How to Buy a German Shepherd Puppy
You're making a significant commitment when you purchase the German Shepherd pup. You'll be responsible for the health, training, and mental stability of your dog over many years.
Online sources and pet stores sell puppies that are usually from puppy mills, which place profit ahead of the health of animals. Choose a reputable breeding center instead.
How to Choose a Reputable Breeder
It's essential to get acquainted with your breeder prior to you buy a German Shepherd puppy. Responsible breeders will be willing to provide information about their dogs and their practices with you. Breeders will be happy to provide information about their dogs and practices with you.
The best place to begin is to contact your local German Shepherd club or organization. Breed clubs typically have a secretary, or puppy officer, who can direct you to breeders who are reputable. Alternatively, you can contact your state animal control agency to get the list of breeders who are licensed.
If you've found a breeder with good breeding standards, make sure you take the time to meet them in person. Look for a clean facility in which the mother and her puppies are kept in a safe environment. You should inquire about the parents and siblings of the puppy. You should be aware if they've been screened for hereditary issues such as hip dysplasia and eye issues.
A responsible breeder should be able to provide you with a copy of your puppy's medical records and an up-to-date shot schedule. They should have a great working relationship with a vet who can conduct all the necessary tests and vaccinations. 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 may have about your lifestyle or living situation. This may stop them from bringing the puppy to you. If they know you have young 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 established breeder to require you to sign a contract for the purchase of your German Shepherd puppy. The contract should include information about the parents and their AKC registration number and the clause that allows them to return the puppy to the breeder. This is an excellent method for responsible breeders to keep track of their dogs and ensure they are placed in good homes.
Health Tests
Reputable breeders undertake health tests on the dogs that form part of their breeding selection. This is to ensure that they don't produce pups with an inherited disease. These tests include hip and elbow dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy and GDV (also called Bloat).
In addition to health screenings, reputable breeders strive to acquire a personal understanding of the temperaments and health of each dog they own. They are also able to freely and openly share this information with other breeders as well as potential buyers.
As part of the Kennel Club's Assured breeder scheme, members are required to perform certain tests with their dogs. Breed clubs for German Shepherds also suggest that breeders take additional tests.
deutscher schäferhund pflege are designed to detect genetic disorders that affect the German Shepherd Dog as a whole. They also help breeders make more informed mating decisions, which will reduce the chance of developing hereditary diseases in the future.
The most common genetic tests are:
Hip Dysplasia
German Shepherds are prone to elbow and hip dysplasia particularly in the front limbs. These joint conditions that cause degeneration cause discomfort and pain, but can be managed through exercise restrictions, weight control, supplements and drugs. The X-rays are made under sedation, to get precise results, and then sent to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).
The OFA test is designed to detect the presence of hemivertebras, butterfly vertebras, block vertebra, lumbar sacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV), spondylosis and spina bifida. This test isn't foolproof and does not predict the likelihood that a dog's spinal problem will be degenerative myelopathy.
Socialization
GSDs require intense physical exercise along with training and mental stimulation to keep them occupied. They can easily become bored and their lack of activity can result in destructive behaviors like excessive digging or chewing on shoes. These behaviors are usually the result of unmet emotional requirements. Early socialization is important for German Shepherd pups. Proper socialization allows the pup to build confidence with new people and environments. It also reduces the risk that the puppy will become fearful or aggressive in unfamiliar situations.
The mother and her littermates play and interact with one another. This teaches the puppies appropriate social signals and how to deal 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.
The puppy should be exposed to various household sounds such as doorbells, vacuum cleaners and kitchen appliances. The puppy should be exposed to a variety of sounds outside, like sirens, traffic and construction. This is very important so that the puppy will not be scared or anxious of these stimuli as an adult. The puppy will be exposed to these stimuli at a comfortable rate and positive reinforcement is utilized throughout the process.
During this time, it is essential that the puppy interacts with different people and pets. 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 dogs.
The puppy should be able to interact with other dogs in a controlled 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 friendly, calmer dogs. This will allow the puppy realize that not all larger, older dogs are fearsome and will help them to develop a positive temperament.
Training
German Shepherds need strict and consistent obedience training. It is crucial to get them into a class early enough, especially while they are still young. This will help them develop into confident and well-mannered dogs. It's also a great opportunity to teach them basic commands like sit, down and stay. The earlier a dog can learn these basic commands the more simple it is for them to follow your commands as they get older.
schäferhunde kaufen is a problem in many families with German Shepherds. They may be overly concerned about their home and property, resulting in screaming or groaning at other those who enter their area of. Training, exercise and socialization can help to prevent territorial behavior.
Obedience training will 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 their neighbors. They can easily be distracted by other animals or toys, or even children and ignore basic commands such as "sit" or "down."
During the puppy years it is important to continue to socialize your German Shepherds to new locations, people and sounds. This is especially important before the puppy reaches 16 weeks, when their brains are going through a critical phase of development. If your German Shepherd is a quiet pup until then they'll likely face new experiences more difficult as an adult and be more prone to fear-based aggression and anxiety.
Many dog owners don't realize that a German Shepherd requires mental and physical exercise to be calm and happy. They are herders by nature and have a strong urge to work and please their humans and if they don't have enough to do, they may become bored or even destructive. Regular exercise helps tone muscles and reduces "cabin-fever." It also improves circulation, helps in weight loss, and decreases "cabin-fever." It's an excellent way to connect with your German Shepherd as well!