Why is my German Shepherd so lazy?

If your German Shepherd is lazy then you are probably wondering if it is normal and what you should do about it.

This post will show you why your German Shepherd might be being lazy and what you can do about it.

So, why is my German Shepherd so lazy? If it has always been lazy then it is likely to be naturally less energetic. If it started to be lazy suddenly then it could be due to illness and a sign that you should take it to a vet.

There are actually many reasons that your German Shepherd might be acting lazy and there are a number of different things that you should do depending on the cause.

Possible reasons that your German Shepherd is lazy

Each of the different reasons that your German Shepherd is acting lazy will likely come with some clues in the way that it does it.

Below, I will mention a number of reasons that your German Shepherd might be being lazy along with the signs to look for.

Nature

It could be the case that your German Shepherd is naturally lazy.

This would be more likely if your German Shepherd has always been lazy and it didn’t stop being energetic suddenly. It would also be more likely if it acts normally otherwise and it does still show some signs of excitement such as when you are about to walk it or it sees a squirrel.

Related post: How to tell if your German Shepherd loves you

Age

The reason that your German Shepherd is lazy could be because it is getting older.

This would be more likely if it gradually became lazier, overtime, and if it has continued to act normally in other ways.

Boredom

The reason that your German Shepherd acts lazy might be that it is bored.

This would be more likely if it doesn’t get the chance to be active very often and if it suddenly becomes very energetic when it is about to do something exciting such as when going for a walk.

Diet

The reason that it is lazy could be due to something in its diet.

This would be more likely if it suddenly started to become lazy when you started feeding it something different or you fed it more or less than usual.

You can take a look here to see everything that you need to know about what you should be feeding your German Shepherd.

If you are unsure of what food to get for your German Shepherd, consider getting dog food designed specifically for German Shepherds. You can get a GSD specific dog food on Amazon here and one for GSD puppies on Chewy here. 

Illness or injury

The cause could be that it is ill and it has less energy than normal because of it or it is causing it to feel less energetic. It could also be that an injury is causing it to be less active.

This would be more likely if it started being less active suddenly and if it started after it ate or did something that might have caused it to get ill or injured. It would also be more likely if it has been acting differently in other ways as well such as if it has been crying or if it has become slightly snappy or aggressive.

If you think that illness or injury might be causing it then it would be worthwhile for you to see what a vet has to say about it.

Depression

Dogs can get depression, like humans do, and it could be the reason that your German Shepherd has been acting lazy.

This would be more likely if it has not always been so lazy. It would also be more likely if it suddenly became lazy after something happened such as if it lost a friend, you moved home or a family member moved away.

Related post: Why is my German Shepherd afraid?

It’s too hot

Being too hot can also cause your German Shepherd to start acting lazy.

This would be more likely if it started to act lazy when it has been hot outside and if it tends to become more active in the mornings and evenings when it is cooler.

If it is hot outside then be sure to give it access to shade, water and a cool area.

Not enough exercise

The cause could be that a lack of exercise is making it feel less energetic and less excitement.

German Shepherds were bred to be very active dogs. If they do not get much exercise then it will cause them to behave abnormally. Generally, it is recommended that you make sure that your German Shepherd get at least an hour of exercise every day.

Related post: Ways to exercise your German Shepherd.

Is there anything I can do to get my German Shepherd to be more active?

There are a number of things that you can do to try and get your German Shepherd to be more energetic. I will mention a number of them below.

Make sure that it is getting a good diet

As mentioned above, if it is not getting the nutrients that it needs in its diet, it can cause it to become less energetic. If you want to get your German Shepherd to be less lazy and for it to be as healthy as possible it is important to make sure that it is eating correctly.

You can look here to see what you should be feeding it.

Make sure to give it exercise daily

There are a number of ways that you can give your German Shepherd exercise.

One way would be to just walk it for an hour daily. If you live in a hot area then try to do this when it is not so hot outside such as in the morning or evening.

Another option you have is to play fetch with it. Fetch is good because it gets your German Shepherd to wear itself out quickly. If your German Shepherd does not know how to play fetch then I have written about how you can get it to play fetch here.

Give it some toys to play with

Another thing that you can do is to give your German Shepherd some toys to play with if there is not much for it to do where it spends most of its time.

There are puzzle games that you can get and toys that you can find online that are specially designed for dogs to play with.

Things to consider

If it started to become lazy suddenly

If your German Shepherd started to be lazy suddenly then it is important that you consider what happened at around the time that it became lazy. It would also help to consider whether or not it has been acting unusually in other ways as well.

If your German Shepherd started to act lazy suddenly then it would normally be a sign that you should take it to the vet.

What happened when it became lazy

Considering what happened at around the time that it became lazy would also help in understanding why it has been acting lazy.

Some that might have happened could include:

• Your German Shepherd ate something it shouldn’t have
• Your German Shepherd did something that might have injured it
• Someone moved away
• The weather became much hotter
• Someone was aggressive towards it

Take it to a vet if you are unsure

If you are still unsure of why your German Shepherd has been acting lazy then the safest option would be for you to take it to the vet to make sure that it is ok.

Lazy is better than destructive

Something else to consider is that having a German Shepherd that is lazy is much better than some of the other problems people can have with their German Shepherds such as destructive behavior.