How to Buy a German Shepherd Puppy

If you purchase a German Shepherd puppy, you're making a huge commitment. You'll be responsible for the health, training and mental stability of your dog for many years.

Pet stores and online retailers generally sell puppies from puppy mills who place profit over animal well-being. Select a reputable breeder instead.

How to Choose a Reputable Breeder

It's essential to know your breeder before you buy a German Shepherd puppy. Responsible breeders are happy to provide information about their dogs and their practices with you. They will be happy to discuss health and genetic testing early socialization, belgischer deutscher schäferhund kaufen österreich welpen schäferhunde kaufen österreich (sneak a peek at this website) as well as the environment where their puppies are being raised.

The best place to start is with your local German Shepherd club or group. The majority of breed associations have an officer or secretary who can direct you to reputable breeders in your area. You can also contact the animal control department of your state to obtain the list of breeders.

It is a good idea to meet with a breeder in person after you've found one who meets your standards for breeding. You should look for an upscale, clean facility in which the mother dog and her puppies are kept. Find out about the puppy's parents and siblings. You want to see proof that they have been screened for hereditary diseases such as hip dysplasia eye issues, heart disease and Degenerative Myelopathy.

A responsible breeder should be able provide you with a copy your puppy's medical record and the most current vaccination schedule. They should have a solid working relationship with a vet who is able to carry out all required tests and vaccines. They should be able to tell you the vet's name as well as the number of his phone and give you a consultation note.

It's also recommended to ask the breeder whether they have any concerns about your lifestyle or living circumstances that could prevent them from selling you a puppy. If they are aware that you have children they might not want to offer you a German Shepherd puppy because they can be aggressive towards children.

You should also expect an accredited breeder to require you to sign a contract for the purchase of your German Shepherd puppy. The contract should contain details about the parents and their AKC registration number as well as the clause that allows them to return the puppy to the breeder. This is a great way breeders who are responsible to monitor their dogs and ensure they have a good home.

Health Tests for Health

Reputable breeders undertake health tests on the dogs that form part of their breeding collection. This is to ensure that they don't produce pups that have an inherited illness. These tests include hip dysplasia as well as elbow dysplasia, as well as degenerative myelopathy, GDV and bloat.

Breeders who are reputable are determined to understand the temperaments and health conditions of every dog they own. They also are able to freely and completely share this information with other breeders and 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. They also permit breeders to make more informed mating decisions which will decrease the incidence of hereditary disease in the future.

Typical genetic tests include:

Hip Dysplasia

The elbow dysplasia and the hip are common issues in German Shepherds with the latter suffering from the condition in their front legs. These joint disorders that cause degeneration cause pain and discomfort, but can be controlled through weight control, activity limitations supplements, and medications. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals receives the X-rays while sedating to ensure the accuracy of the results.

The OFA test looks for the presence of hemivertebrae and butterfly vertebrae, block vertebrae and lumbar-sacral vertebrae (LSTV) as well as spondylosis and spina bifida. This test isn't foolproof and does not predict whether a dog's condition is degenerative myelopathy.

Socialization

GSDs require intense physical exercise in addition to training and mental stimulation to keep them engaged. They can easily become bored and their inactivity can lead to destructive behavior such as excessive digging or chewing up shoes. Often, these behaviors stem from insufficient emotional requirements. This is why early socialization is so vital for German Shepherd puppies. Proper socialization helps the pup gain confidence in new people and situations. It also reduces the risk that the puppy will become fearful or aggressive in unfamiliar situations.

Puppy socialization starts with the mother and her littermates as they play and interact. This helps puppies learn appropriate social signals and how to deal with their boisterous, and sometimes rough siblings. The puppies are also exposed to a variety scents, sounds and sights. The puppies are taught to behave in the group. This is essential to their success as adults.

Introduce the puppy to various household sounds, such as vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances and doorbells. The puppy should also be exposed various outdoor sounds like traffic, sirens and construction. This is essential to ensure that the puppy doesn't develop afraid or anxious of these types of stimuli. The puppy should be exposed to all of this at a calming pace, and positive reinforcement should be used throughout the process.

During this time, it is essential that the puppy gets to meet many different pets and people. This will help prevent separation anxiety when the owner is away. One good example is when a dog is taken to puppy classes or dog parks, or even play dates with other dogs.

The puppy should only be allowed to interact in a controlled, secure manner with other dogs. At first, the interactions should be confined so that the pup isn't overwhelmed. The puppy should be allowed to interact also with older, more sociable, calmer dogs. This will help your puppy realize that older, larger dogs do not need to be frightening. It can also aid in developing a good attitude.

Training

German Shepherds need firm, consistent obedience training. It is important to enroll them in classes as soon as possible particularly when they are still young. This will allow them to become confident, Reinrassiger Deutscher SchäFerhund ZüChter well-mannered dogs. This is also a great time to make them familiar with the basic commands like sit, down, stay and come. The earlier a dog learns these basic commands the more easy it will be for them to follow your instructions as they age.

Territorial aggression is a problem for many families with German Shepherds. They may be overly protective of their homes and property, which can lead to screaming or groaning at other any animal or person who enters their territory. Proper training, exercise and socialization can prevent territorial behavior.

Other behavioral issues can be prevented through obedience training in German Shepherds. Dogs that don't have the right obedience training could become a nuisance or even a danger to family members and neighbours. They are easily distracted by other animals or belgischer SchäFerhund welpen kaufen österreich toys, or even children and ignore basic commands like "sit" or "down."

During the puppy years it is important to continue to introduce your German Shepherds to new locations, people and sounds. This is especially important before the puppy turns 16 weeks old as their brains are undergoing an important phase of development. If your German Shepherd is a protected puppy until that point, they will likely find new experiences much more challenging as they grow older and become more susceptible to anxiety-based aggression and fear.

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 calm and content. They are herders by nature and have a strong urge to delight their owners, so if they don't have enough things to do, they may become bored or destructive. Regular exercise tones muscles and decreases "cabin-fever." It helps improve circulation, assists with weight loss, and reduces "cabin-fever." It's also a great method to strengthen the bond between you and your German shepherd!