German Shepherds are one of the most intelligent dog breeds.  Smart dogs can be a challenge, because they should have both mental and physical stimulation. An idle shepherd is bad news for you, and terrible for the dog.

There really is no untrainable dog, unfortunately, there are too many untrained dogs.

You have to know the rules   You also need to figure out:

- understanding the basics of dog training

- how to make training fun

- house training your puppy

-teaching the basics, like sit, stay, come, and of course heel

-and, you need to decide if you want to  go out for training classes, can you afford one on one training with a professional, or, you could do the professional home training…

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photo credit: Jimmy Benson

As usual, the most simple game is the most fun…Playing Tag.

Most dogs love to run around you, trying to stay just out of reach…this is a fun game for most dogs.  If you have a trained dog (German Shepherd Handbook) he will know the difference between play and “for real”.

And, don’t forget all the other fun stuff.  I love doing these with my own dogs:

- swimming
- sharing a sunrise, or a sunset
- going for a nice long walk

All the fun reasons why we own dogs….right?

A long coated German shepherd can come from two short coated parents. Long coated shepherds do not generally compete in conformation trials, as the AKC  does call for short hair.

Many people actually prefer the long coated dogs, (those not interested in showing) and many kennels do actually specialize in breeding them, again for non conformation showing.  In strictly obedience trials, of course conformation is not taken  into consideration.

At birth, it is difficult to tell which pups have the longer coat, however, at 10 weeks it is usually noticeable.  Both parents must carry the long coated gene…

photo credit: Grittermeyer German Shepherds

Dogs love love to eat. German Shepherds easily eat 3 to 6 cups of food per day, depending on the quality and calories of the food you feed your dog.

You don’t have to buy gourmet food, but, you can’t just throw your leftovers together and give it to your dog either.  You will take your savings and spend it at the vet’s office instead.  Please don’t ever think that if you work late, or need to go away for the weekend your dog will be fine.  It won’t be, it’s not right to do that.  Consistency is necessary for a healthy German Shepherd.  Neglecting to feed your dog is cruel, and over feeding is unhealthy.  So, it takes thought to own and raise a dog.

If you want to know all about your German Shepherd, check out this “German Shepherd Handbook”

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photo credit: Grittermeyer German Shepherds

German Shepherds are highly active dogs, and described in breed standards as self-assured.

The breed is marked by a willingness to learn and an eagerness to have a purpose. Shepherds have a loyal nature and bond well with people they know. However, they can become over-protective of their family and territory, especially if not socialized correctly.

Find out more about your German Shepherd…German Shepherd Handbook

An aloof personality makes them approachable, but not inclined to become immediate friends with strangers. German Shepherds are highly intelligent and obedient and some people think they require a “firm hand”, but more recent research into training methods has shown they respond as well, if not better to positive, reward based training methods

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photo credit: Furryscaly

I was driving through my subdivision the other day, and there was a tiny wee little lady walking a huge German Shepherd. This dog was walking perfectly by her side…no pulling, no yanking, just walking nicely, almost as if “hand in hand”…

You can too you know, you just need to train yourself and your dog, of course. So, have a wonderful summer with your dog, and start training him now!

The German Shepherd Handbook