What To Expect With Your New German Shepherd Puppy

When you purchase a German Shepherd puppy from Nadelhaus, we will give you the following items at the time of purchase:

• A puppy purchase agreement
• A puppy health record, including vaccinations and de-worming
• American Kennel Club (AKC) registration application papers
• A feeding schedule

The breeder will review each of the items with you as well as the feeding schedule for your puppy. The breeder will also inform you of additional vaccinations you will need to schedule with your veterinarian as your puppy grows.

On the day you pick up your new German Shepherd puppy from our facility, bring a small crate for the puppy to travel home in. We sell Puppy Packs at our facility (which include a dog crate) and can have one ready for you if you wish to purchase one. Otherwise, if you plan to hold your puppy in your lap on your drive home, bring a few small towels to place on your lap for the puppy.

Puppies tend to get car sick when they’re little, so bring paper towels for clean up. Don’t feed or offer water to your puppy on the way home, as this can make your puppy more nauseous.

We highly recommend that you DO NOT stop at rest stops, dog parks, or parks to let your puppy go potty. Your puppy will not have received all of its parvovirus shots yet, so exposing your puppy to areas where other dogs have been increases the risk of your puppy contracting parvo. Instead we recommend that you find places that have concrete or hard surfaces like a paved parking lot.

In the summertime, be conscious of the surface your puppy is walking on. Keep its paws off dark asphalt as this can burn your puppy’s paws on a hot summer day.

The first 24 to 36 hours in your new home is an acclimation period for your puppy to get settled in your home. The puppy’s activity level will be minimal to what it will be in the future, so don’t be surprised if your puppy’s energy level is lower during this time.

It is common for your German Shepherd puppy to have diarrhea or loose stool the first week it is in your new home. It is acclimating to a new world and a different schedule. Be very mindful about what kind of dog treats and toys you supply the puppy to chew on. These are all edible things that can cause loose stool and diarrhea. These are also additional calories that puppies will eat before they eat a meal. During their acclimation to your new homes, we recommend you keep treats and cookies to a minimum.

Don’t give your puppy bully sticks, rawhide or bones. These are too rich and too hard on their systems.

Wait at least 24 hours before giving your puppy a bath.

You are more than welcome to keep in touch with us during this time and ask questions via email or text. If you have any concerns please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

We recommend that you soak your puppy’s kibble at least 1-2 hours prior to feeding it. (The breeder will review the amount of food and schedule with you when you pick up your puppy.) Soaking your puppy’s kibble will allow it to expand in the bowl and not in the puppy’s stomach which helps prevent gastric torsion (also known as bloat).

If your puppy has a weak appetite during the acclimation period you can add boiled boneless chicken and cooked white rice to its meals. Or you can add canned food to its meal to entice its appetite.

Discard any uneaten food after each meal.

Ensure your puppy has access to fresh, clean water during the day. If you are house breaking your puppy, remove access to water at least 4 hours prior to bed time.

If your have other animals in your home, you should introduce them to the puppy in neutral territory. This is ideally in the front yard and not in the house or in the back yard. Keep your older dog on a leash so you can correct the older dog if needed.

Be mindful of your new puppy not having all of its shots yet. Keep your puppy off the grass in parks or neighbor’s yards until your puppy has had all of its shots. Its safer to keep your puppy on concrete or asphalt.

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