German Shepherd Dog Training

german shepherd zone training

Games for Exercise and Fun to Play with your Pet Dog

Exercise is great for keeping both us and our canine friends healthy and happy. Daily walks are obviously a necessity, but what else can you introduce to help boost not only your pets’ health but their interest in play, as well as strengthening your bond?

The majority of dogs enjoy walks and play, but it does tend to depend on what kind of activities are best suited to your chosen breed. Most dogs enjoy playing with other dogs, so if you are lucky enough to have close doggy friends then fantastic. There are also some dog playgrounds dotted around, so making use of these is a great way for your pet to exercise and socialise too; but if your dog shows any signs of apprehension, then it’s best not to venture any further into such an area. Of course, you can always try to construct your own assault course in your garden! This is great for agility, so grab any old tyres, tubes, planks, crates and anything else that you feel suitable.

Most dogs love to play fetch or frisbee, but let’s not forget that these can sometimes become a bit boring, even for the most enthusiastic of dogs. So why not introduce the occasional tug of war; there are some great toys on the market for this, including ropes, stretchy plastic tugs and the like. For dogs with lots of energy such as Vizslas, German Shorthaired Pointers and Australian Shepherds, a tug of war followed by a sprint to the park is ideal. These breeds love to jump about – agility exercises are great for them as they adore going under, over, and through obstacles and over jumps. They will also enjoy flyball so that they can jump hurdles and retrieve toys. These dogs are also the type to follow you on a bike or skates/blades, but do be careful of other path and road users! Football and dancing are also favourites to try with these energetic breeds, so freestyle boogie and just try to get that football out of your dogs mouth!

If you have a Retriever, Labrador, Border Collie, or English Springer Spaniel, then you will have so much fun with chew-toys and balls. Fetch will rarely be boring, and the same goes for games of frisbee and flyball too. They will also love to rummage around in their own toy box so they can pick and choose what they want to play with and proudly parade to show you. These breeds are usually also fond of water, so swimming will be such a treat. Agility tasks are a huge stimulant for them too: try long cross-country walks with plenty of hiding places and obstacles, preferably next to a shallow river or lake so they can run in and out to cool down!

The above mentioned breeds, along with working dogs such as German Shepherds and Bull mastiffs, for instance, are also quite smart. So you can also introduce games that are associated with obedience and training. Teaching them to fetch things such as papers or toys, then to put them away, can be as rewarding and fun for them as it is for you. If these dogs are doing something useful they will feel important and valued. You can also hide their toys, letting them hunt for them only when commanded, remembering to praise them lots afterwards for their cleverness. Tricks are also a great way of stimulating the more intelligent breeds of dog. Always ensure that you reward them, as it is as important to them for them to feel loved and appreciated as it is for them to show off their clever antics.

If at the other extreme you own a Bulldog, Bassett or Greyhound you may be familiar with ‘the look’ which pleads you not to disturb them, then it can often be best just to do the walk thing – either lots of little ones or one big leisurely long one. Don’t expect too much more from him!

If a hound dog is more your style such as a Beagle or Bloodhound then you will notice that they follow their nose – everywhere! They love to track a scent so tracking games are great as they will stimulate their minds as well as exercising your dog and providing excitement too. Try asking your dog to sit and stay whilst you trail around the garden or park, leaving a smell and a treat at the end. They will enjoy hunting for their treats so leave them wrapped up in their toys or play area so they can get the scent before the game begins.

Breeds such as Terriers will also enjoy these hunting games, and they love to dig to get at the prize. Try burying some of their toys – especially little furry ones, and watch how they sniff them out and parade their booty. These breeds love to dig for their treats and you can stimulate them even more by hiding them when they don’t know you’ve done it. As long as you don’t play this game on a finely manicured lawn or prized flower bed then you can have loads of fun seeing how they just go wild for the scent of a surprise treat. They also like to chase other animals, so be cautious if playing hunt and chase simultaneously, or playing in busier dog-walking areas, as there could be some protective growling or nipping if your dog thinks his treasure could be up for grabs!

If you feel that some of these activities are out of your comfort zone, then just stick to the easiest and most basic ones. Walking and hiking with your dog over different types of terrain and in different areas can produce new smells and experiences for your dog. This will always stimulate them as it will hold their interest and inquisitiveness. If you want to up the tempo then simply jog or run with your dog, but not for too long as some breeds are not built for stamina. Swimming is suited to so many dogs and is now widely used for dogs that are overweight, or those that suffer from arthritis. Special sessions are held at specific hydrotherapy centres, but if your dog is confident in the water, then let them swim in safe areas such as shallow rivers, or dog-friendly beaches at low tide. Even just splashing in the puddles can be as much fun for your dog as it is for children, so don those willies and get jumping!

No matter what type of games you play with your dog, you must always be the one in control. This is essential not only for your safety but that of your dog: remember that animal instinct will mostly take over if a dog feels threatened or scared, and that any animal can be dangerous if not treated with the respect it deserves. It is always a good idea to ensure that you have a comprehensive pet insurance policy in place, especially if experimenting with new activities. Ensure that you choose a policy which has third party liabilty – important if your dog is in unfamiliar territory and something unexpected happens. Even the most responsible pet owner can find that accidents do unfortunately occur, which could leave you seriously out of pocket should your pet dog need emergency treatment after a fall or other mishap, for instance.

If you feel that you need help or advice you should do some research before trying anything drastically different to what your dog is used to. There is a multitude of pet advice forums out there on the world wide web, often specialised, with expert advice about a specific breed of dog, or just queries of a more general nature. Take your time, and try different things to find those which will suit both of you. Above all, learn how to maximise the fun potential in keeping a pet dog with the added bonus of keeping you both fit whilst doing so! Be as inventive as you can, for as they say, variety is the spice of life!

About the Author

Please call us at Animal Friends Insurance on 0844 55 70 300 for a quick quote to cover your household pet against the high cost of veterinary treatment. AFI donate all net profits to helping animals in crisis around the globe.

Stop Barking Dogs — Barking dogs, Understanding it and dealing with it

I don’t think that barking is necessarily a bad thing – in fact, I think it’s encouraging that my dog wants to “talk” to me, enough so that I can overlook the stentorian qualities of his voice (which, in enclosed spaces, is positively overpowering) in favor of his desire to communicate with me. It’s the thought that counts (even though I feel better-equipped to stand by this sanctimonious belief when my ears are sheltered safely behind industrial-quality ear-plugs).

 Unfortunately, the language barrier between dogs and humans is pretty well impermeable, which means it’s up to us to use the context, the body language of our dogs, and the circumstances of the vocalization to parse meaning from a volley of barks. So why do dogs bark? It’s not easy to say (it’s like trying to answer the question, “Why do humans talk?” in so many words).

 Let’s start off by saying that dogs bark for many different reasons. A lot of it depends on the breed: some dogs were bred to bark only when a threat is perceived (this is true of guarding breeds in particular, like Rottweilers, Dobermans, and German Shepherds); some were bred to use their voices as a tool of sorts, to assist their owners in pursuit of a common goal (sporting breeds such as Beagles and Bloodhounds, trained to ‘bay’ when they scent the quarry), and some dogs just like to hear themselves talk (take just about any of the toy breeds as an example of a readily-articulate dog!).

However, all breed specificities cast aside, there are some circumstances where just about any dog will give voice: * She’s bored * She’s lonely * She’s hungry, or knows it’s time for a meal * Something is wrong/someone is near the house * She’s inviting you to play * She sees another animal * She needs the toilet If your dog is barking for any of these reasons, it’s not really realistic for you to try to stop her: after all, she’s a dog, and it’s the nature of all dogs to bark at certain times and in certain situations.

Presumably you were aware of this when you adopted your friend (and, if total silence was high on your list of priorities, you’d have bought a pet rock, right?). Of course, there are times when barking isn’t only unwarranted, it’s downright undesirable. Some dogs can use their voices as a means of manipulation. Take this situation as an example: You’re lying on the couch reading a book. Your dog awakes from a nap and decides it’s time for a game. She picks up her ball, comes over, and drops it in your lap. You ignore her and keep on reading.

After a second of puzzled silence, she nudges your hand with her nose and barks once, loudly. You look over at her – she assumes the ‘play-bow’ position (elbows near the floor, bottom in the air, tail waving) and pants enticingly at you. You return to your book. She barks again, loudly – and, when no response is elicited, barks again. And this time, she keeps it up. After a minute or so of this, sighing, you put down your book (peace and quiet is evidently not going to be a component of your evening, after all), pick up the ball, and take her outside for a game of fetch.

She stops barking immediately. I’m sure you know that respect is an essential part of your relationship with your dog. You respect her, which you demonstrate by taking good care of her regardless of the convenience of doing so, feeding her nutritious and tasty food, and showing your affection for her in ways that she understands and enjoys. In order for her to be worthy of your respect, she has to respect you, too. Something that many kind-hearted souls struggle to come to terms with is that dog ownership is not about equality: it’s about you being the boss, and her being the pet.

Dogs are not children; they are most comfortable and best-behaved when they know that you are in charge. A dog has to respect your leadership to be a happy, well-adjusted, and well-behaved pet. In the situation above, there was no respect being shown by the dog. She wasn’t inviting her owner to play; she was harassing her owner to play. In fact, I’d even say bullying. And even worse, the behavior was being reinforced by the owner’s capitulation – effectively, giving in to this behavior taught her that to get what she wants, she has to make a noise – and she has to keep it up until her goal is achieved.

Affection and play-times are obviously necessary aspects of life with a dog, but they have to be doled out on your own terms. If she learns that she can get what she wants by barking, then your house is going to become a Noise Pollution Zone (and this is not going to endear you to your neighbors, either). To prevent this bullying behavior in your dog from assuming a familiar role in her repertoire of communications, you have to prove to her that you’re not the kind of person that can be manipulated so easily.

 It’s simple to do this: all you have to do is ignore her. I’m not talking about passive ignorance, where you pay her no attention and simply continue with whatever it was you were doing – you need to take more of an active role. This means conveying to her through your body language that she is not worthy of your attention when she acts in such an undesirable manner.

The absolute best and most effective thing for you to do in this case is to give her the cold shoulder. When she starts trying to ‘bark you’ into doing something for her, turn your back on her straight away. Get up, avert your eyes and face, and turn around so your back is towards her. Don’t look at her, and don’t talk to her – not even a “no”. She’ll probably be confused by this, and will likely bark harder.

This is particularly true if you’ve given in to her bully-barking in the past – the more times you’ve reinforced the behavior, the more persistent she’s going to be. In fact, the barking will almost certainly get a lot worse before it gets better – after all, it’s worked for her the past, so it’s understandable that she’ll expect it to work again. As in all aspects of dog training, consistency is very important. You must ensure that you don’t change your mind halfway through and give in to what she wants – because by doing so, you’re teaching her to be really, really persistent (“OK, so I just need to bark for ten minutes instead of five to get a walk,” is the message she’ll get).

But what can you do in other situations where bullying isn’t an issue and you just want her to stop the racket? If you want to get the message across that you’d like her to cease fire and be quiet, the most effective thing you can do is to use your hands. No, I’m not talking about hitting her: this is a perfectly humane, impact- and pain-free method of conveying that what you require right now is peace and quiet. Here’s what you do: when she’s barking, give her a second to ‘get it out of her system’ (it’s a lot kinder, and a lot more effective, to give her a chance – however brief – to express herself before asking her to be quiet). If she doesn’t calm down under her own steam, reach out and clasp her muzzle gently, but firmly, in your hand. She’ll try to shake you off, or back away, so you can place your other hand on her collar to give you greater control.

This method is useful for two reasons: firstly, it effectively silences the barking (since no dog, no matter how loud, can bark with her mouth shut!). Secondly, it reinforces your authority: you’re showing her through direct physical action that you’re a benevolent but firm leader who will brook no nonsense, and who won’t balk when it comes to enforcing your guidance. Hold onto her muzzle and collar until she’s stopped trying to break free: only when she calms down and stops wriggling does it mean that she’s accepted your authority.

 When she’s still, hold on for one or two more seconds, then let her go and praise her. In addition to this short-term fix, there are also a few things you can to do to reduce your dog’s need to bark in the first place. The number-one cause for unwanted barking (as in, the kind of barking that’s repetitive and is directed at nothing) is nervous, agitated energy – the kind she gets from not getting enough exercise.

 Most dogs function best with one and a half hours’ exercise every day, which is a considerable time commitment for you. Of course, this varies from dog to dog, depending on factors like breed, age, and general level of health. You may think that your dog is getting as much exercise as she needs, or at least as much as you can possibly afford to give her – but if her barking is coupled with an agitated demeanor (fidgeting, perhaps acting more aggressively than you’d expect or want, restlessness, destructive behavior) then she almost definitely needs more.

 Fortunately, the fix for this problem is pretty simple: you’ll just have to exercise her more. Try getting up a half-hour earlier in the morning – it’ll make a big difference. If this is absolutely impossible, consider hiring someone to walk her in the mornings and/or evenings. And if this is impossible too, then you’ll just have to resign yourself to having a loud, frustrated, and agitated dog (although whether you can resign her to this state remains to be seen). The second most common cause of excessive vocalization in dogs is too much ‘alone time’.

Dogs are social animals: they need lots of attention, lots of interaction, and lots of communication. Without these things, they become anxious and on edge. If you’re at home with your dog, you’re not paying attention to her, and she’s spending a lot of time barking at what appears to be nothing, she’s probably bored and lonely and would benefit from a healthy dose of affection and attention.

 Recommended reading If you’d like more information on unwanted behaviors that your dog’s exhibiting, you’ll probably be interested in taking a look at Secrets to Dog Training. It’s a complete, A-Z manual for the responsible dog owner, and deals with recognizing, preventing, and dealing with just about every problem dog behavior under the sun. You can check out Secrets to Dog Training by clicking on the link below:Stop Barking Dogs

About the Author

Casey Jones has been involved with animals in one way or another since he was a child. He knows a lot about rabbits, dogs, cats, birds, fish, and reptiles. He lives in Sunny Pace, Florida with 3 dogs, a horse, 3 rabbits, and 2 cat.

German Shepherd Zone Training