Getting Ready for your new Puppy!
Puppy Packet
You will recieve in your puppy packet our 36 page training guide. Don't forget to read over that packet when your puppy arrives. We have spent years on that book putting together everything we can to help you and your puppy off to a great future!
Books and articles online
Its a good idea to read books and articles online on various training methods, how to be a good pack leader, info on the bones and raw foods diet. etc. Cesar Millian is fantastic at helping people become a good packleader he has spent a lifetime helping people and their dogs and has fantatsic books and videos on how to be a calm-balanced pack leader, which is key to a calm-happy dog. There are many great resources on the bones and raw foods diet online.
Toy
In your puppy packet will be a toy. The toy will give the puppy a familar smell of home, which can help the first few nights. German Shepherds love toys. Good toys for Shepherds include the Orbee balls and other Planet dog products, Jolly balls and other strong toys from Jolly. Stuffed toys are great for puppies, but most stuffed toys at some point are chewed up into lots of pieces. More toys are better than too few!
Supervise
Supervise your puppy. The key to your and your puppy's success is being a good pack leader and showing your puppy his/her new home, where to go potty, how to altert you if your puppy has to potty and a consistent balanced schedule. Keeping an eye on your puppy the first weeks while you build your new relationship is a key to success. If your busy, put your puppy in his/her kennel so you can get some things done. Just like kids, puppies are curious and get into things they shouldn't when left unsupervised. Dogs are den animals and your puppy will be just fine resting in the kennel when you need to take that phone call, or get the laundry done.
Nightime
In your puppy packet is informaiton on crate/house training. The first night is usually the hardest, and then each day after gets easier and easier. Its normal for puppies to cry in their kennel their first night in their new home. However, make sure not to let the puppy out and comfort the puppy when he/she crys because if you do, you are teaching the puppy to cry anytime he/she wants attention and it will make bedtime as well as crate/house training harder. If you think your puppy is crying because she has to go potty, take your puppy outside for a potty break when he/she has settled down in the crate, so that your puppy doesn't associate crying with getting let out of the crate. Having a little treat waiting for your puppy in the kennel each time your puppy goes in helps make kennel time exciting. You can even make mealtime in the kennel. More info on crate training and house training in your training guide.
Food- I will be sending you more info on the bones and raw foods diet in another email, as well as in your packet.
Leash/Collar
We use the Herm Sprenger Choke chains for our adults. For puppies we suggest a nylon martingale style collar so that your puppy cannot easily slip out of his/her collar. Most puppies are not leash trained yet when they leave, so the first time on a leash they either try to wiggle it off, or they sit in one place. Let the puppy get used to the leash slowly. You can even leave it on in the house and let them drag it behind them supervised of course, so they get used to the feeling of a leash and collar.
Travel
When traveling by car the safest place for your puppy or adult dog is in a crate. As hard as it is to not snuggle with your new baby, they are safer if they are in a crate.
Travel
Puppy class is great for puppies mind and body and also a great time for you and your puppy to bond. They tend to fill up fast, so enroll early. There are many clubs and events and things you can do with your dogs like Obedience, search and rescue, therapy, agility, conformation, tracking dock diving Schutzhund, etc. Puppy kindergarden is a great first class. And then see what you both enjoy and go from there.
Puppy Kennel
German Shepherd puppies grow really fast. So if you buy a small sized puppy kennel, they will usually grow out of it within a few weeks. If you don't have another use for a small kennel in the future, I recommend getting an XL size metal style kennel with a divider. Then you can move the divider back as your puppy grows. The XL size kennel also allows for the puppies ears to have more room which is important while their ears are starting to stand. The metal kennels also fold up which makes the kennel easy to take down and take places if you need to. For traveling, if you don't have a vehicle that can hold an XL sized kennel, some companies do make metal kennels designed to fit in crossovers and smaller suvs which work well for traveling. Just measure your cargo area and make sure it will fit. I found some great prices on amazon.com
MOST IMPORTANT:
Be sure to read through your training guide when you get it. And if you have questions or concerns, Email me. Even if its a small or you think a dumb question. I would rather you ask me. Please email me anytime. sablerockgsd@yahoo.com.
Keep in touch. I love getting updates and hearing how our babies are doing.
You will recieve in your puppy packet our 36 page training guide. Don't forget to read over that packet when your puppy arrives. We have spent years on that book putting together everything we can to help you and your puppy off to a great future!
Books and articles online
Its a good idea to read books and articles online on various training methods, how to be a good pack leader, info on the bones and raw foods diet. etc. Cesar Millian is fantastic at helping people become a good packleader he has spent a lifetime helping people and their dogs and has fantatsic books and videos on how to be a calm-balanced pack leader, which is key to a calm-happy dog. There are many great resources on the bones and raw foods diet online.
Toy
In your puppy packet will be a toy. The toy will give the puppy a familar smell of home, which can help the first few nights. German Shepherds love toys. Good toys for Shepherds include the Orbee balls and other Planet dog products, Jolly balls and other strong toys from Jolly. Stuffed toys are great for puppies, but most stuffed toys at some point are chewed up into lots of pieces. More toys are better than too few!
Supervise
Supervise your puppy. The key to your and your puppy's success is being a good pack leader and showing your puppy his/her new home, where to go potty, how to altert you if your puppy has to potty and a consistent balanced schedule. Keeping an eye on your puppy the first weeks while you build your new relationship is a key to success. If your busy, put your puppy in his/her kennel so you can get some things done. Just like kids, puppies are curious and get into things they shouldn't when left unsupervised. Dogs are den animals and your puppy will be just fine resting in the kennel when you need to take that phone call, or get the laundry done.
Nightime
In your puppy packet is informaiton on crate/house training. The first night is usually the hardest, and then each day after gets easier and easier. Its normal for puppies to cry in their kennel their first night in their new home. However, make sure not to let the puppy out and comfort the puppy when he/she crys because if you do, you are teaching the puppy to cry anytime he/she wants attention and it will make bedtime as well as crate/house training harder. If you think your puppy is crying because she has to go potty, take your puppy outside for a potty break when he/she has settled down in the crate, so that your puppy doesn't associate crying with getting let out of the crate. Having a little treat waiting for your puppy in the kennel each time your puppy goes in helps make kennel time exciting. You can even make mealtime in the kennel. More info on crate training and house training in your training guide.
Food- I will be sending you more info on the bones and raw foods diet in another email, as well as in your packet.
Leash/Collar
We use the Herm Sprenger Choke chains for our adults. For puppies we suggest a nylon martingale style collar so that your puppy cannot easily slip out of his/her collar. Most puppies are not leash trained yet when they leave, so the first time on a leash they either try to wiggle it off, or they sit in one place. Let the puppy get used to the leash slowly. You can even leave it on in the house and let them drag it behind them supervised of course, so they get used to the feeling of a leash and collar.
Travel
When traveling by car the safest place for your puppy or adult dog is in a crate. As hard as it is to not snuggle with your new baby, they are safer if they are in a crate.
Travel
Puppy class is great for puppies mind and body and also a great time for you and your puppy to bond. They tend to fill up fast, so enroll early. There are many clubs and events and things you can do with your dogs like Obedience, search and rescue, therapy, agility, conformation, tracking dock diving Schutzhund, etc. Puppy kindergarden is a great first class. And then see what you both enjoy and go from there.
Puppy Kennel
German Shepherd puppies grow really fast. So if you buy a small sized puppy kennel, they will usually grow out of it within a few weeks. If you don't have another use for a small kennel in the future, I recommend getting an XL size metal style kennel with a divider. Then you can move the divider back as your puppy grows. The XL size kennel also allows for the puppies ears to have more room which is important while their ears are starting to stand. The metal kennels also fold up which makes the kennel easy to take down and take places if you need to. For traveling, if you don't have a vehicle that can hold an XL sized kennel, some companies do make metal kennels designed to fit in crossovers and smaller suvs which work well for traveling. Just measure your cargo area and make sure it will fit. I found some great prices on amazon.com
MOST IMPORTANT:
Be sure to read through your training guide when you get it. And if you have questions or concerns, Email me. Even if its a small or you think a dumb question. I would rather you ask me. Please email me anytime. sablerockgsd@yahoo.com.
Keep in touch. I love getting updates and hearing how our babies are doing.