Training your puppy should begin as soon as you get your puppy home – and should ideally be undertaken by just one family member. At the same time it is important to make sure that everyone else in the house – as well as any other pets – are comfortable with the new arrival. Unlike some dog breeds, German shepherds prefer to live indoors, rather than outside.
If possible, bring your new puppy home during a calm time and when you have the time to concentrate on training him. It isn’t a good idea to bring home a new puppy during a hectic time when your routine – and his – will be disrupted, such as holidays or when family are visiting. Try to introduce a new puppy to family members one at a time so it isn’t too overwhelming.
When bringing your puppy home for the first time, make sure you are organized. Don’t forget to have food in the house, as well as bowls specifically for food and water. At first, try to buy the type or brand of food that the dog is eating now – you can always switch his food gradually. A sudden change in food can often have unfortunate results - diarrhea or an upset stomach.
Apart from food and water, you will also need some toys for your dog – if you are bringing a puppy home, it’s particularly important to have something for him to chew on. And your puppy will need somewhere to sleep – many owners find that having the dog’s bed close to them - particularly at first - can make training easier.
You may want to “puppy-proof” your home, just as you would make it baby-proof. Put any things out of reach you don’t want to be chewed, such as shoes. Some rooms may be off limits and you may want to install a gate across the bottom of your stairs. If your puppy will be outside, make sure the environment is safe and secure and he can’t slip out anywhere. Ensure that he doesn’t have access to such things as paint, medicine and cleaning products.
When introducing your new puppy to his new home, immediately start enforcing rules. If he jumps up on furniture, make sure that he understands not to do that – using a treat as a reward is more effective than discipline at this point. Crate training and house training should both be undertaken at this time.
You may want to make a point of showing your puppy that the family eats before he does – and don’t start feeding him from the dinner table, otherwise he will routinely expect that. It’s surprisingly easy to overlook his water – make sure he always has plenty and that it’s fresh every day.
The first few weeks a puppy is in your home can be hectic – but important. German shepherds live a long time – generally from between 12 to 14 years, so you and your family have many happy years ahead.