Tips For Learning How To Train Your German Shepherd To Come When Called Successfully
- Never train when your dog is really hungry this could make them frustrated and itll be difficult for your GSD to concentrate on the recall training. Wait a couple of hours after theyve had their meal to let their food settle to train them to recall.
- Dont skip this stage, even if your German Shepherd puppy already seems to come when called while in the home. You still need to do practice this essential recall training and turn it into a fun game for your GSD. Having a game with your recall training also helps them to bond with you more.
- Never, ever punish your German Shepherd dog or puppy during this early training stage for not coming to you when called during a walk. Giving them a reprimand or punishment may undo all your hard work.
- Be sure to walk your dog on a long lead until you complete all of the stages of teaching them to come when called so they stay safe and you can help guide them to you if needed.
- Choose a long leash at least 20 feet long and made for large breeds, like this heavy-duty long training lead with a strong bolt snap.
How To Train A German Shepherd To Not Run Away
Is your German Shepherd trying to escape whenever you open the door? Or he tries to jump over the fences to escape?
To train a German Shepherd not to run away, you must teach him to obey the come and stay commands. Your German Shepherd might try to Runaway because he is bored, is overexcited, is looking to mate, or is too easy to escape.
German Shepherd dogs can make excellent companions, and perfect guard dogs to protect your Family.
However, they can develop this bad habit of trying to escape the house or not coming when called.
You through a ball and ask your German Shepherd to catch it and bring it back to you, but he runs away with the ball.
Not being able to control a German Shepherd from running away can be very frustrating for an owner and very dangerous for the dog because running away could harm your dog or be killed by a car on the road.
So training Your German Shepherd not to run away is essential for its safety.
Want To Use Games And Have Fun After Practicing With This German Shepherd Training Guide
If you want to achieve the quickest results for training your GSD then use games and have fun with your dog!
Theres plenty of training programs on the market, but you already know that your German Shepherds full potential is through positive training and their natural desire to perform advanced skills and tasks.
You can easily learn breakthrough techniques to help you feel confident training your German Shepherd at home by enrolling in this scientifically-based brain training program that guides you through advanced tricks and obedience.
Dont stress over not knowing how to train your GSD any longer use this step-by-step program.
Achieve the life youve always wanted with your German Shepherd by enrolling them in online games and obedience and following this easy, step-by-step German Shepherd training guide!
You and your German Shepherd are already one step closer to obedience success!
Great work!
Read Also: Is A Belgian Malinois A German Shepherd
Training Your German Shepherd Not To Chew On The Furniture
Chewing on objects and furniture within your household is part of raising a German Shepherd pup. They mostly exhibit this behavior as a pup, especially during the teething process. Train your pup not to chew on furniture and other household items by following these easy steps.
- First, you will want to purchase bitter spray from your local pet store or online. You will want to spray this on the items you want to protect from your pups sharp little teeth.
- Next, you will want to keep a close eye on your pup at all times. Once you observe him chewing on things he shouldnt walk over to him calmly and show him one of his favorite toys. Encourage him to chew on the toy instead of the furniture.
- Reward him with verbal praise and a pat on the head for good behavior.
Repeat these quick and easy steps until your pup learns that his toys are the only items that he should be chewing on. If your pup is teething, it is wise to purchase specialty teething toys for dogs. They are highly beneficial during the teething process.
Simple Ways To Train A German Shepherd To Come When Called
One of the most important skills in owning such an energetic breed is knowing how to train your German Shepherd to come when called.
Its not enough to just get their attention, but your German Shepherd must be trained to a reliable recall so they return to you
without hesitation.
Dont frantically chase your GSD around while stressed and worried about the busy road and speeding cars nearby.
Instead
Learn how to train a German Shepherd to come when called every time using these simple steps.
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Lure And Reward Method
You will need a lot of treats for this method, so choose small ones, or break up larger treats. Offering your dog a treat is the easiest way to get its attention.
Benefits Of Obedience Training
Most German Shepherds will take to their new family quickly.
As with all dogs, they will be curious and a little apprehensive being parted from their litter and mother for the first time. But they are a breed characterized by adaptability.
Any trainer will be glad to tell you that their receptiveness and natural curiosity makes them a delight to train.
And unless you are very unlucky or, more likely, just making mistakes, they will usually take to obedience training faster than most breeds.
The advantage of an obedient German Shepherd is that they can make for an outstanding family dog.
While famed for their defensive and protective qualities, they will socialize well into a receptive family who keeps them busy and reminds them when needed exactly who the boss is.
You need to get into the habit of using vocal instruction and hand instructions early and constantly reinforce lessons throughout the day. Because a bored German Shepherd will be far more likely to become a disruptive handful.
Positive & Negative Reinforcement Is Crucial
Knowing when to praise and tell off any dog is one thing any owner should invest time in learning.
Arguably, of all the breeds out there, German Shepherds rely on this far more than most.
Reinforcement is an essential tool for communicating with your dog. The idea is that they will grow to understand when they are being rewarded and for what reason.
But how do we punish bad behavior effectively?
So how do you go about achieving this?
Read Also: How Much Should You Feed A German Shepherd
How To Train A Puppy To Lay Down
Teaching your dog to lie down comes with many benefits. Laying down helps your German Shepherd to naturally calm down and is a great command to use when in public and you dont want your puppy jumping all over the place. Laying down is great exercise, especially for puppies that are too excited, and a positive way to help them practice discipline.
- Step 1: The most effective way to start teaching your German Shepherd how to lie down is to first get it in a sitting position. While there, the laying down will come more natural to your puppy.
- Step 2: After your puppy sits, show your GSD the treat and make sure it sniffs it, so you get its attention.
- Step 3: Hold the treat in front of your dogs nose and start leading it down to the floor. As soon as your dog lies down reward it with the treat , pet it and praise it with a good boy/girl.
The puppy should naturally lie down. But if instead of that it lifts its bottom, try gently pushing its bottom down . If that doesnt help, simply start the process all over again until the correct behavior is given.
- Step 4: After your dog understands what you want it to do, start introducing the word down. While guiding it with the treat to the ground say the word down.
- Step 5: When your German Shepherd starts associating the word down with the command you can start losing the treats .
Here is a video to demonstrate the command:
How to train a puppy to STAY
Here is a video to demonstrate the command:
Training Your German Shepherd Not To Jump
While being greeted at the front door with enthusiasm and unmatchable excitement is great for a dog owners ego, it is not so great for their physical body.
The reason is your cute little German Shepherd pup is going to grow into a full grown adult very quickly and him jumping on you is going to hurt, possibly causing you injury. The reason dogs jump up to greet their owner is because they are trying to reach your face. Have you ever observed two dogs meeting each other? No matter what their size, they are capable of looking at each other in the eye when greeting. Your pup is simply trying to get to your level so he can greet you.
Train your pup not to jump using the following technique:
- Practice entering your front door and letting your pup greet you.
- If he jumps on you with his cute little paws, ignore him.
- If he continues to jump turn your back to him and walk into the other room.
- When you notice that all four paws are on the floor, then greet him enthusiastically and give him a small treat.
These easy steps will result in a well-behaved pup that greets his owner and his family with all four paws on the floor. A great idea for making this process easier is by keeping a small container filled with treats close by your front door. This allows you immediate access and results in rewarding for proper behavior.
Also Check: How Cold Can A German Shepherd Tolerate
Teach Basic Commands That They Might Need To Follow In Future
The devotion and obedience of your dog solely depend on the number of commands they can follow precisely. They cant understand everything you speak, but there are a few words, using them continuously will act as typical for your dog.
If you dont want your dog to misbehave, teaching him common commands like sit, stop, or no is crucial.
Imagine a situation where a dog is barking at one of your friends. You asked him to stay quiet, but he keeps on barking at your friend because of a lack of understanding of commands. Such a situation directly questions your puppy training.
You can teach good manners and a sense of understanding to them so that they will be able to identify who are friends and who are not. Barking on everyone will appear their image as an aggressive dog.
That is why make sure to teach them good habits and manners. A good understanding of commands will make it stand out from other dogs. As German shepherds training has load full of energy, include basic commands like sit, walk, run, stay or lie while training them.
You can also give them treat or praise them whenever they follow your command correctly. Clicker excites it, so if you use a clicker, it will be another way of praising them.
German Shepherds As Working Dogs
Since the origin of the German Shepherd breed, these dogs have been trained as working dogs. They have herded livestock, but they have also been guardian dogs and assistants to police forces, firefighters and rescue teams. Nowadays, German Shepherds are also considered excellent service and therapy dogs. The excellent disposition of this large and beautiful breed has led it to play a key role in all of these professions for many years. Of course, they can also be excellent companions for any type of family.
If you want to train your German Shepherd as a working dog, you should go to a professional dog trainer. However, remember that this breed is sensitive, and may become aggressive or suffer serious behavioral problems if you let it be trained by someone who uses punishment techniques.
Finally, we must stress that dogs shouldn’t be trained to attack, unless in extremely specific circumstances and in controlled environments – certainly not in our daily lives. Training a dog to attack will make it stressed, frightened, and likely to develop behavioral issues. If that is your intent and you don’t have professional extended experience, it’s best not to adopt a dog at all.
These are our tips to train a German Shepherd. If you want to learn more about this breed, don’t miss the following articles:
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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
Training Your German Shepherd Puppy To Sit
Sit is usually one of the first commands taught to German Shepherd puppies. The sit command is beneficial and can even be used to calm down an excited pup prior to feeding time in addition to other essential moments throughout the day. To train your German Shepherd pup how to sit follow the helpful tips below.
- First, get a handful of treats and conceal them in one of your hands.
- Find a quiet place in your home or in your yard that does not have a lot of distractions so your pup can concentrate on you and the training session.
- Stand straight up in front of your pup so that your faces are looking towards each other.
- Place one treat in the hand that you plan to use as a hand signal. Allow your pup to smell the treat through your hand, but do not allow him to eat it yet. This will get his attention.
- Place the treat in your fingertips so that your pup can see it and hold it up directly above his nose at a high level.
- As you push your arm forward with a treat in your hand, say the verbal command sit. The idea is to get your pup to look at the treat so that his body naturally takes a seated position.
- Once your pup sits, give him the treat as a reward and show him praise by petting him and telling him good job.
Also Check: Are German Shepherds Considered An Aggressive Breed
Proper Manners For German Shepherd Puppy
German Shepherds are naturally energetic dogs. They must be well-exercised or else theyll be hyperactive and ill-mannered. Additionally, teaching the No command is useful for moments when their manners slip and they need a reminder to behave.
Household manners for a German Shepherd will vary depending on what the homeowner allows. You may or may not allow your dog on the furniture, for example. If not, give him a stern No if he jumps on the couch. Other household manners might include chewing on designated toys only or avoiding rough play with other dogs.
Car manners are extremely important for the safety of you, your dog, and other drivers. Teaching your dog to sit still while you drive avoids him jumping on your lap or between seats and causing an accident. You may be interested in using a seatbelt and harness to not only keep your dog seated but also to keep you dog from being ejected from the vehicle in an accident.
Manners around unfamiliar people and animals show that your German Shepherd is well-trained. When introducing your dog to new people and animals, he should not bark or jump but remain calm and in a sitting position. This will allow for people to pet your dog. As an energetic breed, you may need to be persistent with a no jumping rule. Ask him to Sit repeatedly as necessary.
Out For A Walk: Teaching Your Puppy Not To Pull On The Leash
There are many things that tempt your dog when youre out for a walk, like new smells and other animals. Your dog will try to get where he wants to go, even if that means pulling you along with him! If he pulls on the leash and you allow him to, youve reinforced him for pulling, and your pup got what he wanted. Once youve allowed him to do this, hell do it again. AKC’s, Mary Burch, Ph.D., offers the following 2 techniques:
Technique #1
- When Fido starts to pull on the leash, stop in your tracks. Stand still and dont move forward with the dog.
- Wait right there where you are. Your pup will pull, but hell eventually stop.
- When he does stop pulling, praise him and move forward again.
- Anytime he starts to pull, repeat the procedure and stop where you are. It wont take him too long to figure out that youre not going anywhere as long as he pulls on the leash.
Technique #2
- When your pup begins to pull off in his own direction, briskly turn around and begin walking in the opposite direction. Fido will have to come along, and most likely hell hurry up to keep up with you.
- When Fido begins to follow in the direction you are walking, praise him. If youre at the beginning stages of training your pup, give him a treat. This will train your dog to watch you when youre out for a walk and not pull on the leash.
Based on information supplied by The American Kennel Club, Inc.& Mary Burch Ph.D. and Certified Animal Behaviorist
Also Check: How To Stop A German Shepherd Puppy From Nipping