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Ask WindRidge
What is the difference between American bred and Imported German Shepherds?
There is a long answer to this important question that goes back to the history of the breed and the different direction breeders in Germany and America took. The shortened version is that the national parent club of the breed (GSDCA in the United States and SV in Germany) writes a "breed standard" to describe the characteristics that set their breed apart from all other purebred dogs. This standard is to be used as a guide by breeders striving to maintain the unique characteristics of the breed that make it particularly suited to accomplish the task it is bred to perform. By breeding dogs best representing the standard, breeders preserve the "breed type" for future generations. However, the governing boards of national breed clubs are elected from a membership of breeders belonging to the club and often have different opinions as to what primary task a breed should perform. As opinions change, so too the standard evolves and adapts to the new function of the breed deemed most useful by the parent clubs. Soon, the physical and mental characteristics of a breed change along with the standard. In some breeds, "form follows function" means their appearance has remained static over time since the function of the breed has remained constant. The German Shepherd is unique among breeds in that its adaptability is such that it excels at the greatest variety of tasks and therefore is influenced by the greatest variety of opinions of what constitutes "breed type". People often refer to German Shepherd Dogs as the dog for all reasons and aptly so. German Shepherds are used for companion dog, herding dog, Schutzhund dog, therapy dog, guide dog, Search and Rescue dog, agility dog, and military and police dog. Originally, Captain Max von Stephanitz, an exmilitary man turned gentleman farmer and the breed's founder, set out to produce a shepherd dog superior to the sheep herding dogs of the working-class farmers, but in response to a waning need for shepherding dogs, von Stephanitz looked for a new direction for his breed that would ensure its status and rising popularity. That direction was for a working military and police dog, and he devised a set of trials that would be used to choose the breeding dogs most suited for the new direction. These trials, Schutzhund trials, are still used in Germany today as a requisite for breeding stock as well as a highly competitive sport.
As the German Shepherd Dog gained worldwide attention early in the 20th century, wealthy Americans began importing German Shepherd Dog breeding stock from Germany. The Americans who imported the dogs were fanciers of the new sport of dog showing and considered themselves guardians of the breed type as it was originally intended, as a herding dog. Choosing to emphasize the unique characteristic of gait that would enable the breed to herd tirelessly for hours, American show people have continued to this day to breed for an elegant herding dog with the unique "flying trot" as described in the GSDCA standard:
Gait
A German Shepherd Dog is a trotting dog, and its structure has been developed to meet the requirements of its work. General Impression-- The gait is outreaching, elastic, seemingly without effort, smooth and rhythmic, covering the maximum amount of ground with the minimum number of steps. At a walk it covers a great deal of ground, with long stride of both hind legs and forelegs. At a trot the dog covers still more ground with even longer stride, and moves powerfully but easily, with coordination and balance so that the gait appears to be the steady motion of a well-lubricated machine. The feet travel close to the ground on both forward reach and backward push. In order to achieve ideal movement of this kind, there must be good muscular development and ligamentation. The hindquarters deliver, through the back, a powerful forward thrust which slightly lifts the whole animal and drives the body forward. Reaching far under, and passing the imprint left by the front foot, the hind foot takes hold of the ground; then hock, stifle and upper thigh come into play and sweep back, the stroke of the hind leg finishing with the foot still close to the ground in a smooth follow-through. The overreach of the hindquarter usually necessitates one hind foot passing outside and the other hind foot passing inside the track of the forefeet, and such action is not faulty unless the locomotion is crabwise with the dog's body sideways out of the normal straight line.
By placing emphasis on gait, Americans have bred dogs with physical characteristics that allow for much more extreme movement. The most obvious of these characteristics is the angulation of the rear legs. The lengthening of the lower stifle bone causes a more acute angle of the rear leg allowing for greater underreach and follow-through and therefore a longer stride. The forequarter is also to be maintained at a 90-degree angle to allow greater front extension. Today's American dogs are breathtakingly beautiful when at a full flying trot.
The Germans on the other hand, after their breeding program was reestablished after World War 2, continued to breed dogs who would be competitive at trials designed to create a superior police/military dog. The characteristics German breeders chose to emphasize were working drive, strength, short, roached backs that allow the dog to drive forward against greater resistance, and shorter powerful necks. The angulation that allows more fluidity of movement when trotting for long periods was sacrificed for more powerful limbs suitable for short bursts of speed when attacking an agitator. Here is the way the SV standard describes movement (notice the difference between the German and American standards' descriptions of gait):
Movement
The German Shepherd Dog is a trotter. The limbs must be so harmonious with each other in length and angulation, that without creating much undulation of the topline, the hindquarters can push the torso forward in such a manner that the stride matches that of the forequarters.
Every tendency toward over-angulation of the hind quarters decreases the firmness and the endurance, and with that the working ability. With correct structural proportions and angulation, a far-reaching, ground-covering, level gait results, which conveys the impression of effortless forward movement. With the head thrust forward and tail slightly lifted it presents, in a fairly level, balanced, and smooth trot, one uninterrupted, gently flowing overline from the tips of the ears over the nape and back, through to the end of the tail.
The American decision to breed an elegant herding dog with ever more extreme reach, and the German decision to breed a strong working dog increasingly boxier and shorter bodied created the differences in breed standards and also basic conformation variances between American and German dogs. Until this last year, among top show lines in both countries, such single-minded breeding resulted in a caricature of the original breed type. Although this past year has shown marked improvement in conformation tending toward moderation among top placing dogs at both the GSDCA National (kudos to Ken Downing) and the German Seiger Show, more attention needs to be paid by parent clubs to the many genetic diseases afflicting the breed. For us here at WindRidge and a growing number of likeminded breeders worldwide, combining bloodlines from America and Germany produces the golden middle breed type and benefits from the best of both worlds.
American: elegant, long necks, tall more pointed ears, dark eyes, nose longer than forehead, tend toward shorter sleek coats, taller no disqualifying height/weight limits in standard, longer tails, deeper chests, longer backs, flowing harmonious movement, softer temperaments, more angulated.
German: rugged, stocky powerful necks, shorter more rounded tipped ears, lighter eyes sometimes matching coat color, nose and forehead similar length for blocky heads, thick, rough full coats, smaller to conform to specific height/weight limits in standard, tails conform to length in standard, less depth of body, short backs, powerful driving movement, harder temperaments, less angulated.
To sum it up, elegant herding dog vs powerful working dog.
Why are your dog’s more expensive than other ads in the newspaper?
We understand that our puppies are not inexpensive and not everyone will be able to afford them. For those nice people who are disappointed because our puppies are out of their reach, we are truly sympathetic, but we ask a fair price for the quality we produce, and we will not lower our prices just to get rid of "leftover" pups as other breeders do. The truth is that you get what you pay for in dogs just as in most everything else. It may not seem fair that everyone can't afford a Mercedes or Lexus either, but that is life. We are proud of what we've accomplished with our breeding program, and we make no apologies for the price of our dogs.
When you buy a WindRidge puppy, you are buying years and years of dedicated research into the breed. You are buying a puppy specifically bred to be the best family companion possible instead of the cast-off pups of a show breeder who is breeding for that one show puppy and needs to get rid of the rest of the litter. Instead of choosing breeding stock that will only win in a show ring or schutzhund/IPO trial, we are choosing for temperament, health, willingness to please, adaptability, and overall balance. Our responsibility to the pups we produce begins before birth and continues throughout the dog's lifetime. If at any time in their lives they need a home, we will without hesitation take them back. Believe me, there aren't many breeders willing to do that. Breeding is not a hobby for us just as it's not a job we do for our family income. Breeding is a lifelong passion, and we will continue to pursue the betterment of the breed.
Do you guarantee your puppies?
The next time you call a backyard/unknown breeder about a puppy and ask if they guarantee their dogs, don't be surprised if they reply, "No, you're only paying $1000.-2000., what do you expect? Who knows if they will even be around/breeding in a year, what is your recourse if they are not? " Well, we expect much more from people who are selling dogs to share your life and home with. Yes, we offer a guarantee in our purchase contract that is as complete as we can make it. Our detailed contract is there to protect us as the seller, you as the buyer, and the life of the puppy. Our puppies are completely health tested, titled, AKC and or SV registered dogs, each dogs information can be confirmed at OFA.org and AKC.org as well as sharing our licensed veterinarians information as a reference.
The following is excerpted from the contract:
This puppy is a purebred German Shepherd, litter registered with the American Kennel Club. An individual puppy application is pending final payment. This puppy’s registration is available at no additional charge to the purchaser with the American Kennel Clubs Puppy Protection Plan offered by WindRidge German Shepherds.
Seller guarantees that puppy is in good health to the best of her knowledge and has received appropriate vaccinations and puppy worming protocol per age. Seller will provide to the buyer a vaccination and worming report detailing the treatment that puppy has received while under WindRidge German Shepherds care, along with an outline of future care that seller feels is essential to puppy’s wellbeing.
Puppy has been examined by a licensed veterinarian, Amy Simonis D.V.M. He/She was found to be a normal, healthy, puppy with a sound temperament. Puppy is from an external parasite free zone (no fleas or ticks). Puppy has been treated per protocol for age with de-wormer. Each puppy from WindRidge German Shepherd puppies is (D.M.) Degenerative Myelopathy Clear, Normal (N/N) by parentage.
WindRidge German Shepherds recommends the buyer has their veterinarian of record complete a physical examination on puppy within 48 (forty-eight) hours of taking possession of the puppy. The examination costs will be at no expense to the seller.
If the puppy is found to be ill or in poor health, the puppy and veterinary reports will be returned to WindRidge German shepherds immediately. The breeder will offer the seller a replacement puppy, pending verification of illness or poor health by the seller’s veterinarian as soon as a replacement pet puppy is available. WindRidge German Shepherds will not be responsible for illness or health problems that are diagnosed after this time period ends, except those conditions specified below.
The guarantee on dysplasia replacement is in effect until this puppy is 26 months of age. WindRidge German Shepherds will not be responsible for any veterinarian expenses incurred. Neither will WindRidge German Shepherds pay for transportation of original or replacement puppy.
Hip Dysplasia is a malformation of the ball and socket joint of the hip. A dog may or may not become lame because of the disease, depending upon its severity. Although no breeder can guarantee that a puppy will not get hip dysplasia, we are making every effort to avoid such an occurrence by only using stock that have received x-ray views and prelim or final rated by the Orthopedic Foundation of Animals.
If one of our puppies were to develop grade III bilateral dysplasia, we will replace the puppy with another of the same quality, only after receiving proof of proper diagnosis. A copy of the original x-ray and O.F.A. letter of diagnosis must be returned to the breeder.
At the time of sale, this puppy is “PET QUALITY.” The buyer understands that this puppy is sold under ‘limited AKC registration’. This puppy is not to be used for breeding purposes and must be spayed or neutered. A licensed veterinarian must perform the procedure. The buyer will send to the seller a copy of the alteration by the last day of the month that the puppy reaches 12 months of age.
Buyer completely understands that this puppy will be spayed/neutered by twelve (18) months of age and is sold as a PET only without breeding rights. Zero offspring of this puppy will be accepted for registration with the AKC (American Kennel Club). The breeder will not, for any reason, lift this limitation. Said registration entitles buyer to register puppy with the AKC as new owner. Registration enables the owner/handler and puppy to compete in all AKC sanctioned events, other than conformation show.
Intentional or negligent breeding of puppy is detrimental to the breed, to the seller’s name, and to WindRidge German Shepherds. Acknowledging the intrinsic value of the seller’s name and reputation, and the difficulty of precise damage calculations for breach of the contract, buyer agrees to pay the seller $4500.00 per puppy (alive or dead) born as a result of any such breeding. The original puppy (parent of breach of contract puppies) of the contract will be returned to WindRidge German Shepherds immediately at the buyers’ expense, as well as any and all offspring (puppies) born from the breach of contract. All canines involved in the return will immediately and permanently become the property of WindRidge German Shepherds.
Seller strongly recommends that buyer attends obedience classes with puppy and provides proper socialization opportunities for puppy. German Shepherds are highly intelligent animals. The proper life skills that WindRidge German Shepherds has introduced with imprinting must continue throughout the puppy’s life.
Puppy is not to be left solely in a back yard, crate or kennel and will be allowed to spend substantial quality time inside the home with family members. Puppy is sold with the understanding that it is to go to a carefully selected home. The buyer AVOWS the puppy shall become a family member. This is to assure proper development and maintenance of the temperament for which the puppy was bred.
Buyer swears that he/she is not acting as an agent in the purchase of this puppy and that the puppy will remain solely in his/her custody. Buyer further swears that he/she is not associated with a pet shop, puppy mill, or animal broker. Buyer agrees that this puppy is not purchased for resale, neither will it be trained for activities which are illegal, inhumane, or for which it is not suited by reason of temperament or conformation. Specifically, it will not be used as a guard or attack dog or to hunt or fight other animals. German Shepherds raised in a loving family unit will naturally become protective of its home and family. WindRidge German Shepherds takes pride in breeding animals that are protective, not aggressive.
Buyer is responsible for all expenses regarding the puppy, including but not limited to proper care of the puppy, feeding the puppy, veterinary fees involving the puppy, housing of the puppy, training of the puppy, damages caused by the puppy, or legal liabilities in regard to the puppy. Puppy will reside at buyer’s home of residence. Buyer is responsible for all transportation costs to and from WindRidge German Shepherds on original and or a replacement puppy.
Buyer agrees to maintain puppy in good health, will take excellent and responsible care of the puppy, feed and house the puppy properly, provide adequate veterinary care, including but not limited to annual checkups. Buyer will keep all immunizations current according to the puppy’s state of residence, within the state’s Veterinary Medical Associations Guidelines.
Buyer will keep this puppy contained indoors with the human family unit, in kennel runs, or in a yard with a fence of adequate height and security, when not indoors. Buyer will provide adequate housing for this puppy both in and outdoors. Buyer will never tie or chain the puppy out or allow puppy to run at large. Neither will buyer allow puppy to ride freely (crated for safety) in the back of an open or exposed truck or flatbed pickup.
Buyer further agrees to provide proper exercise to maintain puppy in proper weight and physical shape. Buyer agrees to prevent stress injuries by not allowing puppy to jump from heights taller than itself at the shoulder. There should be no forced exercise or running until at least 24 months of age. This is to prevent damaging puppy during formative stages of growth. Buyer acknowledges that failure to meet and follow these requirements can cause crippling permanent injuries.
Buyer agrees that, if for any reason a deposit, a payment, or an original purchase payment paid by personal check is returned for stop payment, insufficient funds, closed account or any other reason not listed, the buyer will return the puppy to WindRidge German Shepherd’s property immediately. Buyer will accrue all expenses involved with the repossession as well as the full purchase price of puppy to cover medical expenses, medications, training, advertisement, re-socialization, re-temperament testing, AKC paperwork, the breeder’s time and other expenses.
Any and all court actions will be held in Lane County Circuit Court 125 E 8th Ave Eugene, OR 97401. All court and attorney fees will be collected from the buyer.
Registration papers will remain with the seller until contract payment obligations have been met. The puppy is WindRidge German Shepherd’s property until he/she is paid in full. If for any reason of non-payment, the puppy is returned or repossessed, He / She will be re-sold to another family / buyer. NO refund will be given. All deposits are nonrefundable.
This contract applies to the original puppy and original buyer only and is nontransferable to a second party. No replacement will be offered if the puppy has been bred, sired, spayed, or neutered outside of the limitations of this contract.
Violations of any terms of this contract render all guarantees stipulated in this contract to be null and void and will result in the buyer being required to return the puppy to the seller immediately. Said notice will be known as verbal, written or a typed notice. The buyer will be responsible for the cost of the puppy’s transportation back to the seller. If the buyer violates this agreement, he or she will be held responsible for all legal costs the seller acquires enforcing this contract.
Seller has endeavored for many years to protect the German shepherd breed and her dogs from improper ownership and treatment. The reputation of the seller is the result of many years of work and professional experience. Inappropriate breeding of a bitch or dog from WindRidge German Shepherds damages the reputation and value of the seller’s name and of other litters. Puppy has been sold as ‘’PET’’ quality and is to be spayed or neutered.
The buyer agrees that ownership or possession of this puppy will not be transferred, sold, traded, or given away to another party or animal shelter without the written consent from the breeder. The breeder may accept the return of the puppy at any time the purchaser declines to keep said puppy or can no longer give appropriate care for puppy. However, the breeder is not obligated to refund any part of the deposit or original purchase price paid for the puppy.
The seller neither makes nor implies any warranties or guarantees, express or implied, other than those written in the agreement. This includes, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability and fitness. This document constitutes the entire agreement between the Seller and Buyer with respect to this sale.
Buyer agrees that Puppy will be registered with the AKC. The name must be in the following format: ____________________ OF WINDRIDGE
What brand of food should we feed our puppy?
We feed a raw diet and recommend it for all life stages. If you choose to feed kibble, we suggest Orijen and or Fromm, large breed puppy.
What snack / training foods can we give our puppy? Can we feed table scraps?
Puppies enjoy extra treats; we suggest that treats be given in moderation. Raw Hide chews, pigs feet and ears should NEVER be given to a puppy (or dog of any age). Small pieces can be torn off and pose a great choking hazard. They can also come out the digestive tract undigested and can easily block your puppy’s bowels. As a training aid, we recommend small bits of meat, cheese, peanut butter, boiled egg, carrots, and blueberries. Remember: Chocolate should never be given to canines. Even in small amounts chocolate can be deadly.
When will my puppy’s ears stand?
Each puppy is unique, therefore there is no set age or date. A German Shepherd’s ears are large and take time to develop cartilage and gain strength while growing. A Shepherd puppy’s ears will look like radars, standing then laying back down. These positions are normal and can last from the time the puppy is six weeks to six months of age, or during stress and teething. After eight to ten months most Shepherds’ ears will stand. If by seven months, both ears are not fully STANDING contact WindRidge for taping instructions. Extra-large boned Shepherds ears can sometimes take longer.
Should we crate train our puppy? How do we crate train?
All creatures need a place to call their safe zone. If the crate is large enough and you don’t punish the puppy by creating [USE A SIZE 400 or GREATER 26X36X24], your puppy will soon learn to enjoy his crate as his little bedroom. Start by using the crate as the puppy’s bed, place the crate next to your bed or in a quiet corner. Put the puppy’s favorite toy and a safe snack inside the crate and give the command [in a firm not angry voice] ‘’Crate ‘’, ‘’Inside’’, or ‘’Bed’’. Place the puppy inside the crate and close the door. Most puppies will whine, bark, and cry wanting back out. Praise the puppy and after 15 minutes, let the puppy out, calling its name and telling the puppy how ‘GOOD’ he/she is. Remember to always praise your puppy when he enters and leaves his crate, leave the crate door open when not in training. Soon your puppy will realize that the crate is his and want to get inside to ‘get away’ from too many stimuli, nap, sleep, or just hang out. We recommend that your puppy /dog never be in a crate longer than six hours with the door closed.
How do we potty train our puppy?
Potty training is one of the easiest things that your puppy will learn. When your puppy leaves WindRidge German Shepherds it will be about 95% potty trained to potty outdoors. You must learn when the puppy needs to go out and where to place the puppy. Most puppies will start to sniff around, whine, bark, or even go to the door. Puppies at this age will need to be let outdoors every two to three hours. As your puppy grows and matures, so will his holding ability. Place your puppy outdoors in the same spot of your yard. Your puppy will use the same spot AS LONG AS IT IS KEPT CLEAN. It is usually human error when an accident does happen, do not rub your puppy’s nose in his mess. He is learning and trying to please you. If accidents keep accruing, the puppy may have an infection, needs to be let out more often, or have his feeding time adjusted to fit his needs. Remember you control the puppy’s output by the time of the input (food-water), puppies will need to ‘‘GO’’ after waking, eating a meal and play sessions.
My puppy is chewing on everything and won’t stop barking. What do I do?
Puppies often chew when they are teething [cutting adult teeth]. When a puppy becomes destructive, the cause is usually from not enough stimuli, or boredom. Let the puppy know what toys are his/hers. Remove and put your [children’s] toys and wanted items out of the puppy’s reach. If the puppy were to find and chew on a child’s toy or the T.V. remote, simply remove that item and say ‘’NO’’, give the puppy one of its toys in place of the item it was chewing on. Make a habit to check for loose parts on your puppy’s toy’s and do not allow your puppy to chew on old shoes, as he cant tell the difference between the old shoe and new Nikes. Rubber toys can be chewed up and torn apart, your puppy can’t pass the rubber in these types of toys and could block his digestive tract. We recommend rope type toys and Kong balls. Never play tug-a-war with your puppy, this type of play will teach the puppy to play aggressively and to become possessive. Shepherds want to please and be rewarded, try a game of fetch or catch instead of tug-a-war, and remember to talk to and reward the puppy with a treat or extra love. When your puppy barks he is trying to tell you something, you need to respond. Adult Shepherds have the mentality of 2- to 4-year-old humans, when not responded to ‘’BAD things can happen.’’ Your puppy must be stimulated to prevent boredom, bad behaviors, and for his mental growth. The best remedies are training, enrichment toys, and human contact. Spoil your puppy with love, what you will receive in return will be priceless.
How do we introduce the new puppy to our other dog or cat?
SLOWLY!!! Don’t expect it to be love at the first encounter. In a short time, each animal will find its comfort zone and tolerance level for the other animal. Watch older canines for aggressive behavior towards the puppy. Let the animals sniff each other while each is on a leash. Two canines meeting for the first time might try to ride each other, this is a normal dominance placement behavior to establish a ranking system. German Shepherds are pack animals and follow a dominance hierarchy system. In a Shepherds eye there must be an ALPHA. This “alpha” is the highest rank according to a Shepherd and must be filled by all the humans in your home in an A, B, and C order. The animals will automatically place themselves in a ranking system. Remember to show NO favoritism in any of the animals and do not allow one animal to hurt or injure another. Be gentle and repetitive with all other meetings and encounters, soon all your companions will except each other.
What vaccinations will my puppy need, when should I take my puppy to the vet?
When you picked up your puppy, a packet of paperwork was sent home with a chart showing what vaccinations and parasite prevention that your puppy has received, as well as the due date of any other vaccinations recommended. We recommend that you take your puppy to your veterinarian within the first 48 hours after being picked-up from WindRidge. This visit to your vet will set a report between the vet and puppy, as well as reassure you of your puppy’s health. You will need to know how to take your puppy’s temperature. At any age in your puppy’s life take him to your vet if he acts lethargic or has a temperature of higher than 102.5. Some puppies, undergoing the stress with the change of environment, water, diet, the ride home and new humans may develop an upset stomach with soft stool or diarrhea. Puppies as well as adult canines can be given Pepto or Kopectate to help with this discomfort. We suggest two checkups yearly, by your licensed veterinarian.
What are some of the different titles my puppy can earn and how do I get started with dog shows and competition?
The first step is to contact the A.K.C at 919-233-9767 or on the net at www.AKC.ORG. The A.K.C will send you a list of clubs, with contact names and numbers and a list of shows in your state. Next you will want to attend competitions and dog shows. While attending, ask a lot of questions about the type of training that will be needed and find out where the different clubs meet.
At what age and where do we find information on starting puppy obedience classes?
When you get home with your new puppy and introduce him to his new environment you are training him. If you don’t want him in the kitchen, then don’t allow him in the kitchen, use a baby gate, or other device to keep him out. The same goes for letting him on your bed or other furniture. What he does as a puppy will stay with him through his adult life. Teach him the basic commands first: new name, sit, no, down, off, come. Always use one-word commands such as lay, go, heal, bring, stop, ball, left, and right. Short groups of words such as ‘’get off’’ or ‘’lay down’’ are two different commands and will confuse your puppy. Make sure that every human uses the same commands for the same wanted reaction. We train in German as well as English and use hand signals. To continue and advance in training we recommend reading THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG HANDBOOK, attending an obedience trial, and joining a training club. You will need to train your puppy, never send a puppy off to be trained by a stranger without you. The best age to start formal training is at three to four months, start with basic kindergarten puppy classes that work on correct socialization and the simple sit, stay and come. As you and your puppy pass each level of training you can advance to higher levels of training and competition.
What can we use to help prevent or treat our puppy for fleas, ticks, and worms?
Most parasites are transferred by the parasite jumping from one host to another, or by being carried on human and canine feet back to a canine’s home or yard. As the dog grooms itself it cleans its feet, swallowing the parasite’s eggs, and infecting itself. Only walk and train your canine in isolated areas. Parks are a great play date, and often used as an meeting spot for training classes, but beware as a lot of humans take their pets to local parks that have not been treated for parasites, these animals can spread fleas, ticks, and worms. Never take a puppy to a park or rest stop that has not been fully vaccinated. You can use products such as Top line, Advantage, Front line, Bio Spot, powders and sprays to help control a flea or tick problem per your veterinarian, but use them in moderation and only when needed as the working chemicals are absorbed into the animals blood system. We do not recommend flea collars as the collar can get hung on objects and choke a canine to death, as well as only protecting a canine’s neck with parasite medication. The four common types of worms that can infect your puppy are: rounds, whip, tapes, and hooks. We recommend that you have your puppy tested / treated every three to six months, by your veterinarian.
What are heart worms?
Heart worms can be your canine’s worst parasite enemy. They are transported in the common mosquito as larva. One bite from an infected mosquito can deposit larva into the untreated canine’s blood stream. The larva travels to the canine heart where it develops and hatches into worms. When the worms mature, they can separate into tiny segments that can cause the canine to have heart attacks, strokes or death. It is very painful, expansive, and dangerous to treat a heart worm infected canine. Start and keep your puppy on heartworm preventive at the age four and six months, depending on your location and mosquito season.
How should we pick up and carry our new puppy?
Stand at the side of your puppy. Place one of your arms under his chest, between his front legs and your other arm under his buttocks. As you stand remember to lift with your leg muscles not your back. Your puppy will grow very quickly, we recommend that children not be allowed to carry the puppy as puppies can wiggle out of young humans’ arms and be injured.
What type of collar and leash should we use on our puppy?
We suggest that a leather or nylon leash that is three to five feet in length be used for everyday walks. You will need to invest in a longer lead as you train in puppy classes. A nylon or leather breakaway collar to hold his name tag with your home address and contact phone numbers should be always kept on your canine as well as the puppy’s rabies tag when not at home. For training and trips away from home we use and recommend a martingale nylon or linked collar. Make the letter ‘’P’’ out of the adjustable collar, place your puppy in front of you, and put on the collar. This position assures that the collar will release correctly and not choke your canine.
Why do breeders not give breeding rights?
Each dog sold becomes an ambassador to the original breeder and bloodline. Therefore, denying breeding rights for the puppies sold allows original breeders to control the direction of their bloodline as a whole. WindRidge German Shepherds LLC has endeavored for many years to protect the German shepherd breed and her dogs from improper ownership and treatment. The reputation of the seller is the result of many years of work, education, training, and professional experience. Inappropriate breeding of a bitch or dog from WindRidge German Shepherds LLC damages the reputation and value of the seller’s name and of other litters.