GERMAN SHEPHERD PUPPY CARE & FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS
1. A young German Shepherd puppy should NEVER be fed only once each day! Their stomachs are too small to hold enough food at a single meal to sustain the proper level of nutrition for their full growth and proper development. Good quality pet foods are not usually available at the supermarket. There are a wide variety of premium pet foods available from pet or feed stores, both canned and dry, any of which provide a fully nutritious and balanced diet without the need of added mineral or vitamin supplements or specialized dietary products and additives. Consult your veterinarian before adding any supplements to your dog’s diet.
Note: Leaving dry food down all the time will also help to maintain sound teeth, as long as the dog doesn’t overeat. It is best to feed exactly what he has been eating. If you desire to change his diet, do so gradually by mixing the new diet with the one his system is already accustomed to. Gradually, over a one (1) month period, increase the new diet while phasing out the old. Doing this will eliminate digestive changes, which can cause diarrhea or constipation. Avoid the temptation of giving your German Shepherd puppy scraps from your plate. This will begin the habit of begging as well as grabbing food out of unsuspecting hands, such as a child’s. Table scraps should not be offered. While they are tasty, table scraps are not nutritionally complete, may give your German Shepherd puppy diarrhea, and will make your German Shepherd puppy a “picky eater”. Do not give them fresh milk as milk usually causes diarrhea. Older puppies and dogs do not need milk. Also, do not feed raw egg whites. Cottage cheese and scrambled eggs may be given on occasion. Be careful regarding the size of the kibble you give the German Shepherd puppy. Don’t ever give it chunks of food that have any size to it as it may get stuck in their throat and they can choke to death. Ask your veterinarian to demonstrate what to do if they are choking.
Fresh water must ALWAYS be available to any dog, especially a young German Shepherd puppy. Filtered or distilled water is best. Wash the bowl and change their water daily. It is very important that the German Shepherd puppy gets as much water as they want. Therefore, it is best not to solely use a water bottle as it can limit their water intake.
2. If the German Shepherd puppy misses a meal, offer a tasty bite of lean meat or baby food (chicken or beef), scrambled egg, cottage cheese or goat’s milk just for the purpose of getting a little food in the stomach. If the German Shepherd puppy does not eat, is stressed by too much excitement, handling, or new experiences, it may result in a hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) attack. Prevention and treatment is simple.
The early signs of hypoglycemia: lethargy, sleepiness, a dazed look, then, as it progresses, a staggering or “drunken” gait, drooling, collapse and convulsions. If it is not treated, it continues into coma and ultimately death!
TREATMENT: IMMEDIATELY dap your finger into a jar of honey, jam or corn syrup and smear a small amount directly into the German Shepherd puppy’s mouth. Be careful as you don’t want to give so much that can cause chocking and too much “sugar” can shock the German Shepherd puppy’s system. In addition, Gator-Aid given slowly into the side of the mouth with a syringe will also help. Once they seem to be recovering in response to the treatment of honey or corn syrup, you may need to hand feed them soft canned puppy food. This will need to be done until they feel better and start to eat on their own.
- A healthy German Shepherd puppy’s temperature is normally 101-102 degrees. Should a German Shepherd puppy exhibit signs of illness such as vomiting, diarrhea, runny eyes or nose, excessive panting or whining, dizziness, lethargy, etc. take them to the veterinarian. DO NOT WAIT! It does not take long for a German Shepherd puppy to become dehydrated.
- Some health-related issues can be treated with the following medicines: Cough, try one (1) cc Robitussin or other cough syrup. Diarrhea, try 1-2 cc Pepto Bismol or Kaopectate. Gas pains, try 1 cc DiGel Liquid. NOTE: 1cc = 1/5 teaspoon. I use a syringe, without the needle, to measure and dispense medications.
6. Check daily for stuck stools as this can cause blockage disallowing the dog to eliminate. Keep the hair trimmed around the rectum to help this situation. This can cause serious problems and be very painful for the dog.
10. Do not allow small children to handle or hold the German Shepherd puppy without close supervision. They are very wiggly making them difficult to hold onto and they can quickly leap from your arms. Also they should NEVER be left unattended on top of a table, sofa, or a bed. DO NOT ENCOURAGE THEM TO LEAP ONTO OR OFF OF FURNITURE! As puppies mature, they will learn what they can and cannot do. Until then, you must protect them from themselves.
11. Be very careful and selective with the toys your German Shepherd puppy plays with. Rawhide toys are fine occasionally, but throw them away after they become too small. You must monitor your German Shepherd puppy whenever it plays with a latex toy that has an exposed squeaker as they can chock on the squeaker if they are able to remove it. You may choose to remove the squeakers yourself. Some infant toys are perfect. Another wonderful chew toy is Booda Bones.
12. Make sure your house has been German Shepherd puppy-proofed. Clean-up anything they can pick-up and chew. As tiny as they are, small objects will look large to them. Make sure they do not get in the habit of chewing electrical cords as this can be deadly. If you see them chewing, immediately check it out to see what it is they are chewing.
13. Don’t ever let them outside a secured area by themselves. They are very easy and tempting for someone to steal. More importantly, large dogs can kill them in an instant. Poisonous frogs, snakes, and spiders have also been known to kill them and coyotes and hawks have been known to carry them off.
14. If you choose to sleep with your German Shepherd puppy, be extremely careful not to accidentally and unknowingly lie on top of them and possibly suffocate them or allow them to fall or jump off of the bed.
The four (4) most important factors in raising your German Shepherd puppy are:
IT MUST EAT
IT MUST REST
IT MUST BE KEPT WARM & DRY
IT MUST BE LOVED