German Shepherds are one of the most versatile dogs on the planet. They can make wonderful pets or can be trained to work. These dogs can learn to do almost anything and are frequently trained to be police dogs or other service dogs. With that said, training German Shepherds needs to be approached a little different than most other dogs. Read on then check the links in the article for some great dog training resources.
German Shepherds are big, strong, and athletic. They thrive on challenges and will do almost anything you want them to do. With that said, there are some things you need to know about training German Shepherds and the dog breed in general.
As puppies, they can be very rambunctious and excitable. Because they do get big very quickly, this can lead to problems knocking over small children or elderly people they may be around. This isn’t due to any aggression issue, it is just because of their size and nature. You will need to pay particular attention to controlling their potentially destructive playful nature during training.
Another problem that can come up because of their size and nature is that they can be very destructive if left alone. A bored puppy or young dog can destroy a house if left alone without any stimulation.
You need to make sure to socialize your German Shepherd just like you should with any dog. This means putting them in non-threatening situations where they are around people and other dogs. This will make sure they don’t develop aggression issues towards strangers or other dogs.
One way to get a well trained German Shepherd is to enroll in professional training classes. The downside of professional training classes is that they can be very expensive and they may not fit into your schedule. If you miss a week, you may come in the next week and find out your dog doesn’t know what the other dogs do and you are now on your own catching up. This may be the best if you are looking for a highly trained dog or have behavior problems, but in many cases it is more than you need.
My preferred method for training German Shepherds and most dogs is to invest in a dog training course. These courses are usually very reasonably priced and give you almost all the benefits of a traditional dog trainer. If you have a problem dog, you may have to look into professional help, but I would try the DIY method first. You are going to have to be involved in training process either way so why not try to do it at home when you want to.
German Shepherds and really all dogs need 2 things in their training. First, you must be consistent and use simple commands. Second, you must use positive reinforcement. Your dog wants to please you more than you can imagine so make sure you praise them when they do a good job. These rules apply to pretty much every pet you could have.
Do yourself a favor and check the links to learn all the secrets you need to know to make your training experience a pleasant and rewarding one. Remember what they say about catching more flies with honey than vinegar, it goes for dog training. Love will get you much better results than yelling and screaming. Good luck with your new pet!
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