Germanic Bear Dog

The dense fur of the Germanic Bear Dog is a delight to stroke. To keep it that way, the breed’s coat requires a lot of care. When romping around outdoors and on walks, dirt quickly gets caught in the hair.

Comb or brush the coat with a suitable fur brush preferably daily. If the fur gets heavily soiled with mud, washing is necessary. Afterwards, rub the heavy, wet fur dry with a towel to prevent the dog from catching a chill.

What Does the Ideal Home for a Bear Dog Look Like?

Being outdoors is fantastic for a Germanic Bear Dog. A securely fenced garden with a kennel – and it’s content. Its fur keeps it warm even in harsh weather, and it can keep the best watch over its home and “flock” from outside the door.

Space is particularly important for these dogs. Their size alone prohibits pure apartment living. Additionally, the Bear Dog requires plenty of exercise.

The Germanic Bear Dog Needs Exercise

Despite its cumbersome appearance, the Germanic Bear Dog needs to let off steam regularly. Simply tagging along between the football pitch and the kindergarten massively underwhelms the breed. Ideally, offer these dogs a home in a village setting with a large garden and immediate options for extensive walks.

If you choose a Germanic Bear Dog as your animal companion, plan to spend a lot of time with the dog and offer it plenty of activities.

However, take it easy in the early years. Don’t let Bear Dog puppies climb stairs or make jumps and avoid heavy exertion. Only after your vet has given the green light should you consider dog sports.

How Long Does a Germanic Bear Dog Grow? Dogs of this size are sometimes not fully grown until three years of age. Until then, do not strain your four-legged friend’s skeleton and joints excessively.

Which Sports are Suitable for Germanic Bear Dogs?

Germanic Bear Dogs are considered relatively calm dogs that appreciate more leisurely sports. Flyball or Dog Dancing are less suitable for these large dogs. Nose work like Dummy Training or training as a search and rescue dog, however, brings the Germanic Bear Dog much joy.

Perfect for the breed are also gentle endurance sports without spikes in strain:

• Dog Swimming, which is gentle on the joints
• Jogging with Your Dog, as long as the rounds are short

Hiking with Your Dog, preferably on level terrain rather than in high mountains

The Germanic Bear Dog is not particularly demanding when it comes to its food. It loves fresh meat just as much as high-quality canned foods. When choosing food, ensure it contains as few unnecessary additives as possible.

With large dogs, you should also ensure that your pet takes a rest after its meal time to avoid the dangerous gastric torsion. In summer, ensure your companion has access to a cool spot and avoid exertion during heat.

Is Food a Cost Factor with Large Dogs?

You’re dealing with a very large and heavy dog in the Germanic Bear Dog, who enjoys moving around. Accordingly, its caloric needs are high.

Compared to other large dogs, you can generally expect double the amount of food. This factor becomes noticeable at the end of the month, as double the food means double the costs.

BARFing as a Demanding Alternative

Thinking about trying [biologically appropriate raw feeding (BARF)]? This method involves pet owners preparing the dog’s food themselves to provide the highest quality.

The Germanic Bear Dog can also benefit from this feeding method. However, BARFing represents additional effort many dog owners shy away from.

What to Consider in Puppy Nutrition?

Regarding nutrition, it’s especially-important for growing puppies of large breeds to have a balanced composition of food so that the puppy does not gain mass faster than its joints and skeleton can handle.

A Junior Food for Large Breed Dogs supplies young Bear Dogs with essential nutrients. Make sure it has a high meat content.

The breeding of the Germanic Bear Dog is not uniformly regulated. Therefore, it is difficult to assess how puppies of this breed will develop health-wise.

Be especially vigilant when purchasing and closely analyse the breeding lines. This is the only way to get an idea of the potential health problems that could arise in the dog of your choice.

Breed-Specific Illnesses

Due to breeding variability, there’s no reliable source or statistics on breed-specific diseases in the Germanic Bear Dog.

However, common sense suggests that the sheer size and weight of the dog could make the musculoskeletal system a weak point. Large dog breeds often suffer from hip or joint problems. Specifically, joint wear arthritis can become prominent with age.

How Old Do Bear Dogs Get?

If they maintain stable health, Germanic Bear Dogs typically live up to twelve years. Regular check-ups with your vet should be commonplace at any age.

The historic name of the dog probably has no real historical significance. The breeding of these robust dogs likely began only in 1990. It more aptly summarises the breeding goal: breeders try to approach the Molossers that accompanied the Germanic tribes during their migrations around 1,600 years ago.

Dogs of a similar type were also popular with other peoples such as the Romans, who used the quadrupeds as companions for hunting and herding services. However, the shoulder height of dog skeletons found from the Germanic era is with 62 to 68 centimetres shorter than many modern Bear Dogs.

The extent to which the four-legged companions of the Germanic tribes resemble the modern Germanic Bear Dog is not verifiable.

Modern Breeding in the 20th Century

In 1995, the first breeder’s association Germanic Bear Dogs was established, setting breeding standards. The origin of modern Bear Dog breeding lies in the 1970s and is based on a cross between a St. Bernard and an unspecified white sheepdog.

The first breeder thus attempted to create a new breed. The name “Germanic Bear Dog” certainly has an impact, already suggesting an impressive and primal dog.

Is There a Breed Standard?

The modern standard stipulates that Kangal, Kuvasz, Leonberger, Newfoundland, nor Caucasian dogs are to be crossbred. Unfortunately, the camp of breeders and their breeding lines remain very heterogeneous. Hence, the breed is not officially recognised by the FCI.