general information questions
who should own a German Shepherd Dog?
German Shepherds need a strong, confident owner & whilst they make excellent family pets they need to be socialised with other dogs & people from an early age in this capacity. They are very protective & bond strongly with their family.
GSDs would prefer to be with their people most of the time & they need plenty of exercise. They are not recommended for families that do not intend to make them part of the family circle & they need a firm consistent approach.
In general, the German Shepherd Dog is highly recommended for the right owner/family.
The GSD, without doubt, is one of the most beautiful, noble & intelligent members of the canine race, though care in socialisation from an early age is essential.
how do I obtain a puppy?
We suggest that you contact Dogzonline Puppy Listings (Australia), there are many GSD Breeders who advertise on this site & ensure their breeding GSDs have passed an official Hip & Elbow Dysplasia Scheme - A - Z certificate.
NB No matter where you buy a GSD Puppy from make sure you research, research & research the Breeder! Remember this "cute" little puppy could be with you for 10 or 15 years.
"Caveat emptor" is Latin for "Let the Buyer Beware".
what is the difference between main & limited register?
A pedigreed purebred dog can be listed on either the Main Register(blue certificate) or Limited Register (orange certificate).
A dog on the Main Register (blue certificate) has full rights. The dogs on this register can be shown in conformation shows in order to gain titles & maybe bred from to other Main Register dogs of the same breed & have their progeny registered as purebreds.
The Limited Register (orange certificate) indicates that dog is pedigreed but cannot be shown at conformation shows nor can the dog be bred with & have progeny registered as pedigreed puppies.
should I buy a puppy or an adult GSD?
Puppies are a lot of fun & very, very cute! There is no getting around that fact. However, puppies require a lot of work and attention. While most people want to be able to raise their GSD from puppyhood, there are often wonderful adults available, either as rescue animals needing to find new homes for a variety of reasons, or adults or older pups who were kept by their breeders for a variety of reasons and are now available. Here are some things to consider:
Puppies:
Puppies need housetraining and house "proofing"
Puppies will go through adolescence -- not much different from the human teens!
Puppies will go through many stages before adulthood and you are purchasing "potential" rather than a finished product.
Puppies come with genetic traits which will be influenced by what you teach them. These traits will be influenced, but not replaced by how you raise them
Adults:
Adults are ready for training and have the power of concentration to learn quickly.
Adults are either house trained or are ready for it.
What you see is what you get -- there are not as many stages to go through and you are looking at the "finished product"
Adults have previous life experiences which can be good or bad depending on how their previous owners raised them.
should I buy my puppy from a pet shop?
It is against all the state/territories Kennel Controls rules for Breeders to sell puppies from Pet Shops or Markets. Purchasing a puppy is a lifetime decision, and therefore should be carefully and seriously undertaken, not an impulse decision. You will be unable to view the parents or the environment in which the litter was raised, and therefore cannot be confident of the background of the puppies, especially if they are purebred.
why is it important to socialise my puppy?
Before any puppy leaves their breeder, the puppy has been loved, cared for & socialised. Even so the puppy does not leave the kennels as a finished product. The breeders have done their part - it is now up to the new family to continue with the puppy's development.
This means taking the puppy out and around shopping centres, parks, etc to meet people, other dogs and animals - this is most important if your puppy is to develop into a well adjusted, happy individual. Let the puppy encounter different situations, shapes, noises, traffic, etc., but do it all gradually, NOT ALL IN ONE DAY. This allows the puppy to experience everyday situations and learn to react calmly.
It is a very great responsibility for the new family to continue the puppy's development through structured training, discipline and love.
To help achieve this, the family is advised to become involved with all breed training activities, some of which are on which are listed HERE.
how long will my german shepherd live?
This varies greatly, but generally somewhere around 10 to 12 years of age. Some have been known to reach 15 years of age
how important is a big backyard for a gsd?
The German Shepherd Dog is a working breed & if left alone for lengthy periods of time can be very industrious if he is bored. Boredom could lead to destroying his surrounding area or lead to excessive barking.
A GSD can be kept in a small back yard as long as provisions are made so that he is not left to his own devices for any great length of time without company – the human variety, exercise & training.
If you have plenty of time to devote to your puppy/dog, a small yard is not a deterrent to owning a GSD, however if you are away from your puppy/dog for lengthy periods of time, I would suggest you reconsider your desire to own a GSD.
what is the best vacuum for pet hair?
This is a question that is often asked. Finding hair all over the house is just part of living with a German Shepherd Dog, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to keep it under control. There are a number of vacuums created specifically for pet lovers.
We have found the Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Vacuum cleans our home effectively. The vacuum is a bagless unit that comes with a nice sized cup that is very simple to empty. This means you never have the ongoing expense of purchasing bags and the hassle of trying to change them. Bagless vacuums are also more sanitary as you typically release dust back into the air as you change a bag.
Pet Cleaning Tips
GSD featured on this page Kazkiri Volare - "Kira" Proudly owned by the Smyth Family.
