Instructions
Walk tall and sit up straight with your shoulders back. Use a deep and firm tone of voice when addressing your shepherd. Give commands in a gentle, but firm demeanor, maintaining a standing position above the animal to establish dominance.
Show your dog that it must earn rewards and affection by instructing it to sit whenever it wants something. Make the animal sit before taking it on a walk, giving a treat or offering a back scratch. Once the dog sits, praise it and carry out the task. If your pet refuses to sit, walk away and ignore it. Wait for a few minutes before giving the shepherd another chance to sit for the reward.
Look your shepherd in the eyes and hold the animal's gaze. In the pack, submissive dogs avoid looking at alpha dogs directly in the eye, because it's perceived as a threat to the pack leader's dominance. Establish your dominance by holding the gaze until your dog looks away.
Establish physical dominance over your shepherd using a hugging maneuver. Straddle your dog, kneeling with your legs on the outside of the dog's. Wrap your arms around the dog, interlacing your fingers underneath the animal's arms so that your hands are flat on the shepherd's chest. Gently lift your dog off the floor, keeping its hind legs on the ground. If it tries to get away, growl at your pet until it relaxes. Hold your shepherd in place for 15 to 45 seconds. Praise your pet afterward to establish that it is not being punished. This trick will show your dog that you can control it physically because you are the stronger alpha in the pack.
Place your hand on the dog's neck and abdomen while it's lying on its side. Hold the animal down gently as it resists, trying to stand up. Once your shepherd settles down, talk to it in a soft voice and then praise it in an enthusiastic tone. As a show of submission, your dog should roll onto its back, allowing you to scratch its belly. Do this several times a day until your shepherd begins to naturally respond to your touch, allowing you to handle the animal without struggle.
How to Make Your Shepherd Respect You
Commanding your shepherd's respect prevents disobedience and other undesirable behaviors in your pet. All dogs are pack animals, including shepherds. In order to get respect and obedience from your dog, establish yourself as the dominant alpha of your family's pack. If you don't, the dog will step into the alpha role and believe that your commands are meaningless,since he's in charge. To assert yourself as the alpha, adopt the persona of one.