The German Shepherd breeders tried to provide us with a lot of good information when we picked my sweet little bundle of joy up.
I was too busy getting acquainted with the puppy to remember much of what the breeders told us, but I did listen to the party about teaching him to use the bathroom outside. They suggested that before even taking the baby into the house to see his new home, take him to the part of the yard where we wanted him to use the bathroom.
When we got home, I immediately took the puppy to the designated puppy potty zone and watched him walk around. He sniffed for a while, then peed. Success!
Next time I took him out, it was back to the same spot and another successful stop. Yep. The Outhouse has been established.

As my German Shepherd was gnawing on a bone, I went to take it away from him and he growled at me; he curled back his lips, baring his teeth.
I was shocked by his aggressive display but I knew that this was the moment to stop it permanently. Without saying a word, I took him by the collar and led him to his timeout area.
There was no reason to speak to him, by showing that I was displeased and banishing him, he was able to be alone and understand the gravity in his mistake.
I figured ten minutes alone would suffice and then invited him back into my space. Thankfully, he behaved himself and we didnt need to repeat the procedure.

When Mike first decided that he was going to talk me into owning a German Shepherd Dog, I told him that he had better do his homework first, because he didnt really seem to know what he wanted other than a lab. There are some things to consider before buying a German Shepherd puppy.
The first is what type of German Shepherd do you want? There are two types of German Shepherds. There is the English bred German Shepherd that is bred to be built heavier, thicker and blockier. Or the American bred German Shepherd that is tall and lanky.
In addition, there are three color choices of German Shepherds to choose from: black, yellow, or chocolate.
Regardless of the selections made, I am confident that all would turn out to be just as loving and eagertoplease as my own new little baby.

At the dog park there are a lot of different owners and dogs to watch as I try to figure out what gestures and commands to incorporate into the puppys own training regimen. Kind of my own, individualized German Shepherd training system, I guess.
I have also watched some videos on dog training but many of the trainers in them seem mean and unforgiving.
This puppy is a member of the family, just as if we had brought home a baby instead of a puppy. I expect that it will take a lot of attention, time and effort in order to mold it into a well disciplined member of the family.
The training program will have to have some fun aspects to it or I wont want to follow through on it and the puppy wont have any interest in it at all. I have, however, found a great new recipe for beef treats I am going to bake up to use strictly as training rewards.

Since having the carpets cleaned every time my German Shepherd puppy made a mess would turn out to be rather tie consuming and expensive, I made the decision to set up his living space in the kitchen.
I picked out a couple of toys and treats to lie on his blanket inside the crate and placed it in a secluded corner of the kitchen.
I set up his feeding station, scattered a few more toys around the kitchen floor and sealed off the entrance with a baby gate to prevent him from getting into other rooms before he was ready.
In order to see things like my German Shepherd puppy would see them, I lowered myself to his level and crawled around his living space looking for any harmful things that might be of interest to him.

I wanted the crate to be my German Shepherd puppies special place, so I put down a blanket inside and threw in some toys and treats. This way it looked like a fun place for her to spend time in.
During the day, I left the crate door open so he could go and play with his toys or take a nap whenever he wanted.
At night, I tended to my puppies needs and then settled him into his crate and shut the door. If his cries sounded very distressed or like he had to go pee, I would go check on him.
The first three nights were the hardest on us, what with all her wailing! However, I just tried my hardest to ignore it and even on the second night, I could tell she was getting used to it already.

At eight weeks old my little guy can hold his bladder just about three hours, so I make a point of making the procession to the potty spot in the yard every three hours.
So, we get up during the night every three to four hours. Then first thing in the morning we go out, after breakfast we go again, then every three hours throughout the day.
If he takes a nap during the day (which of course he does a lot because puppies are growing so much they need a ton of rest) we go right out upon waking up. After dinner its potty time again and then one last time just before we go to bed.
This is the story of my attempt at German Shepherd potty training about 10 trips outside a day which is fine now but once the snow starts to fall I think night time potty duty may have to be Mikes.

For anyone who likes puppies, German Shepherd puppies are delightful to have in the home and around the family. However, I have experienced that even though German Shepherd puppies are beautiful creatures, it is important to take care of them, the way you would any member of the family.
German Shepherd puppy care should start with your new puppy being seen by a licensed veterinarian, to have their health checked.
My new puppy was taken to the vet, but if your new dog has not seen the vet as yet, make an appointment, as this is an important part of German Shepherd puppy care. A trip to the vet confirmed they were healthy and gave their all their necessary vaccinations.
Having a German Shepherd puppy care plan had my new addition starting off on the right paw.

Some people might have that idea that a German Shepherd rescue dog is a vicious creature with snarling fangs. They might think that these dogs will not let anyone near them. These thoughts are a result of fact that they do not know what to expect form a German Shepherd rescue dog.
What you can expect from a German Shepherd rescue dog might mean the dog was mistreated with its previous owners. Therefore, your new German Shepherd can show signs of being afraid of you because it fears it might be hurt again, like it was before.
Your German Shepherd might even show signs of aggression or anger, but this is something the dog pound will tell you about before you consider adopting a particular dog.
Therefore, like any breed, what to expect from a German Shepherd rescue dog is a lifetime of love and happiness.

Today, after spending some time at Johns, Mike declared that we were going to get a German Shepherd puppy. I didnt bat an eye, but asked him if he was ready to invest a ton of time, energy and money into a pet to which he just kind of stared at me.
Puppies require a ton of time and energy to be invested in them in order to ensure they end up being well behaved and well adjusted members of the family.
Puppies are a huge financial investment as well. Things like health care, room and board, and all the incidental equipment and costs can add up superfast.
Dont get me wrong. I want a puppy and Im okay with it being a German Shepherd dog. I just want to be sure Mike is ready to make a full commitment and not just being impulsive.