How to Buy a German Shepherd Puppy
You're making a big commitment when you purchase the German Shepherd pup. You will be responsible for many years for the health and training of your dog.
Pet stores and online retailers typically sell puppies from puppy mills who place profits over the welfare of the animal. Select a reputable breeding facility instead.
Choosing a Reputable Breeder
It is important to be aware of your breeder before you purchase a German Shepherd puppy. Breeders who are responsible will be delighted to give you details about their dogs and breeding practices. They will be happy to discuss health and genetic testing early socialization, as well as the environment in which their puppies are raised.
The best place to begin is to contact your local German Shepherd club or organization. Most breed clubs have an officer or secretary who can point you in the right direction for credible breeders in your region. You can also contact your state animal control agency to get a list of licensed breeders.
Make the effort to meet with a breeder in person once you've found one who meets your breeding standards. You should search for an environment that is clean and comfortable in which the mother dog and her puppies are kept. Ask about the puppy's fathers and siblings. You want to see proof that they've been checked for hereditary disorders like hip dysplasia, eye problems, heart disease, and Degenerative Myelopathy.
A responsible breeder should 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 great relationship with a vet who can carry out all the necessary tests and vaccinations. They will be able give you the name of the doctor and his phone number and will provide you with records of your consultation.
Ask the breeder about any concerns they have regarding your lifestyle and living situation. This could stop them from selling the puppy to you. If they are aware that you have children and they are concerned about your children's safety, they might not wish to offer 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. The contract should contain information about the parents, their AKC registration number, and a clause allowing them to return the puppy to the breeder. This is a great method for responsible breeders to track their dogs and make sure they are placed in good homes.
Health Tests
Breeders who are trustworthy will examine the health of the dogs they intend to breed as breeding stock. This is to ensure that they don't create pups with inherited disease. These tests include hip dysplasia as well as elbow dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy GDV and Bloat.
In addition to health screenings breeders who are trustworthy gain personal knowledge of the health and temperament of each dog they own. They also share this information in full and openly with other breeders and potential buyers.
The Kennel Club's Assured Breeder Scheme requires members to perform certain tests on their dogs. Breed clubs for German Shepherds also suggest that breeders conduct additional tests.
These health tests look for genetic diseases that affect the German Shepherd Dog as a whole. These tests also allow breeders make better mating decisions that can reduce the risk of hereditary diseases in future generations.
Common genetic tests include
Hip Dysplasia
German Shepherds are at risk of elbow and hip dysplasia, particularly in the front limbs. These joint disorders that cause degeneration cause pain and discomfort, but can be managed by the control of weight, exercise restrictions, supplements, and drugs. The X-rays are made under conscious sedation to obtain exact results. Then, they are sent to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).
The OFA test looks for hemivertebrae, butterfly vertebrae, block vertebrae and lumbar-sacral vertebrae (LSTV) as well as spondylosis and spina bifida. The test is not 100% reliable and cannot tell whether a dog's spinal condition will be degenerative myelopathy.
deutscher schäferhund kaufen schweiz need rigorous physical exercise, training and mental stimulation to keep engaged. They can easily become bored and their inactivity can result in destructive behavior such as excessive digging or chewing up shoes. Often, these behaviors are a result of unmet emotional requirements. This is why early socialization is so vital for German Shepherd puppies. A good socialization program helps the puppy gain confidence with new people and situations. It also decreases the chance that the puppy will become fearful or aggressive in unfamiliar situations.
The mother and her littermates play together and interact with one another. This teaches puppies 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 a group. This is vital to their success as adults.
The puppy should be introduced to various household sounds such as doorbells, vacuum cleaners and kitchen appliances. The puppy should also be exposed to different outdoor sounds such as traffic, sirens and construction. This is important to ensure that the puppy doesn't become afraid or anxious of these stimuli. The puppy will be exposed to these stimuli at an ease rate and positive reinforcement is utilized throughout the process.
It is also crucial for a puppy to get to know many different people during this period, along with other pets. This can help prevent anxiety over separation when the owner is away from home. One good example is when the dog is taken to puppy classes, dog parks or play dates with other dogs.
The puppy should be able to interact with other dogs in a safe well-controlled manner. The interaction should be limited initially so that the puppy doesn't become overwhelmed. The puppy should also be able to interact with older, calmer and doggies who are friendly. This will help the puppy understand that not all larger, older dogs are fearsome and will help them to develop a good temperament.
Training
German Shepherds need firm regular obedience training. It is important to enroll them in a class as soon as possible, especially while they are still young. This will help them develop into confident and well-mannered dogs. This is also a great time to make them familiar with the basics of commands such as sit down, down, stay and come. The earlier a dog learns these basic commands, the more easy it will be for them to follow your commands as they get older.
Territorial aggression is a typical problem for many German Shepherd owners. They can be extremely protective of their home and property, resulting in barking or yelling at any animal or person who enters their territory. Territorial behavior is averted through proper training, exercise, and socialization.
Obedience training will also help to prevent other problems with behavior in German Shepherds. Dogs who aren't properly trained may cause trouble for their neighbors and family members. They can be easily distracted by other pets, toys, or children. They might not pay attention to basic commands like "sit" and "down."
During their puppy years, it's important to continue to socialize your German Shepherds with new people, places, sights and sounds. This is especially important prior to when the puppy turns 16 weeks old as their brains are in an important stage of development. If your German Shepherd is a protected puppy they'll likely face new experiences to be more difficult as an adult and be more susceptible to anxiety and fear-based aggression.
Many dog owners do not realize that a German Shepherd requires mental and physical exercise in order to be calm and happy. German Shepherds are herding breeds by nature, and are driven to please their owners and work. If they don't exercise enough they can become bored or even destructive. Regular exercise helps tone muscles, reduces "cabin fever," improves circulation and helps with weight loss. It's a great way to connect with your German Shepherd as well!