Any GSD owner will appreciate this! - Page 1

I just wanted to share this with everyone, as a trainer I put together this little fact sheet on how to be a pack leader with your GSD I also have it available in pdf if anyone is interested please let me know I will email it to you. I tell my clients to print it out and put it on the fridge so they can reference to it from time to time.


LEADER OF THE PACK FACTS
Some hot tips on the road to a happy dog-and-owner leadership relationship
NO DOGS ALLOWED
Don’t let your dog on the furniture with you. No couches, no beds, no loveseats. “All four paws on
the floor, all the time” By letting dogs share furniture with you, “you’re telling them they’re equal
to you in the pack” In their mind, they’re confused! This doesn’t say that dogs are never allowed on
the furniture, but they must never be up there uninvited and must always vacate when told to do so
or issued the off command.
NO PULLING
When out on walks, your dog must not pull you down the road. Instead, practicing the heel
command and helping your dog learn how to walk nicely by your side is important.
ME FIRST
Don’t let your dog charge out the door in front of you. As leader, you walk through first. ALWAYS!
ME FIRST, AGAIN
Leaders eat first, it is recommended that allowing your dog to see you eat, then feed him for about
20 minutes before the bowl, even if empty, is picked up and removed. “This puts you in charge of
the dog’s biggest resource FOOD
NO, YOU MOVE
Don’t step over a sleeping or lounging dog blocking a doorway or hallway. Gently yet firmly make
him move (perhaps with a shuffling of your feet) so you can pass.
SAY IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT
Use your voice to summon respect. Don’t yell, but don’t issue commands in a singsong, high pitched
tone, either. In other words, no baby talk, and no bully speak. Be firm and confident when you
speak to your dog. Don’t ask him to obey —tell him! Be generous with praise, but don’t go so
overboard you ramp your dog into a hyper state and make him too excited to listen to you.
STAND TALL
Use body language — head held high, shoulders back, standing up straight — to convey your
message. Don’t crouch down to the dog’s level while giving commands.
USE A CRATE
Crate train your dog. Aside from helping with housetraining and safety issues a crate or kennel gives
him a den-like environment of his own to sleep or chill out.
All dogs will test you in your quest for leadership.
They will do subtle, almost so much, you don’t even notice it until it’s too late.
Example: They may sit a few inches in front of you instead of right by your side,
or they’ll put their foot on top of yours while doing this. These are all dominance
things, It’s all these subtle little things you watch for. These are the kind of things
you have to get right on top of.
Remember You are in charge!

Thanks Kayiy for the info. I think I have been doing pretty good on most of them except the letting her go out the door first, I didn't even think of that but makes sense.  So far Lulu is doing great, took only 3 days to housebreak her at 10 weeks old when we got her and we do use a large cage crate. I mostly give her freedom around the house now since she scratches to go out every time.  She goes in it on her own now at night and also it is a great resource for her naps during the day when I cannot supervise her. I try to watch her constantly and let her know I am always watching in case she tries to get away with anything ;) In fact, I have gone as far as to hide and wait for her to do something she knows is wrong and then correct her, that sort of frieked her out LOL.

I have taught her "sit" "stay" "down" "leave it" and "high five" which only took a few repititions in one day, she is a very smart girl but the one thing I cannot seem to teach her so far is be be off leash. I have worked on "come" in the house with treats but once I let her go outside she thinks it is a game and runs from me (which has only been twice so far I have tried it). Any advice on that?

I  know that being the leader of the pack is very important especially with a GSD, this is my first GSD and she is doing GREAT so far but I will keep what you wrote in mind and from now on will walk out the door first :)

Awsome, GSD's are sooooooo smart, they pick up on everything right away.

As for the coming outside, have you thought of clicker training her? I find that GSD's really respond well with clicker training because they are so smart and they know the treat is coming when the clicker sounds. If you can get her to do this in the house then outside do it with a 20 foot lead 10 times and if she does it 8 out of the 10 times go to a 10 foot lead and repeat, then finally go off leash.

Kudo's to you and LuLu keep up the good work :)

Melissa

Thanks, I will deff. try that this week. I do actually have a clicker but haven't incorporated it into her training yet, I did see how it works on the "It's me or the dog" show with Victoria Stilwell.  Lulu was just learning so easily without it I hadn't used it yet but I will try it now. I'll let you know how it works out! Thanks again for the advice!

If Lulu (I love that name!) runs away when you have called her you need to walk her down.  Don't say another word just walk her down as long as it takes.  Grab her by the collar and pull her firmly by the collar (front feet off the ground gets the point across) to where you were when you first called her, sit her down and then tell her what a good girl she is.  All of this must be done in silence until you have her where you started from, then be generous with your praise and treats.  It may take a few times but she will get the picture.  My girl ran and hid behind objects, a bench, a post whatever she could find.  She knew she was busted when she saw me coming in silent mode.  Now if she hesitates, all I have to do is take a step forward and she comes running.

LOL.

Thanks DebiSue, I will try this when we get our fence up. Right now I live 9,000 feet up in the rockies wilderness with a very... Natural back area LOL We have plans set for our fence in the next month but it is not up yet so she is always on a lead with me outside for the time being, the times she has snuck out she hangs out under the deck where I cannot get to her which has been the problem. The other time she just ran from me as fast as she could and I couldn't catch her. I have just started the clicker technique today but I think when she's a little bit older she'll get it better. The two times she got out she does eventually plod up the stairs and come home but I really want her to be off lead for hikes, runs, etc. and at the dog park she does stay right with us so maybe that will come naturally and she is just playing a game in our back area but I would like to nip that in the butt right now :)