While attending a dog sports day, it struck me how many of them were German Shepherd Dogs. I wondered, is it because they are so popular that they are naturally in the majority, or are German Shepherds easy to train? I decided to investigate.
So, are German Shepherds easy to train? Yes, the German Shepherd Dog (GSD) is usually easy to train. They are ranked a perfect 5 out of 5 for trainability by the American Kennel Club as well as Vet Street (and by many other German Shepherd authorities).
This is a generalized statement that is true in most instances. But like all things in life, there are no absolutes and some GSD’s can be very hard to train for several reasons. A well-trained GSD is a pleasure to behold. Watch the police and military at dog shows and you will be amazed at what their dogs are capable of. To train your dog like that takes time, dedication and lots of love, but it can be done.
However, there are a few requirements that you should be aware of…
Start Early
Most professional trainers and vets recommend that you start training your GSD as soon as you get the puppy home.
Not there, boy, on the newspaper!
Seriously now, socializing, and training to understand and obey commands, must start early.
This is appropriate from 3 – 12 weeks of age.
Your puppy is very clever but will be unable to comprehend why certain behaviors become unacceptable if it was allowed before.
This means that you have to treat the German Shepherd puppy the way you would like the grown dog to behave.
Do not allow it on the bed when it is small, and then start kicking it off when it grows. You are being unfair and inconsistent. They are not human, they can not follow your thinking.
They are Social Animals
One thing you must understand and not change as the whim takes you is that a German Shepherd is a very sociable animal.
They need to be with the family, in the home, sharing your activities, even if you are sitting quietly and reading.
They do NOT do well alone in a backyard or a doghouse outside. This type of treatment results in “problem” dogs – you can prevent it.
It’s fine if you don’t want the dog on the couch or your bed and train it not to attempt to do it. But it has to have a bed of its own, near you where it can lie and watch you. They do a lot of watching, it’s in their nature.
They Even Like Cats
Well, of course, they are not born looking for a cat to be friends with. That really is expecting too much.
But if they grow up with cats, other dogs, or any other pets in the house, and are taught that those are all part of the family, you have a dog that can live on excellent terms with other critters.
Be aware that they know very well which cats are “their” cats and which happen to stray onto your property. Those ones will be chased.
Some GSDs have a higher “prey drive” than others. You should be able to get information from breeders on whether there is a strong prey drive in the puppies that they breed.
If You Think Men Remain Teenagers for too Long…
You probably will find a German Shepherd just as bad. 😉
GSD’s grow up physically quite a while before they mature mentally. They stay playful until about 2 years old, and by that time they may weigh between 60 and 84 lbs (27 and 38 kg).
That’s a lot of dog that wants to play, roll around and generally gets all excited.
Playing is one of the most important ways for the dog to get exercise, for you to train it, and for socializing. Play intelligent and active games with the dog that will stimulate it in the best ways and you can kill three flies with one stroke. Geronimo!
Training for Good Behavior
A well-behaved dog does not happen all by itself.
Dogs do not live in packs in the wild anymore – they live with people in a human environment. Even if you have 6 dogs running around in the farmyard who are pretty much doing their own thing, you still do not want them to do certain things.
Like chasing and killing sheep. Yes, the natural herding behavior can get out of hand real darn quick if you do not train your dogs.
The first thing that comes to mind is obedience training. The general maxim is that the German Shepherd is an intelligent dog who needs a firm hand. Yes, while that is true you need to know the difference between being firm and being “the tough alpha dog”. Your dog must want to obey you, not do it out of fear or timidity.
It is much more effective to reward good behavior than to punish bad behavior. Teaching by inflicting pain is not the way to teach children, we all agree, so why do we want to do it with dogs, who are even less able to understand the reason for the pain than children?
Training for Protection
A lot of people buy a German Shepherd “for protection”. They then proceed to treat it like a machine and “teach it to attack”. This is the source of aggressive, out of control, savage dogs who eventually end up in shelters or at a vet with a request to be “put down”.
Shameful.
The success of training a protection GSD is dependent on the condition that you enter into an equal partnership with your dog.
It is not a master-servant relationship.
Training the dog to operate autonomously, not on command, is the way to ensure that it does protect you in a real-life situation.
Distinguish between a family protection dog and a military or police dog. Choose your dog based on temperament, confidence (not to be confused with aggression), and reliability. Train with a reputable trainer, not one who relies on intimidation and fear.
Common Training Mistakes
A good guide to puppy training do’s and don’t can be found on the German Shepherd Dog Club of America website.
As for grown dogs, these are some common mistakes that people make with all dogs, not just GSDs.
- Inconsistency
- Impatience
- Timing is off
- Not following through in commands
- Repeating commands too much
- Insufficient time spent training
- Too many treats, too little praise
- Shouting, kicking, hitting
- Generalizing the training, not recognizing the talent and demeanor of the individual
- Too little owner calmness and confidence
Related Questions
Yes. A lesser amount of interaction with their mothers before 12 weeks of age negatively affects the socialization and aggression of puppies when they are older. Consequently, they are harder to train. Dogs who have been abused, either physically or psychologically, are notoriously difficult, if not impossible, to train. This is even truer for GSD’s, who are keenly sensitive dogs. Some dogs are genetically predisposed to be relentless prey or dominance driven. No amount of training will get rid of it.
Yes. Over the years the different breeders concentrated on different characteristics in their dogs. American and Canadian bloodlines concentrate on show dogs. West German, East German, and Czech breeders concentrate on working dogs. It is inappropriate to buy a dog from a Czech bloodline to be a family pet. These dogs tend to be intense and agile working dogs. On the other hand, the West German working lines, as well as show lines, make wonderful, if very active, family pets.
No. Genetic studies of German Shepherds have not found any connection whatever between coat color and temperament.
