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Feeding A GSD

19 17:38:05

Question
Labman,

I have a few questions and from reading your answers you are the I need to listen to.
1. How much should I feed my 3 month old puppy "JET"?
2. What is the best way to teach him to fetch and come back?
3. What is the best way to teach him to be protective over        
  my family/ house?

If you could answer any of these I would be very grateful!!!
Sincerely,
Steve

Answer
2-3 cups of a concentrated meat based chow should be about right.  Many Shepherd puppies you give them all they will eat.  See http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx  With most of them, you are lucky if they eat enough to hide their ribs, but other will over eat.  If you are feeding a puppy chow, go ahead and switch to adult chow in the next month.

Dogs favorite game is chase, where one dog grabs something and runs off with it while the other chases it.  When you through something, quietly stand there while he runs around with it.  IF you fail to chase him, he will tire of it and finally come over to you, try to entice you into tug of war, and finally give up and drop it.  Praise him, pick it up and throw it again calling fetch.  repeat.  Eventually he will realize the only way he will have any fun with such a weird dog is to bring ti back and give it to you.  

Protection is a specialized form of training I can't help with.