German Shepherd

Where To Go For German Shepherd Information

When purchasing a purebred German Shepherd, a great deal of research must be performed in advance of buying. Key questions a potential buyer must ask include the following. What is the history of the German Shepherd? What is the breed standard and what are potential health concerns of this breed? Where do I find a reputable German Shepherd breeder? How do I care for a German Shepherd? What should I look for as far as a warranty or guarantee for my purebred German Shepherd? What other German shepherd information is available to me? Additionally, buyers should ask themselves why they want a German Shepherd. Some may desire this breed for its utilitarian nature. Others may want a dog that is a good protector. Others may just want a household companion. If the dog is to be used as a working dog, buyers will need to buy from specific breeders that handle dogs with a family history of training in relevant tasks. Because German Shepherds are large dogs with unlimited intelligence and trainability, it is important that they begin life in optimum conditions. German Shepherd breeders specialize in this breed and know its history, characteristics and potential medical problems. German Shepherds can be trained to work in a variety of tasks. Many are guides for the blind and members of the police force. This makes it doubly important that a buyer purchases a German Shepherd from an appropriate breeder. The only place to buy a purebred German Shepherd is from a certified, reputable German Shepherd breeder. They will have thorough German Shepherd information and will actually care for the dogs they are selling. German Shepherd breeders will provide evidence of pedigree and certification of ancestry (preferably AKC certified) and also medical records information. All other sellers of purebred German Shepherds cannot or will not provide this information. Good German Shepherd breeders do not sell to pet stores. They do not use brokers to deal puppies. Rescue centers are the only other appropriate place to purchase a German Shepherd because they are usually run by or affiliated with ethical breeders. A reputable German Shepherd breeder will provide registration papers for each Shepherd they sell, preferably certified by the American Kennel Club. German Shepherd breeders will also provide medical records on demand and offer a warranty or guarantee regarding certain health conditions like hip dysplasia. A good German Shepherd breeder may also ask the buyer to sign a contract stating that he or she will have the dog spayed/neutered or evaluated for other medical conditions within specific time frames. Good breeders do not sell their dogs to pet stores. Breeders care what happens to their breed and want to know information about the potential homes puppies are going to. Though pet stores display adorable puppies to consumers, the background that these puppies come from is not so pretty. Puppies are born and shipped in cages. Like any other merchandise, they are stored and then sold. Unsold puppies are destroyed. The parents of these puppies are bred twice a year in cages with little to no socialization. Every purchase from a pet store funds the perpetuation of this cycle. This is why it is important that buyers purchase only from ethical German Shepherd breeders and rescue centers. When finding German Shepherd information and researching places to buy a German Shepherd, the focus should be on finding ethical German Shepherd breeders. This article provides German Shepherd information and cites ways to obtain German Shepherds, whether through a pet shop, broker or German Shepherd breeder.

Bad German Shepherd Breeders And Puppy Mills

The history of the German Shepherd dog is relatively brief compared to other breeds. A version of the sheepdog, the first German Shepherd was classified as such by a German cavalry captain named Max von Stephanitz. The dog, Hektor, was renamed Horand von Grafath, and in 1899 was the first German Shepherd registered by the Verein fur deutsche Schaferhunde, or The German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany. The German Shepherd dog is wolfish in appearance and has been bred to retain its lupine beauty, intelligence and utility. This breed is one of the most popular dogs in the world. It was renamed the Alsatian Wolf Dog briefly in the 1900s due to anti-German sentiment surrounding World War II. Though this breed is classified by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as part of the herding group, German Shepherds perform many other functions. Though other breeds may be able to defeat the German Shepherd in specific tasks, the Shepherd is one of the best-rounded dogs and is capable of being trained to do many tasks. German Shepherd breeders may often train these dogs. The breed is commonly used in police work, as guides for the blind, and as security for many families and businesses. Purebred German Shepherds have specific characteristics. Max von Stephanitz inbred the first German Shepherds so that certain traits would be guaranteed in the line. The German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany sets the breed standard. It defines characteristics from body measurements to character to gait. German Shepherd breeders should be familiar with the breed standard as well as what health problems to expect and to have dogs evaluated for. For example, German Shepherds are prone to hip dysplasia and other skeletal disorders. Good German Shepherd breeders will also have registration papers or some form of pedigree for each Shepherd they sell, preferably from the American Kennel Club. German Shepherd breeders will also provide medical records and offer a guarantee against the dog developing hip dysplasia at least within the first year. Good breeders have their own kennels, and dogs should receive daily socialization as well as being well fed and groomed. Unfortunately, there are many German Shepherd breeders who may attempt to sell Shepherds with false registration papers. They may also sell unhealthy German Shepherds. It is important to know how to avoid bad German shepherd breeders. Sure-fire signs of bad German Shepherd breeders include the fact that they only sell puppies over the Internet, they have no physical kennel of their own or only broker puppies, they ask for a non-refundable down payment before the litter is born, they do not plan to keep one of the litter, They claim to have a kennel but will not allow a buyer to visit and they have many dogs for sale at one time. Bad breeders also cannot provide adequate registration or certification paperwork, cannot provide medical record information or refer you to only their" veterinarian, and they don't ask the buyer questions about their household. They do not care where their puppies are going. Good German Shepherd breeders have the opposite qualities of the above. Additionally, they are affiliated with other agencies and rescue centers that help promote and care for the breed. Most importantly, good breeders love the breed they raise! German Shepherd breeders may be good or bad so it is important to do your homework before buying a German Shepherd dog. German Shepherd information and information about locating valid German Shepherd breeders is provided in this article.

German Shepherd Breeders

The first German Shepherd was named Hektor. Hektor was thought to be an excellent example of a sheep herding dog and in 1899 a German named Rittmeister Max von Stephanitz renamed Hektor, Horand von Grafath, and registered him as the first German Shepherd in the German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany. Von Stephanitz brought the breed back into popularity so much that approximately 48,000 German Shepherds were "enlisted" in World War I. The German Shepherd breed is registered in the herding group by the American Kennel Club because of its skill in sheep herding. However, German Shepherd dogs are used for many other purposes today. They are the most common dogs used by police and military for protection and tracking and by the visually impaired as guides. German shepherds are highly intelligent, fiercely loyal, and are at their best when put to work. They can be trained to do multiple tasks. Of course, German Shepherds are also excellent family dogs especially for protection and home security. A German Shepherd breeder may specialize in training this breed in any of the above areas. A good German Shepherd breeder will be able to provide you with documentation of the dog's pedigree and medical history. Because German Shepherds are prone to many skeletal disorders, especially of the hip, the breeder should also include a warranty or statement that the dog has been evaluated for these issues. Getting documentation is also a good way to make sure your Shepherd is purebred as well determining what accomplishments the dog has in his ancestry. Most German Shepherds are trained and certified in many areas and a pedigree will list these achievements. Make sure you know how to properly care for your German Shepherd and ask advice from the breeder on diet, exercise, and general training. A reputable breeder should have his or her own kennel and your German Shepherd should have received daily socialization, exercise and grooming as well as good nutrition and exposure to other animals. Lastly, make sure you have a purpose for buying a German Shepherd. This intelligent, hard-working breed is happiest when its owner gives it daily tasks to complete. An alternative to buying a purebred puppy from a German Shepherd breeder is buying from a rescue center. Rescue centers save purebred dogs from abuse and abandonment. The centers socialize rescues and foster or adopt dogs out to appropriate, loving owners. Rescue centers are often either run by or affiliated with reputable breeders. A sure-fire way to tell a good breeder from bad is to see how involved they are with their dogs. Good German Shepherd breeders love German Shepherds! Unfortunately, many German Shepherds, among other dog breeds, are raised in what are termed puppy mills, where breeders continuously make the dogs produce litters with no regard for the adult's health and happiness. Breeders who run illegal puppy mills are even worse than those trying to sell fake purebred dogs. To recap, a reputable German Shepherd breeder will have his or her own kennel, will provide documentation of lineage and health information, and will be affiliated with a rescue center, ASPCA, or other agencies that support animals. Responsible German Shepherd breeders only sell authentic German Shepherd dogs. This article provides German Shepherd information and explains the difference between a reputable vs. illicit German Shepherd breeder.

Potential Questions For A German Shepherd Breeder

You and your family have made your decision and plan to get a German Shepherd as the new family pet. Now that you have made that decision the time has come for an even more important decision and that is choosing the right German Shepherd breeder for you and your family. This part of the process is extremely important so take it very seriously and make sure you do a thorough check of all the available breeders before you settle on just one. You will be talking to a lot of breeders and this is necessary because any reputable breeder will expect you to talk to a lot of breeders. You are not going to hurt a good breeder's feelings by exploring options. Don't just settle for the first breeder you talk to, branch out and talk to more. You will be needing to feel comfortable talking with your breeder for many years to come so make sure you feel like you can really talk to the breeder you choose. Ask your German Shepherd breeder what breeder registry they are listed with so you can get an idea of what breeding standards they subscribe to. The main registry in the United States is the American Kennel Club but there are others and they are just as reputable. If your breeder does not belong to a registry then ask them why and ask them about the standards they use for breeding. This information can be very important to you when making a decision. A reputable breeder will give you a large amount of detailed information about your new dog when you leave with it, along with a sample of their food so you know what kind of food to feed them. A good breeder will take the time to answer your questions and make sure that you have all the information you need. If the breeder you are talking to does not plan on supplying this type of assistance then find a different breeder. In some cases insurance companies see opportunity with the more reputable German Shepherd breeders and they give these breeders free pet insurance policies to give to new pup owners. The policies are for six weeks and should help cover some of the cost of your first vet appointment. If you like the policy the insurance company hopes you renew it, the German Shepherd breeder will just be happy to offer you a free policy that helps you with those vet bills, which even for a new puppy can be outrageous. If you and your breeder do not get along then you chose the wrong breeder. That is why it is so important to spend time talking to a lot of breeders until you find one that you feel like you really click with and can talk to. A good breeder will be in your dog's life, and your family's life, for many years to come so make sure you are comfortable with the breeder you choose and take your time so that you make the right choice in this important decision. You can use this article as a helpful resource when searching for German Shepherd breeders. This article contains a lot of useful German Shepherd information, especially regarding breeders.

A Useful Way To Find German Shepherd Breeders

The family has decided that it is time to get that German Shepherd pup you have all been talking about for a while now so all you need to do is contact the German Shepherd breeder of your choice and get your dog. What? You have no idea how to get in touch with a good German Shepherd breeder? Well that is no problem. There are many steps you should follow to find a breeder that you will very happy to work with. Some of the methods are obvious while others are not so obvious but you should try them all to find the right breeder for you. As simple as this may sound you can start your search by looking in the phone book. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that contrary to popular belief not all reputable business people advertise in the phone book. Some of the better breeders only do business with referrals from people they know and that may be better than anyone you can find in the phone book. But it is worth a try. In the world of caring for your pet you will never get better advice than the advice you get from your vet. When you are looking for a German Shepherd breeder then your vet is probably one of the first people you want to ask for advice. If you currently have pets and have a business relationship with a vet then you can ask that vet for their referral to a German Shepherd breeder that they trust. If you do not have a vet then the best time to develop a relationship with a vet is when you are beginning to look for a breeder so that you can get that vet's advice. Many of the more reputable breeders will list themselves with a national breeder registry like the American Kennel Club or some other reputable organization. If you find a breeder on a registry you can then check out the registry's breeding standards and know how that particular breeder prefers to breed dogs and decide if that is right for you or not. It may not mean that breeders are not good German Shepherd breeders simply because they are not listed with a registry. After you search the registries you may want to also do a general search of the Internet. The Internet brings us all together and puts a world's worth of information at your fingertips. You can use that information to find the German Shepherd breeder that will work best with you and you may even luck out and find one with a website that you can look over to find information about their breeding schedules and usually a lot of cute pictures. Your search for the perfect German Shepherd breeder in your area should consist of many different sources of information. You should talk to as many qualified people as you can and utilize all the tools at your disposal before you make this very critical decision. Making the wrong decision about a German Shepherd breeder can be something you will have to live with for a very long time so make sure you do a detailed search and find the breeder that is right for you. You can use this article in your search for quality German Shepherd breeders. If you are looking for important German Shepherd information you can use this article.