Teaching Your Pets to Do Tricks

Puppies are so playful and a great deal of fun, so it can be an exciting time when you are preparing to adopt a new German shepherd puppy. German shepherds are known for their very smart and loyal, and when you start off with one as a puppy, you can give it the right training for its entire life. Here are some tips to help you get ready to be the new owner of a German shepherd puppy.

Take Care of Their Coat

Your German shepherd puppy is going to have a thick coat that will need to be properly taken care of so it does not get matted. Matting in your puppy's fur can be painful for them and can attract bugs and dirt. Buy a shampoo made specifically for puppies, which should not contain ingredients found in traditional soap or shampoo, such as fragrances, chemicals, parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, or sodium lauryl sulfate. The reason for this is because your puppy may drink the bath water or get some of the pet shampoo in their eyes and mouth. Using safe pet shampoo won't harm them if they get it anywhere it shouldn't be.

You will also need to brush your puppy's coat regularly, especially as they shed. German shepherds shed lightly all year long, but in the spring and autumn, they will shed their entire coat. During this time it can be common to pull off large chunks of their fur, especially on their underbelly and around their neck where the hair is longer and thicker. Get a durable dog brush that will efficiently remove their fur. You can brush them a couple of times each week for most of the year, but you will need to brush them several times each day when they are shedding heavily. This will keep their fur neat and help to keep the loose fur contained within your home.

Choose the Right Food

Your German shepherd is going to grow quickly during their first year of life. For this reason, it is important that you feed them the appropriate amount of food to support this growth and choose a dog food that gives them the right nutrients. Avoid purchasing any type of dog food that contains grains as an ingredient. Grains are not a good filler for your German shepherd to be eating, as they cannot properly digest them, but instead look for dog food with good amounts of protein from sources such as poultry and beef. Look for food made specifically for shepherd dogs.

Plan to feed your puppy up to three and four times each day while they are growing. As they grow and mature into adulthood, you can reduce their feedings to only twice each day. 

For more information about german shepherd puppy care or german shepherd puppies for sale, contact a local pet seller.