Exploring the vast prairie of the Washita National Wildlife Refuge
Hi Everyone,
First, I would like to apologize for not posting daily, which was my original plan for this blog.However, as we have moved into spring, mowing and maintenance work has dominated my time.I see now that I will not be able to always post every day.However, I will post as much as possible and after I get caught up with all my work, I will post on a more regular basis.Please continue to check our blog for new posts, and look in the archives for post that may be germane to your current situation or questions regarding German Shepherd Dogs.
Retraining your German shepherd dog not to be dog aggressive is not an easy task and will take a concerted effort and time to correct.Retrain rather than train is because your shepherd was not always dog aggressive, and likely you had a large part in the development of this behavior as your puppy grew up.Either you did not socialize the German Shepherd Dog enough as a puppy by exposing them to strange dogs and people or when you came into contact with a strange dog while walking your shepherd you gave the wrong signals, which encouraged the aggressive behavior.
12-Month-Old Heidelberg’s Nelson Being Socialized to Strange Dogs at a Dog Show
German Shepherd Dogs that are bred correctly will have the propensity to be protective of their owners and their owner’s property including the owner’s other animals.If not nurtured and developed correctly this predisposition to be protective can be demonstrated in aggressive behavior to strange dogs that come to close to the owners or owner’s property or even while on a walk.
Because your German Shepherd Dog is aggressive towards other dogs does not mean that your shepherd is evil or a killer. If this is your thought process then you need to understand that your shepherd is just doing what they were bred to do and because of your lack of training experience it is your fault not your dog’s fault. In your German Shepherd Dog’s mind they are protecting you from attack from strange dogs when they show this aggravating behavior of charging at strange dogs while you are walking with them.From this perspective, while frustrating, it is a little harder to be angry at your dog now that you know they are willing to risk injury and even death to protect you from what they see as a perceived threat.
German Shepherds Will Protect Your Property From Strange Dogs and People
If your German Shepherd Dog is dog aggressive then it is imperative and solely your responsibility to keep your shepherd from contacting a strange dog outside of your property until they are retrained.If your German Shepherd Dog hurts another dog outside of your property get your checkbook out and start writing a check.While you are writing a check, then write another one out to a professional trainer to retrain your German shepherd Dog.
Basically if your German Shepherd dog is dog aggressive, you have four choices: 1) return the dog to breeder or get rid of the shepherd and the problem then get a poodle because you do not understand dog psychology well in enough to own a German Shepherd Dog; 2) ignore the problem and keep your shepherd on your property away from strange dogs; 3) retrain your German Shepherd Dog yourself; and 4) hire a professional trainer to retrain your dog not to be dog aggressive.Tomorrow, I will continue this blog by focusing on option 3 and 4.
Ask me a Question and I will provide my opinion. Also, please see our web page: KeystoneGermanShepherds
Exploring the vast prairie of the Washita National Wildlife Refuge
Hi Everyone,
A lot of people are paying more attention today to their health by educating themselves on a healthy diet.They are juicing to increase their nutrient intake.Juicing is becoming more popular than ever before as people learn more about nutritional needs and how to meet those needs in a world of processed foods.Besides being delicious, juicing fresh vegetables and fruit it is particularly healthy.I personally have been juicing breakfast and lunch somewhat inconsistently for the last two years.I get away from juicing because I get busy and do not have the time to purchase the vegetables and fruits and to prepare them.It does take a lot of time out of your daily schedule to juice on a regular basis.However, I keep coming back to because I feel and look much better when I juice. I lose weight, have more energy, and my complexion improves, and I have a definite healthy glow when I juice on a regular basis.In addition, it only takes a couple of days to start to feel and see the positive effect of juicing.
Healthy Puppy Befitting From Juicing Pulp in His Diet
Today, I encourage you to start juicing if you do not and if you do juice do the same for your German Shepherd Dog by including the pulp left over from juicing in your German Shepherd Dog’s diet. The pulp leftover from juicing is similar to the predigested stomach contents of herbivores.
Carnivores and certain omnivores such as lions, dogs, wolves, coyotes, and foxes in nature, after capturing their prey will always first consume stomachs and intestines, which contain predigested vegetation. These predigested contents provide the meat eaters with much-needed nutrients such as complex amino acids, minerals, enzymes, and chlorophyll necessary for maintenance, health, and longevity. These nutrients cannot be found in sufficient levels or in a readily digestible form in most all dry-foods. In addition, many of these basic nutrients are cooked out of the dry-food during processing.
Healthy and Happy Heidelberg German Shepherd Dog, Puppies
Prepare the pulp by bringing it to a boil.By denaturing the proteins, you will further make it more like predigested stomach contents of herbivores. You can also add eggs and fresh meat and cook these items with the pulp, thus making a gruel that you can pour out over your German Shepherd Dog’s dry-food.
Food items that are exceptionally healthy for your German Shepherd Dog include kale, carrots, apples, oranges, grapefruit, berries of all types, grapes only in very small quantities (grapes can be harmful to your dog in large quantities), cranberries, spinach, cucumbers, watermelon, tomatoes, etc.You will have to experiment with ratios both for you and your dog for taste.Too much pulp and your German Shepherd Dog may not eat it.
Grand Champion Heidelberg’s Kodi Enjoys Juice Pulp
Try juicing for yourself and your German Shepherd Dog.I guarantee that you will like the results.As always before dramatically changing your diet or your dog’s diet consult your physician and your veterinarian.
Ask me a Question and I will provide my opinion. Also, please see our web page: KeystoneGermanShepherds
Exploring the vast prairie of the Washita National Wildlife Refuge
Hi Everyone,
Traveling with your German Shepherd Dog can be easy and enjoyable when you and your dog are prepared for the trip.German Shepherd Dog, puppies or adults can comfortably travel five to seven hours without having to get out and exercise and relieve themselves as long as they have gone to the bathroom right before leaving.If you are traveling further than five to seven hours you need to plan for a puppy or dog stop.
a Heidelberg German Shepherd Dog Puppy Traveling
We personally prefer to exercise our German Shepherd Dogs of lead; therefore, we try to stop in isolated places such as behind a large church or behind large shopping centers where there are often large areas of grass and little traffic.For those that want to exercise their German Shepherd Dogs on lead, most gas stations and truck stops along the Interstate have designated exercise areas for traveling dogs. An expandable lead is in dispensable for exercising on lead because it allows your German Shepherd Dog to get away from the owner so they feel more comfortable going to the bathroom. For those that are traveling with German Shepherd Dog puppies younger than 16 weeks, you should avoid public potty areas because of the risk of your potentially unprotected puppy being exposed to parvo, distemper, or other communicable diseases.Look for isolated places such as behind Wal-Marts. Everyone that exercises their dogs in a public place should clean up after their dogs.Pack plastic bags with you so you can pick up the feces and throw it in the trash.
Heidelberg German Shepherd Dogs Exercising Behind a Shopping Mall
Once your German Shepherd Dog has stretched their legs for five to ten minutes and relieved themselves, they will be ready to travel another five to seven hours or until you arrive at your destination.
While on your planned dog stop, if you know your German Shepherd Dog, puppy or adult needs to defecate and they will not go after ten minutes, you can gently insert two or three wooden kitchen matches halfway into their rectum.This will get your dog to go to the bathroom within a few minutes.Most German Shepherd Dogs tolerate this well as long as you are gentle.
Heidelberg German Shepherd Dog Looking for a Place to Potty After Being Matched
Sometimes while traveling a German Shepherd Dog will get a nervous stomach resulting in diarrhea.This is not a problem as long as you are prepared.While traveling you should always have a collar on your dog so that they cannot slip out of it and a leash readily available.Therefore, if you have to pull off on the side of the highway your German Shepherd Dog and you will be safe.If your German Shepherd Dog needs to go to the bathroom while you are driving they will become anxious and let you know by either whining or barking.Look for the closest and safest place to pull over and pull over connecting the leash to the collar before you open the door.If it is an emergency bathroom break, your dog may surprise you by darting out the first open vehicle door running out into traffic if you do not have them on lead.
Tomorrow I will continue this discussion with for more travel tips for you and your German Shepherd Dog.
Ask me a Question and I will provide my opinion. Also, please see our web page: KeystoneGermanShepherds
Exploring the vast prairie of the Washita National Wildlife Refuge
Hi Everyone,
Choosing the perfect puppy with the personality that best fits your family’s lifestyle and needs can be quite easy once you have decided on the correct reputable breeder.First, you must ask yourself what you want.Are you a jogger that needs a running partner and added security while running public trails?Are you a homebody and not that active?Are you an entertainer and have several people over to your house on a regular basis?Do you live in a bad neighborhood and worry about being burglarized every time you leave your house?Do you live on acreage and have farm animals such as chickens?These are just some of the questions that you may want to answer before to choosing a specific puppy from a particular litter.While if the breeder has done his job well all the puppies in the litter should have the same general temperament, the puppies are individuals and will have different personalities and propensities for certain behaviors.
Heidelberg German Shepherd Puppies are Cute
The following analysis is based upon my interpretation of the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test (Volhard).While I do not accept the theory that there are distinct puppy personality types, I do believe that there is a continuum of personality traits and those puppies can be graded on this scale with some degree of accuracy for discussion purposes.It also must be noted that different litters develop at different rates and that a puppy at eight weeks that grades as a submissive puppy may actually be a very dominate puppy if reexamined at ten weeks.We have used the Volhard for many years and believe it an useful tool for predicting personality tendencies. However, Volhard is not completely accurate in predicting the adult temperament of a German shepherd Dog because environment including training, socializing, life experiences, and time spent with the new owner is more critical for the final expressed personality of the German Shepherd Dog. The below discussion delves into personality types that the new puppy customer should observe and consider while selecting a puppy from a litter.
Cute German Shepherd Puppy Heidelberg German Shepherd Puppies are Cute
The more dominant puppy will appear to be the more rebellious puppy with a lot demonstrated independence.This puppy will not like being held for any period of time and the most dominant puppies will actually try to bite at the person holding them.Dominant puppies will resist the new owners attempt to be the pack leader.This is not the German Shepherd Dog for the new or inexperienced owner.These dogs will make excellent herding dogs and home protection dogs if properly trained.A more dominant puppy would be good for a family placing home protection as a priority or for a rancher wanting help with herding farm animals. However, if improperly trained these can be the dogs that chase cows rather than herd them.Also, for the jogger that is an experienced German Shepherd Dog owner, the more dominant puppy would be good choice.
The independent puppy will not grade as a high in dominance as the dominant German shepherd Dog.However, the independent puppy is dominant, but will be a little more accepting of an inexperienced owner and not look to take the leadership role every time the owner exhibits submissive behaviors.The independent puppy has high confidence and will readily try and explore new things.These self-assured puppies are naturally protective and are not generally too aggressive, but in improper hands may demonstrate dog and/or people aggression.
Cute German Shepherd Puppy Heidelberg German Shepherd Puppies are Cute
The docile German Shepherd Puppy is a good choice for most families and while the moniker of docile sounds derogatory it actually describes a solid, confident puppy that is willing to learn.The docile puppy will be protective, but accepting of strange animals and people. This personality type would be great for families with young children that have very active social lives.
How do I choose
The docile/affectionate German Shepherd Dog puppy will be much as the docile puppy, but requires more affection and reassurance from their owners.These also make excellent puppies for large active families with children.These puppies will often become involved in play or an activity, stopping suddenly to return or look towards the owner as if to ask permission to continue.These dogs would rate as low to medium submissive.
The last puppy personality type is the timorous or true submissive dog that lacks confidence or has very low self-assurance.These puppies are most suited for inactive elderly people that will spend several hours a day with their puppy.With the correct owner these puppies can develop self-confidence and become great companions.They should not be considered if home protection is a priority. These will be the puppies that will run or hide from new people after age of ten-weeks-of-age.
Our Heidelberg German Shepherd Dogs’ personalities generally will range from low dominate to docile/affectionate, which is the personality types that most families are realistically looking for in a German Shepherd Dog. Unless you are a professional trainer that trains military or police attack dogs, you would not want a high dominant dog. The high dominant dog is rare and can become a complete disaster for the dog and new owner if in the wrong hands.
Before scrutinizing the litter you will be choosing your new German shepherd puppy from, you should have fair idea of the personality type that best fits you and your family. Start by getting the entire litter out and observe the litter as the puppies are playing around you. After observing and making mental notes for several minutes play with the puppies and pick them up while trying to recognize specific behaviors such as timidness and confidence. Also, note any aggressive behavior towards the other puppies. Notice any puppies that tend to wander off to explore on their own. These puppies are likely more independent and self-confident and may be a little more of a challenge to train. Ask the breeder his opinion of each of puppy’s personalities.Utilize his opinions because the breeder knows these puppies better than anyone.Also, if the breeder has employees that clean the kennels and feed the puppies and if they are present, ask them for their opinion.
Once you have narrowed your choice down to two or three puppies based on personality types, ask the breeder to put up all the puppies except your two or three choices.Only now start making your decisions on physical attributes such as structure, size, coat length, coat color, markings, etc., respectively.I recommend that you make your decision in the above order giving priority to structure over size, etc.Structure is the most important to form and function and the overall beauty of your German Shepherd Dog.
Heidelberg German Shepherd Puppies are Cute
Good luck and I hope that this has been helpful in choosing your next German Shepherd Dog puppy.
Because this is probably one of the most important discussions I can have regarding German Shepherd Dogs, I will be editing these three posts and adding to them over the next couple of weeks with the plan to add this discussion as a new page on my web page so please revisit these posts as they are refined and improved.
Ask me a Question and I will provide my opinion. Also, please see our web page: KeystoneGermanShepherds
Exploring the vast prairie of the Washita National Wildlife Refuge
Hi Everyone,
Now that you have decided on what you believe to be a reputable breeder, you must then visit this breeder to make sure that they have well cared for and high quality German Shepherd Dogs.Upon your visit examine the overall health of all the dogs and notice if the kennels are clean and well maintained. Does the place smell bad of urine and feces? If the kennel does not pass this initial examination, you may need to move onto another breeder.Once you do find a reputable breeder with well-maintained dogs and kennels, you need to know that there are myriads of different types of shepherds with different looks and different functions. These differences may not be readily apparent to the average puppy buyer.Therefore, it may take several visits to different breeders to find the reputable breeder that is producing the right type of shepherd for you and your family.A reputable breeder does not always translate into good quality German Shepherd Dogs that are right for you or your family.Therefore, you must assess the actual German Shepherd Dogs especially the adults and parents.Because the related adults at the kennel especially the parents are going to be the best predictors of the temperament and structure of the new puppy.
Keystone German Shepherds & Kennels
If you have chosen a breeder that specializes in imports be aware that many of these German Shepherd Dogs are high-strung and are full of nervous energy.Unless, you and your family members are prepared to spend several hours a day exercising and training an import shepherd may not be the best choice. For several years, the breeders in Europe have bred their German shepherd Dogs to increase the drive and energy of their lines.This is because the sport of Schutzhund requires a high drive dog, and the higher the drive the more successful the breeder will be in competitions. While this is a noble pursuit for dogs that will be used professionally in law enforcement activities, this does not translate well for the family dog. In addition, some imported German Shepherd Dog lines are people and/or dog aggressive.Do you and your family have the skills to deal with an aggressive dog?Note that not all imports are high-strung; those that originate from the show lines in Germany have steadier temperaments and often make wonderful companions for families, as well as offering home protection.
When visiting the kennel to discuss the potential purchase of a new puppy be sure and go around to all the kennels and visit each of the breeder’s dogs. Observe their behavior.If you are greeted with a serious barking and aggressive behaviors at several kennel this is an indication of the aggressive behavior that would be exhibited by your new puppy once grown.However, if you are greeted by an excited bark this indicates less aggression and a more relaxed temperament.Will the German Shepherd Dogs come greet you through the fence by smelling and licking your hand or do they retreat to the back of the kennel?A retreating German Shepherd Dog could potentially be a dangerous dog that could be a fear biter that could get you sued. Retreating or showing fear towards strangers is not the correct German Shepherd Dog temperament, and is a big clue that these may not be the right German shepherd line for you to get your next puppy from.
Champion Heidelberg’s Stefanie Stretched Out In Her Stack
Notice if the kennels are heavily chewed or if excessive digging behaviors are observable. Again, these are indicative of behaviors that your new puppy may demonstrate at home.Is there incessant barking coming from the kennels even after you have been there for a while?This may indicate a barking problem when your puppy is grown.Ask to see the dogs outside the kennel.Will these dogs allow you to greet them and to pet them?If the breeder is reluctant to let the dogs out of the kennel this is a major warning sign, and perhaps it is time to move on to the next kennel to purchase your next German shepherd Dog. Be observant and ask questions and listen to see if the breeder’s answers ring true to you.
We at Keystone German Shepherds & kennels breed an even tempered German Shepherd Dog that are a true pleasures to live with inside and/or outside. However, while friendly towards welcomed strangers and children our dogs would readily give their lives to protect us and our property.Our Heidelberg German Shepherds can discern the difference between a stranger and a truly bad person; therefore they will not get you sued for biting someone because if they do bite someone that person will be going to jail.
Heidelberg’s Shae Playing In the Rock Garden
When someone first arrives at our kennels, the first thing that they will notice is that there is no odor. The next thing they will notice is how quiet it is on our property. Our Heidelberg German Shepherds will first alert bark when strangers come in, but once we go outside to greet the people, the dogs know that all is well and they will quietly observe us and the potential puppy customer.Our kennels are not chewed or dug up.Strangers can go from kennel to kennel and be greeted by a kiss to the hand from every dog on the property without any aggressive or fearful behavior being exhibited.
My next post will be a continuation of this series in “Choosing a Reputable Breeder” and the “Correct Type of German Shepherd Dog for You and Your Family” to actually “Choosing the Perfect Puppy With the Personality That Best Fits Your Family’s Lifestyle and Needs”.Because this is probably one of the most important discussions I can have regarding German Shepherd Dogs, I will be editing these posts and adding to them over the next couple of weeks with the plan to add this discussion as a new page on my web page so please revisit these posts as they are refined and improved.
Basic Obedience Class At Keystone German Shepherds & Kennels
Ask me a Question and I will provide my opinion. Also, please see our web page: KeystoneGermanShepherds
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