When you adopt an animal, you are agreeing to take care of them for the rest of their lives. As much as it may sound dramatic, this actually is not very realistic unless you know what kind of life your dog has had before coming to you.
Most dogs that get adopted into shelters have gone through at least some sort of socialization process. This means they meet other dogs and people to see if there’s a need to be housetrained or if they need to learn basic commands like sit, stay, and come back.
Some dogs need more time than others to adjust to new surroundings and individuals, but almost all require training so that when you put them in a situation where they can interact with other animals or kids, they will behave themselves.
That’s why most shelter dogs spend at least several weeks living in a kennel before being given a chance to meet the public. By doing this, the staff gets to work with the dog while he or she is still hungry and thirsty, which helps him or her focus on learning how to obey orders.
However, even though most dogs need training, that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of having a happy, healthy life once they find their perfect home! In fact, many times two loving pets already exist somewhere in their family, and all the owner needs to do is give them both a ride out to the rescue organization to make a matching pair.
Health concerns
There have been many reports of health issues due to dogs that are very large. Due to their size, great dane puppies can be tough for owners to manage.
These big pooches need lots of exercise and mental stimulation to help them relax. When they are not given these things, there is a risk of overstimulation which could cause problems later in life.
Problems such as separation anxiety or aggression may stem from this. These behaviors can sometimes be traced back to experiences early in life.
For example, if you look through pictures of children around age two, you will probably find some with wide-open mouths. Chances are, those kids grow up eating enough food!
On the other hand, parents of young toddlers may marvel at how well babies learn by watching and listening to what goes into their mouth. (That’s why we should all give our own diets a second thought!)
Both of these examples describe conditions like I mentioned before: Overstimulated dogs. So make sure your dog has appropriate levels of activity and stressors during these critical development stages.
Factors to consider before acquiring a mix puppy
As with any new pet, when you bring home a dog that is not purebred, there will be some things you need to prepare for.
First, determine if this breed is compatible with your lifestyle. A great way to test this is by looking up information about both dogs and their breeds. You can do this online or through books at the library!
Second, make sure your house is adequate to meet these puppies’ needs. This means having toys and safe areas where they can play.
Third, find someone who knows how to care for this pup correctly. There are many resources available to help you learn the basics of being a good owner.
Know the place you are getting the puppy from
Even though there is no way to tell how many bad things have happened to puppies in previous homes, it can be very hard not to think about the potential doom that could happen to yours.
Many people believe that just because two different dogs were friends before, then they’re going to get along after being paired together as house pets.
This isn’t always the case, of course!
Some dogs need more time than others to develop strong bonds with their new owners, but if you watch for warning signs, you will know what to look for.
Certain behaviors such as barking or growling towards other dogs, chasing cars, or even injuring another dog are clear signals that your puppy may not be ready to live with other pets or even stray animals.
Be honest with yourself about whether or not this is a risk you are willing to take.
Talk to the seller closely
Even though great dane mix puppies are not common, they are very popular. Since these dogs combine traits of both breeds, it is important to be aware of which breed characteristics are seen as positives or negatives.
It is extremely important to understand that just because something is done by another person does not make it right! People may try to cover up some bad qualities of the dog by saying things like, “it’s not him, he was raised with me for three months so I trained his basic behaviors,” but you should really look into this yourself before bringing home your new puppy.
Luckily, there are several types of mixed-breed dogs that are quite easily trainable, making it possible to place a good dog with a good owner. Because of this, most people do not suffer from having a dog that is harder to deal with than other breeds.
Make sure the puppy is properly vaccinated
After you find the right home, the next thing to do is make sure that everything is formalized with the new owners! This includes paperwork, vaccinations, vet records, etc.
Making a trip to the veterinarian for a checkup can be very expensive, so it is important to know what vaccines your dog has received and if they are up to date. A lot of people begin looking into different dogs when they get their first pooch, making it difficult to know which questions to ask about potential pets.
It’s great to want to add another fur-ball to your family, but before bringing home a pet, there are certain things you need to research and confirm. The same goes for switching up your current pet – no matter how much some people say “they will fix him/her,” you should always do your homework first.
We hope this article helped you determine whether or not a German Shepherd pup is the right fit for you.
Make sure the puppy has been examined by a veterinarian
A few years ago, there was an uproar about a couple that wanted to give their dog a mix of a German Shepherd and a Doberman Pinscher. They found a source for this mixed breed and brought it home!
The owner then took the dogs to a local park with other puppies to play. The other kids were able to tell that something wasn’t quite right because none of the children would leave the group to go play alone. It didn’t take long before someone got bitten either.
Luckily no one was seriously hurt but many people had to deal with traumatized kids who were scared for their safety. This is why even though a hybrid such as a German Shepard-Doberman may seem cute and playful, make sure you know what kind of animal your kid will be around to ensure safe experiences for them.
Make sure the puppy has health insurance
Even though great dane puppies are usually an average of five to seven years old, some owners may not be able to keep up with veterinary bills.
A few months ago I met someone who was looking to adopt a dog. She told me that she wanted a companion animal and had been trying to find one for several weeks.
At this stage, I didn’t know much about her or what kind of person she is, but I could tell she loved animals.
She mentioned how hard it was finding a dog in her area and that she would probably get another dog at some point, but right now she was struggling because she lacked adequate housing.
I gave my best advice to her and told her that if she really needed a dog then the safest option would be to look into getting a crate-trained pup from a shelter or rescue group.
Obtain a health certificate
Even with all of the precautions mentioned, there is still some risk involved when adopting an adult dog from a shelter or rescue. Health certificates are one important factor in determining if this is a good fit for you and your family.
A health certificate confirms that the individual who completed the form was present during the animal’s examination and they confirmed that everything about the dog looks healthy and their notes match what experts know about dogs of their breed.
It also verifies that the person taking care of the dog is trustworthy as they would have to be given permission to adopt the puppy legally. If anything seems off about the dog, a new owner should not make the adoption final until the issues have been resolved.
