German Shepherd dogs were bred to be working dogs and serve man. They are large dogs with very active minds. Not only do German Shepherds need training, but they crave it. Training gives the German Shepherd a job to occupy his mind and body. An untrained German Shepherd will be out of control, difficult to handle and unhappy.
Instructions
Establish yourself as leader of the pack. German Shepherds are pack dogs. They are also very large and very strong willed. If you do not assert yourself as Alpha dog, your German Shepherd will gladly step into the roll. It is very important to let your German Shepherd know that you are in control and in charge.
Get your dogs attention. Your German Shepherd is eager to learn but in order to learn he has to focus on you and what you are trying to teach him. Always train your Shepherd in an area that is free of distractions and make sure you have his undivided attention.
Be consistent. Your German Shepherd is eager to please you, but in order to do so she must understand what you want. If the rules are constantly changing, she will be confused and frustrated because she will not understand what she must do to please you.
Start informally training at home at eight weeks of age. Your Shepherd puppy is then old enough to learn things such as going to the bathroom outside and to not bite or jump.
Leash train your German Shepherd puppy at ten weeks old. This is very important because he is going to grow up to be very big and strong. If he is not trained to walk well on a leash you will find he walks you when he is an adult.
Attend Basic Obedience Class with your puppy when he is four months old. In class you will teach your German Shepherd important commands such as sit, stay, down and come.
Understand that is never too late to train a German Shepherd. Unlike some dog breeds, a German Shepherd is very intelligent and can learn throughout their entire life. A German Shepherd is never too old to train.