How long do German shepherds live and what does it depend on?

The German Shepherd is a breed with a rich and long history. Initially, the animal was used as a herding dog, and even now dogs can be seen at this work. Having got a pet in the house, the question arises about the life expectancy of the pet. How to prolong his life, and what factors influence this?

The average life span of a canine is 12 years. True, it is believed that the life of dwarf breeds is longer in comparison with their tall counterparts and is 17 years. This is true: the weight of a large animal affects the work of the cardiovascular system, the musculoskeletal system. The lighter the animal, the less stress the organs experience.

Veterinarians note that tall dogs are more likely to suffer from articular dysplasia, cardiomyopathy, arthritis. However, being thin is also bad for your health. Lack of weight leads to the development of kidney disease. Each breed has its own life cycle, which depends on the genes and anatomical features of animals. The more complex the dog's exterior, the shorter its life will be. Signs of many ailments are:

• deformed skull, flattened muzzle;
• drooping, tight-fitting ears;
• bulging eyes;
• the color of the iris (blue tint of the eyes is often associated with deafness);
• weak pigmentation of the skin (tendency to allergic reactions);
• the size of the limbs, their length;
• body size, forehead shape.

Comparing the exterior of the pet, one can come to the conclusion that a harmoniously folded shepherd dog will outlive its fellow with short paws, an elongated body or with long overgrown ears (bassets, dachshunds and others). Another reason affecting the health of the pet is genetic abnormalities. The more in demand the breed, the higher the chance of acquiring a puppy with an ailment. These anomalies are due to breeding rules by unscrupulous breeders.

Other factors affecting life expectancy:

• diet;
• external conditions of detention;
• Lifestyle;
• the sex of the animal;
• general health.

Outdoor dogs have a shorter lifespan than cared for by humans. Animals kept at home always receive food on schedule, they are taken to the veterinarian, hygiene is monitored, and so on. Dogs living in the village also have a long life. Fresh air, natural food, unlimited walks are beneficial for your pet's health. However, if the dog is not watched, not taught simple commands, then it can run away or get lost. There were cases when an animal was specially killed by a neighbor or robbers.

German Shepherds, which constantly walk in the fresh air, receive mental and physical stress, retain their shape better and are not as susceptible to diseases as lazy or sedentary dogs. The maximum recorded age of a shepherd dog was 2 decades.

The most important thing for a German Shepherd is being active. Dogs need long, frequent walks. It is advisable to walk your pet three times a day, combining a walk with games. If there is a special platform with shells, then practice climbing stairs, jumping. An excellent option would be a pool, where the dog can frolic in the water to its fullest, the animal swims well. An active lifestyle allows you to maintain the physical condition of the dog at the desired level. The life span of animals that, due to circumstances, cannot be mobile or are in confined spaces, are subjected to psychological violence, is reduced.

To prolong the life of a shepherd dog, it must be properly fed, but not overfeed. This applies to any pets. The diet must be balanced in accordance with the data of the dog's health, its activity. The food must include cottage cheese, boiled vegetables, raw beef or poultry. The amount of protein in food should be about 70% of the entire serving.

According to the results of the studies carried out, it is known that every 2 kilograms of excess weight shortens the life of the animal by about a month. The German Shepherd breed is distinguished by good health. In rare cases, there are such ailments as: dysplasia, osteochondrosis, dermatitis, allergies.

Most breeders are inclined to believe that it is better to feed a shepherd dog with natural food than even super-premium food, with the addition of vitamin and mineral complexes. A natural feeding menu should include the following foods:

• lean meats, poultry, geese, turkey;
• offal, should rarely give dogs a liver, exclude kidneys;
• boiled sea fish without bones, skin;
• chicken and quail eggs twice a week, in any form;
• cottage cheese, if there is no lactose intolerance, you can give your pet milk;
• grain crops: rolled oats, buckwheat, rice, pearl barley, millet, barley;
• all types of boiled vegetables, except for corn, cabbage, which are served fresh;
• various fruits;
• pumpkin seeds, pine nuts.

The German breed belongs to the versatile service group. Dogs can be guards, guards, search engines, or fighters after undergoing special training. Character traits of shepherd dogs (fearlessness, obedience, concentration) allow dogs to easily get along with people, do what is required of them without showing signs of stubbornness, aggression. These large dogs cannot stand a reclusive life, it is vital for them to perform physical activities, which can be presented in the form of sports competitions, games: frisbee, agility, weight pulling and others.

With German shepherds, you can go to the forest, hike, walk in the mountains, just go for a run in the park or arrange a cyclocross. It is important to remember that walking the animal should not turn into torture for him, walks in hot weather should be moderate, you should not visit the street for a long time during cold rain or frost. Breed diseases and defects significantly reduce the working qualities of the dog and reduce the life expectancy.

Diseases, defects:

• cryptorchidism;
• spondylomyelopathy;
• violations of the structure of the body, limbs;
• malocclusion, drooping ears;
• low pigmentation of the skin and others.

Dogs also have vulnerable skin, they often have seborrhea, pyoderma, scabies. There are individuals with disorders in the immune system.

The age of an animal is most often determined by its teeth. However, it is impossible to find out a specific figure, since many factors influence this: the nutrition of the dog, the conditions of detention, the peculiarities of the bite, and so on. Let's consider the main points. In puppies up to six months of age, teeth change with the replacement of canines. At the age of 1 year, the dog's teeth are white, there are tubercles on the enamel. After two years, the bumps become less pronounced, wear off, but the enamel remains snow-white. In the fifth year of life, the teeth turn yellow, there are no traces of tubercles. Between 6 and 10 years old, it can be seen that the teeth of the animal are worn down, some may loosen. Possible manifestations of caries, tartar.

Determination of age by the exterior of the dog is as follows. As puppies, German Shepherds are almost unlike their adult brethren. The color of the coat is close to that of a wolf. The puppies acquire their true sable, tan color in the fourth month of life. At the age of 5 months, the ears acquire a standing shape, however, the process may not occur for a long time due to improper feeding of the puppy - in this case, there is an insufficient amount of calcium and trace elements in the food.

At the ninth month, the puppy reaches the growth of an adult. By the age of one and a half, the animal is fully formed, it is active, massive, energetic. At about 3 years of age, adolescence ends, maturity comes. The dog becomes more restrained, calm, judicious. The thoracic region from physical exertion increases in volume. The heyday of the German Shepherd dog lasts until the age of eight. During this period, one might say, old age comes. The teeth turn yellow, the coat fades. The animal rests more. Joint problems are possible.

Some hairs turn gray. Usually, the beginning of the process manifests itself in the muzzle area. Despite its age, the animal is still efficient. When kept at home, the dog can be more active, vigorous. In the tenth year, the muscles decrease in volume, the coat becomes less smooth, tousled. The skin hangs. Gray hair is visible all over the back of the animal, on the chest, molars may be missing. The dog moves little, the gait becomes shuffling.

Life expectancy also depends on the sex of the pet. Usually females outlive males by 2 years. Street males can die at an early age. As a rule, yard dogs live up to 7 years on average. A short life expectancy is due to external factors: food quality, stress, squabbles over territory, diseases, and the environment.

The dog can get under the wheels, and as a puppy be left without parents or get lost. In some countries, a program is underway to capture stray animals with their subsequent resuscitation and transfer into the hands of new owners. However, there is another option - the killing of a stray dog.

Another factor affecting any animal is sterilization, castration. These actions can prolong the life of the pet. Animals that often mate or give birth a lot die earlier than the spayed individual. Breeding dogs are more prone to the risk of diseases of the reproductive system, various tumors.

Often, females experience postpartum hormonal disruptions, which changes the behavior of the pet, the endocrine system. Bitches are at risk of developing diabetes. Females can die before reaching the age of ten due to an unsuccessful pregnancy, mating. Before choosing a puppy, you need to properly weigh all the pros and cons of the breed, gender, conditions of detention.

For information on how to properly care for a German shepherd, see the next video.