How to Buy a German Shepherd Puppy

You're taking a huge risk when you purchase a German Shepherd pup. You will be responsible for the health, training and mental stability of your dog over many years.

Pet stores and online sources offer puppies that are typically from puppy mills, which prioritize profit over the well-being of animals. Choose a reputable breeding facility instead.

How to Choose a Breeder with a Good Reputation

Before you buy a German Shepherd pup, it's crucial to know the breeder. Breeders who are responsible will be delighted to share information about their dogs and breeding practices. They will be happy to discuss genetic and health testing as well as early socialization and the environment in which their puppies are raised.

Your local German Shepherd club or organization is the best place to begin. The majority of breed clubs have an officer for puppy or secretary who can direct you to reliable breeders in your area. You can also contact the animal control department of your state to get the list of breeders.

Take the time to meet with a breeder in person once you've found one who meets your breed standards. You should search for a clean, comfortable facility where the mother dog and her puppies are kept in a secure. You should ask about the parents and siblings of the puppy. You'll want to find out if they've been screened for hereditary conditions like hip dysplasia, and eye issues.

A responsible breeder will also be able to provide you with copies of your puppy's medical record and the most current schedule of shots. They should have a solid working relationship with a vet who is able to perform all required tests and vaccines. They will be able to provide you with the name of the doctor and telephone number and give you consultation notes.

It's also an excellent idea to inquire with the breeder whether they have any concerns regarding your lifestyle or living situation that would hinder them from selling you a puppy. If they know you have young children they might not want to offer you a German Shepherd puppy because they can be aggressive towards children.

You should also expect a reputable breeder to require you to sign a contract to purchase your German Shepherd puppy. The contract should contain the names of the parents and their AKC registration numbers, deutscher schäferhund kaufen österreich as in addition to a return-to breeder clause. This is a great method breeders who are responsible to monitor their dogs and ensure they are placed in good homes.

Health Tests

Breeders with a good reputation will check the health of the dogs they plan to breed. This is to ensure that they don't produce puppies with an inherited disease. These tests include elbow and hip dysplasia, myelopathy degenerative and deutscher schäferhund kaufen österreich GDV (also known as bloat).

Breeders who are reputable are determined to understand the temperaments and health conditions of every dog they own. They also share this information in full and openly with other breeders and potential 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 carry out additional tests.

These tests are designed to detect genetic disorders that affect the German Shepherd Dog as a whole. They also allow breeders to make better informed choices about mating, which will reduce the incidence of hereditary disease in the coming generations.

The most common genetic tests are:

Hip Dysplasia

The elbow dysplasia and the hip are common issues in German Shepherds, with the latter suffering from the condition that affects their front legs. These joint diseases cause discomfort and pain, however, they can be controlled with exercise restrictions, weight control, supplements and drugs. X-rays are taken under anesthesia to ensure exact results. Then, they are sent to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).

The OFA test checks for the presence of hemivertebrae and butterfly vertebrae, block vertebrae, lumbar-sacral vertebrae (LSTV) and spondylosis and spina bifida. This test is not impervious and cannot predict whether a dog's spinal condition is degenerative myelopathy.

Socialization

GSDs require intense physical exercise as well as training and mental stimulation to keep them engaged. They can easily become bored and their inactivity can lead to destructive behavior like excessive digging or chewing on shoes. Most often, these behaviors stem from unmet emotional requirements. This is why early socialization is so crucial for German Shepherd puppies. Proper socialization helps the pup develop confidence with new people and situations. It also reduces the likelihood that the puppy will develop fearful or aggressive in unfamiliar situations.

The mother and her littermates play and play with each other. This helps puppies learn appropriate social cues and how to deal with their boisterous and sometimes rough siblings. The pups are also exposed to a variety kinds of sounds, sights and smells. The puppies learn how to behave appropriately in a group environment, which is essential to their success as dogs who mature.

Introduce the puppy to a variety of household sounds, like vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances, schäferhund baby kaufen kaufen (primorskiy.citysn.com) and doorbells. The puppy should be exposed to different sounds outside, including traffic, sirens and construction. This is essential so that the puppy will not become anxious or fearful of these sounds when they become adults. The puppy should be exposed to all of this at a calming pace, and positive reinforcement should be utilized throughout the process.

It is also important for the puppy to meet many different people over this time, as well as other pets. This can reduce separation anxiety while the owner is away. This can be achieved by taking the dog to puppy classes, dog parks, or reinrassiger deutscher schäferhund züchter play dates with other doggies.

The puppy should be allowed to interact in a safe, controlled way with other dogs. At beginning, interactions should be confined to ensure that the puppy isn't overwhelmed. The puppy should also be able to be around calmer, older and doggies who are friendly. This will allow the puppy to realize that not all older, larger dogs are fearsome and will help them to develop a positive temperament.

Training

German Shepherds require strict and consistent obedience training. It is important to start an early training class particularly when they are still young. This will help them develop into well-mannered, confident dogs. This is also a great time to make them familiar with the basic commands like sit, down, stay and come. The earlier you begin teaching your dog these basic skills they'll be more likely to follow your instructions as they get older.

Territorial aggression can be a problem for many families with German Shepherds. They might be incredibly protective of their home and property, resulting in barking or Deutscher SchäFerhund Kaufen öSterreich growling at any animal or person who enters their territory. Training, exercise and socialization can reduce territorial behavior.

Obedience training can also help prevent other behavioral problems in German Shepherds. Dogs that don't have proper obedience training can become a nuisance or even a threat to their family members and their neighbors. They are often distracted by other pets, toys, or children. They may ignore basic commands such as "sit" and "down."

During the puppy years it is important to continue to introduce your German Shepherds with new locations, people and sounds. This is especially important prior to when they reach 16 weeks old since they enter a critical period of brain development during this time. If your German shepherd is a quiet puppy until then, it will likely be much more difficult for them to master new things as an adult. They could also be more susceptible to anxiety or fear-based aggression.

One thing that a lot of dog owners don't realize is that a German Shepherd needs lots of physical and mental exercise to stay calm and happy. German Shepherds are herders by nature, and have a strong desire to please their owners and work. If they don't get enough exercise, they may become bored or even destructive. Regular exercise also tones muscles, decreases "cabin fever," improves circulation and helps with weight loss. It's also a great opportunity to build a bond with your German shepherd!