German Shepherd care: exercise, diet, and joint health tips?

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Hi! My question is quite long so I will attach it as screenshot (as Petco Pet Education Center support told me to do if the question is too long to fit in the box). I hope it's readable! Thanks :). Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Female | unspayed | 1 year and 1 month old | 64 lbs

Stacey Anstaett, DVM · Accepted Answer

It sounds like you are doing a wonderful job of caring for her! She's a lucky girl. Regarding running- I agree with your vet. Just let her set the pace and don't get too far from home in case she starts to have troubles. Regarding kibble- there are a lot of high quality foods available and I think you will find kibble a great option over raw. Is there a particular reason you are wanting grain free and potato free? Carnilove looks like it would be a fine choice, so go ahead with that! There are some prescription diets designed to help keep joints healthy, (not specifically hip dysplasia, but designed for joint health) and they really are very good. Here is one by Royal Canin, which I believe is available in Finland. https://www.royalcanin.com/products/vet/mobility-support Hill's also has a good one which is available there: https://www.hillspet.com/dog-food/pd-jd-canine-dry Neither of those diets are grain free, however if there is no known allergy or sensitivity for you dog specifically, you don't necessarily gain much from grain free, and there are some concerns that it may actually NOT be the best choice. Here is an article about some recent research into a possible link to heart disease-http://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2018/06/a-broken-heart-risk-of-heart-disease-in-boutique-or-grain-free-diets-and-exotic-ingredients/ Playing tug of war is fine, just don't be really rough about it. She can be in a fenced outside area (make sure the fence is high enough that she can't jump over it) for however long she enjoys, as long as the weather is good and she's got shelter in case of bad weather, fresh water readily available. Don't leave her outside for more than an hour if the temperature is over 80 F or less than 40 F or so. (not a hard and fast rule, but a good guideline). Good job on the daily obedience training! "sit to stand" exercises would be great for keeping her back legs strong. Here's a demo of this exercise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i2DofIWDxI I hope that helps you ! Good luck with her, I can tell she is in good hands. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

German Shepherd care: exercise, diet, and joint health tips?

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