Training Your German Shepherd Dog - what equipment do you need?
Monday, August 13th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Congratulations: you’re the proud owner of a beautiful, highly intelligent and lovable German Shepherd Dog. German Shepherds are highly intelligent. Since they were bred as working dogs, they need training, as much as you can give them.
Let’s look at some of the equipment you will need to train your GSD.
A collar is fine for ordinary walking. But during training, a chest harness will work out better for both dog and trainer. They’re made of leather or very strong nylon with either metal or composite plastic buckles. They fit around the chest, over the shoulders and under the front legs and they’re adjustable.
That makes it possible to fit the harness to be comfortable but also slip proof. A dog in attack mode is going to strain at a leash to the point that even a dog’s strong neck provides inadequate protection against harm, not to mention being tough on your hand. A chest harness is safer for the dog and makes it much easier for the owner to exert control.
If you choose to use a check chain, you won’t need a harness. However, before you opt for a chain, get some training in how to put it on your dog, and how to use it. A check chain is not a “choke” chain. The chain should always be loose: it’s meant simply to give instruction to your dog, not to control him by force. This means you need training in how to use the chain.
Because some German Shepherds can be very mouthy, it’s occasionally necessary to strap on a muzzle, particularly if you’ll be in a crowd of people and other dogs.
It’s not common, but those incidents which have resulted in bites help fuel the German Shepherd’s unwarranted reputation for being aggressive. In public areas, where the not-yet-fully-trained Shepherd may be nervous or prone to bite, a muzzle protects others from bites and you from lawsuits.
Muzzles can be leather or nylon, and there are styles that still allow the dog to open its mouth part way. That provides the ability to drink without removing the muzzle, while preventing the dog’s jaws from opening wide enough to look threatening.
Like other breeds, German Shepherds enjoy chewing. A good rawhide bone is a start. But provide these intelligent animals with lots of variety to allow them to practice while they play. Denta-bones are good for health, but provide balls with peanut butter in the center or other ‘puzzles’ to keep them mentally sharp, too.
(Never give your German Shepherd chicken or beef bones that might shatter. Some large beef bones are safe provided they’ve been cooked to soften them. But the easiest and wisest alternative is to stick with commercially supplied bones that are designed to be safely chewed.)
Obstacle courses provide a great way to keep your energetic Shepherd active, well exercised and mentally alert. A search and rescue or a police dog, to name only two examples, will find it necessary to leap hurdles and navigate through complex environments.
An obstacle course should be adjustable, provide tunnels and hurdles, and have various levels. A mixture of wood, metal and plastic will simulate the circumstances in which the dog may find itself. Being able to balance on slick metal or walk over wood without losing scent gives them challenges to solve.
Whistles, clickers and other attention devices aren’t for the dog per se, but they definitely make the trainer’s life easier. Check out a variety and choose one in the presence of your dog to see how they react.
Dress up your cat as a dog this Halloween! See all of our wacky and hilarious pet costumes! Our huge costume store has the best outfits for adults and the biggest selection of childrens costumes!
Technorati Tags: chains, collars, equipment, German Shepherd dog, harness, muzzles, training
Related Tags: No Tags
Possible Related Posts
Dog food that tastes better and is better for your dog: the secret to super-health and vitality for your dog, in Dog Food Secrets
Your dog's a star - teach your dog any trick, using the secrets of Hollywood dog trainers. Be proud of your dog: amaze your friends.
A well-trained dog is a joy. Discover dog trainings secrets now, and stop behavior problems.