After dog training, will my GSD listen to me or just the trainer?

I like to train with my dog and start in a group obedience class. That way Kobe learns to listen to you with other dogs around. Obedience training is fun and you'll both enjoy it. I took my dog to several different classes with different trainers as he grew up. Training can be needed for the first year or two to have a well behaved dog. If you are having problems then I'd get one on one training. Personally I only send hunting dogs away for specialized training. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Kobe.

I know this is something you want to do at home on your own however, my recommendation is that you should consult a professional dog trainer. If you do training at home without knowing what you are doing you will end up giving him incorrect/mixed signals. That will confuse him and he will end up with bad habits that are difficult to correct. Please consult a professional trainer so that Bruno gets trained correctly from the start. You can even use the trainers inside of Petco - the classes are not that expensive. I think that is your best bet. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

A big strong dog like your Mufasa can easily become a danger, so it is absolutely mandatory that he listens to you and that he learns several basic commands such as heel, sit, lie down, come here, etc. The best way to teach him that is to become a member of a German Shepherd Dog club in your area, where they have training for obedience , etc, or consult with a dog trainer you can work with to teach the commands. It is important not to just give the dog to the trainer to train, but to have both of you , dog and owner, learn how it is done. This way your dog will not just listen to the trainer and play games with you, but will learn to respect you as well.

If you are seeking a dog specifically to bark at strangers, your best bet would be not to introduce him to others outside of your immediate family. If you allow him to mingle with lots of other animals and people, he will likely become a well adjusted dog that gets along with most people. German Shepherds are definitely known for their protectiveness, especially towards their family and property. Unfortunately they are also known for their neurotic behavior and destructiveness when not given an appropriate job. Because of their high level of intelligence, German Shepherds tend to do better when they have a purpose. Oscar might benefit from some training in some type of dog related activity. German Shepherds are known for their acumen in Schutzhund. I would suggest you watch some videos online about this, and see if it is something you are interested in pursuing with your dog.

There will be a period of adjustment when you'll have to be patient with the dog as she adjusts to her new owner. Be sure to know in advance what commands your friend uses, what behaviors in response to those commands she knows, etc. Even if she is "housebroken" at your friend's house, she will not know the rules at yours. so be sure to teach her, and do not get angry if she makes a few mistakes as she learns. Have your friend bring Ana to your home several times before he leaves, so she can get used to it and you. If you have questions or concerns once she is with you, I can help. Just click on the prompt to initiate a consult.

Great question! You are absolutely correct that it's about raising the dog correctly. German Shepherds can be excellent, friendly, wonderful family dogs, but you do have to make sure you start training them from the very beginning. They can be very stubborn and do require a lot of training, but if you are committed to socializing it, behavior classes, and being consistent, you can have a wonderful dog. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

GSDs are very headstrong dogs as you are seeing, and it's great that you have done obedient walk training with your GSD! It's not in their blood that they always try to pull on the leash, as not all GSDs will pull, but they are very energetic dogs. Given that your dog still isn't behaving correctly 100% of the time on the leash, I would wait to adopt another GSD until yours in under control fully on the leash. That will make it easier for you to handle walking two of them at the same time :-)