# Mistakes made being a new puppy parent



## lamoore247 (Feb 27, 2014)

Hello everyone,

I am in the process of doing my due diligence in researching German Shepherds and breeders. Of course upon researching I have come across a lot of new information which made me think...What are some the mistakes that anyone made as a new puppy parent they wish they would have known before they had their pup?


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

Biggest initial mistake I made was assuming my normal daily activity especially sleep patterns would remain intact. I also was taught the virtue of patience via the pups I've had over my life as I would not consider myself a champion at patience...however I am much more patient today thanks to the pups.

I also would have better served my first pups by being a bit more protective in the beginning months...not to say I should have isolated them from the world but more along the lines that I should have been more aware of any potentially negative situations that could arise during this important time period in a dog's life. Going forward with each new pup I've had over the decades has taught me that it is much easier to indoctrinate a pup with a very discerning and alert "eye" rather than having to deal with any negative situations during this developmental stage. 

Even though I was aware that GSD pups require a bit more "effort" and patience than other breeds, I was somewhat surprised how often my patience was tried by these lovable little fur balls replete with needle-like teeth. 

The fact that you are doing your DD and asking questions would indicate that you are well on your way to providing wonderfully for a new GSD pup. Believe me, the effort you put into raising a GSD properly is so well worth it as you will have the most incredible furry companion you could wish for. Keep us posted when your new pup arrives and the journey begins.

SuperG


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

I would never have started taking Delgado to dog parks, it was fine while it lasted but created a whole other set of bad habits which had to be trained out. Not all parks are equal and there are some real bad owners out there that don't care about the dog they bring. It can be great for some dogs but not all


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## Lark (Jan 27, 2014)

I would be both more patient and more strict, and realize the puppy stage goes so quickly. I don't think I did enough initially to train him around the house. Now he is good, but he could have been better trained earlier. I also think I underestimated the land shark phase, and wasn't consistent enough so it ended up lasting longer. I didn't enjoy him as much as I should have when he was a puppy, but then again I don't tend to be a puppy person.

things that worked for us - taking both training classes and working with a trainer individually. also - I started being much more diligent about playing in the yard until he was tired out. Setting consistent time to tire him out really made both our lives better. It was well worth it to take the time away from cooking/cleaning etc. to have him calm for a few hours.

I was aware that GSDs take more work, but I still don't think I was totally prepared for the reality of it.


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## lamoore247 (Feb 27, 2014)

I have heard so many horror stories from dog parks and petsmart type of stores!! I guess some people just let their pups run amuck 

Thanks so much for your responses though. I may make the active mistake. I feel I am pretty active with the beach, walking, jogging, etc and I have the feeling that my pup may run circles around me haha.


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## Eiros (Jun 30, 2011)

I think the amount of effort is what I didn't anticipate. Everyone's experience is different but I did not have the relax time, "me" time, sleep time, or friends time I was used to. Honestly, it felt like NONE sometimes. Be prepared to feel that way on occasion, it's not a good feeling! 

Things that have made a world of difference to us: 

- A good vet with lots of GSD experience
- A good trainer and training club with daycare and boarding options 
- A good exercise routine!! 
- And, in my experience, researching common puppy problems beforehand! And having some solutions in mind for stuff like - diarrhea, puppy biting, crate training, potty training, chewing, jumping up, etc! 



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## daisyrunner (Dec 5, 2013)

I did my research before hand, so I was aware, but I can see people not doing that and being ready to get rid of the pup after a week if they arent prepared for the nippy new "toddler" they have in the house! I am also glad I learned early on before I picked a breeder that not all German Shepherds are the same (working vs show lines), and what to look for in a breeder. My neighbor is looking to get a pup (not GSD), and the one thing I told her over and over is to do her research.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

lamoore247 said:


> I have heard so many horror stories from dog parks and petsmart type of stores!! I guess some people just let their pups run amuck
> 
> Thanks so much for your responses though. I may make the active mistake. I feel I am pretty active with the beach, walking, jogging, etc and I have the feeling that my pup may run circles around me haha.


Aww dog parks..."I though my dog was friendly folks!"

My cue:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/general-behavior/431289-new-dog-very-challenging.html


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## GRANBYsyztem (Feb 8, 2014)

Getting impatient and losing my cool. This really takes you several steps back in building your bond with the puppy. I expected way too much from my little guy. And sometimes, they are so smart.. and learn so quick, that you forget they're literally just BABIES.. and then start getting frustrated wondering why he is still having accidents in the house at 9 weeks. Then you realize "oh.. duh. It's really only been one week."

And then.. not really TRULY realizing what it means to bring home a German Shepherd puppy. You've probably seen it on the forum before, heard it from a buddy, and im warning you now... These GSD pups are on a whole other level. 

Oh and PICTURES!! Pictures in all sorts of situations and places and poses and whatever you can think of haha Live with the camera glued to your hand. I feel like the GSD's lose that pure puppy face pretty quick compared to some other dogs cuz they develop that strong square snout pretty early. Still friggin adorable at 12 weeks, but he's definitely starting to get those german shepherd traits. After about the first two weeks I'd sometimes look at him in the evening and seriously feel like hes grown since the afternoon. So take plenty of pictures! It'll be too late before you know it.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

lamoore247 said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I am in the process of doing my due diligence in researching German Shepherds and breeders. Of course upon researching I have come across a lot of new information which made me think...What are some the mistakes that anyone made as a new puppy parent they wish they would have known before they had their pup?


I have always had puppies and dogs around, so it was really more evolving my own style. But here is the single most important thing I have learned. Before you bring puppy home, lay down on the floor and look around. It will give you a look at things you would never notice, or think of and may save your puppies life.


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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

I'm glad I crate trained and persevered through her full on temper tantrum's when I first started. She's great about it now. Ex-pens can be helpful too.

Socializing means to expose your dog to things at a distance they are comfortable with, not overwhelm them/bombard them with things. Your GSD does not have to be overly social with other dogs and people, so don't force it, if they aren't wired to be that way. They should be neutral though (not aggressive), but don't panic if they aren't acting like a Labrador Retriever. That is not what they are supposed to be. 

One thing I wish I'd done, is the stud dog from my pup's litter, it was his first litter. I wish now, that I'd gone with a litter who's parents had both had previous litters so I could get a feel for what types of dogs that both produced (I only saw dogs produced by the mother). 

Line up a good trainer, and start training immediately. Be consistent and firm, but fair.


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## mommanomma (Jan 28, 2014)

I am by no means an experience owner I am still learning as I go but one thing that I have got stuck in my head is that having a gsd puppy is like having a child for me. I notice myself practicing the same patience and energy patterns that I go through with my son. Thor relies on me to feed him, give him fresh water, keep him clean, give him playtime and tons of love and my son relies on me for the same things. I don't treat my puppy like a human at all but I do think the effort is similar there. 


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## Amurphy26 (Jul 22, 2012)

I wouldn't overwhelm my pup so much. I'm not a novice dog owner and I read so much about the importance of socialising GSDs I got it all wrong. I was so stressed she would have issues I threw her in to way to many situations with crazy dogs. She's now dog reactive thanks to my poor management and over thinking. Relax and enjoy your pup and be protective. Teach your pup manners with other dogs and protect it from dogs without manners. On the plus side I've learnt a lot from her in the last year and she's on her way to being a great, calm dog.......but there was a much easier way of getting to that point. 


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## Ellimaybel (Mar 16, 2014)

My biggest mistake I'm still trying to correct is believing that training a GSD is easier than you think. I believed that the breed is so motivated to please you they will catch on super quick and training would be a snap. True to a point. Yes they catch on really fast. Yes they are eager to please. However I have those days like today that Gunther refuses to listen to a single thing I say and has been nothing but pee and vinegar since I woke up. I've been home from work for almost 4 hours now and usually he sleeps and then wakes up at 2 am for play time. I play for 30 minutes and he sleeps the rest of the night. Not tonight. He napped for about 10 minutes since I have been home and will NOT settle down. I have never been so tempted in my life to have the dog sleep outside. But I won't and never would. Just going to start over again tomorrow. He's going on 10 months and I'm going on the verge of insanity. :wild:


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## petite (Apr 5, 2014)

I think while most of us are experienced dog owners and know well enough how smart, brave and versatile GSDs can be. I personally have always held employment with dogs and know the good and bad of most breeds. Even still I was grossly unprepared for Fawn's intense puppy energy and addiction to biting. I did not expect a breed not known for hard-headed tendencies to be such a challenging puppy. 

My pup is a rescue in which we were providing care for her mother while her accidental litter was bottle-raised. I will always prefer to save a life but I'm not sure I would adopt a full GSD again without knowing anything about their lines. All I know is the sire was "large, black and tan" but I have no idea if he was show lines, working lines, yard bred or etc. I just have to hope she has the great temperament of her dam and do my best with her.


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## Curtis (Jun 9, 2013)

The one and only thing I wish I'd done differently is trim his nails young and often.

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