Canine Etiquette: Teaching Your Dog Good Manners and Social Behavior

German shepherds are one of the most popular dog breeds in the world for some very good reasons. They are incredibly loyal and make excellent family companions. But they’re also adept at working in many fields, such as law enforcement and the military.

Regardless of whether you own a German shepherd or admire them from afar, you might have noticed that there is one thing that all well-trained German shepherds have in common, which is they have been taught good manners and social behavior.

German shepherds are very smart and have been bred to be herding dogs. This combination is what gives them their propensity to be naturally protective, leery of strangers, and very aware of their surroundings.

Because they are technically a working breed, they’re also high energy, athletic, curious, and need an outlet for their physical and mental energy.  When they’re not provided with what they need, they can become anxious, destructive, and will find a way to burn off their excess energy on their own.

To prevent negative boredom-related behaviors from developing, they must be trained and well-socialized. To ensure that they will know how to behave in public, they must be taught canine etiquette or the rules of good canine citizenship.

Since they love to learn and please, happily they enjoy spending time in training, and it helps fulfill their need for a job. From the first day they are taken home, they should begin to learn what their behavior expectations are.

Why Good Manners Are Important

There are many important reasons for this including:

• Sets them up for success
• Increases confidence
• Builds trust
• Prevents bad behavior
• Strengthens your bond
• Reduces stress for you both
• Enables you to take them anywhere

To ensure good manners in German shepherds, there are many things they should begin to learn from a young age. But, even if they miss a few basics, it’s never too late to begin teaching them how to turn their behavior around. They’ll probably even enjoy it.

These basics of canine etiquette build confidence to ensure dogs have positive interactions with people, other dogs, veterinarians, and their staff, while in public places, and when facing new situations. It ensures that they grow up to be wonderful companions that can go anywhere.

Not only do good manners ensure that dogs are under control around people and other animals, but they can also help protect them from unwanted confrontations, such as dog fights, unprovoked bites, getting lost, or even being injured in an accident.

Part of being a responsible dog owner is not only caring for your dog’s health but being respectful to the general public and this includes dog training to ensure German shepherds are an ambassador of their breed and not lumped into any negative stereotypes.

Since not everyone is comfortable around German shepherds (and German shepherds are not comfortable around all people!), they must listen and look to you for guidance and training will help accomplish this.

Canine Etiquette Basic Training

Some canine etiquette basics include:

• House training
• How to greet people at the door
• Learning not to jump on people
• Bite inhibition
• Loose leash walking
• Learning to follow basic commands
• Recall
• Drop it/out
• Leave it
• Stay
• Quiet, preventing unwanted barking
• Greeting people respectfully
• Prevent begging/stealing food
• Learning to place to go to a crate or pen

If you need another reason why it’s so important to teach dogs basic manners, it’s that shelters and rescues are overflowing with dogs who are there through no fault of their own. They have simply been let down by the people who were supposed to teach them how to behave.

Many of these dogs suffer needlessly or are even euthanized. Not to mention, some owners stay committed to their pets even though life at home is stressful due to unwanted behavior and are not sure how to get help.

Where To Find Training Help

There are many free training resources, videos, books, and trainers available to help with basic training. There is also support in social media groups and local dog clubs. The AKC offers a S.T.A.R. Puppy class as well as the Canine Good Citizen Program. Always talk to your vet and other owners for referrals to a trustworthy trainer who has experience with German shepherds.

Whichever way you choose to train, remember to have fun, and enjoy the journey together. Make it a fun and positive experience to improve the relationship you have with your dog. If you have a problem needing professional help, get it right away before the situation gets worse.

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