German Shepherd Central

Help with your German Shepherd Dog

You are here: Home / Archives for behavior

behavior

Teach your German Shepherd ‘Wipe Your Paws’

“Muddy paw print” by Becky is licensed under CC BY 2.0

With cooler weather comes rain, sleet, snow and ice. Wiping your German Shepherd’s paws after every walk is not only good for your carpets and flooring, but helps ensure your dog’s feet aren’t harboring burrs or don’t get burned by road salt.

If your German Shepherd is one of those who always kicks up the grass and dirt behind him after he does his business, the bulk of the groundwork is already laid out for you. What you need to do is use the positive reinforcement technique while speaking the phrase you want him to associate with this behavior. Tell him “Good ‘wipe your feet’, Rex! Good ‘wipe your feet’!” repeatedly when you catch him in the act, while scratching his favorite spot and treating him to a cookie. This will encourage him to try with all of his might to replicate the action.

The next step to take is getting him to repeat it in the appropriate place. Once he has caught on to the command of wiping his feet, bring him to the area you want him to begin performing this trick. For example, walk him to your welcome mat or a rug inside your front door. When he is standing on the rug or mat, use the phrase he is accustomed to. Make sure you have a treat, and that he knows it.

If your German Shepherd never kicks up the ground, getting him to perform the act is the first step. What you can do instead is train him to wait on a mat or rug so that you can wipe his feet off for him. Use the basic “Stay” or “Wait” cue every time he comes in the door. Wipe his paws, telling him “Wipe your feet” or even just “Foot!” Give him a special treat after each foot. Pretty soon he’ll be holding up each foot for you to wipe.

Your friends and neighbors will want to know how you manage to keep your floors so clean!

When should I start training my German Shepherd puppy?

“How old does my puppy have to be before I can begin training?”

This is a question I am asked often. The German Shepherd puppy in this video is 10 weeks old; but you don’t even have to wait that long! “Training” starts the day you bring your new dog or puppy home to live with you — GSDs are learning all the time. This is why it is easier to prevent problems and bad habits than to solve them later.

But what most people mean when they ask this question is, “How soon can I expect my German Shepherd puppy to start performing tricks and basic obedience behaviors?” Happily, the answer is the same — immediately. Clicker training is an easy and fun way to accomplish this.

When to seek help with your dog

German Shepherds are amazing dogs, and typically biddable (making them easy to train) and smart (making them quick to learn). However, this doesn’t mean your dog fits the mold, or even if she does, that you’ll always have a smooth relationship.

Most folks who get a German Shepherd either know of or used to have a dog that was absolutely perfect — never made a mess in the house, didn’t shed, never jumped up, never barked inappropriately, never lunged at people or other dogs, never chewed the furniture, always laid quietly in another room during dinner, always paid its taxes on time, never forgot to bring home the milk, etc.

Not all of us are as blessed. Sometimes, a dog comes into our lives who has perfected a different art: making our existence miserable!

Here are a few signs to indicate that your dog’s behavior may require professional intervention:

Your dog is actively threatening to harm or has harmed a person. As much as dogs will be dogs, this is the land of people — and sometimes litigious ones. Besides not wanting anyone to be hurt, it’s important to get a handle on your dog’s aggressive behavior, because sometimes an aggressive display (barking, lunging, jumping at a person’s face, etc.) can be misinterpreted. In fact, any “biting incident” involving a dog, even a dog with no prior history of aggression, and even if the bite did not break the skin can be grounds for euthanasia in this country, as the case of Rolo demonstrates.

Your dog has threatened or harmed livestock, cats or other dogs. Again, besides the potential for euthanasia (or worse, if a neighbor or livestock owner has vengeance in mind), these kinds of dog problems aren’t simple to fix. Unless there’s a sibling rivalry issue between two dogs, this type of behavior is likely rooted in predation. Lots of well-meaning folks follow the advice of friends, “trainers,” or relatives, and punish the dog in an attempt to “correct” predatory actions. But predatory behavior is unlikely to be wholly suppressed with positive punishment, no matter how creative. And painful and/or threatening treatment (including yelling and leash-popping) of a dog who dislikes other dogs can exponentially worsen the problem.

You’re feeling helpless about, hopeless about or afraid of your dog’s behavior. If you’re dog is soiling his crate every day, or tearing up the house, or refusing to budge from the couch or bed when asked, ask yourself whether it might be time to call for professional help. Although animal behavior consultation can be expensive, it is a far smaller price to pay than chancing the dog’s life — which is likely to be the outcome when you decide not only can you not handle the behavior, but life would be easier without the dog. A well-known fact is that dogs are relinquished to shelters for behavior problems more than any other reason. Don’t let your dog be one of them.

For help finding a professional dog trainer or animal behavior consultant near you, visit the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants at iaabc.org, or the Association of Pet Dog Trainers at apdt.com.

Stop Your German Shepherd From Stealing Food

(Or, ‘Hey, Who Stole My #*%(@ Sandwich?!’)

If you’ve been a victim of the disappearing roast trick, you will identify with a recent episode at my house.
I left a sandwich unattended on the table to answer the phone. The conversation was short — less than a minute — but alas, it was too long. I returned to the room to find parts of my beloved sandwich dangling from the jaws of a greedy, four-legged predator.

“Hey!” I yelled, and the culprit, rather than dropping my food, repositioned her grip and took off down the hall.
I gave chase, but before I could reach her, she darted under the bed. Knowing how long it had been since I swept under there, I decided against following her. Muttering oaths, I returned to the kitchen to make a second lunch — and I vowed it was the last time I let a cat steal my sandwich.

Dogs, being typically bigger and better opportunists than cats, practically have turned food theft into a science. While dogs begging for food during mealtimes can be annoying (or cute, depending on your perspective), stealing food from the trash, off plates or counters can be downright dangerous.

I learned the dangers of trash-stealing firsthand after my 6month-old German shepherd puppy spent the day at the vet clinic recovering from food poisoning. With the help of a foster dog, she escaped from a makeshift kennel and tore open a bag of garbage — and ate things that weren’t even food. Tin foil, paper, plastic bags and plastic wrap all made it down the hatch, along with a robust serving of spoiled fare. I came home to a puppy shaking so hard she couldn’t walk, followed by an afternoon of sheer fright and a $100 vet bill. (The foster dog escaped any ill effects.)

Lesson learned: Only three years later do I trust her to be left unconfined in the house. Prevention and patience are the keys to reforming your furry larcenist. So what steps can you take to protect your dog and your foodstuffs?
Hamburger Investigation
Use of time-honored booby traps such as yelling, penny shake
cans, mouse traps or pepper-laced food might be effective to halt the most sensitive pooch, but a hardened counter-surfer will only be amused by your exertion. (And the clever pup will perform her scandalous acts on the sly.)

Save yourself time and trouble by following the tips below:

  • Use trash cans with lids and keep them sealed. Child-proof lid locks work well for all but the most determined dogs.
  • Crate your dog. If your dog is young, new to the home or a proven trash thief, a cozy and well-appointed crate will put your mind at ease while you’re out of the house.
  • Clear the counters and tables of all food unless preparing a meal. Make sure each member of the household understands that even one slip-up on a person’s part means many more weeks of training for the dog. Dogs who steal food see the kitchen as a doggy Las Vegas; they may get nothing, or it could pay off big-time.
  • Supervise your dog. A dog who steals food should be on a leash or tethered out of reach of the counter while in the kitchen. With your dog on a leash, teach an alternate behavior, such as a sit-or down-stay, or a stay outside the kitchen’s entrance. Only remove the leash once you trust the dog to maintain the stay. While you’re in another part of the house, make sure the dog does not have access to the kitchen.
  • Create a diversion. If you catch your dog running his nostrils along the table rim, gently interrupt him and ask for a sit- or down-stay out of the theater. A peanut-butter filled Kong toy or another attractive article can be used to reward the obedient dog.
  • If your dog gets hold of something he isn’t supposed to have, do what you must to get it back — but be careful. Many dogs who otherwise don’t guard resources will act aggressively if they have something of high value, such as a loaf of bread. This is the time to throw training out the window and offer a bribe — anything of higher value than what the dog has — to get the dog to trade.
  • Teach your dog to “leave it.” Start by offering your dog a low-value treat in a closed fist. Say nothing. As soon as the dog stops sniffing and licking your fist, even for a millisecond, say “Leave it,” and open your hand to give the treat. Work up to higher-value treats, extending the amount of time you ask your dog to wait. Begin using the “leave it” command as you present your fist.
  • Make a “food bowl” zone. Show your dog there is an appropriate place to eat treats, but not off the counter. Put a place mat or food dish in a corner opposite the food-preparation area and place treats inside on a random basis. Combined with a strict policy of keeping food off the counter, the dog will learn to check the food bowl instead.
  • Use counter-conditioning — literally. With your dog on-leash, place a very boring treat (or even a non-food item, if a treat is too exciting) on the counter. Stand beside the boring treat and tell your dog to “leave it.” Before your dog has a chance to snatch the treat on the counter, drop a more enticing treat on the floor (or in his “food bowl” zone). Repeat, placing increasingly high-value items on the counter.