What do i need to successfully raise a healthy german shepherd puppy ?

I'm going to purchase a GSD puppy in the near future and i want to be ready, this is my first time raising a large dog. Pleease guide me in what i need or need to do

okay well first off it needs yard space and if its going to be an indoor dog it needs to be walked everyday maybe sometimes even more than once. dog food that is healthy. a dog bed for inside or dog house for outside. a brush to properly brush it everyday to be clean and prevent too much shedding. flea and tick shampoo because fleas have been bad this year around where i live. some chewing toys so it doesnt chew up your shoes or other valuable things and if you dont want something chewed on then keep it off the floor because puppies will chew on anything. you need to take it to the vet so it can get its shots it needs regurlarly. try to avoid giving it table scraps at first when its a puppy because its not good for them and if you switch dog foods at anytime be careful because it may upset theyre stomache. thats all i can think of for now i have an alaskan malamute who lives in doors so i know what its like to have a bigger dog. goodluck and enjoy your new companion! german shepards can be great dogs! oh and btw you might want to save up to have it fixed in the future because larger girl dogs are messier when they are in heat

If you don't know then you should NOT be getting him.

buy from a breeder that health tests his breeding stock back 6 generationstalk to them and vet

A good start is my list at http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110815134755AAHAiNA

Crate: So when you leave, you have a nice little place to put your puppy.Collar with I.D. tag: In case your puppy wanders off. Gentle Leader or a head harness: This will help you to maintain control of his head.Flea/Tick Preventative: To help maintain parasites.Heartworm Preventative: Keep your pups heart clear of worms!Spay/Neuter your dog: For females, this is very important as they can go into heat around 9-12 months old and it will be hard to keep males away from her. Plus spaying your dog will prevent mammary tumors in the future. It will also make sure no more puppies are born that will most likely end up being put down or in shelters. Neutering will also help prevent tumors and accidental litters.Vaccinations: Mainly Rabies, Parvo/DistemperLots of exercise physical/mental stimulation: Your dog will need at least two 45 minute walks per day, plus a couple games of fetch, swimming, agility, or flyball. And when you leave your puppy home in a crate, give him a toy such as a Kong or Nylabone to keep him busy and mentally stimulated.Stable home and pack leader: He needs to know who is his leader. You need to give him rules, boundaries, and limitations! Don't baby him! Babying him will only make him define you as weak and he will think that you are a follower and that he is the leader. People can't be yelling and screaming because that will just confuse him and make him unstable. Aggression, fear biting, barking for no reason, and attacking is a sign of an unstable dog. The more stable the owner, the more stable the dog. A dog is a reflection of his leader. If you are unstable and emotional, then your dog will sense you as weak. You need to show him how he is supposed to act and what you expect of him.1. No pulling is EVER allowed on the leash, the one who leads is the pack leader.2. No getting on the furniture without permission although I do allow her on my bed. :)3. No aggression is ever allowed.4.Positive Reinforcement5. No jumping on people, they may look like they're really happy to see you but they're really actually dominating and disrespecting you!6. I always go inside or outside first! I make her wait before she is invited in by ME. Leader ALWAYS goes first.7. I give her a job to do so that she can earn her food as dogs would do in the wild. Dog's actually like to earn their food and it makes them proud to be a dog when they do!8. Never enforce bad behavior! If your dog is growling at somebody, don't pet him while telling him NO! You are just reinforcing that bad behavior!!! Tell him in a calm, firm voice, "NO!"9. Don't let him beg for YOUR food! Followers never bug the pack leader while he's eating! Send him out of the room or to his crate while you're eating.10. Don't associate his name with anything bad such as punishment! This will only make him not want to listen when you call his name.11. Socialize your dog while he's young so there is a less chance of aggression when he's older. According to professionals, a puppy should meet AT LEAST 100 people before he is 12 weeks old.12. Get your dog from a reputable breeder. A good breeder will only allow his puppies to leave their mother when they're between 8-12 weeks, NEVER below 8 weeks! He will also show you the dam and the sire of the puppies and their health certificate. He will also be willing to take the puppy back and give you a refund if it doesn't work out. The breeder should care more about his dogs than the money he makes off of them. The dogs parents should have had their eyes, ears, and hips checked and have a clean bill of health. He should also have the pedigree of his puppies parents and grandparents. Make sure you don't get your puppy from a backyard breeder. The vet bills for these puppies could be OUTRAGEOUS!!! 13. Make sure that when you get the puppy, that it is NOT too shy or too dominant. The most dominant one will be in the front, trying to get to you. The most shy one will be in the way back, cowering away from the others. The best one to get would be the one that is NOT fighting his way to the front, nor cowering in the back. It will be the one patiently waiting to get his turn. A dominant dog will have his ears forward and his tail held high. He will also appear proud and stubborn. The shy one will be low to the ground, ears pinned to its head, cowering away from your hand, tail between its legs. Dogs that act like this tend to have serious anxiety issues in the future and may even fear bite. The pup you're looking for will have its ears back but not pinned to its head, and its tail down, but not in between its legs. It will be respectful and not jump all over you and will give you space. It will also roll onto its back and expose its belly. These are all signs of submission and this is the kind of pup you want. Remember, even the most submissive dog will protect its property and its pack! It doesn't have to be dominant to be protective.