Are you a first time German Shepherd owner? These dogs are amazing in every sense. They are utterly loyal and make great family pets. They fiercely protect their owners, and their intellect is impressive.
One of the best ways to know how to take care of this amazing breed is to learn from seasoned owners. In this article, you’ll learn some of the best tips for first time German Shepherd owners. Read more to find out!
German Shepherds: An Endearing Breed
German Shepherds are truly amazing and are a wonder to behold. They have such great zeal for life that is truly infectious. They are naturally athletic and have superior mental capacities. For many owners, this is what makes German Shepherds so endearing.
However, lack of knowledge about these traits also put many of them in shelters. When people do not know how to train and care for German Shepherds, they sometimes give up on them. The US Human Society reports that around 6-8 million dogs and cats are placed in U.S. shelters every year.
A Sad Ending for Displaced Animals
What happens to these 6-8 million animals? Unfortunately, 3-4 million of them are eventually euthanized. This is because there aren’t enough homes for all of them. A fourth of these animals actually happen to be purebreds, too. At present, around 450,000 purebred dogs are brought to shelters annually.
As per the 2003 registrations of the AKC, German Shepherds are considered the 4th most in-demand breed in the United States. In the same year 4.8% of all dogs registered with the AKC were German Shepherds. That comes out to a total of 43,950 German Shepherds that find themselves in shelters every year.
This sad ending doesn’t have to continue on. What will help owners keep their German Shepherds for life are tips to manage them better. These incredible dogs deserve more than just shelters, so knowing how to help them will really matter.
Here are some tips that prospective German Shepherd owners should know about taking care of this breed. When they know all of these beforehand, it will be easier to train their pup to be the best they can be.
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10 Tips for Training German Shepherds
1. Show consistency in training.
German Shepherds are a very intelligent breed. They need firm and consistent leadership from their trainers. If not, they will quickly realize this and attempt to establish superiority over you. Once they recognize you as an authority figure, they are quick to cooperate.
As fast learners, they are highly trainable. They give respect when respect is due, which is why you need to ask fast. Showing your German Shepherd who is in charge sets the tone for lifelong learning and better companionship. If you don’t have much experience in training dogs, you need to do your research.
Read up on specific training protocols for all dogs and for German Shepherds in particular. You can also consider hiring a professional dog trainer to have someone oversee this task for you.
2. Provide activities to enhance intelligence.
As smart creatures, German Shepherds require consistent mental stimulation. Hence, planning and implementing activities that will stimulate your German Shepherd’s mind is optimal. A well-balanced dog needs both physical and mental exercises, so see to it that you provide for both.
German Shepherds can often default to being protective and suspicious of others. This is a defense mechanism. For them to become more open to others, they need opportunities to socialize. Start early, when they are just mere puppies. A well-balanced dog is also a properly socialized one, so you won’t worry about taking them anywhere you go.
4. Make time for regular, daily exercise.
German Shepherds are an active breed. On an average, two hours of day of exercise will ensure they maintain their physical health. This is important to keep in mind and may be a deciding factor when you purchase a German Shepherd. It is best if you know that you can keep up with the required hours of physical activity. For a lot of people, two hours every day can be a serious commitment.
5. Consider their prey drive.
German Shepherds are also considered to be herding dogs. This means they have an escalated level of prey drive – higher than other breeds, in fact. You should carefully consider your pet while keeping their prey drive in mind. It will not be good for a dog with a high prey drive to live a couch potato lifestyle.
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6. Choose non-destructible toys.
German Shepherds are very strong and enthusiastic, which may result in destroying poorly made toys quickly. Investing in durable toys that are hard to destroy is important. As your German Shepherd gets older, you will also need to invest in different kinds of toys to suit his different developmental needs.
7. Provide for adequate family interaction.
German Shepherds tend to have a strong bond with their owner family. This interaction also does so much for their overall well-being. They tend to be better creatures when they have lots of time to interact and socialize with people. Being isolated for a long time will not be good for them.
8. Research on their health problems.
Despite being strong and athletic, German Shepherds are also susceptible to some health problems. This is something you need to know more about so you can be preventive about it when you get your dog. You may also consider getting dog health insurance, too.
9. Look for a pup with a good temperament.
Still scouting for your dog? If you can, choose one that has a good temperament. You can easily distinguish a confident dog from a fearful or aggressive one. Your goal is to find and train a German Shepherd that has a good balance of protective and socialized.
It will help if you see promising traits of both in a puppy. If the parent dogs are also there, observe them to check for aggression. This may eventually come out as a trait in their pup.
10. Invest a lot of time in training the pup.
To have a well-balanced dog, you need to spend lots of time training the pup. The most challenging times usually starts out at 5 months, when they begin teething. This can taper off until their become adolescents, when the training protocols will shift. It is worth the investment to train them, though it can be frustrating at times.
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A Wonderful Forever Pet
German Shepherds have the potential to become a wonderfully friendly and protective companion. Your family will love it for life, if you take the time to teach it what it needs to know. If you do, they will repay you with love, loyalty, and devotion for the remainder of their days.
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