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Finding a Local Dog Breeder

It’s highly unlikely that you will find the dog breed of your dreams at a local pet shop since most dog breeders don’t sell to them. Meanwhile, shelters and rescue facilities are typically home to mix breeds and very little purebreds. So if you want one breed and one breed only, you will have to buy right from a dog breeder of that kind. The good news is that you don’t have to travel far to buy from a renowned breeder who will overcharge you, instead there are probably numerous local breeders in your area.

Image courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/schwa23/219573110/lightbox/

 

Dog breeding is a very niche business so you won’t find many commercials or billboards advertising their services. The classifieds section of your local newspaper may list dog breeders, but due to the cost and space, the information in the ad is sure to be limited. A great alternative is to search online, but it’s more efficient to use services that cater to specific areas rather than search engines that will produce unmanageable results. Concentrate on your geographic location, like canada 411 if you live in Canada.

You can also find local dog breeders through word of mouth. Meet with your local veterinarian to find out with they have any recommendations, as well as advice on how to decide if a breeder is legitimate. And don’t be afraid to ask dog owners in your neighborhood where they found their pets. Along with searching for a dog breeder, search for any organizations or dog events our area that could point you in the right direction.

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Reasons to Socialize Your Dog

When many people first get a dog, they focus on the basics. House training. Sit. Stay. Don’t eat shoes. Don’t go through the garbage. These are all incredibly important lessons to teach a new puppy, but don’t forget another very important lesson: socializing.

What is Socializing?

Socializing is the process by which you introduce your dog to the concept of other people and other dogs. We often don’t think about socializing because we as humans do it naturally: our babies and toddlers often go out into the world in shopping malls, grocery stores, or daycare centers. No one is afraid of a baby and adults often come up to our children and talk to them, smile at them, make silly faces in the checkout line, etc. However, dogs generally stay in one area. They may have a fenced yard where they exercise or go to the bathroom. They stay in your house. Even if you take your dog on frequent walks (and you should), you probably don’t stop to greet people or introduce your dog to them. Having a puppy generally makes this easier since almost no one is afraid of new puppies, and children (or adults) often ask to pet the new puppy. Your dog also needs socializing with other dogs to curb aggression problems later in life. This can be tougher than socializing with humans, because many other dogs suffer from the same problems you’re trying to curb now. Other dogs don’t “play nice,” and you may be afraid they’ll cause an injury to your tiny puppy.

What Happens if I Don’t Socialize my Puppy?

You’ll experience greater problems when your dog reaches adulthood. They may not like children (or not know what to do with children). This is incredibly difficult on young couples who may want to start a family one day. If your dog isn’t socialized to other dogs, your dog may experience severe aggression later in life, which may prevent you from taking your dog outside the house (and furthering the problem). You may also be unable to get an additional dog.

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Characteristics of German Shepherd Dogs

Solid black, 1-year-old German Shepherd Dog.

Image via Wikipedia

German Shepherd Dogs, as they are officially known, are a breed known for their intense loyalty, intelligence, and protective nature. The German Shepherd Dog breed is often considered to be the second-best breed in every canine skill, meaning that they are a true jack-of-all-trades, but master of none. It’s difficult to find something the German Shepherd Dog isn’t good at. While on paper, these dogs may sound amazing, German Shepherds aren’t for everyone. Do research and soul-searching to find out if these dogs are right for you. Here are some factors that you’ll need to consider before adopting a German Shepherd Dog.

1.)  Size.
If you want a lap dog, or even a medium-sized dog, the German Shepherd Dog is not right for you. German Shepherds are a large breed and rarely weigh under seventy pounds.

2.)  Mental and physical stimulation.
German Shepherds are amazingly intelligent. This means that while they learn tricks easily, they also require a lot of mental stimulation. Just like bright children often get into trouble at school because they’re bored or not mentally challenged enough, the German Shepherd Dog needs to be mentally challenged. It’s a working dog that needs a “job,” and whether that job is chasing tennis balls, catching Frisbees, scent tracking, patrolling the neighborhood, or agility trials, the German Shepherd Dog will take its job very seriously. Additionally, the German Shepherd Dog breed needs plenty of physical exercise. Most of the breed’s behavioral problems stem from not enough mental or physical exercise.

3.)  Shedding.
The German Shepherd Dog breed has both short-haired and long-haired coat varieties. Keep in mind that if you choose a long-haired dog, shedding will be a huge issue. Long-haired dogs require a lot of upkeep and cleaning.

4.)  Expressive.
Your German Shepherd Dog will tell you when he has to go out, when he’s hungry, when he’s thirsty, etc. German Shepherds are huge “talkers,” and they often convey want they want through barking or whining.

5.)  Prey drive.
Your German Shepherd will have the internal instinct to hunt rabbits, squirrels, small dogs, and cats.

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Is The Breeding Good?

When choosing a pet, many owners want to make sure that the one they choose is a healthy reproduction of the parents. When purchasing an animal from a breeder, many people want to see the parents of the pup, calf, or kitten that they are considering purchasing. Depending on the reason for the purchase, as they may intend to breed the animal themselves, most just want to get an idea of temperament so that they can see what to expect when the animal they are looking at is fully mature.

This aspect of looking at the breeding is especially important because if there is a flaw in the breeding, it could mean that the animal will have health issues, personality issues like aggression, or not be eligible for being papered with the qualifying organization. The best example for this is with dogs. AKC is the qualifying organization that verifies blood lines in dogs, in order to verify the purity of their bloodline. If a dog has flaws in their breeding, and they are physically obvious, AKC will not paper those animals, as they can certify that the animal could pass down a clean reproduction.

Breeding flaws are exhibited in many different ways. Some of them include the fur, breathing, feet, hips, and personality. If the fur is splotchy, or has color patterns that should not be present, for instance, white on the paws when the pure bred certification claims all black. Breathing is a big part of the breeding. This is because many breeds develop cleft palate, which is when the sinus cavity is open to the mouth, and the animal has a difficult time eating and breathing. The other issue with breathing is a sinus cavity that is too closed. If you are interested in a certain animal, and the breeder is claiming it is pure bred, ask to see the papers on the parents. This will confirm things if you are unsure.

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