How to keep my dog fit and healthy with the right exercises?

As a GSD, Bruno really needs exercise twice a day at least 30-45 minutes at a time. That's because they are very high energy dogs that need lots of exercise to keep them healthy and their mind stimulated. If you have no time to play or walk Bruno, I would see about hiring a dog walked to give him that exercise. If you don't have time to play or exercise him, it may be best that you find him a home where he can get the play and daily exercise he needs, and you can get a breed of dog that's much more low maintenance in terms of exercise.

That amount of walking is WONDERFUL for mental health and maintain good muscle mass. Many German Shepards are under worked, bored, and start having behavioral problems are Bruno's age because of it. However, dogs don't suffer the same types of heart diseases that humans do (no heart attacks), so the walking isn't going to help with that specifically. Thanks for using Pet Coach and keep up those great walks!

It is very important that your dog is fully vaccinated for hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, distemper, and rabies, and should have regular boosters throughout his life. He will need flea treatment, heartworm treatment, and deworming also on a regular basis. GSDs are very active dogs, and they will need at least 45 minutes of vigorous exercise twice a day. He should receive a high quality dog food, such as Royal Canin or Hills, and do not give him any human food, as many are toxic to dogs. The only food he will need be healthy is his dog food, and the only liquid he needs is water.

OK, yeah, early arthritis is likely just an educated guess, but a good one for German Shepherds, because they do tend to get arthritis more commonly. It could be a soft tissue injury or something else causing the limp. A 2/9 BCS is rather surprising. Usually a shelter would not adopt them out at that low of condition. It's best to have a vet confirm the BCS, because we do this all the time. I've known many German Shepherds that are naturally around a 3-4 and do great. The scientific evidence shows u that skinny dogs live longer and are healthier, so if she is otherwise healthy and getting good nutrition, then I would not worry too much. She should have food that is labeled for adult maintenance at this time. If you want to get some muscle on her, then it's going to get her exercise everyday. Start by walking her for 30 minutes a day. If she does that OK (not limping or sluggish afterwards) over a week's time, then start to do a 1 hour walk. If she's handling that well over a week or two, then you can start slowly adding in running and agility. For agility, you will need to find a course and probably a trainer. For running, you can either run with her or find a way to make her run - like chasing a ball or playing at the dog park. Again, start slow - like 15 minutes, then work your way up to 1-3 hours a day. It all really depends on how much time you have. However, these dogs were born to work/exercise, so the more you do, the better it is for her physically and mentally (bored German Shepherds tend to cause a lot of trouble). If you find that she is not gaining muscle with the exercise and is still very thin, then you can try getting a dog food labeled for athletes. This has a considerable amount more calories and is usually only given to working dogs (military, police, sled dogs).

Hello I would condition Bruno for running just like you would a person. Start slowing (1 mile or less/day) and then increase weekly. His muscles and cardiovascular system needs to condition slowly just like humans need to condition slowly. I would use the same training plan that a beginner runner would use and you should be fine. Best wishes to you and Bruno. Thanks for using Pet Coach!

I'm very sorry that you may have to give Max away. As a GSD, he will need a lot of daily exercise. As a breed, they are very high energy dogs who require at least 45 minutes twice a day when fully grown, so he will need more exercise as he gets old. At his age, 30 minutes of exercise is fine, but he should get that twice a day. I would make an effort to get him more exercise in order to meet his needs.

It sounds like you are doing a wonderful job of caring for her! She's a lucky girl. Regarding running- I agree with your vet. Just let her set the pace and don't get too far from home in case she starts to have troubles. Regarding kibble- there are a lot of high quality foods available and I think you will find kibble a great option over raw. Is there a particular reason you are wanting grain free and potato free? Carnilove looks like it would be a fine choice, so go ahead with that! There are some prescription diets designed to help keep joints healthy, (not specifically hip dysplasia, but designed for joint health) and they really are very good. Here is one by Royal Canin, which I believe is available in Finland. https://www.royalcanin.com/products/vet/mobility-support Hill's also has a good one which is available there: https://www.hillspet.com/dog-food/pd-jd-canine-dry Neither of those diets are grain free, however if there is no known allergy or sensitivity for you dog specifically, you don't necessarily gain much from grain free, and there are some concerns that it may actually NOT be the best choice. Here is an article about some recent research into a possible link to heart disease-http://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2018/06/a-broken-heart-risk-of-heart-disease-in-boutique-or-grain-free-diets-and-exotic-ingredients/ Playing tug of war is fine, just don't be really rough about it. She can be in a fenced outside area (make sure the fence is high enough that she can't jump over it) for however long she enjoys, as long as the weather is good and she's got shelter in case of bad weather, fresh water readily available. Don't leave her outside for more than an hour if the temperature is over 80 F or less than 40 F or so. (not a hard and fast rule, but a good guideline). Good job on the daily obedience training! "sit to stand" exercises would be great for keeping her back legs strong. Here's a demo of this exercise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i2DofIWDxI I hope that helps you ! Good luck with her, I can tell she is in good hands. Thanks for asking PetCoach!