German Shepherds are one of the most highly intelligent of all dogs. They also love to please their owners. This can make training these dogs a pleasure. When it comes to German Shepherd training there are a few things to keep in mind that sets them apart from other dogs, however.
Training Your German Shepherd
Your German Shepherd likes to be in charge but he also respects authority. For this reason you and your German Shepherd should come to an understanding from the start that you are in charge. If it seems to your dog that no one is in control then your German Shepherd will step up and take charge. This is a bad situation for you. So do make it clear to your dog that you are a strong authority figure in your household.
This doesn’t mean that you should ever be rough or get physical with your German Shepherd. It simply means that you should be confident with your dog. When you train your dog you should give a command with confidence. You should make your dog think that you expect to be obeyed. The German Shepherd respects the dog-master relationship so try to live up to your role as a good master.
When training your German Shepherd it’s perfectly acceptable to use treats as a reward. This can do wonders to encourage your German Shepherd to want to please you. The more your German Shepherd wants to please you, the harder he will work during training. This makes training easier for both of you. So, finding good ways to motivate your dog is a win-win for both of you.
No matter your dog’s age it’s important that you train regularly. German Shepherds like consistency. They don’t like to have their routine upset. Train at the same time each day. Try to train every day. Do routines that you know your dog likes. Naturally you will need to introduce new lessons and new routines, but if you keep a good proportion of the old things then your dog should stay happy.
Do try to make training fun for your dog. All dogs like to enjoy their training and this is true of German Shepherds, too. You should have a positive attitude about training and be cheerful. If you are in a bad mood then don’t train that day since it can affect your dog. Never train when you are upset or angry.
Do socialize your German Shepherd. German Shepherds can become overly protective at times and they need to meet and greet other dogs from a young age to keep up their good manners. You want your German Shepherd to be a friendly, outgoing dog as much as possible and this will only happen if your dog has a chance to meet other dogs in neutral settings.
What To Teach Your Dog
Since German Shepherds are so smart you will be able to teach your dog just about anything. You should begin with some basic obedience training. Teach your dog to sit, stay, come, stand, lie down, to walk on a leash and to heel. Once your German Shepherd has mastered these lessons you can figure out what the two of you would like to do.
German Shepherds are very versatile. You may like to try more advanced obedience work or agility training. You may be interested in Schutzhund or protection training. You may be interested in some dog sports such as flyball or canine freestyle. German Shepherds have excelled at all of these activities and more. Consider what you and your dog would enjoy doing and have a go at it.
But like all things you can make mistakes when training your German Shepherd which can lead to a disobedient dog. I recommend you make sure you carry out correct German Shepherd training techniques by downloading a guide that specializes in dog training.