Facts about the German Shepherd

It is no doubt that German Shepherds are good companions for human beings and are most-sought after as pets. In order to gain most out of this breed, you need to first learn and research about them before getting a German shepherd as a pet.

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First of all, this breed requires a lot of patience and understanding for it to be a good pet. The owner needs to take the time out to provide daily exercise, mental stimulation and ‘exclusive’ German shepherd training for his or her pet. Why is this important? German Shepherds require a purpose in their life to keep them busy and entertained. A bored German Shepherd can be destructive, therefore the owner should always make an effort to prevent this behavior. Secondly, it is very important that you show your German Shepherd who the master is! These dogs respond well to firm leadership and authority. Failing to do so can make your German Shepherd aggressive towards you.

Lastly, these dogs are very protective about their family and owner, so they can be territorial when strangers show up. You can stop this by working on your pet socialization skills.

Training a German shepherd

“If you don’t train them, don’t blame them”

~Unknown

Training a German Shepherd depends on its age and temperament. A puppy obviously requires a lot of discipline, time and attention. But at the same time, even some older German Shepherds are difficult to train if they come from an uncaring owner and home.

You need to enter into the mindset of your German Shepherd to train him or her. They are governed by instincts and so it is your responsibility to balance your dog’s instincts through training. The first thing you should do for training is establish a social hierarchy in your home when your pet arrives to its new house. In a dog’s world, social hierarchy consist of the Alpha dog, Beta dog and the Omega dog, The Alpha dog is the leader of the pack and lies on the top level of social hierarchy followed by the Beta dog. This is why a Beta dog is submissive towards the Alpha dog but can dominate other dogs. Last in the hierarchy is the Omega dog, which is submissive to all the dogs and cannot dominate anybody.

To build your relationship with your dog you need to establish the fact that you are the Alpha dog of the pack. This is simply done by being firm, yet gentle with your dog. For example, never feed your pet when he or she wants, but according to the feeding time you have set for your pet. The Alpha dog always eats first so make sure your pets feeding time is after your breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dominating your pet is very important in German Shepherd training.

Begin teaching your dog basic commands to reinforce your position in the hierarchy. Always use a positive but an authoritative tone when bidding your pet to do something. Always reward him or her when they follow your commands by giving them a treat or a simple pat on the head. Also correct your pet when it does something wrong. Don’t give it a free rein or your pet will consider him or herself as the ‘Alpha dog’ which will make your pet aggressive towards you. For example, never let your German Shepherd sit on the furniture or bed. This makes them think that they are the leader/master.

In conclusion, as long as you make your position as the “boss” very clear to your pet, he or she will be well-trained and be the best pet for your family!