Virginia German Shepherd Training

Why Train

• German Shepherds have a reputation as "enforcer" dogs. They are often used by the police or military and can be trained as guard dogs. According to dogobedienceadvise.com, aggression toward people is not in the breed's nature--it is only poor training that causes this trait. Owners who are unfamiliar with the breed can often unknowingly give the dog improper bite-inhibition training or harsh discipline, which can lead to an aggressive dog, the type of which can result in injury to another person or pet and even an order to have the dog put down.

Haus Juris German Shepherds

• Haus Juris German Shepherds provides many services pertaining to the breed, depending on the age and obedience level of the German Shepherd. Haus Juris offers a two-hour seminar to introduce owners to the basic concepts involved in owning a German Shepherd, such as bite inhibition, and methods that would be detrimental to training a German Shepherd. The classes include a puppy class, where dogs will learn basic obedience, including "off," which is especially important for large breeds such as German Shepherds. Haus Juris also offers an intermediate class, which builds on these initial lessons, and an advanced class, which includes distraction training. This type of training is important for those who wish their German Shepherds to perform any "useful" activity (such as assisting in police work), since often such scenarios are busy and confusing for the dog.

Blue Sky Farms

• Blue Sky Farms is another German Shepherd breeder that also branches out into training. Because this breeder also specializes in showing German Shepherds, it is able to offer specialized training for German Shepherd owners who wish to bring their dog into the ring. Besides this, Blue Sky offers five different levels of training, depending on what an owner wants from his pet. Owners simply looking for a well-socialized companion can take their German Shepherd to the "puppy kindergarten" or basic puppy training classes. Here owners will not have to worry about their large puppy overwhelming smaller dogs, since the classes are designed for German Shepherds. Owners who wish for more control over their pet's behavior can then opt for intermediate or advanced lessons, which are good for guarding against breed-specific behavior, like jumping or biting.

Cooperative Paws

• Cooperative Paws is a private training company. This means that, while an owner will probably pay more than he would with group classes, his dog will get individualized training which can focus on his particular behavior problems. As a result, German Shepherd trainers can focus on training against common breed behavior problems, such as destructive chewing, and that the trainer can take advantage of the German Shepherd's high intelligence. The dog can generally learn tricks at a faster rate than he would in a group class.

Offleash K9 Training

• This training is best for those who wish to have some measure of control in a more open setting. Owners who plan on allowing their German Shepherds to roam off their leashes (such as on a beach or at a dog park), often feel that off-leash training is best for them. This is especially useful for German Shepherds, who often have to work in an unleashed environment (with rescue work, for example). This trainer does (humanely) use a shock collar as part of training; while some owners are uncomfortable with this idea, it is often helpful with German Shepherds, who can often be too big and strong-willed for a timid owner to control.