German Shepherd puppies at 4 months: how to look and how to care for them?
Sheepdog - a true friend and reliable protector. But you need to bring up this serious dog since childhood. How to take care of a four-month puppy German shepherd? What do these little ones look like and what do they eat?
Features appearance of a puppy German shepherd in 4 months
At this age, a puppy in the future of a serious and harsh shepherd dog looks more awkward. It develops unevenly, and because of this, the paws seem to be strongly elongated relative to the torso. The color of the teenager becomes brighter and more typical for this breed.
4 months for a puppy shepherd is the age when the ears stand upright. The fact is that the cartilaginous tissue just after a few months after birth begins to grow stronger, and the teeth from dairy ones change to permanent ones.
If the ears at this age have not yet become vertical, the owner of the baby should not worry.
In some individuals, the features of the organism are such that This phenomenon comes a little later.
The height and weight of the dog
During the period of active growth, that is, up to about a year, puppies develop very quickly. You do not have time to blink an eye, and they already vymahali you to the waist.
Therefore, it is important to monitor how well they grow and not eat too much.
A typical German Shepherd puppy in four months should weigh from 15 to 20 kilograms. Boys are usually much larger than girls. The height at the withers reaches 55 cm. So the baby at 4 months from birth is already quite capableGerman Shepherd puppies at 4 months: how to look and how to care for them?h, but still clumsy.
Deviations from the norm in height and weight should not exceed 15 percent. If the puppy is underweight or, conversely, too large, you should show it to the vet.
German shepherd puppy character at this age
The age of 4 months for a dog is rather complicated. The world opens for her in all colors, and what is happening around is still not too well fit in my head.
In addition to training various teams, training to the mode of the day and walking, it is worth showing the puppy who is the boss. The omission of this moment will not have a very good effect on the behavior of the dog in the future.
Sheepdog can become arrogant and aggressive, which is unacceptable for such a large beast. A puppy should not be allowed to bite even as a joke or bark at any member of the family. The dog needs to be shown who to obey and whom to protect.
At this age, the puppy is sure to respond to his nickname and know at least a couple of commands. Engage in this direction should be daily.
The street and the courtyard are excellent places for training, however, in the cold and heat you cannot teach a puppy for more than half an hour so that it does not get sick.
Intonation of the voice for training should be confident, but not terribleso that the dog is not afraid, but to respect its owner.
Optimal Diet
To feed a puppy in 4 months is necessary correctly. It is at this young age that the dog builds muscle mass, and a deficiency of protein and trace elements can provoke dystrophy. The preferred diet should consist of natural products, but premium dry food can also be the basis of puppy nutrition.
Feeding is done three times a day, portions are gradually increased, so as not to make a sharp transition from four meals a day.
It is better to choose a specific mode of feeding by the hour, so that the dog gets used to the time of eating. This contributes to its better learning and future correct habits. If you do not comply with the regime, the dog may be malnourished or, conversely, overeat.
The feeding place must be permanent so that the puppy knows where the food is located and does not carry pieces of food throughout the house. The volume of all portions should be no more than 1.5 liters. One serving is 300–400 grams.
The temperature of the food should be warm (about 40 degrees). Giving food from the refrigerator or just cooked is unacceptable.
Baby's diet
The diet of a four-month German Shepherd puppy should include meat, vegetables, cereals and dairy products. This kind of food will help your dog grow healthy and strong.
On the day, the dog needs about 400 grams of lean meat, preferably turkey or beef. The cereals are boiled in water without salt and served with meat or vegetables.
Add a daily portion of cereal with two tablespoons of vegetable oil. The amount of dry cereal per day is 100–200 grams. Vegetables are necessary for the stable work of a puppy's digestive tract and contain many vitamins and trace elements. They must be given boiled or boiled. Perfect zucchini, carrots, tomatoes, greens. From fruit, you can allow a young dog to feast on a piece of apple or dried apricots.
On the day, you can give one chicken egg and a glass of kefir or a pack of cottage cheese. Such products make up for the lack of calcium and beneficial bacteria. Also come as an additional source of protein. Sometimes, about once a week, it is worthwhile to include a portion of liver and fish in the dog’s diet.
This food is rich in vitamins of group B, and it is very important for the formation of a healthy nervous system.
Under the ban are flour products, sweets, potatoes and corn (their starch is poorly digested), salty vegetables, fried foods. All this can cause a malfunction of the puppy's gastrointestinal tract and serve as the beginning of the development of diseases.
Dry food, as an alternative to natural nutrition
A four-month-old puppy can already be given dry food. They can replace one of the meals or gradually gradually replace them with the usual food, which is undesirable to do about a year.
If there is an urgent need for a dry food, then you need to select only premium class. It is expensive, but it contains the optimal amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, which is so necessary for a small pet.
Dry food must also be fed. not on demand, but in accordance with the regime.
The size of the portions by age is always indicated on the back of the pack, and it is worth adhering to such a policy, at least at first. Dry food causes thirst, so the puppy should always have access to a bowl of clean drinking water.
Vitamin supplements
The growing body of a German Shepherd puppy requires a high content of vitamins and trace elements in the diet. To be sure one hundred percent that these substances are enough, you can use supplements.
Four-month puppy can additionally be given calcium, glucosamine and phosphorus supplements.
Vitamin A is also a necessary element for the formation of strong immunity.
First of all, it is necessary to diversify the pet's diet as much as possible and only then find out from the veterinarian which vitamin complexes can be purchased for a puppy.
Care
Special attention at this age should be given to the puppy's teeth. At four months, he begins changing his milk teeth to permanent ones, and this is fraught with the development of inflammation and other problems. To prevent these negative phenomena, you can buy a special phosphorus bone from your dog or brush his teeth at least a couple of times a month with a special toothpaste bought at a veterinary pharmacy.
Ears at this age, many become standing, but some remain in a supine position.So that dirt does not accumulate there and the infection does not develop, you can wash them with chlorhexidine solution once a month. Periodic examination of the auricles is necessary for the prevention of redness and suppuration.
Frequent bathing is absolutely unnecessary. The procedure removes the protective fatty layer from the surface of the coat, and this is very bad for the dog's body.
More often than 4 times a year, the German Shepherd can not be bathed, which means that at the age of four months a puppy can be bathed a maximum of two times.
By following these recommendations, you will grow a healthy, cheerful dog out of a four-month-old German Shepherd puppy, which will become your reliable friend and helper.
The features of the breed can be found in the video below.
