How to Train a Pit Bull Puppy German Commands

Imagine going to an off-leash park with your pup and watching him as he races around with the other dogs. He is having a blast and you are enjoying the beautiful spring day and the company of the other dog owners. You stay for a while, and then suddenly the sky darkens and you feel a bit of rain. You yell "Hier!" amidst the chaos and noise of the other dog owners also yelling for their dogs to come. Your pup locates your voice and comes straight to you, while others are still trying to get their dogs' attention. You attach your puppy's leash and dash to the car together, getting inside right as the bottom drops out and it begins to pour. You smile at your pup and enjoy watching the rain together in the car for a bit before driving home. 

There are many great reasons to teach your dog German commands. Reasons like Schutzhund competition, personal preference for the language, having a dog that responds only to your commands, and sounding more confident when you train. Whatever the reason, the German language is a wonderful, concise, confident sounding language that works well for dog training.

Teaching your puppy German commands is just as easy or as difficult as teaching him commands in any other language. The main difference is the extra effort that it takes you to learn the German words if you do not already speak the language. Because teaching Fido German commands is similar to teaching him commands in any other language, the difficulty of each command will depend on which command you are teaching, with something like a high distraction, one hour 'stay' command being much harder than a basic 'sit' command. The difficulty will also depend on your pup's own temperament and trainability, and your own consistency, timing, and communication skills. In general, you can expect most commands to take between one and six months to train though, with two to three months being the norm for basic obedience.

As your pup learns more commands his ability to learn will probably increase too. He will likely begin to generalize what he has learned and apply it to other situations better. He will also likely pick up on your communication better too. This makes training more fun, and it makes it easier to move onto harder commands. Many commands build upon one another, so it is important to start with the basics and then work your way toward more advanced commands. For example, 'down' is often taught by telling a dog to 'sit' first, and then luring the dog into the 'down' position with a treat. 'Stay' is taught after your pup already knows 'sit', 'down' or 'stand', and most tricks are combinations of simple tricks and obedience commands.

If your buddy has shown any form of aggression or is afraid of being touched, then do not use the 'Movement' method to train him. If he is afraid, work on getting him comfortable with being touched first. If he is aggressive, then work with a trainer in your area who has experience dealing with aggression, and address the issue. Aggression is best treated early.

If you are using the 'Movement' method then be gentle while you are moving your pup into the position. The goal is to gently move your pup into the position that he is learning, or to apply firm but gentle pressure to an area until he moves into the position on his own, in order to escape the sensation of the pressure. One example of this is applying pressure to the sides of the base of your pup's tailbone while you simultaneously lift up his chin, in order to encourage him to sit down.

If you would like to teach your puppy how to do something that he naturally does on his own, but will not do when you try to get him to do it most of the time, like shaking off, then the 'Catch In the Act' method will probably work best. If your pup loves treats or has a very sensitive nature, then the 'Treat' method will probably be a good fit. If your pup does not like food or will only do a behavior when he sees a treat in your hand, even after a lot of practice, then the 'Movement' method might be a great choice for him.

To get started you will need a resource of commonly used German dog training commands, lots of small, tasty treats, a calm location, and a willing puppy. Depending on which specific command you are teaching you might also want an assistant and certain tools, such as a long leash, harness, crate, or toy, or props. If you are using the 'Movement' method, then you will need gentleness, patience, and persistence. If you are using the 'Catch In the Act' method, then you will need patience, attentiveness, a treat pouch or a small zip-lock bag and pocket, and good timing. For all of the methods, you will need a positive attitude, a willingness to have fun and to learn and improve your own skills as a trainer, and a young pupil, such as your Pit Bull puppy.