German Shepherd – Working Dog Training

German Shepherds were bred specifically to help with herding sheep. They have since been used in the army during World War II, as guard dogs, drug-sniffing dogs, bomb-sniffing dogs, guide dogs and police dogs. They have proven themselves time and time again.

Training begins early in the life of a German Shepherd puppy. They start with the simple “sit” and “stay” commands, but as they mature, they quickly graduate into more complicated training procedures. Depending on what specialized job they will inherit, their training will alter drastically. Most dogs love to perform on the obstacle course.

Training a dog to be a seeing-eye dog for the blind, for example, will take years of specific training exercises, including learning how to open a door, fetch a tray without spilling anything and a number of other human-like tasks. There are some dogs who will assist their owners in a wheelchair and be the owners’ legs and arms. Even for a dog that is as intelligent and loyal as the German Shepherd, learning these new tasks can take years, similar to a human child.

German Shepherds are very adaptable. They need to learn to halt at street corners without distraction or do much more than just halt every visitor that comes to a gate. They will need to be trained learn who is authorized to come in and who is not.

German Shepherds are renowned for their sense of smell. They can smell gas leaks, drugs, bombs and a variety of other substances, working in conjunction with law enforcement. Not only can they detect the material, they are trained to react appropriately to the problem that aids the police.

Search and rescue dogs have the difficult job of trying to locate a scent in a very dangerous situation. Typically, the terrain is unsteady and they will need to have a high endurance level to withstand the harsh conditions, such as low oxygen or extreme hot or cold climates. Finally, they will need to be in top shape to climb over such terrain.

Some of the jobs that humans do would not be nearly as successful without the help of a specially trained German Shepherd. These dogs have extreme dedication, intelligence and superior training that makes them so highly respected. They deserve high admiration. After all, they deserve it!

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