german shepards

S

smiles24

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 July 2007
Messages
340
Location
essex
Visit site
who has them here and how old are they?

Mines 11 and a half and still looks fit and well and runs around the yard all day. A friend was surprised to find out how old his is as she said they usually start slowing down and having problems by now. is that true?
 
I've had two my first one had to be pts at 11 because of heart failure and the current one has got dodgy hips but still runs around all the time, just has trouble getting in the car.
 
IME they do tend to start going downhill at that ago,some faster then others.
Mine were 13 and 14 1/2 when they were PTS,although one fo their pups was fighting fit into late teens.
 
We have one on the farm - she's two.

The previous one was put down at 8 after developing cancer in her hip joint, the other went at around 12.

Lovely dogs.
 
Mine is 10y.o bitch, getting very old, back end is going
frown.gif
She doesn't look great but I blame most of that on the fact she was fed c*ap biscuit food for 6 years of her life!
 
Lost both of mine last year. One was ten, and her back end went, and the other was eleven and developed a tumour on her front leg. Both were fit and deteriorated rapidly. Very harsh to lose both in one year.
frown.gif
 
Our family have always had them (7 in total!) Have all been lovely dogs, with the exception of one (with slightly dodgy breeding), who was put down after savaging my best friend.
frown.gif
We have Labs now, but my aunt remains a Shepherd fanatic, and has just got a new puppy following the death of her lovely girl due to brain cancer.

They live to a fair age in general, though; our girl - who everyone called 'The Nanny' as she was my babysitter - lived to 13, and the vet had said that due to her spongolosis (sp?) she would not live past 3 or 4!!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
would u say hips are one of the 1st things to go?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hips and eyes
frown.gif
And both of Heidi's parents had good scores, 6:5 and 4:6.
 
It depends. Some go young, others live much longer. I saw a gorgeous white GSD out walking a couple of weeks ago, spoke to his owner and was told that he was 18 years old and still going strong - no problems walking and still looked fantastic.
 
I have a 5 month old at the moment (see siggy). Max - our last one was PTS 2 years ago with cancer aged 8, he was a beautiful dog. Many years ago we had Major, an all black one who was a nasty piece of work & had to be PTS at 18 months as he was pure evil and our first ever one King, we had until he was around 10.
 
I have 3 at the moment, one is 13 on 17th of this month, one is 10 in February and the youngest was 7 in September.
The breed does have problems with their hips, however in many cases when they go off their back legs in old age it is not HD but a horrible condition called DM, (degenerative myelopathy sp?). This as I basically understand it is like a form of MS when they lose all feelings in the nerves that control the hind legs. It is not painful, which I suppose is a blessing, but there is nothing more heartbreaking imo than having a dog that is bright and alert mentally but cannot stand or get around. I know some people have little trolleys made for their hind legs, and I have seen dogs who appear to be quite happy with them but to date it is not somehting I have considered for my own dogs, and sadly I have lost several to this condition. My Mother bred GSDs before I di and I have lived with them all my life.
The only time I have ever had a problem with their eyes was a very special girl had to have an eye removed in 2006 as she had a tumour in it.
 
I have 1 who is 9 months old just, i had to take her to the vets on Friday with a swollen paw (she has an infection in her 3rd toe), i found out she weighs 5 stone she is very large for a bitch i just didnt realise how large lol
I had a shepard before her who i lost to bloat aged 4yrs i knew i wanted another one i saw puppies advertised couple of weeks later phoned the number and would you believe it, it was the same breeder. So my bitch is my old bitches niece.
I wouldnt have any other dog i think they are lovely.
 
My girl will be 12 in a couple of months time, and at the moment is still charging around trying to keep up with my springer. She only shows her age when she's been asleep for a while, and is then very stiff when she first gets up. She is on Rimydell tablets to treat her arthritus and I also give her cod liver oil capsules and put oil in her food. She goes out over the fields every day, and I think regular consistent exercise is what has kept her fit and active. She is the most fantastic and loyal dog I have ever had the pleasure of owning.
 
I have one and he'll be two in July, physically, he's a great dog, not huge though, and people are always asking if he'll be available at stud, mentally.........he's as thick as two short planks. His entire world revolves around whatever he has in his mouth at the time. He is incredibly difficult to train because he isn't food orientated, you can't use toys because he won't concentrate, the only thing he is really good at is recall. Ah well, he's a good Guard dog and kind, so he does us very well.

Nijinsky, get a load of your pups' ears! GSD ears are amazing aren't they?

This is Boston, jumping for snowballs:
IMG_0056.jpg

IMG_0052-1.jpg
 
Ah, what a looker!

We have a 4yo bitch that we've had for 3 years. She is the loveliest dog, and I wanted one when OH and I decided to get a dog together. However he wouldn't let me (wanted a lab) so we ended up with a collie x corgi! Of course...

Our GSD was terribly abused (never been walked before, beaten, starved, kept in a shed in her own filth etc) so we don't think she will be particularly long lived. Because she wasn't exercised as a pup her spine is a bit "wrong" and we don't hold out a lot of hope for her hips. But after that start in life it amazes me what a kind and loving dog she is, despite the emotional hangover of what happened to her. I will try and get a picture of her, they are all on my other comp!
 
My mum now has mine , Hubbie bought him for me as a pup when we where going out 1 year .

Hes now coming 11 and has cushings disease, and his back legs are going also . My mum for the first time has been talking about letting him go at some stage this year , Im dreading it as she wants me to take him
frown.gif
I know she cant , as she would just break down .
 
I have two bitches, they both live outside and are 11 this year. Fortunately both have been healthy but they are getting to that age when they should start to slow down. Not looking forward to it.

One is long haired and extremely thick, owned since a pup the other is short haired and very bright from a GSD rescue centre. They compliment each other nicely!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top