Everyone knows that a dog is a friend of a person. But at the same time, she can still be an excellent security guard, guard, mine detector, etc. This article will tell you how to choose German Shepherd puppies correctly and how to make your choice correctly.
What for?
First of all, a person must decide why he needs a dog, because the dog has a lot of destinations. It can be just a friend and comrade who will not perform any special functions. In this case, the selection tips will be slightly different than when to choose a watchdog. Therefore, going in search of a four-legged friend, it is important to know for what purpose you need him. Also, do not rush at the first puppy seen, even if he seemed to like it. This is one of the first bans if someone wants to know how to choose German Shepherd puppies.
Boy or girl?
When planning to purchase a pet, you also need to decide what gender you want to see in your animal. So, it is advisable for a novice breeder to take a bitch for the first time, which is more malleable in training, and it will also be better to obey his master. From the very first days, a male dog will begin to “show character” and show disobedience, therefore the owner will need to show will and authority to put the dog in its place and prevent it from occupying the upper level of the hierarchy in the “human pack”. In addition, the dog needs to be walked a little longer, because its urination process is longer, because the dog will try to mark as much territory as possible. The bitches write at the very beginning of the walk, no longer distracted by this thing. It can bribe a person that the dog is more active by nature, he is handsome and stately, his courage can surprise and amaze, while the bitch will be calmer, without a master’s command, she’s unlikely to rush somewhere. But with dogs, girls can more easily find a common language and make friends, while a boy-dog will have to spend a little more time.
About age
Further we figure out how to choose German shepherd puppies. So, it is important to know what age a dog is best to take. They can be sold already after a month from the date of their birth. However, the age that is more optimal for the buyer is 2.5-3 months. Why is that? The thing is that during these periods the dog is examined by various specialists, it is stigmatized, it is given a general assessment. Thanks to these indicators, you can make your choice by stopping him at one or another option. Some people have concerns that when acquiring a dog about six months of age, there remains a risk that it will not become attached to the owner, but this is completely not the case. The only negative: the buyer should know for sure that the dog was raised up to this age by a competent dog breeder who correctly succumbed to his training and taught all the necessary skills. As for the older age, then buying a puppy may be more successful, because at the age of 6-8 months it is already possible to draw certain conclusions about how this dog is trained and what its prospects are.
Rule 1. Place
There are some simple rules that canine talkers say about how to choose German Shepherd puppies. The first of them: you need to choose the right place where you want to take a puppy. It simply does not make sense to buy it on the market, because everything said there may have no basis (another option is if the words are confirmed by documents, but they can be faked without any problems). It is best to buy puppies in special kennels, where dogs are bred, observing the rules of mating and other various points. To learn about such nurseries is quite simple, especially now. It is enough to ask experts or acquaintances, dog breeders, where to turn. Also, the addresses of such institutions here can be in various directories of the city, this also should not be forgotten.
Rule 2. About all
So how to choose a puppy? Be sure to look not only at one representative of the litter, but also at all the dogs. If they are active, everyone’s coat shines, they are not afraid of people, which means that the dogs are healthy, eat well and are brought up correctly. If the behavior of at least one of the animals is in doubt, it is better not to take a puppy, even if at first glance it does not raise questions.
Rule 3. Inspection
The next advice on how to choose a puppy: you need to take a good look at it. You need to pick up a small dog, consider it. What you should pay attention to? So, the fact that the baby’s ears will most likely be lowered will seem interesting, this is normal and does not indicate that the dog is sick. Over time, this will pass. It is also worth paying attention to the layout of the puppy's paws, they will be large, even just huge relative to the whole body. It will also disappear over time, the dog will outgrow this fact and everything will return to normal. It is also important to pay attention to the general condition of the puppy's body: it should not be too thick or too thin. The weight of the monthly dog should fluctuate in the region from two and a half to four kilograms.
Rule 4. External signs
More dog handler tips for choosing a German Shepherd puppy. So, experts recommend paying attention to the bite of the baby. It should be scissor-like, this fact will be especially important for those who want their dog to participate in various exhibitions and other similar events. It is worth paying attention to the future owner and the ears of the dog: by about six months of age, the puppy of the German shepherd should already be set. It is also necessary that there is a pronounced transition from the head to the jaw. The eyes of the dog should be clear, it is better to be dark, the puppy should not be beak-eyed. The neck of a healthy dog looks strong, the same applies to the chest. It should be quite wide, forepaws - large and strong.
Rule 5. Gait
The next tip on how to choose an older shepherd puppy is to look at his walk. It should not be wagging: a healthy dog walks smoothly, as if on a string, while the dog’s paws hold evenly and strength is visible in them. It is important to remember that dewclaws of the dog must be removed. Also, the paw should be round, arched, in a lump. Special requirements are put forward to the back of the dog. It should be smooth, without any humps or slack. This will indicate that the dog is healthy and trained properly. You also need to pay attention to the tail of the future pet: wrong if it is twisted or too straight. The tail of the dog should look like a saber, without humps and depressions.
Rule 6. Documents and questions.
How to choose a puppy? You should not be afraid to ask various questions to the seller, which relate to the pedigree of the dog, as well as documents confirming this. If the dog breeder starts evading answers, it’s worth considering whether a good elite dog is really for sale? It is also necessary to ask whether the puppy has been vaccinated and whether a special examination has been carried out, which is required mainly for two-month-old puppies. It is important to remember that when buying a dog, a special metric should be issued, which must necessarily indicate some points: date of birth, suit of the puppy, his registration number, his nickname and the nicknames of his parents. There will also be information about the seller: the address of the breeder and the details of the club where the purchase was made. The name and address of the buyer are also indicated. Another new owner signs in the act of inspecting the puppy, the metric is certified with a seal. At the same time, with the dog, the owner receives the rules and instructions on how best to raise his pet.
Dog for work and for exhibitions
The general rules for choosing a German shepherd puppy were listed above. However, there will always be certain nuances. So, the first of them: what needs to be done if the dog is needed for work - for protection or as a mine detector. In this option, when buying a puppy, it is important to verify the pedigree of the baby: find out if his parents have rewards and whether they have been marked in anything. The same facts are important for those who want to take part in various exhibitions and similar events with the dog. It is also good to get acquainted with the parents of the dog when buying and look at them at work. If you need to teach a dog special functions, it is better to take a puppy at a very young age - about 2-3 months. And from this moment begin to work with him, instilling special skills.
Dog for the soul
It is a different matter if for the soul, and not for work, a German Shepherd Dog is needed. In this case, the puppy can be selected without any special complaints and nuances. So, you can especially not pay attention to the bite and strength of the dog’s paws, but it’s worth paying attention to the general condition of the body, because no one has a desire to get a sick puppy. However, for the sake of truth, it is worth saying that even if a dog of this breed is not ideal, it will still be a great friend and companion to its owner.
Tests
Having already explained to the reader what the puppies of the German shepherd look like and what requirements they need to make when choosing, it is worth noting that there are special tests that can also help the future owner. So, this is a Campbell test. However, there is one caveat: it applies to puppies no later than at the age of 6-8 weeks. According to its results, you can determine the nature of the dog and understand how it is suitable for a particular type of training. It is important to say that the test consists of only five points and should be carried out in a quiet, peaceful place, which, however, is unfamiliar to the dog. In this case, the puppy can not be encouraged by words or treats. The first point is social attraction, according to the results of which you can understand whether the puppy will strive for leadership. Second: the puppy’s ability to follow the person, the result will show how much the dog can be in society and to what extent she will be obedient. The third paragraph will tell how the dog can tolerate various kinds of coercion: physical or psychological. The point is as follows: social superiority will tell how the dog can carry out the owner’s commands without any problems or incentives. And the last, fifth paragraph, connected with the previous one, will make it clear how much the dog is trained, that is, whether it will be necessary to apply special means of training to him.
Professionals Test
There is also a test league of professional trainers. It is also very brief and can be used when choosing a puppy. It consists of five simple exercises, according to the reaction of the dog to which certain conclusions can be drawn. Thus, puppies that successfully passed the test did not experience fear or insecurity during its trial, were rather calm, but not phlegmatic, active, but not greyhounds. It is also important to remember that a good well-bred puppy should not be overjoyed at the appearance of a new person, should not bark or play for no reason.
Price policy
An important point is how much a German shepherd costs. A puppy, depending on what it is bought for, as well as what requirements are imposed on it, can cost a pretty large amount of money. So, the cheapest puppies are those that are bought, as they say, "for the soul." They may not require special efforts to educate the baby, and special documents are not always needed. In such a situation, the cost of the dog may vary around $ 250. This is the lower limit, everything below this price line is no longer purebred German puppies. More expensive dogs - 250-400 dollars. Here dogs can be found most often from little-known parents. How much is a German shepherd (puppy) whose parents are prize champions? Here the price can fluctuate between 400-700 dollars. All that is higher are puppies from elite dogs grown abroad, as well as slightly grown and already trained dogs.
The first steps
So, the dog has a new owner. The process of education is a very important point. So, there are several nuances that should be avoided in this process. When raising a German shepherd puppy, it is important to avoid untimely and incorrect punishments: you can’t be a dog with a newspaper or a rag. Also, for proper education, the dog does not need to walk in the company of another dog, which by its nature is not trained or aggressive. However, the dog is important to communicate with their own kind, especially at the age of three months to two years. There is also no need to provoke brawls between puppies - this is an important nuance in raising a pet. Well, of course, you can’t poison the puppy, which will lead to excessive aggression and nervousness of the pet, as a result of which the owner himself can later suffer.