getting a new puppy - Page 1

Hello all, I am new to this site I am getting my first german shepherd in Oct. I have always loved the breed and am very excited to get my first one. I have a 3yr old boxer mix already. So any help any of you can give is much appreciated. I am getting him from Colorado and flying him to OR and am looking into trainers for him. The bitch was imported preg. from Germany. The stud is Karat's ulk. I am very excited about this new puppy. I don't know much about the bitch but I know the stud is wonderful. I am a vet tech and know that socialization is very inportant. The puppy will go to work with me to the clinic and to the kennel I work at part-time. So hopefully everything will work out.

Congratulations on your first GSD.  Nothing better in the whole wide world than a GSD.

So exciting to go to the airport and pick up your puppy. I love it and miss it terribly.

be careful from any disease from any places, good luck

I think introductions with your present dog is really important. I introduce dogs just like with horses. New one goes in the crate while the others are kept away from it for a couple days. They start out just smelling the new dogs scent in "their" space all the time. Then I let them meet through a chain link fence. Not with the new dog in the crate because he needs to feel like he's not trapped. I do this for a good week. Maybe more depending on how they seem to be relating through the fence. then I have someone else walk the former dog while I walk the new one on separate sides of the road a few times. Finally, after a VERY long walk I let them meet.

This is just the way I do it because I don't want to have their first meeting to be a bad experience. I'm sure others will give their system as well.

Congrats and enjoy,

Dawgs