German Shepherd Chasing Play Style
Our two charges pictured in this post in what must be frightening to most people who dont know the dogs love to chase one another around the house. They instigate this play with one another by grabbing a coveted toy or bone and then running away or, alternately, doing an odd little dance that tells the other to runbecause Im coming after you.
We then witnessed a 110-pound GSD chase the smaller GSD around the house. It was, to put it mildly, a sight to behold. Outside, the older and smaller of the two dogs will chase a tennis ball all day long if we would have kept it up. The younger did so as well, though hed often want to take a break to romp with his older brother.
Assess Their Laying Spot
It seems that your German Shepherd doesnt trust the safety of his bed or lying spot. It will also circle the spot to ensure there are no vermin or harmful objects that will make your pets rest uncomfortable.
There is little scientific data to prove the above 3 examples except for the idea that dogs circle before lying down to make a nest. This small study of 62 dogs implied that dogs are more likely to circle before lying down when given a soft, uneven surface to make a temporary nest to sleep in.
Why Do German Shepherds Tilt Their Heads
There is nothing cuter than a German Shepherd head-tilt and you will find tons of pictures and videos of dogs tilting their heads on all social media platforms. Many owners will make plenty of strange sounds just to see their pup perform an adorable head tilt. So, why do German Shepherds tilt their heads?
German Shepherds tilt their heads when they become interested in something different. They use the position of their head, and more specifically, their ears to learn the direction of the new sound. They also tilt their head when trying to understand what youre saying and to increase visual cues.
There are a lot of other behaviors that German Shepherd Dogs portray. You can read about problematic behaviors in this breed and their solutions from my article on German Shepherd Behavior Problems.
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How Do I Stop My German Shepherd From Jumping On Me
You need to urgently teach your German shepherd from jumping on you and others. You may be unwittingly encouraging this behaviour by giving your dog attention when they jump on you. Maybe you havent thought of yelling, pushing, and other corrective actions as desirable attention.
Negative attention is still attention and all the eye contact, talking, and touching may be encouraging your GSD to continue an unwanted behaviour.
Its better to turn your back on your dog when they jump on you. Dont make eye contact, and dont greet them. Wait until they are calm, or have all four feet on the ground before rewarding behaviour with attention.
Teach your German Shepherd to sit whenever you enter a room. This gives them something to focus on and teaches them the specifics of your expectations for their behaviour.
Make sure you practice alternatives to jumping with your German Shepherd with other people as well as yourself. So that your dog learns to be calm towards others and not yourself.
You can also use a leash to help control your german shepherd when you are expecting visitors. In this way, you are in control. You dont want your German shepherd to be jumping over your guest when they visit.
If you have a crate or a spare room you can keep your German for the period your visitors are at your house. This is just a temporal measure. You must still carry on training your German shepherd to stop jumping on your visitors.
Why Does My Dog Put His Paw On Me
If your dog puts his paw on you, it can be his way of saying I love you. We pet our pups to show our love and affection. Turns out they do the same. But if your pup is showing signs of anxiety, such as lip smacking, yawning, and flat ears, it could mean hes feeling insecure and is looking for affection.
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Why Does He Put His Paw On Me
This reminds me of another thread where a human is trying to interact with their K9 in a fashion that isn’t really fulfilling for the dog.
Whenever I say this I have people who get upset because “their dog likes to be pet and hugged”. Yes, mine do too. But not all the time and most certainly not as my main form of interaction with my dog. Exercise for a dog is so important and the type that creates engagement and a bond with the human is the best kind.
Mainly When Does German Shepherd Sleep
Well, it depends on the owner for most. They tend to like thesame schedules as their owners, so its normal for them to sleepwhen you sleep and wake you up when its morning. Buteach dog is different, so some prefer to sleep a bit during the dayand nose around at night and somesleep during periods of day and night.
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Is It Bad For German Shepherds To Jump
German Shepherds should not jump higher than six inches until at least 18 months of age. Check with your dogs breeder or veterinarian for the go-ahead to jump higher. Once your German Shepherds growth is complete, you can start him on jumps. I prefer to teach my dogs to jump without using a leash.
Find The Ideal Reward Why Does My German Shepherd Sit On Me
Every animal has something for which it is willing to work. We call this the motivation. The appropriate education of your dog will depend on just how much you have made him associate the praise with the particular scenario. The dog must right away understand if he has actually done something right or incorrect and can just discover it in this way. One method to be exact is reward-based training. This might sound troublesome or complex, however can be very easy. You have actually most likely seen using a delicious treat in dog training as a reward. The preferred reward can vary considerably per canine. Why Does My German Shepherd Sit On Me
The total style might also differ. Not every dog is food-oriented. Someone may think the best reward is by providing him snacks, and the other is going to be crazy with a favorite toy. On the contrary, a satiated dog is unlikely to be corrupted by a treat. Be mindful to find the best time.
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Why Dog Shock Collars Are A Totally Unnecessary Training Tool
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Bonus: They Love Those Snuggles
Many German Shepherd owners love how their dogs allow snuggling.
Theyre these huge babies who dont mind having a human all over them. And this is just one way they show their love for you.
Not all German Shepherds are suckers for snuggles, though.
But it doesnt mean that they dont love you. Its just that they prefer other ways of showing their affection.
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They Follow You Around
German Shepherds are capable of developing strong bonds with their owners.
Even to the point of being glued to their side.
Thats because they want to be around you. They see you as a member of the pack. And so they go where the pack goes.
While your dog following you is okay, make sure everyone is safe. You could trip on your dog and hurt yourself or them.
If you dont want them following you, ask them to do something else. Such as sit or stay.
Caution: Make sure this isnt a case of separation anxiety or being clingy. If it is, talk to a vet or a dog behaviorist professional.
How Do German Shepherds Show Love
Most dogs youve formed a bond with will show excitement when seeing you after a while of being apart. German Shepherds are especially known for this. They may jump up at you, lick your face, and run around aimlessly at your presence. They may even whine from their inability to contain their excitement.
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How To Stop German Shepherd Puppy Nipping And Biting
- Move your hand calmly and slowly from your puppy.
- Show them what they can chew, instead, such as their favorite chew toy.
- Have plenty safe chew toys to grab nearby to give your pup when they get wild and decide to bite you.
- Dont participate in rough play using your hands, as this encourages nipping and biting.
- Always use toys that your puppy can chew and bite to play with pick from this list of German Shepherd Chew Toys to Prevent Boredom so you have a safe puppy toy that can take their bites.
This teaches your pup you dont like biting and nipping while offering them a positive alternative.
During play, work on the signal easy when your pup plays too rough. When they stop biting or nipping reward them with verbal praise and pets.
If they are still too rough, use a toy to show them whats acceptable to bite or remove yourself from playing for a few minutes. Return later to try playing with your pup again and repeat the procedure.
Read this information for more helpful tips to stop your German Shepherd puppy from biting and nipping you.
Natural Abilities And Inclinations
German Shepherds are natural protectors, which is why theyre often used as guard dogs and in law enforcement. This natural ability to protect is why theyre often an excellent choice to help with security around the house too. Unfortunately, sometimes a GSDs inherent suspicion of the unfamiliar can lead to unwanted aggressive behavior.
The best way to prevent this is to socialize your dog at a young age. Get your GSD used to being around people and other dogs. Theyll be far less likely to grow into an aggressive animal, although their natural instinct to protect your household will remain only in a far more positive manner.
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Make A Detailed Strategy
The minute you start canine training, you need to have a goal. However to attain this huge goal, you must specify sub-goals on your own. What does better collaboration or good parenting include? And which commands do you require for this? You then methodically deal with these sub-goals. Since within these sub-goals and even within your commands, you need to take numerous positive steps in training.
You can initially decide to teach the pet to sit down by following your hand with the sweet. You can teach him not to get up right after he sits down. Some commands are likewise preparatory for a step even more. For instance: initially, you discover to sit the canine, then you can teach him to provide a paw. It is important that you arrange the discovering procedure so that your pet dog can follow this. Why Does My German Shepherd Sit On Me
What Does It Mean When Your Dog Walks In Front Of You
Walking in front of your dog allows you to be seen as the pack leader. Conversely, if your dog controls you on the walk, hes the pack leader. You should be the first one out the door and the first one in. Your dog should be beside or behind you during the walk.
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Are You Paying Enough Of Attention To Your Dog
German Shepherds are loving and loyal dogs. They can get highly attached to their family members and want to spend a lot of time with them. These dogs also require much of your attention.
If you have been busy or are unable to spend quality time with your dog, they may begin to act out. Being hyperactive and destructive could be how your dog tries to get your attention.
This behavior may continue if you react to how they are behaving.
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.
Aim for one of these healthy treats that are the best for German Shepherds and pick carefully to ensure your dog stays athletic and fit.
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He Needs The Bathroom
Many pets will come and find you when they have to go to the bathroom because you are the one who opens the door for them.
They may also look at you while they are going to the bathroom because they want to see if you are going to look out for predators for them.
Going to the bathroom puts your pet in a vulnerable position that leaves them open for other animals to attack them. They are staring at you to determine whether you are protecting them during this time.
Your German Shepherd Loves Companionship
German Shepherd Dog is a pack animal. It loves to stay in companionship.
They cant live alone. German Shepherd needs someone to serve and please.
In the wild, wolves and dogs need a space in the pack to survive. For dogs living alone can become madness. It is in their nature to live in a pack.
Over the years, Humans and dogs have created a solid relationship.
New researches show that domestication of dogs has made them more bonded with humans than other dogs.
So if your German Shepherd is following you around because he wants to stay in your company, then getting another pet is not a bad idea.
German Shepherd dogs can learn to live with other dogs and pets if thought correctly.
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They Put Themselves In Vulnerable Positions
You wouldnt do things if youre not comfortable with the people around you.
Its the same with German Shepherds.
If they put themselves in vulnerable positions, its a sign that they love you. And they trust you.
They could be silly around you because they feel safe.
Thats why they can rest and lie with their backs on you. Or they lie on their backs when they ask for belly rubs.
But the most vulnerable would be when they pee or poop in front of you.
Note: Any dog wouldnt do those things if they know theyre in danger.
Offer Your Puppy Another Option When They Begin Jumping On You For Attention
Jumping on other dogs might be fine for play, but its not safe when a large, powerful German Shepherd jumps on people!
When your dog tries to get your attention by jumping on you, its best to either ignore them or better give them another option that you DO want.
Think about what your puppy is trying to get when engaging in jumping and bad behavior to determine when to ignore them.
When your pup jumps on you when you come home, they probably want your attention. Withholding your attention when they are acting out shows them they need to act differently to get your approval .
Instead, offer them pets and praise when they have all 4 paws on the floor. You can also place them behind a puppy gate until they learn not to jump in order to avoid them scratching or nipping house guests when they arrive.
After you teach them their basic obedience, ask them for a competing behavior like a sit or down when they begin to jump. Always remember to reward the behavior you want to see again!
Ultimately, your puppy learns that good behavior earns your affection and attention more quickly. Your dog soon understands that they get nothing from you when they act badly.
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