Some dogs can be fearful of strangers, other animals or noises and require extra training to overcome their fears. These special needs dogs will require special support in order to overcome them successfully.
how to train a german shepherd
Displacement behaviors, like sniffing the ground, can help your dog focus their attention away from a trigger that might otherwise prompt aggression or growling instead of becoming reactive to it. This approach may also assist with separation anxiety.
Positive Reinforcement
German Shepherds are generally wonderful pets, yet some find the world scary and can become anxious around strangers. Even very nervous German Shepherds can be trained to become more relaxed around people by using positive reinforcement training rather than punishing for bad behavior - punishment-based training only subdues bad behaviors while not providing your German Shepherd with any useful lessons on what they should be doing instead.
Positive reinforcement is a method that rewards your dog for performing desirable behaviors. At first this may mean food rewards; however, over time your German Shepherd should learn that working for you even without food rewards will bring them happiness! They will become more willing to follow your commands knowing they will receive something great as an incentive for doing it.
Start by taking your German Shepherd on walks through different areas and distractions, instructing him or her to obey basic commands, giving rewards as they do so, gradually increasing the length of time for which these behaviors need to be performed over time.
Your German Shepherd should never feel frustrated when they're nervous; their intelligence takes time to digest new information. Additionally, it would help if you could determine what exactly is causing their anxiety so that you can treat its source; perhaps due to recent moves or mourning for loved ones who have passed on.
Distract
German Shepherds are highly intelligent dogs who are sensitive to their owners' emotions. If you become anxious, your German Shepherd will sense this and interpret the situation as potentially dangerous; therefore it's vital that you teach him or her to remain relaxed when faced with fear-inducing stimuli.
Whenever your dog barks at visitors to your property, try distracting him by turning his attention elsewhere and rewarding them for doing so. Also consider walking your German Shepherd around in long lines on the perimeter so that he or she can better recognize his or her territorial boundaries and not attack visitors who come near.
German Shepherds who experience anxieties such as fireworks, thunder or separation often find comfort by being left alone in a small room of the house where music or other sounds help soothe them down. Be wary though; leaving your German Shepherd alone for too long could actually worsen his/her anxiety and lead to aggression on his part.
Desensitizing your German Shepherd to any stimulus that causes them anxiety or aggression involves gradually and carefully exposing them to it until they no longer react negatively to it. While this takes patience and persistence, success can be achieved provided you understand their body language (yawning may signal emotional discomfort while panting indicates overheated and stressedness).
Reward
Maintaining calm in a German Shepherd can be challenging, so rewarding their calm behavior is crucial to helping him or her feel safe and make interactions easier, including when training or visiting friends and family. Doing this also makes living with them more enjoyable as it makes finding pet sitters or dog walkers simpler.
When training your German shepherd, keep sessions short and enjoyable for him or her. If you try to train when they're overly excited or fearful, this will only heighten their anxiety further; wait until they calm down before restarting training sessions when they are more open-minded emotionally.
People sometimes try to force their dog into being calm by using punishment techniques, but this only increases stress and nervousness for your German shepherd. Additionally, this approach may make them less willing to listen or follow your commands - leading to further issues like aggression.
Rewarding their calm behavior will teach them that listening and following commands leads to positive rewards, such as attention or treats. This method can be especially effective in teaching them not to jump on you - come quietly into the room when greeting them, only greeting when they sit on their paws; ignore or turn away from any jumpers as to show that such behaviour won't garner you any extra attention; eventually they should learn how to stay calm when approached and sit calmly on their paws when greeting.
Control
Just like humans, German Shepherds may experience anxiety. According to Healthline, this may present itself in various forms: panic attacks, phobias, separation anxiety or destructive behaviors which make living with your pet challenging.
Early training can often help manage anxiety in dogs. Achieved results include helping your German shepherd remain calm and relaxed for other commands or behaviors as well as making daily life with them much simpler; additionally it will make finding pet sitters and dog walkers willing to work with your pup much simpler.
As a good starting point, teaching your dog how to stay still is a good first step. Some dogs may naturally excel at this skill while most will need help and positive reinforcement to learn it. Reward your pet when they remain still for extended periods - eventually this should become second nature to them and help them to relax around people and situations more freely.
As part of your training to keep your German shepherd calm, avoid making too much noise when leaving or returning home. Constant scolding of misbehaving or anxious behavior only serves to associate it with negative experiences - instead leave out long-lasting chew toys or mentally stimulating games which will occupy their attention and take their mind off their fears.