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My First GSD

2K views 22 replies 10 participants last post by  RZZNSTR 
#1 ·
I got my first all black GSD puppy a couple days ago and am completely in love. Being a first time owner I am very nervous about doing what's right for my pup. The breeder I got him from gave him to me early (he is only 6 weeks) and on top of that he is a runt. Upon reading I realized he was too young to be away from his mommy and had noticed he has not learned bite inhibition. He has no liter mates so I read that to teach him not to bite so hard to "give him a nip on the back of his neck like his mother would". This advice came from someone who I had thought to be a reputable source but after reading a couple of forums on this site I realized that is not what I am supposed to be doing :( any suggestions on teaching such a young puppy bite inhibition? (Quick disclaimer: after reading he should be with his mother until 8 weeks I wanted to give him some extra time with her but when we got him he was INFESTED with fleas and he contracted ringworm so I'm not comfortable putting him back in that environment) ANY ADVICE WOULD BE SP GREATLY APPRECIATED THANK YOU IN ADVANCE ☺
 
#2 ·
Congratulations on your pup! I copied a Video link to that may help you with teething and mouthing which gsds are notorious for so be patient. What food are you feeding your pup? 6 weeks is very young and there is another poster on here that there puppy is 6 weeks old as well I will copy that thread as well. Has very good foods mentioned such as Fromm, Acana and natures variety. I would bring him to the vet as your pup was probably
never dewormed.
http://youtu.be/ZKjk84OkzcI
 
#4 ·
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/#/forumsite/20533/topics/639394?page=1
Also find a puppy class with a recommended trainer ideally experienced with German shepherds. So when you are ready to take your puppy when a bit older- you know where to go and will be already enrolled. Look for a trainer that teaches you to show the puppy to focus on you rather then puppy playtime.
 
#14 · (Edited)
--mmmm--- this "breeder" who hands over an underage pup , in that bad a condition , crawling with fleas and with a fungal infection which is what ring worm is , should not have any advice followed.


Fleas are blood suckers -- give the best food , red meat , so that you don't run into anemia .
Shampoo your pup with this very safe, very effective product DEFENDEX
effective against fleas , mites, and mange. https://www.vetionx.com/defendex.php?gclid=CLOr39XWu8wCFQUIaQodwYEA7g
You want to get rid of those fleas asap so that you don't have a house infestation , a cycle of new hatchlings .


Ringworm is contagious to other animals and to humans .


Bet you anything the vaccine was given by the breeder from readily available mail order vaccines which may or may not have been properly stored.
Vaccine given too early .
Bet you anything this pup never saw a vet .


I wish you luck .
 
#9 ·
I'd keep feeding what he's eating for right now, even though it isn't considered a premium food, but I wouldn't wait a week to take him to the vet. I never free feed. I feed the either 3 or 4 times a day. Free feeding, I'm guessing thats what you meant. Putting a lot of food down and just letting him eat as much and as often as he wants won't help him grow.
 
#10 ·
Regarding the runt question. I think for the most part the "runt" just is developing more slowly. Feeding him more will not make him grow faster. You just get on the schedule and keep him reasonable. Overfeeding causes problems too so just keep it reasonable. I hope others will help you figure that out because 6 weeks is so young. Multiple feedings seems in order but I don't know about just leaving food down.

There are many stories of runts becoming the biggest dogs in the litter. Try not to obsess about size. They all grow differently. These dogs are meant to be moderate sized so they can be agile and powerful.

How big are the parents?
 
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#12 ·
His parents are huge dogs. I really wish I could have kept him with his mother longer but A. When she first gave me the dog she had told me 6 weeks was fine considering he had no brothers or sisters, and as a first time owner I trusted that. B. Even after reading up on it I think it would be dangerous for him to give him back
 
#15 ·
If he is a singleton getting him early isn't as much of a problem as if he had littermates to play with. There were no other puppies in the litter? Get him into a good puppy class as soon as he is old enough so he can learn to interact with other dogs, or find a solid older dog to teach him bite inhibition. My female did that for my puppy. He was still very mouthy but it no longer hurt because she taught him to have a gentle mouth. The WL dogs are very oral. It took me two months before my puppy completely stopped biting me and another month for other family members.
 
#16 ·
Please get him to a vet ASAP. Even if the "breeder" did deworm him they come in cycles and to completely eradicate them a fecal test needs to be done and another dewormer must be given until he comes back clear. Worms in excess can easily, and very suddenly kill a small puppy. Also the food she gave you is garbage, don't switch him right away but there are multiple high quality large breed puppy foods available at the big chain pet stores like Petco. I personally use blue Buffalos variety and my pup has flourished on it. I too got him too early at 5 weeks, I feed him three times a day and when he was younger I would soak and heat his kibble so it was not only more appetizing, but easier for his baby teeth to crunch up. He was also the runt - it doesn't mean they will always be a runt. I follow the recommended amounts on his food bag and at three months he is at least 20 lbs. Mine was also a little shark, when he bit I would yelp OW and ignore him (no petting or interaction) and instead give him a toy to chew on. He only received attention when he was mannerly. He still likes to chew on me but he is far more gentle about it, and I still let him know I don't appreciate it. Just a matter of consistency and time.

Also where are the pictures??
 
#19 ·
Keep him away from your shoes and anything else that belongs to you. Always give him a distraction such as one of his toys when you take away something he is not to chew on.
 
#20 ·
Oh my goodness that's not a dog it's a little black bear cub! Absolutely adorable. So cute, please don't ever worry about posting too many :D

I'm bad and I don't condone it, but my pup loves stealing shoes and stashing them into a collection. He doesn't chew them up, he just likes seeing how many and how often he can get away with snatching.
 
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