How to Buy a German Shepherd Puppy

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

Pet stores and online sources sell puppies that are usually from puppy mills that place profit ahead of the health of animals. Select a reputable breeder instead.

Choosing a Reputable Breeder

It is important to get acquainted with your breeder prior to you purchase a German Shepherd puppy. Breeders who are responsible will be happy to share details about their dogs and breeding practices. Breeders will be happy to give you information about their dogs and practices with you.

Your local German Shepherd buy puppy (spectrumanalytic.com blog entry) Shepherd club or organization is the best place to begin. The majority of breed associations have an officer for puppy or secretary who can point you in the right direction for reliable breeders in your area. You can also contact the animal control department of your state to find a list of licensed breeders.

Make the effort to meet with a breeder in person once you've located one who is in line with your standards for breeding. Find a clean and tidy facility where the mother and pups are kept in a safe environment. Ask about the puppy's fathers and siblings; you would like to verify that they've been checked for hereditary disorders such as hip dysplasia eye issues, heart disease and Degenerative Myelopathy.

A responsible breeder will also be in a position to provide you with a copy of your puppy's medical record and a current shot schedule. They should have a good relationship with a veterinarian who can carry out all necessary tests and vaccinations. They should be able to provide you with the name of the doctor and phone number, and also give you consultation notes.

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

You should also expect an accredited breeder to require you to sign an agreement for the purchase of your German Shepherd puppy. This contract should include details about the parents as well as their AKC registration number and an option to return the puppy to the breeder. This is an important way for responsible breeders to keep track of their dogs and ensure they will be placed in good homes.

Health Tests for Health

Reputable breeders conduct health checks on the dogs that will be part of their breeding stock. This is to ensure that they don't produce puppies with an inherited disease. These tests include elbow and hip dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy and GDV (also called Bloat).

In addition to health screening, reputable breeders strive to gain personal knowledge of the health and temperament of each pet they own. They also freely and fully share this information with other breeders and prospective buyers.

As part of the Kennel Club's Assured breeder program members are required to conduct certain tests on their dogs. Breed clubs for German Shepherds also recommend that breeders take additional tests.

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

The most common genetic tests are:

Hip Dysplasia

German Shepherds are prone to elbow and hip dysplasia, especially in the front limbs. These degenerative joint disorders cause discomfort and pain but they can be treated with weight control, activity limitations 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 hemivertebra, butterfly vertebra, block vertebra, lumbar-sacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV), spondylosis and spina bifida. This test is not 100% reliable, deutscher schäferhund welpe kaufen reinrassiger deutscher schäferhund welpe lebenserwartung - www.hardwaretidende.Dk - however, and does not tell you if a dog will develop degenerative myelopathy or any other spinal disorders later in the course of.

Socialization

GSDs require intense physical exercise, training, and mental stimulation to stay occupied. They get bored very easily and their inactivity can lead to destructive behavior like excessive digging or chewing on shoes. Often, these behaviors are a result of not being able to satisfy their emotional needs. This is why early socialization is so important for German Shepherd puppies. Proper socialization can help the puppy gain confidence around new people and situations. It also reduces the likelihood that the puppy will grow anxious or aggressive in new 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 cope with their boisterous, and sometimes rough siblings. The puppies are also exposed to a variety of smells, sights, and sounds. The puppies are taught how to behave in the group. This is essential to their success as adults.

Introduce the puppy to a variety of household sounds, including vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances, and doorbells. The puppy should be exposed sounds outside, like sirens, traffic and construction. This is important to ensure that the puppy doesn't become fearful or anxious of these stimuli. The puppy will be exposed to these stimuli at an ease pace and positive reinforcement will be utilized throughout the process.

During this time, it's also important that the puppy gets to meet many different pets and people. This will help prevent 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 dogs.

The puppy should only be allowed to interact in a controlled, safe way with other dogs. At first, the interaction should be confined to ensure that the puppy isn't overwhelmed. The puppy should also be allowed to be around calmer, German Shepherd buy puppy older, gentle dogs. This will help your puppy see that larger, older dogs do not have to be scary. It can also aid in developing an excellent attitude.

Training

German Shepherds require regular, strict obedience training. It is essential to get them into a class as soon as you can and especially when they are still young. This will help them become confident, well-mannered dogs. It's also a great time to introduce them to basic commands like sit down, stay and sit. The earlier a dog can learn these basic behaviors the more easy it is for them to follow your instructions as they get older.

Territorial aggression is a problem for many families with German Shepherds. They might be extremely protective of their home and property which could lead to them barking at people or animals who venture into their territory. Proper training, exercise and socialization can reduce territorial behavior.

Training in obedience can also help prevent other issues with behavior in German Shepherds. A dog that doesn't possess the proper obedience training can become a nuisance or even a danger to their family members and neighbors. They can easily be distracted by other pets or toys, or even children and ignore basic commands like "sit" or "down."

In the early years of their puppyhood, it's important to continue to introduce your German Shepherds with new people places, sights, and sounds. This is especially important before the puppy turns 16 weeks old as their brains are in a critical phase of development. If your German Shepherd is a protected puppy they'll likely encounter new experiences much more challenging as an adult and be more susceptible to anxiety-based aggression and fear.

Many dog owners don't realize that a German Shepherd requires mental and Reinrassiger deutscher schäFerhund welpe physical exercise to be calm and happy. German Shepherds are herding breeds by nature, and have a strong desire to please their owners as well as work. If they don't get enough exercise they can become bored or destructive. Regular exercise strengthens muscles and reduces "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!