Courageous, intelligent, beautiful, and loyal, it is no wonder that the German shepherd is the second most popular dog breed in the world. German shepherds make excellent family pets, but due to their size and high energy levels, professional training for this breed is an absolute must. German shepherd puppies are very energetic and born to work, so keeping these pets active and focused is a key to their happiness and your success with training. A professional can show you how.
Like any working dogs, German shepherds are at their happiest when they are given a job to do. Without well-directed tasks and rewards they will quickly find other, sometimes destructive, ways to entertain themselves. These activities often simulate their curiosity and burn off energy, but can include chewing and biting. German shepherd puppies, especially, are little bundles of energy requiring almost constant attention and instructional responsiveness. A well-qualified and experienced professional dog trainer will know the best and most effective ways for directing their energy away from destructive behaviors and turning it into desired behaviors.
All dogs, but mostly working dogs, are content and most fulfilled with clear expectations and training from their owners. They enjoy the training, along with the rewards they receive. When trained properly, all they want to do is make their owners happy. The best time to initiate training is in the puppy years, when possible. This is especially applicable to dogs like German shepherds because they will become large and more difficult to physically handle as adults.
Bred not only to work, but to solve problems, both mental and physical stimulation is needed to achieve the most success with German shepherd puppies. Family dogs can be taught to fetch the newspaper, to wake the kids in the morning, or other daily jobs that will make these dogs feel loved and needed. Offering a dog treat or lavish praise for a job well-done, is an absolute essential step throughout a dog’s life. By providing positive reinforcement and a sense of security, your dog will remain well-trained throughout your time together. Ignoring a dog’s good behavior is a form of negative reinforcement, so it is important to keep up a reward system.
Good dog training is not an ability that is learned in a class and lasts throughout the dog’s life, rather it is a lifelong process of positive reinforcement that a good dog trainer can teach during a class. A well-trained dog is a happy dog. By working with a professional dog trainer, a family with energetic German shepherd puppies gets off to the right start for having many enjoyable years together.
