Finding A Good German Shepherd Puppy

Expert’s answer:

Finding a good German Shepherd puppy involves several important steps. Here are some tips to help you in your search:

Research the Breed

Before getting a German Shepherd puppy, it’s important to understand the breed characteristics, needs, and temperament. This will help you determine if a German Shepherd is the right fit for you and your family. You can find resources online, such as breed clubs and reputable websites, that provide detailed information about German Shepherds.

Look for a Reputable Breeder

Finding a reputable breeder is crucial to ensure you get a healthy and well-bred German Shepherd puppy. A good breeder will prioritize the health and temperament of their dogs, and they will be knowledgeable about the breed. Look for breeders who are members of recognized breed clubs, such as the German Shepherd Dog Club of America (GSDCA) or the American Kennel Club (AKC).

Visit the Breeder

Once you have identified a potential breeder, arrange a visit to their facility. This will give you an opportunity to meet the breeder, see the living conditions of the dogs, and interact with the puppies. Observe the puppies’ behavior and temperament. A good German Shepherd puppy should have a stable and confident temperament.

Ask Questions

During your visit, don’t hesitate to ask the breeder questions. Inquire about the health testing done on the parents, the puppy’s lineage and pedigree, and any certifications or titles the parents may have. A responsible breeder will be transparent and willing to provide you with information.

Health Checks

Ensure that the breeder conducts health checks on their breeding dogs to screen for genetic health issues common in German Shepherds, such as hip dysplasia and degenerative myelopathy. Ask for documentation of these health tests, and verify their authenticity.

Socialization and Training

A good breeder will prioritize proper socialization and early training for their puppies. Ask the breeder about the socialization experiences and training methods they provide to their puppies. Proper early socialization is crucial for a German Shepherd puppy to grow into a well-adjusted adult dog.

Trust Your Instincts

Trust your instincts and be cautious if something feels off or if the breeder is not transparent or cooperative. It’s essential to work with a breeder who genuinely cares about the well-being of their dogs and the puppies they produce.

Consider Adoption or Rescue

If you’re open to it, consider adopting or rescuing a German Shepherd. There are breed-specific rescue organizations and animal shelters that may have German Shepherds available for adoption. This can be a rewarding way to provide a loving home to a dog in need.

Remember, finding a good German Shepherd puppy takes time and effort. It’s important to do thorough research, ask the right questions, and visit reputable breeders to ensure you find a healthy and well-bred puppy that will be a great fit for your family.

How do you determine a puppy’s personality from its litter?

A general evaluation of your pup’s personality can be obtained even though accurate temperament testing is not feasible at a very young age. Does he seem playful, does he sniff or nuzzle your hand when you hold it out and welcome your touch, does he seem at ease around people or does he cower when you approach?

What to look for when buying a german shepherd puppy
What to look for when buying a german shepherd puppy – (Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Which age is ideal for purchasing a German Shepherd puppy?

According to a seasoned dog trainer and development expert, 8 to 9 weeks is the ideal time for a puppy to be adopted by a new owner, when the puppy is prepared to form a close bond. The same trainer added that if the breeder is spending a lot of time and effort socializing and training the puppy, the puppy might also benefit from staying with its littermates a little while longer.

The bottom line is to consult your dog trainer, veterinarian, and breeder. You’ll be better prepared on the big day if they advise you to wait a week or two longer for the healthy development of your new companion.

When it comes to raising your puppy, don’t overlook important information. Get personalized training, nutritional, veterinary, and everyday advice sent straight to your inbox. You can receive a weekly email newsletter called Pupdate with content that is tailored to the breed and age of your puppy.

Which German Shepherd puppy in a litter should I choose?

And discover the dog with whom you get along. Best. Observe things like eyes as well. Contact. The puppy’s apparent social skills and whether they approach you when they hear your voice. Voice. Consider petting the dog.

German shepherd puppies
German shepherd puppies – (Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Should you choose the litter’s busiest pup?

Keep an eye on particular puppies in the litter. Pay attention to finding a pup that isn’t overly active but also isn’t overly timid. Despite the fact that you may have a specific personality type in mind, most families find that a pup that is just right in terms of bossiness and submission works best. A friendly, reasonable dog who doesn’t growl or bite is what you should be looking for. You want a pup that walks up to you and your family with their ears held high and their tail wagging with excitement..

Engage the puppies one at a time. When you have your options down to a select few puppies, ask the breeder if you can meet each one individually.

Check each puppy’s appearance once more. They should be nice and round, not fat and definitely not skinny. Even thin breeds like Whippets and Greyhounds are small, round puppies until they are about four months old.

German shepherd puppies for sale
German shepherd puppies for sale – (Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Which German Shepherd should I get—a boy or a girl?

These characteristics might make them more difficult to manage around infants or young children. Due to their maternal, less dominant nature, female GSDs generally get along better with kids.

Additionally, male GSDs have a tendency to be bigger, more powerful, and may become too big for smaller children. They may bully the kids with their strong personalities and aggressive personalities.

Females make better candidates for families with young children.

With the right parental instruction, even young children can learn to control this breed.

Buy german shepherd puppies online
Buy german shepherd puppies online – (Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What do German shepherds show when they are assertive?

Protecting
their owner from other dogs or people is a common sign of dominance in dogs. dragging a leash. Males and females alike have been observed inappropriately mounting humans or other dogs. refusing to leave the furniture. forcing play by placing toys on owners’ laps.

Dogs are regarded as pack animals whose dominance is based on their territorial instincts. This behavior is essential to survival in the wild, but when it occurs in a domestic setting, it can turn into unwanted behaviors and dangerous aggression. Knowing the indications of dominant behavior equips dog owners with the skills necessary to train their dog or seek assistance from dog training classes to stop the behavior’s progression.

Dogs can demonstrate their dominance in a number of ways, which frequently results in aggressive actions that could seriously harm kids or other animals. Dominant behavior in dogs is characterized by aggression toward children and biting at the heels of kids and other animals in an effort to “herd” them. Any dog owner who observes aggressive behavior in their pet should contact our Dog Training in Fredericksburg to have it corrected. In a secure, controlled setting, our dog training classes provide instruction that can effectively deal with aggressive behavior. Other typical manifestations of dominance include.

When a dog refuses to obey its owner’s commands and instead growls, jumps, barks, nips, or exhibits other inappropriate behavior as a response, that is another crucial indicator of dominance. Additionally, they frequently exhibit high levels of food and toy aggression, or guarding. causing them to snarl, bite, or nip at humans, small children, or other animals when they approach too closely to the objects they are guarding.

How should I evaluate a German Shepherd?

The general appearance of a good German Shepherd dog is that of a strong, agile, well-muscled animal that is alert and full of life, according to the German Shepherd Dog Official Standard. The forequarter and hindquarter have harmonious growth, and it is well-balanced.

How to sell german shepherd puppies
How to sell german shepherd puppies – (Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What qualities should a breeder of German Shepherds have?

German shepherd puppies are frequently raised and sold due to the breed’s popularity. However, make sure to only work with licensed German shepherd breeders when looking for a puppy. Experienced GS breeders are dedicated to raising pups of the highest caliber and have in-depth knowledge of the breed. German shepherds are susceptible to genetic diseases, just like all purebred animals. Therefore, knowledgeable breeders take precautions to make sure their offspring are healthy. For instance, shepherds have a high risk of developing hip dysplasia. The best German Shepherd breeders will have their dogs OFA certified, which is a test that gauges the health of the dog’s hip joints. Finally, pick a breeder who you feel confident in, who can provide references, who maintains a tidy facility, and who has a long history of breeding German shepherds.

German shepherds are intelligent, extremely intelligent, and happy to use their intelligence. Having no outlet for their intelligence causes issues for shepherds. Fortunately, training and consistent mental and physical exercise will keep your GS puppy happy and interested. Prior to purchasing a German Shepherd puppy, start by putting a training strategy in place. Additionally, taking your puppy to obedience lessons can be a good way to strengthen your bond and keep your dog interested.

Additionally, plan to provide regular exercise for your dog. German shepherds love long walks and opportunities to expend pent-up energy. If you live in an apartment, you’ll need to go above and beyond to make sure your dog has enough time to play, socialize, and burn off energy outside. A way to help your shepherd expend some of that pent-up energy is through dog sports and agility training.

Good quality german shepherd puppy
Good quality german shepherd puppy – (Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Which inquiries should one make when purchasing a German Shepherd puppy?

Important Questions For Your German Shepherd Breeder: 7 Questions to Ask Your German Shepherd Breeder. dot. Have The Parents Been Tested? dot. Are The Parents Registered? dot. Can You Meet The Parents? dot. Do They Offer A Health Guarantee? Are Puppies Up To Date With Vaccinations And Vet Care? dot. Does The Breeder Provide References?

So you’ve decided to get a German Shepherd puppy. It can be very rewarding to take this big a step. Undoubtedly, raising a German Shepherd Dog (GSD) will be a rewarding experience for you. Talking to a trustworthy German Shepherd breeder in advance will help you find the ideal dog for you and your family. How can you tell if a breeder is everything you need them to be and what signs point to competent breeding practices?

There are many factors to consider when raising a new dog, and many pertinent questions to ask your breeder. It is very valuable to understand your breeder, your interested dog breed, and what makes up your puppy. There are many steps left on this journey, and knowledge can be a very important factor. There are many great dog obedience classes San Antonio, and by knowing what questions should be on your mind, you can best navigate these crucial first few months and years.

Knowing your breeder and building a relationship with open communication can be very important. Understanding your breeder is essential if you want to comprehend your dog.

Female german shepherd puppies for sale
Female german shepherd puppies for sale – (Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What are red flags when picking out a puppy?

Claire continues: “Ask to see where the puppies have been raised to check they have not been kept in an outdoor kennel or off-site. Food bowls, bedding and toys are all positive signs, and the dogs should be comfortable and familiar with the room. All the puppies should be clean, bright and alert with a healthy coat and not showing any signs of ill-health, such as discharge from nostrils or eyes, snuffling or coughing”.

✅ A good breeder will. let you see the whole litter in the place they were born. Nothing will be kept from you in secret.

A reputable dog breeder will show proof that both parents underwent the pertinent health examinations advised for their breed, whether these were physical examinations or DNA tests for specific genetic conditions.

“If your breeder hasn’t finished health-testing — if they couldn’t be bothered or they’ve avoided the costs,” says Tim, “they have cut corners and put their puppies’ health at risk, and you will have to live with the potential consequences”.

How can you gauge the temperament of a German shepherd?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How can you gauge the temperament of a German shepherd?

Puppy should be placed in the testi
ng area. The tester kneels down and gently claps her hands while calling the puppy toward her from a few feet away. The puppy must be coaxed away from the point where it entered the testing area by the test subject. degree of dependability, confidence, or social attraction.

1 – Came easily, with tail up, jumped, and bit at hands.

Stand up and walk away from the pup in a normal manner. Make sure the pup sees you walk away. Degree of following attraction. Not following indicates independence.

What are the desirable traits of a German Shepherd?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What are the desirable traits of a German Shepherd?

Generally considered dogkind’s finest all-purpose worker, the German Shepherd Dog is a large, agile, muscular dog of noble character and high intelligence. Loyal, confident, courageous, and steady, the German Shepherd is truly a dog lover’s delight. 2 – Came readily, tail up, pawed, licked at hands. 3 – Came readily, tail up. 4 – Came readily, tail down. 5 – Came hesitantly, tail down. 6 – Didn’t come at all.

Video:


How To Choose The Right German Shepherd Puppy From A Litter

It can be a difficult decision when it comes to choosing the right German Shepherd puppy for you. It’s an exciting decision, but a …



Testing and Selecting German Shepherd Puppies for work

Picking and evaluating puppies for police or protection work. Train with us online at https://shieldk9.ca Follow us on IG!


Finding A Good German Shepherd Puppy.
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Chelsea Vaughn

Chelsea is a former marine biologist who switched gears in her twenties to build a small house and start a business. She enjoys traveling and going on hiking adventures with her husband, their two Australian Shepherds and their African Grey Parrot.

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38 comments

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  • My wife and I are the proud owners of Puppy #3 (his name is Arlo), and it’s honestly unbelievable to how accurately Haz was able to pinpoint the personality traits of our dog from such a young age. Everything he described at the puppy stage is exactly how our dog turned out. On a side note, Shield K9 has one of the most amazing breeding programs I’ve ever come across. I’ll never buy a dog anywhere else. Anyone considering a GSD, don’t even waste your time looking anywhere else. These dogs are genetically perfect in every single way for maximum working capability. Thank you Haz and Shield K9!

  • This is fascinating and reminds me a bit of a book I read when I was growing up about testing puppy personalities. It included steps like sitting down and seeing which would wander over vs. holding back (a confident vs. shy puppy) and clapping to see which ones startle easily vs. remaining calm. For people looking for a dog, the agencies that train service and other dogs have a high “reject” rate but any dogs that even pass some of their tests make excellent pets. They often have long waiting lists of people willing to take the “rejects.”

  • Thank you for posting this article. My Malinois failed a test like this at 6 weeks and now 7 years later he is a, crazy, house pet living on easy street, some of his brothers and sisters passed and went on to train with the Canadian armed forces. I’ve always been curious what this type of test involves, so thank you for answering that for me.

  • Absolutely fascinating article. I initially thought, “For sure, I’d choose Puppy #1,” until I read your post (from 3 weeks ago) that his new owners say “his tenacious behavior is sometimes a challenge for them.” That tenacity seemed cute and promising when he was a puppy, as he you were looking at some kind of precocious kid. But your post suggests that the trait you admired in a puppy can intensify, even over-intensify, when it grows up. Choose wisely. Comments indicate a lot of people want to know what became of Puppy #1. Your statement that he “is living the good life with his owners” suggests that he never became a K9 or military dog. Is that the case? If so, oh no! Imagine hiring Usain Bolt to do pizza delivery because he is fast.

  • This is fascinating. I’m a guide dog users, so their work is extremely different from police work, but now I wonder what my school’s tests are like. My dog, a lab/golden mix, is petrified of thunder and fireworks. She’s eleven now, but we’ve been dealing with it since she was at least four. The one time I actually experienced her getting afraid of a loud noise while in harness guiding me, we were walking near some tracks to a local train-like system (I don’t know its exact name). The train/vehicle came right by us, and my girl was on my left side, between me and the vehicle. She cowered against me, but as soon as it past, she kept right on walking, like, “Eh, whatever, no big deal.” Thank you so much for describing what you were doing with the puppies. As a blind person, I would have been so lost otherwise! As it was, it was hard hearing the yipping and whimpering without knowing who was doing it and why. I’d like to know which of the dogs made it into whatever work they were being trained for? You mentioned one at the end, but since you didn’t give a number, I have no way of knowing. I’d like to. 🙂 Thanks for this article!

  • This is great work and analysis on picking dogs out for K9 work. I’ve been a German line rott breeder for many years now and my father long before me. We breed for show purposes mainly but we also provide rotts for working homes and services such as guad/protection work and police work. Keeping an out eye open for certain behavioral traits they already have as puppies is critical for choosing which one will be best suited for which line of work.

  • Soooo cool, thanks for sharing. I’ve seen different temperament testing for pet dogs from pet lines so this was very awesome to see for working dogs. As a GSD puppy owner, I can confidently say my boy has failed all these tests but prey drive, but he is only a pet 🤣 we are training confidence, its not a gift he was born with. Do you re-test them as they get older before being adopted out to see if their personalities continue to change over time?

  • Thank you for this article! The most information and best understanding I’ve watched to select or learn what pups are more suited for working!! I noticed a couple off comments saying this is bullshit but come on ur not saying this is guaranteed but your definitely giving us a greater chance to separate the best suited to the unsuited pups!! Thanks again so happy I found your website!

  • My Mom raised German Shepherds for many years, then switched to Corgis as she got older. Her pups were raised for show dogs. Temperament is always important. She used to do temperament testing with litters of puppies. Various breeds. One of the things they used was a toy robot to see how the puppies reacted. My cat sitting in my lap was REALLY interested in the rag. lol.

  • I’m a GSD person and I said I’d never get a working line GSD, of course I ended up with a female working line exactly like pup #1! First day home, she ran straight through the door, in front of us, and chased the cats 😅 We love her, but she’s like a tornado on cocaine 😂 This article gives great ideas on what to do when looking for a pet puppy amongst a litter too 😊 Because I never know how to ‘choose one’.

  • one thing I would be concerned about is the precision they can back off from the perp, thats very vital I feel like its more important because many times a good working line blood has the instinct when to attack but its the most difficult to have it called off. if anyone knows how to train that it would be appreciated if you shared that knowledge

  • The second puppy has better survival traits–being ok with unusual environments, loud sounds, and larger animals would actually pose a danger to him in the wild. I once watched a article of a pack of baby lions interact with approaching hyenas. The babies that bolted out of there survived–the “brave” ones that went up to the hyenas did not.

  • There was a singular police dog in the small town (7000 people) I grew up and the little enclosure he was placed in was effectively walled off from outside view because his handler didn’t want him establishing trust or relationships with humans other than himself. Naturally me and my friends were terrified of it. I like that this guy is focused on the dogs’ social behavior. In those highly populated situations, everyone shouldn’t have to be petrified of the dog.

  • My puppy unfortunately is a nervous wreck and the second last picked from a litter of 12. Just sat in her crate, head down, no noise. But I chose her because I knew I could give her the sensitive household she needs. Going to the wrong home can destroy such a sensitive dog. The puppy I didn’t pick was a super sprighty, healthy, cautious female. Would have made a good guard dog. I think about her all the time, in another world I could have just easily picked her,but she could probably handle more types of households.

  • in my sister-in-law’s old workplace, a retirement home, they had a resident dog that would come sometimes for the elderly. this dog had failed guide dog training or whatever and i guess this was the only gig he could get in town 😂 i just like to think that this dog was more self-aware and evolved than the other dogs refusing to be anyone’s ‘guide dog’ 😂😂

  • Great commentary, some people have very little awareness of reading animal behavior which leads to them misunderstanding or being afraid of them. I hope some of those people see this article and the commentary illuminates some of this for them. The difference between the first puppy and the rest is so striking!

  • Muito interessante. Não são só os cães tem traços de personalidade desde bebês, os seres humanos também tem. Tenho 45 anos e os principais traços da minha personalidade já estavam lá desde que me entendo por gente. Sou anti-social, só gosto de interagir com pessoas quando existe uma boa razão para isso. Por exemplo, consigo interagir perfeitamente no trabalho mas odeio interagir com pessoas em festas. Ficar muito tempo perto de pessoas me estressa, gosto de isolamento para recarregar a bateria. NUnca gostei de viajar, adoro ficar em casa. E esses traços existem em mim desde sempre. Já tentei mudar minha personalidade (por pressão social) e a única coisa que consegui foi ficar estressada. O mesmo vale para cães, por isso esses testes de personalidade são extremamente úteis.

  • I personally would have chosen puppy number one even as nothing more than a companion dog. He acted a lot like my Siberian/timberwolf/Malamute puppy did when I went to choose him. There was no question which puppy was mine. I loved the 5 Alaskan Malamutes I had before him, but Mika is THE superlative dog of my lifetime.

  • Hey, these were all pretty nice little pups! I’m a big believer in puppy tests, but I do think they’re even more useful at 8 weeks — AND, there’s no question that dogs can surprise you: I’ve seen great pups that turned skittish, and not so great pups turn into MONSTERS (especially males, after they hit puberty). Still, I could NEVER take a pup who wouldn’t show decent interest in biting a nice fluffy rag that’s jumping around in front of it; I would just have no confidence for such a pup’s future. Good article, thanks for posting.

  • When I bought my German Shepherd I got the 1st pick after the Stud Dog and I went over and watched the Pups for a couple of weeks before the pick deadline. I got lucky because I was able to secure the litter dominant, fortunately the Stud owner was looking for a bitch. I picked the big male, he has unbelievable focus and prey drive, I didn’t think to do a whip test but I did make some loud noises and he isn’t bothered a bit. He loves to play tug of war, it’s always been his favorite game. He is now 4 years old and he is definitely a biter, he is awesome with people unless they are threatening. I can take him for walks and he doesn’t bother anyone as long as they don’t approach aggressively.

  • I feel like puppy number 3 would be a really good dog for narc or explosive at an airport. Like definitely a strong candidate but maybe in less intense situations. – also I have no experience what so ever so I could be soo far off but it’s hard for me to not believe in the little pups 😔🥺 they’re too cute 😂

  • GSD are ready to learn at 6 weeks but you can hardly tell a personality that early on. By 8 to 10 weeks you can really see who the good candidates for work are. All these dogs are good enough for protecting my family. I just can’t take the heartbreak again. My guy is 9 and he is on the hard downslide. He will be number 5 from pup to the dirt. They truly become part of the family. No more puppy articles. I just can’t do it again.

  • I liked puppy 4. Imma call her a she seeing as her collar was pink. She was super brave. Not too bothered .. the prey drive can be driven in… and she was loud. A loud vocal dog coming at me is terrifying . A vocal dog protecting and warning strangers is the dog id like. Plus she was focused on the trainer which i love because then she’d follow my direction. However. I know nothing about guard dogs and these thoughts could be completely wrong.

  • My Miss Tangerine had 2 litters from the same male and boy, those puppies were amazing. She was a true mutt. Her mate as well but he had no tail from birth. Both parents were tan, he was muscular and an alpha that roamed though his owner was my neighbor in the country I was living in at the time. My property was fenced in, hers wasn’t. My girl got out 2x,before I could get her fixed. Vets there aren’t accustomed to neutering female dogs. Anyway, all the puppies were, to some extent, great guard dogs. They were food oriented, and I was able to start training them with simple commands as soon as they began weaning. I didn’t sell them. Instead I interviewed potential owners why they wanted my pups, and what kind of property they had. Only 1 of my pups have died, and that one by accident, as far as I know. And all of them had the prey instinct from 4 weeks.

  • Love this 🙂 My last German Shepherd girl would have passed all these tests but was a challenge to train. My current boy would have failed most but was a breeze to train. His prey drive did not kick in till about 6 months – now he is like the dog at the end and refuses to let go no matter what. His confidence has just grown with age. He used to act skittish and bark at anything new – umbrellas/ benches/ things that had not been there before etc. Approach – shy away – bark – go back etc. Socialized him to everything and now approaches new things directly – no bark or shying away. The female I got at 6 weeks – my boy not till 13 weeks – so maybe he just missed out on some key developmental stages?

  • Pretty well developed test compared to what folks did tradionally to check the potential of shepherd dog pups in many parts of the world. Lift them pups by the skin of the nap of their necks. The pup that whimpers and then runs away after being let go is scardy. The pup that turns its head and try to bite is aggressive (if stays put after being released then its brave, can be good for guarding) and the ones that are nonchalant about the whole lifted by the nap thing and dont run away either is are proper herding dogs.

  • So to choose one as a companion or therapy dog number 3 or 4 would be better? The ones with the least prey drive would be better as farm dogs? My questions come from what I saw with our own dogs. My dad was in law enforcement and had the first K9 partner in our area. I didn’t see a lot of the training but what I saw was amazing. The things those dogs will do to protect their partner is remarkable. We also had 2 dogs that went to school for K9 training. One was not at all suited to it at all but was a nice pet, the other was a huge German Shepherd that turned out to be a great farm dog didn’t chase the animals but guarded them from predators and alerted us to things we needed to know about without constant barking, he just wasn’t suitable to work in law enforcement.

  • Great article, clearly see in the puppies what your saying. Inregards to that 8 month old pup at the end that was middle of the pack of her litter but turned it up as she aged do you have puppies like puppy #1 that looks very promising turn out to dull down? Is it a thing where some dogs developed more as they mature and some show it from the jump?

  • Great article. But I have a question, I have a GSD from the German bloodlines. He’s an amazing dog, inside the house he’s great never barks, listens very well, loves to play and cuddle and he’s never chewed anything in the house has marked a few things much to my disappointment but other then that great but in the back yard he has a 10 by 40 dog run and a shelter, toys and such but he completely loses his mind out there, he’s chewed up the fence and the AC condenser and I had to put chain link on the wood fence because he keeps ripping the slats off but he has chewed damn near through the chain link and has ruined his K9’s down to nothing almost. Why is he so crazy out outside. I’m at a loss. And I’m saddened by what his done to his teeth.

  • We had a Rottweiler/ Shepherd mix we rescued at 4 weeks old. I was playing with Maxx, and just tried the basics. SIT, he sat immediately, GIMME PAW, immediately gave paw, told him I don’t want that one, I want the other one, immediately switched paws. SPEAK, immediately barks loudly, told him to speak nice, immediately barks low & softly. I was absolutely 💯 stunned that at 4 weeks old he understood everything I was saying, first time & no repeating. As he got older we could literally have a normal conversation with him & he 💯 understood everything. We would let him babysit our JRT puppies we got a few years later & then he babysat the JRT’s puppies. Literally babysit, minus feeding them lol. Would lay down to block them from getting out of a room. Guide them out of the woods, after panicking that they went into the woods at 4 weeks old lol. He was an awesome & brilliant dog. Will never forget him. 160 lbs btw. Had a ruptured tumor in his head, bleeding didn’t stop. Had to put him down 😢 Unsure if the tumor had anything to do with his intelligence. I know GS are extremely smart but knowing literally everything you are asking him or telling him at 4 weeks old still blows me away.

  • I wouldn’t have thought they would want a service Dog to be so interested in food. Seems like it would be a distraction. My little Pug.. definitely food motivated, & I could lift her off the ground while she was biting on her chuckit. Lol. But attack.. not on command, only other dogs trying to take her food or chuckit. 😆

  • Lol .. my last dog black german shepard.. his prey drive was extremely high. It was a nightmare on car rides because he’d chase the other cars going by inside my vehicle and bark and growl. I get my new puppy in 2 days same as before.. he’s hesitant to walk through a door has a little bit of prey drive and he’ll definitely eat. I don’t think he’s super healthy but I’m going to turn that around

  • This is interesting but I wonder how accurate of a system judging these dogs so young actually is. I understand this is a monitoring of personality threshold but it seems a tad bit unfair because animals, like people, evolve and change overtime, especially when you compare a toddler to an adult. I adopted a GSD/Husky mix pupper who was runt of the litter and very shy, now he’s a fearless powerhouse whose an excellent guard dog very vigilant of his surroundings, cocky too, often intimidating other dogs just because he can. 😆

  • Met a guy whose dad would breed German shepherds specifically to be police dogs The mom would have the litter he would pick a boy and a girl and drop the rest in a water bucket and he said how it used to bother him but he realized that only a few of those pups will even be able to become police dogs so why keep the ones that are most likely to fail So yeah behind this cute little demonstration it’s pretty sad

  • Evaluating puppies is important. I would not like to see these tests on my puppy at just six weeks of age. The prey instinct and bite tests are good, but not the lifting up off the ground at that age. Also, the social stress tests with the other dog, is a bit much for that age, (within the fear periods of up to twelve weeks), and just needs time to develop confidence. These puppies seemed sound, and reevaluation at 12 weeks would be needed for working dogs. Part of the joy of training dogs is learning each dogs personality and helping them develop. Without the two points I noticed, you could still be able to rule out a very timid or shy dog. I love German Shepherds!

  • Environmental Issues!! Wow!! That’s my Poodle girl. She always has to sneak up on the back yard. She has to carefully scan the deck from a crouched position before going thru the back door…every single time. She won’t eat if ANYTHING is there to distract her, from a home invasion to an invisible bug on the floor, voices 3 blocks away to car doors closing across the valley. I never knew this was “common”, having had 3 other dogs who had no issues whatsoever. This is VERY helpful to me. I doubt there’s much that can be done, but at least I know she’s not suffering from some kind of psychological disorder. BTW- She completely approves of this article and wants to bite that rag, as soon as the other puppy turns it’s back. But, the TV IS just another window, as far as she’s concerned.

  • My bichon would have walked in like it was a new play area. Killed the other dog with kindness until they were best buddies. Ate all the food and while youd think he was just sniffing exploring, he would actually be looking for the main source of that food. Made just as much noise with the rock jug. Briefly look at you like a weirdo cracking the whip. And he loved tug of war. But he was a bichon. A none intimidating dog😐.

  • For those of you perusal to get tips on picking a pup I can tell you that if your serious about having an amazing German Shepherd be prepared to get rid of a few dogs before you find the right one.dont pay 2 grand for a pup because it means nothing…many titled amazing dogs have had litter’s of unimpressive dogs…and many very amazing impressive dogs were purchased from a backyard breeder for 300 bucks…every dog has its own individual personality and unfortunately they don’t show you who they are until there about 6 months/ 10 months old…it sucks but that’s how it is..you will go threw a few pups till you get a good one.what is an amazing German Shepherd? To me an amazing German Shepherd is a dog that is not mean/ not friendly…he just wants to be a good boy and please you..if pleasing you means being nice or biting someone either way.nothing personal.he will greet a stranger or rip him apart…nothing personal just doing what you want me too attitude….and he must be scared of nothing..go swim in the ocean? jump out of a plane? Fireworks? Ride on a motorcycle? No problem let’s go..that’s a perfect German Shepherd…hope this helps