German Shepherds are strong and stubborn dogs therefore training should start when they are pups when they are about eight week old, at this age they are more impressionable. German shepherds because of their keen instinct were bred in Germany for herding and guarding cattle. Because of the German Shepherd personality training should start when they are pups, if training is not done during this period it will be more difficult when they are grown and form certain characteristics.

If you adopted a grown German Shepherd, training will not be impossible, it will require you to be more patient and persistent with your training schedule. The best place to start training your German Shepherd puppy is in a crate, you will get a crate for you puppy that is just the right size so there won’t be any room in a corner where he can go and relieve himself. Because of his age and lack of bowel and bladder control you will need to take your pup out every three hours to relieve himself and after each time you feed him, this will reduce the possibility of him having a accident which is what you are trying to avoid. You may also have to do a midnight bathroom this will also be a part of your dog schedule so his system will adjust to it.

Each time you take your pup out and he relieve himself, you should praise him “good Dog” and give him a dog treat, this will tell him that he has done something that is good. If he should have an accident show him your displeasure, do not hit him, put him in another area before you do the cleanup, don’t allow him to see you doing the cleanup. You should under all circumstances avoid hitting your dog, this will send the wrong message, if this continue it can cause him to become aggressive, instead you can use a firm voice with a straight face so he will see your displeasure with his action. When training your German Shepherd puppy, you should remember that they have short attention span like kids, so you will need to repeat commands until they obey your commands. Training should not go on for hours, he will get tired and will misunderstand the commands you want him to learn.

Socializing your Dog

Socializing is an important part of your dog’s training and life, taking him to the park where he can meet other dogs is important, by doing this he will not grow to be too protective of his master and other family members. These dogs have a pack mentality, they like to follow the Alpha dog, you should establish yourself as the master and the Alpha dog, this way he will know who is in charge and look up to you. Because of the nature of the German Shepherd, they like to be outside getting lots of exercise, they also thrive on these kind of activity, he should be kept on a leash so he grow accustom to it as a part of his life. German Shepherds are strong and stubborn dogs, you should start obedience training them early and in the right way will establish a bond between you and your dog, you will have a dog that you will be proud of for many years to come and will be the envy of your friends.



By: Colin Grant


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