German Shepherds can be highly effective dogs when you are looking to protect your property. However, they need to be properly trained for the sake of both safety and effectiveness.

The following are six important things a German Shepherd must be aware of in order to function effectively as a guard dog:

What the exact boundaries of your property are

Dogs are very territorial animals. You need to impress upon your guard dog the limits of your property so that your dog is not attempting to intrude on your neighbors' land.

You can train your German Shepherd to recognize the boundaries of your property by regularly walking the dog around the perimeter of your property while on a leash.

How to be out in social situations and behave appropriately

One of the most important tasks in training a German Shepherd as a guard dog is to socialize the dog adequately. Guard dogs need to learn how to behave appropriately when out in public.

German shepherds in training can be socialized simply by being taken out in public from a very young age so that they can mix with both people and other dogs on a regular basis.

What a normal situation is and what constitutes a threat

While protection dogs in training are being socialized, it's important to teach them what normal behavior is and what is a threat that they need to provide protection from. 

German shepherds are chosen as guard dogs because they have been bred to have a natural protective instinct. However, you need to build on this instinct by discinplining a dog for displaying signs of aggression when no threat is apparent and by rewarding the dog for behaving calmly when no threat is present.

What basic obedience commands are and how to respond

Protection dogs need to learn everyday obedience commands like "sit" and "stay" just like any other trained dog. Understanding these commands improves discipline and makes more nuanced guard dog training more easy for the dog to grasp. 

When to bark and when to stop barking

Guard dogs need to be trained to bark when there is a threat, but they need to know when to stop to avoid creating a nuisance in the neighborhood. 

How to identify an authorized visitor and how to identify an intruder

A guard dog needs to be socialized with regular visitors to a home so that he or she is trained to identify authorized visitors. Likewise, a guard dog needs to know the indications of an intruder.

For more information, contact a business like Command Control Protection Dogs.

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