r/GermanShepherd

Ive owned my boy Duke for going on 3 years now. When I first adopted him, he had some slight skin irritation issues but nothing out of the ordinary for a gsd. Half of a prednisone would make him a new dog for a while.

Out of nowhere, he's started getting yeast infections. Really, really bad yeast infections. Losing hair, the whole 9. The Vet has prescribed him antifungals/antibiotics 3 seperate times, and this passed time he prescribed apaquil with it. It seemed to barely even clear it all the way. Ive tried most soaps i can find and they make his skin so dry, and then the yeast just comes back.

I legitimately cannot stop the yeast. My home, my clothes, me, everything smells god awful. I love my dog but im at my breaking point and I might give him to a local sanctuary.

Please someone give me some insight so I dont have to give up my friend.

long time lurker, I don’t post much but any advice is greatly appreciated.

my husband and I recently got a 4mo GS mix pup, and my main issue here is that we’ve had her for over a month now and she continues to whine in her crate demanding to be let at either when she wakes up before us in the morning or whenever she wants when we’re at home when she is crated. how long does crate training typically take for a GS? I know to Ignore her whines until she’s quiet and then let her out, but I’ve also been told her breed is quite stubborn. she’s good at holding it until we let her out to do her business.

we also have a 2yo mini Aussie who was quick to crate train. they get along well, and I can see the puppy getting jealous she cant be free with her simultaneously.

any owners have different approaches to training her to stop ? or is this just a waiting game until it clicks for her?

this is the first time I have interacted with this particular breed, so I’m not entirely sure what to expect.

thanks!

Ive got a 12 week old puppy she is a lab x german shepherd mix and we are unsure wether to crate train or not. She is a very well behaved puppy so far she doesn’t chew on things she shouldn’t (i know this may change as she gets older and more confident and starts teething), shes house trained and is a very smart girl for her age. the only issue we are having is she doesn’t like being left alone at all. if i go upstairs to get changed or go do something within 20 seconds shes crying and howling. i had to leave her for the first time today for 2 hours while i was in work and she did settle after about 15 minutes of howling and jumping at doors and running around but was fine after that 15 minutes and just slept and relaxed. People in work was saying to crate train her but we did try leaving her in the crate before and she absolutely hated it was chewing the metal and very distressed. ive had 2 english pointers before her and none of them got crate trained. so just wondering if people think i should try crate train her or just allow her to have space while alone?

Companies, Pros and Cons? I just adopted a young (our veterinarian thinks she’s about 15-18 months) Female GSD that the shelter required that she was spayed within 30 days 😢(growth plates were my concern). I’ve had her home now, seven weeks and she is a stunner. I’m looking into insurance for her for her medical and any kind of expected/unexpected (God forbid GDV) surgical procedures
Thank you

So me (20F) and my boyfriend (24M), are wanting to get a dog! We've been thinking about it for a while and have decided to start planning/really thinking about it. I would love a GSD! I have a background education in Animal Management and one of my favourite parts of the course was our dog training unit. I am also starting a Veterinary course this September.

My biggest concern at the moment is hours being at home and away. Boyfriend works 5 days a week Monday -> Friday, 7AM - 3PM with a 30 minute commute. I work Fri - Tuesday 5PM - 11PM with a 5/10 minute commute. So basically whenever I'm at work he's home, and whenever he's at work I'm home.

I start college again in September for a part time entry course into Veterinary. I get my timetable at the end of the month, It'll be one day a week as it's a part time course. Along with this I'll be doing 90 hours of work placement through the academic year (it's only a one year course.) Would a lifestyle like this be okay for a GSD? I don't really have a social life due to my own preferences and don't have any hobbies/anything I'm interested in (other than animals; I have a snake and a 20 Gallon tank and spend majority of my time researching about pets I want or playing video games).. So my dog would be my best friend..

I have already looked into local training groups etc. But also plan to take the puppy to my college as they have amazing classes there and it would be an amazing place to socialise!!! My concerns are not the training/drive of the dog but more-so time management...

Do you think a lifestyle like mine would work with a GSD?

Oh also, I would be a first time dog owner! And I understand the cause for concern with a first time owner wanting a GSD but I believe my heart and head are in the right place (I'm happy for anyone to correct me...) Boyfriend had two jack russels who imo were poorly trained if not at all trained.. so I don't consider him a dog owner (they were his Mothers dogs.)

TIA for any advice/comments 💓💓

EDIT:

After more research and a talk with the boyfriend we have decided against getting a GSD! I want to thank everyone for their comments, after doing further research and reading through comments I've decided to go for a companion breed (probably a golden retriever!!!) over a working breed. After careful consideration I've decided to take peoples advice on not having a GSD as a first dog... though they will definitely be my second ;)

I have a 15-month-old, 68 lb female GSD and I’m considering adding a treadmill to her routine, mainly as another outlet for physical exercise and structured activity. This wouldn’t replace walks, hikes, training, sniffing, or outdoor time.
For those of you who actually use treadmills with your GSDs:

Do you prefer motorized or non-motorized/self-propelled, and why?
If you use a motorized one, what size/brand do you have?
How long is the running surface? I want to make sure she can fully extend her stride.
Have you noticed any difference in conditioning, energy levels, or behavior?
How often and how long do you typically use it?
Any safety concerns or things you wish you knew before buying one?
For younger GSDs, what age did you start incorporating treadmill work?

I’m especially interested in hearing from people with larger female GSDs around 65–75 lbs. I’ve been looking at dog-specific motorized treadmills, but I’m seeing mixed opinions about whether a slat/self-propelled treadmill is ultimately the better investment.

Would love to hear what has actually worked for your shepherd!

Hi,

My GSD is 8 years old, turning 9 in January.

She was diagnosed with severe hip displacia at the age of 4 or 5. Since this time I have managed this through various medication and supplements.

Currently she is just on suplements- collagen, ikarmel joint tablets, salmon oil and boswellia powder. I do have metacam medication, but this is rarely required.

I also take her to hydrotheraphy every 2 weeks.

She loves life and it is still a case of trying to limit her exercise- She loves walks and always wants to play fetch (she has been on a fetch ban for some time, as I'm conscious this will not help her condition).

She has been getting sore on the odd day recently. How have people in a similar position navigated this? I suppose I'm unsure what the next steps are.

Due to her age and the fact she can still get around / up I'd be hesitant for a double hip replacement or surgery- i feel it may be unfair at her age to spend so much time recovering? Plus the risks of putting her under at this age. Librela injections are not an option, due to the associated risks. Eventually I'd get her wheels if needed.

Are there any other routes I should be looking at? Her quality of life is high, this is the early stages of her condition starting to take noticeable effect.

Thanks

I have an 11 month old male who is having diarrhea at minimum 2 times a month. I have gone to the vet and there is no obstruction. He is fine when on a super probiotic like visbiome. Once we stop it it gets diarrhea again. He basically only gets his food and a greenie at night. He is also on the prescription Royal canin GI puppy food. He doesn’t get snacks or human food at all. Anyone experience a super sensitive GI tract with the GSD? What did you do? What questions should I be asking my vet? Should we look at an exclusion diet to see if he is sensitive to chicken?
Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

I want to start this by saying we can not afford to have our dog (4yr old F GSD) get gastropexy, I know that it is recommended especially for large breed/large chested dogs but we simply can’t afford it right now.

I see every single day posts talking about dogs lots to bloat, to the point where I am lightly pushing on and checking my dogs stomach 8-10 times a day, watching her drool amounts and constantly checking on her after hard exercise. I am so paranoid about this happening to us I am on hyper vigilance mode 24/7. To the point it’s making my anxiety issues worse than they already were.

What I’m doing currently to try and limit any possibility :

-She isn’t allowed outside 1hr before or 1hr after eating. She eats kibble mixed with wet food and water twice a day.

-We let the kibble sit in the water for 10 minutes before allowing her to eat so it is already expanded and won’t do that in her stomach.

-she isn’t allowed water for a minimum of 45 minutes after hard play/exercise. If she comes in panting heavy after a potty break I won’t let her drink water until she is calm and breathing has returned to normal.

-she isn’t allowed her “good girl” treats after going potty anymore because I am simply too scared of them causing an issue

Am I doing to much? Should I be doing more? Is my life really going to constantly be full of anxiety about this until we can afford gastropexy for her? How common is bloat really? All these things keep me up at night!

Any type of recommendations or reassurance is welcomed! We just want her to live the longest heaviest life she can, and we want to be able to live ours not in constant fear.

I've noticed my German Shepherd having what seems like reverse sneezing several times, and every time it has happened at night.

The first few times, I woke up completely panicking because it sounds really scary. She makes these sudden, repeated inhaling/snorting sounds and it looks like she's struggling to breathe, even though the episode seems to stop on its own.

I've now seen it happen nearly four times, always during the night.

For other GSD owners:

How often does your dog reverse sneeze?

Does it happen more commonly at night or while sleeping?

What usually triggers it?

At what point did you decide it needed a vet check?

I'm mainly trying to understand whether occasional reverse sneezing can be relatively normal or whether repeated nighttime episodes should be investigated.

Hi everyone, we recently purchased a sweet male German Shepherd puppy, but due to unforeseen circumstances, we cannot keep him. I'm looking for places to advertise him and hopefully find a good home for him. Does anyone know of either good websites or good places in South Carolina?

I have a 6 month old gsd and he is teething and CRAZY. I am having trouble finding toys that 1. he is interested in. and 2. he cant chew through in about 30 minutes.

We were given a bark.co subscription toy from a friend and that is literally the only thing that squeaks that he hasnt been able to tear up. He loves things that squeak and crinkle. Hes not interested in the jelly silicone type of bones or balls. he could care less about tennis balls. He likes rope toys but shreds them instantly. Hes super picky about what he will sit down and actually play with and if we find something he loves it only lasts a day.

Does anyone have a bark.co subscription? Or any other subscription boxes or really good toy recommendations?

If you do have a subscription box, does anyone know any discount codes?

Thanks in advance!

-a mom struggling to find toys for my land shark

Hi there!

We have a sweet 5 year old girl who is declining a lot sooner than seems normal for her age. She is a German shepherd and black lab mix that my fiancé got when she was a puppy. She seems to have issues with her hips, and her back legs have given out on her a few times (particularly on stairs). Her blood work is pristine and the vet said maybe arthritis of the hips but it’s not obvious. She is not energetic and running around much anymore, and seems overall uncomfortable. She constantly whines to go outside but then comes back in a minute later just to repeat the cycle over and over. The vet has her on a medication which when we did a 7 day trial seemed to help a lot. We didn’t have her on it while we waited for blood work to come back though. She’s been back on it for a bit now (like a week and a half) and there is no improvement this time at all. Has anyone experienced anything like this? She is such a good and sweet girl, we worry about her and her quality of life at this point.

I have two GSD mix dogs. Both are 2 years old. They are rescues, so they were already spayed/neutered when we adopted them.

I’ve read a lot about bloat/GDV and it scares me, but I struggle with the idea of elective surgery on my healthy dogs and the fact that they’ll be in pain afterward. I know getting GDV would be absolutely horrifying, and I know the odds of getting it are higher given their deep chested build.

For those of you who have had a gastropexy done on your furbabies, whether laparoscopic or open, can you share how the recovery went?

How painful or uncomfortable did they seem after surgery?
What restrictions did they have, and for how long?
How soon were they back to normal?
If you had the choice again, would you do it?

I’m leaning toward laparoscopic surgery over the larger 4–5 inch open procedure, but I’d really like to hear experiences with both.

It’s not about the money. I just want my dogs to be safe while avoiding unnecessary pain if possible. (I had a dog who got an abscess that required a 4 inch cut in this throat and a shunt left in for days to drain). I remember his wailing even while on pain medication, and it is etched in my memories.
I cried with him. 🥺

I’d really appreciate hearing from people who have actually gone through this with their own dogs rather than googling it.

Please share your experience.
If your dog had bloat and had surgery please share that too. I appreciate you taking the time to reply.