Training Your German Shepherd Puppy

There’s allot more benefit to training your new German Shepherd puppy than getting him to poop outside. You see, by training your new puppy correctly, what happens because of your roll as trainer, you also are establishing your role – and his – as members of the pack. You are the pack leader, and your new dog is a member within that pack.

I’ll give a brief step by step guide to training the German Shepherd puppy you’ve just brought home, starting with the basics.

Step #1 – Kennel Training

Here’s your new pup, loving you up and wanting to explore your home. He looks so cute, doesn’t he? Now what is he getting into now? Oh oh, he’s chewing on an extension cord! Now he’s using your new $100 pair of shoes as a chew toy!

This type of behavior is kind of cute when your new puppy is 8 weeks old, but what about when he turns 1 year, and still has a problem with chewing on electric cords? Not so cute, right? Well, to lessen these types of mishaps, and to also ease your house training efforts, I recommend the (effective use of…) an indoor kennel. Keeping “fido” in his kennel while he sleeps will give you piece of mind. Also, keeping him in it while you do your thing is something I also high recommend.

You see, to fully understand your new dog and dog behavior in general, you have to go back to basics. And basically, your dog is not a human. He’s a canine that has genetically programed behaviors that we can use to our advantage. Why is this important? Well, for many who get a dog as a companion, the way they relate to their dog is the same way they relate to other humans. But with dogs, they can understand very little about our emotional decisions. They run off pack drives. These pack drives (genetically hard-coded behaviors) are how dogs relate to the world, to other canines, and to us.

And one of these pack drives is the need for a den. You see, your new dog will feel more comfortable in a kennel – their new “den” – very soon. They’ll see their kennel as their own private space (den), and will readily get into it with a simple command, “kennel!”.

Step #2 – Tethering

What I typically do with new puppies is a technique called “tethering”. Basically what I do is get them used to a collar and leash, all the while looping the leash around my waist. The new pup has no alternative but to find total fun, food, and exploring all the while no further than 6 feet away from me – wherever I go. This creates an instant bond. It actually accelerates the bonding time that a pup will have with their new owner.

This bond will be life-long.

Step #3 – House Training

Coming later this week!

Step #4 – Sit

Coming later this week!

Step #5 – Down

Coming later this week!

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