How to Buy a German Shepherd Puppy
You're taking a huge risk when you purchase the German Shepherd pup. You will be responsible for a long time for the health and education of your dog.
Pet stores and online sources generally sell puppies from puppy mills that place profit over animal well-being. Choose a reputable breeding center instead.
How to Choose a Reputable Breeder
Before purchasing a German Shepherd pup, it's essential to get acquainted with the breeder. Breeders who are responsible will be happy to give you details about their dogs as well as breeding practices. They will be happy to discuss genetic and health testing early socialization, as well as the environment where their puppies are being raised.
Your local German Shepherd organization or club is the best place to begin. Breed clubs usually have a secretary, or puppy officer, who can direct you to reputable breeders. Alternatively, you can contact your state animal control agency for a list of licensed breeders.
If you've found a breeder with good breeding standards, make sure you take the time to meet them in person. You should look for a clean, comfortable facility in which the puppy and the mother dog are kept in a secure. Ask about the puppy's parents and siblings; you want to see proof that they were checked for hereditary disorders such as hip dysplasia, eye problems, heart disease, and Degenerative Myelopathy.
A responsible breeder should be capable of providing you with a copy of your puppy's medical record and an up-to-date shot schedule. They should have a great working relationship with a vet who can perform all necessary tests and vaccinations. They can give you the name of the veterinarian and his phone number and will provide you with the records of consultation.
Ask the breeder about any concerns they may have regarding your lifestyle and living situation. This may stop the breeder from selling a puppy to you. If they know you have young kids they might not want to sell you an German Shepherd puppy because they can be aggressive towards children.
You should also expect an accredited breeder to ask you to sign a contract for the purchase of your German Shepherd puppy. The contract should contain the names of the parents, as well as their AKC registration numbers, as along with a return-to-breeder clause. This is a crucial way for a responsible breeder to keep track of their dogs and ensure that they are going to good homes.
Health Tests for Health
Breeders who are reputable will examine the health of the dogs they plan to use as 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).
Breeders who are reputable seek to be aware of the temperaments and health issues of every dog they own. They also are able to freely and completely give this information to other breeders as well as prospective buyers.
As part of the Kennel Club's Assured breeder scheme, members are required to perform certain tests on their dogs. Breed clubs for German Shepherds also recommend that breeders perform additional tests.
These health tests look for genetic diseases that affect the German Shepherd Dog as a whole. They also help breeders make better informed decisions about mating, which will reduce the incidence of hereditary disease in the coming generations.
Common genetic tests include:
Hip Dysplasia
Hip and elbow dysplasia are common issues in German Shepherds and sufferers from the condition that affects their front limbs. These degenerative joint diseases cause discomfort and pain, but can be managed by weight control, activity restrictions supplements, and medications. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals receives the X-rays under sedation to ensure accurate results.
The OFA test looks for the presence of hemivertebra, butterfly vertebra block vertebra, lumbar-sacral transformational vertebrae (LSTV), spondylosis and spina bifida. The test is not 100% reliable and cannot tell the likelihood that a dog's spinal problem is degenerative myelopathy.
Socialization
GSDs require intense physical exercise along with training and mental stimulation to keep them busy. They are easily bored and their inactivity can result in destructive behavior such as excessive digging or chewing on shoes. These behaviors are usually due to unmet emotional requirements. This is why early socialization is so important for German Shepherd puppies. Proper socialization can help the puppy build confidence around new people and situations. It also reduces the likelihood that the puppy will become anxious or aggressive in new situations.
Puppy socialization starts with the mother and her littermates as they play and interact. This teaches the puppies appropriate social signals and how to cope with their boisterous, sometimes rough, siblings. The puppies are also exposed to a variety kinds of sounds, sights and smells. The puppies learn to behave in a group, which is key to their success as adult dogs.
The puppy should be exposed to various household sounds including vacuum cleaners, doorbells and kitchen appliances. The puppy should also be exposed to different outdoor sounds such as sirens, traffic, and construction. This is very important to ensure that the puppy does not be scared or anxious of these situations as an adult. The puppy should be exposed to all of this at a comfortable pace and positive reinforcements will be used throughout the process.
During this time, it's essential that the puppy meets many different people and pets. This will help prevent 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 dogs.
The puppy should be allowed to interact in a controlled, secure way with other dogs. At first, the interaction should be restricted so that the pup isn't overwhelmed. The puppy should be allowed to interact with older, more relaxed, calmer dogs. This will help the puppy to realize that not all larger, older dogs are fearsome and helps them develop a good temperament.
Training
German Shepherds require constant, consistent obedience training. schäferhundwelpen kaufen is crucial to get them into classes early especially when they're still puppies. This will help them become confident and well-mannered dogs. It is also a good moment to familiarize them with the basics of commands such as sit down, down, stay and come. The earlier a dog is taught these basic commands and commands, the more simple it is for them to follow your commands as they grow older.
Territorial aggression can be a problem in many families with German Shepherds. They may be extremely cautious of their property and homes which could lead to them barking at people or animals that enter their area. Territorial behavior is averted through the proper training, exercise and socialization.
Obedience training can aid in preventing other behavioral problems in German Shepherds. Dogs that don't have the right obedience training could be a nuisance, or even a threat to their family members and neighbors. They are easily distracted by other pets, toys, or children. They may not be able to follow simple commands such as "sit" and "down."
In reinrassiger deutscher schäferhund welpe of puppyhood it is important to continue to introduce your German Shepherds with new people, places and sounds. This is especially important when they reach the age of 16 weeks, as they go through a critical period of brain development during this period. If your German Shepherd is a sheltered puppy until that point, they will likely find new experiences to be more difficult in adulthood and will be more prone to anxiety and fear-based aggression.
One thing that a lot of dog owners aren't aware of is that a German Shepherd needs lots of physical as well as mental exercise to stay calm and happy. German Shepherds are herding breeds by nature, and they have a strong desire to please their owners as well as work. If they don't get enough exercise they could become bored or even destructive. Regular exercise helps tone muscles and reduces "cabin-fever." It helps improve circulation, assists in weight loss and decreases "cabin-fever." It's also a great method to bond with your German shepherd!