How to properly train German Shepherd puppies: basic education from a dog trainer. Raising and training a German Shepherd - basic principles and rules, advice from dog handlers

The German Shepherd breed is universal because it combines the qualities of a service dog and has high intelligence. Such properties make her capable of rapid learning. The German Shepherd shows the ability to train quite early and quickly grasps new commands.

As they grow older, young individuals can be stubborn; they strive to be independent and do not listen to their owners. But if you show persistence and firmness, you can find a common language with the animal and teach it to obey. Typically, females are flexible and obedient, so people who are unsure of their strong character prefer to purchase female shepherd dogs.

Female German Shepherds are more trainable than males.

Since the German Shepherd is easy to train and quickly masters commands, training can be done at home. It is not necessary to constantly come to a special site; visiting it once a week will be enough. Exercises on the playground are needed so that the pet learns to be part of a team and not be distracted by various stimuli. If a dog is intended for service, then it needs to visit such sites and learn training there. You can still learn basic commands on your own by organizing the training process at home. An experienced dog handler will tell you on video when to start lessons and how to conduct them.

Initial training for puppies

Already from 2 months you can start training German Shepherd puppies. They try to clearly grasp every word of their master and understand what is required of them. Since they perceive this process as a game, they may bite out of habit. To stop them from biting, you need to stop giving them your hands.

Puppies are like children; training with them should not last long and must include rewards - treats for following each command. A prerequisite for the start of each lesson is the need to take the puppy for a good walk. At first, classes are held at home, then you can change their locations.

The very first command with which the process of training a German Shepherd usually begins is “voice”. How to teach this to a dog? First of all, you need to stock up on a few pieces of your favorite treat, and do not feed the puppy before the lesson, he must be hungry enough. Next steps are as follows:

The owner extends his hand with a piece of treat over the dog's head.
Shows the contents of his hand to the puppy, as if teasing him. But the delicacy remains in the hands of the owner.
The owner clicks with his fingers or a clicker.
Simultaneously with the click, the “voice” command is loudly pronounced.

It is better to train shepherd dogs from an early age, when the dog is most pliable and is interested in learning new things.

As a result of such actions by the owner, the puppy will try to jump to the hand and get the treat. Soon he will get tired of these attempts and begin to actively bark. It is important to give him a treat at the beginning of the barking. At the same time, it is necessary to praise him. The number of such attempts in the first lesson should not be more than two times. You can train your pet daily until complete absorption.

If the puppy is indifferent to the treat, then you can replace it with some favorite toy. It could be a ball, a squeaker, or any other toy. It, like the treat, will need to be given to the puppy after he completes the command.

Experienced dog handlers say that after several such sessions the command will be executed when the sound of a click is heard.

We teach the initial commands - “sit” and “lie down”

The next command you can teach your puppy is “sit.” In the general training course, it belongs to the basic category. If you work it out carefully, it will help the owner control the pet’s behavior in the future. Sometimes its clear assimilation and implementation helps save the dog’s life. This often manifests itself in a situation where it is necessary to cross the street, and the dog tends to go ahead.

The “sit” command is one of the basic ones in dog training.

In order to perform it, the puppy must sit in front of the owner. First, the pet must smell the treat, which will be in the owner’s grasped hand. Next, you need to raise your hand above the puppy’s head and say the command. The puppy will jump and then sit down and you will need to praise him and give him the desired treat. Subsequently, the puppy is placed next to the owner’s left leg, holding it by the collar.

The next command that you can teach your puppy is “lie down.” If the dog hears this command, it should lie down, but not on its side. For the first time, you can help the puppy move from a sitting position to a lying position. This will help him determine what is required of him. To do this, they give him a sniff of the treat and lower him to the ground, pressing lightly. Sometimes, when teaching this command, the puppy jumps up; to prevent this from happening, you need to hold it by the collar with your left hand, and with your right stretch your front paws forward, forcing it to lie down. After several such repetitions, they lie down on their own, as they already understand what is required of them. You can see how this happens in this video.

What commands should a puppy master at 6 months?

When the dog reaches the age of 6 months, you can teach it two more new commands:

"Near". To teach this command, the dog must be on a leash. The owner must say “nearby” in a stern voice, while pulling the leash a little. If the puppy does not react to such actions of the owner, it is recommended to change the collar to a strict one. The exercise must be repeated on every walk, and the dog should always walk next to the owner, keeping up with his walking pace. At the same time, do not forget about encouragement. This command disciplines the dog and helps to cope with it during walks.
"Aport." The dog must retrieve an object that was thrown by the owner. Usually, to make learning more fun, a toy is used as a thrown object. Teaching a command resembles a game, so the puppy brings the toy with pleasure. When throwing a toy, the command “fetch” is pronounced loudly. When the puppy brings an object in its teeth, you need to exchange it for a treat. Afterwards, you can complicate the task - do not immediately take the thrown object from the mouth, wait a short time - a few seconds is enough.

It is better to learn the “fetch” command with a toy - this way the dog will be interested in finding and fetching it

Once she has mastered this skill and is fetching the thrown object, you can make the task a little more difficult. The dog will not have to throw the found abandoned object at the owner’s feet, but will have to hold it in its mouth, sitting in front of the owner.

After completing the general course and when the puppy is 1 year old, you can begin training in some protective guard service commands. Shepherd dogs of this breed do not particularly need to be taught aggression, since they have an innate distrust of strangers. Therefore, the “stranger” command needs to be taught without showing aggression towards strangers. In this case, encouragement is provided only by voice. The commands “face” and “take” are taught by the trainer using special equipment, as shown in the video. These commands cannot be taught at home.

The main characteristics of which are a high level of intelligence and human focus. Thanks to this, teaching your pet commands will not be difficult even for those who have not trained a dog before.

How to teach a German Shepherd commands?

Accustoming to basic exercises should begin from the first day the puppy is in the house. To avoid any difficulties, the pet owner should adhere to the following rules:

At the initial stage, classes are conducted in a calm environment; the puppy should not be distracted from training by surrounding factors - passers-by, cars, other animals, etc.

It is allowed to give the dog treats (small pieces of cheese, food or other food that is safe for the pet) - this will be an incentive to perform the actions correctly.

Training is carried out before feeding, and not after it. A well-fed dog is more difficult to motivate to follow commands with treats.
To consolidate the skill, 12-15 repetitions in one lesson are enough, but they are carried out in several approaches, and not in a row.

The process of teaching a puppy commands should alternate with games so that interest in classes is not lost. If your pet lives not in a house, but in, then you need to take into account that he spends much more energy on activity than a domestic dog

Important! It is much easier to train a pet than to retrain it, so when practicing basic commands you should strive for flawless execution every time and only after that encourage the pet.

Basic

The earlier training begins, the more impressive the results will be. You can start learning basic commands from day one the puppy is with the owner.

It is the impeccable execution of basic commands that will help the owner avoid unpleasant situations (for example, the indignation of a passerby whose clothes have been soiled by a running puppy) and will ensure the safety of the pet itself (in particular, the “come to me” command will force the dog to run up to the owner, and not go out onto the roadway).

The list of basic commands is small, but each of them must be executed by the dog without delay. The first thing you should teach your shepherd is the “come to me” command. It is given by the owner when the pet needs to be called.

To accustom it to it, you should say “come to me” when the dog is called for feeding, to pet or play with it, and so on - that is, the shepherd dog must know that after approaching it will receive a pleasant reward. After the Kafka dog came up and received praise, it was released with the word “walk.”

Important! You cannot punish a dog if it does not immediately run up to the owner, and it is also prohibited to independently move towards the puppy. As soon as your pet approaches, you should immediately praise him and treat him with a treat.

“No” and “Fu” are used by owners to stop unwanted actions of the pet. It is better to practice them in a confined space or while keeping the dog on a leash. In the first case, a dog performing an undesirable action is punished with a gentle slap (for example, with a rolled up newspaper) and a spoken word, and in the second, with a sensitive tug of the leash, and the action is accompanied by a command.

The owner needs to be consistent- he should not allow a dog at a young age to do things that would be prohibited for an adult pet.

The algorithm for teaching a shepherd dog other commands is as follows:

“Sit” - the puppy stands in front of the owner, who has a treat in his hand. The owner holds the hand with the treat above the dog’s head, while simultaneously pressing on the puppy’s croup with the other hand and says “sit.”
“Lie down” - performed by the dog from a sitting position. The owner holds his hand with a treat clamped in it in front of the dog's muzzle forward and down to the ground. Actions are accompanied by a single pronouncement of the command word.
“Nearby” - the puppy is led on a leash so that the front part of its body is in line with the owner’s leg, and when the owner stops, the dog must sit down. Attempts to move away from the owner are stopped by a jerk of the leash, and correct execution is encouraged.

Important! Practicing basic exercises begins with 1-3 repetitions, and over time their number increases. The main thing is to finish classes before the puppy gets tired, then he will not lose interest in training

A puppy should not be taught the “voice” command from early childhood, since the really important skills have not yet been learned and wasting effort and energy on this training will take a lot of effort from the baby.

Fas!

Practicing this command should begin only after the pet begins to flawlessly perform the basic ones. It is advisable to conduct training at a training site, with the participation of an experienced dog handler and the person involved, towards whom aggression will be directed. The algorithm for teaching the “fas” command is as follows:

the dog is next to the owner;
the dog walks several times in close proximity to the shepherd dog, causing aggression in it (while waving his arms is allowed);
as soon as the pet begins to react negatively to the person involved, the owner says “fas”;
the person involved runs away, and the dog receives praise and a treat.

Important! You can teach only dogs with a stable psyche so as not to provoke the manifestation of unmotivated aggression.

Voice!

There are two ways to teach this skill:

The owner says “voice” when the shepherd barks and rewards the action with a treat.
The owner holds the treat in his hand, arousing the pet’s interest. As soon as he barks, he immediately gives him the tasty morsel.

Important! Before studying, the prohibiting command is practiced until it becomes automatic, otherwise the owner risks teaching the shepherd to bark for no reason in order to receive rewards.

Stranger!

Execution of this command is a manifestation of aggression by the dog towards a specific person, but without attacking him. Training is worth doing under the guidance of a dog handler and with the participation of a person unfamiliar to the shepherd who will cause aggression.

Remember, which comes first, and only then such serious skills as this.

You can teach the “alien” command like this:

the dog is near the owner;
the person involved is passing by, he can wave his arms, make small lunges towards the owner, talk loudly;
the owner pronounces “stranger” in a quiet but clear voice;
as soon as the shepherd dog begins to bark, growl and prepare to attack, the person involved leaves, and the pet is encouraged with praise.

Important! It is worth practicing “stranger” with dogs that have reached the age when the psyche is fully formed.

How to teach a German Shepherd to show stand?

Teaching a shepherd dog to stand in the correct exhibition position will require a lot of patience, since it is quite difficult for a dog to remain motionless. There are 2 ways to learn:

Forcing - the owner uses his hands to place the pet in the desired position, repeating “stand.” With regular repetition, the skill is practiced until it becomes automatic and the dog, on command, independently assumes a show pose.
Motivation - the helper holds the dog on a leash, and the owner moves away a few steps. The shepherd will reach for the owner and reflexively take the desired position. She must remain in this position for a few seconds, after which she is given a treat. Gradually the holding time is increased.

Important! In a correct exhibition position, the ears should not be flattened. To get the dog to pick them up, it is worth practicing a command that makes the pet alert (for example: “Where is the cat?”).

Useful video

In the video you can clearly see the basic commands for a dog in the city:

To raise an adequate and balanced dog, the owner must provide the German Shepherd with a sufficient amount of attention, regular mental and physical exercise. How to train a German Shepherd daily, it is advisable to spend time practicing commands on each walk, bringing their implementation to automaticity.

How to train a German Shepherd? In this matter, a correct, thoughtful approach is very important. The dog must be trained calmly, strictly, but with love and without aggression.

Training a German Shepherd: at what age can you start training?

It is best to start training at two or three months of age. First, the dog needs to be taught simple commands in familiar, comfortable conditions. It is better to conduct classes before feeding, so that rewards in the form of treats are interesting to the baby. With a grown puppy and an adult dog, you need to follow the same rules. As a rule, a grown-up puppy learns commands well. Balance and calmness of the owner are important requirements for training. Remember that a dog has excellent hearing, so shouting will not solve anything.

Training a German Shepherd at home: for exhibition and for life

Training can be divided into two types: exhibition and for life. Moreover, you can use not just dry commands (that is, standard ones), but the ones you want. It is very important that there is contact between the owner and his dog. There is no way to do without the above condition.

German Shepherd training: getting ready for classes

When exercising with your dog, you need to wear sports-style clothing so that you can comfortably perform various exercises. Before training, as you remember, the dog cannot be fed. You should take a bag with treats with you to class (a plastic bag is not suitable). You need to train your dog daily (or several times a week). This is the only way you can achieve results. There is no exact time limit for how long you can train your dog. An important condition is that classes must be systematic.

No magic wand effect

You must understand that training is work, both for the owner and for his dog. When training an animal, always start with the simple, and only then move on to the complex.

German Shepherd training: where, how many and how to conduct classes?

The duration of classes cannot be determined precisely. It all depends on how interested the animal is. Therefore, you need to ensure that classes end with the successful execution of the command. The first lesson should be conducted in the most familiar environment for the dog. The dog needs to be trained in any weather so that it can work in the same conditions. It is necessary to exercise at different times of the day: first in the morning, gradually moving to the evening, so that the dog behaves adequately under any conditions.

What do you want from a dog?

When starting to train a dog, you must clearly know for what purpose you are doing it. Just for comfortable living together? Or are you planning to use the shepherd for business purposes? Or perhaps you want to prepare your dog for a show? By choosing a goal, you can choose the right training methods and system. Otherwise, any, even the most insignificant detail during training can negatively affect the learning result. Remember that training a German Shepherd should be done without cruelty and violence!

The German Shepherd is the most versatile breed, combining all the positive qualities of a service dog, and in addition, has high intelligence and excellent learning ability. German Shepherd puppies love to learn from an early age and instantly grasp new information.

As they grow up and enter adolescence, young male dogs may become stubborn and become more independent and disobedient, but provided that the owner is firm and persistent, conflicts with the animal can be easily avoided. Bitches are more obedient and flexible, so it is best for people who are unsure of themselves and children to work with females.

Since teaching a dog commands is quite simple, training can and should be done at home, appearing on the playground only once a week. This is necessary in order to accustom the animal to exercise in a group and not be distracted by extraneous stimuli, as well as to practice commands for protective service dogs with the trainer. But training in basic commands for dogs can be done independently, at home.

Puppy's first commands

German Shepherd puppies can be trained starting at two months old.

Already at two months old, a German Shepherd puppy is ready for training; usually the kids really enjoy the process of training, they hang on every word of their beloved owner, trying to understand what he requires of them. As with children, you don’t need to train puppies for long, and always reward them with pieces of treats to follow commands.

Before training, the dog needs to be given a good walk, and at first, training can be done at home, gradually complicating the process by changing places of training.

How to teach your dog the “voice” command: “Voice” is the very first command that you can learn with a puppy. To complete it, you need a piece of tasty treat, such as cheese or sausage, and a hungry dog. The owner raises his hand with a treat above the dog’s head, as if teasing it, while the piece is held in the palm of his hand, and the thumb and index finger make a click. At the same time, the command “voice” is cheerfully pronounced.

The puppy will initially try to jump up to reach the hand, but after a few attempts it will get tired and start barking. It is precisely at the first attempt to bark that you must give the treat to the dog, praising it vigorously and cheerfully. During the first lesson, you can make no more than two attempts, repeating this command daily.

For those animals that are indifferent to food, you can use your favorite ball or squeaker as a stimulus, making sure to give the toy back after completing the command. Usually, after five or six lessons, dogs begin to vocalize with a simple click of their fingers.

Procedure for training
command “sit”

How to teach your dog the "sit" command: The “sit” command is one of the main ones in the general training course, and its perfect execution helps the owner control the dog’s behavior, and can even save the pet’s life. There are cases when sitting down an animal before crossing the street helped avoid being run over by a car.

Performing this command for the first time is easiest when the puppy is sitting directly in front of the owner. First of all, you need to let your pet smell the treat held in your hand and raise your hand above his head while saying the command. The puppy may jump and then sit down - this is exactly the moment when you need to praise him and give him a treat. In the future, you can sit the baby next to you at your left leg, pressing his rump to the ground with your left hand, and holding his collar with your right.

You should always reward your dog for following commands.

How to teach your dog the “down” command: When given the “down” command, the dog must lie down, but not roll over on its side. For the first time, it is more convenient to put the puppy down from a sitting position, letting him sniff the treat and lowering him to the ground. To prevent the puppy from jumping up, hold him by the collar with his left hand; if he does not show interest in food, then with his right hand he gently stretches his front paws, forcing him to lie down. Usually, after a few repetitions, the dog willingly lies down on its own, having understood what they want from it.

Commands for a six-month-old dog

The command “nearby” must not be pronounced quietly, but in a clear voice.

How to teach your dog the “here” command: a command necessary in a modern city that disciplines a dog and allows you to walk the streets with the animal without problems is the “next” command. The German Shepherd is a large and temperamental dog, and without proper training it is very difficult to control it on walks, because if it notices a relative or a cat, it will simply carry the owner along with it. The “near” command is taught starting from the age of six months, teaching the puppy to walk next to the owner’s left leg without pulling on the leash.

To do this, the owner puts the animal on a leash and says “here!” in a stern voice, reinforcing the command with a short tug of the leash. If the dog does not pay attention to this, then use a strict collar. During each walk, perform this exercise, ensuring that the pet walks alongside and does not pull in any circumstances and at any pace of movement. Be sure to give your dog a treat from time to time.

How to teach a dog the “fetch” command: the command for a dog to “fetch” is that the animal brings an object thrown by the owner, and you can complicate the task by forcing him not just to throw a stick or a ball at the owner’s feet, but to sit down and hold it in his mouth.

Learning this command begins with a game, when the puppy brings the ball with pleasure. Once again, throwing the toy, the command “fetch” is pronounced, and when the dog runs up with it in its teeth, you must offer a treat, forcing it to give up the ball. Gradually, the execution of the command becomes more complicated; a delay of several seconds is made before the object is taken away.

Protective Service Teams

To teach the “take” command you need a partner
and special equipment

Training a German Shepherd in protective guard service commands should begin no earlier than the dog has completed the general training course and is one year old. Dogs of this breed do not need additional development of aggression, since by nature they have a fairly serious character and an innate distrust of strangers.

It is quite possible to independently teach a dog the “stranger” command; for this, when showing aggression towards strangers, the dog is encouraged with a voice. It is impossible to teach a dog the “face” or “take” command at home, since this requires the help of a trainer and special equipment.

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Training a German Shepherd at home: 190 comments

Sergey
The article does not cover the main issue of successful dog training - trust between the owner and the animal. The German Shepherd is the most loyal dog breed to its owner. It must be trained by the owner, only occasionally involving a professional trainer.
Julia
We have a shepherd dog, we took her when she was little, and we wanted to teach her commands. So, only one person did this - my husband, since a dog should obey only one person, and not everyone. Now he is already an adult with us and follows commands very well, very obedient and kind, he will never touch a child. But he is very aggressive towards strangers.
Elena
Training should begin from childhood, when they are just beginning to explore the world and get to know it. And if you train, then only one person should, and not everyone at once, whoever wants it.
Vlad
and if he is 1 year old
Sergey
Mine does not follow the “Come to me” command. What should I do?
Tatiana
We have a German Shepherd, she is 2.5 months old and she really loves to ride down the children's slide, and recently she overcame her fear and started climbing the stairs to the slide. Follows the command “GIVE PAW”, tries to perform “SIT” and we will slowly teach the rest of the commands according to your article. I really like your article!!! THANK YOU!!!
Andrey
thanks for the article
Oleg
Is it possible to teach the command to me at the age of 5?
Nina
how to teach a dog patience? My shepherd dog Jack is 1 year 1 month old, when I give the command to sit, he sits up quickly, looks at my hand, should I give the command to lie down, so that he can do everything quickly and run to play or pester me, he constantly grabs my hand or leg, does not sit quietly, command Nearby does the same thing: stands next to him and immediately runs away. He approaches everyone on the street and is very kind, but he doesn’t let me out of sight while walking, he constantly looks around.
Gennady
VEO, 3.5 years old, lives in an enclosure, purchased for a private home. Needed as a guard in the yard. At night everything is fine, but during the day, when someone enters the yard, he barks and goes into the enclosure continuing to bark. My fault - when friends come in, we immediately lock him in the enclosure, he understands this and when a person appears, he immediately goes there. Can I fix this myself?
Ivan
I don’t have a pure blooded German Mitis, is it possible to teach all the commands?
Alexander
thank you very much, your article helped me a lot, I have had the cable for 2 months and we already know a lot and I hope we will learn a lot thanks to your information!:)
Anastasia
Victor, please tell me, we have a German Shepherd dog, 9 months old, in a private house, a wonderful dog, he follows commands, but is still willful. Now a problem has arisen: he has become aggressive towards people, not towards his family, but towards those around him. As soon as he sees a person, he begins to growl and lunge. He even bit a neighbor, whom he has known since childhood, on the leg. What can you recommend? Thanks in advance.
Irina.
Hello. The girl is almost 4 months old. We bought her a month ago. I have never heard her barking, she just whines.....is this normal?
Yana
Thank you, Victor, very good and valuable advice. Our baby is 3 months old. We live in the private sector. We regularly walk the dog outside the house, while it moves freely in the yard, but we are planning to build an enclosure. How to train a dog not to shit in the enclosure and in the yard?
Tatiana
I have a male German Shepherd. he is 5 months old. We are walking on the street, if he sees any dog, he starts barking madly and literally breaks off the leash, and simply does not perceive the command “FU”. tried to let him off the leash, he runs up to the dog and immediately runs back to me squealing. please advise what can be done. how to train my pet not to pay attention to foreign objects and animals
Olga
very good article and everything is so accessible.
Tatiana
Our 6-month-old clever one follows the commands: sit, lie down, fetch, catch, look (mostly her favorite toys are the squeaker ball and Chichi the monkey) and distinguishes between them, what you ask for is what she will bring, and her grip is strong and I can’t snatch it away until I’ll say FU. What is your assessment of my upbringing, this is my first training. And she also loves to sleep with us. We spoiled ourselves. In the evening, if you shout IN PLACE, she’ll go away, and when you wake up, she’s already on the bed with us. What do you recommend?
Tatiana
Thanks, I didn't even think about that
Elena
The article is cool, everything is clear. We have a German mixed breed, he is almost a year old. When we go for a walk, without a leash, he jumps on me and grabs my hands, bites me, it doesn’t seem too strong, but the bruises remain, now he grabs my legs and is quite sensitive, how to wean ?doesn’t run far during a walk, but in addition to “coming to me,” I taught him to use a whistle. He can hear it from a distance and runs right away. He’s a very playful dog, he seems to understand everything.
Anastasia
Good afternoon, Victor! We had such an unpleasant situation: our German (1.3 years old) was bitten by dogs while walking. We live in a private sector, in the evening my daughter went for a walk with him, and the neighbor has three Tibetan mastiffs, the male broke the fence and escaped into the street, with two other bitches with him. And this trio attacked our dog, he tried to fight back, but the forces were not equal (Tibet is twice as large). As a result, our dog ran into our yard, then my husband and I ran out, drove the dogs away, and locked ours in an enclosure so that they wouldn’t finish him off. Now the dog does not leave the kennel of the enclosure, he looks terribly beaten, there are no visible injuries. But I'm afraid that he won't get it at all. He's already afraid of dogs, but here it is. Can you give me some advice?
Natalia
Hello Victor. I have a problem with a dog like Anastasia.
We live in a private house, there is a dog in the yard, BUT the girl is 3.5 years old, we walk 5 km every evening. The dog is obedient and follows my commands. An Alaskan Malamute dog attacked while out for a walk. I kept the dog on a leash. The owner of the attacked dog did not know what to do; the dog was without a leash or collar. My dog got off the leash and ran away. There were no visible injuries, except for a scratch under the eye. Processed.
We went to a protection course, but the dog did not show aggression towards the instructor. Don't know what to do? Can you tell me something?
Best regards, Natalya
Olga
Victor, how to teach a puppy not to rush at food, but to eat with the owner’s permission. ? Age 1 month.
Elena
Hello, Victor! I found answers to many questions on your site. I have a 4.5 month old German Shepherd. Knows several commands and carries them out willingly. I don’t have much time to study - I work at school. We study every day for 30 minutes. We have a private house and Scully runs around without a leash. I can’t stop digging flower beds. As long as everything is at home, don’t touch it. We come home from work - devastation. There are toys. But apparently it’s more interesting for her to play dirty tricks without us. Please advise what to do. Today I couldn’t resist - I punished her - I stuck my nose into the flowerbed (as usual) and spanked her quite hard.
Nick
BUT 1.5 -2 years old...chasing his tail...and does not show aggression towards strangers at all...how to fix it???
Nick
A male... yes.. only if he sees another dog he starts barking and chasing his tail... sometimes he starts chasing on his own... he doesn’t even react to strangers... only to dogs...
Olga
Good evening! Great article and super tips. We have a girl, Jessie, a purebred German, she will be 10 months old. We live in the private sector, she lives in a huge enclosure (part of the yard is fenced off) and we have this problem, she is very active, when you go into her enclosure she knocks you off your feet with joy, but if you let her out, she jumps and runs all over the yard . We tried to teach commands, but because of her activity it is almost impossible, she does not obey, she only does sit and come to me, but at the same time she carries them out very quickly and starts running and jumping again. Tell me if she will be calmer and how to teach her obedience? They really wanted a security guard in the yard, but she sees the owners and goes crazy with joy. We will soon have a baby and somehow we are afraid of her mega activity when she sees us. Tell me how to teach her?
Nick
Definitely...thank you...but what about aggression towards strangers??he hasn’t shown it at all yet
Xenia
Hello, I have a 2 month old German Shepherd puppy, we know the voice commands and come to me, tell me what other commands can be taught to a puppy at such an early age? And another problem, he bites his legs, arms, jumps with his paws, scratches to the point of blood (how to wean him from this, he understands the fu command every now and then and then in relation to food. Thanks in advance
Maria
Hello! I have a female BUT 1.9, there is no aggression towards strangers, she just loves everyone and whoever comes up starts licking her! While she was little, she barked at drunks and showed aggression, but there was a case when one persistent, fairly grunting passerby during our walk was determined and wanted to make friends with her, I didn’t allow it, I walked away and didn’t allow him to approach, at that time she was actively barking at him , we left and he followed us and talked to her so kindly, well, she apparently got tired and stopped reacting to him, like she walked and walked... and I praised her for her aggression, but after this incident the aggression disappeared completely! Now even drunk people are ready to lick and play! What to do?
Alexander
Good afternoon. Please help me with advice. We have a male German Shepherd, 2 months old. It develops normally, but there are problems. 1) With a good appetite, it actively tries to eat its feces. 2) He gnaws and swallows everything around him, especially small stones, which is why we cannot move him into the yard, into a booth. What to do?
Ilya
Thank you very much Victor, I bought a German male today - 2.5 months old, I’m very tired of fighting with him where the toilet should be. He walked when he asked, and a lot, but the bastard shits on the parquet. The dog is smart and follows commands for his age (the owner, the dog handler in the zone) and recognized me as the owner immediately upon purchase - he listens unconditionally, HOW to train him to go to the toilet on the street
Kat
Hello, Victor! My puppy is 3 months old. How often can I bathe him? And is it possible to feed the dog the food that we eat ourselves? He is reluctant to eat dry food! If you don’t give him anything else, he may eat
Konstantin
Hello Victor, I have a male BUT 9 months old - he follows the commands to sit and lie down to me, he taught me without problems, he seems to be smart, I don’t take a private house out into the street, there is plenty of space in the yard, I close the enclosure when someone comes from strangers - barks at cats and dogs on the street running past the house - but zero complete doesn’t even whine at the guests, he just sits as if nothing had happened - also the voice command, no matter how hard he tried, he doesn’t give in, teased with food, he barked at him, sits silently without emotions and waits for something - calm in general, like a boa constrictor and no aggression - what to do they say with age he will start guarding I only need a guard in the yard and no more tell me how to deal with him I catch moments when at least he barks at the dogs I praise I encourage him, but not at all when he considers it necessary he barks - at 2 months I walked with him on the street near the house he sniffed He yapped at all the passersby and thought everything would be fine with him, but he calmed down and for a long time - give me some good advice please
Konstantin
thank you very much, I understand you, I will try to provoke his aggression, or rather, ask someone to provoke him - and I also remembered in the winter he lived in the house, sometimes guests came to pet him, of course he didn’t let him feed, especially - but I think that maybe this is the problem of the fact that he is guests he accepts them as his own, although for example gas or water inspectors come in, he also doesn’t notice them, in general I will provoke and wait, maybe with age something will improve, it’s a pity that we don’t have dog handlers in our city
Nastya
I have a female German Shepherd, she is 2 years old, she lived with her father, but he didn’t teach the dog anything, now I took her to my place, tried to train her, but she’s an adult and doesn’t listen to anything or do anything, what should I do in this case? please tell me!!!
Nastya
Thank you very much!
Tatiana
I have a daughter, Katya, she is now 12 years old. Her godfather promised to give her a puppy for her 13th birthday: a breed of German Shepherd, a female. We live in an apartment. I want to ask if it is possible to allow my daughter to have a dog, or is it too early for 13 years old. Katya read everything about the Nemtsov and care, and maintenance, and food, and about walking, and about training. She herself adores this breed and dotes on it. Is 13 years too early for a dog or is there nothing wrong with it?
Julia
Hello, dear Victor. Need some advice. I took into a city apartment a female dog, BUT, who lived in an enclosure outside the city for up to 7 months. She is now one year and three months old. Gradually we got used to people, dogs, the street, we walk every evening for 2 hours in the park and communicate. We treat the dog kindly and calmly. The dog is practically problem-free, the only thing that bothers her is that she behaves like a puppy. If a strange dog, even a smaller one, growls when we meet, our huge shepherd dog begins to obsequiously lick its muzzle. She doesn’t notice people or cyclists on a walk, but if someone talks to her, at first she gets very scared, jumps away with her tail between her legs, and then jumps joyfully and caresses her. At the dacha there were even cases when she left with strangers. There is no talk of any security. This seems strange, since my previous dogs - VEO, three collies, a toy terrier - showed distrust of strangers entering the apartment already at seven or eight months.
Gregory
Hello!!! My dog is 1.5, she is friendly to everyone, what should I do!? I want her to guard the house / but she doesn’t even bark ((
Dima
dad bought a shepherd dog called Jack, went for a walk with him, cleaned up, etc. he’s half a year old at this age, what commands can you teach and when I go for a walk sometimes he’s very stubborn and just doesn’t know what to do and you can teach him to growl at this age, otherwise the cats will dig him out I'm afraid my eyes will be scratched out
Dima
and I also wanted to ask how long to walk with him, he’s about 1.5 months old
Dima
Alexander
Hello, Victor. Again I turn to you for advice. Our “boy” German Shepherd is 5.5 months old, growing and developing normally in the yard of a private house. Sensitive and moderately aggressive dog. Recently a problem arose. We began to notice that the dog was scared, did not bark at strangers, was frightened by sharp sounds and, with its tail between its legs, ran into the kennel. Could he have been scared by one of the strangers and how to correct the situation? Thank you.

Victor, good afternoon! Please tell me - BUT, cable, 2 years old, he lived with his mother in the courtyard of a private house and she was not particularly involved in his upbringing. But there is no doubt that he is smart. Now the house is for sale and the dog will need to be moved to an apartment. If you walk him well and actively, will he get used to the apartment? And is it possible to make him a well-mannered dog, given his age? Thanks in advance

Nikolay
Victor, good afternoon.
Thank you very much for the help you provide to your readers.
I couldn’t stay away and not ask my burning question.
A wonderful friend, cable, has been living with us for 1.5 months now, BUT, the puppy will soon be 3 months old.
outdoor living, free, we just got the second vaccine, we haven’t walked outside the yard yet.
We know the nickname and the command “come to me” perfectly well, we do the rest every other time, but the process is progressing
We only have one problem with the dog and it’s a big one.
Periodically, during play, he catches up and grabs our 3-year-old child by the arms and legs, especially when the baby is running in the yard, which leads to light scratches and sometimes the child cries.
We understand that the dog considers him a brother and plays as he played with the rest of the puppies from the litter, but this behavior of the puppy is sharply attracted by me with the command “Ugh” or “no”, sometimes even an additional newspaper in the face, or a shake at the withers.
But this action is enough for one day, then again I follow on his heels to stop his desire to grab the child.
Now we are already making an enclosure and protecting the dog from the baby during walks.
Can you express your opinion?
1- At what age will the dog stop this behavior and calm down?
2- Will restrictions on the dog’s communication with the child affect their relationship in the future?
3- What other methods can be used to stop this behavior of the dog once and for all, without losing his trust.
Irina
Hello. Thank you very much for your advice! Thanks to them, we already know a lot. We have a girl – German, 4 months old. At the moment he knows the commands for me: sit, lie down, give me a paw, fetch. The problem we have is this: during walks, when we let her off the leash to run, she doesn’t want to follow the command to me to go home. He runs up, but immediately jumps back and runs away. We fish with the whole family, and he rarely follows other commands during walks. What do you recommend?
Aizhana
Hello, we have a German 1.4 cable, that’s the problem we have, he doesn’t like children, I don’t know why. My 6-year-old son played constantly together and never showed aggression towards him. Once my nephew came and the eldest daughter took them all for a walk, let them off the leash and he attacked the nephew and tore him up a little, of course the child was scared, but I didn’t care so much since I had never attacked anyone. Then I walked with him and took off the leash when walking and so they always returned home, he himself went into the yard and did not run away. But one day he saw the girls and attacked them, did not bite them, but tore their things and scratched them badly. The children, of course, were afraid of a showdown with their parents. Now I’m terrified of walking with him, even with a leash, only in the yard I let him go, and then at night he sits on a long chain or in an enclosure, as he even began to attack my son in the yard. When he sits on a chain, he lets him pet him. When he is released, he rushes. I am very afraid for my son that one day I will not be around and he will bite him. Although I read a lot about them that they love children, but with us it’s the opposite. I don’t really know what to do.
Kat
Thank you for your advice! We have a dog, male, 6 months old. We live in an apartment. There are a lot of people at home and everyone seems to be his owner, although there should be one owner. We should probably decide that someone alone teaches her commands? We walk around queues, who is free. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t follow commands? Or rather, he doesn’t listen to everyone. He loves all family members, without singling out anyone in particular
Aizhana
Thank you for your answer. I also wanted to ask about our 2.5 by 4 enclosure, this space will be enough for him if you don’t put him on a chain and how long you can keep him in the enclosure since adults are at work during the day, it is not possible to let him out in the evening and for the whole night and eating dry food is not possible I give him paws, heads, necks, bones with rupees, 5 types besides this, what else can I give, apparently he’s tired of it, it turns up his nose, I give 2 a day, morning and evening. In the evening he eats reluctantly and eats it within 2 hours. When they reach puberty and he doesn’t become angrier. Thanks in advance.
Irina
Hello. Please tell me what to do in the following situation: up to 7 months the puppy BUT lived in an apartment, but in the near future it is planned to move to a private house, and the dogs to an enclosure accordingly. How to make a dog’s adaptation to a new place, and even on the street, as painless as possible?
Anna
Hello! Tell me please. We bought a German shepherd dog, a bitch, she is 2 years old to guard a private house. We bought it from pensioners, I grew up with children, we also have small children, we thought it was good. He understands the command to sit, give me a paw, go home, next to him, in general it is clear that the dog is smart and not aggressive. The problem is that she does not guard the territory and does not bark. I’m always at home, and in 2 months I’ve heard barking only 3 times from animals running past. We don’t have a fence next to the house yet, but we made a booth for her near the entrance. Strangers come in, she is silent. The parents took the dog, now we don’t know what to do. Thanks for the answer
Anna
They told her to bring her down, left her in an enclosure with a cable for 3 days, nothing happened.
Albina
Victor, good day! Do you do face-to-face training with dogs? We are looking for a competent trainer, we have a German for 2 years, we have been training since 3 months, of course there are results, but he can ignore the command to me, he is wary of children - barks, jumps on all fours, raises his withers and apparently can attack, we interrupt with sharp jerks we punish but it doesn't work. Thanks for the article!
Lada
Hello! We have the following problem: We bought a 7-month-old girl from a private nursery. The dog was not socialized at all, she was afraid of everything, thin, and did not know any commands. It took a long time to restore her psychologically. She was afraid even to move her hand, she immediately fell to the ground and shook. She is now almost 3 years old and has given birth once. Only “Fu” and “Come to me” know the command. But that's not the main thing. The dog lives on the street, as soon as we go out into the yard, he immediately starts jumping and biting our hands. We understand that she asks for attention, but as soon as you start paying attention to her, playing with her, she becomes completely uncontrollable. There is no aggression, just out of joy he tries to hit him in the face with his paws, bites his sleeves and arms. And if she suddenly breaks into the house, then we simply drag her out of there flat. If they bring her into an enclosure, she starts screaming like crazy (although a Caucasian sits next to her in silence). And I feel sorry for her and don’t know what to do with all this. plays very harshly with children, bites them. Is it possible to correct her behavior or is this a mental disorder?
Sergey
Please tell me how much time per day it takes to train a dog.
Irina
Please tell me by what time a puppy’s ears should be good. We are 7 months old. One ear has been standing permanently since 4 months. Others rise, but rarely, more often on the street, and lie at home. This is fine?
Alexander
Hello Victor! Since childhood I have dreamed of taking BUT. I would like to clarify with you. It’s better for a female to succumb to training (as I understand from your words). since I work on shifts, a month at home and a month at work. In the summer I have a 3 month vacation, during which time I would like to take BUT. I have a private house. How will the dog react to this, since I’ve been training him at home for a month and I’m on shift for a month? (My wife won’t train him since Suna will be 1.3 months old.) What advice would you give me? thanks in advance!
CATHERINE
Love
Hello, Victor. Your article is very good, thank you. And my problem is this. Male BUT, he is a year old. Periodically destroys furniture. When I go to work... I increased the load and long walks, workouts... Sometimes not only furniture... If there is a plastic basin, then one swing of a paw and it’s gone... Has it already stuck forever? I can’t catch the moment of this particular action.. When I linger, I really feel this moment when he starts doing nonsense...
Valentina
Hello. We live in a private house. Our puppy is BUT 4 months old. Thanks to your article, we are teaching the puppy commands. The baby is smart, understands commands, has well-developed hearing and sense of smell, but during a walk in the yard, when strangers pass outside the gate, on the command “stranger”, the puppy runs up to the gate, looks at passers-by, but does not show the quality of a guard, i.e. . doesn't bark. The puppy does not even guard his plate of food; he allows the cat to eat with him at the same time. Sometimes a cat can take a piece of meat from him, but the puppy doesn’t even growl. What should we do? Why doesn't the puppy act like a guard? Thanks in advance for your answer.
Vita
We bought a German Shepherd 5 days ago. She has been eating very poorly for almost 3 months. We don’t know what to do. She has lost a lot of weight. She seems to be cheerful and playful. The child, who is a year and three months old, also rushes at the child. Either with her paws or with her teeth. What do you recommend?
Vita
Such a problem. We live with a husband and his brother. I have been taking care of the dog for 3 months, teaching it. When they are not at home, he listens to me, but when at home he doesn’t give a damn. What should I do, how can I let the dog know that I am the owner. Maybe there is some article about this.
Alexander G.
Great article! A German has been living in my apartment for 6 months. He is obedient, knows basic commands except nearby. But that's not the question. I have a 6-year-old daughter and I am very worried about aggression towards her. How to avoid this 100%?
Julia
Hello.
We have BUT – male, 2 years old. Sits on a chain on the street. We are going to move to another city, it’s a two-day journey, but the dog is not accustomed to riding in a car. What can be done in such a situation? How to prepare it?
Thanks in advance for your answer.
Irina
Hello. Please tell me why a dog refuses raw meat for 9 months? I used to eat it with pleasure, but now I only eat boiled food. We give it the same as before - beef and trimmings, from the same store, fresh. Will the lack of raw meat affect its further full development?
Natalia
Hello, dear Victor! I really liked your article, and in general I found a lot of useful things here. My little dog will soon be 3 months old, I adopted him from the kennel when he was 2. He is growing well, although he is a male with character, he is a very smart and quick-witted baby. I knew my nickname after 2 days, the command “Come to me!” performs without question. I set myself the goal of raising a real BUT man :) But there are a number of questions on which I would really like to know your opinion:
1) I live in a small town abroad; unfortunately, there are no Russian-speaking dog handlers here. Is it possible to practice OKD on your own or at least raise a dog citizen from a child on your own? For example, as it gets warmer, will a forest be suitable instead of a special site?
2) We are in the active process of studying the command “Ugh!” I’m trying to stop biting my arms and legs, because I realized that somewhere I made a mistake and the puppy really loved this thing. Sometimes during the game he may growl at me or bark when I say “Ugh” and he doesn’t agree. As I understand it, my answers are in the style of “That’s how I am!” and “Don’t raise your voice at your mother!” they won't give you a ride. I would really like to understand what he wants to tell me in this way.
3) The puppy’s ears are already standing up and shedding has begun. I wanted to ask if the teeth will change soon and how difficult this period is.
Thank you very much for your help!

Many dog breeders think that if they bought a German Shepherd puppy, then this little dog, by virtue of its breed, should and is even obliged to follow commands; in their opinion, a German puppy should understand its owner and at an early age be able to carry out a standard set of commands and OKD course . I want to disappoint you.

A puppy is a small child, and he has a great desire to serve his owner, but in any case, for a dog to become smart, obedient and trained, it needs to be taught this. Of course, the German Shepherd's genes contain devotion, courage, intelligence, a desire to serve, love, and so on. But all this needs to be developed, and this must be done from an early age, because it is in youth that obedience is laid down, and then you will train your pet in the right direction: a guide, a bodyguard, a bloodhound, etc.

Team to me

If you decide to start training your puppy, I will give you some tips from my own experience. I'll tell you how we trained our shepherds at an early age team Contact me.
At an early age, you should do everything in a playful way, no need to shout or force the puppy, you should arouse the dog's interest. In order for the puppy to come to you, it is enough to call him by name, but you want the dog to come to you on command. Start small.

Before starting classes:

Give your four-legged friend a good walk (the dog will be less distracted).
Don't forget to pause between commands.
Do not repeat the command a huge number of times, the dog hears perfectly, just 1 time is enough.
Try to train your dog alone
Don't rush things, the puppy needs rest
Show patience and restraint
Don't punish your dog or use threatening intonation.

So. Boil a small piece of meat, cut it into small pieces (or take another delicacy) Take your four-legged friend and go for a walk. Let the dog run around, relieve itself, and then start doing the following. Call your dog by name, as soon as you see that the dog heard you and headed towards you, say the command to me, when the dog comes to you, say the command to me again, praise the puppy and give him a treat. Do not skimp on compliments, say well, well done. Release the puppy with the command “walk”, then let the puppy run a little and call him again and repeat what we described above. But don’t overdo it, and when you’re ready to go home, call the dog with the command to come to me, but do not put the dog on a leash, otherwise your pet may have the mistaken opinion that the command to come to me entails taking it on a leash, and more than one puppy will not like this.

Teaching a German Shepherd puppy the Sit command

Now let's talk about team sit and lie down. The sit command is easy to teach your puppy. Firstly, you should follow the recommendations described above, or rather, do not forget to pause, this applies to absolutely all teams. Take the same treat and at the moment when you command the puppy to sit, raise the treat over his head and slowly move your hand to the side from head to tail, thereby forcing the puppy to raise his head for the treat, after which the puppy will begin to tilt his head back. , and at this moment the puppy sits down. In some cases, you may need to press a little on your puppy's croup with your other hand, then the dog will sit for sure, at these moments you again command Sit, and after doing so, praise the dog. Remember! The scheme will always be like this: your command, the dog’s correct execution of the command, praise and treats.

Teaching a puppy the command to lie down

Place the puppy near your left leg, hold a treat in your hand, let the dog sniff your fist, thereby showing the puppy's interest in the treat. Next, command firmly and confidently to Lie down, and lower your hand to the ground, usually the dog lies down, if the command is completed, we give a treat and verbal praise, you can also rub it behind the ear. If the dog did not comply with the command, but simply lowered its head, repeat the command and pull the leash down, but not very hard. But! You should not praise your dog for following a command like this. It’s better to try again without jerking the leash and, if successful, praise the dog. Remember. Strictness is necessary in the process of raising a puppy.

To sum it up. A dog needs a leader-leader, this is how this animal world works. Do not forget that severity and physical punishment are not the same thing. You can't hit a dog! You can lose trust at an early age once and for all! Good luck in your education.