German Shepherd Dogs for
Sale, German Shepherd Puppies for Sale, German Shepherd Breeder, German
Sheppard
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Pictured Below
German Shepherd Dogs for
Sale, German Shepherd Puppies for Sale, German Shepherd Breeder, German
Sheppard
Kaykohl Land German Shepherd Articles
Exceptional European Import Bred GSDs for Exceptional American Families
Kaykohl Land German Shepherd Articles
Exceptional European Import Bred GSDs for Exceptional American Families
German Shepherd Puppy Raising 101
First off, I will say there is no "one
right way" to raise a puppy. These are only my opinions based upon
years of living with and raising German Shepherds. Every dog and
puppy is different and every home is different. I suggest you take
the time to read over what I do, and then apply the things that make
sense to you and best applies to your home and puppy. I honestly
believe that if more people took the time to do these things with their
new puppy that there would be far less dogs in rescues today, and those
that were in rescues would be much easier to re-home. If your
purchased a puppy from our breeding program you are on the right path by
starting with a sound and reliable genetic foundation. The next
part is up to you!
Please keep in mind this is a VERY rough draft..... I will edit and add to this article as time allows, but this is a good start!
You can train your dog day in and day out. But unless you have
a loving, trusting, pack driven bonding relationship with your
dog, you will not be getting 100% out of them, and they will not
feel complete either. Sit, down,
stay, no, no, no.... BORING.... Anyone can train a
dog to do those things.
In order to gain the respect, love, adoration, and trust from your dog, it takes time, consistency, and being a stable fair pack leader. Bonding needs to be done NOW and is not only teaching your dog that you are the alpha pack leader, but that you are fair, consistent, and trustworthy. So beyond your basic obedience, I encourage all of our puppy owners to do the below written exercises with their dog. If you have time constraints and have to choose either "obedience", or my "bonding exercises"..... well, I say the bonding and development are more important. Sit, down, and the word "no" can be taught later.
"Tone of Voice"
Your tone says a lot to your new puppy. A normal, direct and confident tone is what I try to use most of the time, especially during training and while giving commands. A lowered, firm tone I use for correction (similar to a dog growling). A slightly higher than normal tone is used for play and praise. A good pack leader does not "ask" their dog to do something, they firmly give them command with confidence that they dog will obey. I try never to be "over the top", and do NOT baby talk my dogs. Don't get me wrong, I love them dearly, and of course think they are the cutest and best thing since sliced bread, but to them "over the top" equals "unstable" and is something that a pack leader should never be.
"No Lazy Commands"
One of the most important aspects of bonding and training your dog is follow through. Do NOT ask your dog to do something without backing it up. This was a big one with my children when they were younger. They would tell one of our dogs to "sit" or "down" or "come" and the dog would totally ignore them. Let your dog get away with this once, and it more than likely happen again. Dogs are opportunists and are pack driven, always waiting to see if they can move up in the pack. By not doing what you ask, and not following through with making them do that, they move a notch up the totem pole. So, do not tell your dog to "come" if you are not willing to get up and go get the dog if they ignore you. Do not tell them to "sit" if you are not going to push their bottoms down firmly yet fairly, and have them sit. Do not "beg" your dog to do something, you firmly tell them. And then reward when they succeed. Every time I discipline one of my dogs I always make sure they get 2-3 times the amount of calm praise when they do it correctly.
Age to Start: 8 weeks (or as soon as you receive your puppy)
"Will Work for Food"
I do not agree with "free feeding" and leaving food down all of the time for your dog. It is not instinctually natural for your dog to have a constant food supply and can/will develop the following in your dog:
*Make them a picky eater, over eater, or non-eater.
*Make them not appreciate or recognize you as their pack leader and supplier of their meals.
The pack leader is the one who brings the food to the rest of the pack and then allows them to eat. For this reason I always present my dogs their meal. I have them do "something" for it, either "wait", "sit", "watch", or "down" before it is given to them, and then allow them to eat. With a new puppy I will calmly pet them while they eat and tell them calmly "good" as they allow me to pet while they have their food. If I ever get a growl or hackle I will firmly yet fairly squeeze the side of their cheek and tell them "PHOOEY", allow them to eat again, and repeat petting and correction if needed. It normally only takes one or two corrections in a puppy to let them know that growling at the food bowl is not acceptable. I will often toss in yummy treats into their food while they are eating so they look forward to me coming to their food bowl and messing with it. Remember, a health relationship does not come from being the pack leader your dog wants to avoid or fear, it comes from being the pack leader they look forward to and can rely on.
When I get a new dog I also take advantage of their keen sense of smell. Not only am I the one that is now presenting them with their food, I want to be the one they think about while they eat. To do that, I will take my hands and massage their food before feeding it to them. Kibble or Raw, the sent from your hands will transfer onto the food and your new puppy will think of you every yummy bite. I will do this for the first couple of weeks. Does it really make a difference? I think it does, and even if it doesn't, it only takes a few seconds to do, so you might as well try! Of course you want to make sure you wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
"WATCH ME"
I like to do the "watch me" game taught with food. Get your favorite natural treat and start the session after a good play. Show the puppy the treat, bring the treat to your face/eye level so your puppy looks to your face, say "good watch" and then instantly reward. Let the puppy get distracted again (shouldn't take too long), Tell the puppy "watch me", bring the treat to your face/eye level, get the puppy to look at you, say "good watch" and instantly reward. Repeat about 6-10 times and then end the training session. Do this 1-2 times a day and you will quickly have a puppy that looks to YOU. As the puppy gets older you can hold off on the reward a bit and get the eye contact to stretch out a bit longer before reward. But starting off this should be a FUN and positive session with NO correction. If you are having a difficult time getting your puppy's attention, you can start this game up on a grooming table or coffee table, somewhere where the puppy has enough room to stand and move a bit, but their options on where they can go and what they can do are limited. It may help you gain the focus a bit easier and you can move onto the floor once they get the exercise on the table. If you choose not to start this way, I do encourage you to train your puppy on the table a couple of times a week regardless. It will get him used to being on a tall table very similar to your vet's examination table or a grooming table that may be used if you choose to have him groomed later.
You can use this "watch" command the rest of your dog's life, from the vets office to when you want your dogs complete attention. When the dog is older, around 6 months of age, you can start to eliminate the food slowly, tell your dog to "watch" and then give a calm loving pet instead of the treat. I like to always start with food rewards and then slowing as they get older change to a pet reward, with treats now and then.
"REST"
I also like to do an exercise that teaches your position in the pack and teaches your dog to give into your authority at a young and small age. After a fun and positive play session with my puppy, when he is warn out and tired already, I will sit on the floor and lay him in front of my on his side with his feet pointing away from me. I will place very slight pressure on his flank with one hand and the side of his neck with the other. I will tell him "rest" and calmly rub him on the flank and nect. Then, after about 5 seconds of him being calm, I will release the pressure and say "good boy" in a calm voice and give him about 30 seconds to do what he wants. Then we will repeat this about 6-10 times. If your puppy struggles or tries to get up or away from you, or mouths you, stay CALM and impartial, apply slightly more pressure, and tell him firmly in a growly voice to "rest" and instantly calmly reward when the dog settles. Do the 6-10 time repetition once a day and slightly increase the "rest" time as the puppy gets older. This is something you will do with your dog into adulthood to keep a happy pack environment. When puppies are little I will trim nails while holding them in my arms, or having another person hold them for me. But after doing the "rest" exercise for about a week, I will start to incorporate me petting their feet and handling different parts of their body (mouth, legs, tail, ears, etc.). At about 4 months of age I will incorporate nail trimming when needed into this exercise.
I strongly feel it is this exercise that makes my dogs such canine good citizens at the vet for routine check ups, emergency injuries, and even hip/elbow x-rays that we are able to do without ANY sedation at all. REMEBER: You want to work with your puppy, not against him, and results will be much better if he has had a chance to play and be a puppy before doing this training session.
Bonding and trust come from allowing your dog to build confidence in themselves and in you. What are some of my favorite ways to build trust and confidence?
"TWO TOY"
I like to play fetch with two toys. I will have two toys and when the dog brings one back instead of taking it away from him, I will show him the other toy and throw it. He will drop the first toy, and I take that to exchange again. I use commands such as "wait" "bring" "here" and "drop" while this "game" is going on and it is just like a mini-training session. This game teaches the dog to naturally release their toy and when they do they instantly get another reward from you. You aren't taking anything away from him. Then as the puppy gets older I will play with only one ball, using the same set of words. And I might bring in the second toy for a bit. Change things up to keep your dog thinking, but remember to keep things positive and fair. When you are not playing fetch with these toys, put them AWAY. That way when you do bring them out they are fun and exciting.
"TUG"
I like to play tug with my puppies before they start teething too bad. With puppies I will let him tug it away from me and win. While they are tugging I will CALMLY with no words pet their face, around their eyes and ears. I will give a bit of a fight and pull back, but as soon as he starts to pull back some more, he wins. When he brings it back we will play again and I will let him win. I will tell the puppy "good bring" when he brings it back, and "good drop" if he drops it. But I do not TELL him to do these things. I do NOT go chasing after the puppy to get the tug back. By not going after the tug it sets the example as "yes, you won the toy, but you have to bring it to ME to play" and keeps your position in the pack clear. Once again, Do NOT chase after the puppy to get the tug back. Always be the one to initiate the game, and be the one to end the game by putting the tug away. Do NOT play tug around the 4-6 month age when your dog is at the biggest teething stage. If you do, do not pull back very hard, and be very careful with your dogs teeth and bite.
"Leaving & Greeting"
When I leave my dog, I do so in a calm manner. It doesn't matter if they are staying loose in the house or going in their crate, I give them a calm pet and simply go. Do NOT make a big deal and tell them that you will be back, and to be a good boy, and that you will miss them, on and on and on. This will only make you feel better, and give your dog anxiety every time you leave. When I get back I ignore my dog for the first 5-10 minutes. Once he settles and is calm and quiet, I will normally have them sit and I will then greet him calmly and kindly. Do not reward barking, whining, and obnoxious behavior by giving your dog attention before they are calm. Waiting the 5-10 minutes will also teach your dog additional patients.
When new people come to the house I insist on calmness from my dogs as well. I instruct our company to totally ignore the dog as well. No touch, no talk, no eye contact. The dog may come on their own terms and sniff the new visitors, but must do so in a calm manner showing no aggression or over excitement. If they do, as the Pack Leader, I will correct the dog by firmly grabbing the scruff and telling them "PHOOEY". Then calmly petting the dog. Once the dog has greeted calmly, the visitor may then calmly pet our dog. But they are still not to talk to the dog, or give him commands of any sort.
"Nipping and Herding"
German Shepherds were bred to HERD. They herd by nipping and chasing, and while their herding style is different than a Boarder Collie, they still like to use their mouth. It is instinctual for them to want to grab onto the back of moving pant legs and other moving parts (pony tails included!). I set the "no bite" rule from day ONE. When the puppy nips something they aren't supposed to, human skin or clothing for example, they get a firm squeeze on the cheek or scruff, a "No Bite", and then a calm pet when they release and a "good" reward with voice. This exercise is repeated EVERY time nipping happens, no exceptions. And if I must squeeze a little harder or longer to get my point across the next time than I do. But I ALWAYS reward afterwards. It is good if a toy or something they can chew is near by to immediately give them that toy to chew on afterwards, and reward with a calm pet. While it may be cute, harmless, or humorous at 8-12 weeks of age, it certainly isn't at 12 months and 80lbs. This behavior needs to be corrected and taken care of NOW. Playing tug and chasing the ball will help fulfill these natural instincts into proper areas. If you are consistent they will learn that putting teeth on skin or clothes is NEVER appropriate. And if you are fair with your corrects and calm with your rewards, they will love you more for your reliable structure.
"Remember To's"
Remember to keep training exciting by not doing everything in the same order every day.
Remember to not set your dog up to fail.
Remember to let your puppy win
Remember to reward well after every correction
Remember to stay firm, fair, and confident
Remember never to yell, hit, or be over the top with emotion
In order to gain the respect, love, adoration, and trust from your dog, it takes time, consistency, and being a stable fair pack leader. Bonding needs to be done NOW and is not only teaching your dog that you are the alpha pack leader, but that you are fair, consistent, and trustworthy. So beyond your basic obedience, I encourage all of our puppy owners to do the below written exercises with their dog. If you have time constraints and have to choose either "obedience", or my "bonding exercises"..... well, I say the bonding and development are more important. Sit, down, and the word "no" can be taught later.
"Tone of Voice"
Your tone says a lot to your new puppy. A normal, direct and confident tone is what I try to use most of the time, especially during training and while giving commands. A lowered, firm tone I use for correction (similar to a dog growling). A slightly higher than normal tone is used for play and praise. A good pack leader does not "ask" their dog to do something, they firmly give them command with confidence that they dog will obey. I try never to be "over the top", and do NOT baby talk my dogs. Don't get me wrong, I love them dearly, and of course think they are the cutest and best thing since sliced bread, but to them "over the top" equals "unstable" and is something that a pack leader should never be.
"No Lazy Commands"
One of the most important aspects of bonding and training your dog is follow through. Do NOT ask your dog to do something without backing it up. This was a big one with my children when they were younger. They would tell one of our dogs to "sit" or "down" or "come" and the dog would totally ignore them. Let your dog get away with this once, and it more than likely happen again. Dogs are opportunists and are pack driven, always waiting to see if they can move up in the pack. By not doing what you ask, and not following through with making them do that, they move a notch up the totem pole. So, do not tell your dog to "come" if you are not willing to get up and go get the dog if they ignore you. Do not tell them to "sit" if you are not going to push their bottoms down firmly yet fairly, and have them sit. Do not "beg" your dog to do something, you firmly tell them. And then reward when they succeed. Every time I discipline one of my dogs I always make sure they get 2-3 times the amount of calm praise when they do it correctly.
Age to Start: 8 weeks (or as soon as you receive your puppy)
"Will Work for Food"
I do not agree with "free feeding" and leaving food down all of the time for your dog. It is not instinctually natural for your dog to have a constant food supply and can/will develop the following in your dog:
*Make them a picky eater, over eater, or non-eater.
*Make them not appreciate or recognize you as their pack leader and supplier of their meals.
The pack leader is the one who brings the food to the rest of the pack and then allows them to eat. For this reason I always present my dogs their meal. I have them do "something" for it, either "wait", "sit", "watch", or "down" before it is given to them, and then allow them to eat. With a new puppy I will calmly pet them while they eat and tell them calmly "good" as they allow me to pet while they have their food. If I ever get a growl or hackle I will firmly yet fairly squeeze the side of their cheek and tell them "PHOOEY", allow them to eat again, and repeat petting and correction if needed. It normally only takes one or two corrections in a puppy to let them know that growling at the food bowl is not acceptable. I will often toss in yummy treats into their food while they are eating so they look forward to me coming to their food bowl and messing with it. Remember, a health relationship does not come from being the pack leader your dog wants to avoid or fear, it comes from being the pack leader they look forward to and can rely on.
When I get a new dog I also take advantage of their keen sense of smell. Not only am I the one that is now presenting them with their food, I want to be the one they think about while they eat. To do that, I will take my hands and massage their food before feeding it to them. Kibble or Raw, the sent from your hands will transfer onto the food and your new puppy will think of you every yummy bite. I will do this for the first couple of weeks. Does it really make a difference? I think it does, and even if it doesn't, it only takes a few seconds to do, so you might as well try! Of course you want to make sure you wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
"WATCH ME"
I like to do the "watch me" game taught with food. Get your favorite natural treat and start the session after a good play. Show the puppy the treat, bring the treat to your face/eye level so your puppy looks to your face, say "good watch" and then instantly reward. Let the puppy get distracted again (shouldn't take too long), Tell the puppy "watch me", bring the treat to your face/eye level, get the puppy to look at you, say "good watch" and instantly reward. Repeat about 6-10 times and then end the training session. Do this 1-2 times a day and you will quickly have a puppy that looks to YOU. As the puppy gets older you can hold off on the reward a bit and get the eye contact to stretch out a bit longer before reward. But starting off this should be a FUN and positive session with NO correction. If you are having a difficult time getting your puppy's attention, you can start this game up on a grooming table or coffee table, somewhere where the puppy has enough room to stand and move a bit, but their options on where they can go and what they can do are limited. It may help you gain the focus a bit easier and you can move onto the floor once they get the exercise on the table. If you choose not to start this way, I do encourage you to train your puppy on the table a couple of times a week regardless. It will get him used to being on a tall table very similar to your vet's examination table or a grooming table that may be used if you choose to have him groomed later.
You can use this "watch" command the rest of your dog's life, from the vets office to when you want your dogs complete attention. When the dog is older, around 6 months of age, you can start to eliminate the food slowly, tell your dog to "watch" and then give a calm loving pet instead of the treat. I like to always start with food rewards and then slowing as they get older change to a pet reward, with treats now and then.
"REST"
I also like to do an exercise that teaches your position in the pack and teaches your dog to give into your authority at a young and small age. After a fun and positive play session with my puppy, when he is warn out and tired already, I will sit on the floor and lay him in front of my on his side with his feet pointing away from me. I will place very slight pressure on his flank with one hand and the side of his neck with the other. I will tell him "rest" and calmly rub him on the flank and nect. Then, after about 5 seconds of him being calm, I will release the pressure and say "good boy" in a calm voice and give him about 30 seconds to do what he wants. Then we will repeat this about 6-10 times. If your puppy struggles or tries to get up or away from you, or mouths you, stay CALM and impartial, apply slightly more pressure, and tell him firmly in a growly voice to "rest" and instantly calmly reward when the dog settles. Do the 6-10 time repetition once a day and slightly increase the "rest" time as the puppy gets older. This is something you will do with your dog into adulthood to keep a happy pack environment. When puppies are little I will trim nails while holding them in my arms, or having another person hold them for me. But after doing the "rest" exercise for about a week, I will start to incorporate me petting their feet and handling different parts of their body (mouth, legs, tail, ears, etc.). At about 4 months of age I will incorporate nail trimming when needed into this exercise.
I strongly feel it is this exercise that makes my dogs such canine good citizens at the vet for routine check ups, emergency injuries, and even hip/elbow x-rays that we are able to do without ANY sedation at all. REMEBER: You want to work with your puppy, not against him, and results will be much better if he has had a chance to play and be a puppy before doing this training session.
Bonding and trust come from allowing your dog to build confidence in themselves and in you. What are some of my favorite ways to build trust and confidence?
"TWO TOY"
I like to play fetch with two toys. I will have two toys and when the dog brings one back instead of taking it away from him, I will show him the other toy and throw it. He will drop the first toy, and I take that to exchange again. I use commands such as "wait" "bring" "here" and "drop" while this "game" is going on and it is just like a mini-training session. This game teaches the dog to naturally release their toy and when they do they instantly get another reward from you. You aren't taking anything away from him. Then as the puppy gets older I will play with only one ball, using the same set of words. And I might bring in the second toy for a bit. Change things up to keep your dog thinking, but remember to keep things positive and fair. When you are not playing fetch with these toys, put them AWAY. That way when you do bring them out they are fun and exciting.
"TUG"
I like to play tug with my puppies before they start teething too bad. With puppies I will let him tug it away from me and win. While they are tugging I will CALMLY with no words pet their face, around their eyes and ears. I will give a bit of a fight and pull back, but as soon as he starts to pull back some more, he wins. When he brings it back we will play again and I will let him win. I will tell the puppy "good bring" when he brings it back, and "good drop" if he drops it. But I do not TELL him to do these things. I do NOT go chasing after the puppy to get the tug back. By not going after the tug it sets the example as "yes, you won the toy, but you have to bring it to ME to play" and keeps your position in the pack clear. Once again, Do NOT chase after the puppy to get the tug back. Always be the one to initiate the game, and be the one to end the game by putting the tug away. Do NOT play tug around the 4-6 month age when your dog is at the biggest teething stage. If you do, do not pull back very hard, and be very careful with your dogs teeth and bite.
"Leaving & Greeting"
When I leave my dog, I do so in a calm manner. It doesn't matter if they are staying loose in the house or going in their crate, I give them a calm pet and simply go. Do NOT make a big deal and tell them that you will be back, and to be a good boy, and that you will miss them, on and on and on. This will only make you feel better, and give your dog anxiety every time you leave. When I get back I ignore my dog for the first 5-10 minutes. Once he settles and is calm and quiet, I will normally have them sit and I will then greet him calmly and kindly. Do not reward barking, whining, and obnoxious behavior by giving your dog attention before they are calm. Waiting the 5-10 minutes will also teach your dog additional patients.
When new people come to the house I insist on calmness from my dogs as well. I instruct our company to totally ignore the dog as well. No touch, no talk, no eye contact. The dog may come on their own terms and sniff the new visitors, but must do so in a calm manner showing no aggression or over excitement. If they do, as the Pack Leader, I will correct the dog by firmly grabbing the scruff and telling them "PHOOEY". Then calmly petting the dog. Once the dog has greeted calmly, the visitor may then calmly pet our dog. But they are still not to talk to the dog, or give him commands of any sort.
"Nipping and Herding"
German Shepherds were bred to HERD. They herd by nipping and chasing, and while their herding style is different than a Boarder Collie, they still like to use their mouth. It is instinctual for them to want to grab onto the back of moving pant legs and other moving parts (pony tails included!). I set the "no bite" rule from day ONE. When the puppy nips something they aren't supposed to, human skin or clothing for example, they get a firm squeeze on the cheek or scruff, a "No Bite", and then a calm pet when they release and a "good" reward with voice. This exercise is repeated EVERY time nipping happens, no exceptions. And if I must squeeze a little harder or longer to get my point across the next time than I do. But I ALWAYS reward afterwards. It is good if a toy or something they can chew is near by to immediately give them that toy to chew on afterwards, and reward with a calm pet. While it may be cute, harmless, or humorous at 8-12 weeks of age, it certainly isn't at 12 months and 80lbs. This behavior needs to be corrected and taken care of NOW. Playing tug and chasing the ball will help fulfill these natural instincts into proper areas. If you are consistent they will learn that putting teeth on skin or clothes is NEVER appropriate. And if you are fair with your corrects and calm with your rewards, they will love you more for your reliable structure.
"Remember To's"
Remember to keep training exciting by not doing everything in the same order every day.
Remember to not set your dog up to fail.
Remember to let your puppy win
Remember to reward well after every correction
Remember to stay firm, fair, and confident
Remember never to yell, hit, or be over the top with emotion
(not to be republished without prior written
consent)
Kaykohl@aol.com
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