Training your GSD is an important part of your relationship

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Training your GSD should start the very first day you bring your German Shepherd puppy (or adult) home. In general, dog obedience training will provide the following benefits:

• Provide mental and physical activities for your GSD.

• Deepen the bond between you and your dog.

• Ensure your German Shepherd Dogs safety and happiness.

• Helps correct many types of dog nuisance behaviors such as jumping on people, digging, barking, and chewing.

• Allows you to enjoy the fun and excitement of competing in dog obedience training trials and earning titles.

There are at least two levels of dog obedience training that can be performed with your German Shepherd, depending on just how far you want to go:

• Basic dog training behaviors (every dog should have this at a minimum)

• Competitive obedience dog training and performance

Basic training behaviors allow German Shepherd owners to easily co-exist with the dogs they live with, as well as to be able to do something as simple as take a walk in the park or answer the door without their German Shepherd puppies trampling the person on the other side.

Minimum dog obedience training

for all GSD's should include the basics such as: housebreaking, the ability to sit, lie down, come on command, etc. Many other commands may be added for the owners of German Shepherds who desire a more challenging training atmosphere and who easily pick up commands and enjoy learning.

Obedience training your GSD is also a great way to establish the social hierarchy in your home, between you, your family and your German Shepherd. Above all, obedience dog training should be fun and rewarding for both you and your German Shepherd. It will definitely enrich your relationship with your dog as well as make living together more much enjoyable.

A well-trained German Shepherd is much more confident than an untrained dog and can more safely be allowed a greater range of freedom than an untrained dog. You know what to expect of a well trained dog and can trust it much more readily with your possessions - be it your shoes, your home or your children.

A few of the following commands and exercises commonly taught in basic dog obedience classes are:

Come, Sit, Stay, Lie down (or down), Drop it, Leave it, Take it, Heel, Okay, Break (or Release), Leash training, “Watch Me”

The best money spent in training your GSD, in my opinion, easily is that spent in enrolling you and your German Shepherd puppies in a local dog obedience training class in your area. This is a great place to learn the basics of obedience dog training.

A great by-product of going to basic obedience classes includes the socialization that occurs as well between your German Shepherd, its surroundings and all the other doggie classmates attending.

After your German Shepherd has learned the basics in class many other training sessions can and should be done at your home with your Alsatian. A good idea is to begin training in an area that is familiar to both you and your dog and with the least amount of distractions as possible.

As soon as you feel both you and your German Shepherd are skilled at several obedience commands, try practicing these commands in different areas of your yard or home. This is also a good time to introduce a few new distractions.

It may seem like starting at the beginning, but it's really worth the extra effort. In the end, who really cares if your GSD will perform a sit stay when no one else is around and there are zero distractions?

The real test of a trained German Shepherd is a real world one where the dog actually performs the commands given it anywhere, anytime - distractions and all.

Training Your GSD - Tips and Tricks

• Keep the your training sessions short and sweet and always end on a good note.

• Rewarding your dog for good behavior is very important - praise your dog for good behavior.

• Integrate training your German Shepherd into your daily schedule.

• Make dog training with your GSD a fun activity! No one wants to do the same dull, boring and mindless activities over and over.

• If needed, a correct reprimand should be short, sharp and immediate.

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