After birth and before reaching the age of one year, each dog is still considered a puppy, who needs appropriate care. In this article we will consider the main points of keeping the German Shepherd puppies, the features of feeding and caring for them.
Feeding the puppies
When puppies are born, the mother takes care of them. Manifesting his innate maternal instinct, she feeds them with breast milk, so that the puppies get all the nutrients necessary for their growth and development. At first, it is better not to interfere with this process, if you see that it properly takes care of the offspring. Start feeding should be only when there are signs that the mother has less milk: while puppies become restless, sleep less, lose weight. However, it is desirable to do this not earlier than a month after birth (the so-called sucking period). During the week, monitor the weight of the offspring, and as soon as you notice the changes in the gain, start translating the puppies into regular food.
Lure should consist of cow milk, cereals, vegetable and cereal soups on meat broth, meat (both raw and cooked). Also, do not forget about vitamin supplementation. To take puppies off their mother should be gradually, in 2-3 weeks, transferring them to "adult" food. At first, feeding should be 5-time, in 4 months it's time to switch to 4 meals a day, by the half-year, reduce the number of meals to three, and by 7 months - to two.
Contents of German Shepherd puppies
In the new house the puppy of the German shepherd must always provide his place, his corner. Spread there your unnecessary shirt or sweater: so the dog will soon get used to your smell.
At first, your little pet will be able to cope with their natural needs at home. To punish him for it is by no means impossible. Gradually, he will get used to doing it on the street: for this, regularly take the animal out for walks (preferably done immediately after feeding). If the puppy did what he needs for a walk, be sure to praise him for it, calling him by name, and treat him with a delicacy. German Shepherds are very smart, and it is usually easy to teach them proper behavior.
The first walks should not exceed 4-5 minutes, then the time spent on the street,
Vaccinations take an important place in the care of a German shepherd puppy. While they are not there, you can not take the dog out for a walk. Before the first vaccination (at the age of 1.5 months), it should be ensured that the puppy is absolutely healthy, and a week earlier de-worming was carried out. Each German shepherd must be vaccinated against hepatitis and enteritis, plague, rabies, adenovirus and leptospirosis.
Remember that competent care of a dog is, above all, a guarantee of its health!