How to Train a German Shepherd to be Friendly

Hello, Is the barking and jumping aggressive in nature? If so, I don't recommend training this on your own. I would hire a professional trainer who is part of a training team, where there are multiple people there who can practice coming to your own as a "guest" to work on pup's reactions in their territory. Certain safety measures will need to be taken, like a basket muzzle introduced ahead of time using treats to help pup gradually like it and ease into wearing it, and a back tie leash connected to something secure and clipped to pup with something secure pup can't slip out of or break (the weakest point in your setup is what you need to inspect most to ensure that). This process generally involves teaching obedience like Place, Quiet, Leave It, and Say Hi. Pup is then gradually desensitized to someone arriving on property then leaving, arriving then leaving, arriving then leaving, rewarding all good responses from pup. When pup is calm about that, then the person comes to the door, is greeted, then leaves immediately, rewarding good responses (with pup secured safely). As pup progresses, the person progressively visits more, interacting with you, coming into your home, and doing things guests would normally do. Pup is rewarded for calm responses as this is repeated. Once pup is good with the initial person, a new person starts the process over again, until enough people have come and gone that pup is okay with strangers visiting in general. Some times the use of a remote training collar to interrupt pup is also needed, in addition to the obedience training and rewards for calmness to counter condition pup, but I would only use one on pup's working level with the help of a trainer very experienced with that tool, aggression and the how to properly correct as well as counter condition. Simply correcting without proper training and counter conditioning can make things worse on its own. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Ivette, I highly recommend working with a trainer who specializes in behavior issues like aggression in person for this issue. Look for a trainer who works with a team of trainers, so that there are multiple people to practice the training around who are "strangers" to pup and know how to interact safely with aggressive dogs. This process typically involves things like gently building pup's overall respect, trust, and listening with you. Usually this is done through a combination of obedience practice and consistency with boundaries in the home. The process also tends to involve gradually desensitizing pup to people, one at a time, with safety measures like a back tie leash or basket muzzle in place (introduced gradually ahead of time using treats so it's not just associated with the training and stressful), starting with people being further away at first, and working on pup's obedience with you around the people in the background to help pup remain calm and not get overly aroused and fixated on the other person. Pup would also be counter conditioned to people passing by their food, with safety measures like a back tie leash so pup couldn't lunge or bite and pup being rewarded from a distance whenever they stay calm as meals are feed in small portions during practice, with a treat or rope attached to the bowl used to move pup away from the bowl to refill the next portion each time. You would start far enough away from pup for pup to stay calm, tossing treats whenever you pass by a that distance, and decreasing the distance over a few weeks gradually as pup showed they are enjoying your presence closer and closer gradually due to the rewards. The reactivity with people can sometimes also involve interrupting pup's aroused state, but that should only be done under the guidance of the trainer and with proper safety measures in place, because with any aggression there is always the risk of the dog redirecting their aggression to whoever is closest when stressed. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Souha, Unfortunately, it does take some time for a puppy to learn how to control their mouth. I find that if I can teach pup a couple commands or simple fetch type game, sometimes you can give kids and mouthy puppies a way to interact that leads to less biting until the biting improves. Most puppies take about two months of training to really gain a soft mouth or not bite at all anymore. Check out this youtube channel for some good tricks, commands, or even fetch you could teach pup for them to use with pup. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGbYT5zMRVk To start that training process, check out the article linked below. Starting today, use the "Bite Inhibition" method. BUT at the same time, begin teaching "Leave It" from the "Leave It" method. As soon as pup is good as the Leave It game, start telling pup to "Leave It" when he attempts to bite or is tempted to bite. Reward pup if he makes a good choice. If he disobeys your leave it command, use the Pressure method to gently discipline pup for biting when you told him not to. The order or all of this is very important - the Bite Inhibition method can be used for the next couple of weeks while pup is learning leave it, but leave it will teach pup to stop the biting entirely. The pressure method teaches pup that you mean what you say without being overly harsh - but because you have taught pup to leave it first, pup clearly understands that you are not just roughhousing (which is what pup probably thinks most of the time right now), so it is more effective. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite I would also work on teaching the Out command, and then use the section from the article on How to Use Out to Deal with Pushiness, to enforce it when pup doesn't listen, especially around other animals or kids. https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Another important part of this is puppy learning bite inhibition. Puppies have to learn while young how to control the pressure of their mouths - this is typically done through play with other puppies. See if there is a puppy class in your area that comes well recommended and has time for moderated off-leash puppy play. If you can't join a class, look for a free puppy play group, or recruit some friends with puppies to come over if you can and create your own group. You are looking for puppies under 6 months of age - since young puppies play differently than adult dogs. Moderate the puppies' play and whenever one pup seems overwhelmed or they are all getting too excited, interrupt their play, let everyone calm down, then let the most timid pup go first to see if they still want to play - if they do, then you can let the other puppies go too when they are waiting for permission. Finding a good puppy class - no class will be ideal but here's what to shoot for: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/puppy-classes-when-to-start/ When pup gets especially wound up, he probably needs a nap too. At this age puppies will sometimes get really hyper when they are overtired or haven't had any mental stimulation through something like training. When you spot that and think pup could be tired, place pup in their crate or an exercise pen with a food stuffed Kong for a bit to help him calm down and rest. Finally, check out the PDF e-book downloads found on this website, written by one of the founders of the association of professional dog trainers, and a pioneer in starting puppy kindergarten classes in the USA. Click on the pictures of the puppies to download the PDF books: https://www.lifedogtraining.com/freedownloads/ Know that mouthiness at this age is completely normal. It's not fun but it is normal for it to take some time for a puppy to learn self-control well enough to stop. Try not to get discouraged if you don't see instant progress, any progress and moving in the right direction in this area is good, so keep working at it. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Venessa, It sounds like pup lack socialization. I would start by carrying pup places so that she is getting used to the sights and sounds outside. Stay calm yourself and act confident instead of acting sorry for her. Whenever she acts curious, happy, or relaxed, give a treat. Once pup is doing better being carried, carry pup to various calm spots and set pup down while on a long leash. Bring a couple of pup's toys, treats, and something for you to do, like a book, and simply spend about an hour (weather permitting) outside being calm and doing fun things with pup. Do this often in various calm locations for ideally about an hour each time. When pup is comfortable being outside, make short goals for walking, such as just onto your yard, then one house over, then two houses over, ect...When you reach your goal, give pup the opportunity to return home when they are still following you and not trying to pull to get home. The pressure method may also help if pup is uncomfortable with the leash. Start using this method inside at first. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-your-puppy-to-accept-leash Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello there. It sounds like you have your hands full. I am going to provide you with information on how to correct this behavior. You won’t be able to solve your dog’s overprotective behavior in one day. In the meantime, you don’t want to put your life on hold. You can still invite guests into your home as long as you prioritize managing your dog’s behavior. You’ll need a short-term strategy to start showing your overprotective dog what behavior is unacceptable while also keeping your guests safe. There are a few ways to do this. Leash: Keeping your dog on a leash while friends are visiting gives you control over your dog’s actions. Leash him up before the doorbell rings and keep him close as you greet your guests. During the visit, you can let the leash drag and only use it if you have to. Muzzle: If you feel his behavior warrants the use of a muzzle for the time being while you work on solving this problem, then it may be a wise choice. Separate Room: Your dog won’t get better without practice, but sometimes you have to weigh the risks versus rewards. If your overprotective dog is in the beginning stages of training, keeping him separated from guests might be best. You don’t want to put a friend’s safety at risk or needlessly stress out your dog. As long as you keep working toward stopping the behavior, separating an overprotective dog from company is a temporary management solution. Start Obedience Training Obedience training is a must for every dog, and it’s especially important for overprotective dogs. Working with your dog on things like “sit-stay,” “down-stay,” and “heel,” will help build his impulse control. He’ll start seeing you as a capable leader and will turn to you for guidance. A mistake many pup parents make is stopping obedience training once their dog masters the basics skills. Being well-trained is about more than knowing how to sit when a person holds a treat in front of their face. It’s a lifetime lesson, and even senior dogs need regular training. Commit to training your dog several times a day for short periods of time. Make Your Dog Work for Affection You can’t help but smother your dog with love every time he’s within petting distance, but that isn’t always what’s best for him. He will start to feel entitled to your attention, and that’s part of the problem. To remedy this, initiate a “work for it” program that allows you to show your dog affection as long as he earns your attention in appropriate ways. Make him sit, stay calm, and do whatever else you ask before doling out whatever it is he wants. If he’s excited for dinner, make him sit and leave it before digging in. If he wants in your lap, ask him to do a trick first. Never give your dog attention if he rudely nudges your hand or barks in your face. He needs to know polite behavior, and polite behavior only, is how he gets what he wants. You ignore everything else. Involve Other People in the Dog’s Life Most overprotective dogs choose to guard only the person they feel closest to. It’s usually the same person who fills their food bowls, takes them on walks, and handles training. They become obsessively attached, and a strong bond gradually mutates into overprotective behavior. Putting some space between you and your dog will help him learn to trust other people. Enlist the entire family’s help and take a step back in your role as primary caregiver. Have someone else feed the dog a few times a week, and encourage other people to engage her in playtime. This will help him be more comfortable with different people. Socialize Socialization is best done during the puppy stages, but even adult and senior dogs benefit from new experiences. Exposing your overprotective dog to new places, experiences, and people, will help him learn that not everyone is out to hurt you. Make sure each new experience is positive, and encourage your dog without forcing him to interact. If your dog is afraid, you don’t want to make things worse. Take socialization at the pace he’s comfortable with. If he seems overwhelmed, back up and try something a little smaller. These are some general ideas and they can be modified to fit your dynamic. These behaviors do take time, I am talking months, to correct. And sometimes the behaviors get worse before they get better. So just push through that time if that starts to happen. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. Thank you for writing in!