If you’re in the market for a GSD, it’s essential you get your new dog from a trusted and high-quality german shepherd breeder.
Not all breeders are created equal, and God forbid, you knowingly or unknowingly put your money toward a pet that has come from a puppy mill.
You must do your research first, so you know you are getting a healthy, happy, and socialized dog, and these 5 questions will help ensure you do just that.
Top 5 Questions to Ask A German Shepherd Breeder
How long have you been a breeder? The longer they have been breeding dogs, the better, because they will have gained more experience and be more efficient with the whole process.
Not only that, they will be able to provide more detailed history and analysis of your GSD’s bloodline.
Are there any specific or prevalent health defects among your litters? A good and honest breeder will be upfront about any potential genetic health defects that are common to their recent litters, so you know what to watch for and can correct or prevent problems down the road.
Again, the longer they have been breeding, the more they should have been able to phase out these unwanted qualities or conditions.
Where are the stud and mother? Being able to see and even interact with the parents can give you an idea of how your dog may look and/or act.
Their condition will also help rule out any mistreatment or overbreeding by the breeders.
It’s totally normal for the father to be located at another german shepherd kennel, because some breeders take the time to pick out the best stud for each litter./li>
How have the German Shepherd puppies been raised so far? Knowing what the puppies are used to will help determine if they will be a good fit for your family and household.
Have they been living more inside or outside? Have they been around children and/or other animals?
Match these answers to your specific needs to make for the easiest and quickest transition for both you and your new dog.
Do you have references? If a breeder stays in contact with their customers, it shows they truly care about their litters and follow up on their future health and condition.
If they have a few references that you can call or visit, it’s a great way to get a firsthand account of what you can expect.
Remember to volunteer yourself to be one of their references as well, so you can help someone just like yourself later on.
Follow these steps, and your new pet will fit right in, while having the best chances for a happy and healthy life.
Once you pick him or her up, it’s time to start looking for German Shepherd names too!
Don’t be afraid to ask these questions of any German Shepherd breeder you come across, because this is a big decision, and any reputable dealer will be more than happy to provide you with all of this information.
Choosing German Shepherd names can be a daunting task, because it’s a very important decision in you and your dog’s lives.
Presumably, this is going to be one of your most direct forms of communication and one of your most used and recognized words to him or her.
As with any name, you have to decide if you are choosing a name based on the way it sounds, based on fitting your dog’s appearance, or based on their personality.
Some people choose to go with tried-and-true names that they’ve heard and liked before, while others want to have a completely unique and original name all their own.
No matter what you decide, this short list of example names for each breed will hopefully spur some ideas, so you and your GSD can get on a first name basis.
German Shepherd Names By Color
Since there are a few different colors and variations of German Shepherds, fitting the name to your dog’s color is a fun way to narrow things down.
Standard German Shepherds: No surprise here. The first name that springs to many people’s mind when thinking of german shepherds in general is none other than the one that made them famous, Rin Tin Tin.
Rin Tin Tin was a superhero of sorts, rescuing people and pursuing criminals in a variety of media outlets, from television, movies, toys, books, and more.
There may not be much originality here, but the cute smile you get every time you call him or tell someone his name will be well worth it.
White German Shepherds: What’s the first thing you can of that is white? Unless you live in the tropics, it’s probably snow, which grants itself to a cute name like Snowflake.
With white shepherds, there are a variety of fun and unique names you can choose that refer to their all white color.
Another white animal that conjures up feelings of love and happiness is a Dove, which makes for a great female name.
Black German Shepherds: All black shepherds lend themselves to a variety of names as well, since there are many things we think of when it comes to the color of black.
The most simple would be the old classic, Blackie. Straight-to-the-point and easy to say and remember.
For something a little more hard-edged, Tar makes for a great male name and almost sounds like it could be the name of a Roman god or superhero.
Other popular names for black german shepherds include: Shadow, Night, Cole, and Sharpie.
Whichever of these german shepherd names you choose, or if you decide to create your own, all that matters is that you use it enough for your dog to recognize it as their own.
There are many different color variations of GSD’s, including black/tan, white, and all black german shepherds.
While the most common and famous (thanks to Rin Tin Tin) are black and tan shepherds, all white and all blacks are becoming more and more common.
Unlike the white, the black German Shepherd doesn’t come with any particularly interesting backstory or AKC banning issues, but they do share something in common: both solid colors are the result of recessive gene expression.
An all black shepherd comes about from simply expressing the gene for all black coloring, instead of the traditional black and tan.
They more closely resemble the standard GSD’s than white shepherds do, because many standards are mostly black anyway.
WGSD’s (white german shepherds) are more rare due to both recessive genes needing to be expressed, and they come with their own backstory and controversy, including the AKC not fulling recognizing them to this day.
It’s also worth noting that black german shepherds can still carry the recessive white gene, so while not likely, it’s entirely possible for two all black shepherds to produce a White American Shepherd, one of several different official German Shepherd names.
If you’re like me, and prefer solid-color dogs, BGSD’s are a great choice, because they have the exact same great characteristics of any standard German Shepherd.
They are loyal and very intelligent, making for an excellent guard dog and/or family pet.
Whether it’s the best or worst of both worlds, I have an all white shepherd who frequently turns all black, depending on how muddy the backyard is that day!
Black German Shepherds
As you can imagine from the picture above, black shepherds are also much easier to keep clean, or at least keep “looking” clean, since the dirt will blend right in.
Some say black german shepherds make for a better police attack dog, because the brighter tan and white colors are easier for criminals to spot and avoid, though they don’t stand much chance either way…
White German Shepherds attracted me with their bright white coats, so I traveled six hours and paid $500 to bring home Eda (exercise. discipline. affection.).
This was my first German Shepherd of any kind, and I’ve absolutely fallen in love with the breed.
Black German Shepherds are probably the next line I’m going to look into.
If you are a proud White Shepherd owner, post your pictures here!
White German Shepherds - Eda Puppy
White German Shepherds - Eda 5 Months
I look forward to seeing all of your White German Shepherds…
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