German Shepherd Puppy Training Tips
1: Socialize your German Shepherd puppy.
The most important tip in raising German Shepherds is socialization. Right after you take your puppy to the vet for the first round of vaccinations, sign him up for a puppy training or socialization class. Some veterinarians will advise you to keep your puppy indoors until he has received all his vaccinations. Unfortunately, if you keep your puppy indoors until he is 4 to 6 months old, his socialization period will be over for good and your chances of raising a friendly and trusting dog will be greatly diminished!
That being said, it is your decision whether or not you want to take the risk of going outside with your dog. In most major American cities, there aren’t too many problems with disease, and taking your puppy to a class where the trainer checks to make sure each puppy has received the first round of vaccinations is usually safe. However, if you are going to a rural area, make sure there is no outbreak of disease that could affect your puppy.
Of all the tips for raising a German Shepherd puppy, I recommend that you consider it well. As a dog trainer, I recommend that you find a safe socialization class for your puppy, as this stage of development is crucial to avoid behavior problems in the future. That being said, you should also socialize your puppy yourself on a daily basis.
2: Teach your German Shepherd puppy to use his mouth properly.
You may have noticed that your German Shepherd puppy likes to nibble on your shoes, toys, crates, rugs, pillows, hands – well, pretty much everything. Before you lose your head (and all your prized possessions), let me tell you that this is normal puppy behavior. At this age, dogs explore everything with their mouths, and even if it’s boring, this is the perfect time to teach your pet what’s appropriate for his mouth and how to soften the bite.
The reason why German Shepherd puppies have pointy teeth is so they can learn how much (or little) pressure to apply when biting different things. That’s good news! It means that you can teach your dog to be absolutely gentle and tender when biting human skin.