Breath and tartar: the two earliest clues
The first sign most German Shepherd owners notice is breath that changes character, from ordinary dog breath to something distinctly sour or rotten, noticeable when he pants near your face. Lift his lip and look at the large upper back teeth, where tartar gathers fastest: a yellow-brown crust creeping toward the gumline, with the gum edge looking puffy or redder than the pale pink lower down, is early disease rather than simple dirt. Healthy gums should look firm and meet the tooth cleanly, with no dark line at the margin.
Changes in how he eats and chews
Shepherds are determined eaters, so watch the mechanics rather than the appetite. Dropping kibble, tilting the head to chew on one side, taking longer over a meal he used to finish briskly, or walking away from hard biscuits he previously crunched happily all point toward discomfort in the mouth. Some dogs start preferring food once it has softened, or swallow pieces whole to avoid chewing. A dog who still begs at the table but quietly struggles with his own bowl is a classic early picture.
Behaviour around the head and mouth
Pawing at the muzzle, rubbing his face along the carpet, or flinching when you reach to stroke one side of his head can each signal a sore tooth or gum. Excess drooling, sometimes with a trace of blood in the saliva on a chew toy, is another warning. A Shepherd who becomes uncharacteristically grumpy about having his collar handled or his lip lifted may be guarding pain. Even his play changes: tugging less enthusiastically, or dropping a ball he would normally hold firmly, can reflect a mouth that hurts under pressure.
What you can safely check at home
Once a week, in good light, lift each lip and scan the outer surfaces of the teeth, especially the big upper molars and the long canines. Look for tartar, a chipped or discoloured tooth, a red swelling on the gum, or anything lodged between teeth. Note which side looks worse and when you first saw it. Do not poke at sore areas or try to scrape tartar yourself, since that can damage enamel and push infection deeper. Gentle familiarity with his normal mouth makes abnormal findings obvious far sooner.
When the vet needs to see him soon
Book an appointment promptly if you find a loose, broken, or grey-purple tooth, swelling under one eye or along the jaw, bleeding that recurs, or a bad smell paired with appetite change. Facial swelling, refusing all food, or pawing frantically at the mouth warrants a same-day call, because dental infections can spread into the jaw and beyond. Older Shepherds and those with other health issues should be seen earlier rather than monitored, since mouth pain also disrupts sleep, grooming, and general resilience.
A dental timeline worth keeping
Because dental change is gradual, the dates matter: when the breath turned, which tooth collected tartar first, and what the vet found last time turns a vague worry into a clear progression the next vet can act on. Keeping that running note with his other health records is simple with KinsLe and its Pet Passport, so each dental check builds on the last one.