If you’re just about ready to bring your new German Shepherd puppy home, make sure your home is ready.
You want your GSD to feel welcome, safe and comfortable, right from Day 1. And while they are incredibly curious dogs with a keen sense of investigation, you can puppy proof your home so things are restful for both of you.
Here are 3 things you should do before you bring your new best friend home.
Look for Low Danger
If you keep cleaners and other harsh chemicals in low places like your kitchen cupboard, it’s time to move them.
German shepherd puppies have a knack for figuring out how to open these cupboards, and once they do, anything in there is fair game in their eyes.
So paints, antifreeze, or any other dangerous cleaners need to have a new home. Someplace high and out of puppy reach.
Keep The Visitors to a Minimum
Of course, everyone is going to want to meet your new adorable German shepherd puppy. Who wouldn’t?
But when they’re young, they can be overwhelmed easily and a lot of foot traffic in and out of the home can make it a bit confusing. Your GSD has a strong sense of family and they want to belong to yours. But too many people may make it unclear who is actually in their family.
Keep the visitors to a minimum for the first 12-14 days. Give your puppy a chance to get acclimated to their new home and comfortable before you bring a lot of new faces in and out of their life.
Prepare Their Space
Your German shepherd dog is going to spend a lot of time in their crate, so keep it as warm, clean and comfortable as possible for them.
Your first instinct may be to put a nice warm and comfortable blanket down for them in the crate. That’s thoughtful and lovely, but try to hold off until you’re confident they’re not going to chew and swallow a piece of it.
And don’t send your dog to their crate when they’re “bad,” like you would a misbehaving child. You need this crate to be your dog’s safe place. Putting them in there when they have a surplus of energy or don’t want to go can make them fear or resent it.
Want More Great German Shepherd Advice?
We are passionate about breeding purebred German shepherds and can help you make the transition into your home as comfortable as possible.
We are committed to the rules and regulations set out by the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV) in Germany. The SV established guidelines for good breeding over 100 years ago, standards we believe are essential to healthy and happy German Shepherd puppies.
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