GSD Training

German Shepherd Dog Training German Shepherds are large dogs that originated in Germany in 1899. German Shepherds are extremely intelligent dogs (this makes German Shepherd dog training much easier!) that were originally used for herding sheep. These days the strength, endurance and intelligence of German Shepherds has seen them end up being a big part of Search and Rescue operations, as well as being used in the Police and Military. German Shepherd dog training provides many benefits to both the dogs owner and the dog. For starters, German Shepherd dog training will help you build a strong and bonding relationship with your dog. Additionally it will stimulate the dog both mentally and physically. It will also help to keep your dog happy and healthy. German Shepherds should have little difficulty in learning basic obedience. Commands such as “sit”, “stay”, “come”, “down” and “heel” can be relatively easily taught to German Shepherds with a little time and perseverance. One of the best German Shepherd dog training techniques is to use the positive reinforcement method. For example, if you want to teach your German Shepherd to sit –you may do the following: When your dog is already seated or lying down approach him/her with a treat. Raise this treat above your dogs head causing your dog to sit up tall. When your dog is in the correct sitting position say the word “Sit”. Then hand over the treat and give praise. Be sure to give your German Shepherd the treat immediately after they have sat down otherwise they may misinterpret what the treat is for. Repeat this process for a few consecutive days and your dog should be able to sit on command. Eventually stop giving the food as a treat and use praise instead. German Shepherd dog training is fun and easy because the dogs are so intelligent. After you have tough your dog to sit, lie down, come, and so forth, you may want to teach it some more advanced tricks such as “Sit and Stay”, “Seek”, “Beg”, “Shake Hands” etc. A couple of pointers to remember throughout German Shepherd dog training include: Practice make perfect –practice often, while the dog is young you should practice some form of training daily. Consistency –for best results make sure you are consistent in your training techniques, also be consistent with praise in the early stages of training. The younger you can train your German Shepherd the better. These dogs a sponges for formation when they are young –they love playing and learning. Never physically punish your German Shepherd. This doesn’t have any benefit for the learning of the dog, in fact in most cases it is counter productive. Always maintain your position as the dog’s owner –be the Alpha Dog. This is very important for the successful integration of your German Shepherd into your family. So many basic behavior problems are caused when the dog thinks it is the leader of the house.