Training German Shepherds

German Shepherds are one of the most loving and loyal dog breeds and are extensively utilized all over the world. They are very adaptable and versatile. They are endowed with great physical power and intelligence which makes them the preferred watch dogs to have. Be it farms, gardens, bungalows, or apartments, they guard the vicinity with loyalty and devotion, and always protect the owners like a beloved family member. They can serve you in a better manner if you know the techniques to train your German Shepherds to track, protect, and attack. A good training can make them the best watch dog and guardian one can ever have. This article will help you in transforming your ordinary German Shepherd dog in to a royal guard.

Training for Protection

As said, German Shepherds are family dogs and are kind of emotional and protective about the owners. Being naturally so, you would hardly have to train them for protection. You first need to start with basic dog obedience training. Let your dog learn to take your orders, such as, 'come', 'go', 'sit', 'stop', etc. These basic orders would help you in further training. The obedience training would make the dog understand that you are the 'boss' and not him. This is one of the important secrets of German Shepherd training. Simultaneously, you should also socialize your dog. Let him get acquainted with the surroundings and local places. Take him out for a walk everyday and let him observe the places and people around. Allow him to get friendly with your neighbors, relatives, and friends. Teach him not to attack or bite other people or animals, using the basic obedience training. After a few weeks, he would have an idea about his boundaries that he should be protecting. Make sure you provide the German Shepherd with consistent training so that he learns things faster. Also teach him the following things using primary commands, which will make him a good protector.

• To bark when he hears someone at the door or around the house.
• To stop barking when a familiar person arrives.
• Not to accept food from strangers.
• Not to sleep when he needs to be alert.

Training to Attack

German Shepherd dog training is a very responsible job, especially when it comes to attack training. You must provide the dog with attack training only for protection or self protection purpose. Before you start attack training, again it is essential for the dog to undergo obedience training so that you know how to control him through mere commands. The submission commands such as, 'heel', 'stay', 'calm', etc., would help in avoiding any unpleasant events and accidents. Once the dog learns to take your commands, select two different words for 'attack' and 'stop'.

• First, you have to start with a leash training. When you command 'attack', loosen the leash, and pull the leash when you want to command 'stop'. Repeat this several times so that the dog learns when to attack and when to stop.
• Once the dog gets leash training for attack, with the help of a bite suit, train the dog to attack on the arms and legs of an attacker that would immobilize him and wouldn't have fatal effects. Now, train the dog to attack without your commands by just seeing you getting attacked by a stranger. This will help you in situations wherein you cannot give any commands.

Training to Track

One of the interesting German Shepherd facts is that they have an excellent nose for troubles and dangers. You can utilize this skill by providing them proper trail training. Training them to track is quite a tedious and time-consuming task but you won't regret it. First, you need to decide the venue for trail training, which has to be a field or a garden where there is enough grass and trees. You would also need a delicious treat for the dog along with basic training essentials, such as, collars, leash, and a piece of clothing, etc. Given below are few steps that would make trail training easy and effective:

• Make your dog sit at one place.
• Now, take a treat and crush it on the grass.
• Start walking away in a straight line placing a treat at every 6-8 feet. By now the dog would have got the smell of the food.
• At the end of the track, place a piece of clothing along with a treat.
• Now release the dog and command him to 'find' the cloth.
• Encourage him to sniff the ground and praise him while doing that without disturbing and distracting him.
• Once he reaches the end of the track and finds the cloth, reward him with food or a toy.

Slowly, you can make the job tough for him by having longer and curved or zigzag tracks. But make sure that you repeat and revise the training everyday without pressurizing the dog, and let him learn at his own pace. You can also take the assistance of a professional dog trainer, who can make your task easy and train the dog in a better way.

Caution

• Look for pet dog owner liability laws for your state.
• Assistance of professionals is suggested for attack training.
• Take safety measures for the helpers, other people and animals around.
• Contact the local police for safety suggestions and in case of accidents.

I hope these German Shepherd training tips and techniques were resourceful for you. Training German Shepherds is a must, to make them the best pet, companion, and guard, to have around.