GSD 4 Months Old and Jumping Up

Question
QUESTION: Hi Cindi
I have a female GSD who is 17 weeks old.  Her ears are up !! She only weighs 17Kg and is on the thin side.  Her Parents were both A0 rated and Trainer reckons her hips look wobbly ?  Vet says too early and she is thin which makes it look worse.  She is very angular as well.  Of course I am worried but she is in no discomfort at all except that when she sits her hips are not "tight" against her but more like a frog looks from the front ! Please advise.  Also her jumping up !!  I ignore her and she stops BUT it is when a visitor comes that she will not stop jumping up on them until they give her some attention. Difficult to tell guests to ignore her while she is jumping all over them !!! Really love your advice !! Regards = Karen from Sunny SA

ANSWER: Ok, let's do this in order :)
Put her on chondroiten, glucosamine and msm for her hips. Add bone meal and a calcium supplement.  What are you feeding?
Get her on some vitamins,C,E,b complex, flax seed oil,omega six fish oils. Food with no by products, wheat corn or soy.
Teach her to sit. And teach her NOW. Have her sit before eating, every time, before being petted, every time, before going outside or coming inside. If necessary put her on a leash when company is coming in and tell them NO petting until she sits. NO matter what
Go to alpha dog boot camp on the web to learn to establish and maintain pack order. Life saver of a website,
Get her into some basic obedience classes. Use lots of praise and treats to get her sitting on command. Soon she will do it automatically. Good to keep her a little light weight but you do not want her thin.
She'll be fine. Anytime an owner cares enough to dig into solutions and ask questions, then I know they are really working to have a good pet.
Well done
Cindi


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: She is on Royal Canin German Shepherd Breed.  Vet says not to supplement as the food has it all ?  What are your thoughts on what I have explained with regards hips ?  She does go to puppy class and does the sit, stay and lie down pretty well.  Everytime she sees me she sits automatically !!  Just gets SO excited with visitors she seems to forget everything !! Will do what you say though with the leash and making her sit (I do with the food and everything else, except the visitors). Even if she takes say a shoe, I tell her NO and she drops it and does not pick it up again.  She listens to me and I am definitely the boss as far as she goes.  Have a 19, 18 and 6 yr old twins and THEY do not even listen as well as she does.  The frog like sitting is this normal ?  Trainer says she is not fine but Breeder said she is ?? SO confused and worried. Vet says too early to say !!! Eish very concerned.  Thanks for your replies = you are my lifeline !!  Want her to be happy & healthy but with 4 kids need her to be obedient as well = Lotsaluv = Karenx

Answer
Vet's are not nutritionists. All large breed pups in my opinion., need the supplements I mentioned.  Right now she's still growing and I wouldn't worry TOO much> But by nine months or so I think I would have her xrayed just to ease my own mind.  She's being a pup when she gets so excited. Just be consistent. kind and reward her for good behavior. She'll come around :).
Remember she's just a very young first grader at this age. About like a six year old child.
I would be concerned about her hips at this point too. But try not to worry terribly, they do go through gangly stages. Keep her from too much jumping and heavy exercise, and DO the supplements.
Hopefully she will tighten up as she grows and developes better muscle tone.
Good luck
Cindi