selection and purchase of a puppy

As a rule of thumb for the selection and buying of any other dog as the German Shepherd Dog: think before you leap! Do you know the characteristics of the breed? A German Shepherd Dog likes to be busy. A healthy German Shepherd Dog needs and loves a lot of physical exercise. It's a smart dog that also loves to use its brains. Do you have enough spare time to invest in your future German Shepherd Dog? Do you like to be busy with your dog? One thing for sure: your German Shepherd Dog needs it!.

think before you leap...

So, you have read a lot of the German Shepherd Dog. Maybe you have (some) experience with the breed. You have considered pro's and con's and you have made up your mind: you'll go for a beautiful GSD puppy! You´re next step is selecting a puppy.
Selecting the right puppy always starts with selecting the right breeder. Look for a breeder with experience and success in producing dogs with the traits you want your new dog to have. Every breeder has (and so have we) a slightly different opinion of what is 'good', so first decide what you really want. Do you want an active, 'busy' type of dog? Do you want a more 'laid back' mellow type of dog? Do you want a dog with protective abilities? Do you want a I'm happy-to-be-the-follower type of personality? Do you want the 'instigator' leader-of-the-pack personality instead? Or do you want the middle of the pack dog? Do you want a very loving strongly bonded personality dog, or do you prefer the independent type? How important is color to you? What size do you prefer? Do you want 'German' bloodlines or do you want 'American' bloodlines?
Once you have a clear idea of what kind of German Shepherd Dog you´re looking for, you are in a much better position to ask each breeder questions about their dogs to help you narrow down your selection of the breeder you wish to purchase a dog from. Make yourself a check list. Write down the name and contact information of the breeder, and their answers to your questions.

Quality of puppies

There is a misconception that if a breeder has several litters each year that this somehow makes them a 'bad breeder'. The number of litters a breeder produces has nothing to do with the quality of their dogs. The quality of their dogs is dependent on the quality of their breeding stock, and how well the puppies are taken care of. There are many breeders that produce only a few litters a year that have poor quality dogs and do not have the knowledge to properly care for the puppies or to answer your questions as your puppy grows and develops.
In general, puppies should be clean, happy, friendly, well fed, have begun their vaccination series, been wormed, and have a confident attitude. No responsible breeder will release a puppy into it's new home until it is at least 8 weeks of age. If possible, go to visit the kennel so you can meet the puppies, and if possible, the parents before you buy. Hopefully you will also be able to meet a few other adults owned by the breeder so you can get a better over-all impression of how this breeder's puppies develop and mature. If it is not possible to go to the kennel (if the puppy must be shipped to you over a long distance) be sure to have all your questions answered to your satisfaction before you send any money!
There are many 'puppy aptitude' tests that have become popular. These tests are fine, but your best gage is not how a puppy performs on one given day, it is better to select based on observation of the puppy over weeks instead. The person who can best do this is the breeder, if he or she is experienced and knowledgeable in all aspects of raising and training German Shepherd Dogs in all these areas. If you are looking for a companion dog, then temperament and willingness to please become the most important factors in your decision.

life time commitment

When you decide to get a puppy, please remember this is a living, feeling creature. They need constant care, love, attention, training (education), and supervision. You are taking on a new member to your family. You need to be prepared to keep this dog for it's entire life. This means when you must move to another area, you don't get rid of the dog but you find a place to live where you can have your dog. If you are getting a child, you don't get rid of the dog or banish it to living in the back yard. This dog is to become a part of your family. Your future decisions must consider the fact that you have this dog in your family, just as your decisions should consider your spouse and children as well.
Puppies grow up into big dogs (very fast!). They go through the 'puppy monster' stage (like a child in the so called Terrible Two's). Puppies do not 'outgrow' bad behaviors. They must be taught what are acceptable and non acceptable behaviors, just as children must also be taught how to behave. Having a wonderful dog as part of your family can enrich your life, but give serious thought before you buy to be sure you have the time, space and commitment to take care of this dog until it dies of old age.