If you’re thinking about welcoming a purebred German Shepherd into your home, you might be worried about the precocious puppy stage.
You may be worried about them finding their way into trouble every day, and turning your house upside down with their mischief. But, you may be surprised to hear that humans behaviour is the biggest x-factor when it comes to training a German Shepherd dog, or any other type of puppy.
You’re the one who will decide how things run, even if you feel anything but control.
To make sure you’re doing all the right things, let’s take a look at a few basic (but crucial) principles you need to understand.
Focus on Rewarding Good Behavior, Instead of Punishing the Bad
Some dog owners will tell you that you need to punish your dog to, “Show them who’s boss.” But, most often you’re just driving an emotional wedge between you and your dog and causing them anxiety.
Let’s take walking for example. Now, an impatient and incorrect dog owner will yell or yank. They may yell at their dog for wandering off the path constantly, and yank back on the leash to bring them back on the path. This isn’t teaching the dog anything.
In fact, it’s just conditioning you do get more and more impatient as your dog seems to refuse to “learn.”
The right way would be to use patience, love, and rewards to teach them. If they stray too far away:
- Stop
- Call them back
- Encourage them to come back with your tone
- Wait for them to rejoin you
- Reward them with love and petting when they do
Yes, that means your early walks are going to take forever. But you’re investing time in a well-behaved puppy who will walk happily by your side for years to come.
A Well Exercised Dog is a Well-Behaved Dog
Your German Shepherd will seem to have a limitless battery. And that energy needs to go somewhere. If you can’t channel that energy into taking the pup out for a walk, to the park, or even just to play in the yard, you’re not going to like where their energy goes.
Bored or under-stimulated dogs will get into mischief. They may go looking for trouble, simply because they don’t know what else to do with themselves.
So the best dog training tip you can follow is to always ensure your German Shepherd dog gets lots of exercise and attention, so all that energy can go somewhere productive.
Trust the Professionals
We also highly recommend that you start things off on the right paw by getting guidance from a professional German Shepherd trainer. They can help you spot mistakes (from both you and the dog) that can lead to trouble later on.
We can help! Our obedience training usually begins with a one-on-one session, to see exactly what you and your dog need.
We are committed to the rules and regulations set out by the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV) in Germany. The SV established guidelines for good breeding over 100 years ago, standards we believe are essential to healthy and happy German Shepherd puppies.
Let’s talk! You can reach us by clicking here.