Learn where to get More Information on German Shepherds

Video Transcript

" Hi! I’m Melanie McLeroy with Taurus Training for Expert Village and we’re now going to work with German Shepherds. And I’d like to talk a little bit about breed characteristics of German Shepherds. Training German Shepherds can be extremely easy or very challenging. There are all different types of Shepherds, they are German bred, they are American bred, they have all different physical characteristics, different colors. Sophie here…Sophers, is very interested in the food on the floor, is a beautiful example of a Shepherd. She’s very calm. She is older. One thing to keep in mind if you’re trying to choose a breed is that German Shepherds can be very hyper and kind of spazy and they are just adorably clumsy and cute as they go through their adolescence. And it takes a while for them to reach social maturity. A lot of them don’t reach social maturity until three and a half or four years old that’s when they’re fully adult. It’s extremely important to socialize your German Shepherd when he or she is a puppy. German Shepherds have a breed characteristic of becoming aroused relatively quickly and they can develop dog aggression at the onset of social maturity. So taking your dog to the dog park, doggy daycare, are excellent ways to socialize your Shepherd. It’s also important to socialize them to different people, different experiences when they’re young. These are dogs that are used for protection and they’re excellent for that, even without any training for protection however you want to be in control of that. Finally related to my last point establish leadership with your Shepherd at a very young age. That way you’re in control of their reactions. Remember you want your dog to pay attention to you and check in with you about the appropriateness of their behavior. So as you’re training your German Shepherd doing obedience, establishing leadership in a gentle way, then you’re developing the right kind of relationship to have a lifetime of love and health behaviorally and physically with your dog. Finally don’t forget to get them enough exercise especially when they’re young. "