Dog training is an essential part of their upbringing; after all, we all want to have a loving, passionate, caring, and vigilant dog. A German shepherd, a well-known watchdog, is one of the best choices if you are looking for a dog for your protection. However, you have to make a little effort and learn how to train a German shepherd to protect you.
Dogs are fully devoted to their owners, and if trained accordingly, they will not hesitate to go beyond their capacity to protect you at all costs. Loyal, intelligent, and strong, a German shepherd can be a perfect guard dog if appropriately trained. They have a natural protective instinct that you can develop and refine for your security. If it is required, a German shepherd will not have a second thought and will put his life in danger to protect others.
Having a great potential to be a guard god, let’s see how you can train it to protect you.
Training a German shepherd for personal protection
It’s not a one-day job but will take time. Developing a habit is itself a challenging task within yourself, and when it comes to a German shepherd, it can be more challenging. However, if you remain consistent with your effort, you will be able to train it the way you want and will not have to worry again concerning your security and protection.
Starts from the young age
The earlier you start with training, the better it is. Do not wait for a German shepherd to reach the age of maturity; instead, start training as early as two months old. The more effective the foundation you build, the more mindful a German shepherd will be.
Starts with socializing and taking a puppy to different places. Give an experience to your dog of different places, situations, and the environment. Join an obedience course if available and make your dog familiar with basic commands. Remember that regular training will have a better impact than training irregularly.
For more information, check out here how to discipline a German shepherd puppy.
Teach commands
Help your dog understand the good and bad behavior. Teach your German shepherd to bark on your command and praise if follows your instruction. It will let him know it’s well. In the same manner, help your dog learn different commands and make him follow them accordingly.
Remember that you have to constantly try different techniques to make your dog learn and adapt to your commands. Don’t lose hope and continue with the effort, and soon they will develop the habit of following your instructions.
Also, make a German shepherd learn to bark at intruders or when they see any irregular activity in their surroundings.
Build confidence
You can apply different methods to do this, and one way of doing this is to stage up a robbery or break-in. Keep it controlled and see how your dog reacts. The German shepherd will feel confident in his guarding capabilities and will perform better in the upcoming days.
Establish and familiarize with boundary
Your German shepherd should know the property they belong to and be a guard. This will allow them not to bark on every individual that passes outside of the defined premises and will keep them contained and focused.
When not to train a German shepherd for personal protection
Though easy to train, there are situations when you should not train your German shepherd for your protection. Not to forget, a German shepherd can be a perfect guard dog, and as well as a therapy dog. If not good for one task, your German shepherd might be excellent in another.
Emotionally unstable
It’s important that you understand the nature of your dog. While a German shepherd is naturally protective, compassionate, and loving, each dog is different and may have a different personality. An emotionally unbalanced German shepherd is not a good choice for making it a guard dog; rather, you should try to understand its behavior and change through consultation and therapy. Go to the veterinarian if required.
Physically inactive or ill
You may not have seen this before, but a German shepherd can be physically inactive, and there might be any reason for it. It can be due to the lack of exercise, over-exercise, poor diet, health, or any other medical conditions. In any case, you would not like to have an inactive dog as your watchdog.
By nature, German shepherds are active and strong, and if they are not performing well, there might be some problem, and you should consult with your veterinarian. Also, see how much exercise a German shepherd needs so that you keep your dog active, strong, and fit.
Behavioral problems
If not properly trained at an early age, a German shepherd might develop behavioral problems. Concerning this, training it for personal protection may not be going to help. In this case, the dog may harm people without any reason. Try to learn why your dog is having behavioral problems and take steps to resolve whatever it is.
Conclusion
German shepherds are naturally caring and protective, but you have to put their energy in the right direction. Teaching commands while focusing on health and physical conditions, a German shepherd can be trained in an easy way. It might be time-consuming, but it’s totally worth it. Let us know what you have to share that helped you train and discipline your German shepherd?