Are you decided to have a German Shepherd Puppy? Congratulations, there are many GSD puppies waiting for you! But, don’t be too excited yet. There’s still a long process to go through before you can own your dream GSD puppies. Fortunately, we are here to provide the best adoption guideline in 2022.
We will present you with the most reliable resources for GSD puppy adoption. But remember that pet ownership always comes with responsibilities. As responsible pet owners, we should provide them a lifelong shelter and care. You also need to know some key facts about GSDs that you shall take into consideration before finally deciding on having one.
Where to adopt a German Shepherd puppy?
A good source of German Shepherd puppies for adoption are basically pet shelters and rescue centres. Apart from local shelters and rescue centers, searching online is also very convenient.
Pet shelters or Rescue Centres
Pet shelters and rescue centres are dedicated to pet adoption. Both of them provide a temporary home for these lost, stray, abandoned, and abused pets. They eventually rehome these poor little pets to a new sweet lovely family. Pet shelters are mostly funded and organized by the government. However, rescue centres are run by a group of volunteers, which means they are funded by private citizens through donations.
You may visit rescue centres and shelters nearest you and find tons of information about German Shepherds. Aside from this, most shelters have about 25% of purebreds ready for adoption. So you have a higher chance of adopting a purebred German Shepherd. Moreover, you are helping them by saving their life. Did you know that each year, numerous dogs are euthanized and killed in the world due to overpopulation in shelters and too little people consider adoption? Remember that when you adopt, you are giving a second chance to these dogs.
Online pet adoption
Apart from local shelters and rescue centres, searching online is a great platform to look for the right puppy for adoption. Websites such as Petfinder.org, Adopt-a-Pet.com, and Rescue Me have a huge database of pets being accommodated in over 12,000 local animal shelters and pet rescue centers. It is very convenient to search for GSDs up for adoption through these without having the need to visit these places one by one.
Please note that it is very important to look for a legal and reliable organization since there are many bogus online advertisements. You don’t want to end up paying hefty adoption fees which would spell as buying.
Adopt Don’t Shop
A Pet shop is the most common place where we could get a pet. Pet shops sell animals intended as pets. Just like a puppy mill (also as known as a Puppy Farm) it is profit-making. We would NOT recommend buying a puppy from a pet retailer. Most puppy mill keep huge numbers of dogs in a cramped cage without proper care. These dogs are then sold through a dog broker or dog retailer to the public. You are indirectly supporting these irresponsible breeders if you buy from them.
Before and After adopting a German Shepherd
We are here to provide you with the best German Shepherd owner’s guide in becoming a responsible owner.
Before Adopting
Choose a suitable age range
The importance of adopting the ideal age of a GSD puppy will be directly related to the way you supervise them. An 8 to 12 week old puppy will need extra care from its owner to ensure it will grow healthy. However, a puppy of about 6 months and older is more energetic. They need tons of training and exercise to drain out their excessive energy. Consider your capability and time before choosing a puppy.
Research on the basic information about German Shepherds
Fundamental research should be carried out before adopting a GSD puppy. This is to improve your understanding on the different breeds of German Shepherds. Apart from the common sable German Shepherd, white German Shepherd and mix breed puppies such as Siberian Husky German Shepherd mix, Weimshepherd, Shugs are recognized as one of the German Shepherd mixes. Further study of German Shepherd could assist you in selecting the best German Shepherd mix.
Try to have close contact with German Shepherds
Dog experts recommend that all adopters should have a deep observation before adopting these dogs. From this observation, you will learn how to get along comfortably with GSDs. Most GSDs living in shelters are already trained to be sociable so you could try to play with them.
Inspect the dog
Inspecting the dog before you bring them home is a serious matter. It’s important that you check their eyes, paws, skin and coats as these body parts reflect their health conditions. You may request for your newly adopted puppy’s health record to check their history. Bring your new pet to a vet for check-ups.
After Adopting
Puppy proofing
Preparing a safe home for your new puppy is a meaningful task. You need to create a safe environment for your new buddy as well as protecting your furniture from being destroyed. Numerous training is necessary to reduce their mischievous behavior. In this case, you may consider adopting a trained German Shepherd if you are a newbie in training.
Food preparation
There are numerous pet food brands and types in the market for you to choose. You should purchase food which will benefit your puppy’s health. You may choose wet food, dry food, or a combination of both. A well-balanced, healthy diet can prevent your dog from having health issues.
Daily necessities
Daily necessities such as the dog car seat, dog harness, dog collar with leash, dog cage, dog bed, food, and water feeder are required for their daily activities and to ensure their safety. When choosing these items, they should be comfortable, easy to use and durable as your puppy is going to use it daily.
Identification tags for your puppy
It is necessary to invest in identification tags for our beloved dogs. These identification tags should be filled with important and valid information such as dog’s name, address, telephone number and health issues if any. It will be very easy for people to identify your dog if it will go missing. They can contact you easily too if they find your dog.
Schedule a regular vet visit
It is necessary to schedule a regular medical check-up to prolong their healthy life. Through periodic examinations, your vet can spot potential health issues. You may visit the nearest veterinarian or animal hospital. Don’t forget that prevention is better than cure.
Final thought
Dog adoption means a person is ready to take full responsibility for looking after their dogs. Research, understanding, and action are the three key words in adopting a German Shepherd puppy.
It doesn’t matter if you’re adopting a purebred or mix-bred German Shepherd as long as you give them love and care, they will surely love you back. Don’t forget that “Dogs are our best friend.”
