How To Choose a German Shepherd Puppy From a Litter

So here’s how to choose a German shepherd puppy, or better to say what to look for in German Shepherd puppies while picking one for yourself. Adding a new German Shepherd puppy to your family is just really good thinking, although it takes a huge volume of planning and preparation ahead of bringing it to your home. Assuming that you are ready now and almost on the way to see the litter, we must say it would be unwise to go and pick the seemingly most beautiful one from the litter. Remember that you need to spend around 12 to 14 years with the one you choose today. It may turn out to be a very nice experience throughout life or maybe something like a nightmare, depending on whom you pick from a litter of 5-6 GSD puppies.

Picking a German Shepherd puppy is an art and a science both, as for picking puppies of any other dog breed! Temperament is what you need to look for in a GSD puppy, and it is so significant that you cannot give it an afterthought. Judging “temperament”, in a large dog like German Shepherd, is just the prime step when picking a puppy. This is what makes your adult German Shepherd Dog compatible or non-compatible with situations that you may come across at any point in time. A wise act in this regard is to watch out for all the puppies in a litter simultaneously. Before picking a puppy finally you are required to observe every single puppy together behaving with the other mates of the litter and with a stranger – you.

Avoid picking a shy German Shepherd puppy

A well-bred German Shepherd puppy should be assertive, inquisitive, and outgoing. Additionally, he should exhibit an unafraid approach toward everything and even a stranger. GSD puppies with steady nerves exhibit affection without a bit of restrained expression exhibited in their gesture and body language. It will be another unwise act if you let a cute face choose you. Don’t let the GSD puppy choose you. Many times you will find a puppy staying away quietly from the rest of his mates, and is not so playful. We won’t suggest you pick him in the first place, because he looks cuter than the rest. We won’t say he is mentally or health-wise not fit. Just carry out a small and easy experiment here. Take him aside and keep an eye to judge how he carries himself in such a situation. He should assert himself immediately if he is kept off his litter mates. He should come to you instantly without sniffing himself. A shy puppy won’t behave this way. A German Shepherd puppy that tucks his tail underneath and tries to keep a distance from a stranger – you cannot be a good choice as a pet. If shyness is in his gene, it is more than the world’s toughest job to bring him out of his shell, and the result can to detrimental for you and your family and other animals as he would grow as a shy adult German Shepherd Dog. Smart puppies will trust you in the first instance.

Choosing the right breeder for the right GSD puppy

Shyness can be a breeding fault. Similarly, faulty breeding can generate a lot of genetic disorders that can put you in deep soup in the future, as today’s cute little puppy turns out to be a ferocious German Shepherd Dog with behavioral problems and/or other health issues, including, congenital heart disease, structural problem, digestive problems, etc. Choosing the right breeder is a top priority. Look for a breeder who has real technical know-how of German Shepherd breeding. Breeding for money has to be discouraged in the first place. A really knowledgeable GSD breeder will stress finding the right owner for his/her puppies than simply earning some dollars. Judging a breeder is important. Check out his dogs and judge how he/her keeps his animals. Check out both the damn and the sire of the litter. Gather all information about the parents and check out all documents of them. A reliable German Shepherd breeder is the one who will be interested in revealing everything you may want to know about his breeding program to his present litter.

German Shepherd puppies should be structurally and physically sound

All puppies in the litter presented before you should be healthy and structurally sound. Let all the puppies move around at their own will. Watch out if anybody is slightly limping. Any indication of limping will arise a whole lot of doubts. See if they are strong-boned, have the right angulations, have proper stifle curvature, good heads, good disposition, and desired expression. The right tail set, correct ear set, and coat condition are of high importance.

The general criterion to check while choosing German Shepherd Puppies

Coat condition is an indication of internal health. Poor coat indicates bad internal health. Reject puppies with running eyes and noses, bad breath, fragile health, thin bones, skin rashes, and non-energetic.