Should I Get An Adult German Shepherd Dog or a Puppy?
Puppies have an incredible amount of appeal. There is nothing like
filling a family photo album with pictures of Rover as a pudgy, waddling
ball of fluff! Puppies are so cute, so funny, and so little - how much
trouble can one really be? You might well be amazed.
Some new puppy owners are truly overwhelmed by what is simply normal
puppy behavior. Training a puppy can only happen if someone is home to
do it. This is why puppies should never be left alone for more than
three or four hours at a time, and should never be given free run of the
house or yard if unattended. A great misconception about puppies is that
the younger they are when you get them, the better they will "bond" with
their owners. Unfortunately, separating a puppy from its mom and
littermates prior to seven weeks of age can deprive it of a critical
period of emotional development, and behavior problems could result
later in the dog's life.
Adolescents are not nearly as cute as puppies. They seem to be all legs
and feet and ears, and can definitely look strange during the four - ten
month old stage. The benefits of getting an older puppy are not always
readily apparent. The older pup has usually completed shots and wormings.
It is mentally mature enough to train with longer-lasting results, and
can be left alone for longer periods of time. It is also much easier to
evaluate what the dog's personality will be like as an adult. There are
some considerations, however. You will be getting a puppy at its most
boisterous age and, if the puppy has been allowed to develop bad habits,
you will have to "untrain" these. An adolescent will still bond with
your family just as well as a young puppy, and will spare you many of
the trials of puppy infancy.
Adults are a finished product. What you see is what you get! No worries
about how big or how friendly it will be. You can probably tell how well
it will get along with you, your family, and your children. Adult dogs
are often a much better choice for families with young children. They
are calmer, and their temperaments are more stable, which means they are
less likely to injure a young child unintentionally. With only a few
exceptions, adult dogs can and do bond well with new owners. These dogs
can bond with you so tightly that they become your "shadow" and can show
you what true devotion really means. Contrary to popular belief, adult
dogs can readily be trained! Dogs can learn at any age, and adult dogs
have a longer attention span than do either young puppies or
adolescents.
Remember, you will get as much out of your dog as you put into it.
Puppies:
- Puppies need housebreaking and house "proofing"
- Puppies will go through adolescence -- not much different from the
two legged teens!
- Puppies will go through many stages before adulthood and you are
purchasing "potential" rather than a finished product.
- Puppies come with genetic traits that will be influenced by what you
teach them. These traits will be influenced, but not replaced. by how
you raise them.
Adults:
- Adults are ready for training and have the power of concentration to
learn quickly.
- Adults are either house trained or are ready for it.
- What you see is what you get -- there are not as many stages to go
through and you are looking at the "finished product".
- Adults have previous life experiences - good and bad.
Stop back soon, We always have new dogs
available!
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