How to Train a German Shorthaired Pointer
Due to their natural desire to be the alpha dog, large dogs need special training so they know their place in the home and know how to obey commands from the family. In this article, you can go over some advice about how to train a German Shorthaired Pointer.
How to Train a German Shorthaired Pointer
These dogs are typically noble, obedient, and intelligent. They love to please their owner and are great companions. These qualities mean that training them is not difficult. However, it’s still essential to be patient, perseverant, and affectionate to get the best results.
Teach Them Basic Commands
As well as these qualities, the German Shorthaired Pointer is also a very eager dog due to the seemingly endless energy they have. They can be very restless and naughty, they even get into a little mischief.
To control this behavior, there’s nothing like teaching them basic commands such as “sit”, “lie down”, “stay”, etc. This way, when they start to show signs of excitement, you can quickly correct them with one of these commands. It won’t take for them long to learn and obey these commands best they are really smart dogs.
Controlling Their Hunting Instinct
The German Shorthaired Pointer is genetically designed for hunting, and if you’re not going to use them for hunting, you’ll need to control their instinct. If not, they’ll surprise you with gifts like dead animals from the street or your garden, which really isn’t such a nice gift.
You can use toys to keep them entertained, such as ones that are like the Kong, where you can put food inside, hide it, and have the dog look for it. It seems easy, but it isn’t.
Of course, you don’t really have to get rid of this instinct. It’s part of there personality and trying to do that would be cruel. It just means you should provide your German Shorthaired Pointer with things that stimulate them.
Exercise
The German Shorthaired Pointer also needs plenty of exercises to channel their energy and keep their bones and joints healthy. Long walks, swimming, or running are the best physical activities for a German Shorthaired Pointer.
Controlling Their Barking
If there’s a negative side to the German Shorthaired Pointer, it’s their constant and unnecessary barking. If you don’t want to deal with this problem for the sake of others, then you’ll need to learn how to control it.
You can do this by teaching the dog two commands, one to bark and the other to be quiet. Most people use a short word like “speak” or “bark”, and “silence” or “quiet” to stop them.
Using a Leash
One of the main problems with large dogs is their tendency of taking the owner out for a walk instead of the other way around. To stop this from happening, you need to take the necessary measures to train a German Shorthaired Pointer not to pull on the leash.
This will probably require much more patience on your behalf. It’s not an easy thing to teach, but as long as you’re persistent, you’ll get there.
Socialization
The German Shorthaired Pointer is a big strong dog and they know it. This means that they tend to see themselves as the alpha dog. To prevent this kind of behavior you need to socialize them with other dogs and people at a very young age.
It’s always a good idea to ask your vet when will be the right moment to take your puppy to the part with other dogs. Obviously, don’t take them until they’ve had all their vaccinations.
Some people are afraid of having a large dog because of the negative behavior they might have. But don’t worry, they’re an ideal breed as a pet. German Shorthaired Pointers only require to be trained properly.