Care

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Puppy Care

Chewing: We recommend that you get "soup bones". Give a new bone to your puppy once or twice a week. This bone will taste better than any thing else you own IE. chair legs, shoes... If your puppy still seems to have an issue with something, there are products on the market like "Boundary" that you spray on. The raw bone and "Boundary" type product has shown to deter even the toughest of puppies/dogs from unwanted chewing.

Health: We guarantee your puppy is healthy upon delivery. All puppies have received at least 1, 5-way shot and almost always 2 before they leave. They should receive the 5-way shot every three weeks or according to your vet's schedule. At 12 to 16 weeks your puppy should get a rabies shot. We have also wormed your puppy at least once usually 2 times before they leave. This does not guarantee your puppy has no worms as they do have rather gross habits at this age but the worming we have done coupled with the worming routine recommended by your vet with keep these pesky internal parasites under control. As for ticks and fleas: We wash our puppies with tick and flea shampoo every two weeks, have our area and kennels treated regularly but still have to deal with ticks during the summer months. We do not have a bad problem with it, but do have to remove a tick or two from puppies occasionally. Our vet recommends that we do not use any topical product or collars until they are 12-16 weeks old. Every puppy is washed and given a through checking over before they leave.

Your love and attention will give your puppy a happy start. The emotional needs of a German Shepherds are great, they will seek to spend time with you. Your bond with them is very important! Training of all kinds will be immensely easier when this bond is strong. Your puppy will have a time of stress and separation where they transfer from our home to yours and will sometimes develop diarrhea. This is usually caused by a protozoa that is naturally present in many dogs but causes them no adverse effects until it is stimulated by a stressful situation. We give our puppies a treatment to try to stop this from happening but still is something to be aware of. This is usually only a problem that effects dogs under 6mo. of age so if you are getting on older puppy this will not be a concern. If your puppy does develop runny diarrhea your vet will likely do a fecal exam to confirm the presence of cocci and send you home with a simple treatment. There are a couple parasites that can be present in water every where so you should always be aware. If you are a hiker or boater and bring your dog your chances of coming across this is higher but you should not panic your vet can give your loved pet the proper treatment and your pet is as good as new. Your only real risk with this is dehydration so diarrhea or vomiting should not be ignored. Your loving pet depends on you. You may be thinking "this is to much to think about" or "I don't want to deal with that sort of stuff" but we believe the more you are informed the more comfortable we can be, that should something come up, our puppies owners will know that they with their vet can take care of it easily.

House breaking: Our puppy area is set up so that your puppy has an inside space and an outside space with a "doggie door" between. Our momma dogs are with the babies in this space and as the puppy gets older (usually by 4 wks) they are following mommy outside to potty. You only need to show them the "doggie door" when they get home. Out of nervousness they may have an accident or two but reminding them to go through the door when they look like they may be looking for a spot will help them. Also when they do potty outside give them a special treat to reinforce this good behavior.

Beginning obedience training: Your puppy will not not be ready for much at first but as they get older you will want to either bring them to a local training class, hire a trainer (we will recommend one if you would like), get a book or or video that you could use at home. For those who live close to us we offer inexpensive, individual training of puppies/dogs or owners with puppies/dogs. No matter what you choose, your puppy is very smart and needs to learn some basic obedience. Your puppy will be happier and so will you. Training is another great bonding experience we hope you will be sure to plan for.

Grooming: German Shepherds do not require much grooming. We recommend a bath about once a month along with a toenail trim if needed. They need no hair cuts and do not usually require any special products. We have found brushing them once a week is about all they need. This helps remove any loose hair but more importantly your dog will enjoy the individual time and care. If you get a long coat German Shepherd you will need to take a little extra care around the tuff of hair by the ears to keep from getting mats.

If you have any questions about any of this information or other related subjects please e-mail or call us. We are always happy to help you learn about our dogs and how to best care for yours.