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How To Train Your German Shepherd Puppy

Week 4 Training Your German Shepherd Puppy

German Shepherd Puppy 6 months – How to Train your German Shepherd Dog – “Hadley” Introduction
Socialisation exercises to do this week Training to do this week Husbandry Tasks to do this week
Meet another dog
  • Pop the mat on the floor, next to your sofa or favourite chair.
  • Attach the lead to the harness.
  • Sit down and switch your TV on, attaching the lead to the leg of your chair or pop it under your foot.
  • Youll need your puppy to stand up, lie down, and shuffle comfortably, so make sure that the lead isnt too tight. At the same time, dont let it stretch too long so that your puppy wanders about looking for trouble. Especially if youre watching something juicy like Love Island, you wont be able to get your eyes off the screen to catch him sneaking off on time.
  • Pop the Kong on the mat so that your puppy has something to do while you enjoy your show.
  • Watch TV for 10/15 minutes more after your puppy empties the Kong. At this point, they might carry on chewing the toy, be awake or asleep.
  • Here, the goal is to have your puppy lie down and relax, but they might as well move around or stand up. But what this exercise will teach them eventually, is that sometimes theyll just have to settle next to you.

    Grooming A German Shepherd Next Steps

    Youve made a great start on grooming now were going to move on to more touchy areas. Pun intended.

    How to do it

  • Start brushing your puppy as you did before rewarding with lots of treats.
  • As youre gently brushing, run your hands over your puppys tummy and their paws these areas tend to be quite sensitive for puppies not great fans of being touched there.
  • Be aware of particularly sensitive areas particularly legs and paws
  • TIPS

    · If your puppy is over excited, choose a different time for this exercise youll end up overworked and unsuccessful yourself.

    · We want our puppy to love being groomed, so use plenty of treats!

    Final Takeaways On German Shepherd Puppy Training

    Here is a recap of the main points of the article:

    • Dogs notice first the intonation of your voice. So, always use a calm and friendly voice tone when training or talking to your German Shepherd puppy.
    • Using a command with a gesture helps your pup learn faster. Body language is a canines primary mode of communication.
    • Your German Shepherd will always stick to the good behavior you have taught them because dogs naturally stick to what they have learned and do not follow the crowd.
    • 4-10 weeks of age is the best time to socialize and train your German Shepherd puppy in good behavior. This should be done by positive reinforcement and never aversive methods.
    • Be consistent in giving a command only once otherwise, youll confuse your puppy.
    • When teaching a command, find a quiet location, and then seek your puppys attention. Teach the command and recap before ending the session with something your German Shepherd puppy enjoys.

    I hope you have found this article informative and helpful. Good luck with your German Shepherd puppy obedience training! Remember to stick at it and youll get there!

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    The Bite Of A German Shepherd

    Theres a saying that when a German Shepherd bites you, shes in it for the long haul. An aggressive 70-pound dog pouncing on you can get quite ugly fast.

    Think broken bones, damaged muscles, deep lacerations, bruises, scars, and expensive medical bills. Although uncommon, it can sometimes lead to the victims death.

    German Shepherds have a bite force of 238 PSI , compared to humans with a bite force of 162 PSI.

    In fact, the American Animal Hospital Association lists the German Shepherd as one of the six breeds with the most dangerous bites, based on a US study.

    Therefore, training your GSD to inhibit her bite is mandatory as it not only rewards you with a well-behaved dog, but also ensures your safety as well as the safety of the people around you.

    A crucial step towards correcting this nasty behavior is to first understand why German Shepherd puppies bite.

    Before we move on, take a look at some important and useful information that weve written for you in the following 2 articles:

    When Should I Worry About My Puppys Biting

    How To Train A German Shepherd Puppy

    Although biting is normal, it can sometimes be hard to recognize whether your puppy is playfully mouthing or exhibiting temper tantrums, which is a form of aggressive behavior.

    In playful mouthing, a puppys face should still be relaxed, the tail wags, and biting isnt forceful.

    On the other hand, temper tantrums, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, are characterized by a stiff body, lips pulled back to show teeth, and growling.

    Biting will be more forceful and painful, since the behavior is typically caused by fear or anger. A German Shepherd puppy may be more prone to displaying this behavior, especially around unruly children.

    If these tantrums happen frequently, its time to seek a professional such as a veterinarian, a certified dog trainer, or an animal behaviorist ASAP.

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    Initiate Your Dog To Being Handled Gently

    Dogs are great at giving and receiving caresses and hugs. But they also have to handle grooming which can feel uncomfortable. Your German Shepherd puppy can learn to handle this uneasiness if taught to take it when young.

    You can do this by gently handling your pups ears, paws, ears, and coat. You can find out more about whether German Shepherds like to be petted in this article.

    German Shepherd Training: 10 Tips

    German Shepherds are among the smartest dog breeds in the world. They are also eager to work and especially eager to please. Because of this, it is relatively easy for them to pick up new commands.

    However, GSDs are also confident and headstrong dogs. Without proper training and leadership, they could develop some unwanted behaviors.

    This article will discuss German Shepherd training, why it is important, and provide some tips to help you along the journey.

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    Easy Ways To Potty Train A German Shepherd Puppy Faster

    You probably already know that learning how to potty train a German Shepherd puppy can be a stressful time.

    Therere lots of things to remember and plenty of room for accidents.

    But

    once you know these easy steps, great things happen!

    Give me 10 minutes of your time and Ill show you the easiest ways to conquer potty training your German Shepherd puppy.

    Do Reward Good Behavior

    How to Understand and Train your Crazy German Shepherd Dogs 101!

    Dog trainers and experts agree that positive reinforcement using rewards are highly effective in forming and keeping desirable behaviors as a puppy matures into an adult dog.

    Try reaching out your hand to your puppys nose. If her nose touches your fingers without biting them, give her a treat and praise generously.

    Hold off the treat if she bites. Do this repeatedly until she associates the treat with not biting your hand .

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    How To Train A German Shepherd Puppy The Ultimate Guide

    Fully Qualified COAPE Behaviourist and Registered Training Instructor with The Animal Behaviour and Training Council

    In this article:

    So you have your new German Shepherd puppy at home, we see.

    Glad to hear theyre doing well puppy eyes shining bright, and tail that doesnt seem to stop wagging.

    Weve also heard they have gained a special liking for your living room carpet as the perfect place to go for a wee. Oh, and your favourite shoessorry to hear theyve been chewed on. Apologies to your neighbour Alfred too we heard his favourite pair of trousers were left muddy after your puppy showed such enthusiasm to say hello.

    Wed love nothing more to see you both become a wonderful duo one that has overcome the hiccups of starting fresh, and only see bright days of licks, treats, and cuddles ahead.

    In this training guide, youll learn everything to tackle those first 8 weeks with your German Shepherd puppy and be as well prepared as possible.

    Every question youve asked yourself is pretty much covered. What you do need to know is that everything will be just fine only happy days lie ahead of you.

    Letting Your German Shepherd Puppy Explore The Garden

    Besides the gnomes and questionable garden furniture you may have, letting your puppy explore your own garden is a great and safe way to start showing them the sounds, lights and wonders of the outside world.

    When theyre outdoors, theyll be able to experience what wind, and rain and sunshine feels like, as well as get familiar with walking on different surfaces.

    PRO TIP: Gardens are the perfect toilet areas for puppies. Teach your puppy where the toilet area is in your garden, by rewarding them when they go for a pee or a poo, and also by rewarding them simply for being outside just so they get fully on board that its a fun place to be.

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    Commit To Basic Commands

    Even if you dont intend to do upper-level training, join obedience competitions, or participate in Schutzhund, you should commit to mastering at least the basic commands of sit, down, stay, and come.

    German Shepherds belong to the first tier of working dogs in the Dog Intelligence Ranking. Dogs in this group can obey commands at least 95% of the time.

    This is the standard you should strive for when it comes to these basic obedience commands as these will help you handle your dog in many real-life situations.

    Benefits Of Training Your Gsd In Two Languages

    New and Improved How to Train and Understand Your German ...

    Training your German Shepherd in two different languages can help them with context switching, especially if theyre trained both as working dogs and as household companions.

    You can use English as a casual training language that allows them to be more relaxed. For work, you can use a more serious language like German so they know when they need to be more focused and precise.

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    Leash Training Methods Guidelines

    There are various German Shepherd leash training methods that you can use to teach your dog. Honestly speaking, I cant tell you which ones work best for your dog.

    Different dogs respond differently to different methods. The only way to find out which methods work well for your dog is by trying them yourself. Even though, there are various leash training methods, every leash training method that I know out there follow these basic principles:

    Call Your Puppys Attention

    Youll need your German Shepherd puppys attention to have him learn the sessions command. To do so, direct your dog to a quiet place with no distractions. Squat in front of your pet so that you can both look at each other in the eyes. This is very important.

    Then, conceal a couple of treats in your folded palm and make your furry friend smell them. You can also show them, but dont let him have them yet. Some great alternatives to store-bought treats that you can use are small pieces of meat or tiny pieces of vegetables.

    Once your puppy has understood that there are some goodies on the way and you have his attention, its time to proceed to real training.

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    Tip #: Teach Your German Shepherd Puppy To Use His Mouth Properly

    You may have noticed that your German Shepherd puppy likes to chew on your shoes, toys, boxes, carpets, pillows, your handswell, pretty much everything! Before you loose your mind let me tell you that this is normal puppy behavior. At this age dogs explore everything with their mouths and even though annoying, it is a great time to teach your pet what is appropriate for his mouth as well as how to soften the bite. The reason German Shepherd dog puppies have sharp teeth is because they are capable of learning how much pressure to apply when biting different things. This is good news! It means you can actually teach your pooch that when biting human skin they need to be absolutely soft and tender. To train a German Shepherd puppy to do this follow this link!

    What Do I Need To Train My German Shepherd Puppy

    How to Housebreak and Potty Train your German Shepherd Puppy

    It might look like a long list. Its not really just the basics.

    We recommend investing in the following equipment to train your puppy

    • A treat pouch
    • A soft collar
    • A harness: One that doesnt pull or tighten when its on your puppy and they walk.
    • A 2 meter training lead
    • A piece of non-slip vet bed or a soft mat
    • Treats: The more smelly, the better. Weve written more about treats here.
    • Two identical toys: Great for swaps
    • A soft grooming brush
    • A crate and playpen: Optional, but pretty handy if you ask us.

    Youll also need to practice a couple of other things on your behalf such as:

    • Patience: Put into perspective, puppies are only toddlers in human years. It might take them a while to get the gist of everything youre teaching them.
    • Persistence: The puppy training journey becomes a lot less of a labyrinth when you are consistent with your training practices.
    • Time to practice: In line with being persistent allowing time to practice their training everyday is key for a bright, trained puppy.

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    Why Is German Shepherd Training Important

    It is critical to train a German Shepherd because their sheer size and strength can result in disastrous situations if they dont know how to behave properly. However, avoiding hospitalization or lawsuits isnt the only benefit of training a GSD.

    Here are some of the most crucial reasons why you need to take the time and make the effort to train your German Shepherd:

    How To Train A German Shepherd Puppy To Stay

    • Place a treat in his bed, crate, or the area you want him to stay.
    • While hes eating, tell him to sit. Reward obedience with praise or another treat.
    • Take one step back and give the command Stay. If he listens, reward him. If he moves, patiently bring him back and try again.
    • Each time you tell him to stay, take another step back. Your goal should be to take 10 steps backward without him moving towards you.

    Repeat these steps until your puppy understands whats required of him. A great way to introduce this is to place his bed in the living room and have him stay there while you watch TV.

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    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.

  • First, make your dog standing on your left side. You might ask why the left side? Well, ideally, dogs are taught to walk on the left side. But if you prefer to train your dog to walk on the right side, you are free to choose.
  • Then grab the treats that you have prepared, and hold your left hand right in front of his nose.
  • For every 5 steps, if he walks at your pace, feed him a small treat and praise him good dog. If he begins to pull ahead you need to stop walking immediately.
  • After he calms a bit, do the same thing again from points 1 to 3. Gradually increase the number of steps you go in between treats.
  • After quite a while, you should be able to walk comfortably with your dog by your side.
  • Reward and praise him every minute or so.
  • End On A Positive Note

    How to Train a German Shepherd Puppy

    Always end every training session on a positive note, even if your German Shepherd puppy did not succeed in learning the command for the day. That might mean a few minutes of play or a quick walk in the neighborhood.

    These five steps can be applied to all the basic and advanced commands listed earlier. Lets concretize the five steps using the examples of the COME! and LET GO! commands.

    Teaching your German Shepherd puppy the command COME!

    Youll use the command COME! to call your dog to you when you want to feed him, go for a walk, redirect him towards you in a park, among other situations. Follow these steps to teach your German Shepherd puppy the come! command:

  • Find a quiet place in your home for the training session. It is better to start in a location without distraction for the basic commands, like the living room or the yard. Bring your dog and squat so both can look at each other in the eyes.
  • Hide some tasty treats in your hand and make your puppy smell them.
  • Put out your hand to show the treats without letting your puppy eat them yet.
  • Say the command COME! and repeat it a second time.
  • Move a little away from your German Shepherd puppy so that you have some distance between you.
  • Say the command COME! again, this time with your arms put out towards your puppy.
  • When your GSD puppy comes to you, reward him with the treat or praise him with a GOOD BOY!
  • Repeat 5 to 6 times and reward every time the command is obeyed.
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    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?

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