Hi! This is Jasper! I thought I’d talk more about German Shepherd training now that I am a whole 18 months old and so much more mature. Personally, I like training. If I don’t get to train every day I get sad. I spend a lot of time looking at Mom like this.
Most the time she just smiles and says you need to train don’t you Jasper? Well duh! But I get all excited when I hear the word train. Why sometime I am so excited I chase my tail! Once I even caught it! That was fun but then I wasn’t sure what to do with it. I have a very nice tail if I do say so myself but once you catch it, it get sort of boring.
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German Shepherds are Smart
Anyway, back to training. Us German Shepherds are on the whole very smart. Oh you get an occasional dumb German Shepherd that is a couch potato, but for the most part we are smart and full of energy. We were bred to herd sheep all day and night see. Sheep aren’t very smart from what I hear and need someone to keep them out of trouble.
I still haven’t met a sheep but I did get to meet a cow! Now, talking about training, it’s not just about learning tricks or commands, though I must admit, I’m rather good at those. Training, for us German Shepherds, is much like solving a big puzzle. It keeps our brains sharp and our bodies active. My Mom says it’s important to stimulate both, and boy, do I agree! We start with the basics, of course, sit, stay, come, but then it gets more interesting – like learning how to open doors or fetch specific items by name. That last one’s useful, especially when Mom can’t find her shoes; I’m always happy to help! I just don’t always want to bring them back. They smell good!
German Shepherd Love to Train
But it’s not all just physical, no sir! Emotional training is part of it too. We work on staying calm in different situations and not getting too overexcited – unless it’s about food, then all bets are off, in my opinion. And the social aspect can be fun. Meeting lots of people and getting to see lots of places is great. I’m still working on the dog part. I want to bark at them really bad but Mom says I can’t. That Moms a kill-joy sometimes. She says I have to learn to ignore other dogs. Sometimes she grabs my cheeks( which I really love) and says repeat after me Japer there are no dogs. Silly Mom.
Mom and I, we train together every day. It’s our special time. Sometimes it’s challenging, especially the ‘patience’ part – not my strongest suit, to be honest. But the treats and praises make it all worth it. And the best part? The bond it creates between us. It’s like we understand each other better with every session. That’s what training is truly about for us German Shepherds, not just the commands or the tricks, but the connection, the love, and, well, the fun of catching our own tails once in a while!
So far I have learned how to sit, down, stay(Ok mostly), come, shake hands, roll over, play dead, heel and find things. Oh and I can also sing! I taught myself that one! All Mom has to do is start singing and I join right in! She says I have a nice voice too.
German Shepherds are Eager to Please
The important thing to know about training German Shepherds is we want to please. We love nothing more than making our owners happy and being praised for a job well done. We thrive on the mental stimulation and challenge that training provides. Even if we have to work hard and sometimes make mistakes, the reward of seeing our humans proud of us is worth it all.
Just keep in mind we have to believe both that you are in charge and that you are being fair. If we don’t think you are in charge because we are so smart and we know every pack has to have a leader, we may take over the job. This causes all sort of problems.
If you are not fair and do stupid stuff like yell at us or hit us because your having a bad day or we did not understand something we may decide to ignore you since you are obviously stupid. Worse we may decide you need a nip to straighten you out given how dumb you are acting.
Mom read something that says we German shepherds can learn new commands in 5-6 tries which is apparently pretty fast but the human direction has to be clear. She says most mistakes are because of stupid humans not stupid dogs. I agree!
German Shepherds will Follow you Everywhere
So if you re going to get a German Shepherd just understand WE HAVE TO TRAIN EVERY DAY. OK maybe Mom misses a day here and there like that time she kept throwing up. That was interesting to watch even though Mom did tell me “Quit watching me Jasper!” I guess humans are sensitive about those things. Not us dogs. We will throw up anywhere.
Now, you might be wondering what kind of training is necessary for a German Shepherd. Well, it really depends on your individual dog and their specific needs and behaviors. Some common areas that may require training include obedience, socialization, and specific tasks or jobs such as being a guard dog or therapy dog.
Conclusion
In conclusion, being a German Shepherd, or any dog for that matter, ain’t just about chasing our tails or fetching sticks. It’s about forming a bond with you humans, learning together, and becoming part of the pack. Remember, we look to you for guidance and leadership – be firm, but fair. And never forget, the effort you put in every day to train and understand us, really makes a world of difference. It ensures we’re both happy, healthy, and, most importantly, that we get to enjoy lots of treats and belly rubs. Take it from me, Jasper, your loyal German Shepherd – life’s way better when we’re in it together, learning from each other. Now, who’s up for a game of fetch?
