The German Shepherd dog is a very nice breed known as an all-purpose utility dog. The dog is also a great pet and home protection choice. If you own a German Shepherd, you will have a sharp and vicious dog to protect you and a warm and gentle dog that can give you great care and love. And if trained properly, the German Shepherd can be the perfect pet. This information is good to know, but that’s not why you are here. You want to know the right age to get your kid a German Shepherd puppy.
Well, there is no specific age to get your kid a German Shepherd puppy. The most popular opinion is that the earlier, the better. So if you have kids right now, go ahead and get them a GSD. The reason is that kids and adults interacting with dogs are very different. While your instinct as an adult is to pat, play and train the dog, your kids only see a giant teddy bear. So they might scratch, pull, and kick at the dog.
If a German Shepherd puppy is not introduced to all these situations early, it may become aggressive when handled in such a manner. Then again, other questions are running through your mind. Questions include choosing the right German Shepherd puppy for your kid and how to do the introductions. You might also be wondering if older German Shepherds are good with kids and whether or not to get your kid an adult German Shepherd. We will answer all these questions in this post, so stay with us.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT GERMAN SHEPHERD FOR YOUR KID.
Choosing the right Greman Shepherd puppy for your kids is no easy task. And if we are to go into a long list of does and don’t, you might get confused. So with you in mind, I have broken it down into four simple steps.
- Do thorough research.
- Get to know your kid.
- Search for reputable and licensed breeders.
- Take your kid along for the selection.
Now with these four steps in mind, let’s look at them in more detail, so you will clearly understand each step.
1. DO THOROUGH RESEARCH.
Well, many German Shepherd breeders out there claim to have the purest GSD you could ever ask for. And if you are new and have little or no experience with the German Shepherd breed, you will most likely get scammed.
So before you run off and buy yourself a GSD, do enough research about the breed and get to know what features make the German Shepherd stand-bred and of high quality. For more information on how to identify a purebred German Shepherd, be sure to check out my previous post here.
2. GET TO KNOW YOUR KID.
Well, you may wonder what getting the right German Shepherd has to do with your kid. This is because you are getting the German Shepherd for your kid. And the fact remains that since the dog is for your kid, its personality has to work nicely with that of your kid.
To do this right is to study your kid and get to know them well. You need to gauge the hyper nature of your kid. How much energy do they expend during the day?
This information will help you know the type of dog your kid needs, which will greatly help improve the dog and your kid’s overall relationship. You can get more information here if you don’t know how to do this.
3. SEARCH FOR REPUTABLE AND LICENCED BREEDERS.
You might already know what you are looking for by steps one and two. Now is the time to look for your German Shepherd. And to ensure that what we said earlier does not happen to you, you will need to find a reputable breeder. Use the internet as your tool, and do a lot of digging.
Ensure that the breeders you choose to visit our licensed and have generations of breeding pedigrees. Also, ensure they all have a hand full of litters for you to choose from. Since you are looking for a Greman Shepherd to serve as a pet, selecting home-licensed breeders with kids around will be advisable. They will be best positioned to help you select the right puppy.
4. TAKE YOUR KID FOR THE SELECTION.
Now, you may be wondering how this is going to be helpful. And if you have a kid or kids who already love dogs, you may be worried they will like every puppy. The truth, though, is that no matter the age of your kids, they already have a preference. You will need this preference from them, which is why they are tagging along.
As they inspect the litter with you, please pay close attention to how they interact with the puppies. Look for that one puppy they can’t get their hands off. Please pay attention to how the puppies interact with them and cross off your list of those that are timid. As cruel as that may sound, doing that will save you from a life of stress.
Following this process will surely narrow it down and pick the right puppy for you and your kids. What if you already have an adult German Shepherd and a kid on the way? You might wonder if having the Germa shepherd around will be a problem. Well, let’s find out.
ARE OLDER GERMAN SHEPHERDS GOOD WITH KIDS?
The answer is yes! Older German Shepherds are great with kids, especially if they view the kid as part of their pack.
So, if you have kids around and are scared of living alone with your German Shepherd, you don’t have to. All you need to do is make your German Shepherd trained and well socialized.
Doing this could make a difference in how your German Shepherd reacts to your kids. But what if your German Shepherd has never had experience with kids, and you have one on the way? What can you do to ensure the safety of both your child and the GSD?
Well, you will need to introduce them properly. How do you do that? Here are two steps that can help.
INTRODUCE YOUR GSD TO YOUR BABY IN TWO STEPS.
SHOW YOUR BABY TO YOUR GSD.
Well, this may seem basic, but it is vital in properly introducing your baby to your German Shepherd. If your child is months old, you can hold your baby in your arms while your German Shepherd watches, or you could put your baby in the carriage and then encourage your GSD to come around. Do this for some days until you are sure your dog is comfortable around the baby. Once you notice this, you can move over to the next stage.
ALLOW YOUR GSD IMPRINT ON YOUR BABY.
By now, your German Shepherd must already be comfortable around your kid. It’s time to move to the next STEP. Now carry your baby in your arms and call your German Shepherd over. Once he gets close to you, kneel before it and allow him to smell like your baby.
Watch him closely and pat him for being gentle. Do this several times, and then, voila, you are done. From here on in, your German Shepherd should interact nicely with your kid. And please be careful not to rush this process and only stop once you are sure your kid and German Shepherd have the best relationship.
