How to Buy a German Shepherd Puppy
When you purchase a German Shepherd puppy, you're making a huge commitment. You'll be accountable for the health, training, and mental stability of your dog for a number of years.
Pet stores and online sources typically sell puppies from puppy mills that place profit over animal well-being. Choose a reputable breeding facility instead.
Selecting a Breeder who is reputable
It's essential to get acquainted with your breeder prior to you buy a German Shepherd puppy. Breeders who are responsible will be delighted to give you information about their dogs and breeding practices. Breeders are happy to share information about their dogs as well as practices with you.
Your local German Shepherd club or organization is the best place to begin. The majority of breed associations have an officer for puppy or secretary who can direct you to credible breeders in your region. Alternatively, you can contact your state animal control agency for an inventory of licensed breeders.
If you've found a breeder who has good breeding standards, make sure you take the time to meet them in person. You should seek out an environment that is clean and comfortable where the puppies and their mother are kept. Ask about the puppy's fathers and siblings. You need proof that they've been screened for hereditary diseases like hip dysplasia, eye problems, heart disease and Degenerative Myelopathy.
A responsible breeder will be capable of providing you with copies of your puppy's medical record and a current shot schedule. They should have a great working relationship with a vet that can perform all necessary tests and vaccinations. They will be able provide the name of the veterinarian and his phone number and also provide you with the records of consultation.
Ask the breeder about any concerns they have about your lifestyle or living situation. This might hinder them from bringing puppies to you. If they know you have children they might not want to sell you a German Shepherd puppy because they can be aggressive towards children.
A reputable breeder will require that you sign a contract when you purchase your German Shepherd puppy. The contract should contain the names of the parents as well as their AKC registration numbers, as along with a return-to-breeder clause. This is an excellent way breeders who are responsible to monitor their dogs and make sure they go to good homes.
Health Tests
Reputable breeders conduct health checks on the dogs that will form part of their breeding stock. This is to ensure that they don't create puppies with an inherited disease. These tests include hip dysplasia as well as elbow dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy, GDV and bloat.
In addition to health screening, reputable breeders strive to gain personal knowledge of the temperaments and health of each pet they own. They also share this information completely and openly with other breeders as well as prospective buyers.
The Kennel Club's Assured Breeder Scheme requires members to carry out certain tests on their dogs. The breed clubs for German shepherds also suggest that breeders conduct additional tests.
These tests check for genetic diseases that affect the German Shepherd Dog as a whole. They also allow breeders to make better informed choices about mating that will lower the chance of developing hereditary diseases in future generations.
Common genetic tests include
Hip Dysplasia
German Shepherds are at risk of elbow and hip dysplasia, particularly in the front limbs. These joint conditions that cause degeneration cause discomfort and pain, but they can be treated with exercise restrictions, weight control, supplements and drugs. deutscher schäferhund lebenserwartung -rays are made under sedation, to get accurate results and then submitted to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).
The OFA test looks for hemivertebra, butterfly vertebra, block vertebra, lumbar-sacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV), spondylosis and spina bifida. The test is not 100% reliable and cannot tell whether a dog's spinal condition will be degenerative myelopathy.
Socialization
GSDs need rigorous physical exercise, training, and mental stimulation to stay engaged. They can easily become bored and a lack of exercise can lead to destructive behavior such as excessive digging or eating shoes. Most often, these behaviors are a result of insufficient emotional needs. Socialization early is essential for German Shepherd pups. Proper socialization helps the puppy to gain confidence in new people and surroundings. It also reduces the chances that the puppy will be fearful or aggressive in new situations.
Puppy socialization starts with the mother and her littermates as they play and interact. This teaches them to interact with their rough and boisterous siblings. The pups are also exposed to various sights, sounds and smells. The puppies are taught to behave in groups. This is vital to their success as adults.
The puppy should be exposed to various household sounds such as doorbells, vacuum cleaners and kitchen appliances. The puppy should also be exposed to various outdoor sounds, including traffic, sirens and construction. This is crucial so that the puppy will not be scared or anxious of these sounds when they become adults. The puppy will be exposed to these stimuli at a comfortable rate and positive reinforcement is utilized throughout the process.
During this time, it's essential that the puppy gets to meet many different animals and people. This will help prevent separation anxiety when the owner is away. This can be accomplished by taking the dog to puppy classes, dog parks or play dates with other dogs.
The puppy should only be allowed to interact in a controlled, safe way with other dogs. At first, the interactions should be confined to ensure that the puppy does not feel overwhelmed. The puppy should also be allowed to be around calmer, older and doggies who are friendly. This will help the puppy understand that not all older, larger dogs are fearsome and helps them develop an appropriate temperament.
Training
German Shepherds need firm, consistent obedience training. It is crucial to get them into classes early enough, especially while they are still young. This will help them develop into confident and well-mannered dogs. It is also a good moment to familiarize them with the basic commands like sit, down, stay and come. The earlier a dog can learn these basic commands, the more easy it is for them to follow your instructions as they age.
Territorial aggression is an issue in many families with German Shepherds. They may be extremely cautious of their home and property and this can result in their barking at strangers or animals that enter their area. Territorial behavior is averted by the proper training, exercise and socialization.
Other behavioral problems can be avoided through obedience training in German Shepherds. Dogs that are not properly trained may cause trouble for their family and friends. They can be easily distracted by other pets, toys or children. They may ignore basic commands such as "sit" and "down."
In the early years of puppyhood it is important to continue to introduce your German Shepherds with new people, places, and sounds. This is particularly important when the puppy reaches 16 weeks and their brains are in a critical phase of development. If your German shepherd is a protected puppy until then it's likely to be more difficult for them to master new things when they become adults. They could also be more susceptible to anxiety or fear-based aggression.
Many dog owners do not realize that the German Shepherd requires mental and physical exercise to be content and peaceful. They are herding dogs by nature and have a strong desire to please their humans, so if they don't have enough things to do, they could become bored or destructive. Regular exercise can tone muscles, decreases "cabin fever," improves circulation and helps with weight loss. It's also a great opportunity to bond with your German shepherd!