Most people take home a German shepherd puppy because they have small children, or because they have no children—and a Shepherd easily becomes part of the family.

A German shepherd takes your house, garden and possessions into his loyal care and will guard those possessions with his life! He not only needs your love; he needs your attention to his general welfare. Provide these simple needs and your Shepherd puppy will be devoted to you for life. If you do have children at home, be careful as the puppy may leave ‘presents’ around which the baby seems to find before you do! Training will solve that potential problem. Because puppies wake in the night just like infants, you may find your own child cranky from waking with the puppy. And it’s a good idea to keep your child’s stuffed animals and toys out of a puppy’s reach—they love to chew.

Before taking your puppy home, though, consider adopting an adult dog. Experts say it’s not only till a dog hits sexual maturity that some innate behavioral problems may begin to surface. A breeder can only guess what kind of adult a puppy will make, while it’s easy to find an adult dog you’ll love forever. And never under any circumstances buy a German shepherd puppy from a puppy mill. A puppy mill is a breeder or breeding company that has low standards for environment, care, training, breeding or otherwise. Puppy mills are usually overcrowded and contain too many different kinds of dogs. On the other hand, a "backyard breeder" can sometimes be an excellent and personal source for finding a German shepherd puppy. If you can, get to know the parents of the puppy to make a guess as to the puppy's future temperament.

Remember, German shepherds stay puppies till they are 6 to 7 years old!