Is it good to keep a dog on a chain?
Many owners who have just acquired a German Shepherd are wondering whether keeping the dog on a chain in a private home is good for them or is it better not to do it. It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously. It all depends on the dog itself and the place where it will live.
Let’s say that if the pet is docile, balanced and well-mannered, the chain will definitely not suit him. After all, such animals love freedom and space. Keeping him on a chain will only depress the psychological and emotional state of the shepherd. Such a pet can live peacefully in a booth, fenced with an enclosure or without one at all.
However, there are dogs whose character has pronounced aggression. The dog obeys only one human leader.
If strangers suddenly come to visit and the animal is not attached, it may end badly. Therefore, it is better to keep angry shepherd dogs on a chain or in a closed enclosure.
What to feed a puppy at the age of 1 month
Most often, puppies are sold at the age of 45 days, when certification has been completed. At this point, the puppy’s diet includes:
- two types of meat;
- rice and oatmeal;
- milk;
- cottage cheese and kefir.
The baby's stomach is still small and his metabolism is fast. Therefore, babies need to be given a small portion of food every 3 hours. From 1 to 2 months, the fastest growth is observed: a two-month-old puppy is 2 times larger than a month-old one. This means that the nutritional value and digestibility of the feed must be high.
By receiving raw meat several times a day, the baby will grow before our eyes. Dogs are carnivores. In the wild, adults feed their babies raw meat. Therefore, if finances allow, the content of this product in the diet should be maximum.
You can also give boiled meat, it is nutritious, strengthens the stool well, so it is useful for minor digestive disorders. Most often, the meat is boiled, porridge is prepared in broth, then the chopped meat is mixed with warm porridge, diluted a little with water if it is too thick, and given to the puppy.
Meat porridge should not be diluted with milk, since casein, which is formed in the stomach during the digestion of milk, slows down the absorption of nutrients.
Milk porridges are made from Hercules or rice, since semolina is difficult to digest.
Cottage cheese can be diluted with kefir or a raw chicken egg can be added, since viscous or too dry cottage cheese can cause puppies to choke. Many kids do not like this healthy product, then you can try making cottage cheese yourself from a pack of kefir or pouring fermented baked milk mixed with a raw egg into boiling milk. Homemade cottage cheese is more tender, aromatic and tasty.
Dog booth
If a person wants a shepherd to live in a kennel, you can buy one at a pet store or make one yourself. The second option will be more comfortable for the animal, because in a kennel made to the dog’s individual size, it is not cramped and warm.
Before building a booth, it is important to choose a good place to install it. The kennel should be positioned so that the bitch or dog can freely see the entire area and those who came. In addition, it is necessary that the soil under the booth is dry. You cannot place a dog house on bare ground; you must install a foundation or underlay underneath it. The optimal distance from the house to the booth is 15 meters. It is unacceptable for the kennel to stand in a barn or near other animals. It is important to remember that the length of the booth must be such that the animal in it can lie down freely and stretch out its paws.
Only straw should be used as bedding, but in no case cloth rags or hay. After all, they absorb moisture and swell.
Keeping the booth clean
In addition to the above maintenance and care requirements, it is necessary to ensure cleanliness in the booth. A good tip is that when installing a booth with your own hands, you need to make an opening type roof. This way, the owner can always change the bedding, wash the inside of the booth, or disinfect it against fleas. After all, cleaning the kennel must be done regularly and thoroughly.
Causes of premature death
Accidents happen with irresponsible owners. A dog that runs out of the territory may be poisoned by spoiled or inappropriate food or get hit by passing vehicles. More careful monitoring and care of your pet will help solve this problem.
The main causes of premature death in pets are injuries and past illnesses. also significantly reduce life expectancy . Infectious diseases negatively affect the body, even if they were suffered at an early age. For example, having suffered from hepatitis quite easily in youth, closer to old age the affected liver will remind itself.
Chronic diseases are also dangerous. Occurring quite easily at a young age, worsening at an older age, they cause many problems for the animal.
Aviary for a German
If the owner decides that the shepherd will live in an enclosure, he must carefully monitor the pet’s health. A bitch or a dog, especially if they are still puppies, should not stay in the enclosure all day long. This has a bad effect on the psyche of animals.
The enclosure should be spacious and have a house inside where the dog can hide during cold weather.
Cleaning the enclosure
The enclosure, like the booth, needs regular cleaning. After all, this is the place where the pet spends most of its time. It is important to clean the enclosure of waste products every day and disinfect it. In addition, it will be necessary to clean the fur, because a breed such as the German Shepherd sheds heavily.
Material for construction
To build a reliable enclosure with a booth for a German Shepherd, you will need the following materials:
- cement;
- boards and planks made of coniferous trees;
- metal gratings and pipes;
- tiles, ondulin or slate;
- self-tapping screws
The floor is made from boards, raising them above the ground and laying them on a slight slope to make it easier to wash off dirt. They are pre-treated with impregnation against rotting. It is not advisable to pour a cement floor - a dog lying on concrete can become hypothermic and get sick. Corrugated sheeting is not recommended for use on roofs, since it heats up in summer, cools down in winter, and creates a lot of noise when it rains.
Wood or brick is used to install three walls, and a welded or forged lattice is used for the fourth. A chain-link mesh is not suitable, as the German will jump on it and may break the wire and injure his paws.
Shepherd care
When a shepherd dog constantly lives on the street, it is more susceptible to external factors that negatively affect its health. To protect your pet from their influence, it is recommended to take good care of your dog. Here are some tips for caring for your German Shepherd:
- It is necessary to check the condition of the animal's paws every day. After all, if even a small thorn or splinter gets under the skin, it can cause an inflammatory process and purulent formations.
- In the period from May to September, you need to choose a product to protect your shepherd from blood-sucking insects. These can be various sprays, tablets and special collars.
- It is important to clean your pet's ears 2 times a week to avoid infection. This can be done with a cotton swab dipped in a chlorhexidine solution.
- You also need to give your dog special products to remove tartar and plaque. Pet stores sell special cleaning bones that the dog will chew and thereby cleanse its mouth. They also sell toothpastes and brushes for dogs.
- Since this breed sheds heavily, it is important to brush your pet's coat every day with a special brush.
- It is better to bathe the animal once every 3 months.
- Nails should be trimmed once a week unless your pet has worn them off on a hard surface.
It is worth adding that when choosing care products, they should be selected taking into account the allergic reactions of the shepherd dog. It is better to buy hypoallergenic shampoos intended strictly for dogs. Also read our article on feeding a German Shepherd
How to make a foundation?
The foundation is the first thing to do when erecting a structure.
Its depth should be 1-1.5 m. The length and width should be calculated from the size of the dog.
You need to lay a layer of large stones on the bottom. After this, the stones must be fixed with cement mortar 1: 1: 2: 3 - cement, water, sand and crushed stone, respectively. After this, leave for 2-3 days until the foundation is completely dry.
If the ground is soft, then do it before pouring the formwork - lay boards along the edges of the hole and fasten them with self-tapping screws.
Walking and working with the dog
The German Shepherd is a very intelligent, reasonable and understanding creature. Dog handlers have found that she is capable of achieving such mental development that can be compared with the mind of a five-year-old child. Such a dog cannot live without communication with a person.
Most often, the animal chooses one owner in the family, to whom it becomes attached with all its soul. He is able to develop this intelligence in the dog and teach him good upbringing.
What a German Shepherd puppy will turn into depends only on the owner. Therefore, it is important to work with the dog, train and reward it for its achievements.
As for walks, they should be constant and regular. If the animal is still small, it needs to be taken outside the country house and yard, shown the world and nature, and played various games with it. It is important that the puppy gets used to other animals, strangers and noise. Otherwise, he will grow into a frightened animal.
For an adult dog, fast paced walks and various exercises are suitable. This will allow the dog to throw out negative energy and improve its physical qualities.
How to insulate?
To prevent your dog from freezing outside in winter, you must follow the recommendations:
- place a booth made of wood or plywood in the enclosure;
- the walls of the enclosure need to be insulated with mineral wool or polystyrene foam;
- lay sawdust or straw on the floor;
- in winter, it is strictly forbidden to bathe a shepherd dog - it can catch a cold;
- if you see that the dog is feeling unwell and is freezing, it is better not to risk it and move it to a warm room.
Why is it important to take the Protective Guard Course and the General Pet Training Course?
If the owner wants to make a real guard out of the dog, it will not hurt the shepherd to take a course in protective guard duty. This can have a good effect not only on the animal, but also on the owner. After all, constant barking gets on the nerves of the inhabitants of the house and neighbors. In addition, this does not have a very good effect on the pet itself. The dog must know where is a stranger who poses a danger, and where is just a passer-by who does not wish harm.
During protective guard service courses, the animal is taught to correctly recognize the enemy, and also to bite in places that will not cause much harm (hands).
The shepherd dog also needs to undergo a general training course. Of course, the owner can work with the dog himself. But experienced dog handlers will do it faster and much better.
In conclusion, we would like to add that keeping a German Shepherd is a great responsibility for the life of the animal. If everything is done correctly, the animal will become a good companion and will last up to 10 years. The main thing is that she feels love and care. Then the pet will always thank the owner with his devotion and loyalty.
Description of the breed
German Shepherds are medium-sized dogs with strong bones and well-developed muscles. They have a long wedge-shaped head with a slightly convex forehead, powerful jaws and dark almond-shaped eyes.
The paws of representatives of this breed are straight, set parallel to each other, the ears are triangular in shape, erect.
The height at the withers for males is 60-65 cm, they weigh 30-40 kg, females grow to 55-60 cm with a weight of 22-32 kg.
The coat is dense and hard, short on the head and front of the paws and slightly longer on the neck, with undercoat.
The breed standard allows the following color options:
- solid black;
- black-backed - black with markings of yellow, red-brown, brown or light gray;
- zonal;
- black and tan.
It is acceptable, but not desirable, to have small white spots on the chest and light colored fur on the inner surface of the body..
Read more detailed characteristics of German Shepherds here.
