Group Training Archives - Edie MacKenzie

German Shepherds are large dogs that came from, naturally, in the country of Germany. German Shepherd history goes back to 1899 which makes them a relatively new dog breed. They are a very intelligent and obedient dog breed that originally was used for guarding and herding sheep. Today, because of their intelligence, size, and strength they are frequently used as military or police dogs. Their loyal and obedient nature also makes them ideal household pets and are one of the most popular dogs registered with the American Kennel Club.

Despite their loyalty and obedient nature, owning a German Shepherd can have a big potential downside. If they are not properly trained and controlled, their size and strength can make them dangerous. They may view other dogs or strangers as a threat to their home and family. When this situation happens, an untrained dog may bite or attack the other dog or person. While there are not concrete statistics on the how likely it is that a German Shepherd will bite, several reputable organizations state that they are more likely than other breeds to attack other dogs or people. This makes German Shepherd training critical for everybody who owns one.

There are a couple options when it comes to training a German Shepherd. Investing in a professional dog trainer is the first option. This could be a group training program at the local pet store or a private dog trainer. A personal trainer can be good because they give a dog more attention, but the group class can be good to get the dog used to being around other dogs and people. A do it yourself training program is the second option for dog training. There are several good programs available including some that you can download immediately on the internet.

If you spend a little time on training, German Shepherds can be fantastic pets. They can be cherished family members that are also a great protector for your home.

Are you looking for the most efficient way of training your dog in the fastest time possible?

We would all love to learn how to be world-class dog trainers and teach our puppies and adult dogs all they need to know when it comes to basic training, however, for most of us it just isn’t practical. We have busy lives and hectic schedules and there isn’t enough time in the day to devote a lot of training towards our pets.

This is why joining a group dog training class is ideal. Not only is it fun to watch your dog interact with the trainer and the other dogs, these classes can be a very efficient way to teach your dog the basics when it comes to the minimum requirements for an obedient pet.

One word of caution though, and that is to be very careful about which group training class you and your dog participate in. To help you become aware of what questions to ask the trainer of these classes, below are a few pointers to get you going.

1. For starters, ask the instructor exactly what your dog will learn in the class. You want to be sure that the basic commands are going to be taught. Such examples are learning to Sit, Stay, Come, Heel, and Down. And on the same note, ask the dog trainer if he or she will also take time to go over these commands with you so that you can help your dog master them in your spare time.

2. Group dog training classes should not be too large in numbers. To avoid getting involved in a class that has too many dogs, be sure to ask the instructor the number of dogs and puppies that will be participating. A good rule of thumb to look for in terms of members is between five and fifteen. 15 dogs is of course on the high side. Any more than that then you may be paying for classes without your dog getting the full benefits of training that is offered.

3. Dogs and bad behavior sometimes go hand in hand. It’s the nature of the beast, literally. So ask the instructor if he or she discusses behavior problems during the class. It is not typical for a group class to go full-blown into dog behavior training because it is this area that becomes a little more personal and unique to each individual dog. However, it is a good sign if the class discusses basic behavior problems and how to counter them in training your dog.

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