The German Shepherd is a truly unique breed of dog, which organically combines beauty, grace, strength and intelligence. With the right approach and correct education, reliable guards, excellent companions and loyal friends grow out of this breed of puppies. In order to protect yourself from mistakes associated with the acquisition of a defective or sick pet, you should consider a number of important recommendations for choosing a German Shepherd puppy. What do you need to pay attention to? What are the rules for choosing a puppy of this breed?
At what age is it better to take a puppy?
One of the very important criteria that should be considered before buying a pet is its age. Experienced breeders are advised not to take puppies under the age of 4 weeks. It is worth noting that this condition concerns the acquisition of not only German Shepherd babies, but also puppies of any breed. From about one month of age, puppies begin to show autonomy and conscious interest in each other and the world around them. By the age of one and a half months, the children undergo a vaccination course (vaccination complex) and a branding procedure.
Breeders recommend taking puppies at the age of 2.5-3 months. At this stage of life, babies are already able to adapt to new conditions of detention and unfamiliar environment. At this age, pets have a good view of the exterior makings, allowing to evaluate the exhibition and breeding potential of the animal.
Puppies at the age of 1-2 months are allowed to take only if the potential owner is sure that he can pay enough attention to the pet. At this stage of life, kids need to be strengthened and reusable food, communication, active development and socialization.
If the owner does not have enough time to raise a puppy and communicate with him, then it is better not to hurry with the acquisition of a dog.
People who want to have a German shepherd, but with a limited amount of free time, it is better to give preference to puppies aged 4-6 months. But in this case, before acquiring a pet, it is important to correctly calculate your strength and capabilities. Free time from the new owner should be enough for the upbringing and training of a puppy, which, being in unfamiliar conditions, will initially be in dire need of master's attention and control.
Acquisition purpose
In choosing a German Shepherd puppy a significant role is played by the purpose of its acquisition. Before making a final decision, the future owner should decide on what for it needs a pet of this particular breed. So, if a potential owner plans to start a purebred animal for further participation in exhibitions, attention should be paid to the puppy's pedigree and other documents related to its origin. At this stage it is also necessary to inquire about the achievements of the baby's parents, their exhibition awards and titles.
When purchasing a dog to guard the house, you should evaluate the protective qualities of the puppy's parents. It is preferable that both mother and father have pronounced guard qualities, calm and balanced character.
It should be noted that cowardice, indecision and flashes of uncontrollable aggression are considered defects of this breed.
If the dog is supposed to be brought not for exhibitions or for guarding the house, but “for the soul”, then more attention should be paid to the health of the baby, his temperament and behavior. Usually by 2.5-3 months puppies already have certain behavioral features. So, some kids at this age begin to demonstrate physical strength and special activity, others - curiosity and phlegm, and others - cockiness and guard skills.
If the German Shepherd is acquired by the future owner "for the soul", then small flaws in its exterior can be considered uncritical. Regardless of the purpose of acquiring a puppy, he must be healthy. The peace of mind of the owner further depends on the state of health of the pet. To ensure that the animal does not have hereditary or chronic diseases and has all the necessary vaccinations, only a reliable and conscientious seller can.
Basic selection rules
Experienced breeders do not recommend buying a puppy, guided only by first impressions and emotions. Even if the reliability of the seller does not cause doubts, the animal must be carefully examined, to assess its appearance, character and behavior. Visually, the head of a German Shepherd puppy should be proportional to the body, the neck should be strong and moderately long. In healthy pedigree shepherd puppies, the eyes have a dark iris and an almond shape. Light eyes are considered a breed defect.
The bluish color of the iris is permissible only in small puppies under the age of 2 months.
There should be no discharge from the eyes, ears and nose. Any mucous or purulent discharges are objective signs of animal disease. Also from the puppy should not come an unpleasant smell, which often indicates the development of infectious diseases and endocrine disorders. The ears of a German Shepherd puppy at the age of 2-4.5 months may visually appear disproportionately large. This is not considered a deviation, because At this stage of life in the body of animals, there is an intensive production of collagen and, as a result, the active development of cartilage plates.
Approximately 5 months of life collagen production slows down, and with it stops the growth of auricles. Practice shows that the German Shepherd puppies ears get up at the age of 5-6 months.
Puppy teeth should be clean, smooth and white. The correct bite is scissors. Protruding anterior mandibular incisors indicate malocclusion (snacking). Only an insignificant under-focus is considered permissible, at which the distance between the incisors of the lower and upper jaw does not exceed 1-2 millimeters. The lower jaw should be shorter than the upper.
Healthy babies German shepherd have a compact sturdy body, wide and long hips with symmetrically located joints. The paws of the puppies of this breed are large, massive, rounded, with tightly toed fingers. Claws - slightly showy, dark in color. Paw pads - rough, elastic, black.
Dewclaws (those that are above the rest) are removed from pedigree puppies. Usually this procedure is carried out until the animal is 6 days old. If during this period the dewclaws were not removed, the procedure is delayed until the puppy is 12-16 weeks old. The tail of purebred puppies should have a slightly saber shape. In healthy animals, the tail should be flat, with no visual curvature and creases. Palpation of the caudal vertebrae should not be palpable seals or bumps.
In the relaxed state of this breed of dogs, the tail gently hangs along the hind legs. In the excited state, the tail may be slightly raised (but not above the horizontal of the body). When examining an animal, it is necessary to pay attention to the state of its wool and skin. Wool should be thick, clean, soft, tight to the skin.Plains in wool are not allowed. The skin should be clean, pale pink or pink, without visual changes (rash, pimples, strange formations).
Before buying, you should not only examine, but also feel the puppy. Particular attention should be paid to the state of the abdomen, which should be tight, but not swollen. A swollen abdomen in combination with dull hair and depressed animal behavior suggests that it suffers worms. The behavior of the animal is also of great importance. Puppies of this breed are most mobile, cheerful, playful and inquisitive. Uncertainty and timidity German shepherds alien.
If the kid behaves actively, willingly plays with his peers and is interested in the world around him, most likely a brave, loyal and intelligent dog will grow out of him.
According to some dog breeders, The strongest puppies in the litter are usually the first to be born. However, in practice this observation is not always confirmed. To choose a pet that best suits a potential owner by temperament and character, you should watch each puppy from the litter. If a young animal behaves aggressively, offends weaker brethren, growls or tries to bite - all this may indicate an unstable psyche.
Experienced breeders do not recommend purchasing such puppies for people with young children in their families.
When choosing a puppy German shepherd should be guided by the generally accepted standards of this breed. So, the presence of such defects in animals as:
- white color;
- ear weakness or lopiness
- excessively long guard hair;
- deformation of the ears and tail;
- cryptorchism (underperception of the testes in the scrotum in a male).
For how to choose a German Shepherd puppy, see the following video.
Where better to take?
In choosing a place to acquire a puppy of a German shepherd, it is advisable to be guided by the purpose of buying a pet. If the animal is purchased for further participation in exhibitions and competitions or for the purpose of subsequent breeding, then it is safest to purchase the animal in a specialized nursery. Moreover, professional breeders of German shepherds recommend choosing such kennels that specialize in breeding and selling dogs of this particular breed, and not several breeds at once.
When choosing a puppy from private sellers, you should ask about the hereditary potential of the animal. The bona fide seller will provide the buyer with detailed information about the puppy's parents, their achievements, protective qualities and other characteristics. It is undesirable to pick up a German Shepherd puppy for yourself in questionable places - in markets and bazaars, from breeders with a suspicious reputation or from vendors selling puppies on an ad.
If the seller has chosen a particular person, then it is better to give preference to the one who enjoys prestige among professional shepherd breeders.
Who to choose: boy or girl?
Choosing for yourself a pet of a certain sex, it is better to rely on your own expectations and preferences. Thus, the German Shepherd females are considered more organized, affectionate, flexible and devoted. They are easier to train, and therefore they are recommended to start novice dog breeders.
However, when acquiring a puppy girl, a potential owner must take into account that in the future he will have to face such a delicate feature of the animal, as periods of leakage. At this time, the dog requires special attention and control from the owner. Some females become disobedient, excessively playful, restless during heat.
German Shepherd Dogs are more characteristic of aggressiveness, assertiveness, stubbornness and distrust. Many males of this breed tend to dominate, and therefore their Training requires a professional approach and specific knowledge.
When acquiring a puppy boy, the potential owner should take into account that the sex drive in males persists throughout life. Having sniffed a bitch, the male sheepdog can break off the leash, make a dig in the aviary or booth, and then escape. Taking into account these features of dogs, owners of dogs should initially pay maximum attention to raising animals, seeking unquestioning obedience and obedience from them.
Professional Tips
Experienced dog handlers recommend when buying a German Shepherd puppy to pay attention to his gait. It should be smooth and smooth. It is not allowed lameness or pulling the puppy to the side when walking. It is also necessary to assess the condition of the back of the animal. It should be flat, not having questionable hump-like formations or sags.
In order to evaluate the character of each puppy from the litter, you can conduct a small test, putting a tennis (or any small) ball to them. Those puppies who show fear when throwing the ball, according to dog trainers, are unlikely to be able to please the owner with security or fighting qualities in the future.
Another way to assess the protective potential of the German Shepherd babies involves a completely simple action - clapping hands. Practice shows experienced breeders, this test allows you to quickly weed out the weak, defective and cowardly puppies.
