When Should You Start Training a German Shepherd Puppy? The ideal age for training a German Shepherd puppy is 7-8 weeks of age. At this age, they are still young and impressionable and they are more likely to learn new things.
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Here are some of the benefits of training your German Shepherd puppy early:
- It helps them develop good habits. Puppies learn quickly, so it’s important to start teaching good habits from an early age. This helps them become well-behaved dogs when they grow up.
- This will help them bond with you. Training is a great way to bond and build a strong relationship with your puppy. When you take the time to train your puppy, you are showing them that you care about them and want them to succeed.
- It helps them to be more obedient. A well-trained dog is an obedient dog. When you train your puppy, you are teaching them to obey your commands. This makes them easier to manage and makes your life easier in the long run.
GSDs are often used as police (guard) dogs and service dogs. They are very friendly dogs and will be with you through relatives.
German Shepherd puppies are adorable, sensitive, and loyal, but they need a lot of guidance and structure in the family unit.
Training your German Shepherd puppy requires time, patience, and commitment — and training to ensure a well-mannered dog.
Training for your German Shepherd puppy should begin as soon as it enters your home. German Shepherds are very loyal, strong dogs but without structure and training, the animal becomes aggressive.
With a young puppy, training sessions should be limited to five to ten minutes at a time, fulfilling one basic command at a time.
Otherwise, trying for longer, harder sessions can lead to failure and frustration for you and your puppy.
German shepherd Puppy Training Tips for Beginners
Building your puppy house is a very laborious task and requires a lot of patience and perseverance with great rewards for you, your pet, and the family.
Every time he comes to you, be kind to him.
Use a normal soft tone when you command. Your dog’s hearing is very keen.
Be consistent with your actions and expectations. Spend more time with your dog and give him exercise every day.
It is important for puppies to learn to control their bites. It is best taught at an early age.
Keep your puppy on a strict feeding schedule.
Run a regular outdoor regiment first thing in the morning, every 30 minutes to an hour throughout the day, after meals and naps, and every evening as a last resort.
When you have GSD at home, you don’t want to bite on furniture, chew toys, and much more. And with the help of proper obedience coaching, GSD can be just as harmonious as you want it to be.
Socializing your puppy
Teaching your GSD to be obedient to you and following your commands is no easy task. This type of coaching requires a lot of patience and consistency. If you lose your temper at any point in the process, both you and your dog will have a hard time.
Also Read: Will German shepherd protect if not trained? Quick Thoughts
Socializing GSD with the people around it and other animals is a major part of its training. When you get GSD, you need to be comfortable around others so that it does not cause trouble in the future.
GSD is a social animal-Avoid isolating him.
Puppies pull while running. Our job is to change that natural nature and teach them to walk nicely on the leash. It takes time but patience and practice will definitely work.
Setup a perfect meal schedule. An irregular feeding schedule can affect your dog’s digestive system and eventually lead to chronic digestive disorders.
Keep water and food bowls (in steel bowls) in one place every day. Set a time rule for eating. After the time is up, dispose of uneaten food and wash the bowl.
Do not over-treat or over-feed your dog. Too many treats can lead to unhealthy extra pounds. Many vitamins can also cause unintended consequences.
Dogs should not be bothered when eating. Feed your dog in an area where children & other pets will not bother them. Teach your child to be alone when eating or chewing a bone.
Combine the verbal command with the hand gesture to reinforce the submitted action, followed by the clicker, applause, and food treatment method when success is achieved.
Puppies are easily excited and have a lot of energy, so it is important that they learn good manners and discipline in their life.
Teaching your dog the words “no” or “stop” will help them understand when they are doing inappropriate work at home or around other people and pets.
Other important commands to teach at the beginning: sit, stay, and lie down (lie down). When teaching these words to your dog, remember to use one command at a time, such as “sit” until the puppy completes the task.
Use treats and appreciate your puppy for obeying your orders during the german shepherd puppy training.
Do not make your puppy rely too much on treats as it only follows the instructions for the treat.
In order for your GSD to learn to behave in real situations, you need to introduce distractions between training.
This will help you to know how well your dog is trained and to avoid distractions when ordering you to stay, stop, etc.
It is natural for dogs to bark. They alert their family that someone is coming. You can’t expect a puppy to never bark.
Train him to stop barking after you identify the problem and take responsibility.
Obedience training should begin at 8 weeks of age. You need to define your dog’s role in the family.
Make sure you do not drag the training session as it may frustrate the dog. Teach him to be obedient, patient, and calm.