If you are a dog owner or intend to adopt one, this topic on how to train a dog to protect your family should interest you.
Naturally, a dog is already protective of its master and other family members due to its instinct and nature. What many people do is improve this ability in dogs through training and teaching.
If you have a German Shepherd, the size and strong build demand that you train your dog to protect your family from the first few months of its life. That’s why, with good training, it can become your best friend and most loyal companion.
However, the keys lie in encouraging socialization as early as possible and teaching him the basic rules of behavior.
Understanding the character of the German Shepherd is essential for educating him.
Remember, we are still talking about how to train a dog to protect your family, and I don’t mean just any dog. We are narrowing it down to German Shepherds.
Perhaps you have already noticed that your German Shepherd puppy is suspicious of strangers, which is a very common characteristic in this breed. Therefore, you should encourage him to socialize while he is still small and expose him to different experiences in his first months of life. This way, your pet will get used to interacting with your family members, other people, and animals.
In fact, training a German Shepherd will also allow you to avoid behavior problems and possible accidents with people or animals in the future. Don’t forget that the German Shepherd is a guard dog, so he won’t hesitate to protect the owner and his family in the face of a threat.
The German Shepherd is very intelligent, works hard, and loves to learn. That’s why it’s an easy breed to train; it likes to feel useful and to be recognized for its effort. In fact, a study carried out at the University of Edinburgh proved that your genetics facilitate positive relationships and that you let yourself be guided by humans. The secret is to take advantage of these qualities by starting German Shepherd education and training as soon as possible.
How to train a dog to protect your family
Training mode
There are people who train their dog to do evil, teaching the command “attack” and training the dog to act aggressively in some situations.
Be careful with this form of training, as dogs trained in this way can confuse what is “wrong” and “right” in certain situations and end up injuring an innocent person.
You may want to check out 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Raising German Shepherd Puppies.
Socialize your dog.
Get your dog in contact with family members, different people, and other animals in busy places. That way, he will get used to you and your family members. In addition, the dog will get used to different sounds, noises, and movements in your home. This way, he will know how to separate a normal noise, without danger, from a strange noise.
Guard dog at night
In the evening, take the dog for a walk around the house and let him explore the whole environment. Repeat this exercise until he has control over the area. Then the dog will start doing this automatically.
Reward
Rewards are the best form of motivation. Please reward your dog whenever he does something right, whether it’s cookies or tight hugs. They will recognize that they are doing it right and will continue. If they do something wrong, change your tone to a reprimand.
On a softer note
- Train your dog to defend and prevent, not attack.
- Do not use objects to correct your dog.
- Don’t knock; just scold in a different tone of voice.
- Training is most effective with puppies.