GERMAN SHEPHERD

The German Shepherd Dog truly is a wonderful animal and not only do they make good working dogs they also make superb family pets They are however very different from other pet breeds and need to be handled and trained with a different approach to say your average labrador or poodle for instance

The GSD is a large strong athletic dog which needs a lot of mental stimulation and exercise but a well trained shepherd can learn to do almost anything These dogs positively thrive on challenging activities and they are so willing to serve their master and please As a working dog used by most police forces the very look of a GSD is usually enough to act as a deterrent but when called into action there are few dogs that can match the German Shepherd as an all rounder

If you are considering becoming an owner of a GSD then you need to consider the commitment to training in order that you have happy well behaved German Shepherd dog that you can take out safely in public

If you havent previously owned one of these dogs then please do not take on a youngster lightly Being involved in GSD rescue I have lost count of the number of young dogs I have had to rehome because owners bought them without doing a bit of research first

As youngsters they can be very boisterous and can easily knock over children or elderly relatives especially if you do not discourage the dog from jumping up when excited A bored GSD can be very destructive and if left alone will trash your house and contents with ease using their big teeth and claws Unfortunately these dogs dont really mature until they are about 3 years old so you are in for the long haul to get through the puppy and adolescent stage

The German Shepherd needs to be well socialised from an early age and needs plenty of exposure to people and other dogs so that they do not develop aggressive tendencies as they mature

Joining a dog training class from an early age is a good idea and most clubs will accept dogs into the puppy classes from about 4 months onwards This should be good fun for your puppy and allows him to play and to socialise but it also serves the purpose of teaching him or her what is acceptable and what is not This will prove invaluable grounding for your German Shepherd training

When choosing a dog training class do check out a few first as not all classes make German Shepherds welcome and if any club asks that you muzzle your dog please give it a miss and move on and find another club No reputable dog training class would require a dog to be muzzled If your dog is aggressive towards other dogs there are better ways of controlling the dog safely such as by using a Canny Collar which is a simple effective head collar similar to those used on horses

The earlier you start training and socialisation the better as GSDs often develop a tendency to be aggressive towards other dogs and also towards strangers and they can become very protective towards their owners and property

Another important part of training your german shepherd is to get him used to being groomed because they shed copious amounts of hair and although they only moult once a year.