OBEDIENCE By Barbara Hahn

German Shepherd Dogs are large, intelligent dogs that were originally bred to tend sheep in Germany. They have evolved into one of the most versatile breeds which may be found today in many venues including herding, personal and property protection, police work, personal assistance for handicapped individuals, entertainment, show and performance dogs, and most importantly one of the most loved pets in the United States and Canada. The first section of this article is devoted to the owners and prospective owners of dogs whose life will be spent as a well-loved family member. Well-adjusted, well-mannered GSDs who are welcomed into many facets of family life don't just happen, they're created. The first step takes place with the breeder who selects a bitch from their kennel and a stud dog who complements her strengths and weaknesses. When the puppies arrive, the breeder ensures that their physical and social needs are met. This is one reason it is crucial to select your GSD puppy from a reputable breeder. Information about selection of pet puppies is available from a variety of sources. WHY SHOULD I SOCIALIZE MY PUPPY OR OLDER DOG? GSD puppies need to be exposed to a variety of people, places and activities once they are in their new homes. Lack of appropriate socialization experiences can create an adult dog who is afraid of many things, untrusting of people, and, in general, not the kind of dog who can be a good family pet. For both owner and dog, one of the most positive ways to socialize a puppy is "Puppy Kindergarten." Puppy Kindergarten introduces first time owners of the youngest puppies to the art of dog training. Older dogs with no obedience training need to attend a beginning level class which is similar to Puppy Kindergarten, but somewhat more formal. Classes usually cover topics such as basic grooming, pack order, and beginning obedience skills. Obedience skills for the young puppy or beginner should include basic heeling, the sit and down positions, stay in both a sit and a down, recall (come on command,) wait at the door or before entering and exiting the car, as well as techniques to keep the puppy from jumping on both owners and visitors, and address such issues as house training, digging, garbage can investigations, unwanted barking, and taking food and other objects from tables and counters. Many Puppy Kindergartens also introduce scaled down versions of agility equipment and puppy play sessions. A good instructor will keep the lessons short, fun, and positive. Today obedience teaching methods tend to focus on motivating the dog to do as the handler wants rather than compelling the dog to do something to avoid an unpleasant consequence. Food is often used as a motivator as well as verbal and physical praise. Teaching your dog the obedience skills he needs to be a great family member should be a fun experience for both puppy and owner. A trained dog is a joy to take on family outings to parks, school, the kid's ball games and just for a ride on Sunday afternoon! CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT THESE OBEDIENCE TERMS? Basic heeling for a family pet means the dog will sit at the handler's left side when told to do so and when the handler steps forward with a command to the dog, the dog will walk at the handler's side with the dog's right ear in line with the side seam in the handler's pants or skirt. When the handler stops, the dog will sit parallel to the handler's left leg in the heel location. The dog will learn to maintain the heel position as the handler turns  to the left, right, and makes 180° turns in either direction. The dog will also maintain heel position regardless of the speed of the handler. The dog will begin to learn to watch the handler's face and body for clues in speed and direction changes. In Puppy Kindergarten classes the emphasis is on instruction of the owner/handler rather than perfection of the canine performance. The command "sit" is generally taught to puppies using food placed at their nose and gently raised. As the puppy's nose goes up to get the food, their rear moves naturally into a sit and the pup is rewarded with the tidbit. "Sit - Stay" is taught with the sit and means the dog will stay in the sit position as the handler walks away from the dog to a maximum distance of 6 feet and remains there for up to one minute. The "down" command is very similar to sit as far as teaching is concerned. Down means the dog lies down on his side or on haunches with elbows touching the surface. "Down -Stay" is taught with the down and the dog will stay in the down position as the handler walks away from the dog to a maximum distance of 6 feet and remains there for up to three minutes. The formal recall is composed of two parts; the stay portion as the handler leaves the dog and goes to the end of the leash and the come portion when the handler calls the dog who comes promptly and sits in front of the handler. "Wait" is a command that is used to emphasize the human rank in the pack and to help ensure the dog's safety. Dogs are taught to wait until all humans are through doorways and out of cars before they may do so. It is actually a variation of the stay concept. WHERE DO A FIND A PUPPY KINDERGARTEN OR BEGINNER OBEDIENCE CLASS? Obedience classes are sometimes offered as part of a city recreation program, an adult education program offered by a local college or school district, as part of a business that offers pet supplies and/or grooming, or as a separate business devoted solely to training. When selecting a place to train your puppy, it is important to investigate as many options as possible. A good source of information about what is available locally is other people with puppies or young dogs. Talk to your co-workers, neighbors, veterinarian, your puppy's breeder. If owners report pleasant experiences with improvements in canine behavior, go to visit this facility. Other factors that should be considered in selecting a training location are cleanliness of the facility, experience level of the instructors, methods of instruction, and when visiting the location feeling welcomed and comfortable with the instructors and the way the classes are conducted. If there is a "problem dog" how is the problem resolved? If you are not comfortable with what happens at that location, look elsewhere. ARE THERE OTHER OBEDIENCE CLASSES AFTER BEGINNERS? After a period of training, the dog should be ready to take a AKC Canine Good Citizen Test which is offered in a variety of settings including training schools, camps, and as adjuncts to AKC dog shows. A dog which can successfully complete the CGC Test is generally a dog that is an enjoyable companion. The Canine Good Citizen Test consists of ten activities which offer a dog the opportunity to prove he is well-behaved in a variety of settings. COMPETITIVE OBEDIENCE Competitive Obedience Training consists of learning to teach a dog to perform a variety of exercises described by the AKC at three levels of difficulty. The AKC supplies the structure for member clubs to offer Obedience Trials as separate events or part of a conformation show. Showing in Obedience can be as competitive as the handler chooses to make it. All contestants begin with a perfect score of 200 points. Points or half points are deducted for canine and/or handler mistakes. If a team scores zero on any exercise, they receive a "not qualifying" score for that day. The team must retain 170 or more points (with no zeros) to qualify on that date. Qualification is referred to as getting "a leg." Three qualifying scores under three different judges are required to earn a title. The GSDCA offers an Obedience Trial as part of the National show each year. The exercises are as follows: Novice: Heel on Leash and Figure Eight, Stand for Examination, Heel Free, Recall, Long Sit and Long Down. When a canine/handler team earns three legs the dog as earned the title of Companion Dog and the letters CD are written at the end of his official name (Kennel's Obedience Star CD). After completing the CD title, the team can move on to Open. Open: Heel Free and Figure Eight Off Lead, Drop on Recall, Retrieve on Flat, Retrieve Over High Jump, Broad Jump, Long Sit and Long Down. After accumulating three qualifying scores, the dog has earned the Title Companion Dog Excellent and the letter X is added to the CD at the end of his name (Kennel's Obedience Star CDX). Once this title has been completed, the team can move on to Utility. Utility: Signal Exercise, Scent Discrimination Exercise, Directed Retrieve, Moving Stand and Examination, Directed Jumping. After achieving three qualifying scores the dog has earned the title of Utility Dog and the letters UD replace the CDX at the end of his name (Kennel's Obedience Star UD.) There are two other levels of competition that will be discussed at a later time. Further information about AKC Obedience activities is available on their web site:

|HOME| |Breeding| |Links| |Rescue| PREFORMANCE| Copyright © 1997 - 2006, SpiderWoman , Last Updated - 12/05/98 at 1:36 AM EST