To keep a German Shepherd happy and healthy, dog owners need to be keenly aware of how much activity their dog wants and needs. Throughout the various stages of a dog’s lifespan, he or she will require differing amounts of physical and mental stimulation.
Most people assume puppies are constantly filled with energy, and energy levels slowly decline as the dog ages. This is actually incorrect though—in fact, puppies require much different types of stimulation than just physical activity, and older dogs usually still need certain levels of a physical workout, especially for German Shepherds. German Shepherds are a unique breed and often require some sort of German Shepherd training in Wisconsin—here is some insight into why.
Puppies
When people first bring home their German Shepherd puppies, they often assume he or she will be a little bundle of limitless energy. In fact, puppies get physically exhausted pretty fast and need a tremendous amount of sleep. Indeed many people wonder if there is something wrong with their puppy because it sleeps most of the day. Don’t worry; in many cases this is absolutely normal.
Puppies actually require much more mental stimulation than they do physical activity. Everything is new to a puppy, so they seem to have endless amounts of curiosity. German Shepherd training in Wisconsin takes advantage of this fact. Trainers know how to focus that mental energy toward learning valuable behavioral traits and even some tricks for later on.
Growing up
As your German Shepherd grows out of those wonderful baby years, your young dog now is entering a stage in its life of truly needing a lot of physical activity. Whether you go for walks twice a day or spend time playing in the backyard every night, it will never seem like enough! On top of this German Shepherds are incredibly smart and continue to need all sorts of mental stimulation. Walks, playing, and a lot of good toys will get you through these younger years—as an added benefit you can count on getting into shape. Once again German Shepherd training in Wisconsin can help channel a dog’s energy and control some of this energy, in addition to giving you valuable advice on how you too can manage your dog’s energy.
Growing old
Eventually your dog will reach an age where some of that energy seems to have worn off. Don’t worry your dog should have plenty of happy years ahead, they just won’t be quite as filled with running around the house and going for three runs a day. Professional training can once again help you figure out a new regiment for your dog, like when he or she likes to walk, and how diet can affect energy levels as a dog grows older. Even in these later years you will still need to give your dog plenty of exercise and mental stimulation, so let a professional guide you through the process.
Good advice to take is actually to let a professional dog trainer assist you in every stage of your dog’s life—it makes a happy dog and an even happier owner.
