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Read on for detailed tips on when you should expect your Labradoodle to be trained and milestone ages. Did you know that back in , Labradoodles were bred by an Australian breeder Wally Conron for a blind woman whose husband had a dog allergy? Since then, Labradoodles have only grown in popularity. The average lifespan of a Labradoodle is around 10 to 14 years , and they come in three different sizes — miniature or toy, medium, and standard. Their sizes can also affect how they behave. Your Labradoodle will undergo various changes through every stage in their lives. Their five different life stages include: Puppyhood — 1 to 5 months Adolescence — 6 to 18 months Adulthood — until three years of age Middle Age — until seven years of age Old Age — the last stage; until 12 to 14 years of age. At every stage, your Labradoodle will depict different behaviors, and you will have to modify how you train them accordingly. Can Labradoodles smile? The correct training approach is to start coaching your Labradoodles from the first day when you bring them home. Compared to adult dogs, puppies are easier to train. You will have a much easier and fun time training them when and where to pee, how to socialize, how not to put everything in their mouth, how to stay away from chewing the new sofa set, etc. First 30 Days with a Labradoodle The first 30 days are an exciting time with new Labradoodles. With a crossbreed, you often have no idea what surprises are about to unfold. Your furry friend will obviously go on to explore every nook and cranny of your house. While you might feel like spending every second cuddling and playing around with them, this is the time when you should start training your dog. The sooner you begin, the more adaptable the routine becomes to the dog. When they are young, it is recommended that you initiate the process of Early Scent Introduction to amplify their senses. This will allow them to quickly identify and react to particular smells. A helpful activity is putting a leash on your Labradoodle while it walks around the house and sniffs different household objects. You can also include a few more games and habits into their routine to make them put their senses to good use. You will often find them jumping around the house and licking everyone. All their sensory organs will be heightened, so behaviors like wagging their tails and play-biting people will be common. If their erratic behavior changes are not kept in check, you might even find them baring teeth at anyone who attempts to touch their belongings or fiddle with the safe environment they are used to. Potty Training This is the age to establish a potty schedule for your puppy. Include multiple potty breaks throughout the day so that the dog knows where to go to release themselves. Train them to hold their pee in until they reach their designated point. Every time they successfully pee outside , make sure to reward them with a treat. Leash Training Leashes are going to be a life-long friend of your dogs. Make sure you introduce them to the concept of a leash right from the very beginning. It will help your Labradoodle get accustomed to the feeling of having a leash around them every time they are taken for a walk. When at home, put the leash on the dog, and let them walk around freely without pulling on it. Two Labradoodles sniff eachother out at a dog park. The puppyhood phase is about to end, and the new adulthood chapter is about to commence. By this time, they should have mastered most of the training commands and techniques so you can move on to teaching them more advanced training options. Loose leash training, clicker, and positive reinforcement training all become possible now. We must keep a strict eye on reinforcing positive behavior and obedience and redirect unwanted behavior with just as much consistency as when they were a young puppy. By this time, your dog should also be vaccinated, so they can go to a nearby park and play with other dogs. Command Training This is the stage when you start teaching your Labradoodle some basic commands. The best way to introduce it is during their mealtime. You can hold the food in your hands and use it to lure them. Identify a definite marker that you can use to communicate to your Labradoodle if they perform a particular command correctly or incorrectly. Sit with your Labradoodle on the floor and play around to try to communicate with them. Make them comfortable with your touch and sound. Find other puppies that your Labradoodle can spend time with. It is a good idea to begin socializing your puppy to help them become more comfortable with humans as well as other dogs. This will also reduce the risk of anxiety and fear, help them listen to others better, and ensure that they live a fulfilling and happy life. Regardless of what training routine you establish for your dog, make sure you only do it through positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is a reward-based training option. So, if your dog successfully performs a task or follows a command, you praise them or reward them with treats. You can use a favorite treat or a toy to encourage them to follow the command again. Avoid punishing your dog at all costs as it would instill life-long fear in them. Use puzzle toys and different mentally stimulating exercises to improve their physical and mental capabilities even simple food toys like frozen Kongs or slow feeder bowls do the trick. Our best Labradoodle name ideas. I am sure you have been planning the arrival of your Labradoodle and are excited for all the joy and happiness they are about to bring into your life. I got a puppy a few months back too, and there are a few tips I wish someone had told me about before: Have two separate bowls ready for your Labradoodle — one for food and one for water. Feed them with food specific to their breed, and make sure to replace their bowl with fresh water every day. Proper nutrition and a balanced diet are part and parcel of a good puppy training routine. You can also treat them with a toy every time they follow the commands you teach them. Invest in a comfortable dog bed. Although bedding can be expensive, your Labradoodle needs a decent place to relax. Make sure the size of the bed is appropriate, neither too big nor too small. Puppy-proof your house before the new member settles in. Keeping the electrical cords out of reach, properly latching the doors and windows to avoid risking your puppy wandering off, and designating a specific bathroom area for the puppy are some of the vital precautions you must take. It not only keeps them clean and smelling fresh but also eliminates the risk of illnesses and diseases in your dog. But they still need to be regularly groomed to avoid matting. To do this, however, you need to train your Labradoodles to be comfortable with the different grooming tools and sit still for some time. Here are a few tips on how you can do that successfully: Sensitize your Labradoodle to the sounds of different grooming equipment like nail trimmers, scissors, combs, brushes, etc. Play with their paws and make them feel comfortable. You should massage their feet and touch their nails to make them feel at ease with your touch. The more you delay grooming your dog regularly, the more complex and painful the procedure will get. Brushing becomes easy, pain-free, and you will be surprised to see your Labradoodle eventually starting to look forward to it. While doing facial trims, your dog needs to remain calm and still. To do a facial trim, gently hold their head in one hand and rest their chin on another. There are high chances your dog will be placed in a crate when attending grooming sessions at a salon. So make them accustomed to being placed inside a crate at home. You can keep their favorite toys and treats inside to make them feel more comfortable. Most of the advanced Labradoodle training options and methods are built on basic training methods. If your Labradoodle has successfully mastered basic training skills, the advanced training period will be relatively easy. If you want your dog to behave even better and learn new tricks, or get them registered as a service dog or a guide dog, or make them participate in an upcoming dog event, you can consider enrolling them in professional advanced training courses. Labradoodles, as the name suggests, are a cross between Poodles and Labradors, combining the best characteristics of both breeds. Labradoodles are bred to be friendly and loving and they are very easy to train. In terms of background, if the breeder or adoption service you got your pup from did not start any training, then you will have to start slow and be patient. A Labradoodle that has been trained and brought up well can serve as the perfect service dog, guide dog, or therapy dog. Are Labradoodles Easy To Train? Labradoodles are great companions that can fit in as easily in a large family as they can in a small one. They are easy to train, friendly, social, and intelligent. If they are trained consistently, they develop a friendly temperament and bond well with their owners. Do Labradoodles Bark Excessively? As with any other breed of dog, Labradoodles are at high risk of barking excessively if they are not adequately trained or if their day-to-day requirements are not met. A Labradoodle has a lot of energy. If the energy is not channeled in the right place through coaching, exercising, and proper stimulation, they might get stressed and anxious and bark unreasonably. A Red Miniature Labradoodle looks happy in the studio. Final Words The happiness that comes with having a Labradoodle as your companion and raising them is unmatched. However, as with any other dog, training them involves hard work and discipline. I hope this guide makes Labradoodle training easy for you. The biggest hurdle you may face when training your dog is a lack of motivation and consistency. Luckily, Labradoodles are inclined to learn from their owners quicker than other breeds. My wife and I love playing with our active miniature Labradoodle Max. We want all Oodle puppies to be healthy and happy, have lots of fun and be part of the family. Load More. Get Started Labradoodle Training We know how challenging it can be training your doodle puppy, and adjusting your new puppy's schedule and routine to yours. Below are some tips and suggestions on how to make your puppies first few weeks together with you and your family a stress free and exciting time for all involved! Bringing Your New Puppy Home The first few days home with you, can be overwhelming for your new puppy. Everything is a new experience to them. Try to bring the puppy into your home during a time that is slow for you. Once you arrive home with your puppy, you want to start a routine as quickly as possible. Try giving your puppy a few minutes of playtime before beginning any training. This is brought on by the stress of a big change, and as long as it is not excessive or bloody, it is nothing to be concerned about. High quality Puppy and Dog foods have all the necessary vitamins and nutrients that your dog needs. One ingredient to avoid in your puppy food is corn. Corn offers little nutritional value and is mostly a filler. You may feed your puppy whatever food you prefer. However, If you are changing foods, you want to do it slowly to give them a chance to adjust to the new food. Each day, gradually add more of the new food and less of the old food. If changed too quickly, the puppy may experience diarrhea. Once in the morning and once at night. We recommend the evening feeding to occur by - pm. It is recommended that you do this until they are around 6 months of age. Remember to offer water every 2 to 4 hours, not just when offering food. As with feeding we don't like to give water too close to bedtime when training a labradoodle puppy. House Training Your Labradoodle Puppy "The key to house training is to prevent accidents from happening in the first place. Such deterrence may seem impossible if you have a puppy that seems to eliminate every few minutes. But by following a few simple steps, you can teach your canine companion proper potty deportment. Pick A Potty Spot - Choose a grassy area that is close to your home and easy to clean up. Whenever your puppy needs to go, take him to this spot and use the same route to get there every time. Supervise Your Puppy - To prevent accidents, watch your puppy closely whenever he's not confined. Get Him A Den a crate, more on that below - When you can't watch your puppy, put him where accidents are less likely to occur: In a crate. The crate is a safe, enclosed area where your puppy will instinctively refrain from eliminating. Put your puppy in its crate any time you can't watch it every single second, but don't leave your pup there too long. No more than one hour longer than its age in months four hours for a 3-month-old dog. Keep A Schedule - Puppies need to eliminate after sleeping, eating, and playing, and before bedtime. By setting up a schedule for those activities, you can make your puppy's bathroom breaks more predictable and greatly reduce the likelihood of accidents. Stick With It - It may take awhile before your puppy becomes trained. If this process sounds like work ,it is, but the better you do it -or in other words, the fewer accidents you have while training-the more quickly your dog will succeed. Crate Training Your Labradoodle I have heard many people say that crate training is mean and only serves as a punishment to the dog. They couldn't be more wrong. These are some of the many benefits of crate training: Crates are perfect for the dog to sleep in. When a dog is coming into a home where other dogs already live, the crate is a safe place for the new dog. You should never confine your pet as a form of punishment. Make sure that you invest in a good sturdy crate made either of hard plastic or of heavy steel wire. Cages with rounded edges make it easier to clean them. Make sure the cage is big enough for the dog. Puppies need a cage that is appropriate for their size. They have crates that can be divided so that a large cage can work for a smaller puppy. This eliminates the need to buy several different cages as the puppy grows. We hope you have success training your doodle puppy and find it as rewarding as we have! Follow Along on Social Media! Popular Links. But in the early days, we recommend keeping them close to you at night. It will help them feel safe and cared for — leaving their litter is quite a big step, after all. Your puppy may be unsettled and will most likely need at least one bathroom break through the night. It will all be okay in a few weeks time, though. The crate should be a cozy warm den for your puppy. Soft blankets and a cuddly toy should do the trick to help them settle. It is also a good idea to cover over the sides but keep the front uncovered so your pup can still see out. Just before bed, take your pup out for one last potty stop. With that beautiful voice of yours, gently reassure them and rest your hand in the crate so they know you are there. When your puppy wakes up in the night they definitely will at some point , listen to see if they are settling back down. Expect to be out at or am to take them straight to the loo. They will be bursting! That just about covers the first steps of Labradoodle sleep training. Very tired. But early mornings, late nights and disturbed sleep are all part of owning a puppy. As they mature emotionally and settle into their new home they will be happy in other parts of the house, and even outside of their crate. Having them in your room does not cause separation anxiety later on. Stick to a routine! Consistency is everything. It will backfire on you. Check out our guide on how to get a puppy to sleep through the night for more tips. Alone Training Labradoodles are very sociable. That can mean two things — they will always be happy to see you and that being alone can be challenging for them. This will help them feel at ease without you and also help them love their crate a little bit more too. While they are eating, go and do something close by. No need to go completely out of sight, but try not to focus on your puppy either. Labradoodles love to eat, so use this time wisely to distract them away from you. Just a few seconds is good enough in the early stages. Repeat: Practice makes perfect! Do this exercise at least once a day to build up alone time, and check out our guide to puppy separation anxiety. We expand on our little secret in our puppy potty training article. Every 30 minutes, after eating, sleeping or playing. Socialization Exercises to do This Week Early socialization is important for all puppies. It gives them confidence and teaches them to view the world in an optimistic way. Here are some puppy socialization exercises to do with your Labradoodle. Let your Labradoodle Puppy Explore the Yard The yard is a great way to introduce your puppy to the great outdoors. They will also get used to walking on different types of surfaces such as your tiled, wet lawn or open flower beds. To get them there, here is a quick exercise you can run through: Exploring different surfaces exercise Have plenty of treats ready. Only use safe surfaces, nothing too slippery. Gather surfaces such as: A piece of carpet A large tray with a thin layer of water A large piece of tin foil or cardboard, something that makes a noise. Put the surfaces out on the floor and let your puppy investigate. Let them take their time and go at their own pace. In our experience Labradoodles are quite food motivated, and you can probably use a low or medium value treat for this. You can even try to use their kibble as many will be delighted to work for their food. For more info on what rewards to use check out our article on rewards and treats. Teach your puppy their name One of the first things your puppy will learn from you is their name. Fortunately, teaching a Labradoodle puppy their name is rather simple. Pretty easy, right? Practice this a few times everyday until they start flipping their head at you every time you call their name. Make sure everyone in the family uses the same name too! Teach your puppy to sit Labradoodle training is often started by teaching them how to sit. We call this a marker word. Keep using this word when they do the right thing, and then follow with a tasty treat. Bits of smelly sausage or cheese will definitely do the trick. If this happens, try to keep it simple at first and just use their own kibble if they are motivated to work for it. Save the big guns in treat terms for when you really need it! How to do it Always begin training at home. The outside world is far too exciting at the moment, and your puppy will probably not focus on you. Stand in front of your pup with a treat in your hand and place the treat on their nose, then bring it up to your waist. Recall — How to teach your Labradoodle puppy to come back when called Your puppy should have a good grasp of their name by now, which should make recall training pretty straightforward. Pun intended. How to do it You will need plenty of those high value treats and your best cheery voice. Call your puppy only once! This is super important as you want them to learn that their name only has to be called once for them to react to it. How to do it Get your puppy excited by showing them their favorite toy and making it come to life by waving it around. Once they are interested in the toy, throw it a short distance away from you. With that lovely singing voice of yours, encourage them to bring it back to you. When they do, swap the toy in their mouth for another identical toy. Repeat about 5 times and practice everyday. Get your puppy excited by showing them their favorite toy and making it come to life by waving it around. Prevention of Resource Guarding This part of Labradoodle training is important — it will prevent resource guarding by teaching your puppy how to give up items willingly. Resource guarding is this thing that happens when dogs are unwilling to give up items back, or when they get protective over something from humans or other dogs. From the training tips above, preventing resource guarding always comes down to a good swapping. Resource guarding starts when we force our dogs as puppies to give up items or snatch things out of their mouths. To avoid that, resist your temptation to reach deep inside their mouths to get whatever it is they have. Ultimately, we want our puppies to be willing to give things up when we need them to. What we really mean is care, handling, health and grooming. Start by just showing them the brush and running it over them with the apartment side so they get used to the sensation minus the bristles. Hand Touch and Handling If you handle your puppy too roughly or grab at them, not only are they going to have a bit of a fright, but it could make them feel scared about being touched in the future. Use plenty of treats, and remember to stop if they walk away. Touch should be a pleasant thing not forced. Week 2 — Training your Labradoodle puppy Week 2 already! Socialization exercises to do this week Training to do this week Husbandry Tasks to do this week — Fireworks — Watch the world go by outside your house — Play dress up. If you put in the effort early on, then you will be rewarded with a well-mannered dog who will be a joy to spend time with for years to come. Labradoodles are intelligent, friendly, and playful, but if you let your youngster do whatever he wants and allow him to think that he is the boss, then you may well end up with a naughty, attention-seeking adult. Lack of training usually plays a big part in why the dog develops some unwanted behavior traits. If you want a dog that you can take anywhere and who will be a perfect companion, rather than a pain in the neck, then spend time early on teaching him some manners and your ground rules. You may consider seeking the help of a professional trainer, but that option may not be practical or within the budget. This way, your puppy will get to learn and socialize with other dogs at the same time. You could also watch some Labradoodle training videos on YouTube, but it should not replace training with other dogs. If you decide to train your Doodle yourself, then remember the golden rule: training should always be based on rewards and not punishment. It should be a positive learning experience for both of you. Labradoodles can be sensitive little critters, and bawling at the top of your voice or smacking should not play any part in training. Are Labradoodles Easy to Train? Labradoodles are very intelligent and generally regarded as easy to train due to their easy-going temperaments and desire to connect with and please their humans. They have curious minds, and most will thrive on training if they get the chance to exercise their grey matter with some fun. Some Labradoodles are professionally trained to a very high standard to become guide or therapy dogs. Over the years, Labradoodles, especially Australian Labradoodles , have been bred with a specific easy-going temperament in mind. Early Labradoodles were often headstrong and hyper-active, but well-bred Aussie Doodles these days usually have great personalities and fit well into family life. Like most dogs, Labradoodles are pack animals and hierarchical. They respect the pecking order and are happy when they know and are comfortable with their place in it. They need to learn their place in the pack and accept you as a pack leader. You cannot force this on a dog by shouting and hitting. It has to be established by the natural order of things like mutual consent and brought about by proper training. If your puppy is not made aware of his place in the household and the rules to abide by, then he will end up ruling you and your family. Be firm, but never aggressive with your dog. If you do it wrong then, you will either frighten him or teach him to be aggressive. Keep training short and fun, especially at the beginning. If you have adopted an older dog, you can still train him, but it is a lot harder for them to unlearn bad habits. Training Tip 2: Your voice is your most important training tool Your dog has to learn to understand your language. The tone of your voice is very important. You should command in a calm, authoritative voice without shouting. Praise the puppy in a cheerful, encouraging voice, followed by a stroke or a pat. If your dog has done something wrong, use a firm, stern voice, not a harsh scream. This rule still applies even if your Labradoodle is unresponsive at the beginning. Training Tip 3: Only give command that you can enforce Labradoodles are intelligent dogs. Training Tip 4: Train your dog gently and humanely. Use positive and motivational methods to teach your puppy. Keep training sessions upbeat, so the whole experience is enjoyable for both of you. Training Tip 5: Begin your training from home How well your dog responds to you at home affects his behavior away from home as well. Training Tip 6: One command equals one response Give your dog only one command — twice maximum — then gently enforce it. Repeating commands or nagging will make your Labradoodle tune out. It also tells him that the first few commands are a bluff. But a relationship based on fear is not a good one, and it will undermine your relationship with him. He should trust that when he hears his name, good things happen. His name should always be a word that your Doodle responds to with enthusiasm, never hesitancy or fear. If he gets lots of attention when he jumps up on you, his bad behavior gets reinforced. Training Tip Timing is critical When your puppy does something right, praise him immediately. Similarly, when he does something wrong, correct him straight away. This technique works surprisingly well. Training Tip Give your dog attention when YOU want Labradoodles are sociable creatures, and they love being with you and involved with the family. While you are training him, it is good to give your puppy lots of positive attention when he is good. But if he starts jumping up, nudging you constantly or barking for your attention, then ignore him. If you give in to his every demand, then he will begin to think that he is the boss and become more demanding. Wait a while and pat him when you want, and when he has stopped demanding your attention. Training Tip Be Consistent In terms of rules and training, treat your fluffy little Doodle pup as a grown-up. Make him abide by the rules you want him to live by as an adult. You may want to put your pup on a leash to hold his attention in the beginning. Stand facing each other and hold a treat a few inches above his head. Stroke and praise him for as long as he stays in the sitting position. Practice it in short sessions until he does it every time. After a while, he should do it just from command, without moving the treat over him. When he does, give him a treat anyway. If he jumps up on his back legs and paws while you are moving the treat, be patient, and start all over again. Another method is to put one hand on his chest and with your other hand, gently push down on his rear end until he is sitting. Give him a treat and praise, even though you have made him do it. For example, when you are putting his leash on, while you are preparing his meal, when he fetches the ball, or when he is demanding attention or getting over-excited. They do it all the time with their siblings in the litter. It is a game for them. But when they arrive at your home, they have to be taught that human body parts are not for biting. Try not to encourage play-biting. As a puppy grows and feels more confident in his surroundings, and he may become slightly more aggressive. His bites may hurt someone, especially if you have children or older people at home. Make sure to have a soft toy nearby every time you have a play session with your puppy. When he starts to chew your hand or feet, clench your fingers or toes to make it more difficult and distract him with the soft toy in your other hand. Keep the game interesting by moving the toy around or rolling it around in front of him. He may continue to chew you, but will eventually realize that the toy is far more exciting and livelier than your body parts. If he becomes over-excited or too aggressive with the toy and starts growling a lot, then stop playing with him, and walk away. If your pup is more persistent and tries to bite your legs as you walk away, thinking this is another fantastic game, stand still and ignore him. Your puppy may well jump back in amazement, surprised that he has hurt you. Train a Labradoodle Not to Jump The reason why a labradoodle jumps up onto humans is that they want to get your attention and say hello. As you are taller than him, he has to jump to get your attention. Sadly, it might not be enjoyable for your guests or other people having an unknown dog jumping on them. As a dog owner, you must stop your dog from bothering other people. You can try the below techniques to train your labradoodle not to jump: When your dog starts jumping, follow training tip 9. Do not look into his eyes and stand straight up with your arms crossed. When his paws touch the ground, pat him. Repeat the exercise until he stops jumping. If your dog is jumping on a guest, then ask your guest to turn around and ignore him. Labradoodle Crate Training Crate training is the process of teaching your pup how to behave and enjoy spending time in a crate. Along with housetraining, this is one of the first things you should do when you get a new puppy. The idea behind crate training is that dogs like to have their particular spot. This place is a Safe Haven where only they can go. It teaches them to hold it until they are let outside to potty. Crates are not for every Labradoodle, and you should NEVER use them to imprison the dog while you are out of the house all day. Doodles are not like hamsters or pet mice, which can adapt to life in a cage. But, used correctly, a crate can help to: Housetrain your dog Keep your dog safe when traveling Create a doggy bedroom or place where your Labradoodle feels safe. If you use a crate, then remember that it is NOT a prison to restrain the dog. It should only be used humanely, and time should be spent to make the puppy feel like the crate is his safe little haven. Place the crate in the corner of a room, away from cold draughts or too much heat. Labradoodles like to be near their pack so, leave him where he can hear you. Crate Training Here are some techniques that you can follow to make your puppy to accept a crate and then to want to spend time in there. He might not be very happy about going in at first, but he will be a lot easier to crate train than an adult dog Drop a few tasty treats around and then inside the crate. Keep the door open. Do not close the crate door yet. Place a chew or treat inside the crate and close the door while your pup is outside the crate. He will be desperate to get in. Open the door to let him in and praises him. Fasten a long-lasting chew inside the crate and leave the door open. Let your puppy go inside and spend some time eating the chew. After a while, close the crate door and feed him some treats through the mesh. At first, do it for a few seconds at a time, then gradually increase the time. If you do it too fast, he will become distressed. Slowly build up the amount of time he is in the crate. For the first few days, stay in the room, then gradually leave the room for a short time, first one minute, then three, then 10, 30 minutes, and so on. The next points are very important to make the crate training successful: Do not let the dog immediately out of the crate while he is barking, or he will think that barking is the key to opening the door to the crate. Wait until the barking or whining has stopped for at least 10 seconds before letting him out. If you do decide to use a crate, remember that a dog is NOT a caged animal. Use the crate for limited periods and only if your dog is comfortable in there. NEVER force a dog to go in and then lock him in for hours on end. From about the age of three weeks, a puppy will leave his sleeping area to go to the toilet. Therefore, you need to teach him that it is unacceptable to make a mess anywhere inside the home. It depends on how quickly your puppy learns and how persistent and patient you are. Follow these steps to speed up the potty-training process: Constant supervision is essential for the first few weeks if you want to house train your puppy quickly. This is why it is necessary to book the week off work when you bring a new puppy home. Making sure you are there to take him outside regularly. If nobody is there, he will learn to urinate or poop inside the house. Take your puppy outside to the same place every time. Dogs naturally develop a preference for going in the same spot or on the same surface -often grass. Take him to the same patch every time, so he learns this is his toilet — preferably an area in a far corner of your garden or yard. No pressure — be patient. You must allow your Doodle pup to wander around and have a good sniff before he does his duties. Stay around a short distance away instead of leaving him. Sadly, puppies are not known for their powers of concentration. They may become easily distracted, and it may take a while for them to select that perfect spot to wee pee on! Share the responsibility. Just make sure you stick to the same routines and patch of ground. Take your pup outside at the following times: As soon as he wakes — every time Shortly after each feed. With proper training, they make wonderful companions and family pets. In this blog, we'll explore some tips and tricks for training your Labradoodle puppy to help them become a well-behaved and obedient furry friend. Start Early: The earlier you start training your Labradoodle puppy, the better. At a young age, puppies are more receptive to learning and are more likely to form positive associations with training. Use Positive Reinforcement: Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool in puppy training. Use treats, praise, and affection to reward good behavior and encourage your puppy to continue doing the right thing. Consistency is Key: Consistency is key when it comes to training your puppy. Use the same commands and cues every time you train your puppy, and be consistent in your expectations and consequences. Short and Sweet Sessions: Puppies have short attention spans, so keep training sessions short and sweet. Potty Training: Potty training is one of the most important aspects of puppy training. Start by taking your puppy outside first thing in the morning, after eating, and before bedtime. Reward them for going potty outside, and be patient and consistent with the process. Basic Commands: Start with basic commands such as "come," "sit," "stay," and "heel. Socialization: Socialization is crucial for Labradoodle puppies. Introduce your puppy to new people, places, and experiences in a positive and controlled manner to help them grow into confident and well-behaved dogs. Training your Labradoodle puppy takes patience, persistence, and consistency, but the rewards are well worth it. By following these tips and tricks, you'll have a well-behaved and obedient furry friend in no time. The Labradoodle is a gorgeous cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle, and the Goldendoodle is an adorable mix between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. Characteristics and traits can vary significantly because these pups are a hybrid breed, but they are usually incredibly people-focused, laid back, and playful, making Goldendoodle and Labradoodle training an enjoyable moment. Doodles make awesome pets, especially if their owners fully comprehend the importance of training from a young age. The type of adult dog breed you end up with depends a little bit on their personality and a lot on how you take care of them. Before you begin Goldendoodle and Labradoodle training, it helps to decide exactly what kind of dog you want to have. Do Plenty of Research It is vital that you have an understanding of canine learning theory because dogs learn very differently from people. A puppy does whatever it can to get what it desires the most at that moment. There are plenty of online resources that can teach you about methods to get the best out of your training. It may be helpful to consult a puppy training professional or spend some time at doggy school to get a headstart and pick up tips from experts. Your pup is a blank slate — with your guidance, they can develop the traits and learn the behaviors that you value the most. Labradoodle and Goldendoodle puppies are curious and they love exploring their new home as they make it their own. Getting it right during the early stages sets a precedent for the rest of their life. Spending as much time as you can with them helps build the foundation for a happy, confident and well-behaved dog. Form a Bond and Gain Trust With Your Doodle Before you do anything, you will need to develop a strong bond with your new pal to make sure they trust you. Try to keep your own energy as calm as possible — they bounce off you. While it may be tempting to get excited by their cuteness and mirror their enthusiasm, this makes it more difficult for them to listen to you and regulate their own behavior. Teach your furry friend what to expect from the moment they get into the home to stop them from getting confused. Use Positive Reinforcement Intimidation or fear tactics are never the best way to build a loving and secure bond between you and your fur baby. To make the most of this method, reward your pooch for good behavior and ignore bad behavior. Treats, verbal praise, and clicker training reward them for a job well done. This also helps them to make positive associations with you and training time. Everyone has their own list of priorities and yours will depend on factors such as whether you have children or other pets. Potty training is a straightforward, formulaic process that your new puppy will adapt to. A consistent routine is the key to getting them toilet trained as efficiently and effectively as possible. Let them outside at the same time each day, and take them to the same spot. In the early days, it may be difficult for them to make it all the way through the night, so try to make provisions for this stage. Select a word for them to associate with potty training and repeat it over and over whenever you take them to the toilet. Every time they do their business outside, give them lots of cuddles and praise, treat them and play one of their favorite games. There will be setbacks — getting it right takes time! If they mess in the wrong place, take them outside to their toileting spot and give them the chance to relieve themselves. We cannot emphasize the importance of praising them when they get it right enough! Crate Training Not everyone opts to crate train their puppy, but it can be useful for the earliest stages of Goldendoodle and Labradoodle training. The crate gives them a safe place they can call their own. Be sure to make the time they spend in the crate a positive experience, and never leave them in there for more hours than their age in months plus one hour. For example, a three-month-old puppy can be kept in their crate for no more than four hours. Socialization Dogs are social animals, and Goldendoodles and Labradoodles, in particular, are happiest when they spend time pleasing people and playing. However, building confidence takes effort and guidance from their pet parent. If you want to ensure they grow up to have a balanced personality, you need to expose them to plenty of dogs, people and different situations. Take them out and about as much as possible to help them become accustomed to a range of noises, sights and sounds. Bring them to a local dog park to get them used to spending time around other dogs. Manners Your adorable little pup has the potential to develop a host of bad habits, but these behaviors can be nipped in the bud. Temperament and Dealing with Small Children There are several steps to take while getting your canine cutie used to being a member of a family with children. Both pup and child will need to have clear boundaries mapped out for them so they can build mutual trust and be kind to each other. Let the child practice with a toy before they pick up or cuddle the pup. Ensure the child sits down when they play with the dog; this helps to prevent the pup from getting overexcited. Teach the child to do small tasks to help care for the dog, such as filling the bowl or helping with grooming. Knowing what to expect according to the time of day helps them to settle and feel reassured. Always wake them up at the same time, feed and walk them around the same time and do training exercises at a set time. Patience Is Everything! The best piece of advice for Goldendoodle and Labradoodle training is to have patience. Spend lots of time bonding and playing with your pooch so you can make training something fun that you both enjoy. Over 6 Months Old 8 week old Labradoodle Puppy Training At 8 weeks old your puppy has only just arrived home, so your main focus will be on helping them to settle in, bonding and starting that all important potty training process. Potty Training Your brand new puppy will need to have the opportunity to pee as much as every twenty minutes for the first few days. They will also need to pee or poop after every meal, and every big drink. Socialization Have four different sets of visitors to the house, and go to at least four busy places with the puppy in your arms. Sweet Goodbyes Puppies find it hard to be left alone, so we like to sweeten up those goodbyes with treats! Every time you need to briefly leave the room, drop a handful of kibble behind you to make it seem like a good thing for your pup. Follow me Puppies are naturally inclined to follow you at 8 weeks old, and you want to encourage that instinct. When outdoors in the backyard change direction lots, and give lots of treats and cuddles in exchange for them coming after you. Recall Blow your recall whistle we use five short pips when your puppy is running full pelt towards you. They will have started to understand that outdoors is the place to pee, and have gained a tiny bit of bladder control. But they will still need a lot of help! Socialization should still be in full swing this week, and your increasingly confident puppy will need help remembering to keep her teeth to herself. Potty Training Your puppy will still need lots of opportunity to pee outdoors in order to reduce accidents. Socialization Meeting people is really important this week. Take your puppy to four new places, and have four sets of visitors. Carry them while you are outdoors. Rewarding Eye Contact Whenever your puppy looks up at your face, pop a treat in between her paws or into her mouth. This will start to encourage her to look up at you more often, in the hopes of something scrummy. We close our treat laden palm when the puppy approaches, open it again as they back oiff and feed the treats to them with the other hand. This helps them to start learning that staying calm and keeping a little distance will get you treats quicker than biting and snatching at them. This week you might start to see those teeth come into action. Remember to remove attention from the puppy when they bite hard on your skin. At just under 3 months old your puppy will have lots of confidence, and be accidentally getting themselves into all sorts of jams unless you are really careful. The window for socialization is closing soon, so make the most of those last couple of weeks to build up their knowledge of people and the world around them. Potty Training At 10 to 12 weeks your puppy will be able to hold its bladder for maybe as long as two and a half hours during the day. If you get an accident in the house, reduce that time down again. And make a note of when your puppy pees so as not to lose track. Over these weeks try to go to two new busy places and two new sets of visitors each week. Rewarding calm behavior Now is the time to help your dog learn to relax. Every time you catch your Labradoodle puppy relaxing, pop a treat between their paws. This will encourage her to chill out even more! Introduce off leash heel position You can start to teach your dog to walk nicely next to you at this point. We begin this process by reinforcing them for standing next to you with the clicker and treats. Recall To work on your recall, whistle your puppy for running towards you as you run away. Give them lots of treats as a reward when they arrive. You can also whistle when giving meals to build up strong positive associations with this cue. Bite inhibition Labradoodle puppy biting can really ramp up at this age. Remember to remove attention when your puppy bites hard. Either standing up, or even leaving the room or popping them in their crate or playpen temporarily while they calm down. This is your final chance for socialization, and it needs to be carried out in a more relaxed way. But at least you can pop your pup on the ground now! Recall Whistle your puppy for running towards you as you walk away, rewarding them with lots of treats when they arrive. Stand with your puppy on the leash, and carry them between locations so as not to upset future heelwork progress. Introduce sit We introduce the sit at this stage, but in a very relaxed informal way. We do so indoors only, when there are no distractions. This is begun without a cue or command, by capturing the position. Potty training should be pretty established. Your goal is to encourage your dog to focus on you and to become a well mannered member of the family. Your puppy should still be given the chance to pee at least every two to three hours. As well as after meals! Changing directions Puppies are more confident at this age, so you need to keep them keen to stay near you. When outdoors in the backyard or at the dog park, keep changing direction regularly. Be unpredictable, and when they follow you back it up with lots of fuss and treats. Off leash heelwork Off leash heelwork training moves from establishing the position to taking a few steps forwards at this stage. Make sure you use lots of praise, and only practice in a familiar, boring area. And one with no distractions! Go slowly, and make sure your pup stays focussed on you. Introduce down We also introduce the down position at this age. This is done without a cue like the sit was the previous month, by capturing the position. Advancing the sit The sit advances further at this stage. Once that is well established, you can begin to very slightly increase duration and distance one by one. Adding distance, duration or distractions to things they already know. Where you get your dog used to doing as you ask them, in different locations or with distractions. Or for longer! Adding distance, duration or distractions We do this step by step, only increasing one thing at a time. So if you want your dog to sit for longer, you will do it somewhere they already happily sit and with no one else around. And thinking of adding a distraction like another dog? Then do it somewhere they are familiar with, and with that dog a long way away to begin with. On leash heelwork We love teaching heelwork off leash. It helps your dog to walk nicely next to you, without ever having the opportunity to pull. A dog that has never wandered ahead is less likely to try to do so even with a leash. Training Methods I cannot recommend positive reinforcement training enough. Positive reinforcement involves rewarding your dog when they do something that you want them to, by giving them something they like. Food is usually the best thing to motivate your dog with, but toys work well for some dogs too. When you use positive methods you can start training your puppy from the very first day they arrive in your home. And logical to know how far you expect a puppy to be able to have come at different developmental stages. Labradoodles are clever and focussed, but they also have a fairly high prey drive. Training is a marathon, not a sprint, and every dog takes their own time. Just remember to only move on to more challenging training situations for them when they have totally mastered the stage before. Related Articles. If you would like one of these wonderful dogs for your family, please take the time to fill out our owner application. Application Form Care and Training Trainers agree that most pet problems which dog owners experience have to do with the training they receive and the excess freedom they are given in the home. Your Labradoodle puppy is a sweet, intuitive, intelligent dog and capable of being a pleasing companion. Labradoodles enjoy training, playtime, and direction. If you take the time to establish your loving authority early on, you will reap the benefits for years to come. Train your pup to be a good canine citizen and a welcome addition to your neighbourhood. I have listed common mistakes which owners make, and a way for you to prevent those hardships. Click on the links below to read the tip, click on the link again to close them. Mistake 1: Not being puppy-educated. Attend a puppy kindergarten class if possible, and read several training books before your new pup arrives. Do role-playing with your children on sit, stay, and come commands, with you being the puppy and your child being the trainer. You will need to teach your children firmness in voice commands. Mistake 2: Idealistic expectations. Dogs are expensive. Dogs are trouble. Dogs are frustrating. Dogs are noisy. Dogs are messy. Be prepared for the bumps in the road a chewed shoe , and the valleys an emergency trip to the vet when an army man gets swallowed. You will be a much happier owner if you have realistic expectations. Mistake 3: Lack of communication with children or adult owners. What are your expectations for your children? Do you want your new pup to teach them responsibility? Be reasonable about how you expect your children to fit into the life of your new pet. A good way to begin your puppy adventure is with a contract between you and your children which states the needs of the puppy with clear plans for who will meet these needs. An example follows: By having a contract in advance, if your child balks at taking your dog on a walk, you may remind them of the agreement they signed. Mistake 4: Not being prepared to sacrifice. My husband and I often laugh about our experience bringing home our first child. We had spent weeks attending classes and breathing, reading books and breathing, visiting delivery rooms and more breathing. Then the delivery occurred. Days later, we brought home this squirmy, screeching, sleepless boy with no idea what to do with him. Be prepared for the worst, and then reality will be a cupcake. Exercise your pup well before your bedtime. Do not offer water within a few hours of your bedtime. At bedtime, put your puppy in the crate with his comfort toys which the breeder sent along with him. Expect whining for a good long bit, but do not cave in and let your puppy sleep with you. Coo and comfort your new pup; pet him through the crate. You have the wisdom and you are in charge. You can train your pup to sleep through the night. Your goal is the get the little sweetheart through the night with only two potty outings, perhaps around AM and AM, but never wake a sleeping puppy — let him wake you. During potty outings, do not cuddle or comfort your pup, although you will always carry your pup to the door in the beginning weeks of housebreaking, rather than have him walk. While on this nighttime potty outing, communicate to him that this is strictly business. Take him to his designated potty place and set him down. Then go back to bed, settling him into his crate. This should only last a few nights, and he will soon surprise you by stretching a few more hours between potty outings. Always check his crate with your hand for a mistake. There is no need to scold mistakes at this stage. Simply remove his bedding and replace with dry bedding. Then, after he becomes fond of his crate in a few days, you may return to your bed. He will feel secure, and you will feel your sacrifice has been worthwhile. Mistake 5: Expecting housebreaking too soon. Many authors and even some trainers tout methods of housebreaking guaranteeing results in eight weeks. Most trainers would say that this is not a reasonable for all puppies. While some puppies may possibly be housebroken at that age, it is rare. For a puppy to be reliably housebroken, it must first meet a physiological developmental milestone in control. While most puppies will be housebroken before that, it is wise to have reasonable expectations. Mistake 6: Too much freedom too soon. Your puppy will naturally want to keep his crate clean, provided it is only small enough for him to turn around in. Instead, begin immediately with crate training, which is the most humane and natural living quarters for your pup. By nature he wants a safe den to cuddle in remember his wolf ancestry. Your pup will be very sleepy in the beginning weeks, so take advantage of this. After each potty outing will be your play time, cuddle time, and training time. Afterwards, you will return him to his crate for a nap. The playtime may be done in a small area 6-foot by 6-foot which you designate as his romper room. This area, as well as the crate, should be in a part of the home the family gathers in, such as the kitchen. A flexible gate system is a terrific option. This system will keep your pup safe from the myriad of choking hazards throughout your home. The flexible gate and crate combination prevents those unwanted accidents — in short, it will keep your stress level low. My mistake with this system was in allowing my pups freedom beyond the gate before they were tried and true. Be quite sure your pup is housebroken reliably before extending his boundaries. When you do choose to extend the boundaries beyond the pen, do it gradually, adding a room at a time. Wait several weeks or a month of no accidents before you expand boundaries again. It is wise to have agreement early on as to which rooms will eventually be opened to your pet and which will not. If you plan for your puppy to never enter the study, for example, then make that known ahead of time. Most trainers suggest that your trained dog should sleep on a dog bed beside your bed, but not on the bed. This prevents them from thinking that they are on your level of authority in the pack of your family. We routinely break this rule. Do as the trainers say, not as we do. Praise him cheerfully. This takes commitment, and your pup should only be out of the pen when you are willing to pay attention and do training. Mistake 7: Using too many words. Your Labradoodle will be trained faster if everyone in your home uses the same terminology during training. Mistake 8: Grazing and over-treating. We hope you will feed your Labradoodle with excellent health as your goal. At eight weeks, your puppy will need to eat three times a day on a regular schedule. The last feeding should be before PM. No treats or water after dinner is best to help your dog achieve housebreaking. Feedings should be in the crate. Take your puppy out for potty immediately after a meal. After the meal has been offered for fifteen minutes, the food is removed. Keep track of how much your pup eats during the first months, as your vet may find this helpful. The reason that continual feeding or grazing is not best is twofold: It solidifies your role as the alpha, provider of the meal, and it also prevents your dog from becoming obese. Obesity in dogs is never healthy and may be an environmental factor contributing toward hip dysplasia. Treats should be given only for performing a command. It is expensive and does not provide the pure nutrients your growing pup requires. Instead of junk treats, fill your treat jar with a premium-quality dry dog food which you do not currently use. For example, if you currently use Innova chicken, try a salmon-based food for treats. On the subject of food, not all dog food is equal. Most grocery store brands of kibble contain a high percentage of fillers. The fillers themselves may have been in contact with pesticides or other chemicals. Never will you see a particular cut of beef listed, which means your dog food choice could be filled with parts you and I do not want to discuss. There are commercial dog foods available which use human-grade standards, rather than animal standards. Ask in a premium pet store about human standards. You will pay much more for human-standard food, but your dog will eat considerably less, since it is packed with the nutrients his body craves. Most dog enthusiasts believe that chicken- or fish-based foods are digested more easily. Fish oils have been known to be beneficial to prevent scratching in dogs who experience dry skin due to environment, weather or allergies. Potty Training tips from Perfect Paws. Confinement to a small area such as a bathroom or an enclosed exercise pen in combination with confinement to a crate works best. This method is the most effective and flexible. When and how to use confinement is described in detail below. Read more about potty training from Perfect Paws. Puppy Patch Labradoodles Email: click to email About our Puppies Our Australian Labradoodles are allergy and asthma friendly with low to non-shedding coats. A cross between a labrador and a poodle and multi-generational, our puppies are thoroughly socialized. Please browse our site to see the latest puppy litters and our breeder policies. Recent News.
Get on the list now to reserve your spot to take home a summer pup! Summer Sale running! We raise our dogs and whelp them in our home, giving them the individualized attention they deserve. We not only ensure we have healthy dogs, but that they are brought up in a loving, family environment so that they will be well adjusted and comfortable in your home, too. The puppies will be handled by adults as well as kids and will be introduced to the beginning stages of being house-trained. We hope your pup will seamlessly transition from our home to yours. Together, the two AKC purebreds create a fantastic Bernedoodle breed that is well-tempered and loyal. Poodles are extremely intelligent, with little to no shedding. They are a playful, athletic and hardy breed. Bernese Mountain Dogs Berners , are gorgeous tri-colored big dogs who are extremely faithful friends, and traditionally were used in the Swiss Alps to pull heavy loads around the mountains. They are low-to-no shedding dogs, and are lovable, easy-to-train, smart family pets. Why Bernedoodles? Meet the Parents Our first Poodle, Ivy, is incredibly playful, attentive, and has an affinity for squeaky tennis balls! Our second Poodle, Rosie, is the sweetest! She loves crossing her paws like a true lady when she lays down, and she will do anything for a good cuddle. Oak also known as Oakley , our stud, is a big teddy-bear with a heart of gold. He is goofy, smart, and thinks he is a lap dog! All three parents have been DNA-health tested. Meet Our Dogs Our dogs are more than just pets — they are family! Our dogs grow up in a loving, family oriented environment and are socialized from a young age. All of our moms and dads have passed genetic testing specific to their breed. Nora is just a happy girl with a happy heart and she passes this on to her sweet puppies! She loves to be loved and gives it right back! Margot is a Bernese with a big heart! Ivy lives with friends who have been guardians for several of our girls. They describe her as sweet, quirky, and the biggest lap dog ever! Ivy insists on being close to her people, preferably touching! Bebe is goofy and affectionate, loving and silly, very much a Bernese. She is so engaged and careful with her babies, an adorable dog and Mama through and through! She is a talker like her Mama, loves the family bunny, and adores her family. Millie loves to learn and is proud of her accomplishments. Millie makes her guardian family laugh and the favorite part of her day is when the whole family is together! Pure sweetness with just a dash of mischief ; that would be Pumpkin! Rosey is such a good mix of love and affection, adventure and playfulness, with just a dash of mischievousness! He has a wonderful fleece coat with big waves. Flynn is a sweet and energetic little guy, he has no trouble keeping up with the big dogs! He has produced stunning traditional tricolor litters with some of the prettiest coats we've seen! Rocky is as sweet as he is mischievous! He also fancies himself a lap dog - which is a small problem at pounds! He is a lover with the most soulful eyes! He is playful, curious, and full of energy! Sully is a "moyan" poodle which is a small standard poodle. He weighs 27 pounds and when bred with a Bernese he will produce mini - medium tricolor bernedoodles! Full of love and cheer, he keeps us on our toes! Max is one of the happiest guys we know! Arlo Male tricolor standard poodle Arlo is the epitome of a standard poodle, goofy, goofy, goofy, and intelligent! He is truly a delight, fun-loving, and energetic. Arlo is the master of the head tilt and its so cute to see his babies following suit with impressive head tilts of their very own! Every one of these girls truly made the world a better place and we are so grateful to each and every one of them! As a full time Breeder, you have to have a lot of dogs. We usually breed our dogs when they are around 18 months old, and we will breed a maximum of 3 times. If you think about that, as soon as a Mama has her first litter you need to have a new puppy in the line up so she is ready for her first breeding as your 3 year old girl is retiring. As a result we quickly had a house full of retired dogs - not a good business plan! We buy the dog, pay for all testing and medical care, but she lives with another family. All of our guardians live very close to us and we give them all the support they need. When the girl is ready to have a litter, she comes to our house to have her pups and stays with us until the puppies are weaned, usually about six weeks. Of course their guardian families come to visit too! After 3 breedings, the dog is spayed and she officially becomes the guardian families forever dog! You did such a good job, we are so lucky we found you! We kept Mala from our first litter from Snow White. Thank you for making such sweet babies! Belle has such a fun loving spirit which she passed onto each of her beautiful pups! Thanks for all of your hard work Belle, you did a wonderful job! Ramona produced a pot-potpourri of stunning, colorful puppies. She had litters as big as her heart! Thank you Ramona, you did an amazing job! Shelby is fun loving and lively! We loved delivery days with Shelby as she always gave us beautiful and unique pups! You did a great job Shelby, thank you! Willow is a delightful Bernese, her personality encompasses the best of the breed. Willow, you made so many families happy, we thank you! We love her eyes and freckles! Koda, you left a wonderful legacy, thank you! Coco loves and lives life large! She always had big litters and handled them with grace and ease. Thank you Coco - you absolutely rocked it!! They allowed us to use Grisz to sire a few litters over the years. Thank you Snow, you made the world a better place! Love you. Beazus only produced one puppy and she was a loving and attentive mama! Her daughter, Ramona, is now having her grandchildren for us! Bella is a little girl who always had big, beautiful litters! She was so patient and loving with every single one of those pups! Thank you Bella! Chama is sister to Clarke and cousin to Snow White. She produced cuddly, adorable tricolors every time! Chama, you are wonderful, we love you! Zena is a stunning Bernese from Russia. Now her daughters will be having puppies! We love you! Sicily came from Italy. Thank you Sicily, we love you. She made gorgeous babies and loved them to pieces! Thank you Stella. Georgie is spunky and loving. She adored her puppies and was a fierce Mama! We owe a special thanks to Georgie for our Bernedoodle, Spicy Tuna!! Lily is the happiest of girls! She brought love, energy, and tail wags to every puppy. A loving Mama who is now loving life! Kahlu is from the first litter we had. Kahlu had such unique puppies, every litter brought new surprises! Sophie produced beautiful big litters everytime! She brought so much fun and love to every single puppy! Thank you, Sophie, you are special! Brooklyn Standard Poodle Retired Nov. Brooklyn is a beautiful tri-color standard poodle. She had big colorful litters every time! Thank you for bringing so much joy to the world Brooklyn! Clarke, you made a lot of families very happy! Thank you! She loved her puppies so much. Thank you Bailey, you did an awesome job! Gabi is so full of fun and adventure, love and affection! She surprised us with lots of colors, patterns, and unique pups! Gabi, you left your mark! Parker is our big Panda Bear! Parker always had small litters and a huge heart. You did good Parker, thank you! Several of her pups are service dogs. Zoli, you have made a difference in the world. Tragically we lost Cru, and my heart still hurts for her. Cru will forever be at the heart of Ranch House Bernedoodles. Meet the Family Over the years myself and our grown up kids have owned at least 6 doodles and they have all been exceptional. Now we hope to bless other families with the same quality of loving pets that we have enjoyed. We live in Montrose, CO and we are excited to breed bernedoodles. Our goals for our puppies are a great temperament, good health, loving and fun personalities, and high intelligence! We work hard to assure you are getting a wonderful new family member, not just a pet. Manny and Sky's Litter He's now 4 years old and is the perfect, sweetest dog ever! He's quite the character! May you be blessed with joy and peace this Christmas and all through the New Year! We had to check in with you and let you know that Winston is now 4 years old!! He's pure fluff and solid muscle from his daily hikes, or runs, or chipmunk chases! He is the sweetest, smartest, most darling, obedient, playful, friendly and huggable dog ever!! He gets more handsome every year!! We love him so, and he's been a wonderful addition to our family! He's almost 3 years old now.This dog is amazing!! He stays right by us off leash on nature hikes, is cuddly literally gives us hugs by pressing his head hard into us! He is healthy, strong, and happy! We adore him more than ever! Thanks for such a great dog! Wishing you a joyous Easter and happy spring!! What a great dog! He's a super happy pup! Winston weighs in at a whopping lbs, but he looks like he could be ! He's really incredibly fit under all that fur though.The pool? He's slightly concerned when we go in too! He's protective of the boys and is not sure what to make of it!! We've tried to make him a water dog by throwing him the lake a few times, he swims right back, shakes off and doesn't want to go back in again!!! But a good bath.I have YOU to thank for telling us about the big high speed blow dryer!! It's easy to wash him off whenever he needs it and blow dry him in minutes.My boys ARE getting big! They love growing up with their dog.I'm sure it'll be one of the best memories of their childhood to have Winston as part of it!! Hope you have a wonderful summer! Winston from Sky and Manny's litter June is almost 2 years old now and I thought I would just send and update with the latest photos of him! He's lbs now and seems to still be filling out!! He's just HUGE!!! He's bigger than some of the Newfies he plays with.Comments we get all the time, "He's so big!!! He is such a sweet puppy.Truly," - Paula August "Hello! I thought I'd send a quick update on Winston! He's almost 10 months old now, is 75lbs but looks bigger than that.He's a darling dog.He's thrilled at all the new smells now that the snow has melted and he's busy chasing every chipmunk and squirrel off of our property! He is a very graceful and athletic dog, and crazy smart! We are enjoying him. Formerly Warren from Sky and Manny? He is incredibly smart and obedient.He is super playful and adventurous too , and adores our daily hikes on wooded trails! He is just a prince of a dog! People stop us all the time and ask what kind of dog we have.He is weighing in at 55lbs at 6 months.What do I need to send you for confirmation of the neutering? Thank you again for this great dog! We enjoy looking at your newest batch of beautiful puppies too! Truly," - Paula December "Hello! I wanted to send you some of Winston's aka Warren latest photos. He is proving to be easy to train as well. I wanted to let you know that I have not yet received an email from his microchip company. Was I supposed to do something, contact them, or were they going to contact me after you registered him? In the excitement of meeting our new puppy and surprising our kids with him, I must have forgotten what was supposed to happen concerning the microchip! Thanks, and I appreciate your help with this! Winston also known as Warren has now been at his new home for 3 days? .He is a really good, smart, happy, laid back, people pleasing puppy! His first vet appointment went great! Thank you so much! He has been perfect the entire way home, short of being a little motion sick. He has not barked once! Completely connected with my boys Harrison and Everett. He is absolutely brilliant! Use tab to navigate through the menu items. About Us We are the faces and hearts behind Rellim Family Bernedoodles and we can't wait to help a you find your next fur baby! Each of our exceptional puppies are born into a home filled with love and care in the heart of Elkhart County, IN. We are dedicated to caring for our puppies through responsible breeding and focused on keeping our puppies healthy, happy, and ready for their new forever homes with you. Our Story Ryan grew up around animals and raised boxer puppies as a kid and Crystal was always a big dog lover. After we met, we always had dogs and after I surprised Crystal with a Bernedoodle puppy of her own in , she fell in love with the breed and we began raising puppies as a family. One of the things that we loved about Bernedoodles was the minimal amount of shedding and they are very good pets for those with allergies. Our son, Damion, also loves dogs, puppies, pretty much any animal, and so it is a perfect opportunity for our family to do something we love together. These hybrid fluffy pooches combine the best of both worlds: the intelligence and low shedding coat of the poodle combined with the laid-back, yet incredibly loyal nature of the Bernese. Bernedoodles are playful and affectionate — they do well with children and love to spend time with their families. Bernedoodles adapt well to any lifestyle, including the lifestyles of owners with different activity levels. We would love to tell you more about the puppies and breed that we love! Have Questions We're here to answer any questions you may have. Fill out the form below and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. First Name.
If not, here is the form! Get a bite of what is happening at WCBR, our dogs, our amazing adopters and all the incredible people that keep this rescue going! Email Address Woot Woo! We will never keep you chained or leashed to our list. You can run free at anytime, unsubscribe at the bottom of any emails you receive. We are so excited to have you in the fun! His love and compassion for Boxers was felt by those who had the pleasure of spending time with him. Ken loved sports and spending time with friends. He also collected sports memorabilia and other collectibles like Hot Wheels. He truly loved Milo, featured in the the photo with him. Every time we received a message from him he included a picture of him and Milo. He never gave up hope that some treatment would be the ultimate cure. He worked as long as he could and made his journey to the light in late June. His weakened system just couldn't fight any longer. He will be deeply missed by WCBR, and we wish his family peace with his loss. Thank you to so many who have donated to WCBR in his memory. Ken will forever be in our hearts. We need your help. The number of Boxers being surrendered by families and in the shelters is overwhelming. We continue to receive owner surrenders a week, along with multiple pleas from surrounding shelters for Boxers in need. So many Boxer are coming from families that are no longer able to financially care for them, just don't want them, many are dealing with illness or the Boxer's pet parent has passed away, and many just are moving. Without the funding or foster homes, sadly we have to turn away these surrenders. Please Foster, Fund or be a Forever Home. Boxer puppies for sale mariagrice Seeking a good home for my puppies. If there is one thing a Boxer is not, it is a couch potato. The cost of a Boxer puppy varies widely and depends on many factors. Helen Woodward Animal Center Veterinarians. Search for a Boxer puppy or dog. San Diego Boxers in California. Why buy a Boxer puppy for sale if you can adopt and save a life? Look at pictures of Boxer puppies in San Diego who need a home. Pet Adoption - Search dogs or cats near you. Producing over 60 champions, including eight Sires of Merit and two Dams of Merit. If you're interested in a puppy from San Diego Boxers, please apply. If approved, our volunteers will get back to you within 48 hours. We feel very blessed to have had great success in the years we have been breeding professionally. We have beautiful puppies of good colors, conformation and personalities. Boxer puppy for sale in San Diego, CA. Mills give you sickly puppies for sale in San Marcos, CA that often bring new owners heartbreak as their dogs grow up to suffer from costly and even life-threatening health issues. Boxer puppies sale San Diego CA. San Diego, CA Contact. He was then imported to the United States in .This stocky Shepherd, Boxer and Terrier mix is around 1. Pictures of dogs and cats who need a home. She recently finished caring for her puppies and is now ready for forever fami… more 1 week ago on Adopt-a-Pet. San Diego Find Boxer puppies for sale Near San Diego, CA Despite their light and fun-loving nature, the Boxer is a hardworking, versatile, and vigilant breed that is incredibly loyal to their family. We've connected loving homes to reputable breeders since and we want to help you find the puppy your whole family will love. They are not afraid of strangers and never refuse games. Located in San Diego, California Telstar boxers has thirty years boxer breeding experience. Once proper introductions are made, Boxer puppies in San Diego make loyal and loving companions for children. Boxers have a lot of energy, so any owner will need to invest the time to take them out for regular exercise and training. Adopt a Pet Today. San Diego Boxer Rescue was active for over 17 years, run by Alice Via, who saved the lives of thousands of Boxers, until when her rescue went inactive. We have girls, boys,flashy, classic, Bob, and full tailed available. Shiny Boxer Puppies for sale. We are Sublime Boxers, a family Orientated breeder. If you would like to meet this dog you can read about our adoption proces… more 1 week ago on Adopt-a-Pet. Boxer puppies San Diego are great family dogs and get on well with children because of their playful personalities. Puppies should be mobile, curious, and moderately well-fed. Beautiful Boxer Puppies. Boxer Breeders in San Diego. A Boxer can be an excellent choice for a beginner, as long as you can be committed to their needs. For families on a budget but wanting the health testing and quality of a boxer that reputable breeders offer, a white puppy is an affordable way to have a family companion, as most breeders place them at a reduced price. He's active, friendly with people and social with other dogs. Boxer puppies and dogs in San Diego, Texas. You'll be asked to provide information about yourself and what you are looking for so the breeder can help you find the right match. West Coast Boxer Rescue. What should you expect if you choose a San Diego Boxer for sale? Boxers stay quite puppylike for about three years—one of the longest in the canine world. Sam and his brother, Will, are stray rescues. Once you apply, Sheri will get back to you about availability, pricing and next steps. Adopt a dog, Adopt a cat. Boxer Puppies Boxers are energetic dogs and are often described as exuberant, extroverted and at the same time the clowns of the dog world. Cave is the perfect girl! White boxers are a part of every boxer breeder's program. Boxer puppies for sale from trusted breeders. They have great temperament towards people and gets a. The American Boxer Club was established in .They're known and fun loving and goofy dogs, and you'll find your kids can't get enough of them. Areas West Coast Boxer. Boxer puppies for sale in San Diego CA. Our thanks to the extended CinniBon family members and families who have adopted puppies from us. They love to be entertained and amused with their silly dances and fun-loving attitude towards life. Will and his brother, Sam, are stray rescues. The Boxer dog breed slowly gained popularity throughout Europe in the late s. Boxer puppies for sale can live to be years old, so an owner needs to be prepared to care for a pup for its lifetime. Find Boxer breeders with puppies for sale near San Diego. To date, there are currently no breed-specific Boxer rescues in San Diego County. All of our puppies grow up in our. We offer beautiful European Boxer puppies from health-tested parents. Gotten their first vaccination, and dewormed. Boxer puppies for sale in San Diego, CA from trusted breeders. Labradoodle, California » San. Save this search and we'll notify you when they are. The puppies are being raised in our family home. Boxers are also protective of people and so yours should be a capable guard dog. Search by breed, age, size and color. Boxers for Sale in San Diego. Boxer, California » San Diego. We are a responsible boxer breeder that cares about our boxers and our boxer puppies. He was then imported to the United States in and was accepted by the American Kennel Club the following year. We are dedicated to improving the lives and welfare of homeless Boxers. Look at pictures of Boxer puppies in. Boxer For Sale in San Diego .Boxer puppies for sale in California from trusted breeders. Page 2: Boxers for Sale in San Diego. We have an adorable litter of puppies which are available to be viewed, a deposit will secure your puppy. West Coast Boxer Rescue rescues and adopts out stray, abandoned, neglected, abused and surrendered Boxers, primarily pure bred, but sometimes Boxer mixes and other breeds. She recently finished caring for her puppies and is now ready for forever fami more. At mills, dogs are bred with little regard for their health or safety. They are well-rounded with excellent temperaments! We offer proven champion stud services and produce quality show and pet boxer puppies. Adoption fee donations help us cover just a portion of medical procedures, food, and other expenses for our animals before adoption. Watch Us In Action! About BRLA Boxer Rescue Los Angeles, a c 3 non-profit founded in , is funded by donations, driven by volunteers and committed to helping Boxers in need find loving homes and to help people looking to provide homes, find the Boxer that fits them best. Our mission for every adoption is a responsible lifetime match. All Boxers available for adoption are cared for in one location. Adoptions are scheduled by appointment. When you see a candidate posted on our Available Dogs page that has profile information that matches you, an adoption application should then be submitted. If your profile is a potential match to the Boxer candidate we then set up a virtual face to face interview to discuss in more detail. If we have a good pre-match an appointment will be made to come to BRLA and meet your candidate. Our adoption team will do introductions and test for compatibility to hopefully make a responsible lifetime match. You can adopt to save a life. You can donate to help us save lives. We are funded solely by private donations which are desperately need to house, feed, take care of routine medical and to be able to take on any medical needed to give a Boxer the second chance they deserve. You can save a life. All visits to our kennel for adoption or volunteering are by appointment only. A Few of our Featured Boxers. Browse our available pets below! Adoptions are completed in person on a first-come, first-served basis. Pets Being Rehomed Pardon our dust! Please read this important update so you know what to expect when visiting us: Adoptable animals at our San Diego Campus are currently housed at and Gaines St. All other San Diego Campus services including admissions, licensing, lost and found, and Community Pet Pantry will remain available at their usual locations. To adopt a pet: If you already know which pet s you'd like to meet or adopt, please check in at Gaines St. An Adoption Counselor will then meet with you on a first-come, first-served basis, introduce you to the pet s you're interested in and help complete your adoption. In the meantime, please feel free to browse our adoptable pets! You can also see all adoptable animals on our website prior to your visit. Visit our other campuses! Our El Cajon, Escondido and Oceanside campuses are not affected by this renovation project. Thank you for your patience and we hope to see you soon! Your adventure in pet ownership starts here! San Diego Humane Society has a variety of adoptable pets available including cats, dogs and small animals like rats, rabbits, hamsters, birds, reptiles and more. Alternatively, you may enter a specific animal name or animal identification number. For more about our adoption process, featured pets, discounts and rescue partners, please. Petey Donor Spotlight: Doreen Murotsune For many of us who give our hearts, time, or dollars to rescue, we are first inspired by the love of a single special dog. Hana belonged to friends of Doreen, but Doreen and her boxer, Benjamin, fell in love with her. Benjamin and Hana were best friends, and Benjamin was always on the lookout for Hana and ready to protect her from any yappy Chihuahua who tried to intimidate her. In addition to being an active Strut Your Mutt teammate for each of the past 5 years, Doreen browses the boxers in our care and sponsors many dogs whose stories warm her heart. She not only sponsors dogs with single or repeat financial gifts, but also inquires about dogs with prescription diet needs and then purchases those diets on an autoship schedule, having the food mailed directly to foster homes. Planned Giving If you have ever loved a dog, you know that — while their lives are short in comparison to ours — the love you share is timeless. By including NorCal Boxer Rescue in your Will or Trust or naming the organization as a beneficiary on certain accounts, you ensure that for years to come, NCBR is able to continue rescuing boxers, providing them the care they need, and uniting them with families who will love them forever. Dogs are an incredibly important part of our lives. You can make them a part of your heritage. Click here to learn about the different options. Growing Old with You We know that the best place for an old dog is home with loved ones. Click here to find out more about the Growing Old with You program. Grey Muzzle Thank You! We are so honored to be a Grey Muzzle Organization grantee again this year! We know that many of you have a soft spot for frosted faces, but that the cost of caring for a senior boxer has given you pause when it comes to adopting one. We hope that this support will give you the security you need to give your heart away to a beautiful older soul. Thank you, Grey Muzzle, for trusting in us and for supporting our efforts! We are grateful for your partnership! Thank you, Hoven Foundation. Each dog who enters our lives is a gift. They bring us untold joy and share with us their unconditional love. They teach us to be better people. For nearly 10 years, The Hoven Foundation has not only appreciated the gift that each dog represents, but they have given back generously. The continued support of the Hoven Foundation has meant the difference between life and death for countless beautiful souls. Thank you to the Hoven Foundation for what you give to our dogs and, in turn, to all those whose lives those dogs touch. Join Our Mailing List! NCBR is a c 3 nonprofit and donations are tax deductible. We now accept vehicle donations! Donate your car, boat, RV, motorcycle or farm equipment. Plus you get a tax deduction! Call RIDE to donate or learn more. Upcoming Events.
Currently, GSDs have eleven dog kennel club-accepted coat colors. Pure white, solid blue, merle and brindle are coat colors that some regard as faults and sadly, are slowly coming to extinction. This article will focus on Brindle-Colored German Shepherds , how the color was achieved, its history, where they can be found and why do we have fewer sightings of this coat color pattern. What is a Brindle Colored German Shepherd? Brindle is a coat color pattern in German Shepherds that looks like stripes on their fur or coat, along their legs. Though the pattern is similar to tiger stripes, it appears to be more subtle and has irregular shapes and streaks of color. The color markings are usually darker or slightly lighter than the base coat. It is commonly seen as a black stripe on a reddish brown or tan base coat. Brindle Colored German Shepherds have four different brindle color patterns depending on their dominant and recessive genes. It has the most solid brindle color amongst the four types of brindle color. After careful observation and analysis, it was found out that two of his sons were brindle colored. It might be strange to some as to how he got two brindle colored sons. In genetics, brindle is one of the three variants of the dominant black gene. Brindle is a separate mutation that allows the agouti gene such as sable, tan points, recessive black and tricolor to come out. However, the result causes brindling or streaks of the agouti color. This explains why brindle colored GSDs have the dominant black gene. They are very active and need a lot of exercises, just like standard GSDs. Healthwise, they can have inherited diseases and other health issues, too. And just like other GSDs, they can be straight backs or sloped-backs. Their intelligence is equal to other colored GSDs. Therefore, with proper training, diet, and care, these Brindle Colored GSDs are set to become great working dogs and loving family pets. Since brindle is considered as a washed-out color, Brindle Colored GSDs are disallowed from being included in the conformation rings. Looking for a Brindle Colored German Shepherd is like looking for a needle in a haystack. One needs to understand the history of the GSDs in order to fully grasp the development of this dog breed and how some colors like brindle, was severely affected. For some unknown reasons, liver, white, brindle and blue merle were chosen to be eradicated. In an attempt to breed a GSD similar looking dog, the Dutch Shepherd was created and standardly having brindle colored only to be distinguished apart from GSDs. Nowadays, Brindle German Shepherd can be found in rescue centers or shelters. Some are also left by breeders who messed up a breeding program and ended up producing a Brindle GSD with health or physical issues. So, interested adoption applicants should be ready to embrace everything and must not expect too much. Looking for an ethical breeder is also a good option for one to have a healthy Brindle Colored German Shepherd puppy. How much does a Brindle Colored German Shepherd cost? The cost for Brindle Colored GSD will always depend on the breeder and the demand for this color pattern. This can go higher if the Brindle Colored German Shepherd puppy has papers proving its pedigree, line, breeding history, and working title. Conclusion Brindle might not be recognized as one of the standard GSD color variations, but this should not hinder breeders from continuing to nurture German Shepherds having this unique color pattern. Is the Brindle German Shepherd dog the lost pattern? The answer will be yes and no. Yes, it will soon become a lost color pattern if GSD breeders and enthusiasts will not do something to promote its beauty and continue breeding them not only for their rare color but also to breed them ethically. Training and proper care is crucial for GSDs whatever coat color they have. Peter My name is Peter and I am a dog lover. I have two German Shepherd dogs, one of which is called Biscuit because his coat is very light with brown patches. My wife and I moved from the UK to Ohio where we now live with our two daughters. We love squash on weekends and following the English Premier League closely! Previous Article. Lifespan Sociability As the name implies, German Shepherds are herding dogs. German Shepherds are eager learners but can be a little stubborn, which some owners may find challenging. Socialization is essential for these pups because they have a powerful jaw and a heritage guarding livestock and people. Improperly socialized German Shepherds may be suspicious of people and animals alike. Brindle Coating Has Distinct Genetic Markers In genetics, color patterns can be a bit more finicky to determine than simply colors. The brindle pattern is marked in genetics by a specific mutation of the dominant black coloring gene. This variation of the dominant gene allows for the recessive coloring gene to show through on the fur and results in the brindle patterning. A post shared by Totem totem. Of these, at least two were observed to have the brindle genetic mutation! This means that brindle coloring was documented early on in the German Shepherd family tree. The S. The reasoning is not stated but seems to be cosmetic rather than for health reasons. According to the S. V, white, liver, brindle, and blue merle colorings were all chosen for eradication. There Are Four Types of Brindle Coating The brindle pattern is distinct, with irregular streaks of darker or lighter color through the base color. The four patterns of brindle coating are black brindle, brindle-tan, brindle-sable, and brindle- gray. Black brindle, or reverse brindle, appears to have light stripes on a dark coa. Brindle-tan dogs have a lighter coat with darker streaks. Brindle-sable dogs have a darker coat color on the head and back only. Brindle-gray dogs may only have Brindle points on the feet and face. Pale, washed-out colors and blues or livers are considered serious faults. A post shared by Our Sweet Fur Babies tajiasangelsgsdlegacydobermans 6. The pattern was explicitly chosen to distinguish the breed from the German Shepherd Dog. Conclusion The German Shepherd is one of the most distinct and beloved dog breeds. There seems to be no reason that the brindle patterning could not receive similar recognition. Apart from those, specific colors are either unregistered or are considered a coat pattern. One such coat pattern is brindle, a coat pattern best described as striped or marbled. This pattern is similar to the stripes on a tiger but is more subtle with irregular streaks of color and shapes. Brindle German Shepherds are so rare that there is no singular standard to their actual physical appearance. However, the most commonly seen coat has blacker markings on a reddish-brown or tan base coat. Their dominant and recessive gene pool decides four different brindle color patterns. They are among the rarest types of German Shepherds and belong to the dominant black gene series. Some people even claim that they are now entirely extinct, which is not the case. It is unclear where the first brindle German Shepherd originated. Horand sired many pups, and very few pictures black and white exist of them. Most experts who have analyzed those photographs believe that at least two of the pups had the brindle color pattern. This makes the brindle coat color pattern one of the originating patterns of the German Shepherd breed. But how did Horand Von Grafrath, formerly known as Hektor Linksrhein, birth two brindle-colored pups? From a genetics perspective, brindle is one of the three variants of the dominant black gene. It is also a separate mutation that allows the agouti gene to appear, such as sable , tan points, recessive black, and tricolor. The result causes the agouti color to form streaks or brindling, which explains the presence of a dominant black gene in brindle-colored dogs. We can trace this color pattern back to Europe when specific colors and color patterns like blue , liver, white , and merle German Shepherds were imported to America. These colors were; blue, liver, white, and the patterns — brindle and blue merle. A brindle GSD is not very different from its counterparts except for its color. Just like other types of German Shepherds , they require lots of physical and mental stimulation. They can be straight-back or sloped back, depending upon their breeding. Male brindle German Shepherds are usually 24 to 26 inches tall and weigh about 66 to 88 pounds. Females weigh approximately 48 to 70 pounds and are 22 to 24 inches in height. Their typical life span is like that of other German Shepherd varieties — between 10 to 13 years. They are also highly intelligent like other varieties, and you can quickly train them. Brindle German Shepherds also suffer from specific inheritable health concerns just like all the other types. Brindle German Shepherds possess a specific coat pattern of alternating strips of color different from the base color. The exact pattern on each dog depends upon his genetics and is thus variable. Two brindle German Shepherds can even have completely different coat patterns. Below are the brindle German Shepherd color patterns: Black Brindle Brindle Sable Brindle Gray A black brindle German Shepherd is also known as a reverse brindle and possesses recessive genes of solid black, liver, light buff, or blue. They have lighter colored stripes on a darker base coat. Brindle-tan German Shepherd Dogs have brindle-colored markings on usually black, blue, isabella, or liver-colored coats. Brindle-sable German Shepherds possess the richest brindle color amongst the four types and typically have a darker coat color only on their head and back. Brindle-gray German Shepherds, in contrast, have brindle markings that appear either only as brindle points or do not appear at all. Despite these genetic variations, their coat color is a hot topic for debate and controversies. Some will say that brindle is a non-standard color for German Shepherds and partly due to the close association between brindle coloration and Pit Bulls. Others believe that the brindle gene is genetically unstable. Thus this color pattern is always going to be rare amongst mainstream breeders. They were inserted into the standard because lighter dogs were easier targets in times of war. Finding brindle German Shepherds is quite a task. German Shepherd history books show that many originating breed colors were eliminated by the German Shepherd Dog Club also known as SV in the standardization process of this breed. Liver, white, brindle, and blue merle colors were chosen to be eradicated because as dogs of war, darker colors and patterns were less of a target. The German Shepherd Dog Club considered the brindle color pattern to be unsuitable in wartime Europe, and thus breeders made no efforts in the following years to increase the numbers. Today, brindle GSDs can be abandoned in rescue shelters or centers by owners interested in mainstream German Shepherd colors. A few are also left by unethical breeders who misbreed and end up with brindle shepherds with health or temperamental issues. Intentional breeding is very rare as they have been sidelined over the years. Many see this color pattern as a genetic mutation that makes it even harder for breeders to produce brindle dogs. The brindle gene is one of the three variants of the dominant black gene the other two are dominant black and non-solid black. Specifics of this gene are mostly a mystery, but it is speculated to result from a spontaneous mutation. Looking for a brindle German Shepherd is not an easy task, and interested individuals are most likely to return empty-handed. A better option is finding an ethical breeder that breeds healthy brindle-colored German Shepherd puppies. But since they are scarce to find, their price can be much higher than anticipated. Similarly, a brindle puppy with papers proving its pedigree, line, breeding history, and running title will have a much higher price. It is evident that prices mainly depend upon breeders. Because of their high demand and low availability, some unscrupulous breeders often breed and raise brindle pups inadequately to make money quickly. This takes a toll on their health and makes them prone to illnesses. The official coat colors listed in the German Shepherd official AKC breeding standard are black , black and tan, black and cream, black and red, black and silver , blue, white, liver, grey, and sable. However, the German Shepherd Dog Club of America who has control over the written standard within the AKC , does not want to list colors and patterns separately. Exotic patterns such as brindle are frowned upon by many breeders and some dog clubs, which reduces their popularity. However, a few ethical breeders focus their breeding programs on the development of such rare coat-color patterned dogs. You can find such breeders, but you may have to pay whatever price they charge. If you are looking to take a brindle German Shepherd in as a pet, adopting is a good option as adoption fees are much lower. Brindle German Shepherds are good family dogs. They get along with children and other pets and are incredibly intelligent and thus highly trainable. They also make good guard dogs as they innately have protective instincts. Their temperament traits are the same as all other GSD types. These dogs are highly versatile and have an uncanny ability to learn new tricks. Their easy-going temperament makes them easier to train than other breeds. They are eager to learn and, if socialized and trained correctly, make great companions. They are somewhat aloof to strangers, and some may even be fearful of new people or other dogs or animals. You can prevent this by socializing them early to become familiar with new people and smells and sounds. A lack of socialization can make them aggressive and view other animals and people as threats, leading to destructive behavior. In contrast, they grow up to be calm and well-balanced and behaved dogs when trained well. Since they require appropriate mental and physical stimulation, you can quickly devise exercises or training routines that you both can follow, such as jogging, running at the beach, hiking in the woods, fetching a ball, or playing certain sports. Exercising along with your dog develops a friendly bond of trust with him. Brindle GSDs are very loyal dogs, and once this bond is established, it can never be severed. Apart from being good family pets , German Shepherds are also great for agility training, lure coursing, flyball, tracking competitions, Schutzhund training, and search-and-rescue work. The brindle German Shepherd is also known as a mouthy breed because they use their mouths due to their herding heritage. Therefore, it is normal for them to chew on anything that fits in their mouth. But you do not have to allow it as you can train them to channel their instincts appropriately and safely. They are also very social and would be the happiest when with family. These loving and affectionate creatures will put their own lives at risk to protect their loved ones. Some people believe that their coat color correlates with bad temperament, thereby making them unfit for families. The Center for Animal Genetics says that their color is a genetic factor determined by color pattern genes and does not impact their obedience, intelligence, or even working ability. They possess traits and a temperament comparable to other standard colored German Shepherds. Pros of Brindle German Shepherds Unique Appearance: Brindle German Shepherds have a unique and majestic appearance that makes them stand out from other types. They have a wolf-like appearance and are relatively sturdy and well-built with a proportioned body, making them visually appealing. They also possess a double coat, a bushy tail, and erect ears, making them look intimidating yet cuddly. Versatile Dogs: Brindle German Shepherds are versatile dogs with incredible intelligence, loyalty, and bravery and are among the top obedience competitors. They can be trained through consistent reinforcement-based training and mentally and physically stimulating exercises to excel at various activities. They possess an incredible cognitive, physical, and emotional capacity and are great at police work, therapy, scent detection, agility, and service work. The German Shepherd breed ranks third in intelligence globally. Very Protective: Brindle German Shepherds have an alert nature and are incredibly loyal to their guardians, and make great protective dogs. The behavior of dogs usually depends on the education and environment they are subjected to. Consequently, you can train them to be friendly and fierce. Highly Active and Energetic: These dogs thrive on regular exercise and possess medium to high energy drive. Not giving them enough mental and physical stimulation can adversely affect their health and behavior. If you are not an active person, they are not the right fit for you. But if you lead an active lifestyle, they can be your best companion and even motivate you to exercise or burn those extra calories. If you develop a strong bond with them, they can quickly become your best friend and would love you no matter what. They may look intimidating on the outside but are deeply caring dogs on the inside and would always put you first. Cons of Brindle German Shepherds Have Heritable Health Concerns: The Orthopaedic Foundation for Animals reports that all German Shepherds are prone to several heritable health concerns, such as hip and elbow dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy, and von Willebrand disease, to name but a few. Since they are not bred according to specific breeding standards, it is widespread for these dogs to develop such conditions. It is essential to make sure that your dog has health-tested parents before adopting. Their rarity adds to their price as well. Finding healthy brindle dogs in shelters and rescue centers can be even more challenging than looking for serious breeders. There is nothing in the breed standard that disqualifies their exotic coat color pattern from being show dogs. The confusion lies in that no brindles have yet entered the show ring as it is presumed by many owners that they will be marked down by the judges. Can Become Greedy: Although they have well-balanced behavior, they can still overeat and even become somewhat gluttonous. Their eating habits need to be monitored carefully to manage their weight. You may also need to eradicate bad eating habits to prevent them from becoming fussy eaters. You should also portion their daily food intake into two or three meals to prevent bloat GDV. However, they should not be adopted simply for their aesthetic appeal or their rarity. You should only get a pup if you treat it like a family member and companion and raise it according to their needs. Related Posts You May Like:. Breed Info The tan and black-saddle coat is what the German Shepherd is most recognized for. But not many realize that they come in many other coat colors—some more common than others. There are uncommon colors like silver and blue. Even more rare are others, including the brindle German Shepherd. A brindle German Shepherd has a coat that is best described as tiger-striped or marbled. Theoretically, the base color could be tan, black, or sable. Even more rarely, it could be silver, blue, or liver. For all dogs, coat coloring is determined by two pigments called eumelanin and phaeomelanin. By default, eumelanin appears as black but can be modified by certain genes to become blue or liver. On the other hand, phaeomelanin controls the color red. However, the brindling or striped patten will only appear if the dog carries the K locus. This is related to the A locus, which is responsible for the sable GSD coat. The only way to breed the brindle coloring in purebred GSDs is to have at least one brindle parent. Even so, a brindle puppy is not guaranteed. This is because the brindle allele Kbr is recessive to the dominant black allele Kb. So, not only should one of the parents be brindle but also the other parent should at least carry the recessive Kbr allele. Brindle German Shepherds are now incredibly rare. GSD enthusiasts believe that the brindle coat was common among the working dogs that the breed founder, Max von Stephanitz, developed. Some believe that it was purposely bred out of the GSD gene pool as a means to distinguish it from similar dogs like the Dutch Shepherd , which is most commonly brindle. This makes it even rarer than colors produced by genetic abnormalities. In fact, enthusiasts of the breed say they are already extinct. According to the Aringsburg Kennel , no brindle GSD has been registered with a kennel club since .Their brindle coloring should not affect any other physical attributes and would definitely have no effect on their health or temperament. Knowing this, a brindle German Shepherd would definitely be a rare-looking companion. However, the requirements for its care and rearing would be the same. They would need high-quality food, regular grooming, early socialization , plenty of exercise , and tons of opportunities for mental stimulation. Are Brindle German Shepherds Purebred? Brindle German Shepherds that were produced by two purebred parents are technically purebred. Despite not being recognized by the AKC, a brindle GSD that can be proven to be purebred would definitely cost much more than a typical puppy of the same breed. Its rareness will definitely contribute to its value. However, enthusiasts of the breed believe in reviving this variation if only to ensure that the breed stays true to its history. Another unusual GSD variation is the blonde German Shepherd , which breeders do not yet know for sure how to reproduce. Finding a puppy The German Shepherd is an intelligent, athletic, and brave dog breed. These dogs are common as loyal, affectionate family pets, and as working dogs, particularly alongside the police and military. Many German Shepherds have black and tan coloring. But, is it possible to find a purebred brindle GSD? What is a Brindle German Shepherd? The German Shepherd breed harks back to the late s. They were bred by a man named Captain Max von Stephanitz, who aimed to create the ideal all-round herder. Over time, the breed developed, evolving from the original herding role to other working roles, such as a guard dog, and a military dog. Brindle refers to a color type, a pattern made up of alternating stripes of light and dark coloring. In fact, some of the earliest GSD ancestors had stripes! Can a German Shepherd be Brindle? According to the AKC breed standard, brindle is not an accepted color or pattern for the German Shepherd breed. In fact, one of the earliest German Shepherd ancestors, a dog named Horand von Grafrath, born in , had some brindling on his coat. But, many breeders will stay away from GSDs with this coloring, instead aiming to breed puppies that align with the official breed standards. What Causes Brindle Coloring? All dog coat colors come from two pigments: black eumelanin and red pheomelanin. The genes that cause brindle coloring are found at the K locus. But, the gene kbr is recessive to the genes that cause black coloring K. So, a dog must receive two copies of the gene to have stripes in their coat. So, some German Shepherds may have very small amounts of brindling, and others may have more extensive markings. Is a Brindle German Shepherd Rare? Brindle German Shepherds are not very common. There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, as we already know, the genes that cause coloring are recessive. If a dog inherits only one copy of the gene, they will have black fur. They will only express as brindle if they receive a copy of the gene from each parent. Secondly, brindle is not an officially accepted German Shepherd color. So, many breeders will seek to avoid it in their breeding lines. Instead, they will usually stick to officially accepted colors, such as black and tan, grey, and even white. Are Brindle German Shepherds Friendly? When trained and socialized well from a young age, a German Shepherd can be a friendly, affectionate dog. However, they are also likely to be energetic, loyal, and highly intelligent. This can mean that they are easily bored, and need to make their own fun if not properly stimulated and exercised. On top of this, if not socialized well a GSD can show aggression and territorial behavior. This includes people wearing different clothing, people of different ages, in vehicles, in new environments, and so on. Good socialization before 12 weeks is a great way to reduce any aggression in the future. Are Brindle German Shepherds Purebred? DNA tests are a great way to find out if your German Shepherd is purebred. There are also resources like pedigree databases that you can look at. Purebred brindle German Shepherds are uncommon because this is not an official shade and is caused by recessive genes. Instead, it can be easier to find a mixed breed with this fur, such as a German Shepherd Pitbull mix. There are also similar purebred breeds whose breed standards include this pattern of coloring, such as the Dutch Shepherd. Are Brindle German Shepherds Healthy? The genes that cause brindle coloring are not yet linked to any health issues. These include: Musculoskeletal problems. Brindle points and saddle markings. The Four Main Brindle Color Patterns The variation in brindle color patterns arises from a change in the underlying coat color gene — the base coat color. There are four main base colors for German shepherd dogs: 1. Tan The brindle German Shepherd with a tan base color can have a coat ranging from tan to blue, Isabella to the liver, or even black with brindle points. Black recessive The brindle German Shepherd with a black recessive base coat color may look solid black, blue, Isabella, or liver because the recessive black coat gene inhibits color in the red spectrum from showing up. Here, you can see that two of the base colors stem from genetic alterations to the eumelanin gene black and two of the base colors arise from genetic alterations to the phaeomelanin gene red. Brindle German Shepherd with a Mask In addition to the four brindle color patterns described above here, it is also possible for a brindle dog to have a black mask. As Dog Coat Color Genetics explains, this mask is only possible when the dog inherits a certain gene that acts on the eumelanin color gene to create more black coloration on the face, muzzle, and possibly the ears. This is relevant because the founder of the German Shepherd dog breed, a German cavalry officer named Captain Max von Stephanitz, may well have used wolf-dog hybrids in the early stages of his breeding program. Like the German Shepherd Dog Rescue charity highlights, Captain von Stephanitz famously stated again and again that his new dog breed, the German Shepherd, was created to become the perfect working dog. For these purposes, appearance uniformity was secondary to trait and personality uniformity. To that point, the first official registered purebred German Shepherd dog , a dog called Horand von Grafrath, appears to have a brindle pattern in old black and white photographs. There is more than a little bit of historical evidence to support this hypothesis. For example, many herding dogs in Europe had quite similar features and characteristics, including the brindle coat color pattern, which provides some natural protective properties in the form of color camouflage. And here, it may be relevant that there is another dog breed, the Dutch Shepherd, that is commonly confused with the German Shepherd. As this popular German Shepherd owners forum thread highlights, there may be another reason why the brindle coat pattern has disappeared from the GSD official AKC breed standard. Still another possible explanation for the relative disappearance and thus rarity of the brindle German Shepherd dog today is that its original appearance came from early crossbreeding efforts and was bred out of the breed line for different reasons. It could be that the brindle gene is linked to other traits, such as personality or temperament traits, that are less desirable in a working dog breed such as the German Shepherd dog. As the German Shepherd owner thread referenced above highlights, even German Shepherd breeders continue to speculate about where the brindle gene might be hiding and why it shows up so rarely and so erratically in litters today. The normal German Shepherd coat type is a medium-length, straight, double layer coat with a coarse, water-resistant outer layer and a shorter, denser, softer, and deeply insulating under layer. Less common coat types include these: The wavy double layer coat. The long single layer coat. The long double-layer coat. The short double-layer coat. The official GSD AKC breed standard states that any coat that is too wiry, soft, silky, woolly, curly, or open single layer is a breed fault but not an automatic disqualification. In some dogs, a brindle coat pattern can co-occur with a more grizzled or wiry, non-standard fur texture — a texture more similar to wild wolves and wolf-dogs than to domestic modern canines. The modern AKC purebred German Shepherd dog breed standard specifically states that an overly-long hair coat is considered a breeding fault. However, some breeders today specialize in breeding long-hair German Shepherds. However, the wiry coat texture is not considered a breed fault. Rare or Exotic Brindle Coats in German Shepherd Dogs Some German Shepherd breeders choose to focus their breeding programs to produce dogs with rare or exotic coat colors. If you want to participate in AKC or other show dog competitions, it is important to understand that while these dogs may be healthy and sound in all other ways, you may not be allowed to show your rare or exotic-color German Shepherd in competitions. This is because these exotic colors are frowned upon by breeders and dog clubs that favor focusing on the breed standard as-is.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Take back control of their behavior using these quick and easy solutions to stop German Shepherd biting that actually works. Even better, have a set of toys that are only used when you want to engage in play with your puppy. Hide these toys in a basket or box after your game of play. This makes them extra special. They are under your control and your dog must give them back to you. Special toys are more fun for your pup to bite than you. When in doubt of what special toy your dog likes, choose from this specially-curated list of what toys German Shepherds love for interactive toy ideas to keep your dog entertained. Say OUCH! When your pup bites you, say OUCH firmly. This simple technique catches the attention of many puppies when done correctly and can train a German Shepherd puppy to not bite you. You could also make a YIP sound instead, just like their little brother and sisters would make a yipping noise when playing too rough. If they continue to bite and nip, say OUCH again and then get up immediately and leave the room for a few moments. You may return to play but keep repeating this simple process until they learn to keep their teeth on their toys. This will only encourage them to continue their unwanted behavior. Use Puppy-Safe Partition Gates Only use pet-safe partition gates that are high enough to prevent your German Shepherd from jumping over. If your pup bites you aggressively when you and your family walk past you, then use an exercise pen or this German Shepherd-sized pet safe partition gate to contain them. Only use pet-safe partition gates that are high enough to prevent and discourage your German Shepherd from jumping over to continue to try and bite you. Use the items during busy times in your home to keep your dog calm and out of areas that might increase their excitement and biting and nipping you. Puppies tend to bite and chew when their teeth are coming in. They do this to relieve the pain and help soothe themselves. Freeze a durable large Kong with their favorite treats and kibble and have them on hand for times when your dog is acting out and biting you. Give them a Kong to gnaw on and bring icy relief to their gums. Plus, chewing has been shown to help relax and calm dogs. Redirections are actions that keep your pup from engaging in unwanted behavior by showing them appropriate behavior. For example: When your dog nips you, find their teething toy to bite instead. When your dog jumps on you to bite your hands or ankles, look around for a Kong to give to them to bite on. Squeaky toys like this toy that continues to squeak , even after a puncture, are ideal to distract your dog from your hand to another object. These toys differ from their special toys mentioned above because these redirection toys are ones you leave out for your pup to chew most of the time. So, be sure to have them nearby! Use Daily Leadership Skills How many times a day do you teach your German Shepherd to listen to you and offer them leadership? Use daily interactions as an effective way of teaching your dog about leadership. Have them sit before you take them for a walk or exiting a door. Ignore them altogether. Only offer them interaction and come back to them when they show you calming behaviors. Our dogs love our attention. And German Shepherds crave it! An overfed dog that is under-exercised may display destructive behaviors because of boredom and lack of energy needs being met. Get up off the couch and go outside for a walk and sniff party. Low impact activities and free-running off-leash running are best. Choose from a list of fun and gentle, age-appropriate German Shepherd puppy exercises to keep your pup healthy and better behaved. Stop roughhousing with your dog before it frustrates them. Use appropriate, puppy-safe toys instead of play sessions. This way, your pup can bite the toy instead of your fingers, hands, or arms. You may also stress out your GSD by engaging them rough of play. For your pup to either keep up with the play or stop you from too rough play, they may bite you! From day one, avoid play that involves mouthing or teeth on the skin. Use toys to provide your dog a way they can bite to release their energy… Without nipping you! And this game is great because it teaches your dog a necessary life skill. Practice the game: multiple times a day for 2 to 3 minutes at a time Your pup learns impulse control during the game and this transfers over to their ability to stop themselves from biting you. Read below for the easy-to-follow directions. If your dog gets too worked up and then bites, then teach them this Rev Up and Cool Down game. After a few running steps and before your pup gets too excited, stop running and walk slowly. Keep moving slowly until your dog also slows down. When you see them slow down, take a few more steps calmly and peacefully. Continue with steps one through three. Each time your dog should slow down sooner and quicker. If your puppy knows any of these basic German Shepherd commands , incorporate those commands to make the training more interesting and fun. The link above will also easily explain how to teach over ten commands! The point of the Rev Up and Cool Down game is to teach them to settle and stay calm without nipping and biting you. You need to keep your pup exercised, mentally stimulated, and show them what calming behavior is. Be fair and understanding. A Shepherd is a joy to own when given the direction they desire and the commitment they need. Found this helpful? Share it! She has a Bachelor of Science degree, with Honors, and has been training dogs for over a decade. Related Posts. German Shepherd puppies , like all puppies, go through a teething phase, and their biting behavior can continue until they are around 4 to 6 months old when their adult teeth have fully grown in. But how do you get German Shepherd puppies to stop biting, and when should you seek out more help? We dive into everything that you need to know here. German Shepherds are herding dogs, and as such, they love to go after anything that moves. This could be cats, kids, hands, fingers, or just about anything else. The more they get away with it, the more acceptable the behavior seems in the future. Addressing the problem early and consistently is vital. Just like babies need something to chew on when their new teeth are coming in, your German Shepherd needs something too! First, it stops when they get their adult teeth. Second, if you try to redirect them to something that they can chew on, most German Shepherd puppies are receptive. At this time, they should have all their adult teeth, which means no more teething to worry about. But at least you know the root of the problem and can start implementing the necessary strategies to address it. Instead, get them a few chew toys, bones, and other acceptable things to chew on as they teethe. You can also throw a few of these toys in the fridge or freezer to cool them down, and this will offer even more relief for your pup when they need it! While there are plenty of techniques to try, we recommend redirection and positive reinforcement. The method is simple. If and when they start chewing on the toy or other appropriate object, give them praise. German Shepherds love to please their owners, so this is typically an effective way to train your puppy. Therefore, you should have levels of concern. If they are still chewing and nipping at the 9-month mark, you should seek obedience training or talk to a vet to see what you can do. So, get on it early and often, and stick with it! Because with just a little work and dedication you can get your German Shepherd puppy to stop biting in no time. Puppies Have you ever reached down to play with a German Shepherd puppy, only to have that adorable little fur-ball pierce your skin with its razor-sharp puppy teeth? When I brought Allie into the family, she was fully in the German Shepherd puppy biting phase — so that first month was tough! Unfortunately, biting is an inevitable phase of puppyhood — it comes with the territory when you decide to be a puppy parent. My goal with this guide is to get you through the biting stage with as few battle scars as possible. Why do German Shepherd Puppies Bite? Up until this time, your puppy was with its littermates, and playtime meant lots of mouthy, nipping fun. Accordingly, this is the only way your GSD knows how to play! A German Shepherd puppy also uses their mouths to explore different things like toys — or hands, ankles, furniture… pretty much anything they can get their mouth around. Your puppy could also be teething, which can increase their mouthy behavior. Just be patient as you work through the German Shepherd puppy biting phase — give your pup time to learn to be gentle when playing or seeking your attention. Nothing is worse than an ankle-biter! I was very lucky not to have this problem with Allie. Why does your German Shepherd puppy target the ankles? Because your GSD is a working dog trying to do its job — herd you around the house like livestock. German Shepherds were originally bred for herding flocks of sheep. Your furry pal may also think heel nipping is just a really fun game. Using a toy as a distraction and keeping your pup active will help nip ankle nipping in the bud! Because she was too busy biting hands! There are lots of reasons why a pup may decide to start biting your hands. For one, good things treats, toys, love, attention come from hands. Also, hands are almost like swinging toys from the perspective of a playful pup — too enticing to pass up! How to Discourage Biting Behavior While the German Shepherd puppy biting phase is a rite of passage, there are some ways you can discourage bad biting behavior without harsh discipline. This is one of the most effective ways to teach your German Shepherd bite inhibition — or how to be gentle with her teeth. Think about when your pup was rolling and playing with their brothers and sisters — if your GSD was too rough, their sibling would let out a yelp. This trick worked great with Allie! Just make sure to be consistent until your pup gets the idea and learns to master the power of her jaws. Puppies will be puppies! Redirect the biting to an appropriate toy. For example, when your fuzzy friend latches onto your ankles, give a little puppy-like yelp, and then whip out a toy and encourage your dog to chew on that instead. Tug-of-war is the perfect game for the puppy biting phase. Socialize your puppy as much as possible. Other dogs are great at teaching your puppy that they playing too rough and biting too hard. Try a deterrent to prevent your dog from chewing or biting. If all else fails, there are lots of products designed to deter your dog from bad biting behavior. How do they work? Well, they taste awful. But if used correctly, they can definitely work. This is still attention — your puppy bites, your puppy gets attention. Otherwise, your pup may see this as a fun new game, kind of like tug-of-war but with your hands or feet as the toy. You want your furball to love playing with you! The goal here is to encourage your German Shepherd to play as much as ever but to play gently. As a pup, Allie thought she should greet everyone by jumping in their face and nipping — kind of like a kiss hello, but with teeth. And as she got bigger, it was harder to control. But trust me, it got old quickly. Be proactive. If I knew someone was coming over, I would put Allie in another room or in her crate. Once our visitor was in the house and the initial excitement had passed, I would let her out. By keeping her from greeting people right when they walked through the door, I could minimize her overzealous behavior. This is a simple command that teaches your dog to stay in her place until you give a release command. This is another way to allow the initial excitement to pass and your German Shepherd to calm down a bit before greeting anyone. Redirect attention to a toy like I talked about earlier. Fold your arms and turn away. Keep turning until your GSD stops jumping, then praise them and use a treat as a reward. What to Do If Biting Becomes Aggressive Although puppy mouthing is normal, there can be cases where biting can signal problems and possibly even aggression. Look for physical differences in your pup. If your puppy is having a moment of aggression, their body may stiffen when snarling, and bites will typically be more painful than during regular play. Also, if your GSD puppy is biting out of fear or frustration, you may need to take action. These types of behavior are not something your pup will just grow out of. While the biting phase will inevitably end, you may find yourself asking the infamous question — when do German Shepherds calm down!? I asked myself and our vet this question more than once! It honestly just depends. Sure, she had her calm moments thanks in part to her training , but she was still very hyper especially in more excitable moments. The type of German Shepherd dog is yet another variable that plays a role in its energy levels. So when do German Shepherds calm down? It really depends on your individual German Shepherd. Final Thoughts Unfortunately, the German Shepherd puppy biting phase is something all GSD puppy owners will go through, but it will pass. Try the tips above to help keep your sanity during this phase. Or any tips to help the rest of us? Please share! Check Price on Amazon 4. Use Positive Reinforcement Positive reinforcement means giving something pleasant to your German Shepherd when they perform what you want them to do so that they learn to associate the correct behavior with the reward. The more this is repeated, they will remember and do it more often. The reward is a reinforcing motivation. In the above example of redirecting your GSDs biting to a chew toy, once he accepts the toy and starts to chew or play with it, you then offer lots of enthusiastic verbal praise and reward with a treat. Again, timing is important, and this must be done instantly so that your German Shepherd will recognize or associate his behavior with the correct action. You can give other rewards, but these may be more suited to older pups, adolescent dogs, or adults. Alternatives could be giving them a special toy, playing their favorite game, such as fetch, or taking them on their favorite walk. Always use lots of verbal praise in parallel to the reward you choose. You will, no doubt, soon get to learn where your dog prefers to be pet. Go here for more guidance on where to pet your German Shepherd. This is also useful when your German Shepherd starts to put his mouth around your possessions or furniture, ready to have a good gnaw! Using a time-out can effectively discipline a German Shepherd for biting and other undesirable behaviors. A great way to do this is to grab their collar, push their bum down, and make them sit. The idea is that your German Shepherd will quickly learn to associate that the fun stops when his nipping starts! As always, timing is critical, so your pup learns what he has done wrong at the precise moment. For very young puppies, you should only put them in time-out for a few seconds, between 7 and 10, and no longer than 30 seconds. At the end of the time-out, redirect your pup back to play and use lots of verbal praise or offer a training treat for good onward behavior. You must time the click at the exact moment your pet is doing what you want to reinforce. If you quickly reward your dog with a positive experience such as a treat, he will soon learn to associate the noise of the click with great things. The idea is that you condition your German Shepherd so that when he hears the sound of the clicker, he knows he has done something to please you. In the case of puppy biting, we are simply rewarding the puppy for choosing not to bite. You can achieve this by using the distraction technique described above. When the puppy makes the right choice and starts to bite on his chew toy, he hears the click and gets his treat. Look out for other symptoms such as drooling more than usual, bad breath, loss of appetite, or sneezing. If you are consistent and patient with your methods, you will achieve great results. Be firm but fair, which also helps to strengthen the loving bond between you and your dog. It leads to fear, avoidance, hurt feelings, guilt, stress, anxiety, and lack of trust. Owners should use positive reinforcement methods as much as possible. In another year-long study by the University of Pennsylvania, researchers found that using confrontational or aversive methods to teach aggressive dogs did not work. The dogs continued to be aggressive until the training methods were changed. The same study found that punishing techniques and dominance-based training, such as hitting or kicking, growling, or yelling at your dog, can cause aggression, as stated by Meghan E. An even more recent study in companion dogs suggests that using even mild punishments like yelling and leash-jerking can stress dogs out more than dogs taught using reward-based training. This stress causes negative consequences and poorer welfare. Alpha rolling is a controversial and outdated technique that physically puts your dog on his back or side in a submissive position to show that you are dominant or the Alpha. This old-fashioned technique is a form of positive punishment and was often used to house-train pups. Many people will have used this method decades ago without success, but at the time, they believed it was the right thing to do. For a positive punishment to work, the problem is that it has to be administered during or immediately after the act within 2 -3 seconds ; otherwise, the dog will not make the connection. Sometimes puppies naturally get over-excited and overtired. When this happens, instead of using the crate as a punishment, lure him into the crate with a treat offering lots of praise and letting him go down for a nap. If you feel sorry for your German Shepherd after disciplining him, you must never reward him out of guilt. Again, this only confuses your dog. Remember to be firm but fair. While a muzzle can prevent your dog from biting, it is not a solution to the underlying behavior issue. Muzzling your German Shepherd without addressing the root cause of their biting can lead to further behavioral problems and may even make the situation worse. Is it ever too late to discipline a German Shepherd for biting? It is never too late to discipline a German Shepherd for biting, but it may take more time and effort to modify their behavior if the biting has become a habit. Start with identifying the root cause and then take the guidance of an expert to set boundaries and train better to eradicate unwanted behavior. Final Thoughts Puppy biting is natural in all dogs. However, you now know the importance of disciplining your German Shepherd as soon as he starts to exhibit biting, nipping, and chewing behavior and how to do it. This is especially important with the German Shepherd breed as they quickly grow into big strong dogs. That could end in disaster for all concerned. No matter what you are teaching your German Shepherd, try to train him when young; 8 weeks old is a great time to start. Make sure you properly socialize him and give him lots of exercise and training will be much easier. Related Posts You May Like:. Since puppies lack the dexterity that you and I have, they use their mouths to explore the world around them. By understanding the behavior of biting itself, you can begin to see just how normal biting is in German Shepherd puppies. Just because biting is a normal behavior in a puppy does not mean we should tolerate it or promote it. Since biting is a form of communication for German Shepherd puppies, there are many things our puppies could be trying to say! So why do Shepherd pups bite? Puppies often communicate with their siblings through biting and pawing, especially when they are trying to incite a play session. Your pup may gnaw on your hand as if it were a chew toy, especially when you are a moving target. Puppies play and bite their siblings from the moment they are old enough to do so. This is why the behavior is so common, and why our Shepherd pupswill need to learn how to transition to playing with appropriate chewing options. Not only are our hands and feet tempting enough, but even more so when a puppy has a high prey drive. A prey drive is an ingrained need to chase after moving objects, whether it is appropriate or not. A swinging hand as we walk by can be extremely tempting for a growing pup, causing them to jump up and nip. If it seems like your Shepherd puppy is always biting you when you are in motion, it may be due to their high prey drive! They Are Curious As we mentioned above, German Shepherd puppies use their mouth to explore the world around them. Biting can help them examine and understand an object, and our hands and feet can fall into that category as well! If you catch your puppy gnawing on everything around your home, it may be their curiosity getting the best of them! A dog quickly learns what behavior gets a reaction, causing them to do it over and over again. Even if their bites result in a negative reaction from you, it still counts as attention. They Are Teething Similar to teething babies, a German Shepherd puppy experiences teething pain as well. If your Shepherd pup seems to find relief when chewing on objects, they may be biting you due to teething discomfort. They Are Herding You If your German Shepherd puppy is constantly biting at your ankles, they may be displaying some herding behaviors. German Shepherds are ingrained with a need to work, especially in dogs with a working bloodline. If your German Shepherd is always nipping at your feet, running to your side when you are moving, or showing signs of anxiety or frustration when you are moving around your home; it may be herding behavior. So how can you stop this normal puppy behavior? Redirect The Behavior One of the most effective ways to stop your German Shepherd puppy from biting is by redirecting the behavior. An effective distraction is a wonderful way to end the behavior without punishment, and show them how much fun the alternative to biting can be. The next time your Shepherd pup is displaying undesirable nipping, try to pull out their favorite toy. Since this will need to be a toy that your dog enjoys, be sure to offer them the option that they find most exciting. This can be a Kong toy , rope, bone, or any other chewing option that your dog loves. By doing this each time your Shepherd puppy begins to bite you, they will begin to understand that they would much rather play with an acceptable chew option. Having a variety of chew toys can alleviate their need to bite our hands and feet, and offer them the relief they seek in this uncomfortable transition. There are so many toys created for teething puppies, that it should be easy to fill your home with plenty of appropriate options. One of our favorite chew toys is the Kong Teething Binkie. Any attention can validate the behavior, causing them to make it a habit. This shows them that the behavior is unacceptable, and does not involve any harmful negative reinforcement. Our attention is important to a puppy, and they do not want to be ignored. By showing them that biting will only result in us pulling away, they will learn to ditch the undesirable behavior. Interrupt The Behavior Sometimes a Shepherd puppy needs a sharp and sudden sound to pull them out of a bad habit. By giving a quick interrupter cue ouch, yip, eek , you can pull your puppy away from the action and gain their attention. Because of this, it is so important to offer plenty of mental and physical activities throughout your home. For example, if your puppy nips at strangers each time they walk in the door, it may be best to limit their time around the guest and send them to a separate play area. Once they begin to understand that biting is unacceptable, you can refrain from using their separate play area as often. Similar to what we discussed above about being proactive, a separate play area can help them calm down and collect themselves. Once your German Shepherd puppy begins to mature and understand that biting is unacceptable, they should require less time away. Just as there are effective methods in canine training, there are counterproductive actions as well. Do Not Hit Or Yell Since biting is a normal behavior that puppies must learn to grow out of, it is not productive to hit or yell at your puppy when they bite. Doing this can show them from a young age that interaction with you results in something negative, and can hinder your training process. By using other distractions and training methods when they bite, you can turn every bite into a learning experience for your pup! This can seem like a fun game to your pup, and can actually encourage the behavior. Try your best to go limp when they bite you, and pull your attention away from the pup. By doing this, you show them that this behavior does not offer them any extra fun. Extra attention can validate their undesirable behavior, making it challenging to break. Try your best to refrain from reacting to a bite outside of your interrupter cue, and pull your attention away from your furry friend afterward. Biting is a normal behavior in puppies of all kinds. Puppies begin to bite their siblings from the moment they can move, and will continue this behavior until they learn otherwise. A biting German Shepherd puppy is to be expected, and should not result in any discouragement on your part. As long as you are following the tips we mentioned above, your puppy should shy away from this behavior in no time! Biting in puppies is not usually a sign of aggression. Mild biting is usually a form of play, and should be easily corrected. However, there are some rare cases where biting in German Shepherd puppies is a sign of something more. If your pup is displaying any snarling, growling, ears pinned back, stiff posture, or any other signs of canine aggression, your pup may be biting in reaction to fear or pain. If you are unable to make any progress within a month of implementing the tips we discussed above, it may be time to contact a dog trainer. A trainer can not only help your pup refrain from biting, but offer other obedience training as well. Final Thoughts As you can see, biting is a normal behavior for our beloved German Shepherd puppies. Be sure to review the tips we discussed above on proper canine training, and you can banish puppy biting for good! Hopefully, we will have the answers to all of your questions in this guide. But, all that cuteness quickly disappears when the biting phase starts. Puppy biting is normal in all breeds, including the German Shepherd. And, luckily, we have some great tips and tricks to minimize the painful biting period. In fact, it could have a number of causes. Here are a few of the most common reasons, in a little more detail. Teething One reason why puppies of all breeds may bite is teething. This stage often starts at around 3 or 4 months of age — only a few weeks after your puppy will arrive at their new home. Luckily, it only takes a few months for your puppy to have their full set of adult teeth. So, biting from teething is not permanent. If your puppy is biting or chewing because of teething, you may notice other symptoms like drooling, irritability, and going off their food. Boredom or Getting Attention Bored puppies may learn that biting gets some fun responses from you! Just like barking can. If your puppy has learnt that they can get some attention from you when they bite, they may do it to alleviate boredom. This can explain why puppies concentrate most of their biting on one family member — the person who gives the most fun response. Natural Play Biting is a natural part of puppy play — as much as some owners might not want to hear it! German Shepherd puppies, just like any other breed, will bite whilst they are playing with you or with other dogs. If this behavior continues into adulthood, the biting can be more problematic. Responding to Rough Play Some people like to play with German Shepherd puppies in quite a rough manner. This can include pushing them, or rolling them over. Behaviors like this can make puppies very excitable, and encourage biting during play. Encourage calm play between your family members or friends and your puppy. Herding Instincts The German Shepherd breed has a history as a herding dog. The creator of the breed, Captain Max von Stephanitz, bred the German Shepherd in an attempt to create the ultimate all-round herding breed. This was all the way back in the late s. Although the history of the breed has changed over time, from herding to working dog, their origins remain the same. Many herding dogs are prone to natural chase instincts. They may chase small children or other animals — particularly those that are making lots of noise. And, these herding behaviors can include nipping at heels. Once again, your behavior can minimize biting from this cause. Exploration Another common explanation for young German Shepherd biting is their natural curiosity. And, they may do this partly with their mouths. What you really want to know is, when will it stop? However, you can minimize the period by making a few easy changes to your behavior when biting occurs. The best ways to stop puppy biting and minimize the biting period are training and prevention. This means training your puppy to be gentle with you and other people, and taking away opportunities for your excited puppy to bite humans. You may need to go as far as to completely separate your GSD puppy from small children and people who insist on rough play with puppies. We know that this can only encourage biting. Remove Yourself Calmly If your puppy starts to bite you, during play or any other time, the best solution is to calmly and quietly remove yourself. You can use tools like baby gates to keep your German Shepherd in a puppy-safe room. In fact — your puppy will learn that biting during play or cuddles only results in you leaving, and them ending up on their own! Not only will this help to show your puppy that biting is not an acceptable part of playtime, but it can also help your own sanity to remove yourself from those sharp teeth occasionally. Think About Clothing You should also think about the type of clothing you wear around your puppy. Loose, hanging clothing can be appealing to your puppy, and provide something easy to grip on with their sharp teeth. Wear tight fitting clothing to minimize the number of things your puppy can bite at. Use Distractions If you, or young children in your household, are keen to pet your puppy without being bitten, you should make the most of distractions like treats or toys. You can hold a chew for your puppy to keep their attention and mouth distracted whilst someone pets them! Often, puppy owners only think about biting whilst their puppy is actively gnawing on them. One method is to reward them with treats when you are petting them and they are not biting you. Another is to reward them for calm behavior around the house. This way they learn that acting calmly and letting you touch them without biting will earn them good things! One popular method to stop puppy biting is to squeal, squeak, growl, or make another loud noise. Some people claim that this method replicates natural puppy play and tells your GSD when they are being too rough. For some owners, this may work. If this is the case, making a noise when your puppy bites will act as a reward, and encourage your German Shepherd puppy to bite you even more. This is one reason why puppies biting children is so common. Many children will make lots of noise, especially if a puppy bites them, which can lead to further nipping. This is similar to the method above, if used alone. This is why training has to be done in small stages — first you must teach the puppy what action you want, and then you can give the action a name, or command. Punishment Methods The best methods to stop your puppy from biting involve positive rewards for the behaviors you want. Studies on dog training and behavior have shown that punishment based methods are often associated with an increase of problematic behaviors. Punishing your puppy for biting can lead to distrust and fear from your puppy. The causes of puppy biting that we looked at earlier in this guide apply to all GSD puppies. In fact, they apply to all puppies of any breed. Biting and chewing is a normal puppy behavior, and a normal part of play. As long as you react to this behavior in the right way, it is a period that will pass. The biggest fear for most German Shepherd puppy owners is that their puppy is aggressive when it bites. German Shepherd puppy biting can be accompanied by ferocious growls or snarls. It can even draw blood. So are behaviors like snarling and growling. And, if your puppy is biting hard enough to injure you, they may not have learnt proper bite inhibition yet. This is the process where your puppy learns to be gentle with his teeth on your skin. The positive reward methods we discussed earlier in this guide are the best way to teach your puppy bite inhibition. Remove yourself calmly and quietly whenever your puppy bites. And make sure to reward any calm behavior — including when your puppy lets you pet it without biting. Speak to a Behaviorist If you think your puppy is exhibiting aggressive behaviors, such as guarding their resources, you may want to speak to a behaviorist. They will be able to look at your puppy as an individual case, and analyse their behavior properly. Do Adult German Shepherds Bite? The German Shepherd breed is known for being aggressive in some circumstances — they make popular guard dogs, and are number one candidates for working dog roles in the police and military.
When your dog.Jumps on other people: Ask a family member or friend to assist with training. Your assistant must be someone your dog likes and wants to greet. Your dog should never be forced to greet someone who scares them. Give your dog the "sit" command. This exercise assumes your dog already knows how to "sit. If your dog stands up, the greeter immediately turns and walks away. Ask your dog to "sit" and have the greeter approach again. Keep repeating until your dog remains seated as the greeter approaches. If your dog does remain seated, the greeter can give your dog a treat as a reward. When you encounter someone while out walking your dog, you must manage the situation and train your dog at the same time: Stop the person from approaching by telling them you don't want your dog to jump. Hand the person a treat or get a treat ready in your hand to reward your pup for good behavior. Ask your dog to "sit. Some people will tell you they don't mind if your dog jumps on them, especially if your dog is small and fluffy or a puppy. But you should mind. Remember you need to be consistent in training. If you don't want your dog to jump on people, stick to your training. If someone is encouraging jumping, you can simply say no thank you when they want to greet your dog. Jumps on you when you come in the door: Keep greetings quiet and low-key. If your dog jumps on you, ignore them. Turn and go out the door. Try again. You may have to come in and go out dozens of times before your dog learns they only gets your attention when they keep all four feet on the floor. Jumps on you when you're sitting: If you are sitting and your dog jumps up on you, stand up. Don't talk to your dog or push them away. Just ignore them until all four feet are on the ground. Also of interest:. Digital Marketing Do you have a dog that likes to jump on you or everyone? Yes, literally everyone. Not only can it be a little embarrassing, but it can also be a hazard when it comes to a large dog like GSDs — they can knock someone off unintentionally. Jumping is a behavior that is usually a result of excitement and inadequate training in dogs. Excitement management, leash training, rewarding, and reinforcement will stop your dog from jumping on people over time. Mind you, your GSD will not outgrow jumping or any other unwanted behavior if not properly trained to. But the good news is that they are certainly smart enough to learn the right behavior — and probably much quicker than other breeds. Be calm every time you walked in the door. Use a leash to prevent them from jumping. Watch the video below to learn exactly how. Keep treats handy to reward your dog for not jumping. Dismiss bad behavior by ignoring your dog and calmly stepping away. GSDs are high-energy breeds. This can often translate to the excitement, especially when meeting people. This is what causes them to jump. Simply put, they are excited to see you. Jumping on greeting is not only a GSD trait, but all dogs that are energetic and generally happy will jump on you, your family, and your friends until they are trained not to. This might not seem to be a very important question when it comes to your GSD jumping on you, but it is. A play-driven GSD is much more likely to jump whenever they are overly excited. On the other hand, you will usually find your GSD jumps on you or someone else whenever there is food involved if they are food-driven. Figuring out which category your GSD falls in will help determine how you can fix the behavior. Important things to remember when training GSDs Before you start implementing any training with a GSD, it is important to understand a few things about the breed that you might not already be familiar with. Here are four good tips to remember for any training: They can very sensitive. If you are overly harsh, you could hurt their feelings which will slow down learning hugely. They are reward-driven. Food, praise, and play are all good ways to reward your GSD when they complete the task correctly. This will help reinforce good behavior. Stay patient. Any training can take some patience while your dog is learning, but luckily GSDs are incredibly intelligent so they should grasp it quickly. Be consistent. Consistency is hugely important. You need to keep up the training to cement good behavior. Otherwise, your GSD could go right back to jumping up. And at the end of the day, good training is only made up of two simple steps: The first is introducing and teaching the dog the desired behavior. In this case, it is teaching an excited GSD not to jump on you or anyone else. It is just like teaching them any other trick like sitting or staying. This is done through consistency and repetition. Ways to Manage Excitement: When you are coming home, try cracking the door open and waiting until your GSD has noticeably calmed down before entering. If they do not jump, reward them. If a guest is entering your home, let them enter while you have your GSD either on a leash or in a separate room. Again, wait until their excitement has died down, then allow them to slowly approach your guests. It is an excellent tool to keep excitement levels down and have a good amount of control over your GSD during greetings. As shown in the video above, the easiest way to do it is to step on the leash to limit the freedom for your dog to jump up. Jumping usually occurs when your GSD is right up next to the person they want to jump on. Having a leash on your dog lets you have full control when you want to guide him away from someone. If they seem to get too close to someone, you can always pull them back way before the jumping occurs. Make sense? There are a few different ways to reinforce good behavior depending on your GSD, but a good treat is an incredibly powerful tool usually. Use Positive Reinforcement Tools: Treats. Positive affirmation. This might seem like an amazing reward to us, but once your GSD associates a click with a job well done, they will love it. If your GSD is food-driven, they will likely become fixated on a treat in your hand if you present it. They also know that this will likely be given to them if they complete a behavior associated with treats. How to Use Treats as a Distraction? Keep a treat or two on your person when your GSD is likely to jump on someone. This is usually when you or a guest enters your home. Before your GSD even has the chance to jump, show the treat in a calm manner. Their attention should be so locked in on the treat that it overrides their desire to jump up in excitement. Making a clear distinction between play and normal behavior can help them tell when it is okay to jump. They will learn that this is the only time they can jump. Not that you are armed with 5 easy steps to control the jumping. All you have to do is to put them into practice and allow some time for your dog to learn the correct behavior. Nevertheless, there are things you might want to avoid doing when training your GSD not to jump on people. These can slow progress by reinforcing the wrong behavior or upsetting your GSD as they can be quite a sensitive breed. Use negative reinforcement. If your GSD does jump while training, simply ignore them and step away from them. Simply being ignored by their loved ones will send a clear message without hurting their feelings. Reward too quickly. It is crucial to wait until your GSD has demonstrated full control and kept all paws on the floor before you reward them. If you let your GSD get away with jumping and other bad behavior as a puppy or adolescent, they most likely will continue displaying that behavior. And while they may not grow out of jumping, they will grow in size, making it more dangerous for them to jump on people. Some dogs learn faster than others. With the right methods, you will expect to see the difference very quickly. All you need is patience and consistency. Good luck. Bon is a dog lover and a blogger. He loves spending time with dogs more than with humans. You will find him training himself for the next marathon when he is not writing. By: David Codr Published Date: November 27, For this Omaha puppy training session we helped Stella, a 9 month-old German Shepherd puppy learn to stop jumping up on people who visit her home. Knowing that Stella liked to jump up on people at the door, I called ahead and had the guardian meet me outside. I wanted to give him some tips on stopping a dog from jumping up and show him an exercise that helps dogs learn to stop jumping on people on their own. After explaining how this exercise to stop dog jumping worked, I handed his wife my camera so she could film me in action. The thing I like about this trick to stop dogs from jumping on people is that the dog learns itself instead of the human micromanaging the dog. Each time it settles down or offers the behavior you want, you engage. This is a form of Operant Conditioning and any dog behavior expert will tell you it is a powerful way to rehabilitate any dog. We spent the rest of the session going over ways to add structure, how to act in a way the dogs sees and respects as a leader, how to introduce and enforce rules and some creative ways to exercise the dog. Stella picked it all up right away. To help the guardians remember all the other dog behavior tips I shared in this in home dog training session, we shot a roadmap to success video that you can check out below. Share this:. Or maybe a friend has dropped by to say hello and your German Shepherd jumps on them immediately. Has either of these ever happened to you? Chances are they have. The good news is you can train your German Shepherd to stop jumping on you and others with a few different methods. To begin, though, you need to understand why your dog is jumping in the first place. You may have heard people say that your dog is jumping on you as a sign of dominance or as an attempt to be the one in charge. The plain and simple truth is that in most cases, your pet is just trying to say hello when you walk through the door. In all cases, though, jumping is a normal and natural behavior for dogs. While puppies jumping on you may be cute, the larger the dog gets and German Shepherds are on the bigger side! Not only does jumping on you result in dirty clothing or dropping items you were holding at the time, but when your German Shepherd jumps on someone, it could wind up accidentally hurting them. Children and older people can easily be knocked over by a large dog, plus anyone can end up with bruises or scratches. Unfortunately, in most instances, jumping is a behavior that we have encouraged, sometimes without realizing it. German Shepherds, like most dogs, are opportunistic. Luckily, you can do this with a bit of training and management. Use one of these step-by-step methods to teach your German Shepherd to stop jumping on you and others. Redirection How to Keep a German Shepherd Busy This is a general method to show your dog that jumping is unwanted and to redirect them to a new behavior. Step One: Ignore bad behavior. When your German Shepherd jumps on you, ignore it entirely by turning your back to it. The trick here is that everyone must abide by this rule of turning your back, so be sure everyone entering or living in your home is aware of it. Speak to them in a calm voice to avoid getting them excited again. When they do, give them a reward. Again, everyone should be doing this when you are in training mode, so your pet learns that not jumping applies to all. Image Credit: cvop, Pixabay 2. Paws on the Floor This method is for training your dog to keep four paws on the floor. Step One: Get a friend or family member to help you. Step Two: Keeping your dog on its leash, have the other person approach you. Before they reach you, toss a few treats on the floor in front of your dog. Step Four: Have the second person back off from the dog before it has finished the treats. Step Five: Repeat Step Four several times. After a few rounds, have the second person greet your dog for a longer amount of time and continue repeating until your pet is keeping its feet on the floor. Step Six: Once your pup is keeping all its paws on the ground, have the second person come and say hello before placing a treat down. Step One: Put your German Shepherd on a leash, then tie the leash to something sturdy, like a doorknob. Step Two: Staying far away from your dog, ask them to sit. When they do, you can start to go up to them. If they stand during the reward, go back to your starting point. Step Three: Repeat until your dog gets the hang of things. Step Four: Up the ante after your dog understands they need to sit by making your greetings more exciting. Step Five: After your dog has perfected the art of the sit greeting, grab another person and try this with them. By doing this, your dog will come to understand that sitting instead of jumping applies to all people as well. Conclusion Training your German Shepherd will take patience and time, but it can be done. Keeping them from jumping during training will also be required. It will take dedication, but you can do this by directing them away from your front door when someone visits, throwing toys or treats to them so they are occupied before a person enters your home, or keeping them on a leash. German Shepherds are very smart dogs , though, so they should soon learn not to jump on you or others. Featured Image Credit: cynoclub, Shutterstock Contents.
A loving forever home with a secure fence and another dog in the home She wants to be your "All-American Girl! Carrie Underwood is so sweet and adorable. She is a bundle of tender kisses and has energy for days. She has been a great sister to the newest foster puppies that have come and gone, teaching them the art of playing with toys. Carrie's favorite thing to do is play chase with her K9 buddies. She runs fast and does figure 8's around the resident dogs, who don't even try to keep up with her. Her second favorite activity is napping with the resident Labs. She adores the older resident dogs and has learned great napping skills from them. She continues to work on her leash skills. Carrie has been quietly working on coming out of her shell and has undergone a transformation since arriving at her foster. She loves to curl up in the lap of her FM for naps and bedtime snuggles. She still has her moments of shyness around Foster Dad, but will now come voluntarily to the couch to sit beside him for attention. She's definitely gained lots of confidence. Carrie will need a home with another dog, preferably one who enjoys the same activity level. Carrie still has some shy moments but she is ready for her furever home, and she will steal the heart of anyone who wants to add a sweet yet energetic member to their family. Thank you to the following generous donors currently supporting Carrie's care: Amanda S. Vocality level 4 in 5 Disclaimer: While the characteristics mentioned here may frequently represent this breed, dogs are individuals whose personalities and appearances will vary. Please consult the adoption organization for details on a specific pet. Temperament Few breeds so richly deserve their popularity as does the Labrador Retriever. When trained, the breed is obedient and amiable and tolerates the antics of children, other dogs, and other pets. The Lab is a calm house dog, playful yard dog, and intense field dog, all on the same day. Labs are eager to please, enjoys learning, and excel in obedience. It is a powerful breed that loves to swim and retrieve. Labradors need daily physical and mental challenges to keep occupied. A bored Lab can get into trouble! Upkeep Labradors are active and sociable dogs. They need daily exercise, preferably in the form of retrieving and swimming. Owners with swimming pools either must fence them out or be prepared to share the pool with dogs. The Lab coat sheds water easily. Weekly brushing is needed to remove dead hair. Health Major concerns: CHD, elbow dysplasia, OCD, obesity, patellar luxation Minor concerns: cataract, CPRA, hot spots, retinal dysplasia, hypothyroidism Occasionally seen: diabetes, entropion, distichiasis, tricuspid valve dysplasia, centronuclear myopathy, exercise-induced collapse Suggested tests: hip, elbow, eye, exercise-induced collapse DNA , centronuclear myopathy , knee Life span: 10—12 years History The original Labradors were all-purpose water dogs originating in Newfoundland, not Labrador. Not only did the breed not originate in Labrador, but it also was not originally called the Labrador Retriever. These dogs—medium-sized black dogs with close hair—not only retrieved game but also retrieved fish, pulled small fishing boats through icy water and helped the fisherman in any task involving swimming. Eventually, the breed died out in Newfoundland in large part because of a heavy dog tax. However, a core of Labradors had been taken to England in the early s, and it is from these dogs, along with crosses to other retrievers, that the breed continued. It was also in England that the breed earned its reputation as an extraordinary retriever of upland game. Initially, black labs were favored over yellow or chocolate colors. By the early s, the other colors had become more accepted. The popularity of this breed has grown steadily until the Labrador Retriever became the most popular breed in America in and remains so today. Related Content.
There are two of us here at Puppy Love. This enables us to have several dogs in our breeding program and still ensure that each one gets the love and attention they deserve. We raise our dogs in our homes where they are part of our busy families. We both have five kids each who help to love and train our dogs and socialize the puppies. When we purchased our first Australian Labradoodle about 12 years ago, we were surprised to find that everything we had been told about this wonderful creature called the Labradoodle was true! They are friendly and fun loving, making them a wonderful family pet for children as well as adults. They are highly intelligent, easy to train and very intuitive, making them great for animal assisted therapy. We have sold many puppies over the years for therapy purposes to families who have kids or adults with special needs and also for therapy use in health care or educational settings. They truly are amazing animals and they will have you wrapped around their little paws before you know it. We breed only true Labradoodles or the Australian Multigenerational Labradoodles. We do not breed any early cross labradoodles or any labs to poodles as we have found that there is not enough consistency in temperament as well as coat. We like to be able to ensure that all of our puppies will have great personalities combined with fleece or silky soft coats that are allergy friendly. Not all Labradoodles are Created Equal! Our labradoodles are members of our families and have really enriched our lives. We want to bring them, a wonderful family pet and companion to your home. If you have allergies and have previously been unable to enjoy a dog for a pet, our puppies are the perfect choice for you. We only breed pure Australian Labradoodles. Because these are multi generational dogs, they have a much better, hypo allergenic, very little to non shedding coat. Most of the early crosses have a tendancy to shed. With multigenerational Labradoodles you get the benefit of may years of selective breeding by the breeders that started it all in Australia. In terms of Labradoodles, you really do get what you pay for! We are not a kennel. Our Australian Labradoodle puppies are hand whelped in our home and spend the first weeks of their lives in our Master Bedrooms where they and the moms feel the most safe and secure. At 3 weeks they move into the main living area of the house. From here they can see and hear just about everything that goes on in our homes on a day to day basis. Our children, who range in ages from toddler to young adult help to love and socialize the puppies until they are ready to be adopted and go home with you. Puppies raised in this environment make the best pets because they have been given the best possible start. They will enjoy running with you, swimming with you, they are great at fetch, highly intelligent and easily trained. When you are all done playing, what the Labradoodle enjoys the most is a nice, warm cuddle with you! Start your summer off in the best way possible by adding a new puppy to your family. Get out and enjoy the beautiful season with your new best friend! Contact us for details. Testimonials Our experience with Puppy Love Labradoodles has been a very good one. Right from our first call from Darice asking us all kinds of questions about our home life so that she could decide if we were the right people to purchase one of their puppies. We could not be happier with Darice and her family's professional and caring help. No questions have gone unanswered. We would not hesitate to buy another puppy from them. Contact Details. I work with a number breeders in the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex, helping them create beautiful imagery of their puppies and breeding pairs for websites, social media and other branding needs. Responsible dog breeders invest heavily in both time and money to ensure the health and well being of their animals and Endless Pawsabilities is no exception. As a dog trainer I'm always keen to chat with them on their latest puppy developmental regimes; from early neurological stimulation to desensitization and socialization, they are an exemplary breeder many of their puppies go on to become service and support animals and their dedication shows in their litters as with these little reindeer. As soon as the litter had been delivered shortly after Christmas hence the holiday themed names , Endless Pawsabilities scheduled their studio session, and as soon as I learned there was a mixture of yellows, chocolates and a black, I started counting the days until I met them! It's "photographer's choice" this week in the Pet Photographer 52 Week Project and so I thought I'd share some adorable puppies with you. You're welcome :.
Overall, boxers love people and children. As long as they're properly socialized, they get along great with other pets. But boxers do sometimes have aggressive tendencies that need to be kept in check. Same-Sex Aggression The most common problem with aggressive behavior in boxers is territorial and dominance aggression toward other dogs of the same sex. This is especially true with female boxers. Although they generally get along fine with male dogs, female boxers tend to pick fights with other females. Boxers also tend to hold grudges; once one becomes angry with another dog, he might consider that dog to be a lifelong enemy. On-Leash Aggression Boxers need to be exercised regularly; unfortunately, being on-leash sometimes brings out their territorial nature, causing them to behave aggressively toward other dogs they meet. Boxers also sometimes become more protective and defensive of their owners while on leash. A head collar with a loop that goes over the muzzle can give owners more control and help to keep this sort of aggressive behavior in check. In the event that it goes too far, such a collar can help the owner to regain control of a fighting boxer without getting in the middle of the fight. Prey Instinct The boxer was originally bred from crossing a bulldog with a bullenbeisser, which is a German hunting dog. As such, the boxer inherited a strong instinct for catching prey, which leads the breed to display aggression toward small animals such as squirrels, rabbits and birds, and even sometimes larger animals such as sheep and deer. Dealing With Aggression Boxers are highly energetic dogs who require daily walks and other forms of exercise to help them release pent-up energy and stay calm. They are strong-willed and need owners who are both willing and able to be strong, dominant leaders and establish firm boundaries for acceptable behavior. Early socialization with other animals and people can help avoid aggressive tendencies as the boxer gets older. If your boxer shows aggressive tendencies despite your best efforts to contain them, consult a veterinary behavioral expert for help in getting the aggression under control. More Articles. They are known for being very loyal, and that can sometimes turn into aggression. If you are worried that your Boxer may become aggressive or if there are already signs of aggression, there are some things you can do to correct the behavior and help make your Boxer a loving pet. Can Boxers be aggressive? Boxers can be aggressive, but if they are bought from a legitimate breeder and are raised, socialized, and trained properly, they are not likely to be aggressive. Past negative experiences, lack of exercise, and feeling threatened can manifest in aggression, though these issues are easily corrected. If you are considering getting a Boxer and want to know if he or she could become aggressive, be sure to read on to learn more. Poor Breeding Some dogs are bred from animals that are aggressive or have genes that make them more likely to be aggressive. There are also certain health problems that can make a Boxer more likely to become aggressive. Lack of Socialization Dogs that have not been properly socialized with people, children, or animals may become aggressive out of fear or if they are territorial. Lack of Training Some dogs need to be trained to keep their aggression at bay and to learn how to act in certain situations and with new people. If a Boxer is not trained properly, he could become aggressive in new situations and around new people. They may guard their toys, bed, and even people. They can also have food-aggression issues. This problem is known as resource guarding and is a natural reaction in some dogs or can be something they develop over time if they are not cared for properly. Unneutered Male Males are more likely to become aggressive than females, especially if they are unneutered. Boxers that show signs of aggression typically become less aggressive after they are neutered. Past Trauma or Negative Experiences Dogs that have been abused or have had past trauma and negative experiences may become aggressive in situations that remind them of these experiences. Female-Female Aggression Many Boxer females can become aggressive when other females are around. This is especially true if the female is in heat, has puppies, or is pregnant. Overly Protective Nature Boxers are guard dogs, and they tend to be overprotective by nature. This can something show up as aggression if they feel that their family or they themselves are being threatened. High Prey Drive Boxers have a high prey drive, and this can cause them to see smaller dogs, cats, and other animals as prey and act aggressively toward them. This can usually be resolved with proper training. How To Stop Boxer Aggression If your Boxer is showing signs of aggression, the sooner you intervene, the more likely you are to stop the behavior before it gets out of hand. Here are some tips that can help. Create a Safe Place Make sure your dog feels safe. Many dogs show aggression out of fear and confusion. Talk calmly to your dog when he starts to show signs of aggression to distract and calm him. Instead, redirect him and offer positive reinforcement to help keep him calm and let him know his calm behavior is rewarded. Make an appointment with your veterinarian to have a health problem ruled out or treated. Socialize Them Proper socialization is important for every dog breed and especially Boxers. Make sure your dog has plenty of socialization with other pets, animals, and people. You can find trainers who specialize in dealing with aggressive behavior and can help you correct it. As opposed to a costly lawsuit should your dog attack someone, hiring a professional will be money well spent. Your Boxer likely stares at you because he wants to anticipate what you will do next so he can go with you. Boxers bond with their owners quickly, and your Boxer may want to be by your side at all times. If your Boxer is older, he may be staring at you due to vision problems or another disorder. Are Boxers Good With Cats? Boxers can be good with cats as long as they are introduced to them early in life and have plenty of time to socialize with them. When you introduce your Boxer to a cat, always monitor them closely to make sure they get along. Conclusion Boxers are great dogs and make great family pets. They can, however, be aggressive if they are not properly trained and socialized. Related Posts:. No breed description will describe all boxers or will even accurately and totally describe one. However, some traits do apply to many boxers. Boxers tend to be silly, playful dogs who act like puppies for much of their lives. They are clownish dogs who seem to take particular delight in making their human family laugh at their antics. However, their puppy-like behavior is not always a source of amusement for everyone. Boxers love to be with people — as much as possible and as close as possible. They are not an aloof or independent breed. Their social nature and their typically high energy level make them well-suited to joining in family activities. If your boxer needs to be home alone for many hours each day, he will likely need plenty of exercise and mental stimulation when you are home to keep him happy. Boxers cannot be left outside unattended without access to the indoors for any considerable length of time. Not only are they intolerant to heat and cold, but they also have been known to escape yards in an attempt to find their people. Boxers are family dogs in both their social nature and their physical needs. Boxers have a reputation for enjoying the company of children, and, indeed, many of them are quite tolerant around children. Boxers are large and bouncy and are not always the best judges of their size and strength, so special care should be taken with an exuberant boxer around small children. Always keep in mind that rescue dogs often have unknown histories, so it is a good idea to take extra precautions with any rescue dog, including boxers, around young children. Many boxers enjoy playing with other dogs, but their rough style of play and method of approach may be off-putting. Many boxers are selective about which dogs they want to be around, so introductions to new dogs should generally be controlled. Although boxers are not typically an aggressive breed, their enthusiasm and forwardness can escalate into reactive behavior or can trigger undesired responses from other dogs who do not understand them. Boxers are strong, can be stubborn, and can pull hard on their leash if they want something! A boxer is a joyous, funny, athletic dog who loves nothing more than being part of the family. However, boxers are not for everyone. Boxers require special consideration when it comes to the amount of exercise and activity they need, their social nature, their limitations in warm or cold climates, and their often-expensive veterinary care. Most purebred dogs that end up in shelters find themselves there because their people did not like the things about them that were, in fact, typical of their breed. The same traits that make boxers so much fun for one person may make them challenging or frustrating for another. Do your research, and if possible, spend time with some boxers before deciding if the breed is right for you.
white german shepherd puppies indiana - Can a German Shepherd puppy start training at 8 months? How to Potty Train Your 8-week-old German Shepherd Puppy Potty training your 8-week-old German Shepherd can be stressful at first, but with a bit of persistence and patience, your puppy will learn correct behavior in no time. The potty area can be outdoors or indoors. Having a designated potty place will help your dog understand that this is the only place they should go to poop or pee. Watch Out for Signs One of the first signs is usually an increased awareness of their surroundings. You may notice that your puppy starts sniffing around more often or seems particularly interested in certain places of the house. Watch out also for changes in behavior. If your pup suddenly starts having accidents inside or seems antsy and restless, they may be trying to tell you that they need to go outside. Use Cue Words One way to help your new puppy understand what you want him to do is to use cue words. Cue words will help your German Shepherd puppy learn the connection between the words and the action. You can also use cue words when rewarding him for going in the right spot. Give Training Treats When potty training your puppy, use treats as a form of positive reinforcement. Doing this teaches your puppy that good things happen when they go outside to do their business. When choosing treats for potty training, select something small and easy to eat. This way, the puppy can eat the treat quickly and then get back to playing. It would be best if you also chose training treats that your puppy finds irresistible. Otherwise, they may not be motivated to keep trying. Puppy Crate It is an enclosure to confine your new puppy for short periods. It is also helpful in transporting puppies from one place to another. German Shepherd owners use it for crate training as they can also help with separation anxiety and boredom. Puppy crates usually have a removable tray on the bottom for easy cleaning. They also have wire, plastic, or fabric as the primary materials, and they typically come in different sizes to accommodate puppies of different ages and breeds. When buying a crate, it must be big enough for the puppy to stand up, turn around, and lie down but small enough so that the puppy does not have too much space to eliminate in one corner and sleep in the other. When used correctly, it can provide a safe, comfortable space for your new furry friend. Early Morning: Bring your Puppy Outside When your German Shepherd is a still puppy, he may have trouble holding his bladder throughout the night. If you do not let your puppy out early enough, it might create potty accidents because he cannot control their bladder. Morning: Time for a Nutritious Breakfast Puppies need a lot of nutrients to grow up healthy and strong. A nutritious breakfast helps them get the energy they need to start the day. Even though puppies spend most of their time sleeping and cuddling, puppies require several daily feedings. Place your puppy on your lap and snuggle while sleeping. It would be best if you also let them rest throughout the day. Afternoon: Lunchtime Take your puppy outside after lunch to relieve themselves. Allow your puppy time to exercise and release any built-up energy. Feeding your puppy .Between naps, you can do playtime and training activities to help release energy, encourage physical activity, and develop a strong bond between you and your German Shepherd. Evening: Last meal of the Day During the evening, feed your puppy their fourth and last meal. Afterward, take your puppy for a short stroll. Before returning, have your puppy go potty outside, then snuggle up on the sofa for some quality time. Night: Potty Break Before Bedtime Take your puppy out for one more potty time before putting him to bed. Remember that you should establish a reasonable bedtime for your puppy early on. Moreover, an 8-week-old German Shepherd may develop a better appetite for other solid meals. These include constipation, bloating, and diarrhea. Diarrhea Diarrhea is a common problem that many German Shepherd puppies face. This condition has several possible causes, including dietary indiscretion, viral infections, and intestinal parasites. In most cases, diarrhea is not a serious concern and will resolve itself within a few days. However, seek veterinary care if your puppy displays other symptoms such as lethargy, vomiting, or lack of appetite. Constipation A young German Shepherd is particularly susceptible to constipation due to their large, muscular build and fast metabolism. If your puppy is constipated, you may notice that he has difficulty passing stool and seems uncomfortable or restless. If your puppy is constipated, take him to the vet for treatment. The vet may give him a laxative or enema to help relieve constipation. Bloating Bloating occurs when the stomach fills with gas, causing it to swell. German Shepherds are especially prone to bloating because of their deep chests. There are several possible causes of bloating, including eating too fast, drinking too much water, and exercising immediately after eating. Stress can also be a factor. To prevent bloating, feed your German Shepherd several small meals daily instead of one large meal. It is also important to avoid exercising immediately after eating and ensure that your dog has access to fresh water. Yes, a German Shepherd puppy can start training at eight months. But remember that every puppy is different and will learn at its own pace. Consistency is key, and with patience, your puppy will get the hang of obedience training in no time. Training should be a bonding experience for you and your pup! Remember to have fun and keep it light. At eight weeks old, a German Shepherd puppy sleeps for around 18 hours daily. It may seem like a lot, but puppies need a lot of sleep to grow and develop properly. As they get older, German Shepherds will sleep for less time each day. German Shepherd puppies use their mouths to explore their surroundings and socialize with other dogs and people. In addition, puppies typically start teething around eight weeks old, which can cause them to bite more as they try to relieve the discomfort caused by their emerging teeth. Puppies also explore the world with their mouths, and biting is a way for them to learn about their environment. In addition, puppies may bite out of excitement or frustration, especially if they are not getting enough exercise. If your puppy is biting excessively, provide him with plenty of chew toys and opportunities to run and play. Also read:. An 8 week old German Shepherd puppy is a bundle of antics and endless energy! Your 8 Week Old German Shepherd Puppy An 8 week old your puppy requires a daily routine and training to help them become the dog of your dreams. This article will not only help you understand your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy but will also explain to you why your little puppy has certain behaviors. Raising a German Shepherd puppy can feel like an overwhelming task at first! Just remember, your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy is also adjusting to its new life with you. You should expect your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy to feel stressed and uncertain. They may seem timid and unsure of their surroundings. They might cry, whine, and not want your attention. Having structure and consistency will help create a bond and help you both in getting along more peacefully and calmly. Introducing A Puppy Crate Many dog owners choose to use a crate when it comes to caring for their 8-week-old puppy. While some people consider crates unnecessary, or even cruel, crate training is a useful skill to offer your dog. With the right training your pup will see its crate as their private safe space and will even go there to relax. Leaving your puppy at home unsupervised can get them and you into a heap of trouble. Crate training helps prevent your home from being a destruction zone. This useful guide to crate training a German Shepherd puppy gets you on the right track to success! Crate training your puppy can: help speed up housetraining teach your dog to settle calm down offer your dog privacy But you must introduce the crate slowly and positively so your puppy builds a strong connection to the benefits of the crate. Never just shove or push your young German Shepherd into the crate without using positive training. Your new dog also needs a routine and schedule to help them through the early days with you and set the expectations you have for them. Having a schedule helps your puppy to know what to expect in their daily routines. It keeps you from losing your mind and helps ease a worried puppy. While you might work from home or have other obligations, try to follow a schedule that looks similar to this: Early morning: Take your puppy out for the first potty break of the day! So, they may need to go outside even before the sun rises. Breakfast time: Your puppy may want to go back to sleep after going outside and this is perfectly normal. On the other hand, some puppies are wide awake and ready for their breakfast. Either way, always take your puppy back outside shortly after their breakfast so they can sniff and have another potty break. Mid-morning: Puppies should eat 3 — 4 small meals a day. Mid-morning is a good time for another small meal. Afternoon: This is a good time for their lunch followed by a potty break and plenty of sniffing time to work off some of their energy. Late afternoon: Puppies need another potty break in the afternoon, and some puppies need more breaks outside. Evening: Their dinner meal and their evening potty time. Remember to let them explore outdoors in a safe area to help build their confidence. Scheduling exercise, potty breaks, and play at the same times every day helps ensure that your puppy learns their daily routine more quickly and settles in nicely. And, even young puppies can learn basic training in their first weeks with you. Try training your German Shepherd puppy at home to start with. In the beginning, you may find a few accidents in the house. But, stick with your potty training and remember to always watch your puppy to keep them from having messes in the house. When you stick to a regular potty schedule, the likelihood of potty training mishaps decreases, and you and your puppy are less stressed. Always, always, always… Supervise your puppy indoors when you are potty training. Your toughest time together with your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy might be the first few nights. Your puppy has only known the comfort of his mother and siblings before. Having your puppy sleep away from you will only scare them more. And, although they are little, their cry is loud! Having a place for them near your bed is the best way to avoid a night full of tearful cries and howling. Can I let my German Shepherd puppy sleep in bed with me? Plus, when your puppy is an adult and tries to sleep in bed with you there will be no room for you! A full-grown German Shepherd can weigh up to pounds and will push you right out of your own sheets. Your puppy sleeps most of the day. A new puppy sleeps more often than they are awake. An 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy may sleep as many as 18 hours a day! Sleeping this much allows your puppy to have the energy they need to grow and keeps them ready to explore their new world. Feeding An 8 Week Old German Shepherd Your puppy should stay on the same food they were eating before you brought them home to keep them less stressed. This helps keeps your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy from having an upset stomach and becoming ill. Sometimes, you might want to switch them over to a different food. If you choose this route, do it slowly and in stages over a few weeks. At 8 weeks old, German Shepherd puppies should eat 3 to 4 small meals per day. Although their stomachs are small if you overfeed them they could get sick and have stomach problems. Spreading their meals out throughout the day in regular intervals is best to avoid any upsets. Look for a balanced, complete puppy food for large breed dogs. As a large breed dog, your German Shepherd you should only feed your puppy food that is specially formulated for large breed puppies. Large breed puppies have different nutritional needs that are not found in ordinary puppy food. Feeding a commercially available food that is formulated for large breed puppies helps them to grow at a sustained rate. Steady growth in a large breed puppy helps to avoid stress on their bones and gives them a strong skeletal foundation for their athletic muscles. Limiting food intake in growing German Shepherd puppies has also been associated with fewer signs of hip dysplasia. This is of extreme importance in this breed due to the high incidence of hip problems and the pain associated with this joint disorder. A growing puppy is best fed a proprietary pet food that has been specifically formulated to meet its nutritional needs. Foods that are available as dry kibble are especially suitable to rear even the youngest of puppies. Opt for this specially formulated food for large breed puppies to keep your dog growing at a healthy rate that helps them stay strong. It is a complete balanced diet so nothing is missing. Within the first few days of arriving to their new home with you is a stressful time. Your puppy has just made a drastic life change and left everything they knew to be with you. Diarrhea and other stomach issues are sometimes stress induced. You can help your puppy by keeping to a regular feeding schedule and feeding them the same food they were on before coming to you. Sometimes diarrhea is also a sign of an underlying health issue and, if left untreated, can become life-threatening. If your puppy vomits blood, has bloody stools and diarrhea, becomes lethargic, or refuses to drink, call your vet immediately! To an 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy biting and nipping are all part of playing with their siblings. And, your puppy will most likely bite and nip you at some point too. They may even growl at you and tug at your hands or nip your ankles. This is all part of puppy play. But… It can really hurt you or make you bleed! Understanding bite inhibition means they know how to control the power of their play bites and how hard or soft they nip you. Preventing Nips and Bites If you know the right way to prevent and stop German Shepherd puppy biting, you can train your puppy to understand how to keep their razor-sharp tiny teeth from sinking into you. Instead… Offer them plenty of puppy-safe chew toys appropriate for their size. When they bite or nip you, calmly show them the toy to chew instead. Get their attention by moving the toy in a playful way around them so they begin to chase and bite the toy, instead of you or your furniture. Use these links to help you stay on the right track throughout their life. Keep calm! German Shepherd puppy training is fun and a great time to bond with your new dog! Instead… Follow these puppy training tips to break down your training into manageable steps that are easy to teach and train. German Shepherd puppies are brilliant! And as they grow, they become the most loyal canine friends. Teach Them Handling Skills While your dog may enjoy gentle caresses and hugs from you they will also need to learn other important handling skills. Think about the grooming your dog will need and how the vet might handle your pup in the future. These are all areas where they will be touched in the future. Handling skills involve intentional, purposeful touch that acclimates your dog to uneasy situations in the near future. Ignoring fear and stress signals such as cowering, lip their lips multiple times, turning their head away, even shaking will only teach your dog to fear that object. Fear can cause your dog to become aggressive or suffer from anxiety. Never, ever try to become the alpha! Instead, learn to become their favorite teacher and speak their language. It also prevents undesired behaviors. Think of positive training in terms of showing, teaching, influencing, and trusting. These terms build trust. Focus on the Good Things Some puppy owners all too often think about punishment and discipline as their first steps in training. What you want is to focus on catching your dog behaving well — and reward that! If you see your puppy chewing on the right chew toy, then praise them. When you see them look at you, offer them a treat for paying attention. When you find your dog lying down being quiet and calm, pet them gently and offer them verbal praise. The more you focus on the good things, the less your dog concerns itself with doing bad things. Call them to you or offer them a better option that is what you prefer, then praise them for choosing the right thing. Pick one skill at a time to practice, and build upon their success. Think of the easiest way for your dog to understand the command and stick to the same word. You can begin basic German Shepherd obedience commands from your own home, even! Small bits of training, spread out in multiple sessions throughout the day, is better than an hour-long session. Aim for the 5-minutes worth of training using 4 to 5 sessions daily. This is where brain games and brain training come into play. You can make up your own brain games for their mental exercise or, even better… Signup for an online course that teaches fun Brain Training for Dogs using that positive, reward-based training you read about earlier. Using the unique intelligence of your German Shepherd puppy this brain training program helps your dog to learn not only their basic commands but also to play fun games that work on good behavior. Training games help your dog to learn impulse control, basic commands, and to watch and listen to you. What games do you play with a young dog? Try these great German Shepherd puppy training games to give your 8-week-old puppy a head start! Include different games throughout the day in between your training sessions to give your dog a break and have fun with them! There are 5 critical focus areas in which you must train your 8-week old German Shepherd appropriately. Here is the most important training that you need to teach your new puppy so they enjoy a successful life with you. Keep in mind, your young dog is unable to hold its bladder for more than a couple of hours at 8-weeks-old. They simply lack the muscle control to hold their bladders any longer. Instead, opt to train your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy using positive methods and watching for the natural times that your dog chooses to eliminate. Adjust the times as necessary to avoid any accidents in your house and help keep your puppy to their unique schedule. Early morning: Let your pup outside first thing every morning to let them relieve themselves. After breakfast: After its morning breakfast meal let your dog back outside. Let them walk around and sniff to help encourage them to explore and let them stretch their legs. Before and after lunch: Let your puppy outside before and after their lunchtime meal. Eating stimulates the bowels and your puppy needs to got outside at least every 2 hours. Before and after dinner: Remember that eating stimulates the response for your puppy to eliminate. So, before and after every mealtime your puppy should be let outside for a walk and sniff. Before bedtime: Your puppy needs to relieve themself before they settle down for the nighttime. This is a good time to let them have a long sniffing exploration and to really explore a safe area. During the night: Yes, your puppy will probably need to go potty during the night. You might hear them whine and cry to get your attention. Remember, they cannot hold their bladders for more than 2 hours! After naptime: Take your puppy out for a potty break after naptime, as soon as they wake up. Keep repeating the same routine. Your puppy will soon catch on, but this generally takes weeks or even months. The more diligent you are about preventing accidents the quicker your puppy will learn housetraining. Never, ever punish your puppy or rub their nose in it for punishment. This may stress them out and cause even more accidents. Socializing your 8-week-old German Shepherd means that you must provide your dog with interesting and positive interactions where they feel safe. This helps give your young dog confidence in its environment. German Shepherd Dogs are extremely loyal and have a tendency of apprehensiveness with strangers. Socialization helps ensure that your puppy not only grows a strong bond with you without developing over-protectiveness but also learns to trust that you have their best interest in mind and will keep their experiences as positive as possible. German Shepherd puppy socialization training tips: Without their full set of vaccinations, your puppy is vulnerable to infectious diseases. However, consider taking your young dog to early socialization classes where all other dogs have also been immunized. This reduces the risk of becoming sick and helps your German Shepherd become a confident, well-adjusted, and friendly dog. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior promotes early socialization source , even before your dog receives its full set of vaccines, as lack of socialization is detrimental long-term. Every new interaction or must be followed with a reward — a tasty treat! This ensures your puppy has positive associations with new experiences, people, and other dogs. With the proper socialization training, your puppy should become eager to explore new places and meet new people and animals. Taking your German Shepherd puppy to new places exposes them to different people, dogs, sights, and sounds. As a puppy, you can help teach your German Shepherd important social skills through intentional training moments that are positive and allow your puppy to develop their confidence in social situations. This is where bite inhibition comes in useful. Bite inhibition helps your puppy to not only control what they bite but also how hard or soft they close their jaws. It teaches your dog how to properly apply force with its mouth without hurting you or anyone else. How to Teach Your Puppy to Bite Without Hurting You To teach your puppy not to hurt you with their nipping and biting do your best to not let them get to this energy level. If you know your puppy tends to bite you when you play with them too long, then cut your playtime short. If they tend to bite and nip you when they are tired, then have them go to their nap area sooner to rest. Puppies also tend to bite you when they are cranky from not eating soon enough or when they want attention. You can get up and leave the play area for a few moments. Return once they are calm. Never use only your hands for play. You should have a few puppy-safe chew toys around to grab quickly to offer your puppy during play. If your puppy nips or bites any of these areas, the game is immediately over. Get up slowly and calmly and leave. Only return when they are calm again. Offer your puppy their chew toy when they are too excited to play softly with you. Encourage them to find their toys and bite them instead of you. Never yell or punish your puppy for play-biting and nipping. Doing so can lead to anxiety, aggression, or your puppy fearing you. Even though German Shepherds are one of the smartest dogs, learning and teaching bite inhibition requires a lot of repetition and consistency. You might even walk to walk around with one of their toys in your pocket to help reinforce the right behavior offering them the chew toy when they decide to nip your ankles or bite your legs. Continue with your bite-inhibition training as long as it takes for your dog to learn to use its soft mouth. This could take months, but soon they will master the art of a soft bite. But, crate training your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy can improve the speed of their house training and accustom them to times they may need to be in their crate such as during travel or at the vets and groomers. Crates are also a useful area for your dog to have their own private space when they want alone time or are stressed and need some quiet. Choose a crate that gives your dog enough room to turn completely around, stand comfortably, sit upright, and lie down easily on their side with their legs stretched for rest. The best crates grow with your German Shepherd and allow you to partition the space off to suit their size. Offer them a treat or even their meal in their crate to help them develop positive associations with it. Start closing the door when they are inside for just a few seconds at first. Then, open the door and let them out calmly. Continue to increase the time your puppy stays inside the crate, working up to longer and longer times. This may only encourage them to cry and whine harder and louder when they want out. Instead, wait just a couple of seconds for them to be quiet, and let them out only when they are not crying and whining. If they appear too stressed or panicked, let them out immediately! This also encourages your dog to seek out the crate when they want their private space and time alone, as they will know where to find their crate. Avoid placing a blanket over the crate since puppies chew and are extremely active. Your pup could accidentally pull the blanket inside and hurt themselves by either wrapping it around their neck or choking on it. Place the crate in an area away from drafts and out of the direct sun so they get too cold or too warm. The best way to do this is to practice leash skills at home first. After they are comfortable wearing their leash around the house, you can work on the skill in the backyard, front yard, or on the sidewalk outside. A good time is during their favorite meal. Only leave them on your dog for a short time to gauge their reaction. If they seem fine, place your puppy into the harness and attach the leash. Offer them praise and a reward for letting you leash them. Now, let your puppy drag the leash around the house so they know how it feels to wear it. You can play with them a bit, or even better have them follow you around which simulates an outdoor walk but indoors. Remove the harness and leash if your GSD puppy becomes too upset and agitated! Keep it upbeat and positive! Now, introduce your puppy to a short walk outdoors in the safety of your backyard. Let your puppy wander around while you hold the leash. They may begin to pull. Get their attention by calling their name and showing them a treat to lure them back to you gently. Reward them every time they come to you while on the leash. Should they ignore you then offer them the treat to lure them to you after giving the command. Try kneeling or squatting down to get on their level when you give them the command. It seems to get their attention better. You can even slap your leg or clap your hands to entice them back to you. Always ensure that your puppy is not stressed by their new harness and leash. Some owners prefer to use a collar for leash training. If this is your choice then only choose life-saving break-away collars since your puppy could get hung up and seriously injure themselves if their collar catches on something during their outside walk. Your dog can learn the basic commands with a bit of training. If you have time to train basic commands and are still focusing on the core areas of raising your German Shepherd puppy, then follow these helpful articles that will put your puppy on the right track to obedience training. Your German Shepherd Puppy: 8 Weeks To 1 Year Old Apr 08, If you're interested in what the progression of your puppy from 8 weeks to 1 year should look like, and how to achieve it; you've come to the right place. If you're expecting a timeline of what achievements you should hit at specific times, this isn't it. All puppies and dogs learn at different rates based on everything from the drive level, interests in reward, your level of training skill etc. Instead of focusing on what tricks and obedience positions your puppy learns, focus on building a relationship with your puppy. Millions of people have adult dogs who won't let them cut their nails or bathe them and must go to a professional groomer. There's nothing wrong with using a groomer's services, but if you must because your dog won't allow you to, it's because you didn't bond with the dog and condition it as a puppy. To begin building a foundation takes a lot of treats, time, socialization, conditioning, and focus training to get engagement. Let's start with socialization. Socialization doesn't mean you let your puppy play with random dogs and strangers. It's quite the opposite. Socialization means you desensitize your puppy to the presence of other dogs and people to the point it doesn't acknowledge them. Other dogs and people become background noise that they're uninterested in. If you view socialization as getting a puppy to love everything, everyone, and every dog they see, you won't have their engagement. If you don't have their engagement on you, they aren't going to listen to you. You'll be the owner who gets drug down the street every time your dog wants to say "hi" to a stranger or new dog. Not only that, but not every stranger is friendly, nor is every dog. It's better to train your puppy to completely ignore everything except you on your walks. Since we've brushed up on what socialization should be and why, let's get into engagement. Engagement means that your dog looks to you. When you say their name, you have their undivided attention. They are looking at you, waiting for instruction. If you've ever had a dog, not come when called, 9 times out of 10 it was doing something it deemed more engaging than looking to you. That means to your dog, that other thing they were doing was more important than anything you had to say or wanted them to do. That becomes life threatening if a dog deems that engaging with the dog across the street is more important than coming when called. So how do you build engagement? Well, thankfully, it's easy! Start from day one by saying your pup's name. If they look at you, click your clicker or say "yes" and give them a treat. If they come to you, even better, give them a treat for looking at you, and another for coming. Your job is to court their attention and reward every time you get it. Before long, your puppy will look to you for everything. Once that happens, training can begin. If you skip this step, you will notice that during training your puppy may sit for you, take the treat, then decide to run around or sniff the ground etc. Those things means that training will take longer because you don't have engagement. Now that you've gotten the engagement you need, start training by making everything a learning experience and a game. You should be upbeat and excited. When you teach your dog to sit, mark the behavior with a click or a yes and reward with a treat excitedly. This only serves to increase engagement. You're not only a treat machine, you're also a fun friend. The more fun you are, the less fun distractions are. You can even begin to blend this into socialization. For example, your puppy sees another dog being walked across the street and starts to focus on them. You call their name, they look at you because you give treats for engagement, and you're way more fun than playing with another dog they don't even know across the street. This is the corner stone of having a dog who obeys commands every time, and not just when there's no distractions around or when they feel it's convenient. We've all either said, or have heard people say "Well, he usually does it when it's just us! Remember, while you're building this bond, trust, and engagement, you also need to start conditioning your puppy. Lift all 4 paws. Open the mouth. Check their ears. Touch their undersides. Open their eyes.This is the time to condition your puppy to being examined, medicated, temperature checked, bathed, nails clipped or dremeled etc. Lastly, during this time, you should be trying your hardest to build drive to play tug with a ball on a rope or tug. Food is great, but many dogs have more prey drive than food drive. If you have such a dog, a ball on a rope or tug is a powerful training agent. It also helps build a bond because puppies love food, but puppies also love to play. Later in life, you'll find it easier to stuff a ball in your pocket than a full pouch of treats as well. All of this sounds like an informal amalgamation of building trust, building a bond, training, desensitization, conditioning, building engagement and drive etc. But that's because this is exactly what raising a puppy in the most efficient and most reliable way possible is. Taking your time and blending all these aspects together until they're one and the same. Trying to create a schedule of when a puppy should know this, or that will not nearly be as fun for you or the puppy. It'll only make you both frustrated and feel like you're failing. But if you take your time, by 12 months, your puppy will know everything you would've put on that schedule, have bonded with you, think training and learning new things is fun, and be a pleasure to groom and vet! If you enjoyed this article, please leave a like and share. Thank you. This article is designed to help you along your way. This is completely normal. Every new puppy owner has their moments of frustration and doubt. Remember that your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy is going through a big life change, too. She may be feeling stressed and out of sorts when you first bring her home. Consistency and structure will go a long way toward helping both of you. Introducing The Puppy Crate A crate can be your best friend when it comes to caring for your 8-week-old puppy. While some people think of crates as cruel, the reality is that with the right training, your puppy will think of her crate as a safe, quiet space where she can go to relax. If you leave your puppy unsupervised at home, you may come back to find a whole lot of destruction. Puppies can get into all kinds of trouble on their own, with their natural curiosity and desire to chomp down on just about everything in their path. A crate can help you keep your German Shepherd puppy — and your belongings! While every puppy is different, chances are your daily schedule for the first week will look a little bit like this: Early morning: Time for the first potty break of the day! Breakfast time: You can feed your puppy breakfast right after her first potty break, or wait a little longer and let her go back to sleep first. Mid-morning: Time for another small meal, and another potty break. Afternoon: Lunchtime followed by a potty break. Late afternoon: Another potty break! Evening: Dinner, and then — you guessed it — potty time. Just before bed: One last trip outside before you turn in for the night. In between potty and mealtimes, your puppy will probably be playing or napping. Scheduling play and exercise at the same times every day can help ensure that you get that nice, quiet naptime right on schedule, too. Potty Training an 8 Week Old German Shepherd Potty training can be one of the most daunting tasks of raising a brand new puppy. It may take a bit longer than you expected for your puppy to get the hang of things! Your puppy has never been apart from her siblings and mother before. The best way to avoid a night full of mournful wailing is to let your puppy sleep in your room, at least in the beginning. Safer ways to keep your puppy comfortable and contained at night include keeping her crate beside your bed, setting up a puppy playpen, or even just using a tall cardboard box. In fact, an 8-week-old puppy can spend as many as 18 hours a day sleeping! This helps keep some element of consistency in her routine and her stomach. If you do decide to switch over to a different food after a few weeks, do so in stages. You can then increase that slowly over time. At 8 weeks old, German Shepherd puppies should be fed three to four times per day. Because the German Shepherd is a large breed, you should also feed your puppy a diet formulated specifically for large breed puppies. There are many commercially available diets made to help large breed puppies grow at the right rate. This helps to avoid skeletal abnormalities like hip dysplasia. Want more information on what to feed your 8-week-old German Shepherd, and how to change her diet as she gets older? We have everything you need to know right here in our guide to feeding a German Shepherd puppy. The stress of such a drastic life change can manifest in different ways, and an upset stomach is a pretty common reaction. You can give your pup a better chance of having a settled stomach by keeping her on the food she was eating before you brought her home, and feeding on a consistent schedule. Diarrhea can also be a sign of an underlying issue besides stress, however, and severe diarrhea can be life-threatening if left untreated. Your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy is likely to bite you too, for exactly the same reason. She may even growl. And it really can hurt! Your Growing Dog As your German Shepherd puppy grows, our guides will help you care for her throughout her life. Here are a few links to get you started:.
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