PetLvr.com - [The Blog]

One of the most potentially serious conditions a German Shepherd can suffer from is something called Bloat. In scientific terms, it’s more commonly referred to as GDV, or Gastric Dilatation Volvulus. The stomach becomes bloated with air or fluid, often accompanied by a twist (volvulus), as it rotates around the esophagus and the duodenum.

The condition is painful, unhealthy and potentially life-threatening. Why it occurs isn’t completely understood, but the condition and treatment are well known, provided it can be caught in time.

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German Shepherds require only modest grooming effort. They have a double layered coat, with the outer layer composed of medium-length, coarse hair and an undercoat that is soft and dense. The outer section provides protection against bushes and ground while the inner layer keeps the dog warm and protected from sunlight.

Proper care for a German Shepherd’s coat starts before you ever take out a brush - with a good diet. Feeding your dog high quality food that’s appropriate to its nature as a carnivore is key. High protein, high fat kibble or well-prepared chicken, lamb or beef are great for this. If you choose to make your own dog food, though, take some care to get the right balance of needed components.

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The German Shepherd breed was developed over 100 years ago, as the name suggests, for herding sheep. That activity is less common in the world today, but the basic skills are still much in demand.

GSDs, as they’re sometimes known, will patrol a border for hours, keeping strangers at bay and protecting those within. Seeing some dogs roam back and forth along a fence would suggest a mental problem, or at least a high level of frustration. But German Shepherds enjoy routine, never tire of doing their jobs and thrive when they have a role that keeps them active.

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German Shepherds are often said to be intelligent, loyal and hard working. And that’s all true. But they’re often believed to be that way on the basis of temperament, which some claim is all inbred. That’s where the controversy begins.

It’s undoubtedly true that certain features of a dog’s personality, as with humans, derives from genetics. But, as with humans, where to draw the line between nature and nurture is a difficult task.

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Socialization involves getting your dog familiar and comfortable with other dogs, pets and people in their environment. As natural pack animals it’s often easy to do, and sometimes even harder to keep them from interacting at inappropriate times.

Most dogs benefit from socialization. The people around them do too. But German Shepherds and a few other breeds are special cases. They’re often asked to perform special roles, such as police or guard dog, guide dog and other jobs. That means that socialization, while still useful, needs to be carried out much more carefully.

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Within dog lover circles there is an ongoing controversy about whether it’s better to acquire a pure bred German Shepherd or one of mixed ancestry. The issue may never be settled to everyone’s satisfaction. But where you stand may depend heavily on the reason you acquired your dog.

For show dogs, police dogs and other specialized work a pure bred is generally the preferred choice.

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DogLvr.com (RSS)

The creation of DogLvr.com was to keep all of the specific dog breed information in one centralized blog.

Here is a summary of the entries made in the month of August 2007.

// HART

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