How to Buy a German Shepherd Puppy

When you buy a German Shepherd puppy, you're taking on a massive commitment. You'll be responsible for the health, training, and mental stability of your dog for many years.

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

Selecting a Breeder who is reputable

It is important to be aware of your breeder before you purchase a German Shepherd puppy. Responsible breeders are happy to share information about their dogs and their practices with you. They will be willing to discuss genetic and health testing, early socialization, and deutschen SchäFerhund kaufen the environment where their puppies are being raised.

The best place to begin is to contact your local German Shepherd club or organization. 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 to get an inventory of licensed breeders.

Once you've identified a breeder with good breeding standards, make sure you take the time to meet them in person. Look for a clean facility in which the mother and her puppies are safe. It is important to inquire about the parents and siblings of the puppy. You'll want to find out if they've been screened for hereditary issues such as hip dysplasia and eye issues.

A responsible breeder should be able provide you with a copy your puppy's medical history and an up-to-date vaccination schedule. They should have a great relationship with a veterinarian who can perform all the necessary tests and vaccinations. They will be able to provide you with the name of the doctor as well as the number of his phone and give you consultation notes.

Ask the breeder about any concerns they might have regarding your lifestyle and living circumstances. This might hinder them from selling the puppy to you. If they know that you have young children they might not want to sell you a German Shepherd puppy because they can be aggressive towards children.

A reputable breeder will also require you to sign a contract prior to purchasing your German Shepherd puppy. The contract should include information about the parents and their AKC registration number as well as an option to return the puppy to the breeder. This is a crucial way for responsible breeders to monitor Buy a German Shepherd Puppy their dogs and schäferhund welpen österreich kaufen ensure that they are going to good homes.

Health Tests for Health

Breeders who are trustworthy will test the health of the dogs they intend to breed. This is to ensure that they don't breed puppies with an inherited disease. These tests include hip dysplasia as well as elbow dysplasia, as well as degenerative myelopathy, GDV and bloat.

Breeders who are reputable seek to be aware of the temperaments and health issues of every dog they own. They also share this information completely and freely with other breeders as well as prospective buyers.

As part of the Kennel Club's Assured breeder program, members are required to conduct certain tests on their dogs. The breed clubs for German shepherds also suggest that breeders carry out additional tests.

These tests are designed to identify genetic diseases that affect all German Shepherd Dogs. They also help breeders make better informed decisions about mating that will lower the incidence of hereditary disease in the future.

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 conditions that are degenerative cause pain and discomfort but can be controlled through weight control, activity restrictions supplements, and medications. X-rays are taken with sedation, to get accurate results and then submitted to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).

The OFA test focuses on hemivertebra, butterfly vertebra, block vertebra, lumbar-sacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV) as well as spondylosis, hemivertebra and spina bifida. This test is not foolproof however, and it does not determine whether dogs will develop degenerative myelopathy, or other spinal diseases later in the course of.

Socialization

GSDs need rigorous physical exercise, training and mental stimulation to stay occupied. They are prone to becoming bored and inactivity may lead to destructive behaviors like excessive digging or eating shoes. These behaviors are often due to unmet emotional needs. Socialization at an early age is crucial for German Shepherd pups. Proper socialization helps the pup gain confidence with new people and situations. It also decreases the chance that the puppy will be fearful or aggressive when in unfamiliar situations.

The mother and her littermates play together and play with each other. This teaches the puppies appropriate social signals and how to cope with their boisterous, sometimes rough, siblings. The pups are also exposed to a variety scents, sounds and sights. 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, like vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances and doorbells. The puppy should also be exposed to different outdoor sounds such as sirens, traffic, and construction. This is essential so that the puppy will not become scared or anxious of these situations as an adult. The puppy will be exposed to these stimuli at a moderate rate and positive reinforcement is used throughout the process.

During this time, it is also important that the puppy gets to meet many different animals and people. This will help reduce anxiety about separation when the owner is away from home. A good example of this is when a dog is taken to puppy classes, dog parks or play dates with other dogs.

The puppy should be allowed to interact with the other dogs in a secure well-controlled manner. The interactions should be tempered initially so that the puppy does not become overwhelmed. The puppy should be allowed to interact also with older, more relaxed, calmer dogs. This will help your puppy realize that older, reinrassiger schäFerhund larger dogs do not have to be scary. It will also help them develop an excellent attitude.

Training

German Shepherds need strict regular obedience training. It is essential to get them into an obedience class as soon as possible, especially while they are still young. This will assist them in developing into confident, well-mannered dogs. This is also a good time to make them familiar with the basics of commands such as sit, down, stay and come. The earlier a dog is taught these basic behaviors, the more simple 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 overly protective of their homes and property, resulting in screaming or groaning at other those who enter their area of. Training, exercise and socialization can reduce territorial behavior.

Obedience training can also help prevent other problems with behavior in German Shepherds. If a dog doesn't have the right obedience training could become a nuisance or even a danger to their family members and 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 when they are 16 weeks old, as they go through a critical period of brain development during this period. If your German Shepherd is a protected pup until then, they will likely find new experiences more difficult as an adult and be more prone to anxiety and fear-based aggression.

Many dog owners don't realize that the German Shepherd requires mental and physical exercise in order to be content and peaceful. They are herding dogs by nature and have a strong drive to satisfy their owners If they don't have enough to do, they could become bored or destructive. Regular exercise tones muscles and decreases "cabin-fever." It also improves circulation, aids in weight loss, and helps reduce "cabin-fever." It's also a great opportunity to build a bond with your German shepherd!