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The Puppy Primer
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Our goal in writing this primer
is to give our new German Shepherd puppy owners some guidance in what to
do and what to expect when they bring home their adorable little furry bundle
of joy. The idea behind writing our Primer came from the questions that
we received from individuals and families who have made one of our puppies
a part of their lives. We sincerely appreciate their questions, observations
and insights, and we are always open to new ideas and information.
Our discussion here is not intended to be a comprehensive or definitive
review. We are just trying to provide some helpful information, and we strongly
encourage you to check out the many excellent books, articles and videos on
puppy behavior and puppy training. We recommend that you learn as much as
you can about canine behavior. This will assist you in making intelligent
decisions about interactions with your new friend.
Socializing Your New Puppy
Remember that while your new puppy has spent the past few months with his
mother and his littermates, we have also spent individual time with him.
In many cases, we have taken him to some new places such as buildings and
shopping centers. He has ridden in our car, spent time in a crate, walked
on slick flooring and has even been in an elevator. He has heard loud noises
such as shopping carts clanging together and horns honking. He has seen bicycles,
watched noisy traffic and played with children.
His world is one of senses to be experienced, and it is extremely important
that you continue to socialize your puppy during the first months of life.
Studies have indicated that the critical socialization period for a dog
is between eight and sixteen weeks of life. During this period it is essential
that they safely experience as much as possible. Some of these experiences
will be a little stressful, and you must support your puppy during these
events.
Many years ago, I remember walking a puppy in a quiet shopping center.
Suddenly part of a newspaper blew by startling him. He curiously--but a
little fearfully--watched the newspaper as it continued to blow up against
a wall. You could tell he wanted to check it out, but his survival instinct
was also telling him to run away. I did not pull him towards the paper,
but allowed his own curiosity to take over. He very hesitantly moved forward,
and I quietly encouraged this bravery. Finally he was face-to-face with the
source of his fear, the newspaper. I really bragged on him, and he thought
he was the most courageous canine on earth. He proceeded to pick up the newspaper
and give it a good head shake! He met his fear and overcame it. The next
time he would be more confident when encountering a strange object. Confidence
begets confidence, and a confident dog is a good-tempered dog.
You can see that you play a major role in providing this confidence. We
have furnished the genetics by breeding two excellent dogs, but you must build
on this foundation. If your puppy never leaves your home or yard, he will
be fearful of life. Sometimes they can overcome these adversities, but it
is advisable to get him off to the right start.
We know that life styles today make it difficult to spend much time with
the new puppy, but try to take him on "field trips" 2-3 times a week. The
time period does not have to be long. A quality 15 minutes will go a long
way.
You might ask: "What if my dog is a year old, and he has never left our
house except to go to the vet for his shots." It's not too late. Start today.
Keep in mind that he's probably associating the car with maybe not so pleasant
trips to the vet's office. Take it slowly. Maybe put him in the car for
30 seconds, and give him a treat and take him out. Build up the time and
start driving him around the block. Support and encourage him. Do not scold.
Only positive reinforcement works here.
A word of caution: Unfortunately there are many contagious diseases
such as Parvo which are especially dangerous to young puppies. You have
to balance the importance of socialization with the risk of taking your
puppy outside his home. We do not recommend that you take your young puppy
to parks or other public places where many dogs frequent such as some of
the pet stores that allow you to take your dog inside. You may be up-to-date
on all of your puppy's shots, but you don't know about the other guy.
There are plenty of other places you can visit. This is why we recommend
going to malls and other stores. We go to the huge shopping malls and just
stand outside one of the main entrances. They will get great exposure to
people, children, noises, traffic, etc. Some stores like Home Depot (at least
the ones in our area) also let you take your dog in on lead. Another great
place to take your puppy is a hotel that allows pets. They have slick floors,
elevators and lots of interesting things for your puppy to explore.
We also do not recommend "dog parks" where dogs of all sizes and ages are
allowed to roam free. Dogs are pack animals (we'll discuss in more detail
below), and they instinctively want to establish a pack order. A dominant
dog without inhibited aggression may harm your dog. Even if no physical
damage is done to your dog, you really do not want your dog dominated by
another dog. Survival instinct will tell your puppy to submit to the larger
or mature (sometimes smaller) dog, and this interaction is not productive
for your puppy. You want to encourage as strong a bond as possible between
you and your dog, and if the truth were known, dogs would probably rather
be with their own kind. Dog parks allow dogs to play with each other and
actually encourage this behavior. Your dog should want to play with you and
find you the center of their attention--not another dog. If puppies become
extremely involved with other dogs, they will lose their interest in people
and become much more difficult to train.
The First Few Days
There's almost nothing more exciting than bringing home a new puppy. You
just anticipate that perfect and wonderful ball of fur. You see him being
another Lassie or RinTinTin responding to your every command and knowing
intuitively what to do. And he will be extremely well mannered and well behaved.
Some of you who have experienced the joys of owning a puppy--specially a
German Shepherd puppy from German bloodlines--will be falling on the floor
laughing at this point. But believe it or not, we have many requests from
people wanting a puppy that meets all these requirements.
Well, the plain and honest truth about a puppy is that if they weren't
so darn cute, you would probably kill them. Believe me, the first few days
can be difficult on you and your puppy. Your pup has been plucked from his
littermates and is expected to fit right in with your way of life. You need
loads of patience and a good sense of humor. If you work or are in school,
it is a good idea to plan the puppy's arrival when you have a couple of days
off like right before a weekend.
Remember that your puppy does not speak English. As much as you yell at
him, he hasn't the foggiest notion of what you mean. He only senses you are
angry, and he does not know why. You must teach him what you expect, and you
must do so without harsh physical corrections. When he is doing good, you
teach him that "good dog", "good boy", "good girl" are nice words with nice
sounds and associated with petting, praise and/or treats. Conversely, he
learns that bad actions are associated with "no", "phooey", "bad" and have
sharp disapproving verbal sounds. With some stubborn puppies, a neck scruff--like
his mother would have done--is very effective in conjunction with whatever
term you have decided to use for unwanted behavior. Pick a word for unwanted
behavior and stay consistent with its use. If you use different words and
expressions such as "get away from there," "Fang, I said stop that," "quit
that," "shut-up," etc., your puppy will be confused.
Make it clear, and be CONSISTENT.
Let your puppy explore on his own. Studies have shown that the 8th week
is a fear period, so if you get your puppy during the 8th week, which is very
common, try not to expose him to sharp noises or harsh treatment for this
week. Be very patient, loving and understanding.
You should be well prepared for your new puppy. You should have decided
where he is going to live, sleep and go to the bathroom. Puppies should not
be given the run of the house or yard unless they are constantly supervised
like you would supervise a two-year-old child. NEVER LEAVE YOUR PUPPY IN
THE HOUSE WITHOUT SUPERVISION. They are extremely destructive. They do not
know that your woodwork, couch, drapes or electrical wiring are off-limits.
They can severely injure themselves as well as destroy your home. If he is
going to be kept in the house, have a "puppy proof" room for him. Remove
anything from this area you do not want destroyed. This is for his safety
and your sanity. Many folks leave puppy in the kitchen. This is fine, but
remember that he can chew cabinets and woodwork just dandy. If you are going
to be away for an hour or two, we suggest leaving your puppy in a dog crate
with water and a safe toy to chew. Do not leave your puppy in the crate for
long periods, but a couple of hours here and there are fine. Make sure you
have allowed them to go to the bathroom before you place them in the crate.
They actually learn to like the crate and regard this area as their den.
When they want peace and quiet, they will often go to their open crates on
their own. This is a place where they should not be disturbed. We'll discuss
crate training in a little more detail below.
If you have to leave your puppy for long hours while you are at school
or work, we recommend that you provide an outside facility for him. Generously
sized dog runs serve this purpose. The run must have some shade and shelter
from the elements, and you should always have an ample supply of fresh water
and a toy. For our German Shepherds, we recommend 9 gage fencing. With a
higher gage, the fencing is not as strong. Your puppy can learn to move the
fence by pulling on it and will damage his teeth along with the fence. The
size of the run can vary, but it should be a minimum of 8' x 10' to allow
for some exercise and freedom of movement. A larger dog run would be preferable
for a German Shepherd.
DOG RUNS AND DOG CRATES ARE NOT CRUEL. They are a necessity in owning
a German Shepherd. But having a crate and a run does not mean that you keep
your dog in there all the time. You must spend quality time with your dog
every day. Give him an early morning or late evening walk. Don't jog with
a young dog. Wait until he is a year of age so his bones will have a chance
to develop. Take him to a safe area and play ball or hide and seek. Take
him out tracking or start some positive obedience training. They are little
sponges ready to soak up everything. You'll be amazed how quickly your puppy
will catch on. And it's stimulating for him and builds a stronger bond with
you. If your climate permits (not too hot), take him with you on short trips
or errands. The highlight of his day is being with you. This is all he thinks
of all day. He only wants to please you.
Be ready for your puppy by planning ahead in providing a safe and secure
area for him and be patient and realistic about your puppy. You will have
to gently teach him the rules of his new home.
The First Few Nights
This is another instance where a little preparation will help. Hopefully,
you have taken a couple of days off from work or school, so you were able
to spend several hours with him getting him use to his new environment.
We suggest having the puppy's sleeping area next to your bed so he feels
your presence, and you can reach out to touch and comfort him. The little
guy is lonely. He misses his family so expect some separation crying. We
like to use a closed crate with a little padding and a safe toy. Some folks
have asked us to send a towel with the scent of the littermates. They say
this helps, so you might give it a try. We have also used the ticking clock
but really have not had much luck with this. Recently a friend told us that
she placed several stuffed animals in her puppy's crate, and this helped
the stress of separating from his litter. Give it a try. Make sure puppy
has gone to the bathroom before you put him to bed. Expect to get up once
or twice during the night to comfort him or let him out to relieve himself.
A puppy really does not have bladder control until 12 weeks of age at the
minimum so he might have an accident in his crate. We'll talk more about
this later, but just keep in mind that at this tender age he cannot help
himself. When you gotta go, you gotta go.
You really want to minimize the separation anxiety as much as possible.
If you just stick him in the garage or another room and wear earplugs, you
might be creating a long-term problem, which could manifest itself in the
future by excessive barking and destructiveness. This is a subject on which
there is a different opinion from everyone that you ask.
If you have selected a location other than your bedroom for puppy's permanent
sleeping area, it's probably not a good idea to keep him in your bedroom
for more than a few days. But again, be prepared for a little squawking when
you place him in his new sleeping quarters. After a few days, he should settle
down and give you some rest.
Feeding
This is another subject that will yield a different opinion from everyone
that you ask. We'll give you some suggestions. There are some excellent
dog foods on the market, and we suggest you feed a very high quality food
such as Nutro, Sensible Choice or Purina ProPlan. These foods by no means
cover the list of good dog foods. We currently feed Innova Evo and Royale
Canine for German Shepherds. Some people say chicken based is the best,
and other people say lamb based is the best. Still others strongly advocate
a raw diet.
Bottom line is get a high quality puppy food and see if your puppy does
well on it. If you experience loose stools, poor coat, etc., and you have
ruled out other problems, try another food. We suggest you do not go hoping
around from one food to another. If you find a quality food that your puppy
enjoys, and he is doing well on it, stay with that food.
DO NOT GET YOUR PUPPY OVERWEIGHT! DO NOT FREE FEED! It is imperative
that you do not have an overweight puppy. You need to feed enough for them
to comfortably move through their growing periods, but you absolutely do
not want to feed too much. Our veterinarian has told us that you should not
be able to see the ribs, but you should be able to feel them easily. We think
this is a good rule of thumb. But, it's not as easy as you think with a
growing puppy. One day they look fat, so you cut down the food. You look
at them in a couple of days, and the ribs and backbone are poking out. You
really have to watch them closely since they are growing at an incredible
rate. Studies have indicated that overweight is a contributing factor towards
hip dysplasia.
We get a lot of questions on how often you should feed. We recommend feeding
puppies 3 times a day until they are 3-4 months old. We realize that in
many situations, this is not possible, as you are unable to be there during
the middle of the day to feed. If this is the case, feed twice daily, a.m.
and p.m. We continue to feed twice daily even after they have matured to
adults. We just do not like giving them their entire quantity of food in
one meal, and some studies have indicated that feeding twice daily is a
good defense against bloat. This is another one of those controversial subjects
where there are bunches of opinions. Generally, you do not want your dog
to be very active either directly before or directly after you feed. After
you feed them, you need to give them at least a couple of hours at rest for
the food to digest. Limiting activity before and after meals is another deterrent
to bloat.
When should you quit feeding puppy food? We suggest that adult food is
in order no later than when your puppy reaches 6 months of age. You might
do a little research on your own in order to decide when to switch. The
issue of food is very controversial and complex, and there are extensive
materials on the Internet for your perusal.
Then there is the issue of supplements. Should you or shouldn't you? We
have been told that the dog food on the market these days is such high quality
involving so much scientific research that supplements are not necessary.
Well, maybe, but we have observed noticeable differences with some supplements.
We suggest that you research this area as well. There are so many possibilities
that we cannot even begin to cover them here. Please drop us an e-mail if
you would like to know what we use.
reprinted with kind permission from Alice & Fred Stroman
phone:
512-836-3933 cell:
512-694-9990
Von Stroman ©2005. All rights
reserved internationally.
