German Shorthaired Pointers are naturally strong and exceptionally resilient dogs. This makes GSPs the perfect candidates for different training sessions that will help them harness their strength and intelligent minds. Where do you start, though?
Here is the complete guide for effectually training a German Shorthaired Pointer puppy.
Amongst all other dogs, German Shorthaired Pointers are regarded as one of the most intelligent breeds but also have a rugged physical build. Although these hunting dogs aren’t perhaps much to look at, they have a lot to offer to their human families.
Beginning training sessions early on in their life cycle will help house-train your puppy. Above all else, obedience training is the minimum for a good pup. Training a German Shorthaired Pointer is necessary and could even lead to entering them into different dog sports competitions.
Training any dog breed takes some effort and requires commitment. For some pups, more action is needed from dog owners to teach just basic commands. Is that the case with German Shorthaired Pointer puppies?
Fortunately, German Shorthaired Pointer owners don’t have to pull double time when trying to teach basic commands as part of their obedience training routine. Dog training this dog breed is an exciting experience because of how eager it is to please and its high intelligence. With that in mind, we can safely categorise this breed as easy to train.
Now that you know that training German Shorthaired Pointers isn’t difficult, what should be included in your training sessions? This hound is capable of a wide array of skills. So, agility, hunting, and even swimming are all excellent lessons the dog will excel at and enjoy.
However, building a good foundation of training sessions through basic potty, crate, obedience, and leash training exercises can never be over-emphasised. Furthermore, these exercises provide a sound basis for any further advanced training after that.
The basics of house training involve potty training sessions. These lessons are fundamental as they contribute to the hygiene of your household. When should you begin this process, and what are the best implementation methods?
Although German Shorthaired Pointers can be toilet trained at any age, the sweet spot for this training is between 8 and 12 weeks. At this stage, the pup would have gained control of its bladder and bowel movements and can signal when it needs to relieve itself.
A German Shorthaired Pointer pup can notify you when they need to relieve themselves. For example, this breed might begin circling, sniffing, or being restless.
If you see these signs, take your pup outside in the designated spot and wait until the dog’s finished. Afterwards, use vocal praise or a treat for some positive reinforcement.
The crate training process is not a prerequisite for owning a dog, but it has a lot of great benefits when done right.
Some might view such sessions as heartless or brutal. However, they help with obedience and potty training. At the same time, this gives the pup set boundaries and helps it form good relationships with its own space.
These sessions could begin around the time you start potty training. This could improve the efficacy of both these training exercises.
As mentioned before, there are multiple benefits with crate training your GSP puppy. But when deciding if this training is best for you and your dog, you’ll need to be aware of both the pros and cons.
The GSP breed is primarily a hunting dog with boundless energy, especially at the beginning. However, this energy could be used for advanced lessons of tricks such as retrieving, agility, or other skills within the breed’s scope.
This type of training could be invaluable when entering dog sports competitions organised by the American Kennel Club or your local breed club.
Ensuring you make training beneficial for GSPs is the key to positively harnessing their potential for the best results. Here are a few tips for effectively training your pup.
Although they are an intelligent breed, they require a consistent training routine. If you’re a bit time-savvy, you could make the training sessions short but not disrupt the rhythm. Ensure your pup has grasped the concepts before leaving it to its own devices.
For some consistency, some owners have found it beneficial to use the assistance of puppy classes or kindergarten.
Positive reinforcement is a core component of training German Shorthaired Pointers. Since these hounds are eager to please, they need to know how they’re doing, so vocal praise and rewards make a difference.
Some treats are pretty unhealthy, so opt for a different reward system. Some owners have chosen to leverage playtime as a reward. For example, you might go to a dog park and resort to playing fetch as a reward during training.
Clicker training is one of the best ways of effectively training any breed. The benefit of one-on-one sessions, as opposed to mass training classes, is that you can implement this method. In addition, it helps the pup understand precisely when they did something right, making your reward system more effective.
Training a German Shorthaired Pointer is an absolute delight! Since these dogs are eager to please, the process gets much more manageable. There is no better feeling than seeing your pup grow into a responsible adult dog, fulfilling its desired role within the family.
The best part is that these hounds can be the best family pets that play well with other animals and even young children within the family through early socialisation. If you would like to adopt this hound, go for it! Training won’t be much hassle, and even beginners can get it right the first time.
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