Welcome to the German Shepherd Club! Word has it you\u2019ve picked up your new puppy and now you\u2019re looking for information on German Shepherd training? Well you\u2019ve come to the right place, we\u2019re going to teach all you need to know about how to train a German Shepherd Puppy<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Train your German Shepherd with Zigzag!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n German Shepherds are special because they\u2019re such hard workers! They\u2019re even in the \u2018working dog\u2019 group, says something doesn\u2019t it? It means they\u2019re quick to learn and easy to train, they\u2019ll relish being in a partnership with someone and enjoy clear loving guidance. They\u2019re known for their loyalty and bravery but are also actually super sensitive awww.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still on the search for the ideal breed for you? Check out our other breed-specific articles here!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can start to train your German Shepherd puppy as soon as you get them home from the breeders \u2013 the younger the better. They are like sponges at this age and will take every single thing on board. Enjoy watching their super cute head tilts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To train your German Shepherd puppy you won\u2019t need a lot of equipment but we do recommend<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the right information and a risk-free environment, German Shepherds are easy to train due to their high intelligence and obedience. Some even consider them to be easier to train than other breeds because they can learn quickly and easily retain lessons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remove the stress of training with Zigzag<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n How much exercise does a German Shepherd need? German Shepherd exercise needs include a minimum of two hours of exercise. This should be spread across a few separate sessions a day. Exercise should include walking, play time, and a bit of training. It\u2019s important to note that puppies and seniors will need less exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The name says it all. They were originally bred to herd sheep, and to be big and noisy enough to keep predators out. We might think of them being the ultimate police dog since they\u2019re so great at protecting and searching but deep down, they still have the instincts to move sheep around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Absolutely nothing! Before World War 2, the UK and Europe called German Shepherds Alsatians due to the region they came from \u2013 the German French border area of Alsace-Lorraine. In the US, the \u201cGerman Shepherd\u201d name stuck across the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n German Shepherds have some classic behaviors associated with them \u2013 namely the need to protect and being triggered by movement \u2013 not in a bad way. They just get kind of activated by something moving around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should know these two are perfectly normal behaviors as they\u2019re intrinsically rewarding \u2013 this means it\u2019s so <\/em>embedded into their DNA that it just feels that good <\/em>to do them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n PRO TIP: <\/strong>Many German Shepherd owners will see these normal natural behaviors as problem behaviors. Lunging at a car or barking at a stranger does look like a problem to us, right? <\/p>\n\n\n\n But there\u2019s no need to stress. The key is to give them an opportunity to practice, manage and train them in day-to-day life from the get go with breed-specific training so all things you see as problems, flutter away. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n When do German Shepherds calm down? It\u2019s known that German Shepherd puppies and adolescents can be a bit crazy and hyperactive. After 6-12 months of age, they should calm down a lot but they will continue to be hyperactive until about 2 years old, though not to the extent it was before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, what do you do if your German Shepherd is hyperactive during their puppy and adolescent stage? We\u2019ve got some tips to calm a German Shepherd down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a fair question actually. A dog is a dog is a dog right? But knowing the context and breed characteristics might help you train your German Shepherd puppy better and understand why they do certain things the way they do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are a couple things to keep in mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n PRO TIP: <\/strong>If your German Shepherd puppy switches off or starts acting silly (often a sign of stress) they may resort to doing what they know best \u2013 nipping or barking. Shift to some play, let them have some downtime and revisit training later \u2013 we want training to be associated with fun, and not something they begin to dread. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n German Shepherds cannot be left alone for longer than 4 hours a day. They\u2019re bored easily and will take entertainment in problematic behaviors like digging<\/a>, scratching<\/a>, chewing<\/a>, and barking. Similarly, German Shepherd puppies cannot be left alone for longer than 2 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Never train alone again with Zigzag!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n All puppies have a socialization window. This is a sensitive period where they\u2019re the most eager to learn about the world and make connections that affect how they view things, often for the rest of their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Within this period of time, there\u2019s another one called \u201cthe Fear Period\u201d. This is where puppies learn to interpret hazards \u2013 for example, children, loud noises, or unfamiliar surfaces. In German Shepherds, the time they have to interpret these hazards is shorter than other breeds so you must socialize them early so you don\u2019t run into any trouble later. Studies <\/a>say that German Shepherd puppies are more afraid of new objects and sounds than other breeds. Ironic isn\u2019t it, that they\u2019re often in charge of saving us from danger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are easy ways to socialize your German Shepherd puppy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n At Zigzag, we\u2019re of the opinion that the benefits of early socialization outweigh the risks of disease when exposing unvaccinated puppies to the outdoors. We\u2019re not alone in this though, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior<\/a> agrees!<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, you wanted the Ultimate guide to training a German Shepherd puppy, didn\u2019t you? Well over the next 8 weeks we\u2019ll be covering how to teach your German Shepherd all about<\/p>\n\n\n\n Push Drop Stick is a great way of increasing difficulty when training in a systematic way \u2013 keeping things more interesting will be essential for ensuring your German Shepherd is happy and healthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We told you that German Shepherds have a strong work ethic, didn\u2019t we? That also means they can get bored easily. We\u2019re all about having happy dogs with a zest for life here at Zigzag<\/a>, so it\u2019s only natural that we\u2019d suggest training in the same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We can achieve better and faster results and avoid boredom and frustration by adopting the \u2018Push Drop Stick\u2019 approach to steadily increase the difficulty of exercises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You repeat the same exercise 5 times; if you get all 5 correct, you should go on to the next level of difficulty (push); if you get 3 or 4 correct, you should stay put (stick); if you only get 1 or 2 right, you should drop back to a slightly easier level of difficulty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep training with your German Shepherd puppy shouldn\u2019t be too much of a problem. They\u2019re sensitive souls and like to know where you are so don\u2019t worry if they sleep in your bedroom for the first few weeks. You can always get them to sleep where you want once they\u2019re more settled. Check out our articles on how to get a puppy to sleep through the night<\/a> and Puppy night-time routine<\/a> to learn more.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPrerequisites for training my German Shepherd puppy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What age can I start to train my German Shepherd puppy?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What do I need to train my German Shepherd Puppy?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Good to know about training German Shepherd puppies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Are German Shepherds easy to train?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What are German Shepherds bred for?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Alsatians vs German Shepherds \u2013 what\u2019s the difference?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
German Shepherd Behaviors <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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When do German Shepherd\u2019s calm down?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What does this have to do with how I train my German Shepherd?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Can a German Shepherd be left alone?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How do I socialize a German Shepherd puppy and why is it important?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Overview of the training program and topics we\u2019ll cover<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Week 1 \u2013 Training your German Shepherd puppy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n