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Congrats! Asking questions like this is the first step to becoming a responsible GSD owner. I would keep up with the research as you two learn how to become good buddies; I've owned GSDs my whole life and I'm still picking up good tips from trainers and the like. I've got a detailed response below, but feel free to PM me if you want to talk further. I'm always happy to help, and I wish you and your girl the best!

To your questions:

• Yes, GSDs are totally German Shedding Dogs. But this is more manageable than you think! Make brushing fun by familiarizing her with a quick brush everyday, 10 minutes. Brushing a dog is twice as hard when they're squirmy. Get yourself a cheap self-cleaning slicker brush like this. As long as you make brushing a regular occurrence, you cut back a lot on and hassle.
  
  
• Depending on her age (how far into puppyhood), you might be facing some terrible 2's or 3's. Even older GSDs, if prone to separation anxiety or boredom, will bark and exhibit destructive behavior. The key is to boost confidence (look up separation anxiety training tips) and reduce boredom, which can often be helped with regular exercise, as you mentioned, and enrichment. If you're on a set schedule (e.g. Come home from work, quick brush, dinner for you both, then a walk), she'll be far less likely to drive herself and your neighbor nuts while waiting for you. Kong toys filled with frozen treats (peanut butter, kibble, cream cheese) are great for distracting her and keeping her occupied.
  
  
• Take a few minutes to dog-proof your house the first week you introduce her to everything. This means giving everything waist-high and below a second look; GSDs are clever and great jumpers, and will get into open cupboards more easily than you think. Does your backyard have a tall fence? GSDs have been known to clear 6 foot fences (mine did often).
  
  
• Here's some recommendations for a dog seatbelt. We have friends that use both Sleepypod and Ruffwear with good success. If you plan on bringing her along for car rides often, investing in a car seat cover is a great idea; keep hair and gunk off your car and makes the backseat a more enjoyable space for her. If you're into hiking, dog boots are absolutely the way to go.
  
  A few other things worth doing that will make both your lives easier:
  
  
• Start teaching dental hygiene now! My dog is 12-years-old and besides an old injury leading to hip dysplasia (a common GSD genetic condition), the only thing deteriorating is his teeth. Dogs that eat kibble and soft food are more likely to build-up in their teeth than dogs that eat raw (which is something you might want to research). I recommend grabbing an inexpensive doggy "finger-sleeve" toothbrush or just use a simple normal toothbrush and some special dog toothpaste and get your girl used to having her teeth brushed. She looks young, judging by her thin chest and big ears, so good habits will last her a lifetime! It'll save you a bunch of vet bills in the future.
  
  
• Familiarize yourself with which foods are not dog-friendly. For example, a lot of people know that chocolate and alcohol are bad, but are surprised that nuts and grapes are bad news. Veggies like broccoli, carrots, and pumpkin are great! We used to fill my dog's Kong with frozen pureed pumpkin in the summer as a treat; kept his coat nice and shiny.
  
  
• Raw bones are ok, cooked bones are not. Most people know not to feed dogs small chicken bones, but will often toss them a rib bone leftover from a BBQ. Cooked bones splinter easily and can hurt your dog. Swing by the butcher's next time you're grocery-shopping and ask them for a bag of marrow bones. They're fantastic for her teeth and your girl will love them! Stay away from cheap rawhide bones from Petsmart and the like; they gum up when chewed and are the opposite of healthy.
  
  
• I'm seeing a lot fewer tennis balls in dog parks these days, and for good reason, since research argues that they have some wear and tear on teeth. Chuck-It balls are rubber, bright orange, and hugely popular with big dogs because they're resistant to chew. They're meant to be used with a Chuck It Launcher which I've never seen a GSD not love before.
  
  
• Get her used to nail care ASAP and invest in a good pair of clippers or an electric dremel. Clippers are cheap, but scary to use for first-time dog owners because you're not experienced yet about where the nail's quick is. This can result in some accidental blood loss and, unfortunately, your dog deciding that you have committed a grievous injury never to be forgotten. A lot of people find using a dremel to grind nails down to a blunt edge to be less traumatic for dog and owner for this reason. Figure out which is best for you! A lot of dogs are sensitive to their feet being touched--handle her paws often (great excuse to each "shake"!) and use your fingers to gently touch between her toes. Great training for tick hunting and for nail grooming.
  
  
• Ask her politely to sit before each meal and before passing through doors and gates. Teach a "release" command (such as "OK!"). If she pulls on a leash, stop and ask her to sit; proceed when she obeys and looks up to you for your next cue. GSDs are super smart and love meeting owner expectations; let her know early which manners are standard and she will learn quickly. Her #1 priority is to be your best friend; be honest with her and she'll reward you ten times over. :)

GSDs are amazing dogs. They are also difficult novice dogs, so you jumped into the deep end. here are some tips.
GSDs are "working" dogs. this basically means your GSD is going to be much happier with a task and when put to use. For you and your dog "working" can be training and putting you dog through her paces. basically, if your dog thinks she is useful then she will be much happier and not seek negative attention.

Your puppy will chew stuff up if you let it. yelling at it and telling it off will be your first reaction but it won't really help, so don't do it. get a bunch of different type of toys/chews. lots of consistencies, rigid toys, floppy toys, etc. when your dog looks like it is about to chew the table leg.... give her a toy. it is all about redirecting her energy into something that you approve of.

speaking of toys... never play "tug" with the dog. it is OK to tug a little (i will play tug for 5 seconds or less) and get them excited but let them have the toy. if you don't do this you are making them work really hard for the toy. this can result in them not wanting to give it to you later.

crate train your dog. you want to make sure the crate is small enough so they can't/won't pee in the corner and sit in the other corner to escape it. i recently got this crate https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QFWCLY/ for my new puppy. it is big enough for an adult but it comes with a divider to make the crate small while they are a puppy. i train mine by giving them a treat when they get into their crate. i tell them "kennel up" and lead them to the crate. then i give them the treat when they are inside. this is a great way to get consistent behavior. don't leave them toys in the crate in case they choke. you can give them elk antlers (you can get a bag of them at amazon). your puppy will act like you are the meanest thing in the world when you first start crate training. it will take upwards of a few weeks but they get used to it. don't put a blanket or bed in the bottom of the crate. they will chew it and might choke. you can get them a bed when they are older.

potty training... take her out a lot. every 20 mins. when she goes tell her how good she is and reinforce that it is good behavior. the tend to pick up on outside pretty quickly. if you take them out a lot, at first, they likely won't go inside and will develop a good habit.

your puppy won't be able to hold her bladder for long at first. make sure she goes out late at night (right before bed). crate her at night. set an alarm and get up in the middle of the night for a potty break. you likely won't get 8 hours straight (without peeing) until 3 - 4 months old.


while training you need to be more stubborn than your dog. if you tell it to "sit" and it doesn't sit then make it. don't be mean. be firm and make the dog sit. give praise and/or treats. if you get into the habit of telling the dog to do something and then don't make sure it happens you are just training your dog to ignore you.

don't let your puppy jump on you or others. it might be cute now but it will be horrible when you have a 100lb dog that greets people by jumping on them. if they start to jump you can ignore them and turn away from them. acknowledge them when they quit jumping. once they sit on command you can use that to your advantage. you will start learning when they tend to jump.... be pro-active and make them sit before they jump.

good luck. enjoy.

edit: i forgot socialization!!! this is huge. you want a friendly GSD, not some dog that you can't take anywhere. don't take your dog to the dog park at first. crazy dogs jumping all over it can be a traumatic experience for a new pup that is still building confidence. it can also show your new pup that some pretty bad behavior is acceptable. at 3 months your dog is ready for the dog park... maybe sooner. have friends come over a lot so your dog gets to be OK with people coming over. also, take your dog as many different places. Home Depot and Lowes usually let you take dogs. people love to pet a puppy so this is a great experience for your dog. Obviously, petsmart and petco allow pets too. make sure you vary the dogs experience. you don't want to always go to petsmart and have the dog OK with the petsmart but the park or home depot is not cool in the dogs mind.

Here's my list of "favorites" for my GSDs:

Chuck-It Balls. By far, the most durable balls I've found. They've got some "give", so they seem to enjoy chewing/chasing them more. Remember, once the ball can fit between their back teeth, it's time to upgrade to the larger size.


The Shark Vacuum is a beast. We've tried any number of vacuums over the years, this one falls into the "Not Stupidly Expensive and Totally Worth It" category. Getting a decent Undercoat Rake goes hand-in-hand with a good vacuum. Rake once a week (three times during shedding season), brush 1-3 times a week, you'll give your back a break no matter what vacuum you buy.

In terms of training treats, we really like the Red Barn Chicken and Liver Rolls. After a while, we use them exclusively for scent training, but it's an excellent (and not expensive!) treat for any kind of training. Cube small, you'll get a ton of mileage out of one roll.

Herm Sprenger Dog Collars make great training collars. Not everyone likes the idea of a pinch/prong collar, so if it's not your thing, look elsewhere. However, if you are planning on training with pinch, these are the best, bar none. We use the small size and just add links as our dog grows - it's almost impossible to injure them with the smaller prongs and they tend to respond better. Please learn how to use a pinch before using one of these extensively - they shouldn't be used for restraint and you should probably wait until 8+ months (a number of people I know even wait till 14+ months for any obedience aside from the "necessities") before doing a ton of training anyway.

I'll stay away from food recommendations as it seems to be such a controversial topic. I will say that there are a ton of good sites out there to research - first figuring out whether you're feeding raw, tube, or kibble and then what to do once you decide.

Last - look for a dog club in your area. I personally like the German Shepherd Dog Club of America - Working Dog Association, but there are a number of places like this. I can tell you irrefutably that my dogs' favorite day of the week is training day. Nothing like getting out there with other GSD lovers and doing some tracking/obedience/protection work.

Hope this helps! Good luck :)

Wow, your first dog is going to be a German Shepherd..... Do your research, he will be great with the kids as long as your willing to put the time in to do this right.

GSD pups are notorious for being "mouthy". Redirect him, when he bites, let out an "OUCH", draw back, play stops, give him a bone immediately. (or suitable chew toy) Remember, you are not rewarding him, you are redirecting. He is a baby, he is teething and hasn't learned bite inhibition yet. You have to teach him.

I have also used the technique that when he bites, "OUCH" and turn your back on him. That is what worked for my current boy. You would have thought he lost his best friend. It was traumatic, he did not like it at all. It worked.

Potty training. If you don't catch him in the act, don't scold him, he has no idea he did anything wrong. If you catch him, "NO" and immediately take him outside. When outside in the appropriate place and he starts to go, use a key word like "going potty", "go poop" whatever you want to use. You will feel like an idiot saying it over and over while the dog defecates but you will thank me later.

Consistency and routine are your friend. He IS smarter than you are.

I would highly recommend a professional trainer for YOU. At least basic puppy classes. Crate train, it is the best thing on the planet. You can also use it to help build his bladder.

He appears to be about 12 weeks, can't really tell for sure. You have so much research to do....

The Monks of New Skete "The art of raising a Puppy" is a good resource book on raising GSDs. They have a good mix of positive training with discipline. GSDs need both. He has to view you as the pack leader or he is going to walk all over you. Especially since he is a male.

These are my opinions. I have had Shepherds since I was a kid and the past 25 years as an adult. I took a basic puppy class last year with our newest Dog. It was for me as a refresher more than for him but he got some socialization out of it as well. They need that, take him places, new sounds, people, pets. Do not let it be traumatic for him. He will go through "fear periods" every so often, he will be afraid of things that he wasn't before but it will pass.

These things are a Godsend

Get them into training ASAP. They can be a stubborn, headstrong, energetic breed. In the wrong hands, this could be a disastrous combination.

They have razor sharp puppy teeth that they like to put to good use. You will most likely end up with some handsome red scratches on your legs/arms/face/etc. Do not fret, this is normal.

If you did not know already, this breed is prone to hip dysplasia. The occurrence of hip dysplasia is based on mainly genetics, weight, and exercise. Hopefully you got your pup from a good breeder who screens the parents' hips and elbows, as orthopedically sound parents will more likely produce orthopedically sound pups. You can also help reduce the likelihood of HD by keeping your GSD lean and on a healthy food. I recommend Victor Nutra Pro here https://www.chewy.com/victor-select-nutra-pro-active-dog/dp/129281 You can find other good foods on Dog Food Advisor. In addition, here is a chart that illustrates the different body types of dogs: http://www.dummies.com/pets/dogs/how-to-evaluate-your-dogs-weight/ This is just a general guideline of course - the healthy body types will vary slightly by breed. But this is a good starting point. Last point is exercise. Don't put too much stress on their joints at a young age. Ie, don't run them too much, have them jump too much, etc. Keep the exercise low impact at this stage.

I recommend feeding your pup from a Long Wobler, as they can tend to eat fast. You can find them on Amazon here https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003ALMW0M/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496502891&sr=8-1&keywords=kong+wobbler

I recommend brushing out their fur with a rake and Kong Zoom Groom. You can also find them on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0062Z0RPA/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1496502790&sr=8-3&keywords=dog+rake+brush and https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002AR19Q/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496502846&sr=8-1&keywords=zoom+groom&dpPl=1&dpID=51QkRAxrf0L&ref=plSrch

I would highly recommend crate training. It's one of the best things you could do for your dog. I like the Midwest 48" crate here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000QFWCLY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496503032&sr=8-1&keywords=midwest%2Bicrate%2Bfolding%2Bmetal%2Bdog%2Bcrate&th=1&psc=1

Let me know if you have any questions!

Happy to help ! If you want some really good reading material on really effective and great ways to understand, train, and happily live with your dogs, read this
He really is amazing at what he does.

Seconded for "The art of raising a puppy" by the Monks of New Skete as a fantastic start to fundamentals of dog training, with a couple of personal amendments:

• Tug of war is a fantastic tool to be used to teach how to have a soft mouth when asked. Make sure they know how to drop it when you ask and you won't have a problem
  
  
• The tip about grabbing a dog's paws when he jumps up and holding on to make him uncomfortable I have found to not work, since the dog just finds it to be a fun game. Better to put your hand directly in front of his face as he is about to jump up to stop it completely
  
  
• treats are an essential tool to training and can be phased out over time. They suggest to just use praise which is great especially for mouth-based tasks but not in all circumstances
  
  
• one thing I don't think they mentioned: a toy by itself isn't interesting to a dog (unless it squeaks, in which case it probably is interesting to him but annoys the hell out of you..) so don't think that because your dog sniffed a new toy and lost interest he doesn't like it. You have to make it fun and interesting and he'll be hooked. You'll definitely find preferences, but don't be bringing home new toys every night just to "keep him interested." You make the toys he has already fun and engaging by playing with them WITH him
  
  Hardcopy
  
  Audiobook

Highly recommend a puppy class (not petsmart if it can be helped). They will give you structure and provide you with positive tools to help you and your new fur-kid.
Some school specialize in whole family training and I would recommend you attend class with them so that your toddler and hubby can learn how to be consistent with the pup. Everyone on board and everyone consistent will help.
What area/state are you in?

edit: Don't worry about being "ALPHA". consistency is more important. Go to a good puppy class in your area really. Or read/listen to The Art of Raising a Puppy. Also Schutzhund: Theory and Training methods is a good book for understanding where your GSD comes from and it's potential.

Its very easy. Your BEST bet would to be to hire a behaviorist. Other wise the book Mine! is a good book and there is lots of info on the internet.

K&H Manufacturing Original Pet Cot. It is a great bed! He absolutely loves it. It is vented in the middle so he doesn't get too hot or cold, and it is super portable!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CHMG9DK/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We bought this one for our pup and it's worked great for us so far. It came with a divider which was great for when she was a puppy and at about 5 months we took the divider out. It's very sturdy and Shadow seems to really like it.

can't speak to your question, but i do appreciate the spreadsheet!

I feed my dog Taste of the Wild, which gets 4.5 from Dog Food Advisor. A couple of the flavors are 5 and a couple are 4*. Very cost effective at $45 for 30lbs.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/taste-of-the-wild-dog-food-dry/

30”x42”
Got it on Amazon

My boy is about 85lbs and it fits him well.

I highly recommend. Not bad for $60 really. I have spent just as much on the large pillow style beds.

Try the Zoom Groom by Kong. I think it's way better than the furminator and really won't damage their coats.

http://www.amazon.com/KONG-ZoomGroom-Grooming-Brush-Boysenberry/dp/B0002AR19Q/ref=sr_1_10?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1392572821&sr=1-10&keywords=dog+grooming

If you're taking training advice from that book, remember that dominance/alpha training has been debunked and really isn't a great idea. The Monks of New Skete are a great source of information but I wouldn't follow their recommendations for puppy training. Instead, check out Sophia Yin or Ian Dunbar's books. This book is worth its weight in gold.

http://www.amazon.ca/Oster-Professional-Grooming-Undercoat-Coarse/dp/B00061MWJ0

And I bought one of their dual sided brushes as well.

I understand the worry. Something warm might help loosen the muscle. Ask the vet if there are any exercises you can do with him that can help with stiffness.

I like food balls for helping with joints. As he noses it around he is moving his head side to side, he it making atypical steps but without the energy of chasing a ball. Not to mention it helps prevent overeating.

I will warn you away from the ones you cannot take apart. They end up nasty with food stuck in them. Something like this is good: https://www.amazon.com/Our-Pets-Interactive-Dispensing-ASSORTED/dp/B003ARUKTG

You can try giving your dog fish oil or Salmon Oil. If you give your dog too much, then they can have diarrhea. I feed my dog 2 times a day, but only give it to them in in the morning.

> $135 apiece

amazon sells them for $3.60 each:

http://www.amazon.com/ChuckIt-Medium-Ultra-2-5-Inch-2-Pack/dp/B000F4AVPA?

Uggghh. My girl is going through the same thing. I’m using Bactine Max spray which is an anti-bacterial and it has lidocaine in it for pain relief. The hots spots usually clear up in 2-3 days. Oh, I also trim her fur down so the hot spots get air circulation.

Bactine Max Pain Relieving Cleansing Spray 5 Ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6QW211/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DQX1DbH69ZJ03

This is what I bought.

The Art of Raising a Puppy

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B00MQGL712/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1521720596&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=onetigris+dog

There ya go ma man

Monks of new skete "Art of Raising a Puppy". The Art of Raising a Puppy (Revised Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0316083275/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_GPfOBb4SH8CCF

THESE have outlasted ALL balls in our house

Here you go! Sorry it took so long.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00MQGL712?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I prefer a shedding blade over a furminator. Seems less harsh and my girl hates it less.

Zoom Grooms and Slicker Brushes are good also.

Ultimately, the most helpful thing for me has been a high velocity dryer to just blast the damn hair right out.

I use this treat ball. The bad reviews are all yorkies getting their bottom jaw stuck in it, not an issue with my girl. The one disadvantage is that it's very loud, but she knocks it around and pounces on it and understands that her kibble comes out.

• Ian Dunbar's Before and After.
  
• The Puppy Primer and Perfect Puppy.
  
  They're not GSD specific, but I think they cover the foundational stuff that will impact GSDs. Specifically though, the most important part of owning a GSD is getting one from a good breeder with no fear/anxiety/health issues in their lines, and then socializing the dog appropriately (people, things, animals - no forced encounters, but strong positive association building for new encounters).
  
  Not to say don't rescue by the way, that's totally awesome too! Just be aware that there are really, REALLY shitty breeders that are breeding dogs that have no business being bred. :( Lots of fearful GSDs about these days.