German Shepherd Pup Training Tips

It is important to begin training puppies at a young age to establish good habits that will last a lifetime. With German shepherd puppies, it is helpful to put in regular training time, set boundaries and refrain from resorting to physical discipline.

  1. Put in regular training time

    • Consistency is key when it comes to training your German shepherd pup. Puppies have short memory spans, so it's important to set up a regular training schedule and stick to it. However, remember that you're training a puppy that may regress from time to time. This is, in part, because your puppy is testing you. When this happens, don't get impatient. Stick with the training schedule.

    Establish boundaries

    • The German shepherd epitomizes the "alpha" dog. For this reason, it is paramount for you to establish boundaries and show your puppy that you are in charge. German shepherds will respond positively if you assert yourself as the "alpha," and the payoff for this is the loyalty and protection of your dog.

    Don't resort to physical discipline

    • Physical discipline (slapping or hitting) is frowned upon when training a German shepherd pup. Use a firm verbal tone--this breed is very attuned to sound and if you use a specific tone when training that is different from your normal speaking voice, they'll respond to it and associate your "training tone" with being disciplined.

    Socialize your puppy early and often

    • A non-socialized German shepherd puppy is prone to become an overprotective adult dog. To prevent this, bring your puppy to the park, have other dogs and people visit your dog at home and expose your dog to different social situations as often as possible. This sets the stage for having a friendly, well-adjusted adult dog.