How To Train An 18 Month Old German Shepherd
You will not need to drastically alter your German Shepherds training regimen if you have correctly trained him from the age of eight weeks onward. If anything, this is the period where you tailor his training to your convenience. Youve learned patience, changed your routine, and even made friends during your pets growth and learning.
But now is the time when your German Shepherd must learn to be harmonious with your life. From the 18-month mark onwards, you must train your doggo to be compatible with modern adult life . It is frustrating to see owners give away their pets because of behavior issues. Such incidents are easily avoided if you properly train, socialize, and exercise your dog.
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Its also possible that you found this article after adopting an older dog. Do not be alarmed if you have an 18-month-old German Shepherd who appears to have had no previous training!
Start by establishing authority by having a positive yet commanding presence. Once your new friend recognizes your authority and sees you as his leader, treat him as a six-month-old, albeit on an accelerated schedule, and train him accordingly.
What Are The Basic Leash Skills
Your German Shepherd puppy should learn a few basic skills before you attempt to leash walk her in public.
When you initially go outside your yard, choose familiar routes, If you know the path you are taking, it increases the security for your dog.
As your puppy continues to master leash walking, you can eventually start venturing on new routes, increasing the novelty.
It is also about this time that Shepped.com recommends that you move to a short, stiff leash to begin training heel.
A short lead keeps your puppy near you, and a lack of flexibility in the material gives you better control.
- No lunging at people or other animals.
- Walk by your side Teach your puppy not to switch from side to side as this is a serious problem that can cause you to trip and fall.
- Calm and confident demeanor without pulling your arm A large, powerful dog like a German Shepherd who pulls relentlessly can cause serious injury to your shoulder and make you lose your balance.
- Your dogs attention should mostly be on you Your dog does not always have to look at you for you to know you have her attention. Your Shepherds attempts to stay near you, cooperative spirit, and an ear turned in your direction are all indications she is paying attention to you.
How To Introduce A New Person Safely And Friendly To Your German Shepherd
1 When your friend comes to your house, confine your GSD inside a room.
2 Let your German Shepherd make the first move and approach the new person safely
3 Ask your friend to give treats to your dog by dropping them on the floor, and by not going very near to the GSD
4 Reward your Dog if he shows a positive attitude. But remember, do not reward him if he shows any aggression, fear, or shyness toward your Friend.
5 Your German Shepherd Dog can take a while to get comfortable with the new person, so be patient and wait. If your GSD feels that the treats are desirable, then he will surely start to be friendly with the new person.
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How To Stop Your Dog Pulling On Leash
Getting a brand new puppy or a rescue dog is incredibly exciting, but it does take a lot of hard work.
Most of us dream of having a relaxed, easygoing, can-take-it-anywhere type of dog but achieving this level of chill can take some time, hard work, and a lot of trust between you and your pup.
Anyone who has had a German Shepherd knows that these guys love to pull on the lead.
German Shepherds originated from, you guessed it, Germany and were bred to protect sheep and herd animals in harsh conditions.
As a domesticated dog, German Shepherds can pull very intensely if they have too much energy. Lead-pulling is also a habit and one that can be broken through daily training and owner knowledge.
Lets take a look at some ways to stop your German Shepherd from pulling on the lead.
Problems With German Shepherd Dogs
Sometimes it can be tough to deal with some dogs. If your dog is not paying attention to you and keep doing what he wants, you stop and wait.
Take the leash tightly and weight, after sometime when your German Shepherd Dog will turn to see you or come back in the position give him a big smile and praise him.
But there are some situations when the Dog can lie down and refuse to walk. In this situation, you have to figure out what is the problem of the German Shepherd. Do not push for training in this situation.
In these conditions, it is better first to found the cause of the problem and solve it before start training again.
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The Ultimate Guide To Obedience Training Your German Shepherd
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Training a puppy may seem like a daunting task. A little education for yourself and your puppy can go a long way. By reading this guide you are taking the most important step! Youll learn different ways to train your puppy, different commands to teach him, and what proper manners he should have.
Keep in mind, I am not a licensed dog trainer or a veterinarian, so its in your best interest to consult a professional for serious issues involved in training your German Shepherd.
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The Treat Luring Method:
- Hold the treat at their eye level in front of them so they can see and smell the treat.
- Take one or two steps forward, having them follow the treat with their nose and eyes. They will probably keep following the treat.
- Keep taking a couple of steps forward and praising them with good dog and offering a tasty treat.
- If they are so scared and timid they dont move, even with a treat, then begin in a quieter area, such as your backyard or even right in front of your home. Make sure therere no distractions, if possible, and keep motivating them with treats.
- If the treats dont help them along, Ive found that squeaky toys motivate my dog. She loves them! Squeak the toy and get your dogs attention, but dont give them the toy yet.
- Take a couple of steps forward while squeaking the toy. As they follow, keep stepping forward and squeaking the toy.
- After a few successful steps forward, let them play with the toy as their reward. Keep up this game to motivate them to follow you.
- Eventually, your dog gains confidence in their new surroundings and with your help and will walk on their own.
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Practice With Distance Duration And Distraction
Remember to include the 3 Ds of dog training in your obedience lessonsdistraction, distance, and duration.
The 3 Ds help reinforce your German Shepherds training and give you more reliability over your dog.
They familiarize your dog with the many ways in which they might get asked to perform their commands. These extra steps are invaluable to the quality of your German Shepherd obedience home training program.
Examples of the 3 Ds of Dog Training
- Increase the time your dog is one position by taking a long time to offer the treat.
- See how long you can have your dog stay while you move into different practice areas and work on increasing the time.
- Try to keep his attention on you during his training despite other distractions in your room, inside your house, or outdoors.
If your GSD seems to have forgotten their command, take them back to the last place they were successful and begin training from there.
Its not unusual for you to have gone too fast or expected too much.
Not all of your days are perfect, right?
So, its not fair if you expect your German Shepherd to be perfect every day, either.
Adjust your training as needed.
Continue building on your dogs knowledge and your desire for a responsive companion and youll see amazing improvements in their good behaviors and
in your ability to control your German Shepherd.;
Use The Right Tools For The Job
Use the right tools for your puppy or adult and follow the training steps below to begin basic training with your German Shepherd. Teaching obedience without these supplies makes the work harder on you.
Dont make your life harder!
Buy the right tools.
Here are some of the best examples for your training.
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How To Leash Train A Puppy
Last Updated: January 20, 2021ReferencesApproved
This article was co-authored by David Levin. David Levin is the Owner of Citizen Hound, a professional dog walking business based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 9 years of professional dog walking and training experience, David’s business has been voted the “Best Dog Walker SF” by Beast of the Bay for 2019, 2018, and 2017. Citizen Hound has also been ranked #1 Dog Walker by the SF Examiner and A-List in 2017, 2016, 2015. Citizen Hound prides themselves on their customer service, care, skill, and reputation.There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 93% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 126,384 times.
Learning how to walk on a leash is one of the most important skills you can teach your puppy. Not only does walking your dog provide much needed exercise for your growing puppy, but it will improve overall obedience and responsiveness. The keys to successful leash training are consistency and patience. Remember this in all parts of training your puppy, and you are likely to share many happy walks together.
Method No1 Lure And Reward
Lure and reward are my favorite method. Before you train your dog, you need to prepare a lot of treats.
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Potty Training A German Shepherd Puppy
Potty training a large breed puppy is one of the first things you will want to start with. Big puppies have the potential to create lots of mess! You also wont be able to pick up your puppy up as they get big quickly!
It will be important to make sure you are taking your German Shepherd puppy out regularly to avoid having accidents indoors. Although they might be a large breed and grow quickly, puppies still dont have good control of their bladder.
Remember to take your puppy out after:
- Waking up immediately!
- Eating as this will stimulate their digestive system
- Playing for any period of time
German Shepherds are spirited pets, so dont be surprised if they initially look like they are more interested in playing in the garden than relieving themselves!
Each time you take your pup to the garden, wait them out, and supervise them so that they go to the toilet!
Once he has completely finished, you should instantly reward him. For a German Shepherd, throwing a favorite toy or having some fuss with you will be a great reward !
Remember that this breed is very sensitive to any form of punishment.
Avoid telling your puppy off if they do have a mishap they will only learn that you are scary to be around when theres toilet evidence and will usually hide to go potty instead. If there is a mishap, simply tidy it up with a biological cleaning agent .
Activate Anchors Start Recall Training
In weeks 8-11, you established anchors for some of your puppys positive behaviors. These included a clicker, whistle, clap, or saying a specific word to show your German Shepherd is doing a good job, generally followed by a well-deserved treat. Now is the time to see whether the anchors work!
You used to whistle when your GSD approached you; now, you must whistle for him to start his run. You are training your 3-month-old German Shepherd puppy to associate the whistles sound as your cue for him to run towards you. This is the foundation of his recall training.
Theres no need to be disappointed if this doesnt work right away. Its a never-ending task to teach good recall. I didnt observe a significant improvement in my German Shepherds recall until she was about 12 months old. Dont try to force the dog, as this will confuse him.
If your German Shepherd isnt responding when you activate the triggers, keep re-establishing the anchors and try again after a few days.
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How To Train Your German Shepherd To Walk On A Leash
German Shepherd leash training is one of the most important obedience training skills you need to teach to your dog early. Walking on a leash with your dog without proper training can be quite a pain. Dogs are not born knowing about proper leash manners. Some dogs will pull ahead and others will lag behind or stop altogether. When trained properly, you will be able to start walking with your dog without being dragged around.
Teach Them To Respond To Their Name Being Called
Another great method is to get them to respond to you calling their name. To do this you have to start by training them when youre in your home.
Make a habit of calling them when they arent near you. When they come to you, give them a treat and lots of affection. This will show them when you call them they get rewarded.
Try doing it in areas of your house with a lot more external stimuli like your garden. When your German shepherd is occupied call their name and when they come, give them a treat again.
If you do this enough, theyll soon be in the habit of coming to you every time you call their name.
When theyre in the habit, begin taking them for a walk. On their walks, every time you notice something that normally causes them to pull such as another dog or person, call their name and get them to sit patiently.
Just make sure they see the stimuli that normally causes them to pull. If they see it and dont react, then give them a treat and lots of affection.
If they see it and do react, then simply take a few steps back and try again. After this, if theyre still pulling on their leash, then turn around and walk in another direction.
When you first try this method, make sure youre taking your german shepherd places theyre not likely to come across stimuli that will make them pull.
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How Long Should I Walk My Germanshepherd Puppy
You should walk your German Shepherd puppy 5 minutes per month of age. So a 3-month-old puppy can walk at a slow pace for approximately 15 minutes in one outing. Start off your walks slowly and at a leisurely pace. Gradually increase your walking time and distance as your dog gains stamina and endurance.
Dont pull or rush your pup.
Let them take plenty of sniffs and watch for signs of tiredness like lagging, panting and laying down. Provide fresh, cool water before, during, and after your walk.
The GSD is a fast-growing breed and too much impact too soon can cause irreversible damage.
Its better to take a slow and steady approach to long walks, rather thanrush your pup into exhaustion. You have plenty of time later to hike and runmarathons with your adult GSD.
Find a good walking routine that works for you and your dog. Heres an example of how you can include gentle walks into your puppys day.
How To Train Your German Shepherd To Heel
When you first brought your German Shepherd puppy home, you must have thought how cute and awesome it will be to have a dog with whom you can play and have fun all day long.
Yes, this is true to an extent. But with a pet, there come certain responsibilities as well and they tend to increase with the aging of your puppy.
When a first-time dog owner takes their German Shepherd Dog pup for a walk and he starts to pull or bite at the leash, the owner ignores the behavior or feels that his pup will stop this behavior as he gets older. Unfortunately, this behavior tends to increase when German Shepherds get older and stronger. Pulling or biting the leash causes a lot of strain and pressure on the owners shoulders and makes walking the dog an unpleasant and frustrating experience.
Hey! I am Daniela Carrera from LittlePawsTraining, a Professional Dog Trainer and I am going to share my expert training tips on How to Train your German Shepherd to Heel. I have been into professionally training dogs for the last 8 years and I hope I can help Animal Bliss viewers by sharing my professional knowledge and expertise. I know how it feels to get pulled in the direction your dog wants to go. The more you try and pull him to walk along with you, the more he pulls from his side and starts smelling here and there.
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