Brittany Boykin - German Shepherd Training: The Beginners Guide to Training Your German Shepherd Puppy: Includes Potty Training, Sit, Stay, Fetch, Drop, Leash Training and Socialization Training

German Shepherd Training: The Beginners Guide to Training Your German Shepherd Puppy

Includes Potty Training, Sit, Stay, Fetch, Drop, Leash Training and Socialization Training

Brittany Boykin

Copyright 2017 by Brittany Boykin

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

CAC Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-948489-33-1

Brittany Boykin

Introduction

T he German Shepherd is easily one of the most widely accepted and recognized dog breeds anywhere in the world. This classically beautiful breed is known for its amazing versatility coupled with extreme intelligence. A German Shepherd is capable of assuming many different roles, including:

Companion dog

Family pet

Herding dog

Show dog

Obedience dog

Working dog

Guard dog

Police dog

Military dog

Guide dog for the blind

Hearing dog for the deaf

Search and rescue dog

Tracking dog

Hunting dog

TV actors

... and many more

A German Shepherd is characterized by its superior intelligence, high curiosity, boundless energy, versatility and regal good looks. These clever dogs can be very easy to train and can seem almost eager to learn new tricks and ways of pleasing their owners at very young ages.

However, as intelligent and easy to train as they may seem, there are times when some German Shepherd owners may begin to feel frustrated and impatient when they dont see much success with their efforts. This can happen when your training methods dont take into consideration whats important to your dog and what makes him want to obey you the most.

Is a German Shepherd Right for You?

A s attractive a breed as the German Shepherd might seem, its important to remember theyre not right for everyone. Due to their natural high intelligence and curiosity, these dogs need plenty of mental stimulation to keep them from becoming bored.

Bred originally as herding dogs, German Shepherds require plenty of exercise. Taking your dog out for walks regularly is important for more than just their physical health, your daily walk also provides him with some mental stimulation and some quality bonding time with his human.

This breed of dog is also capable of intense loyalty to his/her person, forming a life-long bond that is almost impossible to break. Theyll love you unconditionally and want to do those things he thinks may please you most.

When a German Shepherd forms a close bond with his human, he will think of a myriad of ways to try and get his humans attention whether good or bad. This can mean he will pull laundry from the line or dig holes or chew your shoes if he believes thats the only way youll focus your attention back on him again.

This kind of destructive behavior can become present in any breed of dog, but with a dog of high intelligence and a strong sense of family bonding, its more important than ever to find ways to re-direct these instincts into more positive behaviors while your dog is still young.

German Shepherds crave companionship. To them, you and your family are his pack. They do not make good kennel dogs and wont respond well to being left alone in the back yard for long hours on end. This breed of dog is more likely to suffer from separation anxiety than some others if not taught early how to deal with you leaving for work.

If you dont have the time or the patience to offer a German Shepherd the training, exercise and companionship it craves, then perhaps consider looking into a different breed of dog.

How Much Is Enough Exercise?

I ts always sad to hear people say My dog doesnt need that much exercise. He seems happy to lie around at my feet all day.

This is never a good reason to assume your dog doesnt need the mental and physical exercise especially with a working breed like the German Shepherd.

Its true that many German Shepherds seem at their happiest when theyre allowed to curl up anywhere near their owner and will stay there for hours on end. In fact, I have a German Shepherd curled up under my desk at my feet while I write at this very moment.

This is predominantly because a German Shepherd will feel happy to be included in whatever youre doing, but it isnt enough for his physical health and well-being.

Walking

Y our dog wont view being taken out for a walk as exercise time. He views it as being invited out by the family pack for a hunt. He knows hell have the opportunity to look around for potential food, sniff around for other dogs or potential prey, and spend some quality time as part of the pack as well. For him, this constitutes mental stimulation as well.

German Shepherds will naturally travel in a cantering-lope rather than a slow walk. During your walks together, be sure you move at a brisk pace so your dog is able to trot alongside you in a comfortable gait for his size. This can mean walking quickly or even jogging to make sure you keep at the speed of his gait without him needing to pull ahead.