How to Buy a German Shepherd Puppy

You're making a big commitment when you purchase the German Shepherd pup. You'll be responsible for the health, training, einen deutschen Schäferhund Kaufen and mental stability of your dog for many years.

Online sources and pet stores offer puppies, which are typically from puppy mills, which prioritize profit over the well-being of animals. Choose 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. Breeders who are responsible will be happy to give you information about their dogs and breeding practices. They will be willing to discuss health and genetic testing, early socialization, and the environment where their puppies are being raised.

The best place to start is to contact your local German Shepherd club or other organization. The breed clubs typically have a secretary, or puppy officer, who can guide you to reputable breeders. You can also contact your state animal control agency for a list of licensed breeders.

Once you've identified a breeder that meets breeding standards, make sure you take the time to meet them in person. Look for a clean facility where the mother and puppies are kept in a safe environment. You should inquire about the parents and deutscher schäferhund kaufen Schweiz siblings of the puppy. You'll want to be aware if they've been screened for any hereditary conditions such as hip dysplasia and eye problems.

A responsible breeder should be in a position to provide you with a copy of your puppy's medical record and the most current schedule of shots. They should have a good working relationship with a vet who can conduct all the required tests and vaccines. They will be able to tell you the vet's name and telephone number and give you consultation notes.

It's also a good idea to ask the breeder if they have any concerns about your lifestyle or living circumstances that could stop them from offering you a puppy. If they know you have young children they might not want to offer you a 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. This contract should include the names of the parents, as well as their AKC registration numbers, as along with a return-to-breeder clause. This is an excellent way for responsible breeders to track their dogs and make sure they are placed in good homes.

Health Tests

Breeders with a good reputation will check the health of the dogs they intend to use as breeding stock. This is to ensure that they don't breed puppies with an inherited disease. These tests include hip dysplasia, buy german shepherd dog austria elbow dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy GDV and Bloat.

Breeders who are trustworthy are determined to understand the temperaments and health status 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 take certain tests on their dogs. Breed clubs for German Shepherds also suggest that breeders perform additional tests.

These health tests look for genetic disorders that affect the German Shepherd Dog as a whole. These tests also help breeders make better mating decisions that can reduce the risk of hereditary illnesses in the next generations.

Typical genetic tests include

Hip Dysplasia

The elbow dysplasia and the hip are a common problem in German Shepherds and sufferers from the condition in their front legs. These joint conditions that cause degeneration cause discomfort and pain, but can be managed through weight control, activity limitations and supplements as well as medications. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals receives the X-rays with sedation to ensure that the results are accurate.

The OFA test is designed to detect the presence of hemivertebras, german shepherd kaufen butterfly vertebras, block vertebra, lumbar-sacral transformational vertebrae (LSTV), spondylosis and spina bifida. This test isn't 100% reliable however, and it does not tell you if the dog will develop degenerative myelopathy, or other spinal diseases later in the course of.

Socialization

GSDs require rigorous physical exercise as well as training and mental stimulation to keep them occupied. They can easily become bored and a lack of exercise could lead to destructive behaviors such as eating excessively or digging shoes. The majority of these behaviors stem from not being able to satisfy their emotional needs. Socialization early is essential for German Shepherd pups. A good socialization program helps the puppy gain confidence in new people and situations. It also reduces the risk that the puppy will grow 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 cope with their boisterous, sometimes rough siblings. The pups are also exposed to various sights, sounds and smells. The puppies learn to behave appropriately in a group environment, which is essential to their success as adult dogs.

Introduce the puppy to different household sounds, including vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances and doorbells. The puppy should be exposed to a variety of sounds outside, including traffic, sirens and construction. This is important to ensure that the puppy does not develop afraid or anxious of these sounds. The puppy should be exposed to all of this at a comfortable pace and positive reinforcements will be utilized throughout the process.

During this time, it is crucial that the puppy meets many different animals and people. This will help to prevent anxiety about separation when the owner is away from home. An excellent example is when a dog is taken to puppy classes, dog parks or play dates with other dogs.

The puppy should be allowed to interact in a controlled, safe way with other dogs. At first, the interaction should be confined so that the pup does not feel overwhelmed. The puppy should be able to interact with older, more relaxed and calm dogs. This will help your puppy understand that larger, older dogs don't have to be frightening. It can also help them develop a good attitude.

Training

German Shepherds require regular, strict obedience training. It is essential to enroll them in an obedience class as soon as you can and especially when they are still young. This will help them develop into confident and well-mannered dogs. It is also a good time to make them familiar with the basic commands like sit, down, stay and come. The earlier you begin teaching your dog these basic behaviors and commands, they'll be more likely to follow your commands as they grow older.

Territorial aggression is a typical issue for a lot of German Shepherd owners. They may be overly guarded of their home and property and this can result in them barking at people or animals that enter their area. Training, exercise and socialization can help to prevent territorial behavior.

Obedience training will also help prevent other issues with behavior deutscher schäferhund Welpen Kaufen in German Shepherds. Dogs that don't have the right obedience training could become a nuisance or even a danger to family members and neighbors. They can easily be distracted by other pets or toys, or even children and disregard basic commands such as "sit" or "down."

During the puppy years it is important to continue to socialize your German Shepherds with new people, places and sounds. This is especially important prior to when they reach 16 weeks old because they are in an important phase of brain development during this time. If your German shepherd is a quiet puppy until then it is likely to be much more difficult for them to learn new things once they are an adult. They could also be more prone to fear-based aggression or anxiety.

Many dog owners do not realize that a German Shepherd requires mental and physical exercise to be content and peaceful. German Shepherds are herding breeds by nature, and they are driven to please their owners and work. If they don't exercise enough they can become bored or destructive. Regular exercise tones muscles and decreases "cabin-fever." It also improves circulation, aids in weight loss and helps reduce "cabin-fever." It's an excellent way to bond with your German Shepherd as well!