Male or Female German Shepherd?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions we at Wüstenberger-Land encounter as breeders. Choosing between a male or female dog is strictly a matter of preference. From our experience, I will say that males are more protective of their surrounding area, while females are more protective of their family (your family).
THE GERMAN SHEPHERD MALE
Generally, the German shepherd male is larger in size and more masculine in structure.
The size and the masculinity of the male most often is intimidating to strangers.
German shepherd males are generally more territorial of their location. The marking of the territory can be a problem. However, if trained properly, the problem can be controlled.
German shepherd males are also larger in size and bulk. They will go further to explore their territory when a scent of a female in heat is near.
THE GERMAN SHEPHERD FEMALE
The female German shepherd should be smaller in size and feminine in structure.
The female may be smaller in size, but the size can be of advantage in her working ability.
Female German shepherds have the “pack” instinct. They will be protective of their family more so then males. This instinct will sometimes cause her to be jealous among the other dogs in the household.
If the female German shepherd is not intended for breeding, she should be spayed at over 18 month of age.
Puppies Nutrition-Feeding instructions:
A high quality dry kibble is soaked with warm water until it is soft. We add fresh, whole roasted chicken, put through a food processor with all the drippings. We alternate this with fresh, raw ground beef. Fresh, raw egg yolks, excluding whites, may also be added. Knox gelatin (one envelope) per day is sprinkled over the food.
One glucosamine and Chondroitin and Calcium tablet is given once per day. One thousand milligrams of vitamin C, 2 times per day. These can be given whole or ground. Also, we add fresh pressed flax seed oil at one teaspoon for puppies and one tablespoon for adult German Shepherds. The use of added supplements is for building strong bone and cartilage.
Vitamin C is given at one thousand milligrams once a day and increased to twice a day by the time the pups are three months old. The Vitamin C is given for hip joint development.
Fresh fruits and vegetables such as apples, avocados grated carrots, dried berries, sweet potato, nuts and seeds may also be added to your German shepherd’s food. We give puppies natural rawhide dog bones for teething.
We feed our puppies three times a day until about four months of age then twice a day until one year of age.
Adults:
We feed super premium kibbles to our adult German shepherds, adding fresh, raw meat or cooked chicken, plus flax seed oil, and fresh fruits and vegetables. We soak the dry food in a little warm water to make the kibble expand. Canned and fresh salmon is also an excellent choice to add to the kibble for both puppies and adults.
We like to have the dogs excited at meal time. It is not uncommon for your new puppy or trained dog to be off his food for a few days. Most may be excited about their new surroundings. The food drive should return very soon.
We recommend cutting back on the food for this time. Offer the food, but if it has not been eaten within a few minutes’ time, take it away until the next scheduled feeding time.
Adults are feed once or twice a day depending on weight and food drive.