AboutLabman Expertise housebreaking, feeding, training, grooming
PLEASE DON'T SEND ME MEDICAL OR BREEDING QUESTIONS. An internet forum is not the appropriate place for them. Even if I could tell what was wrong from a handful of symptoms, you would still need to get the medications from your local vet.
Breeding should be left to those not needing to ask simple, basic questions. Books have been written about it. Rather than ask me a question, start reading. Those unwilling to do the work it takes to produce quality puppies should spay/neuter their pets at 6 months. I will not answer questions that sound like a poorly prepared breeder.
Experience
Past/Present clients I have been around the net a long time answering questions including the general dog area of All Experts. I recently discovered a lack of good experts under many specific breeds. I don't have as extensive experience with the GSD as Labs, but still can give good answers to most questions.
I try to base my answers on carefully proven methods confirmed by my own experience. Much of what I know about dogs, I have learned raising a puppy every year since 1991 for a large dog guide school. I am familiar with several similar programs. Nobody is in a better position to know dogs, need ones with long, active life, and share what they know, than the service dog schools. In addition I have done extensive reading. My answers have much more to back them than the limited experience any one dog owner can have.
Linda wrote at 2007-06-25 07:58:46
You should try changing your dogs diet and make sure that it low protein, lots of dogs cannot tolerate lamb, try chicken or fish and a good diet shouldn't need to be supplemented with extra oils.
Meezermom wrote at 2007-10-28 16:29:17
That is a huge amount of food you are feeding such a young dog! My three GSD's together do not eat that much and that might be part of your problem... What food are you feeding exactly? Check the recommendation and see if you are over the amount. Sounds like a gut overload which is causing diarrhea. You might also want to try switching to a chicken and rice based as some GSD's do not do well on the lamb based foods...
Kim wrote at 2008-09-15 15:27:42
Take your dog to the VET for a blood test for pancreatic insufficiency, a common disorder in GSDs. It's treatable, but needs to be diagnosed by a vet. You owe it to you dog to provide him with qualtity vet care and not depend on advice from folks who seem to think "staring into your dog's eyes" will help.
Not trying to be mean, honestly.
I'm going thru something similar with my GSD -- diarrhea on and off for most of his young life, still haven't been able to diagose it. We're changing his diet right now to see if that helps so I'm a bit touchy on this subject.
Please take you dog to the vet and ask them to do the pancreatic test, as well as tests for other possible causes.
I wish you the best!
Labman wrote at 2008-09-16 10:29:46
The dog has been under the care of a vet. Any competent one would have done the pancreas test and many others. Highly experienced people know the owner's emotions can have a large effect on dogs' health.
