Training Tips for German Shepherd
1 Train your German Shepherd puppy to be clean in the right way.
Right now, you are probably dealing with cleanliness training. The best tips for cleanliness training with a German Shepherd puppy are described below. Know how often and when to take your puppy out. Use a cage when you must, and NEVER punish your GSD for an accident you did not see happen. You need to “catch him in the act” if you want to easily reprimand and redirect him to the right place.
2 Don’t be afraid to use treats in training.
I’m sure you’ve heard all kinds of things against using food in training.
One of the most important characteristics of a good trainer is that they can motivate the dog. To do this, you need to find the things your dog likes best and use them as rewards. Food will be one of those things, so use it. But also use everything else, like walks, petting, playtime, toys, etc. Of all the tips for training German Shepherds, I don’t want to hear any excuses for this one!
Using food for training does not mean that your puppy will only obey when you have treats in hand. If you do it right, your dog will respond to your commands even when he has nothing in his hand.
3 German Shepherd puppy needs to learn things in different places, every time.
This is a concept that is hard for us intelligent humans to understand. Dogs are … well, “lemons,” as Jean Donaldson calls them in his unmissable book, The Culture-Clash. When we learn something new, we can very easily generalize the concept to any situation – that’s what makes us creative creatures. If they learn to sit in the kitchen, they most likely won’t sit in the yard unless they’ve been trained – from the ground up!
Fortunately, you have a German Shepherd puppy, they are intelligent and there is a good chance they will need less repetition than the average breed. To help you with this
4 Teach your German Shepherd puppy to ask for permission.
Dog commands are fun and useful, and you can probably find hundreds of them to teach your dog. This one isn’t technically a command, though, because you won’t be asking your dog to do it every time, but you want to teach him to do it on his own whenever the occasion calls for it. For example, wouldn’t it be great if your pup looked at you for your approval before chasing after another dog or a child? Take the time to do this with your puppy, it’s worth it!
In summary: Training Tips for German Shepherd
- When training your German Shepherd puppy for cleanliness, establish a consistent schedule for taking them outside. Use a crate when necessary but never punish for unseen accidents; reprimand and redirect when caught in the act.
- Don’t hesitate to use treats in training. Effective trainers motivate dogs by finding what they enjoy, which can include food, walks, petting, playtime, or toys. Using food as a reward doesn’t mean your puppy will only obey when treats are present.
- German Shepherd puppies should learn commands in various locations to avoid situational learning. While humans can generalize, dogs require repetition in different settings. However, German Shepherds tend to be intelligent and may need less repetition.
- Teach your puppy to seek permission, even if it’s not a formal command. Encourage your pup to look to you for approval before taking actions, such as chasing after other dogs or children.
These tips provide a well-rounded approach to training your German Shepherd puppy effectively.