Living with a German Shepherd Dog
BUYING A PUPPY
Like any other breed, always see the mother before buying a GSD puppy. The chances are the father won’t be there. If possible, buy from a recommended breeder, as there are unscrupulous breeders out there, just wanting to make money. Both parents should be hip scored and preferably elbow scored. Pups should be registered with the IKC and microchipped. Make sure you are given a pedigree. Prices vary. I charge 400 euro for my pups, which is quite low, but a high price doesn’t necessarily mean a better dog. No-one can guarantee how a dog is going to turn out. A breeder should always be prepared to take back a pup if it doesn’t work out.
EXERCISE
GSDs should not be exercised much as pups. Up to a year it can gradually be increased. At a year, they can have full exercise, which could be 20 minutes a day or an hour or more. Consistency is the key. Don’t give the GSD 1 hour for 1 day and then nothing for a week. Your company is more important to the GSD than a lot of exercise and if they live in the house, they are quite happy to lie around a lot of the time. However, obviously they must get some exercise every day for the good of their health and if they are working it should be at least an hour.
WORKING
GSDs are more than capable of doing Obedience, working trials and agility. They must be sound, slim and fit for working trials and agility. They will rarely be able to jump past 8 years old, although agility is less stressful on the joints than working trials.
AGING
11 is a reasonable age to get a GSD to, but I have had to let one go at 9 and I have one at the moment who is nearly 15. Nearly all GSDs get spondolitis (a type of osteoarthritis of the spine) when they get older. If the vertebrae fuse, the animal will then be pain-free, though restricted in movement, but sometimes they go off their legs before they get to this stage and have to be let go. Obviously they have to have less exercise when they develop arthritis, but if they are well-exercised and slim before this, they will cope with it better and be fit longer.
SOCIALISING
GSDs are usually very good with people, particularly children, but they should be socialised as much as possible as pups. However, a good number are not good with other dogs, so it is even more vital that they are socialised from an early age with other dogs. Short periods of time running off the lead with dogs that are safe works wonders.
IN THE HOUSE
As mentioned before, GSDs make good house dogs, but don’t forget that their tails can sweep anything and everything off a coffee table or anything of that height. Also, particularly if there are children in the house, they must be taught not to jump up, as what might seem sweet in a puppy, can knock a child over in an adult.
A versatile working dog and an ideal companion, you will never get more loyalty and devotion that from a German Shepherd Dog.
By Caroline Woods |
