I may be getting a Shepherd who is about 9months old. If anyone could pass along some tips for training and handling that would be great. Also his muscles aren't very toned at all (He was kept in an apartment) Is there a good way to get into working shape?

Thanks all.

There are no magic potions of smoke and mirror methods of training dogs. Training is knowledge, patience and consistency. If you don't have the knowledge, seek out those that do. Swimming is an excellant suggestion for increasing muscle tone with minimum impact on joints etc.

This may be a stupid question but when do GSD outgrow the clumsy stage? Zeus is sweet but a bit like a bull in a china shop.

For muscle tone, if you can find a water treadmill (aka "hydrotherapy"), that works wonders.  It's great in that it "makes" the dog keep moving and you can control the speed of the treadmill.  I had my retired dog on it several times per month for the several years prior to his passing and I firmly believe it helped keep his muscles toned while eliminating the impact of walking or jogging.  The warm water helped soothe his aging joints as well.

I dont think I would start with anything serious at its age, other than maybe some basic obedience and you all bonding. As far as muscle tone i would do lots of running and playing, throwing the ball which will help with the bonding and some obedience with releasing etc. Once it warms up swimming is also good for conditioning and doesnt put the stress on the hips like running

rezK9kop says ...

Out Grow a clumsy Stage? They can do that? Somebody please tell my K9 that. So far hes fallen out of the unit. I opened the door and plop, He fell out. He's gotten his head stuck under a dash. He's gotten stuck between the seats of a small vehicle. Fell into a grave. Slept with his head in his dish full of food. He was walking across the living room going to god only knows where when he turned and looked back at me and walked into the wall, he missed the door way by about a foot.  I'm just waiting for him to get lost in his kennel. 

Purebreds......... the blondes of the animal world. 

 

 

Aww, poor dog.

Thanks for all the advice everyone, sadly I will not be able to keep the dog, my father had final say and he DID NOT want him. He isn't an animal person. But hopefully in a few months I will be able to get my own. I have some pictures of the dog (Who is now named Odin) and I will post them when I have access to a faster internet connection. I was heart broken when I couldn't keep him.