Grooming - Bathe your German Shepherd when necessary

Bathe your German Shepherd only when necessary or every 2 months. Use a high quality dog shampoo for dry skin. Ask your vet, breeder or pet store for breed-specific recommendations.

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Grooming - Remove any mats or tangles

Remove any mats or tangles in his undercoat with a metal rake. Matting is typically worse in their neck, chest and thigh areas.

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Grooming - Brush your German Shepherd twice a week

Brush your German Shepherd twice a week to manage shedding. Use a natural bristle brush and pin brush to remove hair shedding from both the outer course coat and the woolly, dense undercoat.

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Guard dog training - Dog training class

Sign your German Shepherd up for guard dog training classes with a qualified instructor who has experience training German Shepherds in this specialized discipline. This type of training will help teach your dog more about guarding and protecting. The training will help fill in any gaps. Professional training is also beneficial because your dog will see another person teaching her some of the same things you do. That will help reinforce the importance.

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Guard dog training - Create rules in your home

Create rules in your home for your German Shepherd to teach her discipline. She will need this in order to be a good guard dog. German Shepherds respond well to this type of training and enjoy pleasing their owner. It shows that you expect her to behave. Some good house rules include no begging during meal times, staying off furniture (get a dog bed for your German Shepherd), no jumping on people, and sitting before playing with a toy.

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Guard dog training - Obedience training

Train your German Shepherd to be a guard dog with obedience training. Your dog should understand that you are the master. Use a clicker to teach her the basic commands necessary: come, sit, stay, and down. See "How to Train Your Dog Yourself" in References to help you with obedience training.

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Guard dog training - Begin training very early life

Begin training your German Shepherd to be a guard dog very early in her life. Starting at eight weeks old is best. Socialization should be the first part of training. This is where you introduce your German Shepherd to new people, places and things. This socialization training will help your dog learn to see what is a threat and what is not. You can do this by going for walks in different areas, taking her to different parks, bringing her along on car trips when you can, and allowing visitors to interact with her. If German Shepherds do not receive this training they could become dangerous to anyone.

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