Buying Young Dogs Vs Puppies

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BUYING A YOUNG DOGS VS. A PUPPIES

In this short article we will explore the differences between buying an 8-10 week old puppy and a young dog, defined as between the age of 12 months – 2.5 years old.  I have bred, raised and trained dogs for over 20 years and feel I have an objective perspective on the issue.  

First, the pros and cons of a puppy will be presented, followed by the cons:

PROS OF A PUPPY

  1. Of course I hear from many clients how they want to grow up with and go through the puppy stage with their dog, so that they bond with them fully and enjoy the playful puppy years.
  2. Also, they can choose the puppy personally from a litter of a number of puppies.
  3. And some people say they just “know” when they see a puppy that it is the one.
  4. They love the furry, cuddly, bouncing pups and the cute stage.

CONS OF A PUPPY

First let me start with an introductory remark.  I am a bit biased after placing 100s of puppies and young dogs with families and experiencing first hand the results.  So please bear with me.  A puppy is fraught with risks. 

  1. You don’t know whether they will manifest congenital diseases (EPI, IBS, DM, etc) or faults until later, when it is too late to stop the heartbreak.
  2. You can’t know the joint health of the puppy for certain until around a year (which is the certification time in Europe although AKC uses 2 years for full certification, but this is another subject for discussion).Over 20% turn out with bad hips, and others with borderline.   Why gamble? 
  3. The puppy stage has to be dealt with in an educated way.You have to prepare the foundation for its future life during this time, and most people do a miserable job and end up with an unsocialized, poorly behaved, disobedient big dog that isn’t “cute” behavior anymore.  And then you can end up with a problem that is hard to address.
  4. You have to be so careful of accidents at this stage. You shouldn’t let them jump off of stairs, which can cause damage to developing hips which are fully in the socket until around one year old.  Poop and pee training can also be a real challenge.  You should keep them away from other dogs until their inoculations until they have had theirs.
  5. You never know how they will turn out in conformation and appearance until about one. They can turn out to have bad cow-hocking, poor conformation, bite, ears, etc.
  6. You need to spend around $1,000 for all shots (including rabies), food, vet visits, crates, toys, puppy collars for the first year. And the hip certification (OFA) with x-rays could cost over $300-400 (with anesthesia).Then add elbow x-rays and certification.

Truthfully, I refer to the puppy years as the “difficult period”. Now, we can compare this to buying a younger dog:

            PROS

  1. You can be certain of the hips and elbows as they can get a definitive certification from the European registry. I sell ONLY HD1/ED1 top hips and elbow.   It means we may have to pass up some nice young dogs, but it means less probability of problems for my clients.
  2. Many of the congenital problems have already been manifest.
  3. The dog has matured quite a bit and behavior and temperament can be ascertained. You can test nerves, confidence, intelligence etc. as the dog is basically fully developed.
  4. The young dog is still adolescent and bonding is not a problem.It makes no difference if you buy a pup or young dog.  The young dog will bond just as well with you and the family.
  5. A professional has raised them correctly through the “difficult” years and prepared them with a foundation for future life.
  6. Most all have been training started. This means the difficult part of learning to learn has already occurred and these dogs are easy to train, easy to acclimate to potty schedule and place, and a joy to take to obedience class.
  7. You also save the costs of the first year and all shots, vet, joint certifications or about $1000-$1500.
  8. Normally a breeder in Europe keeps back the best of the litter and does not sell them until they see how they come out. Then they only keep the ones they are certain will thrive in show and sell the rest. They wouldn’t want to invest in one which will not turn out well.  They have a pretty good eye for dogs that will likely do well and so when you buy a young dog, many times it is one that was selected for retaining because it was very promising, but lost out to the best. 

CONS:

I am sorry but it is difficult for me to be objective.  I have seen so many happy customers with these young dogs and so few problems that is it difficult to point out cons specific to buying a young dog.  Due to the pros above, it is just so much less risky.

  1. Some people’s lack of comfort with a new already grown dog.However I have never had this problem with a client.  It is rare to have a dog returned.
  2. Cost: This is probably the one most point out.  But remember, all the costs associated with the first year, inoculations and joint certifications are already done.  Also, getting a dog with a lower probability of future health problems is worth it. These can be very costly in the future. Also considering that a good started dog is around $3,500-5,850, including all shipping and papers and crate, the cost may turn out to be much less.
  3. Not all congenital problems can be identified.This is true, however it is also true with a puppy.  Also, the risks are substantially diminished as many of those problems would already be manifest at that age and therefore identifiable and the dog would not be sold.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I highly recommend started young dogs from reputable breeders in the US or imported.  The risks are so much less and the benefits so much greater getting a dog with a foundation set by a professional.  I deal only with imported young dogs because I believe that the quality is better in European German Shepherds.   And I only deal with one or two breeder whom I know well and have had years of experience dealing with.

Free Feeding: Bad Idea for Your German Shepherd Puppy

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When and how to feed their German Shepherd puppy is a question that many new owners have. Answering every element of that question takes time and the answer may vary from dog to dog, but the one thing that applies to any dog, but especially to a large – or soon to be large – dog like a black and red German Shepherd is that ‘free feeding’ should never be an option.

‘Free feeding’ is a term that refers to the practice of leaving food out for an animal at all times, even if it is ‘just’ a harmless bowl of kibble to ensure, in the owner’s mind, that their canine companion never goes hungry especially if no one is home. It is an easy way of doing things for the owner, just top off the bowl before they head to work and Puppy should be fine all day. It is less of a good thing for the German Shepherd puppy though, and in fact it can be a very bad thing.

Try thinking of it in terms of your children. Would you leave them all day with open access to all the food they want? No, of course you would not. Meal times are set and only the occasional snack is allowed. It’s all a part of good discipline and teaching healthy eating practices.

So why should it be any different for a ‘fur kid’? As they are highly intelligent, German Shepherds can get bored rather easily and like humans if the food is there they will eat it, not necessarily because they are hungry, but because they have nothing else to do. And just like a human, if the practice continues the dog will become overweight and sluggish.

Even if your pup does not gain excess weight there are other reasons why free feeding should be ‘taken off the menu’. For example, one of the earliest signs of a number of serious ailments in dogs in general is a sudden loss of appetite. How are you ever going to notice such a thing though if several members of the household are in the habit of filling up the food bowl when it starts to look empty? Chances are that everyone will simply assume that someone else filled up the food when it is has actually gone untouched for some time and by the time everyone figures out that is not the case it may be too late.

Then there is the sanitary aspect of things. Would you leave your own food out all day, where it can easily also become a meal for flies and other flying critters who carry all kinds of bacteria with them? There are even tales of animals like raccoons learning to crawl their way through pet doors because they have discovered that there is a constant source of food waiting for them just behind it.

Finally there is the matter of discipline. If you want to integrate your German Shepherd into the family, the way that most owners do, then they need rules as much as all of the human members of the household do. Mealtimes should, as far as possible, be a set time affair for everyone, including the dog.

Read Amazing Story – A Life Saving Friend for Life

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Gideon with footballDr. Peter Banfe

I wanted to send you a quick e-mail to thank-you and update you on a puppy that you helped me purchase from Germany about 4 years ago. He is a big beautiful super intelligent boy named Gideon. You helped me pick out a pup in hopes that he would alert to seizures before they happen. He does his job quite well! He alerted for the first time at nine months.

He’s now four years old and gives me about thirty minutes. My seizures are well controlled about 85% of the time. I can go for several months and do great but hit a cluster of several weeks where I struggle.

Thanks to Gideon, I can keep my license and independence. I also taught Gideon to search for my cell phone, alert for help, and help with balance if needed. He’s a wonderful wonderful dog.

In addition to being a practical asset, we are very heavily involved in our local therapy dog program. He tolerates the nursing homes while chomping on a favorite toy but absolutely thrives on the many programs that we have in our local elementary programs throughout the year! His favorite thing in the world is to play with children. : )

Gideon swimming

 

Removing a Tick from a German Shepherd the Right Way

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Removing a Tick from Your German Shepherd’s Skin the Right Way

Dogs, especially larger, active dogs like German Shepherd puppies, love to get out and exercise and in reality doing so is essential for their overall health and wellbeing. The summer is an exceptionally good time for dogs and their owners as the walks that can be such a chore in the colder months become far more pleasant when the sun is shining and in many areas there is plenty of lush green summer foliage to explore and enjoy.

Something else that enjoys all of this warm weather though is the tick. And as many treatments, powders and flea collars you might have taken the precaution of providing your GSD with the odd tick may very well still latch on to your pet in an attempt to score itself a nice nourishing meal. Once there they are notoriously hard to remove, but doing so as quickly as possible is a must. There is a right and wrong way to go about removing a tick though, both for your dog’s safety and your own. Here are a few tips:

Glove Up

Before you attempt to remove the tick you need to think of your own safety as well. Don a pair of rubber gloves before you begin the ‘operation’, as the infective agents ticks carry can easily enter your own bloodstream through small nicks, cuts or grazes or through the mucous membranes (eyes, nose or mouth if you happen to inadvertently touch them.)

Enlist a Helping Hand

As previously mentioned, removing a tick is not easy and it is very likely that your pup will object to all of the poking and prodding and try to squirm away. If at all possible enlist a second pair of hands to calm and distract them while you work so that the ordeal can be over as quickly as possible.

The Actual Removal

Before beginning you should gather a few supplies; rubbing alcohol, tweezers and some kind of lidded receptacle, preferably a jar, to put the tick into once it is removed. Once you have located the tick using your tweezers grab the pesky tick as close to your dog’s skin as possible and pull upwards in one swift, decisive movement, immediately placing the critter in the jar.

Never twist or jerk the tick as, besides causing extra discomfort for your pet you run the risk of leaving behind the tick’s ‘mouth parts’ in the skin or of having it regurgitate those infectious fluids.

Once the tick is removed cleanse the bitten area with rubbing alcohol. Keep an eye on the bite for the next several days and if it becomes red and inflamed or you notice any change in your black and red German Shepherd’s health or behavior the best course of action is to take them to the vet for a check up. It may also be a good idea to hang on to that jarred tick as should your dog become ill having the creature available for testing will help in your pet’s treatment a great deal.

Energy and Training: The Magic Ingredient

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To all my Banffy Haus German Shepherds clients:

Don’t you remember the teacher school that kept you riveted to the discussion, and had such passion for the subject that it rubbed off on you?   I remember one of my teachers in 1st grade who every year taught us about Japan.  She made this exotic culture so interesting that I have gone on to study Japanese, have been there a number of times, and taught my son and daughter to enjoy sushi from a young age.  Do you also remember the teacher that was so boring everyone fell asleep in class?

Dogs sense energy.  If you are tentative, they know.  If there is any fear they know.  What you feel goes right down the leash into your dog and affects his attitude to the training.  The best trainer knows how to spark interest in their canine students.  One thing I know for certain is that energetic tones, and exciting quick movements, enthusiastic rewards, and stopping while they are still interested in continuing, are key to keeping the training interesting.  And if you dog is engaged, not only are they easier to train, but they look so much crisper and respond so much more immediately.

Here are a couple of helpful hints:

  1. So, it is best not to train your dog when you are not going to be enthusiastic about training.
  2. Keep your posture tall and confident
  3. Keep the pace brisk- quick movements.
  4. Use enthusiastic tones
  5. Reward often
  6. Reward unexpectedly and with high energy approval
  7. Keep the routines shorter
  8. Switch disciplines often
  9. Only do long and complete routines on the day of a trial or competition
  10. Correct quickly and completely.   If you do this, then they will start to correct themselves, because they expect you too and don’t want to be corrected.

And enjoy training.  Training times are some of the best bonding experiences for you and your dog.  You learn to respect their desire to serve you and they learn to respect your authority.  This way you get the best of both worlds!  And a trained pet is a happier pet.  It gives them a purpose that they need.

I hope these are helpful hints for understanding how to get the most out of training.  If you want to visit and K9 university.

The Automatic Dog Training

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Hello German Shepherd puppies lovers:

But now…on the automatic dog training technique.  This is a follow-up to the last article I wrote entitled “You are always training with your German shepherd”.  I know we would all like to know a way to ensure your puppy becomes all that it can be and become another legend in the family, your own Rin Tin Tin.

Well, here is the secret:  The environment.  Environment is one of the most important variables determining the success of a human child.  A nurturing, loving environment, one with encouragement and many avenues for learning and creativity improve the chances of a child’s success later in life.  While a broken and angry household, in which parents abandon children to their own devices, and let them learn and fend for themselves, normally contributes to a greater probability of truancy and delinquency.

Dogs are very routine animals.   I remember how at first when my parents drove me to military academy I resented it.  But the structure and routine was excellent for me and I flourished. There were loving, yet demanding, men and women who corrected me for mistakes but encouraged my successes.  Dogs, even more than humans, yearn for and thrive on order, routine and a firm social order.  They are just more confident and peaceful in such a structure.

So, of course you would want your dog to have every chance for success and to be a valued member of your pack.  But how do you do this.  I recommend you make an “K-9 Home Environmental plan” for Fritz.  Type it out.  Read it to the family and stick by it.  Don’t flinch and don’t move an inch.

It should include, for example, which rooms Fritz is allowed to come in, things he can and can’t play with, or lay on.  Be specific.  Do not ever let him have the same rights as the humans.  Yes, that means not on the couch.  That is reserved for you, with him loyally at your feet.  No, not in the kitchen during dinner.  That is your time.  Also, never let your huge, powerful, brilliant shepherd sleep in bed with you.  If you decide he is not to go upstairs, enforce it.  Choose potty areas and egress and ingress for your dog.  Give him his spot where he is to lay, rather than him choosing it.  Choose his eating place, which is best in a garage and not within the walls of the house.  Be specific and detailted.   Map this out, make a diagram, learn it, teach it to the family and, most of all, enforce it.

I will finish the discussion of the “K-9 Home Environmental plan” for your German shepherd puppy or dog in the next article.  I hope it has piqued your curiosity.

I hope these are helpful hints for understanding the behavior of your Banffy Haus German Shepherd puppies.  If you want to visit and K9 university.

You Are Always in Training with your German Shepherd

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Hello German Shepherd puppies lovers:

My father used to tell me that military academy was good for me because the structure would keep me out of trouble.  Indeed it did and it was good for me.  I developed patterns of behavior, respect and cleanliness, integrity and discipline, which have helped me during all of my life.

This is the same for your German shepherd.  You need to create a consistent and well thought out ordered living structure for your shepherd.  And you need to stick with it without relenting and breaking the structure. You may think that your dog has been so good, or is so darling that just this once you will feed him/her at the table while you are eating.  But this relenting just makes you happy and is not in the best interests of the dog.

We all marvel at superbly trained German shepherds, police or military trained.  Most of us would like a dog like that.  In fact I will tell you that those noble beasts are at peace, knowing exactly what to do and when to do it.  They are creatures of structure, and very comfortable within it.

So, it is kind for us to create structure.  Dogs are creatures of habit and order.  And we love it when they are obedient and loyal.  We need to create environments of structure for them so that they can become the dogs they could be and that we would prefer.

So, when you get the urge to break ranks and to encourage your dog to do so, don’t be surprised or angry at them when they continue the behavior you began.  Don’t blame them if they jump up on your mother and ruin her new dress when yesterday you decided to pat your chest and encourage them to jump up.  Don’t get angry at them if you have friends over and they salivate and beg for food when just last week you rewarded Otto with a big piece of meat at dinner.

In the next article I will carefully detail how to create a surefire structure to get the most out of your amazing German shepherd and raise your German shepherd puppies in an environment that helps them to be all they can be.

I hope these are helpful hints for understanding the behavior of your Banffy Haus German Shepherd puppies.  If you want to visit and K9 university .