German Shepherd Training

I remember the first day we brought Baron home - big lazy puppy that looked like a little Bear. I was so tempted to cuddle him and put him on my lap. That's when my husband (an experienced dog trainer) made the first rule clear - No dogs on the couch or any furniture.

The next few months were a lot of work for my husband and a lot of learning for me. My husband took Baron out for long walks (to keep his energy level down - and that helps with the training) and potty trained him. The potty training involved taking Baron out as soon as he was showing any signs of "pre-potty pattern" and pointing out any accidents and then taking him outside. My husband always remained calm but made sure that our puppy realized that he didn't do what he was supposed to. If we didn't catch Baron "doing it", we didn't punish him.

Another important part of the German Shepherd Training was Socializing. When he was little, we took him out in public and let him play with other dogs. We wanted Baron to be a good guard dog, but it was also important that he was ok with the people (and dogs) we knew.

"Obedience School" is also a must for puppies. When we went out for walks, my husband made sure that he or one of us was the leader, and Baron was the follower, and not the other way around. You have to learn to control the dog when he or she is still a puppy - so that the dog is not dragging you on the leash when it's over 100 pounds (that's how much Baron weighs now at 4 years old!). Baron turned out to be a very energetic and daring puppy. He was curious about everything around us, but my hubby corrected his behavior when we needed him to walk in a certain direction or follow instructions.

The coolest part of the training... My husband trained Baron to understand German commands. Like "Bleib" is "stay" or "Voraus" is "outside" - my husband and Baron learned German together. The reason for training in German? Strangers couldn't give any commands to Baron (well, unless they happen to be German...) and well, just to be different...

There are so many things you need to know when bringing home a new puppy! It is such a great responsibility to care for a German Shepherd, and you certainly have to do a lot to turn your puppy into a well-balanced, friendly, and safe Dog. Even with years of experience in dog training, my husband never stops learning. Cesar Millan is who my husband looks up to. In my opinion, there's no other person in the world that knows dogs better than Cesar Millan. I highly recommend that you read his books and watch his videos when training a new German Shepherd puppy or working on correcting your dog's behavior. You may also know Cesar as the "Dog Whisperer".

First of all, Frontline is a must have for any dog owner. Make sure your German Shepherd is well-protected from fleas and ticks! Although there are several products on the market that may give you an ok protection, Frontline has proven itself to millions of dog owners and is our first choice for our German Shepherd Baron. You can buy 3 or 6 months supply. Also, please make sure you purchase the right product for your dog's weight category.

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