of owners and fans that swear by the breed, as well as many people that dream of one day owning the breed. Related Reads:. In , its name was changed back to German Shepherd. This correlates with anti-German sentiments that lasted throughout the war. The ancestral origin of the silver German Shepherd is as the name suggests Germany, where General Max von Stephanitz spent 35 years of his life researching and breeding dogs. In this process, he intended to develop the ideal herding dog and cross-bred different species because trying to get a better dog by breeding the same bloodline would be ineffective. The different types of German Shepherds available today come from him. The breed ranked as the third most registered breed in by the American Kennel Club, and they remain popular all around the globe. Although silver German Shepherds are a subset of the mainstream GSDs, they have precisely the same build and physique. Their breeding history is also no different than other German Shepherd Dogs. They are a relatively modern breed, with their origin dating back to .Silver GSDs have a wolf-like appearance and were originally working dogs developed for herding sheep. But because of their friendly nature, intelligence, strength, obedience, and trainability, they are now bred worldwide for other types of work such as search and rescue, police, military roles, disability assistance, and even in acting roles. Its appearance makes it stand out from other GSD dogs. Silver GSD Rarity, Cost, Look World of Dogz German Shepherds officially come in a wide range of colors , including black , black and cream, black and red, black and silver, black and tan, bicolor, blue , grey, liver, sable , and white. Blue, grey, white, liver, and silver German Shepherds within this range are considered unique and are pretty rare as well. Washed-out colors are considered undesirable because they are seen as faults, and white is disqualified from the show ring. Sorry to disappoint some — but silver German Shepherds are not always gray and glimmering. So, what does a silver GSD look like? Silver German Shepherds have an off-tan coloration. Silver color can range from a cream to an off-white color but comes in a metallic sheen in most cases. Since silver is a modification of reds and tans or pheomelanin pigmentation, they usually have black areas amongst the silver portions. Silver bi-color dogs are also predominantly black with minimum silver points and extended saddles and blankets similar to their tan counterparts. Scientists also believe their unusual coloration results from a modifier on red or tan hair. They are also known as silver sable German Shepherds. Like all Alsatians, they have a distinctive head, domed forehead, and triangular pointy ears that stand open at the front but are often pulled during movement. Silver German Shepherds are large dogs with a moderately long body length to height ratio. Males weigh lbs and are about inches tall. Females weigh lbs and will be inches tall. There is no standard weight range set by the American Kennel Club official breed standard. Watch This Gorgeous Silver German Shepherd Having Fun… Silver German Shepherd These dogs usually have a long muzzle, a short-medium to medium dense double coat, a soft and long plush tail reaching the hock, and a long neck that raises when excited and lowered when moving at a fast pace. Silver GSDs possess numerous physical qualities matching standard German Shepherds and are thus not different in build. Their silver color is simply a variation that plays no part in determining their temperament. No German Shepherd variation possesses the G series Greying gene. So, where does the silver color come from then, genetically? In German Shepherd coat color genetics , although clear scientific and genetic evidence explaining the silver coat color is not available, scientists have found out that they come from the A-series or the Agouti series. This same series also produces the sable German Shepherd and contains at least one Agouti allele not paired with a dominant sable allele. The agouti becomes quite distinctive when combined with red hair dilution, which results in the red hairs becoming cream or greyish. Studies clearly show that the silver coat color of these breeds is merely a genetic phenomenon and does not affect their temperament. However, keep in mind that they are not friendly to every stranger they meet and need adequate socialization and training. They are good with children and make excellent family dogs, but you need to set specific boundaries for them, just like any other breed. They often take on a guardian role for those within their family, owing to their history of herding sheep. Silver German Shepherds do not like staying alone for long periods and can become destructive if unexercised and boredom sets in. You can curb their behavior by giving them essential mental and physical exercise by including various activities, training, and problem-solving puzzles in their routine. This ensures that they drain their excess energy by channeling it into constructive and exciting activities. Does Silver Colour Affect Health? Coat color affects the health of some breeds, but that is not the case for silver German Shepherds. Their glorious color has no bearing on their health. They are, however, prone to certain health conditions, but that has nothing to do with their coloration. Their health correlates with that of other German Shepherd types. Hip and elbow dysplasia are some of the most common health-related complications in this breed. Instead of looking for a relationship between health and coat color, one should look at the health condition of parent dogs. Parents with high scores for hips and elbows should reduce the chances of puppies developing these conditions. By then, puppies with dysplasia risk are already bred and sold. Silver German Shepherds are a relatively healthy breed. However, like most breeds, they are prone to some conditions. These are: OCD Osteochondritis dissecans abnormal cartilage growth. Lifespan Sociability The Silver German Shepherd is a real spectacle—and among the rarest of all shepherd colors. Because of its rarity, you may have trouble finding a breeder near you. But always do a local search—and be prepared for the cost associated with the color. Also, they may have you sign a puppy contract stating that you will return the pup if you are ever unable to care for them. Finding a Silver Sable Shepherd at a shelter is unlikely, but still possible. If you do, you will likely have to go through a rigorous application and screening process. If you purchase a Silver Sable Shepherd this way, you can expect them to come with all applicable health care, including spay or neutering, vaccinations, and microchipping. Silver coloration in Shepherds is caused by genetic dilution. The silver color of this particular German Shepherd is the result of a recessive gene in the bloodline. Just because there might be a silver puppy in a litter does not mean that they all will share the trait. Silver Sable Shepherds are incredibly rare. You might have some real trouble locating a Silver Sable German Shepherd. When you do, you want to secure the puppy as quickly as possible—as there is high demand for them. Even if the brothers and sisters of the litter do not share the color, this can make the particular puppy cost more than the others. The ultimate cost is up to the breeder to ensure the quality of the animal. Silver Sable Shepherds are stubborn. Because the Silver Sable German Shepherd is so remarkably intelligent, they tend to have a stubborn streak. For inexperienced owners, their energy levels and intelligence can be intimidating, making training difficult. Silver Sable Shepherds are incredibly family-oriented. Like any other German Shepherd, the silver sables are intensely loyal to the members of its family. Silver Sable Shepherds are perfect for a wide variety of work-related tasks. Because of their sharpness, they do well and work-related tasks on police forces and other special duties. It truly is remarkable what these animals are capable of. Conclusion If a Silver Sable German Shepherd sounds like a perfect fit for your home life, you can start looking at breeders in your local area. If you have your heart set on this rare coloration of an excellent dog breed, we wish you the best of luck in your search. Featured Image Credit: J. Romanova, Shutterstock Contents. How does silver relate to black and tan? Black and tan German Shepherds come in three varieties. Tan with a black extended blanket Black and tan bicolor — Tan markings are minimal at points of eyes, at the shoulders, and minimal streaks on the toes. Some dogs have markings more like Rottweilers, with tan or silver on the front of the chest and extending up the insides of the hind legs. Genetic testing may distinguish Shepherds with extended blankets versus bicolor dogs. Blanketed dogs have the RALY gene present. Experts discovered a separate gene, one they call RALY, that is responsible for the saddle pattern in black and tan dogs like the German Shepherd and Lakeland Terrier. Creeping tan affects silver the same as it would brown or red. Some tan-pointed dogs end up with little brown or silver creeping and thus have extended blankets. Others have a very small saddle. Since many of the coat variations in German Shepherds act on the dark pigment or eumelanin, you will describe dilutions and other modifications just as you would a black and tan German Shepherd. Therefore, blue dogs can be blue and tan, solid blue, and blue bicolor. Sable dogs can also be blue, where dilution affects the black banding. The liver acts exactly the same as blue, whereby chocolate brown or lighter browns replace areas of black. Silver is a modification of reds and tans or phaeomelanin pigmentation, so dogs are black and silver. Silver bi-colors are predominantly black with minimal points of silver. Silver and black dogs can have extended saddles and blankets, just like their tan counterparts. Just as there are not fawn German Shepherds, silver does not usually present as a solid color. Solid gray dogs have a separate gene at work and are blue, not silver. A rare individual may show minimal black markings and may appear solid gray. If you look closely at these dogs, you will see the faint hint of a saddle or black banding or ticking of a sable or agouti German Shepherd. You can distinguish cream and silver versus blue or Isabella dogs by looking at their eyes. Silver dogs have no disruption of eumelanin and will have dark eyes. Blue and Isabella Shepherds, on the other hand, have light-colored eyes. Can you register and show a silver German Shepherd? You register silver dogs with the AKC as black and silver dogs. They have full access to all conformation exhibitions and other shows that the American Kennel Club offers. However, silver is a dilute color, and judges penalize it as a fault. Even without penalties, judges consistently show a preference for bright and rich colors encouraged by the breed standard. Silver is an accepted color variation of the German Shepherd Dog. Silver can infiltrate sable, but the AKC simply classifies those dogs as sable. They do not distinguish the various shades of sable or the presence of brown versus pale tans or creams. A fancier may use the term silver sable. But throughout the registries and show circuits, silver mostly refers to the black and silver dog. However, the AKC does differentiate black and silver from black and cream, which may be difficult for most people to do. In the end, black and silver are quite different from black and tan, but its distinction from black and cream is much more subjective. Black and silver dogs may more closely approach white with less of the reddish or yellowish hue that cream-colored Shepherds have. How do silver German Shepherds differ from the breed standard? Black and silver Shepherds are 22 to 26 inches tall and weigh 50 to pounds. Females should be somewhat finer in their overall impression. Silver Shepherds, like all Alsatians, have a distinctive head with upright ears and a domed forehead. White Shepherds often have much less of a stop. Otherwise, all colors of Shepherds have a moderately long body length to height ratio, a short to medium dense double coat, and a long, plush tail. Silver Shepherds are usually aloof with strangers, using inherent discretion and degree of socialization to detect threats. They should be polite, only attacking when they have exhausted all other means of intimidation. A silver German Shepherd is rare. Silver shepherd work in the police force, search and rescue, and the military, where the emphasis on silver German Shepherd appearance is not a factor. As family dogs , German Shepherds are loyal and affectionate. They have a tendency to bond with one person, although they extend their protection to the entire household. Persistent work will help German Shepherds bond with multiple family members and handlers. Like any German Shepherd, silver Shepherds are intelligent and bold with excellent guarding instincts. They require a trainer who can carry out commands and positive reinforcement consistently and confidently. German Shepherds may challenge an individual who shows uncertainty or otherwise fails to gain their respect. They do not have any more health challenges than Shepherds of other colors. Epilepsy — Unexplained seizures.