How to Buy a German Shepherd Puppy
When you purchase a German Shepherd puppy, you're making a big commitment. You will be responsible, for many years, for the health and education of your dog.
Pet stores and online sources generally sell puppies from puppy mills that place profits over the welfare of the animal. Choose a reputable breeding facility instead.
Selecting a Breeder with a Good Reputation
Before you purchase a German Shepherd pup, it's important to get to know the breeder. Breeders who are responsible will be delighted to share details about their dogs as well as breeding practices. Breeders will be happy to provide details about their dogs and practices with you.
Your local German Shepherd club or organization is the best place to start. this content of breed associations have an officer for puppy or secretary who can point you to credible breeders in your region. If you prefer, you can contact your state animal control agency to get an inventory of licensed breeders.
If you've found a breeder who has good breeding standards, make sure you take the time to meet them in person. You should look for an environment that is clean and comfortable where the mother dog and her puppies are confined. Find out about the puppy's parents and siblings. You would like to verify that they've been examined for hereditary conditions like hip dysplasia, eye problems, heart disease and Degenerative Myelopathy.
A responsible breeder should be able to supply you with a copy your puppy's medical record and the most current vaccination schedule. They should have a solid working relationship with a vet who is able to perform all required tests and vaccines. They should be able provide you with the name of the doctor as well as the number of his phone and provide you with consultation notes.
Ask the breeder about any concerns they have about your lifestyle and living situation. This may hinder them from selling the puppy to you. If they are aware that you have young kids, they may not want to offer you a German Shepherd puppy because they are known to be aggressive with children.
You should also expect an established breeder to require you to sign an agreement to purchase your German Shepherd puppy. The contract should contain details about the parents and their AKC registration number and the clause that allows them to return the puppy to the breeder. This is a great way for responsible breeders to track their dogs and make sure they go to good homes.
Health Tests for Health
Breeders who are reputable conduct health tests on the dogs that form part of their breeding stock. This is to ensure that they don't produce puppies with an inherited disease. These tests include hip and elbow dysplasia, myelopathy degenerative and GDV (also known as bloat).
Breeders who are reputable strive to know the temperaments and health conditions of every dog they have. They are also able to freely and openly give this information to other breeders and potential buyers.
As part of the Kennel Club's Assured breeder program members are required to conduct certain tests with their dogs. The breed clubs for German shepherds also suggest that breeders conduct additional tests.
These tests are designed to detect genetic disorders that affect the German Shepherd Dog as a whole. These tests also allow breeders make better mating decisions that will reduce the incidences of hereditary illnesses in the next generations.
Typical genetic tests include
Hip Dysplasia
The elbow dysplasia and the hip are common issues in German Shepherds with the latter suffering from the condition in their front limbs. These joint diseases cause pain and discomfort, but can be managed through exercise restrictions, weight control and supplements as well as medications. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals receives the X-rays under sedation to ensure the accuracy of the results.
The OFA test is a check for the presence of hemivertebrae as well as butterfly vertebrae. block vertebrae and lumbar-sacral vertebrae (LSTV) and spondylosis and spina bifida. This test isn't 100% reliable and cannot tell the likelihood that a dog's spinal problem is degenerative myelopathy.
Socialization
GSDs require a lot of physical activity along with training and mental stimulation to keep them engaged. visit the up coming internet site can easily become bored and inactivity can lead to destructive behavior such as eating excessively or digging shoes. These behaviors are usually the result of unmet emotional needs. This is why early socialization is so vital for German Shepherd puppies. Proper socialization helps the pup build confidence with new people and situations. It also decreases the chance that the puppy will be fearful or aggressive when in unfamiliar situations.
Puppy socialization starts with the mother and her littermates as they play and interact. This teaches puppies appropriate social signals and how to cope with their boisterous and sometimes rough, siblings. It also exposes the pups to a wide range of smells, sights, and sounds. The puppies are taught how to behave in a group. This is crucial to their success as adults.
Introduce the puppy to different household sounds, including vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances and doorbells. The puppy should be exposed to different sounds outside, such as sirens, traffic, and construction. This is essential to ensure that the puppy does not grow up fearful or anxious of these stimuli. The puppy will be exposed to these stimuli at a moderate pace and positive reinforcement will be used throughout the process.
It is also very important for a puppy to get to know many different people over this time, in addition to other pets. This can reduce separation anxiety when 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 able to interact with the other dogs in a safe well-controlled manner. The interactions should be tempered initially to ensure that the puppy does not become overwhelmed. The puppy should be able to interact with older, more relaxed and calm dogs. This will help your puppy understand that older, larger dogs do not need to be terrifying. It can also aid in developing a good attitude.
Training
German Shepherds require regular, strict obedience training. It is crucial to get them into an early training class, especially when they are still young. This will help them become confident and well-mannered dogs. It's also a good time to familiarize them with basic commands, such as sit down, sit and stay. The earlier you teach your dog these basic skills and commands, they'll be more likely to follow your instructions as they grow older.
Territorial aggression is a problem in many families with German Shepherds. They might be incredibly protective of their home and property, leading to screaming or groaning at other those who enter their area of. Proper training, exercise and socialization can help to prevent territorial behavior.
Obedience training will also help to prevent other issues with behavior in German Shepherds. Dogs that don't have proper obedience training can become a nuisance or even a threat to their family members and neighbors. They are often distracted by other pets, toys, or children. They may ignore basic commands like "sit" and "down."
During the puppy years, you should continue to socialize your German Shepherds to new people, places and sounds. This is particularly important when the puppy turns 16 weeks old as their brains are in an important phase of development. If your German shepherd is a protected puppy prior to this it is likely to be much more difficult for them to master new things when they become adults. They may also be more prone towards anxiety or fear-based aggression.
Many dog owners do not realize that a German Shepherd requires mental and physical exercise to be calm and happy. German Shepherds are herding breeds by nature, and they are driven to please their owners as well as work. If they don't exercise enough they can become bored or even destructive. Regular exercise tones muscles and reduces "cabin-fever." It also improves circulation, aids in weight loss, and reduces "cabin-fever." It's a great way to be a part of your German Shepherd also!