How to Buy a German Shepherd Puppy

When you buy a German Shepherd puppy, you're making a huge commitment. You'll be accountable for Deutsche SchäFerhunde Welpen Kaufen öSterreich a long time for the health and training of your dog.

Pet stores and online resources typically sell puppies from puppy mills that prioritize profit over animal well-being. Choose a reputable breeder instead.

How to Select a Reputable Breeder

It is important to get acquainted with your breeder prior to you buy a German Shepherd puppy. Responsible breeders will be willing to discuss their dogs and their practices with you. They will be happy to discuss genetic and health testing as well as early socialization and the environment where their puppies are being raised.

The best place to start is with your local German Shepherd club or other organization. The breed clubs typically have a secretary, or puppy officer who can point you to reputable breeders. Alternatively, you can contact your state animal control agency for a list of licensed breeders.

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

A responsible breeder should also be able provide you with a copy your puppy's medical record and an up-to-date vaccination schedule. They should have a good working relationship with a vet that can carry out all required tests and vaccines. They will be able tell you the name of the vet, his telephone number, and provide you with records of your consultation.

Ask the breeder about any concerns they have regarding your lifestyle and living circumstances. This may prevent them from bringing a puppy to you. If they know that you have young children and they are concerned about your children's safety, they might not wish to sell you an German Shepherd puppy because they are known to be aggressive with children.

You should also expect an accredited breeder to ask you to sign an agreement for the purchase of your German Shepherd puppy. This contract should include the names of the parents and altdeutscher schäferhund kaufen their AKC registration numbers as along with a return-to-breeder clause. This is an important way for a responsible breeder to keep track of their dogs and deutscher schäferhund pflege (telegra.ph) ensure that they are going 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 that have an inherited condition. These tests include hip dysplasia as well as elbow dysplasia, as well as degenerative myelopathy GDV and bloat.

Breeders who are trusted strive to know the temperaments and health status of every dog they own. They are also able to freely and openly share this information with other breeders as well as potential buyers.

The Kennel Club's Assured Breeder Scheme requires members to perform certain tests on their dogs. Breed clubs for German Shepherds also recommend that breeders perform additional tests.

These tests are designed to detect genetic disorders that affect the German Shepherd Dog as a whole. They also help breeders make more informed mating decisions, which will reduce the incidence of hereditary disease in the future.

Typical genetic tests include

Hip Dysplasia

German Shepherds are susceptible to hip and elbow dysplasia, particularly in the front limbs. These joint diseases cause discomfort and pain, but can be managed through the control of weight, exercise limitations, supplements and drugs. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals receives the X-rays under sedation to ensure accurate results.

The OFA test focuses on 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 condition will be degenerative myelopathy.

Socialization

GSDs require a lot of physical exercise, training and mental stimulation to keep engaged. They can easily become bored and inactivity can lead to destructive behavior such as excessive digging or eating shoes. The majority of these behaviors are a result of unmet emotional needs. Early socialization is important for German Shepherd pups. Proper socialization helps the puppy to gain confidence in new people and environments. It also decreases the chance 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 teaches the puppies appropriate social signals and Deutscher schäferhund schwarz kaufen how to deal with their boisterous, sometimes rough siblings. The puppies are also exposed to a variety sights, sounds and smells. The puppies learn to behave appropriately within a group, which is key to their success as dogs who mature.

Introduce the puppy to a variety of household sounds, including vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances and doorbells. The puppy should be exposed sounds outside, including sirens, traffic, and construction. This is crucial to ensure that the puppy doesn't grow up scared or anxious about these sounds. The puppy should be exposed to all of this at a relaxed pace and positive reinforcements will be used throughout the process.

During this period, it is crucial that the puppy gets to meet many different animals and people. This can help reduce separation anxiety while the owner is away. This can be achieved 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 beginning, interactions should be confined so that the pup isn't overwhelmed. The puppy should also be able to interact with older, calmer and more gentle dogs. This will help your puppy see that larger, older dogs do not need to be terrifying. It can also aid in developing a good attitude.

Training

German Shepherds require constant, consistent obedience training. It is crucial to get them into a training class early especially when they're still puppies. This will allow them to become confident and well-mannered dogs. This is also a great time to get them familiar with the basics of commands such as sit down, down, deutsche schäferhunde welpen kaufen österreich stay and come. The earlier a dog learns these basic behaviors the more simple it will be for them to follow your instructions as they get older.

Territorial aggression is a common problem for many German king shepherd kaufen owners. They may be overly guarded of their homes and property and this can result in them barking at other people or animals that enter their area. Training, reinrassiger schäFerhund exercise and socialization can prevent territorial behavior.

Other behavioral issues can be avoided through obedience training for German Shepherds. Dogs that are not properly trained can be a nuisance to their neighbors and family members. They are often distracted by other pets, toys or children. They might not pay attention to basic commands such as "sit" and "down."

During the puppy years It is essential to introduce your German Shepherds with new people, places, and sounds. This is especially important 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 pup until then they'll likely face new experiences to be more difficult as an adult and be more prone to fear-based aggression and Deutsche SchäFerhunde Welpen Kaufen öSterreich anxiety.

One thing that a lot of pet owners don't know is that a German Shepherd needs lots of physical and mental exercise to stay calm and happy. German Shepherds are herding breeds by nature, and are driven to please their owners as well as work. If they don't exercise enough they could become bored or even destructive. Regular exercise strengthens muscles and decreases "cabin-fever." It helps improve circulation, assists in weight loss and helps reduce "cabin-fever." It's also a great opportunity to build a bond with your German shepherd!