German Shepherds are very protective and aggressive dogs. They are highly trained and very good at what they do. One thing they are not good at is leash training. This might seem a little strange to you but it is true. Many owners have reported German Shepherd leash problems with their dogs that were trained to be obedient. Here are some dog training tricks you can try out if your dog has a tendency to pull on the leash.
When you are first going to train your dog on the leash, the best place to start is in the backyard. Most dogs learn better in a relaxed surrounding. The yard gives you plenty of room to work. If your dog does pull on the leash, simply turn around and let him know that you do not like his behavior. You may need to repeat this a couple of times before he learns that pulling on the leash is not acceptable.
Another good place to teach your dog that pulling on the leash is not acceptable is in an enclosed area. The enclosed area will be a little bigger than the yard so the dog will get a real feeling that he is being monitored. A good idea is to have some treats ready. The dog will learn that he is not to pull on the leash while there are treats within reach.
If you have other dogs that you want to control your dog’s leash with, try putting one of them in the confined area and let the dog see how his new master feels about his behavior. Most dogs learn quickly when they feel they are being controlled and they are being taught what he is allowed to do. This is a great way to bond with another dog or pet.
Some other things you can try when trying to control your dog’s leash aggression are to distract him. You could play a game show with your dog where the dog is the entertainment act and the trainer will distract him with different commands and movements. Try to use the dog’s own sense of playfulness to distract him from pulling. You could also try asking your dog to do a recall. Let the dog get to know your command such as, “Where are you?”
Remember that dogs are pack animals and they will follow their leader. When you have a dog that pulls on the leash, it may be because you are not using the correct behavior guidelines. Your dog needs to learn that he has certain actions that are proper and that he must follow them. As you dog becomes more skilled at following your orders he will not feel as threatened by you when you are around. He will come to understand that he must treat you with respect.
Control and teach your dog what you expect. Even when using the right behavior for the right situation, if you allow the dog’s behavior to continue he will learn that pulling on the leash is acceptable. One of the easiest ways to control the dog’s behavior is through the use of a dog collar and leash. You can control the dog’s behavior by attaching a choke collar to his leash if he pulls on the leash. If he continues to pull then you can put him in his crate. You can also give him a dog treat every time he pulls on the leash.
German Shepherds are very intelligent dogs and they can be trained to do just about anything. However, if you have German Shepherd leash aggression you may need to seek professional dog training help. In some cases, you may need to take the dog to a vet to be checked out so that you can rule out any medical issues that may be causing the dog’s aggression. In most cases the problem can be corrected with dog training therapy.
