Millions of Americans across the United States have a pet in their home. It’s estimated that approximately 44 percent of households own at least one dog, and about 78 million dogs are believed to be owned across the United States. One popular breed of dog is the German Shepherd, which can be trained to attack but also makes a good family pet if raised properly. You can find German Shepherd puppies for sale from reputable German Shepherd breeders all over the country. Raising a German Shepherd puppy is no easy task, and there are certain steps you need to take when training your puppy. This article will take a look at a few of those steps.
- “Puppy-Proof” Your Home Before the Puppy Arrives: Once you’ve visited the breeder offering German Shepherd puppies for sale in Arizona or wherever you live and you’ve decided on which puppy you want, the first major step you need to take is to “puppy-proof” your home before the puppy arrives. This includes putting up gates to keep the puppy from wandering into areas of the home you don’t want it to go, removing any plants that might be poisonous to dogs, and most importantly, covering up extension cords so the puppy can’t chew on them and accidentally get hurt. Not only will this keep your home safer in the long run, it will also help to promote good behavior from your puppy since it will be entering a home with some boundaries already set in place.
- Place Puppy Pads by the Door While Housebreaking Your Puppy: Another step to take when training your German Shepherd puppy is to place “puppy pads” by the door while you’re in the process of housebreaking your pet. When a new puppy is brought home, there’s going to be a period of time before the puppy is trained to go outside to relieve themselves, and the puppy pads are put in place in case any accidents occur before the dog can get outside. If properly trained, it shouldn’t take too long to housebreak your puppy, so the puppy pads should only be a needed for the short-term.
- Train Your Puppy in Basic Obedience: A third step you need to take when training your German Shepherd puppy is to train them in basic obedience. This includes following basic commands like “sit,” “stay,” and “heel.” If you’re going to train the puppy yourself, you should have treats on hand to reinforce good behavior when the puppy correctly follows your commands. Alternatively, there’s also the option of taking your puppy to an obedience school where they can be trained with a group of dogs in basic obedience. While this is going on, be prepared to discipline your dog for bad behavior by spraying a water bottle at them when they’ve disobeyed. The water acts as an irritant and will discourage bad behavior, but it won’t hurt the puppy like using a rolled-up newspaper might.
In conclusion, when you find German Shepherd puppies for sale and you decide to buy one, remember that you are taking on an enormous responsibility. Among other steps, you need to make sure your home is safe for a curious puppy, you need to place puppy pads by the door while the dog is being housebroken, and you must train your puppy in basic obedience so it will follow your commands at home. By following these basic steps, you will be well on your way to training your puppy to be a faithful pet that you and your family can enjoy for years to come.