German Shepherd puppies for sale

Dogs Australia’s breed standard gives males a height at the withers of 60 to 65 cm and a weight of 30 to 40 kg, and females 55 to 60 cm and 22 to 32 kg. It describes a medium-sized, slightly elongated dog, its body about 10 to 17% longer than its height. Both coat varieties share the sizes. Ask how big both parents grew.

It depends on the dog and the household. Dogs NSW’s breed page says German Shepherds are generally very good with children, and that all play should be supervised, especially when children the dog doesn’t know mix with the family’s own. Dogs Victoria says children must be supervised with dogs at all times. Meet the mother to see her temperament.

Sources differ a little. Dogs Victoria gives an average life span of 10 to 13 years. The German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia says it varies greatly, but is generally somewhere around 10 to 12 years. Neither is a promise for any one dog.

Two, both with an undercoat. Dogs Australia’s breed standard calls them stock coat (normal), with a dense, straight, harsh top coat lying close, and long stock coat, with a long, soft top coat, feathering on the ears and legs and a bushy tail. It disqualifies a long coat without an undercoat. The German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia says such long coats are generally sold on the Limited Register.

Yes. Dogs NSW’s breed page says the breed has a coarse outer coat over a heavy, woolly undercoat. It says the outer coat sheds regularly and the undercoat twice a year, more heavily in spring, and while the coat drops it may need combing daily or weekly. Dogs Victoria and Dogs NSW give weekly grooming for a stock coat, and more for a long stock coat. The UK’s Royal Kennel Club says grooming more than once a week.

Sources differ. Dogs NSW’s breed page gives 40 minutes a day, and the UK’s Royal Kennel Club more than 2 hours a day. Dogs NSW says adults are active and need regular exercise, but puppies shouldn’t be over-exercised: build it up slowly until, as young adults, they go on regular walks. The German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia says serious or extensive exercise should wait until 12 months of age.

Dogs Victoria says German Shepherds can’t be left home alone for hours on end, and need stimulation and consistent training. Sources differ on space. Dogs NSW’s breed page says they need a lot of space, such as a fenced yard or a decent-sized dog run. The German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia says quite a small backyard can do, if the dog isn’t left to itself for long periods without company, training or exercise.

No. ASCIA, the peak professional body of clinical immunology and allergy specialists in Australia and New Zealand, says: “All dog breeds cause allergies, although some do not shed as much dander, and therefore less allergen is spread.” It says the main source of dog allergen is saliva, which dander can spread. A clinical immunology or allergy specialist can test for a pet allergy.

Dogs Victoria names hip and elbow dysplasia, which it says breeders must test breeding stock for, and says males must be screened for haemophilia. The UK’s Royal Kennel Club recommends hip and elbow testing as a minimum before breeding, and a DNA test for degenerative myelopathy and eye testing as best practice. Dogs Australia’s breed standard disqualifies a dog with proven severe hip dysplasia. Ask to see both parents’ results.

Inherited conditions in which the hip or elbow joint doesn’t develop correctly. The UK’s Royal Kennel Club says the joint then wears and deteriorates, causing pain, stiffness and lameness to varying degrees, and that many genes and things such as diet and exercise play a part. It names the German Shepherd Dog among the breeds at risk of each. Screening is by x-ray, at 12 months or older, so ask for both parents’ results.

An inherited disease of the spinal cord that starts in adult dogs with a loss of coordination in the hind legs and leads to paralysis. The University of Sydney’s OMIA database lists the German Shepherd Dog among the breeds with it, and says there is no effective treatment. The UK’s Royal Kennel Club says the DNA test for DM gives a risk, not a firm answer: two copies of the gene change don’t always cause the disease. Ask to see both parents’ results.

An inherited bleeding disorder. The University of Sydney’s OMIA database lists the German Shepherd Dog among the breeds with each of its two forms: haemophilia A, a deficiency of clotting factor VIII, and haemophilia B, a deficiency of factor IX. The German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia says haemophilia passes from mother to son, and that its scheme closed in February 2019. Dogs Victoria says males must be screened. Ask what testing the parents had.

We show a price range once 8 listings from 3 sellers have asked a price. Size, colour and health testing drive the price.

Every seller passes an ID check before their first listing, and each listing shows its checks and their dates. Then meet the seller and the animal in person before you pay anything, including a deposit. For a breeder’s puppy or kitten, meet its mother too. Ask for the vet check and get papers at handover.

Victorian source numbers are checked on the Pet Exchange Register.

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