Common Questions When Getting A New German Shepherd Puppy

Getting a new German Shepherd puppy is an exciting adventure for any new puppy owner. When bringing a new puppy into your home, you’re welcoming a new family member into your lives. German Shepherds make wonderful companions and can easily blend into your family environment. As we all know, when bringing a new puppy into the home, many questions and steps can be taken to make it as easy as possible. Canine Extreme has had 25+ years working with these fantastic dogs, and in this article, you can find some of the most common questions we receive when welcoming a new puppy into the home.

How old is a puppy when I can bring it home?

When you’re bringing a puppy home, the most common age is around 8-12 weeks and have had their first visit with the vet. This can all depend on the timeframe that you and your family are ready to welcome the new Puppy into your home.

What do I feed the puppy, and how often?

The food that your puppy will eat will be dependent on the puppy that is going home with you. When a puppy is selected, this information will be provided based on what the puppy has grown up eating. It’s important to either keep the puppy on the same food or transition them slowly to the food of your choice. Most puppies eat two cups of food twice a day, but this will also depend on the puppy. It’s best to keep an eye on the puppy and adjust accordingly.

Should I crate train the puppy?

Crate training is a beautiful thing to do with any new dog in the home. It gives the dog a place that is their own. Once a dog is a crate trained, this becomes a great asset for your everyday life. The dog will become accustomed and relaxed in the crate when needed. The crate can also be used when traveling, potty training, and leaving them alone at home.

When should my puppy go to the vet for their shots?

This time table for vaccination your puppy is all dependent on your vet. When a puppy goes home at eight weeks of age, they will already have their first set of shots. Once you visit the vet, they will set you up for the second and third sets. However, shots are typically done at specific ages. The first set is between 6-8 weeks, the second is between 10-12 weeks, and the third is between 14-16 weeks.

Can I bring my puppy to meet everyone?

One of the first things that some families want to do is to bring their puppy to meet everyone. It’s important to take the first few weeks to build a bond between the puppy and your family. A puppy’s brain is like a sponge, and they will rapidly absorb the information from the area around them. While social interaction with other people and dogs is terrific, it’s essential to know they will learn other dogs’ behaviors, whether we want them to or not. Once the Puppy has a strong bond with you, your influence will have a more considerable impact than others. It’s important to build a nice foundation during the first 16 weeks of the puppies life.

How to potty train my puppy?

Your best friend for potty training your puppy will be the crate. In the beginning, it’s beneficial to use the crate when you cant keep an eye on your puppy and parter this with taking the puppy out to use the restroom. While puppies are young, they tend to get distracted while on walks and can forget to use the bathroom, so it’s important not to give the puppy toys during bathroom time, or they will play instead of using the restroom. Over time, you can slowly expand this time between these walks to the restroom routine that fits your life schedule.