Description and maintenance of a German Shepherd puppy at 1 month

The largest guard dog breed is the German Shepherd, so it is often bred to serve in the police and protect private territories. In order for a loyal and reliable defender to grow out of a puppy, he needs to be educated and trained from the first days after the acquisition. In addition, the baby must be properly looked after and provided with a balanced diet.

Puppies of a German shepherd are born deaf and blind, because it is so inherent in nature. When they are born, they have no teeth, the first fangs usually appear on the 20th day of life. As a rule, breeders sell their babies at the age of two months (55-60 days), by this time the crumbs have time to get used to independent living, become stronger, and their owner manages to do all the necessary vaccinations. Sometimes it happens that the baby shepherd is in the hands of a new owner before.

German Shepherd puppies at 1 month old are characterized by several generic characteristics.

• Body type. The chest is broad, barrel-shaped, the back is short. Paws in pets are quite large, thick and long, there is no dewclaw on them.
• Height. At the age of one month, poor shepherds look like soft lumps, the growth of which varies from 19 to 21 cm.
• Weight. Females weigh much less than males. The average weight of one-month-old babies is not more than 4.2 kg. At the same time, the new owners of the puppy do not need to worry if the pet's weight is below normal. His body is constantly growing and forming for 12 months, so the standard weight indicators stabilize in the third year of the dog’s life.
• Appearance. The almond-shaped eyes in the first months of life retain a blue tint, which eventually changes to dark brown. The forehead of the puppies is pronounced, the head is proportional to the body, a small hump is seen on the nose, a large nose is black. The ears of the babies are large and soft, they are in a hanging position until the age of six months. As for the puppy's hair, in the first month of life it is stiff and thick undercoat, most often it has a black-brown color, which can change several times by the age of one year.

After acquiring a German Shepherd puppy, the first week will be the most difficult and stressful. It is during this period that the baby needs to be provided with care and comfortable living conditions. In advance, the owner should ask the breeder what the pet's diet was, what the frequency of food intake and portion sizes were.

Character features it is important to consider already at a later stage of development of the animal (after two months of life), the individual qualities of the pet are finally formed by the age of three, when the nervous system is fully developed.

Since the German Shepherd is a long-haired dog, it should be trained to cleanliness from an early age. To do this, the kids are given water procedures and perform hair combing. Washing small fluffies is recommended no more than once every few months, excluding winter time. After bathing, the pet must be thoroughly wiped and allowed to dry on its own, choosing any place in the house where there are no drafts. To provide the coat with a healthy and shiny appearance, weekly combing, which is carried out using a special brush, will help.

Eye care also deserves special attention. In one-month-old puppies, they should be clear, clean, without signs of discharge and lacrimation. To avoid the development of a disease such as conjunctivitis, the eyes must be regularly cleaned with a swab dipped in chamomile infusion. We must not forget about monitoring the condition of the ears, which in this period of life in babies are still hanging. At least once a month they need to be cleaned with a swab moistened in a special solution. One-month-old handsome men often cause itching and pain through teething. So that the puppy does not spoil the furniture, he needs to buy special rubber toys. These accessories will greatly facilitate the process of teething and will serve as an interesting subject for games.

At this age, the owners of the puppies need to worry about compulsory listing. To date, for this in pharmacies you can find various suspensions, the dosage of which is calculated by the weight of the crumbs. When parasites are found on the puppy’s hair, you can’t immediately treat them with drugs. To do this, you should buy a special shampoo intended for dogs aged 1 month, it will not cause harm to health. As for the mandatory vaccinations, they begin to do them already at the age of 1.5 months, one-month-old babies are not vaccinated.

Feeding a monthly puppy of a German shepherd is considered quite complicated and time-consuming, this procedure is largely reminiscent of feeding a baby. In the first month of life, it is recommended that the baby be fed with a regular bottle with a pacifier, which is designed for newborns. You can also use a small tube, which is carried out directly into the stomach. This method of feeding, as a rule, is suitable in cases where a newborn pet cannot eat on its own.

Every day, the pet owners need to ensure that he normally went to the toilet. Since one-month-old babies have weak muscles for this, their mother-dog licks the genitals after each feeding, thereby stimulating the emptying of the bladder and intestines. If the owner took on the role of the “new” mother, then after each feeding he will have to carry out this procedure as follows: take a small piece of moist fleece and gently wipe the genital area of ​​the puppy. After 2–3 minutes of such touches, the crumb must be emptied. A similar procedure should be carried out when the puppy reaches the age of 4-5 weeks, then he will be able to go to the toilet on his own.

Depending on how the puppy's nutrition is selected, its full development will largely depend. The diet of a monthly handsome should be balanced. The menu should be designed in such a way that the pet received all the necessary vitamins and minerals. In addition, at the age of one month, a pet's meal should be divided into even periods of time. Typically, small shepherd dogs are provided with six meals a day with an interval of 3 hours. There are several ways to feed puppies at the age of 1 month.

It provides for the independent preparation of feed, which is given every three hours and contains minerals, vitamins, calcium, carbohydrates, fats and proteins. In this case, one serving should not exceed 200 grams. A sample menu for the baby may look like this:

• the first portion is milk porridge (only semolina is an exception);
• the second portion is raw minced meat, which over time is replaced by finely chopped pieces of fresh meat;
• the third portion is meat or vegetable soup;
• the fourth method is milk porridge;
• the fifth portion - minced meat with grated carrots;
• complete feeding with kefir or cottage cheese.

This method of feeding has both its pros and cons. The pluses include: the ability to control the quantity and quality of the products used, with the manifestation of allergies, you can quickly replace one component with another. As for the shortcomings, they include the complexity of cooking. In addition, the traditional way of feeding is not suitable when traveling with a dog.

This option is considered an excellent alternative to the traditional method. For feeding one-month-old puppies in this case, buy preserves, canned food and dry food. Before buying ready-made feed, you need to know the taste preferences of the dog and take into account its age. For example, it is not allowed to give such feed before three weeks of age.

The daily rate of use of dry feed is indicated individually by each manufacturer on the package. It depends on the weight and age of the baby. If the dog eats in this way, then it is necessary to constantly monitor that there is a bowl of clean water next to the food. Of course, the use of dry food greatly simplifies the care of the puppy, the owner does not spend much time on cooking. But such a diet also has its drawbacks: there is no certainty that the composition of the food will include natural components indicated on the package. In addition, these feeds often cause allergic reactions, since many manufacturers use low-grade offal for their manufacture.

It is also worth noting that not everyone can feed monthly shepherd puppies. Forbidden products include the following:

• bakery products;
• sunflower seeds;
• citrus;
• sausages;
• salted and pickled vegetables;
• fatty varieties of fish and meat;
• dishes containing spices;
• unboiled milk.

No less important in the maintenance of a puppy of a shepherd is his upbringing. The kid should know his place for eating and relaxing. To do this, a special place is allocated in the house where they put bowls for feeding and water. It is important to pay attention to the height and material of making dishes. It is advisable to purchase non-metallic products with an adjustable stand. Since up to two months of age a puppy cannot be taken outside without vaccination, it must be taught to use the toilet at home (using disposable diapers for this). In order to properly accustom a pet to the toilet, the owner should show a specially designated place and patiently explain. Girls learn these “lessons” much faster than boys.

Regardless of age, the puppies are playful; representatives of the German shepherd are no exception. They show their activity during the games. So that the little playful girl during such fun does not damage the furniture, he should be accustomed to playing with special toys. For example, a stick is good for this. The pet with great joy will run after her, carry in his mouth.

Since during the games a mischievous person can catch any object, the owner must teach him to understand the command "Fu", which must be given without raising his voice, in a calm tone. Increased information can form cowardice in a future shepherd. It is advisable to play games with the baby on the carpet, as a slippery floor can cause a fall and a broken bone.

At four weeks of age, puppies are considered too small to be trained in difficult tricks. But you can teach kids to order. This will help to further avoid the spread of food and litter around the house. It is recommended to start upbringing by introducing such commands as “To Me,” “Place,” “You Cannot.” They must be used in a playful way and do not forget to encourage the pet with affection and snacks for obedience, thanks to this, the attachment to the owner will be strengthened, and the teams will be fixed in memory with a pleasant association.

In this video you can watch the training of a monthly German Shepherd puppy.