The German Shepherd bred
for good temperament, high intelligence and sound health that is raised
and socialized and introduced into a loving family environment will not
only be an excellent family dog, but will quickly become a member of the
family. Humans from toddlers to seniors quickly feel comfortable and develop
a strong bond with the new family member.
Of course, puppies and young
adults (normally between 3 months and 18 months) are very energetic, just
like young children, but with guidance and love, they will quickly learn
the "do’s and don’ts" of their new family’s social |
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order, as well as manners.
The "key" to an excellent family dog is to spend some time teaching him,
talking to him and socializing him. This is actually most easily done when
you let your German Shepherd be part of the family. That means let him
spend time with you, participate in things going on in the
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house, as well as just laying
quietly observing you when you’re watching television. Let him be around
you, your family and friends; take him to the park and on outings. Remember
that the more experiences your dog has, the more "knowledgeable" he will
become. One important thing to remember, especially for young dogs, it
that they should experience as many "pleasant" things as possible. Try
to avoid scary or dangerous situations. If a young puppy is injured or
has a bad experience, then it is the owner’s responsibility to help him
work thorough it, just like when a small child falls off the swing and
gets hurt, he might be scared about getting back on the swing, then his
parents are there to reassure him, and let him know that he can still get
on the swing and everything will be all right. |
| Through different experiences,
your German Shepherd will not only learn from you, but from the world around
him. By providing this learning environment, your German Shepherd will
learn your body language and your regular behavior. Over time, when the
dog matures, he will have experienced many new things. He will have learned
to analyze his surroundings, and make intelligent decisions. With a good
foundation and proper training and socializing, he will be a good family
and companion dog, but will also know when to be a protective dog. |
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I have written this article
based on my thirty years of experience as an owner of many German Shepherd
Dogs. All the dogs have been family dogs, even though one was a police
dog, and others were trained for protection dogs. I believe in teaching
my dogs with love and respect, just like you teach a child. In my opinion,
the love and devotion of the German Shepherd Dog is unsurpassed by any
other animal. For it appears to be their self-assigned goal in life … to
love, befriend and protect their master. |
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Written by Claudia L. Orum
© 2000 All Rights Reserved
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