The Deutscher Wachtelhund is a versatile gun dog that was bred in Germany for tracking down the game. It is not at all suitable for a novice dog owner and can only do well with an experienced owner that can keep up with its activity. It is of the determined, friendly, and highly active temperament of the dog that does not do well in apartment life.

Training this breed can be fun and challenging at the same time. It needs an owner who is calm but a confidant and can lead them with leadership skills. So, here you will learn about the training methods and strategies to train your Deutscher Wachtelhund.

When to Start Training Deutscher Wachtelhund?

Training should be started as early as possible for the Deutscher Wachtelhund. They are very active and eager to please when they are young which makes training easy. Basic training should be started when they are 6-8 months old. Basic commands, potty training, socialization, and obedience training should be given at this age.

When the Deutscher Wachtelhund gets 8 months old, it is time for more advanced training like dog sports and agility. It is a highly active dog breed that needs good exercise as well as mental stimulation. So, training like tricks, swimming, hiking, dog agility, flyball, and many more should be taught to them to keep their body as well as mind active.

Deutscher Wachtelhund in the water
Deutscher Wachtelhund Training Methods and Strategies.
Image Source: American Kennel Club

Where to Start Training Deutscher Wachtelhund?

For primary training, you can teach them in the comfort of the home with less distraction. Give them few minutes of training every day with treats and praise. If you keep them for a long time, they might get bored and will try to entertain themselves with different stuff. So, keep the session short and fun with lots of praise and treats to encourage them.

For advanced training, you need to take them to a park or an open space where your dog can perform various tasks freely. However, keep them on a leash so they do not go running off chasing some small animals with their hunting instinct. If trained properly off-leash, they will not be distracted with other things in the training area.

How to Define Task for Deutscher Wachtelhund?

To define a task for Deutscher Wachtelhund, you need to choose a particular word for a certain task. Dogs do not understand our language and we need to teach them so too many words for one task will confuse them. Therefore, one word or one phrase for a task should be followed. Like if you want your dog to sit or stop doing something, use the word sit and stop respectively.

You can also demonstrate them with your body language while teaching them some tricks like roll over, bring something, etc. It will learn by seeing you do it and follow you.

Deutscher Wachtelhund with the retrieve birds
Deutscher Wachtelhund with the retrieve birds.
Image Source: Wachtelhund.org

Training Process

Training Deutscher Wachtelhund is not very tough if you are an experienced dog owner who knows their ways with dogs.

Leadership: Introducing yourself as the Deutscher Wachtelhund leader is the first step of the training. Dogs are pack animals and they always need a leader who they can follow. So, establish leadership upon them and be a calm and consistent leader.

Positive Reinforcement: Deutscher Wachtelhund tends to respond well to the positive method of training which includes a lot of praise as well as treats. Reward them with treats and vocal praises as soon as they complete a certain task. This will keep them encouraged and they will be more focused on the training.

Agility: Agility helps to keep the Deutscher Wachtelhund body and mind active as well as healthy. It should be started when they reach adulthood which is between 6-9 months old. At this age, your dog has already mastered the basics and is ready for advanced training.

Visit Doglime for more dog breeds information and their training methods.

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