About the German Shepherd
If you have not owned a German Shepherd before, please read the following information:
Before making the decision to purchase a German Shepherd puppy, you will need to consider whether this highly intelligent, but often demanding breed is right for you and indeed, whether you will be a suitable owner for him. This involves doing some extensive research about the breed before going to see a litter of puppies, as seeing a cuddly little bundle may prove hard to resist. Owning a German Shepherd is a long term commitment, so it is better to know what you will be taking on before you buy. Many Shepherds end up returned to their breeder or in Rescue Centres because their owners had not given enough thought as to how much time and work a new puppy requires.
A responsible breeder will ask questions about your lifestyle, before allowing you to have one of their puppies. If no such questions are asked, it may be that they do not actually care what sort of home the puppy is going to.
The German Shepherd requires a calm, consistent and confident owner. German Shepherds (and most dogs for that matter) do not need or benefit from an anxious owner. A new study, published recently in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, has concluded that canines pick up on and absorb the fretfulness of their owners, and that's what fuels anxiety-related behavior problems among dogs. To put it bluntly; if you, or your family members are prone to anxiety, the German Shepherd is NOT the breed for you! If you are weak and unable to implement any boundaries, you won't gain his respect and he will then rule the family and may be difficult or impossible to handle. This sort of dog is at best a nuisance and at worst a danger. On the other hand, if you are too harsh, domineering and inclined to bully him; you will destroy his spirit and he will become withdrawn, shutdown and nervous.
Taking on a new puppy is hard work and will alter your routine. You will need a great deal of time, patience and commitment. Puppies need 3 or 4 meals a day and will need to be taken out into the garden at frequent intervals to assist with toilet training. They have little sense of right and wrong, so the ground rules also need to be established early on. Therefore they require a lot of attention, training, socialisation, praise, play and affection. Your lifestyle will change for the next 10 to 14 years, which is the average life span for a Shepherd.
The German Shepherd is extremely intelligent, alert, loyal to his family and easy to train. He is versatile and biddable making him popular with the police, obedience and working trials enthusiasts. He also loves agility, fly ball and other competitive sports.
Being so intelligent, he will, however, learn bad habits just as quick as good ones making correct and consistent training very important, especially when he is a puppy. It is no good waiting until he is older, as he will be bigger, stronger and may be set in his ways by then.
The Shepherd is essentially a working dog, so needs mental stimulation to keep his active mind occupied; otherwise he will be bored and may become destructive or excessively noisy, especially when left alone.
The Shepherd can become territorial, so it is extremely important that he is socialised frequently during the first year, so that he is a well adjusted and sociable member of the family. Some Shepherds are not overly friendly towards other dogs, so the puppy will need to be given the opportunity to see other dogs, whilst keeping his focus on his owner where rewards are used and play and interact with a small handful of dogs, which are calm and good natured. They certainly do not need to go to the park where the world and it's mother take their dogs, as it's only a matter of time before some other out of control dog frightens or even attacks your puppy, resulting in a bad experience which may alter his attitude to other dogs for a lifetime. Some Shepherds can be very noisy, dominant or strong minded so will need the correct discipline, training and handling. They can however, be very sensitive, so all experiences in their formative months must be positive; otherwise a bad experience may cause permanent damage to the character of the dog.
He will grow into a large dog very quickly, so needs a good sized garden and, when adult, will require plenty of exercise and daily walks whatever the weather. He will develop a double coat, which will need regular grooming, especially when he is moulting, when he will leave clumps of hair on floors and carpets, or on anything he rubs up against, such as furniture or clothing; so if you are particularly house-proud, this aspect of owning a Shepherd will need to be considered.
The German Shepherd is a 'high maintenance' breed, often being demanding, reactive and somewhat vocal. He thrives on companionship and mental stimulation, therefore needs to be active in mind and body. If you are not prepared for all the time and effort involved with socialisation, habituation and training, or are out at work all or much of the day (popping back for an hour at lunchtime is NOT satisfactory), then a German Shepherd is not the breed for you.
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Health Matters
Reputable breeders will only breed from healthy animals and do their best to produce healthy puppies. However, as with any living animal (including man), it is possible to develop an unforeseen illness later in life. Therefore, a healthy puppy will not necessarily remain so, despite it's parents being healthy.
Below are the more serious conditions from which the German Shepherd may suffer. Although the list of disorders below appears rather daunting, they are not found only in this breed and are not necessarily common. Research into any breed will reveal a substantial list of health problems common to that breed. It is important to find a reputable breeder who is knowledgeable about the GSD and the conditions to which they may be prone; and therefore does their best to keep their breeding animals free of these problems.
It is also important to find a breeder who does all the recommended Health Checks available on their breeding animals, which should minimise the chances of a puppy developing the following conditions. The health checks (for more details click here) available and recommended in the German Shepherd are:
Hip Dysplasia,
Elbow Dysplasia
Haemophilia A (males only)
There is more information on these conditions under their individual headings in health and information.
The German Shepherd can suffer from other disorders, for which there are no tests available at present to detect carriers:
Anal Furunculosis
Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency
Degenerative Myelopathy or CDRM (a DNA test is now available to detect this)
Panosteitis (self limiting)
Bloat/ Gastric Torsion
Epilepsy
Haemangiosarcoma and other Cancers
Immune Mediated disorders affecting the skin or bowel
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Other considerations are:
Financial Implications
Apart from the obvious purchase price of the puppy, which is around £1500-£2000, the other financial aspects to owning a Shepherd are:
Equipment required for the new arrival including puppy food, bowls, collar, harness and leads, a bed which is easily washable, a puppy crate with washable fleece bedding (essential for first time owners or if you have children or other dogs), grooming equipment and safe toys.
Routine Veterinary Expenses such as worming, parasite prevention when required, vaccinations - initial puppy course, cost of neutering if required, identification (reputable breeders will have already done this) and costs of a pet passport if you intend to take your Shepherd abroad on holiday.
Holidays in the future is another consideration. Possibly a family friend may look after your Shepherd whilst you are away or some breeders will look after a dog of their breeding for a reasonable fee.
Boarding kennels or the services of a house sitter are obvious solutions, but can be quite costly and usually have to be booked well in advance during peak times.
There are plenty of places to go where dogs are welcome to accompany their owners on holiday, although dogs are prohibited from many beaches in the UK during the summer months.
The introduction of the Pet Passport has made it possible to take your pet abroad on holiday. The Pet Passport Scheme (PETS) means that pet dogs and cats that are resident in the UK can enter or re-enter the country without quarantine provided they meet the rules of PETS. Obtaining a Pet Passport involves a rabies vaccination and flea and tick treatments before re-entering the UK.
Unforeseen Veterinary Expenses caused by illness or accident can be largely taken care of by insuring the puppy. Obviously the insurance premium, along with any excess is an added expense.
Puppy Socialisation and Habituation is very important, especially in a Shepherd.
You may need to book a one to one trainer, so this cost should also be considered.
Other Expenses include making the garden secure with escape-proof fencing up to around 5 feet with secure gates. Hazardous areas will also need to be made out of bounds to an inquisitive puppy, such as poisonous plants, slug pellets and small objects, for instance stones and gravel which are easily swallowed. Swimming pools, ponds or steps can also pose a hazard to a puppy and will need to be made inaccessible.
The garden will also need to be kept clear of slugs, fox and large amounts of bird droppings.
If the puppy is to be left unattended in a garden that is not completely safe, even for a few minutes, a small, safe area will need to be fenced off.
An outside kennel and run is an option, but will need to be of good quality and draught proof. However it must be remembered that the German Shepherd likes to be with the family and will be extremely unhappy if left in a kennel for long periods.
The house will also need to be safe for a new puppy. Wires, plugs, houseplants and anything accessible could be a potential hazard to the puppy. It is also worth considering what type of flooring the puppy will have access to. Laminate or polished wooden floors are now very popular, but they are very slippery to a dog, especially a growing Shepherd puppy. The puppy only has to slip once, possibly causing rupture of the 'round ligament' and he will then develop hip dysplasia. Therefore, new owners will need to consider purchasing non slip rugs before bringing a new puppy into the home.
The family car needs to be big enough to accommodate a large dog, so an estate car may be required if you have a family. By law, the dog must be secure whilst travelling by car, so you may need to consider a strong or custom made crate or at least a harness to secure the dog on the back seat.
All of the above involves considerable financial outlay, so serious consideration must be given to this aspect of owning a Shepherd.
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Family Situation
A new puppy will alter the routine of all members of the family, so the decision to purchase a puppy must be agreed by all family members.House rules and training commands must be agreed and all members must adhere to them, otherwise the puppy will become confused.
Hours of work must also be considered, as the new puppy will need almost constant care and attention. Toilet training will be that much harder or even impossible if the puppy is left for long periods and socialisation and training will be neglected. If a Shepherd is left for long periods he will become bored and possibly noisy causing aggravation to the neighbours. A bored Shepherd is also likely to be very destructive, which may lead to some extensive damage to the home.
Children must be taught to respect the new puppy; he is not a new toy and rough and tumble games must be firmly discouraged. Children must not be allowed to pester the puppy whilst he is sleeping and they should not try to pick the puppy up, as they may squeeze the puppy and frighten him or may drop him.
A child who is frightened of dogs may find a puppy intimidating, as the puppy may chase and nip if the child squeals or runs away. Children must be taught to remain calm around the new puppy and avoid getting too excited. They must also learn to abide by the house rules relating to the puppy. If the child constantly calls the puppy by name, he will soon learn to 'switch off' and will quickly undo any training you have given.
The German Shepherd is generally good with children, but they must be taught to have a mutual respect for each other.
Keeping the puppy safe
As with the garden the rooms where the puppy is to be allowed will need to be made safe, such as electrical wires must be inaccessible, cupboards which are easily opened made secure, poisonous plants put out of reach and children's toys tidied away.
The type of flooring in the home will also need to be considered; as laminate, polished wooden floors or slippery tiles are lethal to a growing Shepherd. The puppy or young dog may slip on these floors and damage his growing joints, or he may 'do the splits' which may permanently damage ligaments in his hip joints, leading to hip dysplasia and later arthritis.
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Male or Female
The female is smaller and usually less dominant, so she may be slightly easier for the first time Shepherd owner. However, she will come into season on average every six months, but it can vary from as often as every four to as infrequent as every nine months. At such times she may be a little hormonal and will also need to be kept away from male dogs, otherwise you may end up with an unwanted litter. Having her spayed (neutered) is an obvious option if you do not intend to breed from her; and I believe this is best performed approximately 12 weeks after her second season after she has had time to develop. Spaying before a first season may have the advantage of preventing mammary tumours and pyometra later in life, but it has many more disadvantages, including delayed fusion of the epiphyseal growth plates and a higher incidence of hip dysplasia, along with the possibilities of urinary incontinence and an infantile vulva, which in turn leads to recurrent infections. Careful thought must be given prior to the operation as once performed, it is irreversible. Bitches which have been spayed often develop a rather woolly coat texture and have a tendency to gain weight, so you may need to adhere to a strict diet.
The male is bigger, stronger and often more dominant, so can prove a handful for a weak or totally inexperienced owner. He will not come into season, so you will not have the inconvenience of having to cope with that, but he may cock his leg on inappropriate objects such as garden chairs or tubs of flowers as he marks his territory! It is possible to have him castrated (neutered) if he is becoming too dominant or showing signs of being oversexed, such as mounting people or marking inside the house.
Castration is best performed around 18 months of age, after he has finished growing, as early castration can cause many long term health problems.
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Coat and Colour
Colour is varied in the German Shepherd and you may have a preference for a particular colour. You should be aware that the colours permitted by the Breed Standard are solid black; bi-colour; black with tan, gold, fawn or pale grey markings (the amount of black in relation to the gold can vary tremendously); and grey with darker, lighter or brown markings (known as sable).
A black and gold puppy may appear very dark when six weeks old, but the puppy will get lighter when he grows his adult coat, as the gold spreads leaving a black saddle. It is difficult to forecast how much black the puppy will retain as an adult, except in the case of an all black or a bi-colour where the colour will not change.
Above: left black and gold puppy and right sable puppy. Both puppies have normal coats.
Sable puppies are grey or sandy in colour at six weeks but they will get darker when they grow their adult coat, which will start with a black ring around the tail and a black stripe along the back, before spreading to cover the rest of the back and tail.
White, blue or liver coat colours are not acceptable within the breed standard.
Beware of any breeder selling so called rare puppies with incorrect colour at inflated prices.
Coat length should also be considered, as there may be normal (short) and long coated puppies in a litter. Two normal coated parents can produce a proportion of long coated puppies.
Above: Long coated black and gold puppy
Long coated puppies have noticeably fluffier and softer fur at six weeks. The long-coated shepherd is attractive, but it is a fault within the breed standard and as such cannot be shown. He is however, perfectly suitable as a pet or a working dog, but remember he requires more grooming and it takes longer to get him clean and dry after a wet, muddy walk!
Above is a long coated sable female and
below is a normal coated black and gold male
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