It is important for the whole family to attend obedience training classes. Small children should not be around animals unless supervised. Dogs do act in a herding response to small children. If a little boy or girl is on a swing set and the dog is outside, it may see the moving of a dress or pants leg as an object to herd and reach out to nip it.
Dogs are pack animals. Their family is their "pack". In the pack, a dominant animal will offer a corrective bite on the nose of a younger dog to correct unacceptable behavior. That is why young children are sometimes nipped by a dog. The dog thinks it is offering correction to the child. It is Imperative that dogs and young children never be left together unattended.
It is extremely important that the dog and the family learn dog obedience from the earliest possible age. Parents should find obedience classes that encourage or require the entire family to participate in training. This is why with each puppy or adult dog we sell, we offer free training classes. If the child can speak clearly, he or she is old enough to give commands. This should be reinforced by the parents until the children can do so for themselves. This shows the dog that it is subordinate to even the smallest human in the household. Consistency is the key. It is far more important to spend five minutes a day, every day, than to spend one hour, once a week.
Do not allow the dog to exercise dominance over the family. This includes climbing on furniture (placing himself higher than his pack), jumping or otherwise getting on, above, between or in front of family members. Do not let the dog(s) sleep on your bed or your furniture. For more information, I highly recommend calling or emailing us with any questions. If you buy a dog from another breeder, contact us: we are here for you. Our classes are open to ALL breeds.
Coming to training classes the first and second year of your dog's life is so important. When a dog is 2 years old, he is like an 18-20 year old human. Add 7 years to each year of his life after the first 2 years. If you own a male dog, Do Not spay/neuter your dog until his training is completed. Your dog will always need maintenance training. I always say a well trained dog makes a wonderful family member. They are loyal and honest to their reaction. You just need to get educated as to how a dog reacts to your environment. You and your family are their pack.
Our goal has always been to train sound family companions and service dogs. Our dogs have a very strong ball retrieval sense and thus are very adaptable for narcotics and explosives detection or urban training. Note: German Shepard, Dutch Shepard and Malinois are people dogs. They cannot develop and evolve to their true potential if they are left outside in a yard. Due to the breed, our dogs must go to someone who will train with their dog, learn to care for it properly and allow the dog to spend time with them and their family.
For more information, contact us. There is no such thing as an uneducated question. If we do not have the answer, we will get it for you.