How Do I Get My German Shepherd To Listen
Something that is colorful, smells interesting, or has a squeaker can all be good traits for a toy that can grab your dogs attention. Your German shepherd is much more likely to pay attention to you if youre energetic and all over the place. Jump up and down, make some high pitched noises, and get your dog excited.
Activities German Shepherds Love
Try playing a variety of games with your dog, or feel free to take him with you on fun outings for activities like:
- Hiking German Shepherds love spending time on the trail and will happily trot alongside you while you take in the fresh air.
- Running German Shepherds are very capable runners and are fast enough to outrun even the most well-trained sprinter. Take your dog along for a run, and they will prove themselves as the perfect running partner.
- Fetch Playing fetch with a ball, toy or your sisters shoes is a fun way to add some cardio to your pups day, even when you dont have the energy to run around with them. Find your dogs favorite itemand the rest is simple! You throw the ball, they catch it, bring it back, rinse and repeat!
- Nose work games Sharpen your dogs senses and flex their mental abilities by treating them to some nose work games. They will love using one of their most powerful senses to problem solve and will be even happier after receiving their reward! Nose work is as simple to set up as putting a favorite food of theirs in a box or container, creating a scent trail for them to follow, and then hiding their treat!
Overview Of The Training Programme And Topics Well Cover
So, you wanted the Ultimate guide to training a German Shepherd puppy, didnt you? Well over the next 8 weeks well be covering how to teach your German Shepherd all about
- Coming when you call them
- Walking nicely on a lead
- Coping with being left alone
- Going to the toilet in the right place
- Teaching your German Shepherd puppy to not bark
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At Some Point You May Start Ignoring The Bribes And Consequently Your Friend All
Sound familiar with your dog?
Your dog is sniffing the ground instead of walking nicely on leash with you. You shove a hot dog in its face. It may eat the hot dog, it may even wait for another, until, eventually, the hot dog bribe is no longer worth it and it goes back to sniffing.
Your dog runs away when you try to call it in from outside or at the park, that is, until you shake the bag of cookies. No cookies, no recall. And if you try to trick the dog and leash them without a cookie, well, there goes another hour of your life waiting for your dog to exhaust themselves enough to come back on their own. The bribe and the trick taught the dog you’re not worth it and you can’t be trusted.
We can go on and on, but I’m sure you’re already coming up with your own household ‘case studies’ of bribery. It’s easy to fall into the pattern of bribery. It seems easier. You don’t actually have to teach anything, you just need access to the bribe and *magic* the dog does what you want it to do. But, like with any bribe, eventually you’re going to have to up the ante and, eventually, another decision is worth whatever the consequence is for ignoring the bribe.
People that have been bribing their dogs often find they are constantly trying to find better and better treats or better and better toys.
Training Goal #: Socialization
Puppies of all breeds have a critical socialization window that closes at 12 to 16 weeks of life, and your GSD puppy is no exception. In fact, for GSDs, who by nature are protective guardians, socialization is extra important so that your puppy learns which strangers are friendly and not a threat.
GSDs are very observant, and your puppy will pick up on your cues and reactions around new people and new situations. During this critical period, having exposure to many different kinds of people in non-threatening situations will help your puppy be confident among friendly strangers rather than fearful or aggressive. And even during times of social and physical distancing, you can still socialize your puppy safely.
Proper socialization cannot be overemphasized for this breed as Adams notes, The foundation for most training is confidence. It is critical that the GSD puppy is well socialized from an early age onward. Safely exposing the puppy to new sights, sounds, and smells is absolutely critical for development. Good socialization translates to confidence.
Certified dog trainer and CGC evaluator Jacqui Foster, CPDT-KA, echoes this sentiment: I tend to lean more towards developing self-confidence in the puppy. For this I recommend short, fun, three-minute games that engage the puppy with the owner as well as in noises, weird and uneven surfaces, family members, etc., throughout the day. A confident puppy is a happy puppy.
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Solve The Underlying Problem
The next time your dog refuses to do as you say, think about what else is going on. Are they lunging at other dogs during your walk? Is there a suspicious-looking critter on the other side of the yard? Is the spot where youre asking them to lay down hard or uncomfortable? Theres a good chance your dogs seemingly purposeful bad behavior stems from an unrelated emotional response. When people are scared or unhappy, they react in unpredictable ways. Your dog is the same. If your dog doesnt listen near other dogs, his fear could be clouding his mind. Addressing the root cause of the problem will put him in a better mental state where hes able to listen.
Week 7 Training Your German Shepherd Puppy
The 7-week itch! Nah not really. I bet your German Shepherd puppy is doing wonderfully and growing rapidly! Its crucial to remember that while they may be physically growing quickly, they are still babies psychologically for a long time, so be kind and dont expect too much too soon.
In Week 7 well explore
- Puppy Agility yes you can start already yippee!
- Walking with a friends dog
- Practising recall off lead
- Teach your German Shepherd puppy to stay this will be a great one to show off at the park, trust us.
- Go for a walk with a friends dog We know you cant wait to be a dog parent and go on those nice weekend walks with your friends. So, first, take a walk with a dog that your German Shepherd puppy has already met. At first, it may be difficult for your puppy not to get distracted, so keep the rewards coming and try to keep them interested in you, rather than the other dog!
- Recall off the lead Make sure you do this in a secure and confined area and bring plenty of smelly treats, a fun toy to play with, and your silly high-pitched voice so you can call your German Shepherd puppy back regularly.
- Push/drop/stick on known exercises You have to keep things interesting since puppy brains are like sponges, so dont make it too simple for them. Remember, German Shepherds enjoy learning!
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Dog Age Chart: How Old Is Your Dog In Human Years
Randa is a writer & former assoc. digital content editor at the American Kennel Club. Sheâs also mom to 1 Corgi & 2 orange cats.
Its common knowledge that one year of a dogs life is equal to seven human yearsor is it? If this is the way youve been calculating your dogs age, dont worry youre not alone. However, the truth is that this method isnt entirely accurate.
Historically, its very likely that the one dog year equals seven human years method was created to simply show that dogs age faster than humans. Today, scientists and researchers have developed a more precise method of calculating a dogs age to human years.
Lets dig in
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Realize That Some Things Are Harder Than Others For Dogs
Dogs do what works for them. Therefore, its in our own best interest to have the behaviors we want for our dog work best for them as well. Two skills that seem hardest for dog parents to teach consistently are leave it and a solid recall. Both skills are vital and can even be life saving.
What is involved from the dogs point of view in these two skills? His nose. It takes him right to that delicious piece of hamburger meat you accidentally dropped on the kitchen floor. And his nose is leading him to run away from you at a dead run while he chases the scent of the wild rabbit that hopped through his yard.
Instead of fighting that powerful nose, work with it. For example, when teaching leave it, ask your dog to leave a boring piece of kibble. The second he removes his nose from it, mark with a Yes! and give him a much better-smelling meat reward. A dog can learn to leave things once he understands that doing so will get him a much better reward.
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Putting Your Thumb Under Your Puppys Tongue
Yeah, I know where is the logic in that? I mean youre basically setting your thumb up to be bitten and at the same time encouraging biting.
But you wont believe how many folks have emailed me desperate to stop biting and detailing this method as something they have done frequently.
Im not even sure what the idea behind this silly method is, so suffice to say please dont do this!
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Training Goal #: Begin Obedience Training
The German Shepherd Dogs work ethic is legendary, and you can encourage your dogs best working traits with early and ongoing training. GSDs excel at obedience, so begin teaching your puppy basic commands like sit, down, and stay, as well as loose-leash walking, from an early age. Enrolling in a puppy obedience class can be extremely helpful both for teaching these commands as well as socialization, and its not too early to begin thinking about CGC training as well.
How Do I Socialise A German Shepherd Puppy And Why Is It Important
All puppies have a socialisation window. This is a sensitive period where theyre the most eager to learn about the world and make connections that affect how they view things, often for the rest of their lives.
Within this period of time, theres another one called the Fear Period. This is where puppies learn to interpret hazards for example, children, loud noises, or unfamiliar surfaces. In German Shepherds, the time they have to interpret these hazards is shorter than other breeds so you must socialise them early so you dont run into any trouble later. Studies say that German Shepherd puppies are more afraid of new objects and sounds than other breeds. Ironic isnt it, that theyre often in charge of saving us from danger.
Here are easy ways to socialise your German Shepherd puppy:
- Find out what your breeder is doing to socialise your puppy before they leave them good puppy socialisation programmes to send them are Puppy Cultureand Avidog.
- Follow the exercises in this training article .
- Dont be afraid to take your puppy out before they are vaccinated, but do it safely! German Shepherd puppies get quite big and hefty, so why not be like Yogi Bear here and invest in a carriage for your puppy to keep them safe? Save your arms from working extra hard.
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What Are Good Rewards For A German Shepherd
Always keep a stash of motivational rewards on hand for your training to motivate your dog to listen to you and pay attention.
Some good rewards for a German Shepherd that really improve your dogs hearing are:
- Tiny pieces of real, cooked chicken
- Pea-sized bits of cheese
- A special rope tug toy
- A toy that crinkles or squeaks
- The Ferrari of dog treats freeze-dried liver
- Food treats that are highly scented to get their nose really worked up
Be sure to choose a snack that is healthy for your dog!
Your dog is sure to love one of these healthy, highly scented training treats for German Shepherds.
Dont forget that you can use a special toy if your dog isnt food motivated.
Or even praise through your words and pets.
And always be sure to account for the extra calories your dog eats during training so you can reduce their regular meals a bit.
Try Higher Value Treats To Keep Her Focus And Attention
Always pay your dog for the work that theyre doing
In a very distracting environment, or when your dog is learning something new, its much harder for her to focus, so pay her accordingly.
If your boss asks you to stay at work an extra five minutes, you might be happy to do so for a thanks or a youre the best. But if your boss asked you to come in on your day off to work an 8-hour shift, thanks isnt going to cut it.
Apply this same logic to your dogs training procedure.
Essentially, this means increasing the value of the food reward you give her as the difficulty level of the situation rises. Simple kibble might suffice at home without any competing distractions, but it may not be enough outdoors.
Instead, try high-value training treats like:
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Why Does My German Shepherd Not Come When Called
The main reasons your German Shepherd doesnt come when you call him is because you skipped some steps in training, you called him to you to punish him, he is poorly exercised, therere too many distractions, and coming to you means you stop his fun.
Any of these reasons will ruin your German Shepherds recall and they wont come when you call them.
But, keep calm
Im going to tell you how to fix your GSDs recall problems right now.
At What Age Do German Shepherds Calm Down
When a german shepherd is one year old, you should expect them to calm down over the next 6 to 12 months. Shepherd will never be the same after two years as they are now. Shepherds are very intelligent dogs. They have a very high level of self-discipline and will do what it takes to get what they want. However, they can be a bit temperamental when it comes to other dogs and people.
This is not a bad thing, but it is something that you need to watch out for.
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Distractions In The Environment
Distracting things in a new location can prevent your German Shepherd from listening to you. It is better to train in different locations until it is used to it. Expand your training locations to include places you will often go to. Over time, it will be easier for your dog to shake off the distractions.
Catch Your Dog Being Good And Reward Them Out Of The Blue
See your puppy acting the way you want? Reward them out of the blue!
Its easy to get caught up in scolding when your pup when they are getting into trouble, but rewarding him out of the blue for being good shows them theyre doing the right behaviors .
Keep small bits of treats in jars around the house out of reach of your pup and use any opportunity your catch your pup doing good to reward them.
Here are some ideas for opportunities to reward your dog:
- If theyre lying calming on their mat, give them a piece of a treat. But dont make a big deal of the situation or youll wind them back up.
- When theyre playing with the toys you want them to chew, drop a tiny bit of treat out of nowhere.
- If they sit and wait at the door, instead of dashing out ahead of you, reward them!
Discipling your German Shepherd isnt always about catching bad behaviors, but also about rewarding good things your dog does. Dogs like to do things that you reinforce, even if you dont think they worked for the reward its still part of training.
If you only worry about punishment and corrections, then youre missing out on the opportunities to reinforce positive behavior.
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