Dutch Shepherd Training
The Dutch Shepherd is an athletic dog breed with a powerful built that was bred as a shepherd dog. They are a great family companion for an active and loving family. This breed is not at all suited for a novice dog owner as it needs an experienced dog owner who can meet its physical and mental requirements.
The Dutch Shepherd is a smart, loyal, and very energetic temperament dog breed that needs proper training from a very early age. Their versatile personality makes them a great dog breed for training. Popularly used as a shepherd dog, police dog, working dog, so training must be done accordingly.
When to Start Training?
The training of the Dutch Shepherd should be started as early as possible. They are an independent dog breed that needs a master who can handle their stubbornness like an expert. The best time to start training this breed is when it is still a puppy and very eager to please its owner. The basic obedience training should be started when the puppy gets 6 weeks old. It is the best time to begin the training.
As your Dutch Shepherd puppy has learned the basic training, move to advance training which should be started at 4-6 months old. During this time, your dog needs a good amount of exercise and a lot of activities to do to stimulate its mind. Therefore, involve them in different kinds of dog sports, agility, and more to keep both their body and mind fit and healthy.
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Where to Start Training?
The basic training for your Dutch Shepherd should be started in the comfort of the house. They are very fearful at an early age which might affect their training. So, it is best to train them at home as they do not require much space for basic training. Moreover, there will be less distraction at home compared to parks or any other public place.
For advanced training, your dog needs an open space where it can perform its training like agility, socialization, and other dogs sports that cannot be performed at home. By this time, your Dutch Shepherd has learned obedience training and other basics, which will make it easy to move to more advanced training.
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How to Define Task for Dutch Shepherd?
To define a task for your Dutch Shepherd, you need to teach them certain words first. For example, teach them the words sit, stay, stop for the same task. Do not use multiple names for the same task as it might confuse your dog. Give them some treats immediately as they complete the given job. It keeps them motivated and focused on the training.
Using hand signs as well as body gestures can also help your dog a lot in the training. If you perform the same task and show them how it’s done, your dog is very likely to follow the visual instruction. Therefore, use hand and body gestures to make the training process even easier for your dog.
Training Process
The Dutch Shepherd is a very active and smart dog that has an independent mind. Training can be done effectively if you are an experienced dog owner who knows how to handle them.
Positive Reinforcement: The positive method of training is one of the most productive methods to use on your dog. Giving them treats after they complete a certain task as well as vocally praising them keeps them motivated in the training session. Be gentle with them and never raise a voice or a hand on them.
Socialization: Socialization is one of the important parts of your dog’s training. The more your dog interacts with people, the more they are gentle and not aggressive. So, the right age to start socializing your dog is as they are 7-8 weeks old. Take them out and introduce them to different people and dogs.
Agility: Since the Dutch Shepherd is an active dog breed that loves to be involved in different tasks, agility is best for them. It helps to keep their body active and minds stimulated. The right age to start agility is when they are 6 months old.
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