German Shepard: Complete Buyers Guide

The German Shepard, also known as Alsatian, is a famous dog that many households tend to use as companions or pets. The dog is smart, making it easier to train. They are also very active, which makes them one of the best dog breeds to keep. However, they can be aggressive or overly protective if they miss out on training while young. They can grow up to 25 inches and weigh around 90 pounds.

An inadequately trained German Shepard can be nervous or tend to be overly overprotective. However, the dominant large dog is an excellent breed to keep.  

What to Know When Buying a Puppy German Shepard

Before getting the furry little puppies, there are some things you should consider. These are elements that will help you not only to train the puppy well but also comfortably maintain one if you are ready to take care of the brown-eyed dog. Before buying a German Shepard pet, consider the following.

What Living Space Does the Dog Need?

The dog is a large breed compared to other pets; thus, the living space should be large enough to accommodate the kind. Keeping German Shepards in a confined space can make the dog inactive and develop some aggressive behaviors. 

They are also very active; thus, they need a place that they can walk or run or do regular dog exercises. The dog tends to chew items, especially soft toys and dolls; it is essential to ensure to keep such things from him.

The puppies’ tail tends to be thick, and it can break items when moving around; it must, therefore, have its own enough space to keep our home neat and tidy.

The Character of a German Shepard Puppy

German Shepards tend to be intense and somehow aggressive, unlike other dog breeds that are gentle and friendly. This, however, is not a reason why you should not get one. If well trained and exposed to the community, the dogs are amicable. They can, however, show some overprotective traits to strangers.

They also bite anything that comes their way, which can be an annoying trait to some people. If you don’t mind playful biting, the breed is perfect for you. 

Are German Shepard Puppies Expensive?

Taking care of dogs can be expensive. Have in mind necessary items such as the pet house, the food, and feeding bowls. The breeder is also costly to get from an excellent animal breeder. You should be ready to commit some portion of your money into taking care of it.

What Lifestyle Changes Should I Expect Living with the Dog 

Before going to the breeder’s store and buying the puppy, you should evaluate if it can fit into your lifestyle. For instance, if you like to spend a lot of time indoors, they may be a burden since they want to train and run. It may be an inconvenience for you if your life involves traveling a lot. 

Taking care of a dog may be difficult if you have allergies caused by dog hair. Also, taking care of kids under the age of five and also looking after the dog can be an overwhelming experience mentally.

Do German Shepard Puppies Require Attention

The dogs require a considerable amount of attention from their owners, and they may not be fit for a person who spends most of their time in the office. If the breed is not well exposed to people, it can develop an aggressive behavior or tend to be overly aggressive. You need to be willing to dedicate your time to your dog to ensure it is not alone. You can hire a dog walker or ask a family member or friend to look after it when you are not around to be with your dog.

Does the German Shepard Shed Hair?

You should be ready to commit yourself to clean up the hairs that your dog shed if you are planning to get one, and the German Shepard tends to drop more. You can reduce the cleansing by designating a particular area for the dog. A vacuum cleaner can also go a long way in helping you do the cleaning. 

Characteristics of an Unhealthy Puppy

It is essential to ensure that your dog is in good condition before making the purchase. Preferably, visit the pet shot of the breeder in advance to watch its behavior. 

Some dogs can also be aggressive or get nervous around people. A good dog should be active and energetic. Consider purchasing from a reputable breeder to get value for your money. 

What Temperament Does a German Shepard Have?

People tend to ask if a German Shepard can be an excellent guard dog or a great pet. It is, however, calm and very caring. They are protective and energetic, and they mostly portly the temperament that the owners set. 

What Makes it Happy?

German Shepards are very dynamic, with some protective elements. They have a very high energy level, which necessitates the need for exercise. The dog is generally happy after participating in physical activities. They are also versatile, with a strong need to please the owner. This makes them very easy to train.

Is A German Shepard Friendly with Other People?

It is generally protective and can be distant to strangers. To reduce this type of behavior, it is essential to train German Shepards to be social at an early age. With proper training, they develop an unbreakable bond with the owner. It can quickly get along with small children and other family members.

Is the Dog Aggressive?

German Shepards are great fighters and tend to have a high guard. The dynamic behavior is, however, managed by proper training at an early age. They are very possessive and can be aggressive if they feel the owner or a family member is under attack. They can also show aggressive behavior if they miss out on exercising exercise. If properly trained, it doesn’t show aggressive traits, but it can be when it feels threatened.

Why Should I Get a German Shepard Puppy?

German Shepard is a smart breed that is easy to train. The portly characters like being confident, watchful, alert, and obedient. The characters make them a vital kind to blend with the family.

Another great thing about them is that they have a great work ethic. They are always looking to please the owner, which means they can perform any task given to them. They are caring, which makes them excellent therapy dogs and also suitable for those with disabilities like blindness. The guard dog is selfless and can risk his life to save the owner. 

The secret is to expose them at an early age to blend them with the family or other pets properly. The activeness and the playful furry friend would make a great pet.

How Do You Train Your German Shepard Puppy?

The goal when raising the canine is to have one confident, smart, and friendly dog. Early positive training will make sure you build an obedient dog, and the best part is that no equipment is needed when imparting knowledge on the adorable little puppies. Some training methods used are

Obedience Training. 

This is teaching your puppy how to act accordingly at home or any gatherings. The basics include socializing, sitting down, among others.

Trick Training.

 This is teaching your dog to perform some tricks away from the basic moves. The methods help improve the puppy’s confidence and a great bond between the owner and the dog.  Some tips you should consider when training your puppy include;  

Socialize Your Puppy

Socialization tends to be the essential training that you can give your dog. There are classes available where you can take your dog to socialize with other animals. You can also do it yourself by following a useful guide.

Exposing your puppy at an early age will ensure that it is confident in the future. The animal will be friendly and can even co-exist with other pets. 

Teach Them How to Bite

The furry animals generally chew anything that comes their way. The chew carpets, shoes, toys a behavior that can be annoying to most people. The good news is that you can train your puppy how to use its mouth correctly. German Shepards are capable of learning how to apply little pressure when biting soft and tender items. The training will also apply when it bites you when playing; it will be gentle and delicate.

Potty Training

When potty training, you need to understand the puppy popping time. It is essential to redirect the puppy when you get him in the act to where he is supposed to poop. When he successfully poops outside, you can commend it for making it easier to learn. 

You should always take your dog out after having its meal when a play session is over and after sleeping. A 2 months old puppy needs to go out after every 2-3 hours. It is good you dedicate your time when training the little puppy to save you future training. 

Ways to Enhance Training

Use Rewards to Motivate Your Dog

This method is often discouraged by some people, but the technique is an effective one, especially for young German Shepard dogs.  You can use what your puppies enjoy as a reward when they successfully follow a command. You can use food, playtimes, toys, or anything to motivate the puppy. When done correctly, the puppy will learn to follow instructions even without any reward.

Teach Everything Afresh under different Environments

Puppies cannot generalize the information learned from different directions. For example, a puppy may learn to sit in the kitchen, but it will not apply the same concept in the yard. You must teach every training again from scratch when in a new location. A German Shepard dog is generally smart, which means you will not spend a lot of time learning.

Be Consistent

For your German Shepard, the training will be a lot easier if you are consistent in everything you teach the puppy, since everything is new, and any compromise will confuse the dog. For instance, when calling him, you should not change ‘come” to “come here.” Keeping the pooch from the sofa and sometimes allowing it to sit on it will make the learning process difficult, thus taking longer. 

Give Your Dog Full Attention 

The puppy will likely learn anything that comes; it’s the way if you give it your full attention. You can select a location that is safe away from any distractions. For instance, you can start at your backyard where the dog is familiar with the smells, and the chances of distractions are less. You can then move to the park when you are confident about the pieces of training.

Is a German Shepard Good for Hunting?

German Shepard dogs were initially used for herding. They portray a lot of desirable characteristics that make them suitable for many activities, like hunting.  These dogs make excellent hunting companions, especially for tracking and trailing the animal. 

However. You have to ensure that the dog is familiar with the hunting environment. Exposing your dog to the scents, sounds, and all involved in hunting will make it an excellent tracking dog since it learns very fast. There are several methods that you can use to train your dog for hunting.

How to Train Your Dog for Hunting

Scent trailing 

The methods involve using scents to train your dog to find something. You can first start by hiding some of its toys or food in a grassy area. Lead your dog to follow the scent to find the toys. You can then replace the toys with the animal scent like the deer. 

Once the dog locates the trail, it is always essential to commend him on the excellent work. Once it is ready, you can teach it to make a signal one it locates the item. He can alternatively use the skills during hunting. 

Blood method

This method involves introducing deer’s blood to your German Shepard. You greet a small trail using the blood and encourage your dog to find the sponge using the blood trail. Once done, you can reward it for supporting positive reinforcements. 

You can then train your dog to either drag the item out of the hidden area or to give out a signal once it identifies the objects. The method is advantageous, especially helping the hunter to trail a wounded game that has gone missing. 

Learn by doing

For this method, you have to expose your dog to the hunting process. You must ensure that it can handle the terrain. You should go for hunting expeditions, and it will soon start trailing deer and finding them. It is always important to reward or commend it after doing something useful, like finding the deer. 

Since your dog is going to be exposed to the thick vegetation, it is essential to get your dog to a hunting vest. When trained properly, the German Shepard can act as a good companion making hunting easier. 

Here you find our article regarding protective gear for hunting dogs.

Common types of German Shepard Dogs

Black German Shepard

The Black German Shepard’s are one of the rarest breeds. The canine’s majestic features make them look like wolves, but they are very friendly. They have a muscular body, and they can grow to be longer than the typical dog. The rare canine is a product of two black German Shepard that exhibit recessive black genes. 

The black German Shepard can come out as grey, black, or white. They take ten weeks to transform into their original black color. A pure breed can also have some spots on the chest, paws, and legs, which darken as the dog matures. Black German Shepard’s have the same temperament as the standard breed. The black texture makes them very useful as military dogs. They are the second most popular police dogs in the United States.

White German Shepard

The White German Shepard is one dog that can quickly spark your interest in owning a German Shepard. They have a beautiful white coat, a goofy grin, and eyes that stand out.  It takes consistent breeding so you can comfortably breed a white German Shepard. Out of a litter of puppies, only two can be white. 

For some time, the dog is denoted as a weak type, but it tends to portray all the other characteristics that a normal breed exhibits. The white color has been attributed to a genetic code present in the breed, which makes it pure white. 

The white German Shepard is very rare, with the male being taller than the female. They are mostly used as pets but not working dogs. They lack an underlying waterproof coat, thus suitable as pets.

Labrador German Shepard Mix

The Labrador retriever dog, when bred with a German Shepard, produces a Labrador German Shepard mix called German Sheprador. The kind tends to inherit the most suitable qualities from both parents. They are loyal, large, and very energetic.

The Labrador Mixes are excellent as watchdogs as they bark extensively when any stranger approaches. They tend to be overly protective of their loved ones, especially children, and can easily blend with people and other animals. They can, however, be very destructive if they are left alone for a long time.

The Labrador German Shepard mix is not suitable for people who exhibit allergies. They are not big shedders like the pure breed, so weekly brushing is all that is needed. 

Husky German Shepard Mix

The Husky German Shepard mix is a crossbreeding between the Siberian husky dog and a pure German Shepard. The kind inherits all the best qualities from both the parents. They are energetic and loyal and grow to be medium size.

They are also used as working dogs and have been participating in the rescue missions, police duties, and as guard dogs. The breed needs to be stimulated fully to avoid being destructive. Thus there is a need to look for a large home for them so they can be as vigorous as possible.

The Husky German Shepard mix tends to shed a lot, and it is not recommendable for people with allergies.

German Shepard Golden Retriever Mix

A crossbreed between a pure German Shepard and a golden retriever will produce a golden Shepard. They are energetic and very loyal companions. They also grow to be large animals and can be friendly when kept with different animals.

This dog does not bark often but can alert you when a stranger is approaching. They easily blend with families and can be used as watchdogs. However, they tend to be protective and can be destructive if left alone for a long time as they chew on almost everything.

The German Shepard golden retriever mix doesn’t shed a lot of hair like the original pure breed. They are, however, not suitable for people with allergies.

Long-haired German Shepard

German Shepard dogs can be short-haired or long-haired. The short-haired are mostly working dogs, and you can see them working as military or police dogs. The long-haired German Shepard is, however, a rare type of breed. They only have one undercoat, which is not waterproof. Lack of a double coat makes the kind less suitable to work with as it is more exposed to harm. They are mostly useful as companion dogs.

The American Kennel Club refers to the long-haired German Shepard as a defect, but, apart from a lack of double coat, they are similar to the short-haired. This long-haired dog is a heavy shedder and sheds hair all year long.

The long-haired dog is more friendly to people and is unlikely to show aggressive behavior as compared to the short-haired.