Drive Training for a German Shepherd

German shepherds are popular sport dogs due to their intelligence and willingness to learn. Most German shepherds are also high drive, making them easy to train. However, some German shepherds have low prey drive response and show very little interest in working. Proper drive training will keep the dog focused and willing to learn.

  1. Types

    • There are two basic types of drive in a German shepherd: prey drive and food drive. Prey drive is the most powerful type of drive in most dogs, and is defined as the instinctual need to chase moving prey. Food drive is the second drive, and is the dog's urge to protect its food from other dogs. Food drive is less powerful and avoided by many trainers to prevent food aggression issues.

    Function

    • Drive is the urge that motivates a dog to perform an action. Drive excites a dog and pushes it to work hard in order to receive a reward. Dogs are born with varying levels of drive, although German shepherds tend to be high-drive dogs. Trainers can build and focus a dog's drive to improve performance and encourage it to keep working, even when it would normally quit on its own.

    Significance

    • Drive training can turn a mediocre German shepherd into a top-notch worker. Building the drive in a German shepherd helps it burn off excess energy and focus its attention on the handler. German shepherds are often trained in sports such as obedience and agility that require a high degree of precision, and a high-drive dog will be determined to perform correctly for a reward.

    Methods

    • German shepherds were originally bred as herding dogs, and most still retain strong prey drives. Stand in front of a solid wall and ask a helper to hold the dog. Show the dog a tennis ball and toss the ball at the wall, allowing it to bounce near the dog. Encourage the dog to get the ball, but don't let the handler turn the dog loose. Repeat the process until the dog is barking and struggling in an attempt to get the ball. When the dog is most excited, throw the ball and allow the dog to have it. Giving the ball to the dog when it is most excited builds drive and rewards it by allowing it to have the item it is focused on.

    Considerations

    • German shepherds are highly intelligent dogs, but they do have short attention spans. Work the dog in 10- to 15-minute training blocks to prevent boredom. Never reward the dog when its interest in the ball begins to slip. If you reward the dog when its full focus is not on the ball, it will learn that it doesn't have to work hard to earn that reward.