Thursday, April 25, 2024
HomeNewsHow To Make German Shepherd Less Aggressive

How To Make German Shepherd Less Aggressive

How To Train Your German Shepherd To Attack On Your Command

How to train a aggressive German Shepherd- reactive german shepherd training

You can use all the aggressiveness of your pet to your advantage with a very good attack training. This German Shepherd Attack Training consists of you doing the following:

  • You can teach your basic pet training where he can stand, sit, stay, or stop when instructed to do so. This training can take a few days if you focus alongside your German Shepherd.
  • You must wear a sleeve that protects your arm, where you will teach your German Shepherd to attack.
  • You have to teach your dog how to attack the target, start with your arm next to the protective sleeve. Every time your pet makes a perfect attack, you have to reward him, and he will learn in no time they are very intelligent.
  • To improve attack power, you should move further and further away from the dog and yell the word attack at him.
  • When the dog knows the attack word, you can teach how to attack the person you dial. This process needs to take a few weeks, and you should use a friend or fixed target for the training.
  • If you succeed in making your dog attack the target you mark, you have to teach him to stop when you tell him. And you can use a sound, tap, hiss, or keyword to make the pet interrupt its attack.
  • For each failed attempt that your pet makes, you have to motivate him, do not scold, or hurt him because you will create mistrust.

How To Make German Shepherd Less Aggressive

The german shepherd is known for being a powerful, tenacious and intelligent breed of dog. However, with these qualities it can also be vulnerable to developing aggression or fear-related behaviors. Now we will be looking at six methods on how to make german shepherds less aggressive.

1. Train with positive reinforcement

Use treats, toys or pats on their back when they do something good. This will show them that being nice is better than being mean.

2. Reward for Calm Behavior

reward the dog with praise, food or other things it likes after they stop barking at strangers or other pets in front of them. This will teach them that there are rewards for behaving well and punishments for misbehaving.

3. Provide attention during times of stress- if the dog is feeling stressed, give it attention by petting its head or talking softly to reassure it before giving it a warning to stop.

4) Establish rules

Your pets should know which are the boundaries of your home and what they are allowed to do. This will teach them that there are consequences for breaking those rules

– German Shepherds are highly territorial animals so establish a place for each dog in order to avoid territory issues.

– Set expectations such as not letting your german shepherd on furniture if you’re at home alone.

– If your german shepherd has been properly trained, it will know how to bark at intruders without attacking them which makes for a much better situation all around.

5) Walk with your GSD Regularly

Determine Your German Shepherds Triggers

As a whole, German Shepherds arent aggressive dogs.

Theyre reserved against strangers and take their time to warm up to people, but German Shepherds should never be openly aggressive.

When a German Shepherd is aggressive, theres a good reason behind this behavior, even if its not apparent at first glance. Lack of socialization, fear, anxiety, stress, and pain are common dog aggression triggers.

So, your first step is to determine who/which your German Shepherd is aggressive towards.

Is it other animals, strangers, or family members? Observe your dog and make a list of the triggers.

Read Also: Ideal Temperature For German Shepherd Puppy

Letting Your Gsd Have His Way

What if you heard a GSD owner say their dog never behaves badly, only to discover that the owner allows the dog to always have their own way! Would you call that a well-behaved dog?

Not setting boundaries with your dog can be another reason your German Shepherd is having behavior issues. Your dog can pee on your newly purchased couch, and youll still feel pity for him .

Such a dog will show aggression the minute someone tries to set boundaries, such as at the vets or the dog park. Research has shown that spoiling your dog is one of the major factors leading to dominance aggression in dogs.

How Tall Can A Caucasian Shepherd Get

Top 5 Most Angry Dog Breeds

The average height of a male Caucasian Shepherd is around 27.5-30 inches, and the average weight for an intact male is around 125-135 lbs. The females of this breed are slightly shorter at 25.5-28 inches and lighter .Caucasian Shepherds can grow to be very tall if their skeleton is not kept in proportion with the head and body ? they require plenty of space and activity. They also need to be properly exercised as they can develop joint problems and serious health problems like hip issues, cataracts, Bloat Syndrome/torsion, juvenile renal disease equivalent to human Fanconi syndrome, heart disease or canine Alzheimers Disease if left alone or sedentary.

Don’t Miss: Pitbull Dog Vs German Shepherd

He Feels Overprotective Of You

Sometimes, your German Shepherd wont be aggressive toward you but he will antagonize other people. In these cases, he may feel overprotective and act out of line, assuming its the right thing to do.

If this is the case, your dog needs more training. He needs to learn whats a threat and what isnt after all, you cant have your dog barking at your family members or chasing your other pets.

The idea is to change your dogs perception of a threat. They need to learn when protective behaviors are necessary and when its safe to relax.

A professional trainer can help you teach your dog these basics. Once he learns to differentiate between threats, family members, and guests, hell change his aggressive behaviors accordingly.

How Old Should My German Shepherd Dog Be When I Neuter Him

The question of how old your dog should be when he is neutered is one that experts are divided on.

Some insist that your german shepherd should be neutered before puberty so that he wont develop any of the bad habits that come with reaching a certain age.

Other experts suggest that there can be problems associated with neutering your dog too early. According to the American Kennel Club, there have been findings that show that dogs neutered before puberty may end up shy and insecure.

Several large, long-term studies agree and indicate that very early dog neutering is not a good idea. Psychology Today detailed several negative effects of neutering, such as increased aggression and anxiety.

Neutering also did not resolve many bad behaviors, but instead made them worse. The younger the dog at neutering, the more problematic the behaviors were.

The best thing to do is to talk to your pets veterinarian and discuss any concerns you may have. Your dogs vet knows him the best, so he should be able to discuss with you his thoughts for when to neuter your dog and why you should do so at that age.

Also Check: Can German Shepherds Live In Apartments

Should You Buy German Shepherd With Or Without Papers

This is a personal choice. We cant answer this question with yes, you need to buy a puppy with papers or no, you dont need papers for your puppy.

If you are buying a puppy with papers, you will get proof that this puppy is pure GSD , proof of puppy parents, and also proof of vaccinations, vet checks, and any details on microchipping.

These puppies are always more expensive, and thats normal. But if you want to take your dog to the shows and competitions, you must buy a German Shepherd dog with papers because puppies without papers cant go on the dog shows and competitions.

But what if you want to buy a German Shepherd dog with papers? Then you must be very careful, especially if you dont know that dog breeder. You also want to check and see puppy parents before you buy a puppy.

And most German Shepherd owners bought their puppies with papers .

If a German Shepherd puppy doesnt have papers this doesnt mean that this puppy isnt purebred. If you fall in love with that puppy, and you dont want to train your dog professionally, make a good research and get that puppy.

On the other hand, if you want to take in the future your dog into sports competitions and train him professionally, invest a couple of hundred dollars more, and buy a puppy with papers.

You can find a well explained article about this topic on DoggySaurus.

How German Shepherds Become Overprotective And How To Prevent It

Are working line German Shepherd aggressive

German shepherds are natural guardians of their home and family. Bred to herd and guard their flock, these working dogs intelligent, brave, and confident. They are very active, high energy, and hyper aware of whats going on in their surroundings.

German shepherds are very loyal and form close bonds with their humans. They are happiest when hanging out with their people and love being a companion and the center of attention. They are also playful, affectionate, and loving.

Due to their strength, size, and personalities, German shepherds require training and socialization to thrive in their homes and be good citizens in their communities. Untrained shepherds that lack guidance can develop many behavior problems.

German shepherds are also highly adept of reading body language, being in tune with their owners emotions, and are intuitive. These traits make them amazing pets that are easy to train, a joy to be around, and awesome pet partners in life.

These same traits, coupled with lack of training, guidance, and leadership, have the potential to create dogs that are overly bold, insecure, fearful, or even aggressive. This is not normal behavior for a German shepherd and early intervention is the key to reversing it so the dog can develop into the happy companion it was born to be.

To prevent a dog from becoming over protective:

Please share this helpful info with your family and friends.

Also Check: Why Do German Shepherds Whine So Much

Training Questions And Answers

Hi My dogs name is knight and the problems I’m facing with knight is when we our on walks he will constantly bark at people and dogs. I had an accident with knight when he was six months old I was using a long training lead he run off I went after him and got my foot caught in the training lead I fell hit my head and was knocked out and ended up in hospital. Meanwhile this left my daughters having to take knight home while I was at the hospital. Since then all he does is bark I would say aggressively at people other dogs due to coronavirus I have not been able to socialize him .Before all lockdowns when he was a pup I used to have my daughters friends over to stay and he was fine no problems. And now I’m just stuck I don’t know what to do .

German Shepherd Behavior Problems

German Shepherds can be one of the best breeds of dogs to own. They are exceptionally smart, filled to the brim with personality, and incredibly affectionate to people they love. As with any other breed, GSDs can quickly develop bad manners when theyre not kept in check.

If youre looking to welcome a German Shepherd into your life, you need to be aware of possible behavior problems and address them before your dog gets too difficult to control.

Recommended Reading: Who Would Win German Shepherd Or Pitbull

Read Also: How To Draw A German Shepherd Sitting

German Shepherd Puppy And Aggression

I think a lot of people mistake general puppy behavior for aggression. Ive even read other doggo blogs saying that puppy biting is a form of aggression, but its not. Furthermore, its actually quite normal for puppies to bite things for several different reasons.

  • Puppies have a painful teething process and biting makes it feel better
  • They dont have hands and use their teeth to feel and pick things up
  • Theyre learning how to control their bite
  • Theyre trying to play with you, after being born into a litter of other dogs and playing with them, with their teeth, its all they know
  • And so much more

I actually go more into detail on this in our article, here.

It has been our experience that a puppy is going to bite things more often than not, not out of aggression or bad behavior, but because her teeth hurt or she just doesnt know any better.

You know who else bites things when theyre teething? Babies. Ive had three babies with my youngest being 8 as of this writing, and theyve all gone through the biting and teething process. Thats why they sell teethers.

One of the best ways to curb this biting is to exercise your puppy. Or, simply walk away. If youre fighting with the puppy to try and get her to stop biting, youre actually reinforcing it saying its okay because she thinks youre PLAYING with her.

It can, however, turn into aggression if you dont treat it properly. Then, one day, if she starts to growl while biting you that can be aggression.

How To Control German Shepherd Aggression

Are Black German Shepherds More Aggressive

If your German Shepherd shows aggressive behavior after 14 months of age, when it has reached sexual maturity, you must address the problem immediately. First, make sure you have established yourself as the pack leader.

Never pay your German Shepherd for aggressive behavior, even if he is scared. Train your German Shepherd to respond to your requests, control feeding and walking times, and make sure that you are the pack leader in the household.

If you allow your German Shepherd is to take alternatives in your home, it will exhibit more energetic aggression toward others. If your German Shepherd is defensive-aggressive, they may strike out at a person in fear.

These dogs may not have been adequately socialized. Keep them away from small children, which they may see as direct threats and attend a training session or behaviorist who can gradually acclimate the dog to a social atmosphere.

Socialize Your German Shepherd

Introduce your GSD to your family. Then you can introduce a few friends. You need to go for a walk with German Shepherd along with those people who are randomly your visitors. Slowly but surely, invite more friends and more newcomers to accompany you and your GSD.

Daily Exercise

Your GSD needs a daily walk, a high-intensity activity, and mental stimulation. Take him running, hiking, skating, and biking with you. You can also play games, such as Frisbee toss.

Read Also: Who Would Win In A Fight German Shepherd Or Pitbull

Things That Can Lead To Aggression In Any Dog

Its important to note that its wrong to label every dog of any particular breed aggressive. Sure, some breeds are more prone to aggression, but its unfair to label every dog of a certain breed aggressive.

Aggression is a reaction or outward expression of emotions. Generally, these are the things that can trigger aggression in all dogs, including German Shepherds:

Hormonal Effects And Gonadectomy

Testosterone is often associated with aggression in male dogs. This study discovered that other hormones could be the underlying causes of aggression in dogs. Oxytocin , a hormone associated with social bonding and sexual reproduction, and Vasopressin , which regulates the volume of extracellular fluid volume and renal handling of water, can negatively impact dog behavior.

Gonadectomy is the generic term for the surgical removal of the male testes or female ovaries. Many owners believe that neutered/spayed dogs are less aggressive. However, research results from a large sample of over 13,795 dogs show that this is not entirely the case.

This interesting study showed that there was no significant increase in aggression in gonadectomized dogs EXCEPT those neutered/spayed between 7 and 12 months of age. Scientists still do not know the reason for this.

The bottom line is that hormonal dynamics in German Shepherds can be an underlying reason for your dogs behavior problems.

Read Also: Chihuahua German Shepherd Mix

How To Calm Down Your German Shepherd So You Can Live With Him

You cant expect to neuter your dog to change him from a wild child into a canine good citizen all by itself.

Your dog is smart, and hes learned over his life how to act, and hes likely to continue to keep acting the same way whether you want him to or not.

You can help him by training him to behave, and insisting that he acts the way you want him to at all times.

How effective your training is will depend in part on how old your German shepherd is when you start training him.

It is possible to use positive training methods to get excellent results from very young puppies, as is demonstrated by the video by the trainers at Assertive K-9 Training.

Find a good puppy training class to get involved in. If hes older, look for something suited to his age.

Training your dog young to behave will go a long way toward giving you a dog you can live with, but if hes not neutered you may still find that he is overly active.

It may take a combination of neutering and training to give you the results you seek. You need to be consistent in your training so your dog will understand your expectations of him.

How Many Psi Can A German Shepherd Bite

Reactive German Shepherd- How to train reactive aggressive German Shepherd

This is because these breeds were bred to be guardians, which may partly explain accounts of them biting through steel cables. Its unusual for many other breeds to bite with more than 3 PSI. Nonetheless, the strength of German shepherds remains exceptional because they are so widely used in police and military work around the world. Breeds like German shepherds have shown an ability to bite with more than 20 pounds per square inch . This is because these breeds were bred to be trustworthy, which may partly explain accounts of them biting through steel cables. Dogs that serve as guardians often need to show this high level of trustworthiness because it can mean saving someone from something like a bear or lion! Its.

You May Like: Chihuahua And German Shepard Mix

You May Like: German Shepherd To Draw

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular