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How To Make German Shepherd’s Back Legs Stronger

German Shepherds are large dog breeds with steep angulation to the back legs. This makes them highly susceptible to back leg weaknesses and injuries, hence the need to make sure their back legs are strong.

If you are looking for ways to strengthen your German Shepherd’s back legs, then you need to read this article to the end.

How To Make German Shepherd’s Back Legs  Stronger

You can make your German Shepherd’s back legs by inculcating the following habits;

  • Provide them with a healthy diet that is rich in nutrients 
  • Take them on walks 
  • Engage them in exercises
  • Take them swimming 
  • Stretch the back legs to strengthen them.

Why Does My German Shepherd’s Back Legs Give Out?

Your German Shepherd’s back leg will keep giving out if it is suffering from the following abnormalities;

  • Degenerative myelopathy- usually prominent in older dogs, degenerative myelopathy is a chronic spinal cord injury that affects the back legs. This condition does not have a cure and causes a lot of discomfort. 
  • Hip dysplasia- An incurable deformity of the hip joints that occurs during growth. It is characterized by a non-uniform growth of the ball and socket joint at the hip. If hip dysplasia isn’t treated early, it can lead to osteoarthritis.
  • Arthritis – this is an inflammation of the dog’s joints, most especially at the hips, elbows, knees, and shoulders. Some of the symptoms of arthritis in dogs include limping, stiff and swollen joints, and difficulty standing up.

How Can I Strengthen My German Shepherd’s Hips?

You can strengthen your German Shepherd’s hips by making it exercise, swim and take walks regularly. Also, ensure to stretch its muscles to prevent stiffness.

How Do I Make My German Shepherd Muscular?

You can make your German Shepherd grow muscular by providing it with protein-rich diets and making it exercise frequently. Weight training exercises, running, walking, and swimming are highly recommended.

Why Is My German Shepherd Walking Weird?

Your German Shepherd might be walking weirdly due to pain from mild injuries or fatal complications like hip dysplasia, arthritis, and degenerative myelopathy.

How Do I Know If My German Shepherd Has Hip Dysplasia?

You will know if your German Shepherd has dysplasia if it shows the following symptoms;

  • Limping 
  • Reluctance to stand up, jump, run or climb stairs
  • Pain and weakness of the hind limbs 
  • Stiffness 
  • Swelling of the hip joint 
  • Reduction in thigh muscle tissue.
  • Walking very slowly 
  • Lameness

How Do You Prevent Hip Dysplasia In German Shepherds?

You can prevent hip dysplasia in a German Shepherd by taking the following precautions;

  • Make sure you get a puppy whose parents have a good health background because hip dysplasia is also hereditary.
  • Avoid rigorous exercise for the puppies.
  • Provide the dog with healthy and nutritious meals that will not make it grow obese.
  • Administer supplements that are rich in essential nutrients for the dogs.

Can A Dog Regain Use Of Back Legs?

Yes, a dog can regain full use of its back legs if it suffers from pains from a minor injury or a just concluded surgery. A dog suffering from degenerative disorders like degenerative myelopathy, arthritis, or hip dysplasia may never regain the use of its back legs.

Are Eggs Good For Dog Joints?

Yes, eggs are good for dog joints as long as they are cooked and not served raw.

Eggs are enriched with many beneficial nutrients for your dog for good health and strong bones and teeth. Eggs contain trace minerals like calcium and phosphorus that help to build strong bones.

Also, Collagen, Chondroitin, Hyaluronic acid, and Glucosamine, which are present in the membrane lining the eggshell, help reduce joint pains.

Related Post: Are German Shepherds Mouthy? Is It A Healthy Habit?

What Can I Give My Dog For Strong Bones?

For strong bones, give your dog foods rich in calcium and phosphorus. Calcium and phosphorus are also available as supplements that can be mixed with their foods.

Foods that help your dog build strong bones include;

  • Fish and meat
  • Vegetables like broccoli, kale, spinach, and many more.
  • Bones
  • Yogurt 
  • Cheese

Also, ensure you maintain a calcium-phosphorus balance to prevent toxicity.

What Can I Give My Dog To Strengthen His Back Legs?

To strengthen your dog’s back legs, feed it with healthy foods and a balanced diet. Also, avoid feeding your dog too much with foods that are very high in fat as this can make it grow overweight and put a lot of pressure on its legs.

How Do You Massage A Dog’s Back Legs?

Dog massage therapy helps to relieve the pain and improve mobility. To massage a dog’s back legs, start by applying slight pressure and stroke its neck down to its shoulders. Then move to the front legs and massage gently.

Afterward, move to the back legs and check for tense muscles. The dog will give painful sounds as an indication. Massage the back legs in a circular motion, increase the pressure as you continue, and reduce it when the dog shows intense pain. Turn the dog to the other side and massage the second leg gently. 

After massaging the back legs, stretch each of them back and forth for improved strength and stability.

How Do You Check A Dog’s Back Legs?

You can check a dog’s back legs by stretching them back to see if you will notice any stiffness or swellings.

You can also check for tense muscles when massaging the dog’s back legs.

German Shepherds Back Legs: Conclusion

Finding ways to ensure that your German Shepherd is in good health and free from any discomfort shows how much you care about it.

Leg weaknesses are not uncommon in German Shepherds, which makes it mandatory for their breeders to know how to keep them in good shape till old age. 

This is why we have provided you with simple and effective methods to prevent your German Shepherds from developing mild and severe back leg problems. Make sure you practice them consistently, and you will be glad you did.

Author

  • Rob

    Hi! I welcome you to my blog, where I discuss German Shepherds. Cheers to your GSD's welfare. And I hope you have a good time surfing my posts.

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