German Shepherd Puppy Training Tips

Step-by-Step Training Tips For Your German Shepherd Puppy

Shoulds and Should Nots

So you are planning to bring your GSD puppy home! I assume you understand that dog ownership is a life-time commitment, which is not only a commitment of money and effort, but also a commitment of time and relationship too. The German Shepherd puppy is going to be a part of your family and will continue to grow with different requirements – nutritional, activities, space and socialization.


Training your GSD puppy involves building desirable habits that includes everything - starting from feeding and potty habit to desirable play behavior. German Shepherd puppies are very intelligent and grab new tricks quite faster. However, that's not always a fact though! With growth, the puppy will have a desperate need for daily exercise accompanied with ongoing training in order to check all kinds of negative puppy behavior. For a successful and effective training, the puppy should be put to right socializing process. To start off with, your puppy should be socialized with other animals from a very early age, for instance 4 months age.


First time outdoor: Take your puppy outdoor for the first time after the first set of vaccine shots are fully done. Keep him in the fenced area and let him explore the entire external world that he can see for the first time ever. Allow him to sniff out the leaves and grasses, and chase the butterflies, moths and birds. Let him run, play and experience the sounds of the falling leaves, chirping birds and other sounds. This kind of socialization is considered as the most significant part of the beginning of an effective dog training.


Introduction to the training session: Gradually! Your GSD puppy should be introduced to actual training session gradually and in a progressive manner. Start off with potty training your puppy. After each meal, lead him the way outdoor where you want him to defecate. Control him through the lead and don’t let him go else where until he is done. It requires a lot of time to potty train your puppy, because sometimes GSD puppies are typically headstrong.



Crate training: Crate training the puppy is important. Make sure that his create is just big enough for him to turn around and lie freely inside it. Note that while starting with the crate training your puppy will exhibit behavioral problems with continual whining. I suggest not letting him out until he stops whining. However, it is advisable to crate him in for smaller time span to begin with. As soon as you unlock his crate, make sure to chain him and lead him outdoor without any delay and take him to the place you want him to urinate and potty. It is suggested that you always follow the same and most feasible route to that place. Taking different routes will make training ineffective, as it will confuse the pup.


Introduction to verbal command obedience training: No age is too early or too late, and right time is to start today and now if he has crossed three months of age and properly vaccinated. Vaccination is very important because you may need to take take him outdoor if you think inside your house is not the right place for him to be trained. Moreover, training outdoor has its unique effectiveness provided you choose the right time when there will be no disturbing element that may deviate his attention. Early in the morning and during the night are the two suggested times. Better start off with the command “COME”. Let him play enough to be a little tired and will want to sit. Let him sit, while you move away to a distant. Be sited yourself and deliver the command “COME” while encouraging him, showing him a piece of cookie. If he denies, repeat the command, lovingly and encouragingly. Offer him his tidbits when he comes to you and praise him lavishly. The trick is to let him know which sound associates with which desirable action and if he makes you happy he will be getting his favorite tidbits. Firm voice and strictness won't work at this age.

Most Important Puppy Training Tips

Your training will be successful if you make your puppy feel that training session is just a play session and a fun! 

Transition from one command to the other – “COME” to : This is the most delicate point and chances are there that your puppy will get confused with commands and action. Consistency, repetition and patience are the key to the success story. The best command that should be chosen after “COME” is “SIT”. After he is well acquainted with the sound “COME”, stop offering him his cookies when he comes. Start with teaching him how to sit with the Command “SIT” now. Sit before and hold the cookie run your hand slowly over his nose and head and towards his loin and gently press the loin region and deliver the command softly yet firmly “SIT”. He will automatically sit while following the cookie in your hand. One he sits offer him his cookie and praise him. Repeat the whole process again and again starting from “COME” to “SIT”.


What’s next: The best lesson to teach him after “SIT” is the command “DOWN”. Once he is quite well with “SIT”, start with “DOWN”. Teaching the “DOWN” command to your puppy requires additional patience. More importantly, you need to first establish yourself as the ALPHA member (leader of the pack, where the pack mates are you and your puppy). Sometimes, teaching “DOWN” command is typically tough because the puppy will associate the action of lying down to the sense of submission, and he will try not to be submissive too easily. What is desirable to be achieved with the down command is to make your puppy cool and get down to the laying position, with the belly touching the floor, and his front legs extended in the front.

Related Read: Technical Suggestions for Effective Dog Training.