german shepherd dog !!?

Question

i live in a bunglaw and i own a german shepherd puppy. it is of 4 months. if i live it free at night to guard my bunglaw it just messes with all my household items . plz suggest something serious.

Answer 1

I am a proud owner of a German Shepherd. In my lifetime, I have owned many. The important thing to remember is that they are very trainable and very loyal. However, some can be very stubborn (mine is). You need to be consistent and demanding in your training. First let Spike know that it's not ok to mess with your household items. A good way to discipline is to get a crate and put him in there for 5-10 minutes when he misbehaves. It would also be a good idea to buy an inexpensive gate (fold-out) to put up at night. This will keep him out of certain rooms. But if there was an intruder, he would just knock it over, so there's nothing to worry about. I hope this helps!

Answer 2

First, let's get this straight - at four months old, your dog is still a baby. You cannot expect a four months old to guard your home any more than you could expect a seven year old child to beat up an intruder. Your puppy is just that - a puppy.

Some German Shepherds are more protective than others, however, most Shepherds do not show solid protection until they are past their teenage years (2 years and up). In order to get solid protection out of any dog, it has to be trained to protect as well.

At four months old, your puppy should not have free run of the house because it has not yet earned the privilege to be trusted around all the household goods. You need to crate train your puppy or create a "dog safe" room where you can keep your pup safely when you're not there to supervise. Aside from the fact that the puppy chews up your household items which is annoying for you, it can also be very dangerous for your pup - it would not be the first time a puppy has chewed through a power cord and electrocuted itself, or has eaten a rug and died from blockage afterwards.

Keep your dog and your household goods safe by being a responsible owner and crating or gating your dog when he's home alone.

You also need to exercise and train your puppy. Getting some of his excess energy out of him with physical (running, fetching, etc.) and mental (obedience training) exercise is important in a big breed like the German Shepherd that has a need for "work". An unexercised, untrained puppy can tear apart your couch out of sheer boredom and lack of supervision to get some of their energy out.

Lastly, you need to start obedience training with a real trainer at a real training facility. If you want this dog to be trusted alone in your home, you need to do the groundwork and teach the dog his boundaries. And if you want this dog to ever be a real protection dog, you need to train it to do this type of work. I would recommend finding a nearby Schutzhund club and having your pup evaluated to see whether he has the nerves and disposition to do that kind of work or not.

Answer 3

A 4 month old puppy usually is not going to guard much of anything. Puppies usually will get into everything as well. You should either crate your dog at night or put a gate in your kitchen door.

Answer 4

I know someone suggested running/jogging with this puppy. Please do NOT do this! Walking is fine, but German Shepherds are especially prone to hip dysplasia, and too much exercise at a young age can contribute to this. (Many things can, including but not limited to; too much exercise, too much weight on soft puppy bones, genetics, and breeding at too young of an age). Puppies should not start jogging until they are over a year old, and no jumping until 18 months. (I am overly cautious; no running with me, jumping or pulling of any kind until 2 years).

About your question, yes your dog is probably bored, as well as not having a knowledge of what it is allowed to chew on. You should provide it with chew toys, and if you are not able to watch it then it should be crated to prevent mistakes on the puppies part. At the age of 4 months, the puppy isn't going to be adequately protective anyway. By the time it is old enough to truly be protective, it will know what it acceptable to chew on.

Answer 5

LOL...been there! your GSD is just a puppy and really doesn't have the instinct to protect your property yet. best advice I could give you would be to crate train your pup to sleep in a crate at night. this will eliminate the messes. once your pup is older and you feel it won't destroy your house, then you can leave it out of the crate at night. GSD's are very easy to train and extremely loyal.....their protective instinct will kick in once it is older. another recommendation would be to take it to training classes from a certified trainer...well worth every penny you spend. GSD's are working dogs and will get bored easily...with boredom comes destruction, so you might want to make sure you give your pup plenty of exercise to wear it out....this I know from experience! found my sofa in the middle of my living room, ours was playing tug-o-war with the cushions and they don't come off! brand new sofa trashed! I couldn't blame the dog, it was my fault for not crate training him right away...I learned an expensive lesson.

Answer 6

Go to PetSmart and buy a crate. When you go to bed, leave for work, go out for ANYTHING, crate him. You will have to train him to go into the crate, but shepherds are very smart and it should not take long. You would not leave a 4 mo old baby loose in the home at night - it would be in bed. Dogs, when properly trained, look at the crate the same way.

Answer 7

Puppies need to be in crates when they're not being watched. The thing is, he's not just being a nuisance. He's like a curious little kid, and he may also be a little bit afraid of being out of a crate and vulnerable. Consider this too: he may be a nuisance around the house, getting into things and making a mess, but there are likely things around your house that are dangerous to him, especially things like electrical cords (puppies love to chew the plastic coating).
Go down to your local pet store and get a crate. Make sure you describe your situation to the sales assistant: that you have a temporarily pint-sized BIG dog. They'll help get you set up with a good size crate for your puppy. A lot of people mistakenly think that crates are like little prisons for their dogs, but in actuality, dogs like to have a space that is theirs and that feels safe to them. As long as he gets ample play time with you, he won't hate the crate. To that end, put the crate in a quiet low-traffic area of your house. This way, the dog is able to go into it and feel safe and hidden when he becomes overwhelmed or scared and needs to unwind. Make sure you put down blankets to make it comfortable for him, and make sure you put things in his crate that he understands are his things and that will keep him entertained while he's in the crate. Pupppies need to chew, so get him some good heavy rubber chew toys at the pet store, like a kong (you can fill it with a treat and he has to work to get to it...keeps them entertained for ever). The crate also makes housebreaking SO much easier. Because puppies and dogs are territorial creatures, they won't urinate or defecate in their crates. It's their space, so unless it's a real accident, they want to keep it clean.

Answer 8

No dog can guard anything at 4 months old and you must stay home with him to teach him how to behave just like children. It is not the dogs fault, he needs to be taught. Take the time or get rid of the pet and give it to someone who has time for him.

Answer 9

4 months is too young to be "left to guard your bungalow". He should be crated at night until he learns proper house manners. He needs to learn basic obedience, he needs to learn what he may and may not touch, and he needs to be supervised or crated at all times.

He is much too young for guard dog duty. First, he must have manners. As he grows up happy and well-adjusted, his guarding behavior will come out naturally when it is needed. If it isn't appropriate for a situation, then it must be corrected gently but firmly. Again, obedience training for BOTH of you will help you along.

Answer 10

He's 4 months - he's still a puppy. And probably a bored puppy. You need to exercise him at least 30 min - 1 hour every day - running/jogging/ LONG walks!! Get some of the excess energy out.

Also you'll need to attend some obediance classes. Let him know you're Alpha and your stuff is off limits. Invest is some good tough doggie toys. You'll have to teach him the difference to his toys and your stuff.

Talk to the trainer about it, they can give you some really good suggestions.

Good Luck