Interested in training German Shepherd Dogs? Learn more about German Shepherd obedience training techniques…
When you consider the training of a German shepherd dog you must start when the dog is a puppy. Furthermore, the dog should be trained by giving the same cues by the entire family in order for the training exercises to be a success. Therefore your entire family must be committed to the training exercises.
Obedience Training Classes
You can start using formal training classes and different resources from the age of 12 weeks. The kindergarten classes start with socialization skills, and this early training can produce remarkable benefits. From here onwards the puppy can be graduated to more structured and formal learning experiences with different classes.
This type of structured class must be initiated at the age of six months. Before you start on the training program you need to do your homework. Since the German Shepherd dog is very intelligent and highly motivated, if it is not trained properly then it cannot survive with families. It is very independent and needs to be trained in terms of subordination and obedience.
Furthermore relaxation exercises must be incorporated into the schedule on a daily basis. Be careful not to include anything that might be physically taxing for the young puppy. Since it is a young dog it cannot jump or go on long runs because this can damage the growth plate of the dog as the puppy is developing rapidly at this stage.
German Shepherd Dog Training Programs
The German Shepherd dog is known for its tendency towards hip dysplasia. Therefore, you must wait till the puppy reaches the age of 12 to 18 months before it is put on a heavy physical routine. At the age of 10 weeks the average weight of the German Shepherd should be between 13 to 20 pounds. At this point it will continue to grow and will reach its final adult height at the age of 12 months. After this time it fills out in terms of its size until about the age of 24 to 36 months.
The German Shepherd dog training program focused on socialization skills will get the best results. The main reason for incorporating these exercises is that the German shepherds are often prone to shyness in their adolescent age. Therefore, many of the problems associated with shyness can be dealt with at an early age between 4 to 12 months. The classes are very highly recommended for most dogs but German shepherds are larger breeds and need to be exposed to different experiences without inflicting any trauma.
Something as simple as petting your dogs ears back from its nose can cause some damage because the ear musculature is not fully developed and does not stand erect. Instead just scratch the ear at the base where it is attached the skull and your puppy will be very happy.
In Germany the focus is on developing its skills as a working dog so as much emphasis is given on other aspects. A German shepherd must be developed to retain its breed characteristics, which include courage, a keen sense of smell, and obedience while also retaining its independence and encouraging controlled aggression and agility.
