Very few dogs have the grace of a German Shepherd. They are such beautiful canines and incredibly easy to train. They are intelligent, athletic dogs and as such are perfect dogs to train. While they may look menacing, any German Shepherd owner will attest to their loyal, and lovable, attributes.
Train a Puppy
It is much easier to train a German Shepherd while they are puppies. As the old saying goes, you cannot teach an old dog new tricks. While this isn’t technically accurate, it is much easier to implement a training regime with a puppy. While they are young, you can mold and transform their personalities to ensure that they become wonderful members of your family. With that in mind, you can build a firm relationship with your dog, thus ensuring that you both get the best from your human-doggy relationship.
Play With Your Puppy
Ensuring that you make time for play will guarantee that your dog is still playful. You want you and your dog to have a relationship based on trust, not fear. Ensuring that you make time for fun is necessary for your dogs emotional well being.
Ensure That You Are the Alpha Male
You need to assert dominance when you are german shepherd training. This ensures that they know who is the master of the home. By ensuring that you are the alpha male, they will be much easier to train. Ensure that your puppy lies on his back and doesn’t fight to get back up. This is a sign of submission thus ensuring your rightful place as master of your home.
Determine What You Want From Your Dog
You need to determine what you expect from your dog before you embark on a training regime. Ensure that you make this clear to your dog from the start of your training regime to ensure that they do not become confused.
If you want certain places in your house to be off limits, then you need to assert this immediately and ensure that you see this through. Changing your mind will only serve to confuse your puppy and will ultimately make training them harder.
Go to a Puppy Obedience Class
Taking your puppy to a puppy obedience class is important if you want to establish rules within your home. Ensuring that they have professional guidance will stand you in good stead. Do bear in mind that dogs only respond to one master, so it is important that the person who takes your canine companion to the class is the one dishing out the rules within the home. As dogs get older they learn to respond to a hierarchy that is within the home. Puppies, however, are not yet aware of this. Choose your master and ensure that they see through all aspects of training with your beloved German Shepherd.
Use Food as a Reward
No one is expecting you to be the next Pavlov, but dogs respond well to food as a reward. Remember to praise good behaviour in your dog to ensure that they are aware of how well they are doing. Negative reinforcement does not work with dogs.
