MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR DOGS
Short Coats vs Long – what is the shedding difference? We do not notice an increase or decrease in shedding between the two types. While the long coats can look intimidating to care for, they really aren’t. Keep up with brushing bottom area, behind the ears and below the belly and you’ll be happier. Twice a year both types will have a bigger shed as the winter coat gets pushed out, and summer coat will get pushed out. In the Long coats they are shedding longer strands but not an increase in shedding is to be expected. In fact, many say that long coats shed less. I don’t really know, I just brush everyone. Hiring a professional groomer is super nice, cuts down the work and it’s worth it. But if you want to do it yourself, that’s great too. We do not recommend getting a brush that will break the under coat. You just want to rake it so as not to break the hairs. Do NOT ever shave your German shepherd!
Training – do we get a professional or can we do it ourselves? We have found both to be successful. Those people that do their research, are dedicated and knowledgeable can have a lot of success! Some people do not. It’s always a good idea to seek a professional if you are finding that your dog is having issues such as resource guarding, high prey drive, anxiety, reactive tendencies etc. Dogs ARE trainable. Do not give up! Your puppy won’t be a cute harmless puppy forever, one day you’ll have a strong animal with a mind of their own. It’s up to you to make sure that animal is well trained and cared for. They are family members!
Spay and Neuter, when do we? We aren’t vets. We suggest you speak with your vet about this issue. Though we do suggest if you can wait, wait until at least 18 months old. If you cannot keep your female or male dog separate from the opposite sex, then spay or neuter earlier to prevent unwanted pregnancy. But for the health of the dog, a lot of research is showing it beneficial to wait. That being said, it is possible for male dogs to become more aggressive the longer you way, so stay in touch with your vet if you feel it’s time to neuter sooner than later. There is no easy answer but know that many dogs have lived happy and healthy lives being neutered/spayed early and late.
Potty training – Lots of online tools for the best potty training methods. We recommend no puppy pads. Lots of outside time, staying on a schedule, taking puppy out when waking up, after eating and every 1-2 hour in between. Often times at least once during the night. See what works for you guys. Not every puppy is the same!
Crate Training – we fully support crate training. Not as a punishment but as a sleep aid, rest time, time out and comfort area. It is a great tool to potty training. Dogs don’t like to sleep where they potty so it’s a good tool to teach them. If you don’t like it, that’s fine! But we do support it and feel it’s been a good thing for our pets.