How to Buy a German Shepherd Puppy

You're making a big commitment when you purchase a German Shepherd pup. You'll be accountable, for many years, for the training and health of your dog.

Pet stores and online sources typically sell puppies from puppy mills that place profit over animal well-being. Select a reputable breeding facility instead.

How to Select a Reputable Breeder

It's important to be aware of your breeder before you purchase a German Shepherd puppy. Responsible breeders will be willing to provide information about their dogs and the ways they treat you. Breeders will be happy to share information about their dogs as well as practices with you.

The best place to begin is to contact your local German Shepherd club or other organization. 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.

Once you've identified a breeder with good breeding standards, take the time to meet them in person. Look for a clean facility where the mother and pups are kept in a safe environment. You should inquire about the parents and siblings of the puppy. You'll want to be aware if they've been screened for hereditary issues like hip dysplasia, and eye problems.

A responsible breeder will also be able to provide you with a copy of your puppy's medical records and the most current schedule of shots. They should have a great working relationship with a vet who can carry out all required tests and vaccines. They should be able tell you the vet's name and phone number, and also give you consultation notes.

Ask the breeder about any concerns they have about your lifestyle and living circumstances. This may prevent them from selling the puppy to you. For instance, if they know you have young children, they may be hesitant to sell you a puppy since German Shepherds are known to be aggressive with children.

You should also expect an established breeder to ask you to sign an agreement for the purchase of your German Shepherd puppy. The contract should include information about the parents as well as their AKC registration number, and the clause that allows them to return the puppy to the breeder. This is an excellent way for responsible breeders to keep track of their dogs and make sure they are placed in good homes.

Health Tests

Reputable breeders undertake health tests on the dogs that will form part of their breeding collection. This is to ensure that they do not produce puppies with an inherited disease. These tests include hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, as well as degenerative myelopathy, GDV and bloat.

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

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

These tests check for genetic diseases that affect the German Shepherd Dog as a whole. They also permit breeders to make more informed mating decisions which will decrease the chance of developing hereditary diseases in the coming generations.

Common genetic tests include

Hip Dysplasia

Hip and elbow dysplasia are common problems in German Shepherds with the latter suffering from the condition that affects their front legs. These joint diseases cause discomfort and pain but they can be treated with the control of weight, exercise limitations, supplements and drugs. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals receives the X-rays while sedating to ensure that the results are accurate.

The OFA test is designed to detect the presence of hemivertebras, butterfly vertebras, block vertebra, lumbar-sacral transformational vertebrae (LSTV) as well as spondylosis, hemivertebra and schäferhund baby kaufen schäferhundwelpen kaufen schäferhund welpe kaufen (click here to visit Sinara Group for free) spina bifida. This test is not impervious and cannot predict whether a dog's condition is degenerative myelopathy.

Socialization

GSDs require intense physical exercise, training, and mental stimulation to stay engaged. They can easily become bored and their inactivity can result in destructive behaviors such as excessive digging or chewing up shoes. These behaviors are often the result of unmet emotional requirements. This is why early socialization is so crucial for German Shepherd puppies. Proper socialization helps the puppy to build confidence around new people and different environments. It also decreases the chance that the puppy will be scared or aggressive in new situations.

Puppy socialization starts with the mother and her littermates as they play and interact. This teaches puppies appropriate social signals and how to deal with their boisterous, and sometimes rough, siblings. The puppies are also exposed to a wide range of smells, sights and blaue schäferhunde sounds. The puppies are taught to behave in the group. This is vital to their success as adults.

The puppy should be exposed to a variety of household noises including vacuum cleaners, doorbells and kitchen appliances. The puppy should also be exposed various outdoor sounds like sirens, traffic and construction. This is important to ensure that the puppy doesn't develop scared or anxious about these types of stimuli. The puppy should be exposed to all of this at a comfortable pace and positive reinforcement will be used throughout the process.

During this period, it is also important that the puppy interacts with different pets 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 be able to interact with other dogs in a secure well-controlled manner. The interactions should be tempered at first so that the puppy doesn't become overwhelmed. The puppy should be allowed to interact with older, more friendly and calm dogs. This will help your puppy see that larger, older dogs do not need to be terrifying. It can also help them develop an excellent attitude.

Training

German Shepherds require constant, consistent obedience training. It is crucial to start an early training class especially when they're still young. This will help them become confident, well-mannered dogs. This is also a good time to get them familiar with the basics of commands such as sit down, down, stay and come. The earlier you teach your dog these basic behaviors they'll be more likely to obey your instructions as they grow older.

Territorial aggression can be a problem for many families with German Shepherds. They might be incredibly protective of their homes and property, leading to screaming or groaning at other any animal or person who enters their territory. Territorial behavior can be slowed by the proper training, exercise and socialization.

Training in obedience can also help to prevent other problems with behavior in German Shepherds. Dogs that are not properly trained could cause annoyance to their neighbors and family members. They can easily be distracted by other animals toys or children, and ignore basic commands like "sit" or "down."

In the early years of puppyhood it is important to continue to introduce your German Shepherds with new people, places, and sounds. This is especially important before the puppy reaches 16 weeks as their brains are in a critical phase of development. If your German Shepherd is a protected puppy, they will likely find new experiences more difficult in adulthood and will be more prone to anxiety and 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 content. German Shepherds are herding breeds by nature, and they are driven to please their owners and work. If they don't get enough exercise they can become bored or reinrassiger schäferhund even destructive. Regular exercise can tone 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!