Exploring the vast prairie of the Washita National Wildlife Refuge
Hello Everyone,
When my Heidelberg German Shepherd Dog puppies turn 3-weeks-old, I begin the weening process by soaking in water our Victor Super Premium Dog Food (Beef Meal & Brown Rice for All Life Stages) formula. I wait until the dry-food is turned into a mush consistent with oatmeal, and then I mix into the mush a heaping table spoon of Dannon plain white yogurt. I will then let mom outside and introduce each individual puppy to this mush. The puppies will usually lap at this mush for a while and then fall asleep. I then will let mom back in to finish off the mush. The puppies learn to eat this mush by watching mom eat it. I feed the puppies this mush twice a day.
A Three Week Old Heidelberg German Shepherd Sleeping After the First Meal
Victor Super Premium Dog Food Beef Meal & brown Rice For all Life Stages
I will feed this mush for four days before adding cooked eggs. I prefer scrambled eggs with the eggs cooked in extra virgin olive oil. Never feed raw eggs to German Shepherd Dog puppies or adults because of the risk of salmonella and e coli. After the second day, I will add a table spoon of our Pure Total Vitamin Supplement, packaged and available here at Keystone German Shepherds & Kennels.
Add Eggs After Few Days to Puppies Mush to Help In Weaning
After three to four days of adding the eggs and vitamins to the puppy mush, I will pour the juice of a can of mackerel on their food for one day. The next day, I will add the mackerel. By now the puppies are acclimated to eating adult food. However, I will not feed them our evening diet, which includes cooked vegetables for another two weeks.
Starting at five weeks I will start separating mom from the puppies for longer stretches during the day. Towards the end of their fifth week of age, I will only place mom with the German Shepherd Dog puppy litter at night. When the puppies turn six-weeks-old, I separate mom from the puppies for a week to let her milk dry up.
The first night, I separate mom, I do not feed her, and while this may seem cruel, it actually helps prevent mastitis and makes mom more comfortable because she will produce less milk if she does not eat. After her milk has dried up, I will supervise play time with mom and the puppies. Once I am sure that the German Shepherd Dog puppies will no longer nurse, I allow mom and the puppies to spend considerable time together until the puppies are nine-weeks-old. The German Shepherd Dog dam teaches her puppies manners and how to exist in a social pack.
A Heidelberg German Shepherd Dog Mom Playing With Her Puppies
A Heidelberg German Shepherd Dog Mom Visiting Her Puppies
Exploring the vast prairie of the Washita National Wildlife Refuge
Hi Everyone,
Over the years, I have found that the most efficient and effective way to whelp a litter is to place the German Shepherd Dog bitch in a crate while she is whelping her puppies. To provide some comfort to the Dam, I will cover the crate with sheets leaving the front open so that I can observe her progress and immediately intervene when she drops a puppy. Puppies seem to be delivered in the middle of the night and labor can take several hours in some circumstances. Therefore, to stay awake and keep myself entertained while waiting for the puppies to be delivered, I will place the crate in such away that I can see everything that is going on and also be able to comfortably watch television.
A Heidelberg German shepherd Dog Bitch in Labor
Once mom drops her puppy, I will clear the airway and allow her to eat the placenta and cut the cord. Once she has cut the cord, I will clean and dry the puppy off and make sure it is breathing well. Once I am confident that the puppy is doing well, I will place it in a whelping box under a heat lamp. As soon as I am sure all the puppies are delivered, I will place mom in the whelping box to care for her puppies.
Heidelberg German Shepherd Dog New Mom Feeding Her Puppies After Delivery
Some new moms may not take cut the cord and clean their puppies immediately after delivery. If so, I will remove the puppy’s sacks, cut the cord, and then I will clean the puppy. Again, once I am sure the puppy is doing well, I will place it in the whelping box under the heat lamp.
Since I have started using the crate to observe mom during deliver, I have lost very few puppies to drowning due to them not being removed from their sacks soon enough, Sometimes new moms get so busy with their new puppies that they stop pushing and allow puppies to drown inside them. By using the crate method, mom is not with her puppies until all the puppies are delivered, therefore, I no longer lose puppies that die in the birth canal. Try using a crate method to deliver your German Shepherd Dog puppies, you will find it efficient and easier on you and the dam.
Exploring the vast prairie of the Washita National Wildlife Refuge
Hi Everyone,
Today I am going to discuss socialization for your new German Shepherd Dog puppy. Socialize and do it often. Once your puppy is over 16 weeks-old and has completed the majority of their immunization program, start taking them to public places as often as possible, Dog parks are good, but to acclimate them to strangers and even stranger situations, I prefer Home Depot or Lowes, which both are dog friendly. Also Bass Pro shops allow dogs into their stores. In addition, well used walking and jogging trails are an excellent choice because these often allow interactions with people and their dogs while enjoying a bonding experience by walking your puppy.
While German Shepherd Dogs’ temperament and personalities are as diverse as are the varied breeders across the country, socialization is beneficial and is often necessary to ensure your German shepherd Dog is balanced and well adjusted. If you love the breed, and want to promote them, then it is your responsibility to ensure a good German shepherd Dog citizen.
Well socialized Male Heidelberg’s German Shepherd Dogs
Exploring the vast prairie of the Washita National Wildlife Refuge
Hi Everyone,
Today I am going to discuss whelping boxes. I am a strong advocate for the use of enclosed whelping boxes especially for the first time mom or for female that is the family dog and are likely spoiled. Enclosed whelping boxes mean just that built in such a way that the mom cannot leave her puppies unless let out by her owner.
The perfect dimensions for a whelping box for German Shepherd Dogs are 48-inches by 48-inches for the base, and the height should be a minimum of 48-inches tall, but 60-inches is better and still allows for most owners to peer over to make sure all is going well with the newborn German Shepherd Dog puppies. Simple construction with the use of ¼-inch plywood is all you need. Adding 2×4 around the base will also serve as a rail to provide protection for puppies that crawl behind mom. The 2×4 base provides a space for the puppies to crawl away if mom falls asleep and traps the puppy between her and the wall.
New German Shepherd Dog Puppies
If you find that your German Shepherd Dog mom wants to jump up on the whelping box walls so she can look around to see what is going on outside her whelping box. You must make her stop this before she accidentally comes down and steps on one of the puppies. If she will not stop after telling her that is not allowed, you can drill a series of holes every six inches at the top of the whelping box and install 1 1/4-inch pvc pipes to block her from being able to jump up and see out.
The advantages of using a whelping box are that it forces mom to stay with and care for her puppies, and the enclosed whelping box keeps mom’s body heat in the box, thus keeping the puppies warm. In addition, if needed, you can hang a drop light with a 100 watt bulb placed approximately 12-inches from the floor to keep the puppies warm.
The major disadvantage is that it is difficult to climb in the box for cleaning purposes, and someone has to let mom out every few hours to relieve herself. In addition, if mom has an upset stomach and has diarrhea, she will fowl the whelping area. Although rare, when this may happen mom is usually careful not to fowl her puppies, which is a good thing because washing newborns is dangerous since puppies cannot self-regulate their own body temperatures.
Exploring the vast prairie of the Washita National Wildlife Refuge
Hi Everyone,
Today I am going to discuss companionship for your German Shepherd Dog puppy or adult. German Shepherd Dogs are gregarious, social, and pack animals. If you or your family spend the majority of your day with your German Shepherd Dog then your puppy or adult will never feel alone, and interaction with the human family suffices for the German Shepherd Dog’s need to be a part of a pack.
However, if you and your family are like most of us and heading off for school and work at least five days a week, you may consider getting a companion dog for your German Shepherd Dog. You do not have to spend big money to purchase another high quality German Shepherd Dog. You could check into pound or rescue dogs.
If you consider a pound or rescue dog, you should also consider getting the opposite sex of your German Shepherd Dog. Same sex dogs with German Shepherds Dogs may fight for dominance within the pack that includes you and your family, whereas, opposite sexes naturally assume their role in the pack without usually fighting.
In addition, you should consider getting a large dog that can withstand the rigorous and rough play of a German Shepherd Dog. My personal favorite is a Labrador or Labrador mixed breed. If you want a smaller dog, Corgis are an excellent choice.
German Shepherd Dog Females, Kennel Mates Grooming Each Other
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