REWARD AND PUNISHMENT
Discipline, training one to act in accordance with rules, brings order to life. It is as simple as that. Without discipline, particularly in a group society, chaos reigns supreme and the group will eventually perish. Humans and canines are social animals and need some form of discipline in order to function effectively. They must procure food, reproduce to keep the species going and protect their home base and their young.
If there were no discipline in the lives of social animals, they would eventually die from starvation and/or predation by other stronger animals. In the case of domestic canines, dogs need discipline in their lives in order to understand how their pack (you and other family members) functions and how they must act in order to survive.
A large humane society in a highly populated area recently surveyed dog owners regarding their satisfaction with their relationships with their dogs. People who had trained their dogs were 75% more satisfied with their pets than those who had never trained their dogs.
Dr. Edward Thorndike, a noted psychologist, established Thorndike’s Theory of Learning, which states that a behavior that results in a pleasant event tends to be repeated. Likewise, a behavior that results in an unpleasant event tends not to be repeated. It is this theory on which most training methods are based today. For example, if you manipulate a dog to perform a specific behavior and reward him for doing it, he is likely to do it again because he enjoyed the end result.
Occasionally, punishment, a penalty inflicted for an offense, is necessary. The best type of punishment often comes from an outside source. For example, a child is told not to touch the stove because he may get burned. He disobeys and touches the stove. In doing so, he receives a burn. From that time on, he respects the heat of the stove and avoids contact with it. Therefore, a behavior that results in an unpleasant event tends not to be repeated.
A good example of a dog learning the hard way is the dog who chases the house cat. He is told many times to leave the cat alone, yet he persists in teasing the cat. Then, one day he begins chasing the cat but the cat turns and swipes a claw across the dog’s face, leaving him with a painful gash on his nose. The final result is that the dog stops chasing the cat.
TRAINING EQUIPMENT
COLLAR
A simple buckle collar is fine for most dogs, constructed of nylon (for a pup) and of leather (for an adult). One who pulls mightily on the leash may require a choke collar for training. Always be certain that the collar fits snugly but not too tightly. A puppy Shepherd’s neck (and the fur around it) grows every day, so keep a close eye on his collar.
LEASH
A 6-foot leash is recommended, preferably made of leather or nylon. The leash you choose should be one with which you are able to work easily, comfortable for both the dog and you and perfectly safe.
TREATS
Have a bag of treats on hand. Something nutritious and easy to swallow works best; use a soft treat, a chunk of cheese or a piece of cooked chicken rather than a dry biscuit. By the time the dog gets done chewing a dry treat, he will forget why he is being rewarded in the first place! By the way, using food rewards will not teach a dog to beg at the table— the only way to teach a dog to beg at the table is to give him food from the table. In training, rewarding the dog with a food treat away from the table will help him associate praise and the treats with learning new behaviors that obviously please his owner.
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Training Your German Shepherd Dog
Housebreaking Your German Shepherd Dog
Teach Your German Shepherd Dog Basic Commands
Training Advice for German Shepherd Dogs
Excerpt from Comprehensive Owner's Guide: German Shepherd Dog