Many reactive German Shepherds are very reactive, even when you are not around. They can snap, zip, and even bite at just the slightest provocation. Even other dogs find this extremely annoying and difficult to deal with. In order to teach your dog a few good training skills you need to control these reactions. Here are some tips for handling and training your dog with reactive tendencies.
One of the best tips for reactive German Shepherd dog behavior is to use a positive reinforcement-based system. You should not try to handle your dog by physically punishing it or yelling at it in a loud voice. This is one of the dog training tips for reactive German Shepherd owners that will actually cause more dog behavioral problems.
If you have other dogs that are reactive towards your German Shepherd, you should do everything in your power to socialize them and get them used to each other. This will help avoid some serious dog aggression issues if they have the chance to fight. Some dog training tips for reactive German shepherd owners that I found are to introduce them slowly to other loose dogs. You could do this by using a crate. Only let the dog into the crate on cue and only after it has responded well to the praise of the owner.
To eliminate aggression issues, a reactive German shepherd owner needs to eliminate the negative reinforcement. If your dog starts to snap at other dogs while being treated, remove all treats from the dog’s mouth and only give it praise. Begin the dog training session with something simple, such as sitting, walking, or playing. As your dog begins to respond to the praise, gradually move on to other tasks, until eventually it is only you on the lead. Try to incorporate some fun in your dog’s life because your dog enjoys learning new things, even when you aren’t looking! Be careful though, because your dog’s nature is to protect its family and it will quickly become very defensive if it feels threatened.
It is not impossible for reactive German shepherd owners to eliminate their dog’s unwanted behaviour problems. But it does require a lot of time, patience, and work on the part of the handler. The most common issue is lack of socialization – that is, the handler doesn’t know how to properly communicate with the dog doesn’t feel that it is welcome to interact with other people either. Lack of exercise can also lead to bad behavior because dogs have a tendency to act out when they are bored or lonely.
One important aspect of reactive dog training is creating a behaviour chain. A behaviour chain is a process where one behaviour is modeled after the dog performs another correct behaviour. For example, if the dog eats too much, then you should model the correct behaviour of removing the food from the mouth and then encouraging the dog to sit politely while you feed it. By building up each correct behaviour with appropriate rewards, the dog will soon learn that it will get some enjoyment from pleasing its handler.
Reactive German Shepherds are quite intelligent creatures that can be trained to be both obedient and protective. However, there is a difference between reactive German Shepherd obedience and reactive German Shepherd training. A reactive German Shepherd obedience training session focuses on teaching the dog the commands and correct behaviours that are not wanted. A reactive German Shepherd training session often times takes longer than it needs to be due to the dog becoming distracted by other things during the training session. It is therefore important for the handler to make sure that the dog has plenty of distractions so that it can fully absorb the information that has been given to it.
During training a reactive German Shepherd can be quite difficult to manage. Due to their stubborn streak, they often try to pull the line at every opportunity, even if this means they are getting further away from the line of command. Training your dog to stop lunging is easier than most people would think. You just need to use your voice and have a firm body when telling the dog to stop lunging. Some people will even tell their dog to lie down in order for the dog to learn better obedience commands. If your dog lunges, then it is best to reprimand it firmly using a click or a loud noise to distract the dog.
