How to train a German Shepherd

Smart, beautiful, popular - it's all about her, the German shepherd. Most of the boys around the world dream of such a puppy, and among the official serious dogs it is the representatives of this breed that are found most often. But, what is necessary to know the happy owners of such an extraordinary pet, and how to train him so that his abilities are fully revealed?

Breed features

Initially, they were shepherd dogs, which means they lived side by side with a person and did various jobs, including grazing and guarding livestock. Naturally, this affected their abilities. Dogs had to be smart and sharp, they could make decisions on their own, because the life of both the dogs and their wards depended on it.

Subsequently, the abilities of these outstanding dogs were noticed by German zoologists, and they undertook selection work. The result exceeded all expectations, resulting in the cleverest, enduring dogs that can perform very different work. And, despite the difficulties of the breed that arose during the Second World War, she was able not only to avoid extinction, but also gained world popularity.

Such an unusual dog appears in the house. Naturally, he needs education, training and social adaptation. Do not think that the natural abilities of the dog is enough to become the smartest and most obedient creature - the owner must also make an effort.

Rearing German Shepherd Puppy

So, cute peanut stepped over the threshold of the house, where to start? First of all, it is necessary to be patient - it is recommended that the puppy be given a couple of days to adapt and get used to the new conditions. The Germans quickly get used to the house, family members and other pets.

In most cases, they do not stress, and after a few days they are ready to learn the new rules and learn. The basic rules apply to the training of almost all puppies:

There can be only one person in the family who will train, it is desirable that he has a calm temperament and patience.
The owner should immediately teach his puppy, giving him maximum attention.
The initial stage of education - schooling to diet. The kid should get used to eat at the right time and only from his cup.
For training it is better to use the game form, without corporal punishment, with the obligatory encouragement - verbal and using delicacies.
It is advisable to have a special diary, which will be written a detailed schedule of classes.

Each age period requires a special approach.

Rearing 1-2 month puppy

Among newbie breeders, there is a perception that it is necessary to train a pet when he grows up, that is, at the age of 7-8 months. However, experts recommend not to delay and engage in the education and training of his four-legged friend from the first moments, as he will be in the house.

Even such a small crumb is able to assimilate commands, of course, while the simplest of them are:

Schooling to muzzle. As soon as the puppy gets all the vaccinations, and he can go out, the owner must begin to teach him to wear a muzzle. It should be done on a special site for dog training. At first, this period should last no more than 10 minutes.
Mastering the nickname. Before training it is recommended to necessarily teach the shepherd dog a nickname, the dog should immediately respond upon hearing it. This can be done during feeding and various fun. Saying it, the owner must use the call-up intonation, speak moderately loudly, but not shout, without distorting the name.
Preparing for the perception of encouragement. When food is given to the baby, it is required to iron it and say “good”, this will allow, during dressing, to use not only delicacy, but also verbal encouragement.
Team "place". The little puppy is able to learn the command “place!” For this, the pet needs to point to its bed and put a bone or toy there, when the dog is there, he should be encouraged to say “good”. Leaving the house, the puppy also needs to be shown in place.
Team "Fu." German shepherds are prone to gathering - a puppy can pick up garbage and debris. To avoid such unpleasant situations, it is necessary as soon as possible to train your pet to the fu team. Moreover, the result of training should be categorical and unconditional obedience. In some cases, this behavior is associated with a lack of vitamins and minerals in the animal's body, so you should pay attention to the pet's diet. If this does not help, then it is necessary to apply the command in each case and speak it strictly, occasionally lightly striking the pet on the face.

Education and training 2-4 month puppy

During this period, the training continues, the puppy learns the other basic commands: to sit, to me, to lie, etc. Moreover, what has already been learned requires consolidation and further repetition.

You can begin to learn a grown-up pet to overcome obstacles, for example, steps. Initially, a 3-4 month old baby walks the stairs with the owner, and after that he does it himself.

It is already possible to visit the training ground with your pet, although it is worth considering that high jumps are not recommended for weak puppy joints. But you can offer him to move along the boom, gradually increasing its length.

How to raise and train a puppy from 4 months to six months

Starting from 4 months, learning can be complicated by alternating different teams. For example, move away from the pet by 5-8 steps, give the command "sit". If the pet seeks to approach the owner, then the puppy is seated back and away, repeat the above algorithm.

Training new teams, like the repetition of old material, should take place in a quiet place, familiar to the pet. The time and distance between the departure of the owner and the filing of the team is recommended to gradually increase. From this age, you can offer your pet to take special barriers, but their height should be small.

If the dog is prepared service, guard or guard career, then the training will need to be approached more seriously. If the puppy is wary of strangers, at their sight stops walking, starts to growl and bark, then this behavior should be encouraged.

It is strictly forbidden to allow a pet to take treats from someone else’s hands, to warn all the households and guests of the house - it is impossible to treat the dog! Should be engaged in the development of natural guard qualities of the dog. It is impossible for strangers to play with the puppy and stroke it. When guests come to the house, it is necessary to seat the dog next to him.

Education and training Shepherd with six months

For half a year, the learning processes do not stop, but now the training is focused on increasing physical activity. Gradually, it is possible to increase the height of the barrier, and by 10-11 months it can reach 115-120 cm. In dogs, this period is associated with adolescence - puppies become disobedient, tend to self-affirmation.

Such manifestations should not be encouraged, should not give in and yield. Puppies can behave this way until their reproductive system is established. By the age of 8 months, guarding instincts begin to manifest themselves at the sheepdogs. The male demonstrates his leadership skills and is able to become a real leader of the pack.

Basics of the educational process

The German Shepherd, as well as representatives of other breed groups, should be trained with a set of basic skills. It is necessary to begin training with daily classes, the duration of which should not exceed 15 minutes. The situation should be calm and familiar to the pet: the less external stimuli, the better.

The owner should not forget about the mandatory promotion in the form of praise, affection and goodies. But getting their dog should only for the successful execution of tasks. It is important to adhere to the sequence, the next command can be started only if the dog was able to learn the previous one.

It is required to offer the dog a new command correctly, otherwise, it will either not understand what is required of it, or will not be able to properly fix it:

Vote. It is necessary to show the pet a delicacy, but not to give it up until it “barks”. At this time, you should moderately loudly and clearly pronounce “voice!” After a tasty morsel, as a encouragement, the task is done.
Sit. Such a task is capable of performing even a 2-month baby. You should call your pet to yourself and say “sit!” In a calm tone, holding a treat on the outstretched hand just behind the head of the dog. As soon as the puppy executes the command, he can say “good”.
Lie down. This team follows the previous exercise, when the dog is firmly master the task "sit!". The dog sits down at the owner's feet, she gets a tasty treat, her hand with food is lowered down and at the same time they give the command “lie down!”. When the pet lays down to get it to the treat, it must be held so that it does not stand up, and give it to the desired piece. Later the task becomes more complicated - the dog must learn to perform the “lie down” command from a standing position.
Walk. The simplest of skills, which shepherd learns very quickly during the walking. It is necessary to unfasten the leash, going outside with the dog, tell the dog “to walk!”, But this must be done before the puppy rushes to run.
Beside. An important basic skill that teaches the dog to walk along with the owner while on the move. And even if something distracted him, the team helps to return the dog to the desired position. Initially, the learning process takes place with the use of a short leash, so that the owner can correct the behavior of the pet. After the leash is lengthened, and when the team is mastered, it is fixed without using this accessory.
To me. The team, without which it is very difficult to do. Initially, the puppy is attracted, using gentle intonation and treats, so that the team associates with the child only pleasant moments. During the runs, the owner must periodically call the puppy, using the team, not forgetting the rewards. If the puppy shows disobedience, the owner may pretend as if he is running away. Moreover, you should not punish the puppy or end up walking. In addition, it is not necessary to use the punishment at the first time, if the pet refused to leave, otherwise the next time he can ignore the command.
Aport. To master this team, you should choose the most suitable period - the dog must be interested in toys. If you are going for a walk, you need to take a pet's toy with you, take it in your hand and throw it, loudly and clearly commanding “aport!”. As soon as the puppy got to her and took in the mouth, it is recommended to give the following command - “to me!”. If the dog obeyed, ran up, then you need to praise the dog, carefully pick up the object from the mouth and treat the baby. To consolidate the material, it is desirable to repeat the command 3 times without interruptions, but no more. Otherwise, the dog will lose interest in the task.
Alien. This command is necessary for any guard or guard dog, but rather difficult to master. It does not require certain actions from the dog, but only leads the animal to a state of alertness. Experts warn that it is quite difficult to properly feed her dog without experience in training. In training will need an assistant who will portray the attacker and provoke the dog to action. You should not encourage barking under the fence or the door - more often this behavior turns into a bad useless habit.

This is the main set of commands, but the owners of German shepherds most often are not limited to this set. And, really, why not unleash the full potential of his clever, four-legged comrade? But in this case, it is best to seek the help of professional canine, iconic with the specifics of the breed.

You can purchase a subscription for a specific course - the Germans can do almost everything, or you can agree to private lessons. Of course, the second option is more expensive (one lesson can cost from 500 to 1500 rubles), but the result can be obtained faster. In addition, the dog handler will share the secrets of how to handle such a smart dog, what principles to use in training, and what to do absolutely can not.

The German Shepherd is a model of obedience, endurance and extraordinary devotion. But to achieve all of the above, you can only if the pet will receive due attention, the dog will receive the necessary physical and mental stress. Only by giving, you can get the result.

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