We just added a 5 month old GSD puppy to our family. We have two boys, 2&4, .5 acre of land in gated community and are excited to train this pup right.
This addition was definitely not by the book. Our Vet/Uncle wanted to get boys dogs for some time but I would not allow till now. He called and said he had a breeder with two available AKC purbred pups to choose from and he would pay. Being grateful, I went ahead and looked at pups and, as long as he would give me a professional approval of dog and I could choose, I would allow him to give pup as gift. I am very grateful, but it only took 5 minutes of study to learn that he had basically NO KNOWLEDGE of the breeder or their breeding methods and results. That's past now though, and my pup has been with us one week and doing great. I did receive the dogs paperwork and have already registered him with AKC.

All that to ask these questions? BTW, I have ordered 8to8 & B.D.O. videos along with All natural dehydrated food. I have been reading everything I can from this website to get myself more educated till I get my videos. Also, GSD is the breed we grew up with as kids and the ONLY breed I ever wanted for my boys, but our dogs were outdoor country dogs, and I am learning that I know next to nothing about training and raising these dogs correctly.

1. What is a good sample feeding schedule and quantity? Dog was definitely underweight (35 lbs, don't know why but bad sign I know, he was still beautiful and nobel though) Uncle/Vet gave us science diet for weight gain after giving him a 'tune up' and all his shots/vaccines, but I have ordered the all natural food to switch ASAP.
2. Should dog be allowed free time to wander in back yard, or should I continue as I have with a strict schedule in/out of crate with me for potty/playtime/training on line only. He is doing fantastic with sleeping/entering and exiting crate. Some whining and barking once I leave the garage, but very little. He never barks or whines when I enter his sight or enter/exit garage, or send him into the crate.
3. Dog has kennel smell and it is cold here so what is best alternative to bathing to remove the smell? I can bath if that is best option.


Sorry for all the details, but I thought it was important for my first post to qualify my background and cituation thoroughly.

Thanks so much for any help.

Science Diet is probably the reason your dog smells. Poor quality food makes for a smelly dog with copious poops, poor condition, and even allergies. After some time on a natural diet your dog should improve greatly. Dogs don't need grains as people do. Once you find the right diet for your dog you'll find that baths won't really be necessary.

http://leerburg.com/vaccinosis.htm
Do your research on vaccines. Vaccination protocols are beginning to change across the board due to research suggesting that more definitely doesn't always mean better.

I agree with Diana that Science Diet is probably what causes the smell.

Did you mean the Honest Kitchen food? Excellent choice!

You will see that the THK package recommends that active dogs (and also underweight dogs) have add-ins. I'd add the max of add-ins per the label. You can add RMBs, meat, etc. If you look for more ideas, post again, because I know that several people here use THK with add-ins as their main food. I use it as backup to my dogs' raw diet, and I add chcken backs and necks to it when I feed it.

I'd definitely get salmon oil and Vitamin E. Omega 3s from marine sources are very good supplements for all dogs (IMO).

THK has flax, but dogs need marine sources. They don't convert 10% of the plant sources to long-chain EFAs the way humans can.

I'd feed 2X a day rather than one, because there is some speculation that the smaller more frequent feedings might help to avoid bloat, and you have a bloat-prone breed (as I do).

I'd get a package of the larger heavier baby wipes and use them all over the dog since you have weather too cold for a bath. Then, as Diana says, I'll bet you'll find that good food will keep the bad smell from returning.

You will have a much better handle on living with the dog after you watch the videos, but meanwhile, is he getting lots of socialization with his pack? I mean, he's not in the garage all day and night, right? Plenty of walks with you, frequent short ob training sessions? Playing with you?


I do not have puppy experience, so my suggestions are based only on my adult dog experiences. I feel sure that puppy folks will help, too.

Welcome! You have found an very good resource.

P.S. You could definitely be listening to the podcasts while you wait for your videos to come.

http://www.leerburg.com/dogtrainingpodcasts.htm

The pack leader podcast is especially good, I think, for your first dog-training experience. :>

Your input is much appreciated. Yes, I was talking about the Honest Kitchen food and, I must admit, I am completely out of my element with this kind of diet for a dog. The add-ins as you call them worry me a bit cause I was counting on this wonderful food to cover all the bases, not make it more complicated by needing add ins. But, I am willing to process all this information and make the best decision. My Uncle/Vet did not seem at all impressed (though not at all against either) with me putting Judge on an All Natural diet, just kind of indifferent. In his defense though, he truly is a man that LOVES being a vet and helping animals, but may not completely understand the nutritional benefits to this food. Anyway, to answer your other comment no Judge is not in MOTHER IN LAW LOCKDOWN. He is getting several daily sessions of play and training with me, but as far as family expose, so far I am keeping it mainly to me until I review the videos so that I can avoid undoing some silly mistakes. My 4yr old does get minimal exposure right now petting and playing, tossing the ball while I hold the line and Judge fetches. As far as the underweight issue, that looked to me to be nothing more than a breeder major underfeeding these dogs. Judge has added pounds already just with a few days of good eating.
Thanks again for your input, it's invaluable.

I have 2 dogs that both came from shelters.

"Kennel smell" is a combination of mainly cheap food, and being outdoors with no baths/grooming in the dust, dirt, and poo.

To get rid of the smell, step 1 is a good bath. If you don't want to give your dog a bath, take him to a groomer for a full shampoo and blow dry (tell the groomer you DON't want any doggie cologne on afterward).

Step 2 is throw out the Science Diet! It takes about 4-6 weeks on a high-quality food for the smell to go away. Some vets all think you should feed Science Diet but this is because they have no training or knowledge of nutrition and also they get $$$ incentives for selling it. Ed has an article on his website about this.

As far as other training tips I'm afraid I have no experience as it's been 18 years since I've had a puppy! But good luck and remember to have fun!

Well, I guess the quality of the response will only be as good as the information given. I for some reason was getting Science Diet in my head, but the dog food is Eukanuba (?) not SD. I assume this food has similar problems but thought I should clarify my mistake.
I am looking forward to seeing what the Honest Kitchen does? I have to admit, being a very novice pet owner, I am expecting that the food will make a significant difference. Otherwise, it would seem a lot of trouble to go to just to say I feed All Natural to my dog.

If you start feeding honest kitchen right away, I'm not going to lie, you won't notice that much difference. But that is only because you have nothing to compare it to, having only owned your dog for a short time.

If you had a dog for, say, 5 years on Eukanuba, and THEN switched to Honest Kitchen, you would most definitely notice a difference. (Because you will have a baseline for comparison).

I hope that makes sense.

What you WILL notice is that your dog has less odour, less poo, a vibrant shiny coat and clean teeth and good breath compared to other dogs. If you are like me you get used to this and think this is just how your dog is supposed to be (which he is) and you don't really notice it much, but then you kind of notice other people's dogs and how their fur isn't as shiny as your dog's.

Eukanuba is the "premium" line of Iams dog food. (Iams is a grocery store brand). It is still just a regular kibble. It does have fillers and by-products. And like any other kibble, it coats the teeth as the dog chews it causing plaque buildup.

I feed my dogs Wellness high-quality (filler-free, human-grade) kibble and I still have to brush their teeth often to get rid of the buildup.