There’s no doubting that many people own dogs throughout the world, especially in the United States. In fact, research shows that households throughout the United States own almost 78 million dogs. Considering that, you might find that it’s time to think about owning a dog of your own. Part of the fun that comes with owning a dog is watching this animal in its puppy phase. With that in mind, it’s helpful to understand a few important tips for puppy owners to follow. Here are five important tips to follow while raising German Shepherd puppies.

1. Make Sure You Reward Positive Actions
   
   Many people enjoy receiving positive feedback. Considering that, you’ll find that German Shepherd puppies also long for rewards after completing certain actions. Rewarding positive behaviors is always a wise decision for German Shepherd puppy owners. In turn, your animal will want to keep up positive behavior in order to continue receiving treats.
2. Avoid Yelling at Your Dog
   
   Unfortunately, there will be times where your dog will misbehave. While you might feel angry, it’s important to avoid yelling at your dog. This will not solve any type of behavioral problem. In fact, a dog’s hearing is more sensitive than that of a human. Your dog understands your facial expressions, inflections, and certain words. Speaking louder will not increase the chances of having your dog follow a certain command.
3. Lots of Sleeping is Normal
   
   It’s understandable for new pet owners to feel concerned regarding any animal behavior that seems out of the ordinary. By the time most puppies reach the 10 week old stage, they’re able to sleep throughout the night. Throughout the course of a typical day, puppies often sleep much longer than 10 hours. Most puppies sleep, on average, between 15 to 20 hours each day.
4. Show Your Puppy That Biting Hurts
   
   Owning an animal means encountering certain types of animal behaviors. This often means dealing with German Shepherd puppies that like to bite. While this is understandably cute, not correcting this type of behavior now leads to problems later. You certainly don’t want to own a full grown German Shepherd who thinks it’s okay to bite others. Fortunately, you can avoid this situation by pretending to act hurt after bitten by your puppy. Making a squealing or yipping noise will trick your puppy to think they’re hurting you.
5. Socialize Your Dog with Others
   
   You’ll want to make sure that your dog feels comfortable around people. Naturally, most dogs feel comfortable and protective around their owners. Without enough exposure to others, your dog could be hostile towards guests. To avoid this problem, make sure that your German Shepherd puppies are around other people. Waiting too long could mean owning dogs that are loud and aggressive around your friends and family.

In conclusion, there are several tips to follow while raising German Shepherd puppies. Following these tips helps to ensure that your journey as a pet owner goes smoothly. If you’re wanting to own this type of puppy, you’ll want to speak with German Shepherd breeders. German Shepherds are amazing dogs that remain popular throughout the United States. For instance, there are many German Shepherd puppies for sale in Arizona.