How To Get A German Shepherd Puppy

How To Get A German Shepherd To Stop Barking

The barking of our German Shepherd or any other breed of dog can become a problem for a variety of reasons.

But as dog owners it would be unreasonable to expect that our dogs never bark. Dogs are made to bark, it is an essential method of communication that dogs cannot do without.

The question is to get excessive barking under control and what we can avoid so as not to cause discomfort and at the same time not to disturb the normal behavior of our German Shepherd.

Before we can work on how to get a German Shepherd to stop barking, we must know and understand the reasons why dogs bark.

Contents

When Do German Shepherds Stop Growing

Like many large breeds, a German Shepherd dog is not considered fully grown until they are about 18 months old. Female German Shepherds continue to fill out until they are around two years old, while the male German Shepherd growth rate continues until they reach two and a half years of age. Males are larger are require more time to fill out their chest and abdomen.

As you can see by the German Shepherd weight chart, these dogs can continue to grow until they are three years old, but the majority of growth occurs within 24 months. If your GSD is older than 36 months and continues to put on weight, contact your veterinarian to ensure weight gain does not lead to obesity.

How To Stop German Shepherd Puppy Biting: Dos & Donts

It is normal behavior for puppies to nip, but you may notice that your German Shepherd puppy nips more than other breeds. This is primarily due to this breeds inherent high prey drive. But what can you do about this?

To stop a German Shepherd puppy from biting, it is necessary that you begin positive reinforcement training from a young age and that you properly socialize your puppy as well. It is also helpful if you encourage different forms of non-contact playing like tug-of-war and fetch.

A nipping GSD pup may cause you a lot of bite marks, scratches, and frustration! If left untrained, she may never learn how to inhibit her own bite force and grow into a huge dog with a potentially hazardous biting capability.

Therefore, it is very necessary that you train your puppy properly to stop the biting from an early age.

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When To Start Training For No

If you get your German Shepherd as a puppy, start training them while theyre young. Their size makes a difference because this task gets more and more difficult the heavier they get. You dont want to have to deal with a 70 to 90-pound puller if you can avoid it!

If you dont get your German Shepherd as a puppy, no problem. Start leash training as soon as they come home if they dont already have proper leashing walking skills.

Week 6 Training Your German Shepherd Puppy

• Have a treat pouch ready full of yummy treats.
• Make sure your puppy is relaxed, and not over excited.

How to do it

Easy peasy.

TIPS

· Looking inside your puppys mouth is quite difficult to handle for them so youll need to get them used to it slowly.

· If they struggle at all go back a step and stay there for a while. Work at touching around your puppys muzzle and chin before you go back to trying to check the inside of their mouth.

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Shortcomings Of Unethical German Shepherd Breeders

The most common representation of unethical dog breeders are those found in what is dubbed as puppy mills in the US or puppy farming in the UK and Australia. But backyard breeders are also considered part of this category of breeders.

While we cant generalize, commercial dog breeders are very often driven by the desire to make profits and easily compromise the welfare of the canines.

Here are some of the features that will define unethical breeders:

With the comprehensive knowledge about whos an ethical German Shepherd breeder and who isnt, you are now ready to find that reliable breeder, buy your new GSD, and bring him home.

Choose A Male Or Female German Shepherd

Once youve determined what line of GSD you want, decide on the sex of the pup. Each sex has its own unique characteristics, which affects how theyll live and grow with you.

We base this decision on preference. With the correct upbringing and training, both sexes are loyal companions and good with children.

Characteristics of Owning a Male GSD

• Males are often bigger and stronger.
• They may grow into more dominant dogs, so a confident handler is more desirable.
• Males may hike their back legs to mark their territory. This can occur on any object chairs, walls, couches or even your leg.
• Sexual maturity influences males behavior. I suggest an extra bout of socialization during this stage, especially with other well-behaved dogs.

Characteristics of Owning a Female GSD

• Females are typically smaller and less dominant.
• So they may be better for the first-time owner.
• Unspayed females come into season every 6 months, so they must receive monitoring and watch to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Their season time can vary from as little as every 4 months to every 9 months.
• They can attract males to your property and on walks that will harass them if not spayed.

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How Much Bigger Will My German Shepherd Get

There are a few ways to gauge how much bigger a German Shepherd will get.

First, check your puppy’s age. If your GSD is younger than two years old, they definitely have room to keep growing!

Another way to tell if your pup still has a lot of growing to do is their paw size. Do their paws look large compared to their legs and body? This is a classic adolescent feature of a dog, and means your pup is likely still growing!

If you bought your German Shepherd from a breeder, they should be able to give you a specific, estimated weight based on your puppys parents and past litters. Most of the time, a dog will not grow bigger than its larger parents.

Benefits Of Training Your Gsd In Two Languages

Training your German Shepherd in two different languages can help them with context switching, especially if theyre trained both as working dogs and as household companions.

You can use English as a casual training language that allows them to be more relaxed. For work, you can use a more serious language like German so they know when they need to be more focused and precise.

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Should You Get A Male Or Female German Shepherd

While Male and female German Shepherds are similar in many traits, they are also different in a number of them, which might affect your choice when buying.

Consider what you want the dog for and your experience when determining whether to purchase a male or female German Shepherd. If youve never had a dog before, a female is preferable because shes easier to train. If you want a guard dog, go for a male because they are more dominant and aggressive.

Consider the following when making your choice:

• Male GSDs are larger in both weight and height while females are smaller . Please note, these are approximations as individual dogs will vary. To give you an example of this, my female KC registered GSD weighs 88lb , and she is very tall, standing 27/68cm.
• Males will portray a masculine build as opposed to the delicate features of the female.
• Females will be in heat twice annually. If you do not intend to breed your pet, you should consider spaying her.
• Female GSDs live longer when compared to males 9.7 years.

These traits may not be vividly pronounced in young puppies, but it is important to bear them in mind. Whether you choose to buy a male or female pup will depend on your circumstances, such as experience, lifestyle, and purpose for the dog.

You can check out this article, Male vs. Female German Shepherd: Which Should You Get? It has loads of info to help you decide which one will be best for you.

Raising And Training A German Shepherd Puppy

When thinking of bringing a German Shepherd pup into your home, it is important to understand the responsibility you will need to take. Giving your puppy the care, love, and training it needs while it is still young is vital so that you have a well-behaved dog in the future.

A German Shepherd is not only a wonderful friend to have in the house but a wonderful alarm, as he is ready to bark at any sign of danger. But German Shepherd puppies must be taught who is in control.

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What Does This Have To Do With How I Train My German Shepherd

Its a fair question actually. A dog is a dog is a dog right? But knowing the context and breed characteristics might help you train your German Shepherd puppy better and understand why they do certain things the way they do.

Here are a couple things to keep in mind:

PRO TIP: If your German Shepherd puppy switches off or starts acting silly they may resort to doing what they know best nipping or barking. Shift to some play, let them have some downtime and revisit training later we want training to be associated with fun, and not something they begin to dread.

Dont React To Biting By Playing Back

If you want your German Shepherd puppy to stop biting you, dont react back to them when they nip. I made this mistake with my own puppy, as would push him away playfully, but that just encouraged the biting more.

I think its because you are mirroring the fun back to them and reacting in a playful way. They will want more of the play, so will bite back again.

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Can A German Shepherd Be Used As A Therapy Dog

Yes! A german shepherd can be used as a therapy dog. When it comes to German Sheperds we usually think of them as military or police dogs. Well, that is how the media portrays them to be. But to our very surprise, German Shepherds are also intelligent and affectionate dogs. They are very much the right candidate for therapy dogs. In fact, they are the most popular choice. German Shepherds are considered to be the most friendly and family dogs.

This means that a German Shepherd can be trained and used as a dog that provides comfort and affection to people. They are incredibly smart dogs who can be trained to stay calm and tranquil and quiet even in horrifying situations. They are not just a scary looking dog used to scare children away. Once trained and certified, you can use your German Sheperd as a therapy dog. As an owner, you can take your dog to NGOs. hospitals, retirement centers, clinics that used gods for therapy.

German Shepherds are additionally very social and will appreciate all the consideration they get as a component of treatment exercises. Since German Shepherds are such athletic dogs, you should be cautious when preparing them about recognizing recess and treatment time.

How To Get Your German Shepherd Certified For Therapy

The most suitable way of training your dog for therapy includes program training. Program training requires you to hire a professional, to begin with, the training program. The two important benefits of this are that there is a high success rate and what to be done is known very well. Essentially, its easier to get a better-trained animal out of program training than it is out of owner training

Some places require official certification before you and your dog can volunteer together. Organizations such as the Alliance of Therapy Dogs provide training and certification. Typically these programs involve a training course, test, and monitoring during the first few volunteer visits.

Once certified and trained your dog can be taken to various other organizations and clinics where one can volunteer for the dogs to assist in therapies helped in the reduction of various mental health disorders.

Apart from this, you as an owner can also train your dog after their adoption. Training your dog as a therapy dog is a lot of work. Therefore there are services that help you do so. Nevertheless, you can always start the therapy training by yourself. The two most important foundations of German Shepherd therapy dog training are temperament and obedience.

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Getting A German Shepherdpuppy

Choosing to adopt or go through a breeder for your new German shepherd puppy is a personal choice that requires research. Thankfully, there are many resources out there to help you find a rescue or breeder that offers healthy, ethically-sourced German shepherd puppies.

Knowing what youre in for when you get a German shepherd puppy is an important step in being a responsible pet owner. Whether you find a responsible breeder or are planning on adopting, its up to you to be prepared for an energetic and friendly addition to your household.

When Should I Worry About My Puppys Biting

Although biting is normal, it can sometimes be hard to recognize whether your puppy is playfully mouthing or exhibiting temper tantrums, which is a form of aggressive behavior.

In playful mouthing, a puppys face should still be relaxed, the tail wags, and biting isnt forceful.

On the other hand, temper tantrums, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, are characterized by a stiff body, lips pulled back to show teeth, and growling.

Biting will be more forceful and painful, since the behavior is typically caused by fear or anger. A German Shepherd puppy may be more prone to displaying this behavior, especially around unruly children.

If these tantrums happen frequently, its time to seek a professional such as a veterinarian, a certified dog trainer, or an animal behaviorist ASAP.

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Find Quality Sources Of Healthy Puppies

Where you get your GSD makes a significant difference in the dogs quality.

While there are many people advertising pups for sale, they arent always honest and ethical.

Why should you care where your dog comes from if you only want him as a pet companion?

Because you want to make sure the GSD you get acts and looks like a GSD. You want to get a dog that will live a long and healthy life from a source that has quality puppies.

Dont get caught accidentally buying a back-yard breeders sick dogs. These tips will help you make the best decision on what type of pup fits in your life.

Newspaper and Internet ClassifiedAds

Newspaper and internet ads are in abundance.

But with these sources, you never know what youre getting. Many backyard breeders hide behind ads online or in local papers.

But some breeders who use newspapers and classified ads are reputable and knowledgeable. The problem is you need to visit them to find out, and this can take time to sift through them all.

Try the following more reputable suggestions to save yourself time.

Dog Care Professionals

Ask dog professionals for recommendations.

Check with your local veterinarian, groomer, and boarding kennel personnel if they know reputable breeders in town. These professionals are good sources of quality leads.

Dont approach these leads as infallible. Use the same caution that you willfor a classified ad. Verify their suggestions.

Shelters and Rescue Groups

How To Train A German Shepherd Puppy The Ultimate Guide

Fully Qualified COAPE Behaviourist and Registered Training Instructor with The Animal Behaviour and Training Council

In this article:

So you have your new German Shepherd puppy at home, we see.

Glad to hear theyre doing well puppy eyes shining bright, and tail that doesnt seem to stop wagging.

Weve also heard they have gained a special liking for your living room carpet as the perfect place to go for a wee. Oh, and your favourite shoessorry to hear theyve been chewed on. Apologies to your neighbour Alfred too we heard his favourite pair of trousers were left muddy after your puppy showed such enthusiasm to say hello.

Wed love nothing more to see you both become a wonderful duo one that has overcome the hiccups of starting fresh, and only see bright days of licks, treats, and cuddles ahead.

In this training guide, youll learn everything to tackle those first 8 weeks with your German Shepherd puppy and be as well prepared as possible.

Every question youve asked yourself is pretty much covered. What you do need to know is that everything will be just fine only happy days lie ahead of you.

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Dont Take Part In Rough Play

Rough play with your German Shepherd puppy can cause too much excitement for them.

Stop roughhousing with your dog before it frustrates them.

Use appropriate, puppy-safe toys instead of play sessions. This way, your pup can bite the toy instead of your fingers, hands, or arms.

You may also stress out your GSD by engaging them rough of play. For your pup to either keep up with the play or stop you from too rough play, they may bite you!

Dont get angry, yell or punish them.

From day one, avoid play that involves mouthing or teeth on the skin. Use toys to provide your dog a way they can bite to release their energy

Without nipping you!