How to Train a German Shepherd

Few canines display the grace and majesty of the German Shepherd. One look at such a dog and the strength and power are obvious. Though the dog might appear menacing, especially to those up to no good, very few dogs are as easily trainable and loyal as the German Shepherd. German Shepherds are extremely smart, athletic and eager to please. These qualities make it very easy to train a German Shepherd.

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Steps

1. 1
   Begin your training attempts with a German Shepherd puppy. Although any German Shepherd dog is trainable, they are very strong and powerful animals. If you start out with a puppy, you have the opportunity to shape and mold its personality and develop that trusting relationship. You never really know what an older dog has been through in life and how that might affect his temperament.
2. 2
   Play with your puppy. You will want a puppy that is playful and not fearful. Dogs bite out of fear. You absolutely cannot start out with a German Shepherd that is afraid. This is just begging for disaster.
3. 3
   Turn your puppy on his back. Look for a puppy that isn't afraid (note if his tail is between his legs), and isn't protesting way too much. A puppy on his back is showing submission to you, the alpha male. That is exactly what you want. A puppy afraid to be on his back is not good for the reasons stated above, and one that fights to get back on his feet is going to be a challenge and want to be the alpha male. Neither of these is good.
4. 4
   Enroll your German Shepherd puppy in a basic or puppy obedience class. Your puppy should be 8-10 weeks old for this first class. One person only should give the commands, regardless of how many people are in your family or will be living with the dog. German Shepherds especially, will acknowledge one master and will respond to that one person. Later, as the dog grows older and learns the hierarchy of the "den," he will take orders from all members of the family.
5. 5
   Feed your dog before training. Dogs respond to food as a reward after the training as well as before the training. If you tell a dog to sit and reward him with a treat, he will learn it, however, you will need to reinforce this many times. Dogs seem to remember and respond better to training after he has been given food. The training seems to sink in and stick more readily after food rather than before a treat.
6. 6
   Spend no more than 20 minutes per training session. Spend even less time for younger pups. Their attention span is short; they get tired; your patience will be worn thin trying to train an over tired puppy. Training has to be upbeat and happy in order to get the maximum response from the dog.

Tips

• Don't give a treat after every command your German Shepherd successfully executes. Your dog will expect it and only do it when he knows he's getting a treat. Be chaotic and your dog will never know when he'll get a treat; however, he will follow the commands loyally.
• German Shepherds are one of the most loyal dog breeds in the animal kingdom. They are working dogs by nature and were born to please. They love to work and they love to make their owner happy. You don't have to force a German Shepherd to work or train.

Warnings

• The loyalty of a German Shepherd is unmatched anywhere. For this reason, you should never train a German Shepherd to be a watchdog in your own home. Even the most learning-disabled German Shepherd will know his territory, know his family and will naturally defend it to the death. Training such a dog for your residential home is begging for a disaster. If you live in a 100 room mansion or have a junk yard to protect, this point may be arguable.

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