My wife and I just rescued a German Shepherd from county lockup. They said he was a stray but he is family now. His name is Roman and he mixes in just fine with my other dogs. MY question is....Why does he chase his tail....then puts his paw on it as to hold it down...then look at me like he has accomplished a huge task? lol. I love this dog. He is such a gentle soul but is fierce when someone walks by or comes to the door. My other dogs could care less. I am super proud of Roman so if anyone else has owned a German Shepherd let me know if you have tips etc. My kids love this dog and he seems to love to play with the kids and seems to have a lot of patience for them also. Just looking to see if there are any grooming tips, best food for this breed etc. Any info.
Yeah. Maybe he's like his old man, loves to chase tail and when he does catch it he's shocked. Is that him as your avatar.
That's me dude. My tail chasing days are over becuase tail these days are too fast and want commitment. Not to mention I am married.
They are great dogs! German shephards are great dogs-they are very loyal to their family and are highly intelligent. If you go to Wikipedia.com -it gives quite a bit of information about the nature of the German Shephard. Not sure why she is chasing her tail-I bet that looks fun...lol Thank you for adopting from the shelter and saving her!
It's a He...His name is Roman. They named him Roger at the shelter. Why? I don't know. Who names a dog roger? Roman fits.
We had a German Shepherd years ago, and I've had close friends that have had several over the years, and my best tip is to make absolutely sure that you socialize the dog with people, especially youngsters, so that it does not grow up to be viciously protective. Socialization is so important, and obedience training, whether you do it, pay for it, just make sure that the dog will obey you. They are the sweetest, smartest dogs, but they have a tendency to guard their loved ones ferociously if not socialized and trained well. Congratulations on your wonderful new family member!
Woof Woof -- We're a 2 GSD family! Get him a KONG toy to chew & play with. He may never have had a chew toy or any toys in his prior live. (The black KONG's are tougher then the RED ones). YMMV but the Kong brand has been #1 for us. And get a great vacuum! They don't call 'em German Shedders for nothing!
Yeah we have noticed that and my wife has already asked for a new vacuum because of it. She is a neat freak and is pondering how to handle that piece. He is also very attached to her already. If she moves in the house he follows period. He could care less where I go. Unless out in the garage he likes that. We already have him a kong toy and a kong harness. I also bought a training harness for our little walks in the evening. So far we have learned he knows all of the german commands. So it has been a challenge with him and the other dogs. I speak to him and they just look dumb founded. But he gets it.
We have children in and around the house constantly. He loves to play with them inside and out. He is kinda scared of the water though I have noticed. I will take him for a walk up the beach and he runs from the waves. When he see's the kids walking in the water he gets brave but they have to be around. He does bark at the waves which I find hillarious. He also chases his tail and puts his paws on it expecting it to just fly up and go away. I laugh when he does that.
We invested in a Dyson, specifically one for animal hair and for multifloor surfaces. Yes, they cost more, but do some research on the best price. We have eight canine companions and it does the job of keeping the hair at bay like a champion! We found ours on Amazon right before Black Friday last year, and without the tax, it was cheaper than all the sale prices at the local stores. Easy to use, easy to clean; I highly recommend this machine!:hurray:
Yes! Get a Dyson vacuum! We have 4 furkids inside and we got one of the cordless Dyson vacuums. Goes from rugs to hardwoods without any adjustments and really cleans the floor well. Holds a good charge too, unlike some of the cheaper cordless brands. I can easily vacuum the whole house on a full charge. Got mine at Bed Bath & Beyond on sale about this time last year + a 20% off coupon. One tip, to keep it smelling fresh (you know how all vacuums get that stale odor..) sprinkle a little ground coffee or ground cinnamon on the floor right after you dump the canister and vacuum up the coffee or cinnamon into the clean cannister. Then every time you use it you smell coffee or cinnamon!
Thanks for that tip; I'll try that! I did try putting a dryer sheet in the canister, but it didn't do much, so I'm thinking your idea would do the trick!
I am too. They use to make those sticky scent things to put on your ait filters for the home too. These would be great scents for that.
The ground coffee and cinnamon thing works great! I do it everytime I dump the Dyson canister and it stays fresh and fragrant. Seems like when you have pets that you are vacuuming up after the vacuum cleaner gets stinkier than when you dont have pets. Guess its all that hair and dander.. But the coffee/cinnamon trick works.
Use a furminator or equivalent (I have Oster's Shedzilla - was cheaper, still does a great job) to brush him every couple weeks. Helps IMMENSELY with the shedding. My shepherd barely sheds when I've used that on him. Don't use it too often, the poor dog won't have any hair left! It combs through that thick undercoat that shepherds grow and blow. Dyson is also a great investment, like the others mentioned. Have had Dysons about as long as I've had german shepherds. Do socialize Roman .. take him as many places as you can think of, to make him 'bomb proof'. Expose him to loud noises, jerky or erratic movements, flashing lights, anything out of the ordinary. Sometimes dogs chase their tail because they're bored. It can become a bit of a neurotic symptom that the dog isn't getting enough physical or mental stimulation. Or, on the other hand, he could just be doing it to make you laugh. Laughter is a great training incentive ... these dogs live to please! Kong toys, like I think Kelyel mentioned, are great (I put peanut butter, or cheese, or mushy kibble or some other 'stuffing' in one and then freeze it so it takes the dogs longer to get it all out). A 'Buster Cube' is a great way to exercise his mind .. and a Jolly Ball for outside. My current GSD is obsessed with playing frisbee ... try a frisbee or tennis ball. He may not fetch automatically, might need to be taught .. but there are tricks for that too. Man, wish I had room for more dogs! Two's my current limit .. one german shepherd, one miniature australian shepherd. Post pics, and let us know how it goes!!
