Help with New Puppy Please! - Page 1

We (myself, husband, and 2 older kids) have a new GSD male pup. We got him from the breeder not quite 2 weeks ago and he is 9 weeks old today. He has had two sets of shots and well puppy check from the vet, and is doing good.
My husband and I read alot of different books and articles on the gs breed prior to picking our pup out from the breeder, and continue now to try to get as much information as we can so we do the right things for him. At this point we are on information overload!

I would really like some input from some people who are VERY familiar with raising puppies on the following things:

1. Crate training- anyone able to give me an "example" schedule for crating, feeding, play time for a 9 week pup?
(I work from home so he does not get left all day, and he sleeps fine in his crate at night , 1 time up for potty, and typically goes in on his own during the day. I was keeping him just able to be free in the room we have gated for him to be with me while I am working and he just slept when he was tired, sometimes going in his crate sometimes sleeping by my feet, but he was getting overtired and "cranky", so we thought we should get him on a more specific crating schedule while potty training)

2. Play time? Exercise? Example times a day? Should he be playing outside in our back yard? For how long- how many times a day? Inside play- how long of sessions? (We want him to get exercise and not be bored, but we would like examples/opinions of how much and what type at this age (9 weeks))

3. Walks? (The vet says start walking him around the neighborhood now, but we think she is wrong on that based on what we have read re: gsd. We are concerned about parvo, as well as putting too much strain on his joints and bones. We took him for a walk one day after she (vet) told us that and he walked like an old dog for 3 days after, clearly sore. We have not done it again. )

4. Biting/Mouthing? (Our puppy bites (not visciously) and mouths on us alot. We are trying the yelp and turn away method, but he's now started biting our legs and feet and jumping on us if we ignore him.) Ideas?

5. Leash Training? When is a good time to start leash training? (We use a 6 ft. lead to take him out for potty, not to tow him around in any way, but to guide him to stay in the right area. If we take him out with no lead he sometimes runs to play and we know we shouldn't chase him at that time, but he is just beginning to learn recall so it makes it a bit hard)

6. What's "normal"? (What's normal behavior for a 9 week old gsd. We've read alot about gs pups, but no one seems to have much to say about what to expect from an 8-10 week old pup and what we should be doing with and for him)

Any overall tips and/or ideas for a new german shepherd puppy owner who wants to do the very best for the puppy and start the right training and the right foundation? We are realizing that the first week we probably smothered him with too much attention and he probably didn't get enough sleep because we played with him every waking second! Any specific tips or example schedule would be SO MUCH APPRECIATED!!!

Thank you so much to anyone who takes the time to respond and try to help!

I am no expert, but I started taking my puppy for short walks when she was about 10 weeks old.  I could tell when she got tired, then I just carried her.  I wanted to start socializing her asap.  I too read about the parvo, but my vet didn't seem to think it would be a big concern once she got her second dose of puppy shots.  He said just use caution about what kind of places I took her.  Again, I would sometimes take her for the experience, but carry her as much as possible.

I also started her on a leash right away.  I found some really good info on your topics all over the internet.  Even Youtube has some good instructional videos.  Another thing I did was enroll her in beginning puppy class when she was about 12 weeks old and they were very helpful, plus my puppy loved getting to play with all the other little dogs.

Good luck with your puppy.  I think maybe you should relax a little, though and trust yourself.  Once you get to know the puppy better, you will be able to pick up on cues, like when she needs to play to burn off excess energy, when she needs to rest, etc.

 Try the forum on this site. My pup in now 17 weeks and I also got him at 7 1/2 weeks and had many of the same question although I have raised and lived with Shepherds most of my lije it had been 9 years since I had a pup and each one is different. Everyone on this  site is so helpful and they have groups that get togther for dog days depending on where you live

http://www.germanshepherds.com/

Thanks so much Freda and shepherdpal for the input. We are both a little tense right now and feel like everything we are doing is somehow wrong, we do need to relax and just let things flow more. I think in our concern to do the best for this amazing breed, we are just ending up paranoid and worried. I am looking at the forums you suggested shepherdpal, and so far so good. Thank you.

I recommend that you buy the Monks of New Skete "How to be your puppys best friend" and "The art of raising a puppy".  The most important factors you need to learn, although not important at first, follow:

1)  Teach the dog to allow grooming, touching, and handle him/her gently;
2)  Socialize the dog.  Socialize the dog with gentle people and dogs;
3)  Teach the dog manners with a firm but gentle approach.  Respect the dog and he/she will respect you;
4)  Learn how to run a pack.  Dog instincts are different than human ones.  A mistake here could get someone hurt or killed.  A GSD is a powerful animal;
5)  Exercise.  If you don't exercise a GSD you will have issues you can't handle.  A GSD is a working breed and needs to burn off energy; and,
6)  Mouthing is not accpetable.  You must stop that now.  What happens when your two year old GSD decides to "mouth" you as part of your relationship?  Probably 50 stiches.

No walking around block or anywhere until all series of parvo'/distemper shots are given and  9 week old pups do not have complete set of shotsl.



You need to read literature from German shepherd venues not the vet or books by pet owners ...GSD are not pets., per sie....

Relax, you have alot of questions for such a young pup, yes they will bite alot,  they hate to  not  be paid attention too, distraction and then to their kennel, buts its all to show them what will happen when you say no and distract and  they dont play ball, just the same as a baby ,with big teeth and a hard head. Alot of both Ha .Handle one thing at a time.

Hi there!

It sounds like you are off to a good start.  One of the things we did with our 8wk old pup was to buy light nylon leads, six foot and let her drag it everywhere.  He will chew on it and you will have to discourage it but be prepared to buy several.  Let him drag it around the yard so you can step on it if he decides to try and run away.  Call his name as you step on it.  Sometimes you have to be quick.  We usually took her out to do her business and then immediately praised her and used the words "get busy" as she complied then immediately said inside and hurried to the house to give a treat.  Now we can take her out and tell her to get busy, good girl, inside and we're done. 

Puppies don't need a lot of exercise at this age so don't wear him out.  If his tongue is hanging out and he is wobbly it's past time to quit.  We bought toys that she had to use her head to play with them, that kept her from being bored.  One great toy is a plush cube with slits cut into each side and it comes with four plush squeaky balls that you place inside the cube.  The puppy will go crazy playing with this toy and it makes him think.  After he learns to pull them all out, don't be surprised to see him trying and sometimes succeeding in putting them back in.

When potty training him remember, go out after every meal, when he wakes up or you let him out of the crate and if he gets excited and starts playing rough.  These trigger potty sessions.  Don't scold him if he makes a mess, try to stop him in mid action by scooping him up and taking him outside.  If he can squeeze out anymore, praise him and head back in.  If you want to take him out in the yard (I hope it's fenced) leave the leash on and let him romp after a large ball.  Watch him and if he pottys praise him and head for the house for a treat.  You can come back out to play somemore so he doesn't think play time is over.  Make it part of playtime.  And yes, you will want to replace a leash or two because he will dump/whiz on one or more at first.

Puppies at this age can go thru a fear stage so be prepared for him to suddenly freak out over something he has passed a dozen times before without notice.  It can be anything but what you want to do is stay calm and continue on as if nothing has happened.  What ever you do - do not coddle him, don't pick him up and baby talk him.  He'll be afraid of that item forever.  Be calm, be gentle and let him deal with it.  Make sure what ever it is, he knows you have no fear and he will feel that he can trust you to protect him.  It can take several days to get over a scare so be patient.

Be firm and consistent on the no bite thing.  Pinch his muzzle or, if necessary lay him down and hold him there until he stops wiggling.  Use a stern voice to let him know you don't like this behavior.  He'll figure it out if you are consistent.

He should master the sit, down and recall within a week if you work with him a few minutes several times a day.  Good luck with him...and the Monks of New Skete is an excellent book.  I recommend it too.

Deb