Dog Health And Care

German Shepherd Dog Training – Keeping Your Pet Busy

January 25th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

No breed of dog is a like when it comes to any form of training. So one of the first things you can do to improve your chances of successfully training your pet is to understand the breed of dog that you will be working with. This will give you some ideas and guidelines to stick to. In this article we will give an insight into the German shepherd breed and some of the approaches that can be taken in a training schedule.

The German shepherd breed was first documented in the 19th century. It is noted for it’s versatility and adaptability in a variety of roles as a working dog or as a family pet. Above all it is a hard working dog that is extremely loyal to it’s owner. German shepherd dogs were one of the first breeds to be used when the guide dog for the blind process was set up, partly because of the qualities of hard work and loyalty. The breed is one of the most popular in the world today.

Other qualities of the breed include intelligence and bundles of energy. They love to be doing something as the name suggests and they love the company of others, be it human or animal companions. In fact many German shepherd dogs that live in an environment without these things can come across as skittish or even neurotic. They are missing the need to perform tasks and accomplish things.

Thus the type of people that would suit a German shepherd dog would be physically active people who like the outdoor lifestyle. The instinct to herd or rescue is deep in these animals and they need owners that will understand this. How this translates to training is in the need to keep your dog active and interested. Set it tasks that require energy and intelligence.

In terms of socialization, you should introduce your German shepherd to people and other animals at the puppy stage. Although they are social animals they need to be encouraged to socialize at this early age or they could become wary of strangers in later life. It has been shown that a more social dog is more receptive to obedience training and more comfortable in new situations.

In terms of training, like most dogs it doesn’t pay to be negative with the German shepherd. The best methods are to be consistent and always reward good behavior or a positive response to your commands. Above all, The breed is happiest when it is performing some task. This can be in the form of an obedience task or even something more complex and challenging like working as a therapy dog.

If you settle on getting a German shepherd puppy then make sure you have a good garden or land for it to use. The breed loves to expend energy and needs the space to do this. It is probably not advisable to get a German shepherd if you live in an apartment but if you do then you need to walk the dog everyday. This means fairly long walks that really give the dog a workout. If you live close to a park then this would be best for your pet.

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