As a rule, a German Shepherd needs to be exercised twice a day for several hours. This should ideally be done in the forest or where he can run without a leash without any problems. The German Shepherd Dog needs enough physical and mental exercise.
Your pet needs daily exercise. In addition, your dog can romp around in the garden or you can go to a fenced exercise area.
Your dog needs to go outside at least twice a day.
Beyond that, you can decide according to your dog whether you go more often and how long your rounds will be.
Walking – When does the dog need to go out?
The question of how often a dog should go out depends crucially on its individual needs. Some dog breeds need a lot of exercise due to their special urge to move, while others are content with smaller rounds.
When a dog needs to go outside is also very individual. Decisive factors include cleanliness and walk training.
As a rule of thumb, however, dogs can last five to six hours before the next business is due.
This also tells you how often a dog should go out every day. Accordingly, you should plan at least four to five rounds per day.
Ideally, over time, the walks should be scheduled in such a way that nightly rounds are omitted. In this context, it is important that the most urgent walk is in the morning. The walk after getting up must be integrated into the daily schedule.
As a rule, a routine rhythm is established after a certain time, so that the morning round takes place at 6:00 a.m. every day, for example.
Dogs make themselves known when they have to go out
Normally, every dog makes itself known as soon as it has to go out. However, this only applies to dogs that have already completed their cleanliness training. It is not yet to be expected from puppies. As soon as the intervals between rounds become too long, dogs start whining, possibly barking, are restless and otherwise draw attention to themselves.
Some dogs may scratch at the door, others may put the leash at their master’s feet. Pay attention to how your dog makes itself known and don’t let it get that far in the first place.
Your dog will be in better health if you react before your dog even contacts you.
If you are going to be away for a long time and your dog has to wait for you at home, find out here how long your dog can be left alone.
Whether young or old – all dogs need to go out.
Puppies and seniors need more exercise
A puppy stays with the breeder until at least 8 weeks. At least with a good breeder. After that, you can take your dog with you.
Once you have arrived at your new home, the first few weeks are especially important. During this time, you must pay special attention to the walks. Everything needs to be explored, from traffic to the forest.
Experience shows that puppies need more walks than adult dogs. Until they are truly house-trained, it is recommended that you take your fur friend out at least every two hours.
This way puppies learn that they have to do their business outdoors and not indoors.
The amount of time between each round can be extended individually over time. In addition to puppies, seniors also need to go outside more often.
Your dog is getting old and counts as a senior dog if your dog is over 12 years old.
With age, dogs get difficulties to control their urge for a longer period of time. It’s a good idea to cater to your dog’s individual needs.
You could take your dog out more often, but for shorter periods.
If the dog doesn’t go outside – What can happen?
If your dog doesn’t get out enough, it will sooner or later do its business indoors.
However, what is much more decisive and to the dog’s disadvantage – lack of exercise leads to considerable limitations. Dogs that do not get out or only get out too rarely are often overweight, which has an impact on their health.
Moreover, in such cases dogs tend to behave destructively, for example by destroying things or starting to go berserk.
It can happen, among other things, that shoes or furniture are chewed up. Furthermore, the lack of exercise leads to aggression towards people and other animals in the long run.
How to keep your dog busy indoors
Some dogs start to withdraw because they are not stimulated enough physically and mentally. In this case, the behaviour resembles a typical depression.
Other dogs, on the other hand, become hyperactive. Finally, the muscles of the affected dog can stiffen, which leads to considerable pain. Further illnesses of the four-legged friend are also possible due to lack of exercise and too few walks.
For example, bladder or kidney diseases can occur due to continuous stopping.
To prevent this from happening to your four-legged friend, make sure he gets enough exercise!
If you don’t have enough time, you can look for someone who will walk your dog for a small fee.
Typical characteristics of the German Shepherd Dog breed
The diversity of this dog breed can be seen in the different areas of use. Whether as working dogs, in avalanche protection or with the police – with specific training, the German Shepherd Dog is very docile.
All over the world the Sheepdog is popular and so breedings of Belgian or Croatian Sheepdogs branch off from this direction.
- Character courageous, intelligent, self-confident, willing to work, resilient
- Size between 55 and 65 cm
- Weight between 22 – 30 kg (bitches) up to 30 – 40 kg (males)
- Colours sable, black, light brown
- Life expectancy between 9 and 14 years
The character of the shepherd dog is reliable, self-confident, resilient and can also turn into the opposite. Aggressive comrades of this breed could not enjoy proper socialisation in puppyhood.
But you can buy a good sheepdog from a reputable breeder. Why are puppies so expensive?
One problem with Sheepdogs is hip problems, which is due to their severely sloping backs.
His distinctive face is not to be overlooked.
Care and training
The German Shepherd is a dog you need to know how to train properly. Some approach this dog with harshness and severity, others with praise and reprimand.
Whichever way you choose, the German Shepherd is smart and wants to please by learning new exercises with you.
His mission in life is to do a job that encourages him to do the right thing. In any case, it is important to keep him busy by giving him suitable tasks.
The dog school offers a lot of variety for this and you can of course also look after him appropriately at home.
The coat of a German Shepherd sheds all year round, basically every day. That’s why regular grooming is important.
For whom is the sheepdog suitable?
Since the German Shepherd is a dog in its own right, it takes a lot more knowledge to do justice to this dog. In order for the joy to last, it is also necessary to learn what to do when problems arise.
You should have a lot of ideas about how to entertain this dog.
In any case, this dog is not a beginner’s dog! More information about the German Shepherd and its training can be found here.
What is the social behaviour of a German Shepherd?
German Shepherds are considered to be very reliable and loyal. As all-rounders they offer something of all qualities.
However, they are somewhat suspicious of other dogs and people.
To prevent this from becoming a problem, you should let your German Shepherd play with other dogs regularly when he is a puppy. In this way your dog will learn to reduce aggression and fear.
With a German shepherd, these experiences cannot be made up for at a later age. Even a lot of training or love won’t help.
It would be a pity if these versatile dogs did not meet their humans and unfortunately had to pass through many hands and spend their twilight years in a shelter.
Here we have summarized our most popular articles in a great overview:
