How Long Do German Shepherds Live?

German Shepherds are intelligent dogs who take great pleasure in learning new tricks. Additionally, they are very obedient and eager to please, which makes them suitable for police work, military service, guarding duties and herding tasks.

Keep your dog from becoming bored by taking several short walks each day – this will prevent him or her from becoming destructively bored and leading them down a destructive path. They need high-energy outlets like agility training, tracking or herding that provide them with opportunities to exert themselves physically while being mentally stimulated.

Life expectancy

German Shepherds are among the smartest dog breeds, which explains their popularity with law enforcement agencies and military units, as well as service dogs. Additionally, German Shepherds are incredibly loyal companions who remain protective over their owners.

Puppies generally live between 10-14 years with proper diet and care, including plenty of physical exercise and play. Puppies can develop joint conditions like arthritis and hip/elbow dysplasia which necessitate keeping them active and well trained to help avoid these diseases.

German Shepherds are generally healthy dogs that do well in different environments, from city living to country farms and fields. They’re friendly with other pets and people alike and enjoy playing fetch or going on long walks or runs. Left alone for long periods, German Shepherds may become anxious or bored and require mental and physical activities daily in order to remain content.

German Shepherds don’t shed as frequently as other breeds of dog; regular brushing will keep their coat healthy. Bathing should only be necessary on occasion as bathing removes natural oils that contribute to keeping their coat shiny. Before making any definitive decisions regarding purchasing one of these pups, do your research first!

Health issues

GSDs enjoy an excellent quality of life, yet like all dog breeds they are susceptible to health issues. GSDs in particular may be susceptible to hip dysplasia – a painful condition which restricts movement – and degenerative myelopathy which causes progressive paralysis of their rear legs. They may also experience heart disease, epilepsy and aortic stenosis – the narrowing of passage from left ventricle to aorta.

Aortic stenosis may initially go undetected, yet can progress over time to produce symptoms such as coughing, exercise intolerance, loss of appetite and abdominal swelling. Treatment includes medication as well as lifestyle modifications to control this complication.

German Shepherds are highly intelligent dogs that thrive in social settings. These loyal canines tend to follow their owners everywhere they go–even trips to the bathroom! Unfortunately, German Shepherds may become destructive when left alone for long periods and require regular physical activity for optimal wellbeing.

GSDs are popular family pets due to their strength, agility and versatility. While they’re loyal and make excellent companions for life’s journeys, GSDs require both time and financial investments. Their expensive diet requires frequent vet trips for checkups; additionally they’re susceptible to hip dysplasia–a common condition among large breed dogs.

Training

German Shepherds are highly intelligent dogs that learn quickly. As such, they make ideal pets for families. Additionally, German Shepherds serve as service animals for blind people, and can even be trained to perform tasks such as drug detection and police/military work. Naturally wary of strangers but easily trained to distinguish between threats and non-threats makes them useful personal protection dogs as well.

Lively personalities thrive when living a lifestyle of action and interaction with their people. Puppies possess high energy levels which need to be exercised regularly or else it could become destructive. Early socialisation is essential in order to prevent your pup becoming over-protective when they reach adulthood; therefore, establish yourself as the leader of your pack early on by using gentle methods instead of harsh ones.

GSDs require daily walks lasting 20 minutes or more in order to release their energy and relieve their boredom. GSDs also need regular grooming during shedding season – make sure you brush every few days and bathe occasionally, bathe them occasionally as well, trim their toenails at least monthly and brush their teeth – overgrown hairs from their ears must also be removed, since these could hinder outflow of sulfur from their ears leading to infections.

Care

German Shepherds are high energy dogs who need daily exercise to release pent-up energy and stay fit, as well as constant mental stimulation or they may become destructive. Lauralea Oliver of Best Friends Pet Adoption and Spay/Neuter Center in Los Angeles notes, “German Shepherds make good pets for active families with plenty of yard space as they are more apt to become bored quickly and act out.”

GSDs, like all purebred dogs, can suffer from both major and minor health issues. Hip and elbow dysplasia (be sure both parents of your GSD have their hips certified OFA good), heart disease, panosteitis or long bone disease (which occurs when bones in front legs develop at different rates resulting in inflammation), blood disorders, digestive issues, allergies, epilepsy, chronic eczema keratitis dwarfism as well as flea allergy are just some of the potential issues GSDs may face.

GSDs should be brushed during shedding season to maintain healthy, odor-free double coats, while bathing only when absolutely necessary to preserve natural oils, and having their nails clipped regularly to prevent overgrown nails. A healthy GSD has an average lifespan of 9-13 years; loyal and protective companions make excellent additions to a family unit, though strangers may need firm but positive direction in training them; GSDs are excellent with children but should never be left alone with young ones.