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Despite their formidable appearance, German Shepherds are often softer at heart than people realize. However, you have recently welcomed a new baby into the family and you already have a couple of young ones. So, you want to make sure there is nothing to worry about with your German Shepherd, as they are sometimes known to be extremely protective.
Training him to be friendly will also come with a number of other benefits. You won’t need to worry when guests or new people come over to the house. Nor will you have to panic inside when other dogs and people walk past on the street. In addition, you won’t have to always be on alert if your kids and German Shepherd are in the same room. This type of training will also assert your position as pack leader.
Training any dog to be friendly if they have already started displaying signs of aggressive behavior can be challenging. However, with German Shepherds, you can really have your work cut out. Because they are big, strong and resilient, it can be difficult to get them to follow your instructions. Also, tackling their naturally protective nature isn’t always easy. So, you will have to take steps to socialize him as early as possible. On top of that, you will have to incentivize gentle, calm play, while deterring and stamping out any aggression.
If he’s a puppy he should be extremely receptive. This means molding him into a relaxed, friendly German Shepherd may take just a matter of weeks. If he’s older, stubborn and far less patient than he was in his youth, then you may need several months. Get this training right and you will be able to count on him to be at ease with kids, strangers, and any other pets.
Before training can begin, you will need to get your hands on a few items. Stock up on tasty treats or break his favorite food into small pieces. You will also need toys, food puzzles, plus other people and pets. A clicker will also be needed for one of the methods.
Try to set aside 15 minutes each day for training. The more regularly you can train, the sooner you will see results.
Once you have the above, just bring patience and a proactive attitude and get to work!
The Day One Method
Most Recommended
4 Votes
Most Recommended
4 Votes
Start early
The earlier you can start training him to be friendly, the easier it will be. Ideally, start training your Shepherd when he is just a puppy. So, encourage any signs of calm and gentle play with treats and verbal praise.
Obedience classes
Take him to obedience classes regularly. This will get him familiar with other pets and people. The earlier he can socialize, the more likely it is he will grow up to be friendly.
Gentle introductions
Secure him to a leash and introduce him to people and pets slowly. Also, position yourself between him and the person or pet. If you’re at the front, you are pack leader. This means he will feel more relaxed as it isn’t his job to protect you.
The more the merrier
Introduce him to as many people as you can, especially to start with. The early stages of his life will shape his future temperament. So, the more exposure to different people and pets you can give him the better. Aim for meeting a new person each day.
Never punish him
It is important you do not punish him. German Shepherds are strong and capable of causing serious injury. You do not want to make him aggressive. Instead, remain calm and use positive reinforcement throughout training.
The Environment Method
Effective
2 Votes
Effective
2 Votes
Obedience commands
Teach him a range of obedience commands, from ‘sit’ to ‘down’ and ‘stay’. All will help reinforce discipline and your position as pack leader. This will keep him a calm and controlled German Shepherd.
Clicker
Use a clicker to signal to him when he has followed an instruction correctly. This will be an effective means of communicating with your him. You can then use the clicker whenever he plays gently or remains relaxed in new, testing situations.
Privacy
Make sure he has his own space he can escape to at home. Young children can often pester when they are simply trying to play. It’s important he has his own bed and place to run to when he needs time alone. This will help prevent frustration developing.
Supervise
Make sure you supervise him around children and new people to start with. You will be able to tell if he is stressed or unhappy. It will also put him at ease to have you close by. If he does look scared, have the people back away.
Remove him
It is important you stamp out any signs of aggression. So, if he growls, barks or bites, take him by the collar and lead him out of the room. It’s important you remain calm throughout this. Scaring him may only make him more aggressive.
The Confidence Method
Least Recommended
1 Vote
Least Recommended
1 Vote
Roughhousing
Spend a few minutes each day teasing and playing around with your German Shepherd. Play tug of war and get him worked up. It may seem like the wrong thing to do to play like this. However, it will build his confidence so he feels less threatened around new people.
Never stop socializing
If he never meets new people, he will develop a natural unease around strangers. So, whileintroducing him to as many people as possible when he’s a puppy is important, it also helps for him to continue to meet new people as an adult.
Have different people feed
To make him relaxed and friendly around people, it can be useful to have a different person each day feed him his meals. Have neighbors, friends and family come over a different day each day for a week to feed him. This will all help socialize him.
Cold shoulder
It is important you deter any signs of aggression. If he barks, for example, turn your back on him and ignore him. If you pander to him then he will think barking and being aggressive is an effective way to get what he wants.
Socializing with pets
It’s also important your German Shepherd is friendly with other pets. So, introduce him to as many as possible, from an early age as possible. Keep him on a leash and give him the occasional treat when he plays calmly. You can also talk in a high-pitched voice to make him feel at ease.
Written by James Barra
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 02/01/2018, edited: 01/08/2021
Training Questions and Answers
Belly is good when guest first arrive and greet nicely will go to her place and stay for as long as I place her there is is when a guest goes from one room and reemerges into the same room as her when she begins to bark at them in a aggressive tone. I'm not sure how to stop this behavior I tell her no and have her place again to calm down but them am too nervous to release her with guests still in the house.
Nov. 23, 2020
Belly's Owner
Alisha Smith - Alisha S., Dog Trainer
253 Dog owners recommended
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!
Nov. 24, 2020
i have a small dog in the house. we adopted tiny as a one year old. and shes really aggressive. im scared that she'll attack my dog.
Oct. 27, 2020
Tiny's Owner
Darlene Stott - Dog Trainer and Groomer
102 Dog owners recommended
Hello, has Tiny shown aggression to your small dog? If so, you should contact a trainer used to dealing with aggressive dogs to ensure that your small dog is safe. Training Tiny will give her the chance to be the dog she was meant to be, with your guidance and help. Training also cements a bond between pet and pet parent, and encourages the dog in training to listen better. But first, it is essential that you never leave the two dogs alone. Get Tiny assessed right away, and start working toward a safe and happy relationship. I can give you a guide to read on helping a dog get along with other dogs. Try the Counter Conditioning Method, adapting it to your situation: https://wagwalking.com/training/not-attack-other-dogs. You will have to work on it every day, bit by bit, always putting the safety of both dogs first. If you do not see some form of success after gradual exposure to each other, please call a specialist for advice. Good luck!
Oct. 30, 2020