Dog training is a lot like the movie “The Godfather.” In order to get great results, you need to make your dog an offer they can’t refuse. But, instead of using violence and anger, we want to find ways to positively motivate your dog.

A point that I always stress when I am teaching someone how to train his or her dog is this: Training does not happen without motivation. You need to motivate your dog if you want her to perform.

I also stress the fact that there are two forms of motivation: Positive and Negative. Both forms of motivation can produce results.

For a long time dog trainers would not use food or other forms of positive motivation because they had the silly notion that a dog is supposed to work for its master, PERIOD.

So dog trainers of the past would put a choke chain on the dog and use negative motivation to get the dog to comply with the command. The pain motivated the dog. In order to escape the pain the dog would comply.

A very bad way to train.

Whenever a trainer uses negative motivation he will get side effects. A killer whale trainer once said: If you put a shock collar on a killer whale you will have a very short training session because there is a good chance that the whale will eat you when you get in the pool.

He went on to say that aggression is caused by negative training methods. I completely agree with him. You can’t constantly expose your dog to negative training sessions and not expect it to produce negative side effects.

At this point many dog owners think that if you use food to train, the dog will only work for food.

Using food is only one part of the training process. Once your dog starts to learn a command, you can start to use life rewards.

A life reward is anything that the dog likes or wants. Does your dog like to go for car rides? Before you open the door and let your dog in, give your dog a command – sit, down, stay, etc.

Compliance is what we want from our dogs when we are doing obedience. You get compliance by motivating your dog.

Here is the secret of compliance:

1. Ask
2. Motivate
3. Reward

Through repetition your dog will start to learn the command.

Conclusion – In the movie “The Godfather,” negative motivation was used to get compliance, something we don’t want to do when we are training our dogs. Instead, we want to use positive motivation. By using positive motivation, we don’t have to resort to aggressive training techniques that promote aggression in dogs.

Once you’ve made up your mind to get a dog, you are only at the beginning of a heap of decisions that need to be made. The following information should help make your decisions a little bit easier for the first time dog owner.

What Size Of Dog Should You Get?

The first consideration will be selecting a breed that would best suit your family, work and home life. Should you settle on a large or small dog? Too many people instantly want to get a large dog because they look impressive, are often great guard dogs, and they can be quite imposing.

Before you run out to buy a Great Dane, Saint Bernard or Rottweiler, you need to step back and consider the following:

a) As a general rule (and there are exceptions to every rule), a large dog costs more than a small dog.

b) A big dog means that you will have to provide a lot of food, which can get quite expensive.

c) They will need room to roam and sleep – quite a bit of room.

d) They also require more exercise, since you’ll have to walk farther and longer, than you would with a small dog, in order to give it the appropriate amount of exercise.

Should You Get A Pedigree Purebred Or A Mixed Breed Dog?

A mixed breed or mutt will be as loving, attentive, and sometimes as good looking as a purebred. However, many people base their choices on the pedigree lineage of a particular dog breed, rather than the temperament of the dog.

You should be made aware that purebreds can have quite a bit of problems related to their particular breed. For instance, many purebred dogs have bone and joint disorders that will eventually cause lameness, while others may be prone to epilepsy and/or seizures. Still more, such as dogs with long droopy ears, run into frequent ear infection problems. There’s more, but you get the idea. That’s not to say that mixed breed dogs don’t also have these problems, but they are less prone to harbor them.

The benefits of purebreds are that they most often have “set” characteristics that you can more or less count on. For example, you can be pretty sure that a golden retriever will be medium to large in size, have golden/silky fur, have a pleasant, non-aggressive temperament with a laid-back personality, and would be a good choice for a family with young children. However, like everything in life, there are always exceptions to the rule. The dog you choose “may” be the exception, but you won’t know until you have him/her home.

Mixed breeds tend to have more genetic diversity and therefore often have an overall healthier immune system. They are usually just as intelligent, sometimes more so, than some purebreds (due to in-breeding).

But please be aware, just because a mixed breed “looks” like a cross between a shepherd and a husky doesn’t mean that its parents were purebreds. More than likely they were also of mixed breed heritage.

It just means that somewhere along the line there was a retriever and a shepherd and those two dominant physical characteristics have emerged within the current dog. It also doesn’t mean that this particular dog has either of their temperaments. If the parents were also of mixed variety, it’s possible a very aggressive gene could emerge within the current dog. Again, you won’t know until you have lived with your new pet for a few days.

Shall You Get A Puppy Or An Adult Dog?

The puppy is a delightful little creature, full of amusing antics. They provide endless pleasure with their squirming bodies, playful temperaments, and enthusiastic licks. At the same time, they will undoubtedly provide a certain amount of trouble. Puppies, like children, have their “ailments” and will need to be de-wormed, among other things by your veterinarian.

You will also need to provide proper nutritious feeding for a growing puppy, take the time to housebreak your new family member, and engage in behavior training.

Your new puppy will also show his/her friendly feelings for you by tearing up your rugs, chewing anything he/she can get his/her teeth on, and doing as much mischief as he/she can possibly get away with.

An adult dog will usually save you a lot of this trouble as he/she has already gone through the “puppy stage”. Unfortunately, as an adult, he/she may also have developed bad habits, which you may or may not be able to break them of.

On the whole, you may want to choose a dog that is around nine to ten months old, if you can get one at that age. By that time the young dog has passed much of the real puppy trouble stage, yet he is not too old that he/she has developed bad habits. It’s also a good age to train the dog in the behaviors that you desire.

How Much Grooming Will Your Dog Require?

Another thing to consider is the grooming aspect of the dog of your choice. Long haired dogs will require frequent brushing and trimming. Some breeds grow hair like a well fertilized and watered lawn. Their fur will require frequent cutting (Terriers fall into this category) and brushing; otherwise it will become a matted, tangled mess. If you aren’t up to the task, you should look at acquiring a short-haired dog instead.

A Few Additional Pointers When Choosing A Dog

When looking for a dog, pay attention to the eyes and expression of the animal. Besides making sure that they do not have any noticeable eye infections, you can often tell whether the dog is good-natured or aggressive. Think of when you’re outside and someone walks by with a dog on a leash. You will look at the dog and either reach out to pat him/her because they “look” friendly, or you’ll take a few steps back because the dog “appears” aggressive – even if the dog didn’t do anything other than walk by you.

Be sure to also check over the coat and skin carefully, looking for evidence of eczema, mange or other possible skin diseases. Examine the teeth, ears, and nose for any signs of infection or decay as well.

There are many good books on the market that can guide you in how to choose a healthy, good-natured dog that suits your lifestyle and I suggest you take the time to read a few. Hopefully, this article has given you a base in which to begin your research to finding a great dog that will provide you with years of love, smiles, laughter and wonderful memories.

The problem of the dog that doesn't come is one of the most frustrating (and dangerous) dog behaviour issues. If you suffer from this problem, the solutions are simple, but you may have to go back to basics!

1) Always use the same command. I use 'come' because it is simple to use and is unlike any other command word. Remember your dog will not understand 'get over here' if you usually say 'come'.

2) Always praise the dog for coming to you. This is particularly important for puppies who will learn extremely well if they are praised and loved every time they do something right! Come should be the dog's favourite word, and should make them want to run to you straight away.

3) Never call the dog to you for punishment, or to do something unpleasant. Remember love and praise every time!

4) Your body language is important. A dog stands stiff legged and looks into the eyes of another dog to be aggressive and threatening. You will find it much more effective to crouch or bend, slap your legs and don't make eye contact. Keep your voice high pitched and cheerful. Your dog may come to you without you giving the command word when you adopt this position.

5) It is essential that your dog doesn't learn to ignore the 'come' command. Use any trick that you can to get the dog to come to you – running away will make him chase you, for instance. A particularly useful trick I use is to do something totally out of character, like falling to the ground and pretending to cry or laugh loudly. Your dog will come to investigate. However embarrassed you are, praise the dog for coming – any punishment will ruin your work so far, and you will be back to square one.

6) An adult dog that doesn't come on command has already learnt that the command word is meaningless. It is much easier to choose a different word than to try and correct a corrupted one. Choose 'here', 'to me' or any other simple word that you fancy!

Remember that however well your dog is trained, he may still get lost or stolen. I always recommend that any dog should be micro-chipped – a simple process whereby a microchip with personal information is injected under the dogs skin. Should he become lost, any dog pound / police handler will scan the dog for a chip, and be able to return him to his owner.

Each and every one of us is drawn to other people based on a sometimes subconscious preference for looks and personality. As your personal relationships deepen, and you commit to a long-term form of friendship, or choose a life-long mate, you often start to come to the realization that it’s a persons personality that far outweighs any other quality. No matter what your chosen companion(s) may look like, its far less important in the long run than their dependability or sense of humor.

The same is equally true when deciding on the German Shepherd that you want to make part of your family. While every dog buyer (and breeder) may have a certain set of preferences regarding physical appearance, the number one concern that should be on your mind is finding a dog that is compatible and will make a happy and well-adjusted long-term companion.

Truly “good’ breeders (i.e. non-profit) spend loads of time with their puppies. During these extended socialization periods, the savvy breeder will note certain personality traits such as dominance, amiability, and determination (not to mention gait, topline, and angulation). If it some down to it, you would be much better off giving up on the “perfect” appearance in order to have a dog that is compatible with you and your lifestyle. If you breeder is a knowledgeable German Shepherd handler, they’ll be able to help you find a perfect “match”, as they realize that when an owner is happy, so is the dog.

Word to the wise, however. A German Shepherd Dog is most definitely NOT for everybody. If you’re looking for a lazy, dull, listless breed that is absolutely submissive and will always obey every single command, don’t bother with the German Shepherd. If you work 12 hour days and are too tired to spend an hour or so a night playing with your furry friend – don’t buy a Shepherd. If you plan to chain your dog in the backyard and commit him to a life with little or no human interaction – don’t buy a Shepherd. German Shepherds are the appitimy of “mans best friend”. They want and need a social life, and will suffer greatly, both emotionally and physically without one. Treat them as you would a best friend, and they’ll bring more joy into your life than you can imagine!

Decision Time : Puppy or Adult?

If you’re like 99% of the dog buying public, you initial response is “a puppy, of course”. Just as in the world of human adoptions, the vast majority of people want to start their relationship with their new family member at the start of their life.

However, don’t overlook the advantages of an adult dog. When you adopt an adult German Shepherd, many times you forego the early ‘trials and tribulations” that new dog owners must ‘suffer’ through (housebreaking, etc.), not to mention the “chewing’ stage that a teething puppy will invariably go through. If you’re gone most of the day, and have already experienced the ‘delights’ of owning a new puppy , then an adult dog may be right for you (check your local shelter or rescue agency, many times they have a “diamond in the rough” just waiting from someone like you!)

Male or Female?

Both genders have their pros and cons. There is a slight size difference (with males averaging two inches or so taller, and about 20 pounds heavier than females) in that males sometimes appear to have a greater “stature” than females (not always true, of course). Females, of course, have a heat cycle, which can be a pit of a pain until you have them spayed (always recommended).

Having said that, a German Shepherd’s personality characteristics are determined much more by heredity and environment than by gender. As with any dog breed, a loving home with concerned and caring owners does wonders in raising a dog that is happy, fun-loving, and a joy to all that meet them.