How to Properly Raise a German Shepherd Puppy: Helpful Tips for a Breeder
One of the most beautiful and recognizable large dog breeds is the German Shepherd.
She is naturally very smart, trainable, and easy to train, but it is best to get her from an experienced dog owner.
Still, a special approach is needed here. And training should begin with the puppy's appearance in the house.
A German Shepherd puppy is an amazingly cute creature. It is large in size, but at the same time charming, you want to pet and cuddle it.
He quickly remembers the owner, his voice, and commands, but first you need to prepare everything for his arrival. This includes a bed, a sleeping place (it is not advisable for a German Shepherd puppy to sleep in bed with the owner), bowls (for food and water separately), and toys.
The puppy will cry and whine on the first night, and the future breeder will have to be prepared for this. However, on the second day the animal will get used to it and will become quiet. It may even become interested in toys.
Basic principles of training a German Shepherd puppy
1. Correct and timely socialization. At first, it is advisable for the owners to spend more time at home.
A dog is a pack animal, therefore, it should not be left alone for a long time. Especially a puppy - it is more sensitive. Otherwise, it will feel unnecessary and abandoned, and this will affect its attitude towards its owners in the future. But you should not constantly carry your pet in your arms.
The ideal option is to provide maximum freedom. Let him explore the apartment, sniff all the corners, get to know all the family members and other pets (if any).
2. Training to a place. This concerns the bed, feeding, and most importantly - the toilet. At first, the puppy goes to the tray, and only as it grows up, they begin to walk it. At this stage, there will be no difficulties, because the German Shepherd is really smart.
If the owners live in a private house, they often resort not to a tray, but to a diaper. Usually after the first few days it becomes clear how the baby behaves when he wants to go to the toilet. Usually he spins, whines, looks for a place, settles down, gets excited.
This will gradually pass, especially when the puppy becomes an adult dog and will relieve itself during a walk. The same applies to the nickname.
The main thing is not to repeat it without a break, so that it does not turn into background noise. The puppy's name should be emphasized with your voice, but not shouted, but spoken affectionately.
3. Using toys. For six months, a German Shepherd puppy is incredibly playful and curious. He will drag absolutely all toys and even find new ones, for example, old owner's shoes, bags, packages, etc.
It is important to separate forbidden and permitted objects. The puppy must learn to distinguish a toy from furniture or things.
Therefore, instead of a slipper or a sofa, you should offer a squeaky toy to chew on. In general, puppies of large dog breeds should have as many toys as possible.
They constantly need a "victim", and the chewed thing doesn't really interest them. But a new one is a completely different matter.
Earlier we talked about why cats play with water .
