Knowing how to choose a German Shepherd puppy is to ask yourself about your lifestyle. Are you at home to devote time and training to their growth? What open space environment is your home? German Shepherds are on the no dog list in apartment buildings.
Do you have a family with other pets? Also, a good breeder will ask you why do you want this particular breed? The breeder should be concerned that a German Shepherd puppy is being placed within the best living environment.
Here are some insights to help you bring home the perfect German Shepherd puppy:
Types of German Shepherd Puppies
Pure-bred German Shepherd puppies are available in a variety of colors and built. Dog breed organizations have narrowed their category into Show Line and Working Line Shepherds:
- Saddle-Coat: this is the more common look of a German Shepherd. The typical description is light brown and black.
- Black: Rare and beautiful. Their coloring is either all black or a deep dark bluish hair tint.
- Panda: their coloring consists of black, white, and tan. This is their natural coloring, not contributed to being a mixed breed.
- Sable: A unique coloring of this breed consists of light black, grey, tan, or gold. As puppies, the Sable German Shepherd puppies are fully tan. As they age, fur begins to develop stronger natural colors.
- White: No, this German Shepherd breed is not due to albino coloring. Though rate, white is their natural coloring. This German Shepherd puppy will be smaller in size, whether male or female.
Who’s A Good Boy!
The reason for this question is that German Shepherds are intelligent and engaging breeds. They can be trained to thrive in any situation and climate. Their ability to cope in any situation is amazing. German Shepherds make great companions, protective family pets, and they are hard workers.
Knowing how to choose a German Shepherd puppy, you are wondering what things you should look for. As a potential owner, look at the puppy’s activity levels and how engaging it is. In other words, you are looking to see if it has a good temperament. German Shephard puppies demand and exhibit affection rather aggressively.
Parental Traits
If you are choosing a puppy from a kennel or a breeder, inquire about its parental background. You want to know if both parents were healthy and friendly. Also, ask if the puppy’s parents are certified Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) or American Kennel Club (AKC) registered.
Carefully Examine the Puppy
You want to look again for a puppy that is active and healthy. To choose the best German Shepherd puppy, you must become an amateur canine detective and examine the puppy closely. Here are things to look for:
- A German Shepherd puppy should not look thin. Instead, they should look full-bodied.
- Their eyes should appear bright and clear.
- Also, you must invade their personal space by examining their butt area to make sure it is clean.
- Their nose should be clean and not runny.
- Their teeth and gums look healthy.
- Their hair coat should not have bald spots and should not be matted.
- Your German Shepherd puppy should be free from odors.
- Pick a puppy that has a good gait, and their tail is up and actively wagging.
Also read: How much is a German Shepherd puppy
Don’t Take A Puppy Away from Mommy Too Soon.
All puppies need their mothers when they are very young. They must nurse and learn life’s behaviors from mom that will prepare them for later in life. A German Shepherd puppy can be purchased when they are between the ages of eight and twelve weeks old.
If you decide on an older puppy, just make sure that it has retained its socialization skills with both people and other animals.
Make sure that the puppy has gotten all its vaccinations and deworming medication. However, within 48 hours of purchase, take your German Shepherd puppy to your vet for a complete exam.
The Kennel or Breeder Environment
Whether you are purchasing your German Shepherd puppy from a kennel or a private seller, look at the conditions of both. How does the kennel look to you? How does the breeder’s environment look?
Both kennels and private breeder yards should be clean, and all puppies should have clean water. Please do not buy a German Shepherd puppy from a breeder where the conditions are unclean.
How Instinctive Are You?
Many potential dog-owners state that they knew that this was the one when they first saw their puppy. We all have instincts; therefore, you will know what the right buying environment is when you look at the puppies. If you get a feeling that something is not right, leave and find a different breeder.
When you purchase your German Shepherd puppy and bring that bundle of joy home, you want to feel confident that you have made the best decision. After all, the relationship with your German Shepherd puppy can last easily for up to thirteen years.
Male vs. Female German Shepherd
There are many people who only choose a German Shepherd puppy because of their gender or appearance. What is most important in purchasing any puppy is their physical and mental stability.
Gender and looks should never be a deciding factor when choosing a dog that will live in your family for the next 12 years or more. Please perform thorough breeder research so that you can choose the right German Shepherd puppy that will fit into your living lifestyle for years to come.
There aren’t any major differences between choosing a female or male German Shepherd puppy. Do you want to select a female puppy for future breeding? If not, both your male and female German Shepherd puppy should be spayed and neutered.
Female German Shepherds are found to have a sweeter temperament than their male counterparts. Male German Shepherds are more territorial. They also are a little more stubborn and proud.
Male German Shepherds are generally larger than their female counterparts. The male can grow to a height range of up to 26 inches. Meanwhile, the female can grow to a height of up to 24 inches tall. Their weight will range from a full-bodied 75 to 95 pounds.
When you are trying to decide whether to purchase a male vs. female puppy, don’t stress because both German Shepherd genders require socialization training, especially if you have children or other pets. They make excellent watchdogs.
Socialize
Therefore, if you are going to be around other individuals each day, your German Shepherd puppy must be trained to accept people outside their family unit.
Introduce your German Shepherd puppy to strangers so that they will feel comfortable in front of people. By introducing them to strangers, will help them stay calm.
Important Things About a German Shepherd Puppy
- The German Shepherd breed requires companionship. They do not like to be left alone for too long. Because they were originally bred for herding, German Shepherds have high energy and thus require physical and mental stimulation.
- Make sure you have the time and patience to own a German Shepherd puppy. In patiently taking time with their active habits, it will work out to your benefit. They become loyal and loving breeds, especially when raised in a family setting.
- Remember the TV show Dog Whisperer? The host always referred to a dog requiring a pack leader. German Shepherds must learn that you are the pack leader. If not, they will take the dominant lead, and this is not good. They must be trained and actively exercised to be happy.
- German Shepherds love to explore and investigate everything. If you live in an area where there are porcupines, lookout. Young German Shepherd puppies will probably come home with quills all over their body.
- You would think that this lesson of leaving the porcupines alone would get “stuck” in their mind after one experience. Well, you would be wrong. A German Shepherd puppy will want to correct this wrong and approach another porcupine!
- Grooming a German Shepherd puppy is simple and easy. Yes, they do shed year-round, so brush them occasionally. But mostly keep their nails trimmed, their teeth and ears cleaned.
- Dog breeders believe that to help your new German Shepherd puppy adjust from a litter to your new home, they should be crate trained. They need to feel safe and comfortable. Crate training is a learning experience for a German Shepherd puppy, but it eventually helps them get used to a family who perhaps must go off to work every day.