They Were Bred For Looks Rather Than Temperament
It’s unfortunate that nowadays there are more and more cases of German Shepherds bred poorly. I am no longer surprised to see enormous German Shepherds, much taller than the standard warrants.
Often, I see many relinquished to shelters because they were bred poorly, with the breeders focusing more on looks than temperament.
This would certainly really be a disappointment for Max von Stephanitz if he was still alive as he worked so hard to get that versatile, well-tempered perfect German Shepherd specimen.
German shepherd bite inhibition
How To Take Care Of An 8 Week Old German Shepherd Puppy
Handling German shepherd puppies who have been can be challenging.
Utmost, for the first few days, you will probably have sleepless nights as the puppy is not accustomed to living without its mum.
At first, you can let your pup sleep inside your bedroom but not on your bed. Your pup may fall off or get injured while on your bed.
They Were Raised In A Poor Environment
In some cases, the excessive nipping may be an indication of a puppy raised in a very poor breeding environment, where the puppy didn’t get a chance to learn the ABCs of bite inhibition with his littermates and mom and the breeders did little about it.
Some of the worst cases of poor bite inhibition are often seen in puppies removed too early from the litter or singletons. In some cases, the biting may be genetic, due to a poor temperament and weak nerves.
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Positive Reinforcement Produces Positive Results
Your German Shepherd will respond best to training with positive reinforcement. Yelling or physical punishment will cause this intelligent breed to mistrust you.
Reward good behavior with treats or praise or both. Its the best way to show your German Shepherd that hes doing it right and its a motivator for him to continue with this behavior.
Remember earlier when I said that your German Shepherd actually wants to please you?
Well, once your dog has mastered the behavior, you can remove the treats and reward only with praise hell relish in it all the same.
You know by now that there are heaps of different training programs. Each program has a specific focus, function, and outcome.
Well take a closer look at some of these in future posts. So, for now, lets look at two basic programs
Let Out A High Pitched Yelp
When your German Shepherd bites with those razor teeth, immediately let out a high-pitched cry such as Ouch! or Ahh Ahh! to let your dog know its not acceptable. At the same time pull your hand away slowly and move away from your dog. Dont jerk your hand away as your pup will see this as a game, like a game of tug-of-war.
The idea here is that you are mimicking a littermate, as a pup would yelp if they were bitten too hard during play and then all the fun would stop. Its exactly the same thing, only YOU stop the play.
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Ways To Punish A Puppy
really don’t need ityour
GrimGrim
What You Shouldnt Do To Discipline A Gsd Pup
Having a headstrong and energetic German Shepherd puppy can be tiring and exasperating. However, you mustnt direct any aggressive responses towards your dog.
This is especially critical during these early stages when theyre still building their confidence and also their relationship with you.
Additionally, certain types of punishment can instill fear in your pup. Not only would that severely hinder their ability to develop a good relationship with you, that might also lead to some fear-based aggression down the road.
To discipline your dog in a way that fosters a healthy relationship, here are some things you need to avoid:
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Training Questions And Answers
Hi my dog Easter barks at people,dogs,children,meal men I tried everything like spry bottles,cans with penny and bark callers I don’t what do now what shops I do?please help improve my gsd to stop barking thanks Bonnie
Hello Bonnie,Pup likely has some fear or aggression related to the barking. It may be that the underlying fear or aggression needs to also be addressed.For fear or aggression, I recommend hiring a professional trainer who specializes in behavior issues, comes well recommended by their previous clients, and works with a staff of trainers so that pup can practice being desensitized and learning to associate people with good things.I would also teach pup the Quiet command.Quiet method and Desensitize method:https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-barkMore desensitization videos:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAA4pob0Wl0W2agO7frSjia1hG85IyA6aBest of luck training,Caitlin Crittenden
Train Your Puppy To Sit: The Sit Command
Sit is an additional command that you can train your German shepherd puppy.
It can be challenging for a start, but with consistency, you will get the desired results.
First, you can congratulate or praise or your dog anytime you find him sitting. Later you can let out the word sit.
When it comes to real training, let the puppy standstill. Then, put a treat near his nose, not so close. Ensure the dog gets the treats scent.
Next, move the treat around his neck area while ensuring that the dog keeps close eye contact with the treat.
As an instinct, the dog will put his behind down to have a close-up view of the treat.
Immediately congratulate the dog the moments he sits down. Also, at this point, you can let out the word sit.
Day by day, you can phase out the treat and let the puppy sit simply from your command.
Point to note, dont push your dogs back while training it on how to sit. You risk injuring it.
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German Shepherd Training: The 7 Golden Rules & Basic Commands
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Im sure youll agree when I say:
A well-trained dog is a pleasure to have around.
If you own an untrained pooch you know the frustration it causes.
Whether youve just brought home your first German Shepherd.
Or if youve finally decided its time to teach your old dog new tricks
Youve come to the right place to get the 101 on German Shepherd training.
It is a fact that German Shepherds are among the brightest and most intelligent working dogs.
Preceded only by the Border Collie and the Standard Poodle.
This is according to a book published by Stanley Coren in 1994 The Intelligence of Dogs.
You can read more about his study and the metrics here.
Thanks to their ability to understand new commands in less than 5 repetitions and obeying the first command 95% of the time or more.
And the desire to please you most owners can succeed at training their dog on their own.
Because of their intelligence, German Shepherds can sometimes be stubborn. They need a firm hand and a smart approach to their training.
Training your German Shepherd is exciting. But sometimes dog training can seem overwhelming if you don’t even know where to begin.
So heres the deal:
Youve got to get inside your German shepherds head
And Im about to show you exactly how you can do this:
Avoid Physical Punishment And Abuse
Research shows that physically punishing your dog can increase aggression in your dog.
Never do physical abuse on dog to correct unwanted behavior. Not only will this punishment hurt your puppy, it will also destroy your relationship and cause anxiety.
Disciplining a German Shepherd puppy or dog does not mean using force, threatening or harassing them.
This means setting expectations that they understand and being consistent.
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Avoid Physical Punishment And Harm
Your German Shepherd is your companion for life. Dont ruin your bond with physical punishment!
Research shows that physically punishing your dog increases aggression in your dog .
Never use physical punishment to correct undesirable behavior.
Not only can this punishment injure your puppy, but it also ruins your relationship and causes anxiety.
Discipling a German Shepherd puppy or dog doesnt mean using force, intimidating them or hurting them.
It means setting expectations that they understand and staying consistent.
Physically hurting your German shepherd will ruin your relationship with them. They will lose their trust in you and begin to avoid you.
In the worst case, your dog could develop anxiety disorders, health issues, or even more problem behaviors. You could even accidentally injure your dog and they need vet care!
A German Shepherd thats disciplined in this physically harsh manner could even turn on their owner and try to bite them in order to protect themselves from any more harm.
Use Dog Toys To Calm Them
This is a wonderful way to make sure your dog does stop misbehaving.
Lets assume you notice their behavior has been erratic at home. When this happens, you will have to let them know and then re-direct their focus.
This can be done with the help of a simple dog toy.
A lot of the times, your German Shepherd puppy is simply letting out energy that has been pent-up inside. They are young and still developing, which means they are going to get into things at home or anywhere they are.
Its a natural part of their development as a dog.
Your top priority has to be to control the situation and then you can focus on working on their long-term behavior. This is why making sure they build a stronger bond with their dog toys will ensure they dont bite everything they see!
Its a simple trick that will go a long way in simplifying your life. You can start to train them to behave without having to worry about not keeping them busy. This is why dog toys for German Shepherd puppies work well.
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Tips On How To Discipline A German Shepherd Puppy
The average dog owner assumes their puppy will be special and isnt going to get into trouble. Unfortunately, this is rarely true as most puppies will break the rules. This is why its time to learn how to discipline a German Shepherd puppy.
What should you do when a German Shepherd puppy is misbehaving?
The common reaction is to yell but that isnt going to work. In fact, you are going to have the puppy in a frightened state and thats going to be difficult to manage.
As a result, its time to learn how to discipline a German Shepherd puppy the right way.
This detailed guide is going to take a look at the best ways to discipline a German Shepherd puppy, what to use, and how to make sure they are as healthy as they need to be.
The Pacific Pups Dog Toys are a wonderful addition to any German Shepherds life. With a younger puppy, its important to get them re-focused on something else and these indestructible dog toys are a wonderful starting point.
The dog toy set offers a multitude of options to choose from making it easier for dog owners. Simply take out one of these dog toys and give them to your puppy.
These toys are easy to use, well-designed, and are going to keep your puppy busy for hours.
Dont Reward Negative Behavior In Remorse
The reason you should not reward negative behavior is obvious your dog will presume that is what you want to be done! As a dog owner with lots of love for your German Shepherd, you might be remorseful that you denied your pet a treat for not following your command and decide to give him three in compensation.
As much as I appreciate your great love for your German Shepherd, Im sorry to inform you that you just failed your trainers test!
If, as a dog owner, you realize that you cannot be firm with disciplining your pet, seek the help of a professional trainer immediately. You may also want to learn a few heart-hardening tips while you are at it, so you do not undo everything your dogs trainer achieves as soon as you are alone with your buddy.
To help you stay away from these donts, you may want to remind yourself that dogs are dogs, after all! And even though they learn what they should do through training, they might sometimes make mistakes and need understanding from the loving owner they look up to.
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Is Yelping A Good Way To Stop My Puppy From Biting Me
While you may have heard about the common practice of yelping like a puppy and stopping the game, this method doesn’t work with all puppies. In some puppies with strong prey drives, the yelping may arouse them even more.
So you must ask yourself, is my yelping in pain increasing or decreasing the behavior? If it is increasing and doesn’t reduce, your yelping is likely positive reinforcement, meaning that the nipping behavior will continue and you are further fueling it.
This is the most likely scenario if after your yelp, the puppy doesn’t stop, but actually is more aroused and comes back to more biting and with more intensity. If it is actually decreasing over time, what you’re doing is likely working and you must continue what you are doing. Be aware though of extinction bursts.
Hand targeting helps reduce and eventually stop German shepherd puppy nipping.
Games To Stop Your German Shepherd Puppy’s Biting
This article is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.
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Dont Rub Your Puppys Nose In A Soiled Area Mess Or In The Dirt
Rubbing a puppys nose in a soiled area on a rug is an outdated way of disciplining a dog and its totally ineffective. Doing so will only make your puppy nervous and anxious around you.
Puppies cannot hold their bladders as long as adult dogs. If your puppy has an accident, ask yourself:
- Have I established a potty routine for my puppy?
- Is he getting outside frequently enough?
- Have medical conditions been ruled out by a trusted veterinarian? Frequent urination or defecation inside may be linked to an undiagnosed UTI or parasite.
Understanding The German Shepherd Dog Intelligence Type
German Shepherds are highly intelligent dogs.
As Science Alert reports, according to a survey of 199 expert canine trainers, the German Shepherd is ranked third out of 79 purebred dog breeds in terms of overall intelligence and trainability!
This means your German Shepherd puppy is very, very intelligent. It also means your puppy is very trainable.
Of course, just like there are different types of people intelligence, there are different types of dog intelligence.
The specific type of intelligence that is measured in this survey is working intelligence, which is a type of intelligence associated with quickly learning new commands and repeating them reliably on cue.
So your German Shepherd puppy is technically able to learn a new desirable behavior in as little as five tries and remember what they have learned with 95 percent accuracy.
This is exactly why German Shepherds are the second most popular purebred dog breed in the United States according to the American Kennel Club .
These dogs are just smart, smart, smart! They are highly tuned into their people and eager to please.
Whatever training method you choose, you wont have to work hard to make yourself understood by your dog as long as you are consistent with your cues.
But this also means that your training method of choice will have a lasting impact on your dog right away. So you want to choose wisely.
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How To Train A German Shepherd Puppy
I am going to tell you some fantastic techniques and tricks through which you can understand how to train a lovely German Shepard puppy efficiently and effectively. What you need to do is to read the article until the end, and after reading this, you will understand how you can train your dog.
Here we go.
Making The Disobedient Behavior Stop
So how do you make your GSDs behavior better? How will you make it listen to you?
Many times GSD owners who are facing disobedience problems with their dogs adopt a wrong approach that instead of putting them back on track worsens them further. The key in this type of situation is to act in a way that your dog would understand.
A German Shepherds natural instinct is to see other people and animals as a pack. Hence, they rank every member of the pack according to their behavior and itself as the pack leader. When you let your dog dominate, it will start to ignore your commands because it has established itself as the leader of the pack. However, if you fail to establish your position as an alpha, your GSD will start to ignore your commands.
To avoid this kind of behavior, a GSD owner should react immediately. Dont make your dog feel that it has gotten control over you. Stop it right away or give it a little tap on its head to tell it that you are still the boss.
For Example: If you take your GSD for a walk in the park, and it is playing with other dogs while you walk. You are at a distance and want your dog to come to you. You command it to come or say its name. Your dog looks at you and doesnt respond. This is a crucial thing that owners should understand with an open mind.
In situations like these, when your dog purposely ignores your instructions, you need to act immediately. You can:
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