How to Buy a German Shepherd Puppy

You're making a big commitment when you purchase a German Shepherd pup. You'll be responsible for a long time for the health and education of your dog.

Online sources and pet stores offer puppies that are typically from puppy mills that focus on profit over the welfare of animals. Pick a reputable breeder.

How to Choose a Breeder with a Good Reputation

Before purchasing a German Shepherd pup, it's important to get to know the breeder. Responsible breeders will be willing to discuss their dogs and the ways they treat you. They'll be willing to discuss health and genetic testing, early socialization, and the environment in which their puppies are raised.

The best place to start is to contact your local German Shepherd club or other organization. The breed clubs typically have a secretary or puppy officer, who can direct you to breeders who are reputable. You can also contact your state animal control agency for an inventory of licensed breeders.

Take the time to meet a breeder's representative in person once you've found one who is in line with your breed standards. Look for a clean facility where the mother and pups are comfortably confined. It is important to inquire about the parents and siblings of the puppy. You should find out if they've been screened for hereditary issues like hip dysplasia, and eye problems.

A responsible breeder should be in a position to provide you with a copy of your puppy's medical records and a current shot schedule. They should have a great relationship with a veterinarian who can carry out all necessary tests and vaccinations. They will be able tell you the name of the veterinarian and his contact number and will provide you with the records of consultation.

Ask the breeder about any concerns they might have regarding your lifestyle and living circumstances. This could stop them from bringing puppies to you. If they know that you have young kids, they may not want to offer you an German Shepherd puppy because they can be aggressive towards children.

A reputable breeder may require that you sign a contract when you purchase your German Shepherd puppy. The contract should include details about the parents as well as their AKC registration number, and Reinrassiger deutscher schäferhund a clause allowing them to return the puppy to the breeder. This is a great way for responsible breeders to keep track of their dogs and ensure they have a good home.

Health Tests

Breeders who are reputable conduct health tests on the dogs that will be part of their breeding collection. This is to make sure that they do not produce puppies with an inherited disease. These tests include hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia as well as degenerative myelopathy GDV and Bloat.

In addition to health screenings breeders who are trustworthy gain personal knowledge of the health and temperament of each dog 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 perform certain tests on their dogs. The breed clubs for German shepherds also suggest that breeders conduct additional tests.

These tests are designed to identify genetic diseases that affect all German Shepherd Dogs. These tests also enable breeders to make better mating decisions that will decrease the likelihood of hereditary illnesses in the next generations.

Typical genetic tests include:

Hip Dysplasia

German Shepherds are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, particularly in the front limbs. These joint disorders that cause degeneration cause pain and discomfort, but can be controlled with weight control, activity restrictions supplements, SchäFerhundwelpen Kaufen and medications. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals receives the X-rays while sedating to ensure that the results are accurate.

The OFA test focuses on the presence of hemivertebras, butterfly vertebras, block vertebra, lumbar-sacral transformational vertebrae (LSTV), spondylosis and spina bifida. This test isn't 100% reliable however, and it does not tell you if the dog will develop degenerative myelopathy or other spinal conditions later in life.

Socialization

GSDs require intense physical exercise along with training and mental stimulation to keep them occupied. They are prone to becoming bored and inactivity may lead to destructive behaviors such as eating excessively or digging shoes. These behaviors are often caused by a lack of emotional requirements. This is why early socialization is important for German Shepherd puppies. Proper socialization helps the puppy to build confidence around new people and surroundings. It also reduces the risk that the puppy will develop anxious or aggressive in new situations.

The mother and her littermates play together and was kostet ein reinrassiger schäferhund play with each other. This helps puppies learn appropriate social cues and how to deal with their boisterous, and sometimes rough siblings. It also exposes the pups to a variety of smells, sights, and sounds. The puppies learn how to behave in a group environment, which is crucial to their success as adult dogs.

Introduce the puppy to a variety of household sounds, like vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances, and doorbells. The puppy should also be exposed different outdoor sounds such as traffic, sirens and construction. This is crucial to ensure that the puppy does not be scared or Schäferhundwelpen Kaufen anxious of these stimuli as an adult. The puppy should be exposed to all of this at a calming pace and positive reinforcement will be utilized throughout the process.

During this time, it's also important that the puppy interacts with different people and pets. This can help reduce separation anxiety while the owner is away. This can be accomplished by taking the dog to puppy classes, dog parks, or play dates with other doggies.

The puppy should only be allowed to interact in a safe, controlled way with other dogs. At first, the interactions should be limited to ensure that the puppy does not feel overwhelmed. The puppy should also be allowed to interact with older, calmer and more gentle dogs. This will help the puppy to realize that not all larger, older dogs are dangerous and will help them to develop a good temperament.

Training

German Shepherds require firm, consistent obedience training. It is important to enroll them in a class as soon as possible particularly when they are still young. This will allow them to grow into well-mannered, confident dogs. This is also a great time to get them familiar with the basic commands like sit down, stay, and come. The earlier you can teach your dog these basic commands they'll be more likely to obey your instructions as they grow older.

Territorial aggression is an issue in many families with German Shepherds. They may be extremely cautious of their homes and property and this can result in them barking at other people or animals who enter their territory. Territorial behavior is averted by the proper training, exercise and socialization.

Other issues with behavior can be prevented by obedience training in German Shepherds. Dogs that don't possess the proper obedience training can become a nuisance and Reinrassiger Deutscher SchäFerhund even a danger to their family members and neighbours. They are often distracted by other pets, toys or children. They may ignore basic commands like "sit" and "down."

During their puppy years, it's important to continue to introduce your German Shepherds with new people, places, sights and sounds. This is especially important prior to when the puppy reaches 16 weeks and their brains are in an important stage of development. If your German Shepherd is a sheltered puppy until that point, they will likely find new experiences more difficult as they grow older and become more prone to fear-based aggression and anxiety.

One thing that many pet owners don't know is that a German Shepherd needs lots of physical as well as mental exercise to stay healthy and happy. German Shepherds are herders by nature, reinrassiger deutscher schäferhund Welpe and they are driven to please their owners and work. If they don't exercise enough they can become bored or destructive. Regular exercise helps tone muscles and reduces "cabin-fever." It also improves circulation, aids in weight loss and decreases "cabin-fever." It's also a great method to bond with your German shepherd!