Noble Companions

New German Shepherd Puppy Handbook

Topaz Von Noble At 6 weeks

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CONGRATULATIONS!

We believe you have just added a wonderful

companion and loyal protector to your family!

You are just beginning a new life for you and your new

puppy. This new life that you share will be fun most

of the time, and sometimes challenging, but I would

like you to know that I am available with for any is-

sues, good and bad that will come.

In this handbook, I’ve tried to give you lots of re-

sources, tips and advice, as well as listing some of my

favorite resources for supplies, books, and training fa-

cilities. Please take some time to read through it, and

let me know if I can help make this new phase of your

life a happy and healthy one!

You can always count of me to try to answer any ques-

tions, celebrate your victories (whether it’s successful

house training or attaining a title!) and sharing your

joys and concerns.

Noble Companions

719-884-1125

noble_companions@yahoo.com

Facebook: Noble Companions

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Your Puppy’s History………………. 4

2. Your Puppy’s Pedigree……………… 8

3. Puppy Supplies………………………. 9

4. Your Puppy’s New Home…………… 10

5. Your Puppy’s Schedule……………… 12

6. House Training………………………. 13

7. General Training……………………. 16

8. Puppy Obedience and Socialization.. 21

9. Grooming……………………………. 22

10. English/German/Czech Commands.. 26

11. Resources……………………………. 28

12. Recommended Books & Videos……. 29

13. Your Puppy’s Vet / Free Health Exam 31

14. Sources……………………………….. 31

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YOUR PUPPY’S HISTORY

The beginning of the modern German Shepherd

The history of the German Shepherd was about to truly

begin in 1889, when the Captain Max von Stephanitz appeared

on the scene. A wealthy German, von Stephanitz was born in

the Kingdom of Saxony, in Dresden, to an upper-class Germany

family. While von Stephanitz made his career in the Germany

cavalry, his true interest was in animals; he served at the Veteri-

nary College in Berlin, and upon his release from the captain-

ship in 1898 began devoting himself full-time to dog breeding,

influenced by similar movements going on across the Channel

in England. Von Stephanitz saw the potential inherent in stan-

dardizing the German Shepherd breed across Germany, select-

ing for the most desirable traits in each regional group of dogs

and ultimately creating an “ideal” breed that combined the best

elements in each. He sought to create a dog that was as keenly

intelligent as its lupine ancestor, with pricked ears that would

allow it to hear the coming of intruders, a keen and refined

sense of smell, and a strong work ethic, traits ironically seen in

today's modern German Shepherd.

Such a dog caught von Stephanitz's eye shortly after-

wards, at a dog show in the town of Karlsruhe. There he came

across the embodiment of his ideal – a wolf like dog with

speckled yellow and gray fur, a powerful gaze, and a strong de-

meanor that bore traces of the primal animal within. The dog

was intelligent – easily trained in the skills necessary for a

sheepherder. Von Stephanitz knew that he had found his ideal

for the breed. He purchased the dog, Hektor Linksrhein, shortly

thereafter, choosing to rename the creature Horand von Gra-

frath. Von Stephanitz then registered the dog, rendering it the

first officially registered German Shepherd in the world! Von

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Stephanitz used this dog as his main “stud” - breeding Horand

with a variety of bitches to create litters of offspring, hoping to

create pups that were the model of their proud, noble father. To

further his ends, Von Stephanitz founded the German Shepherd

Dog Club (in German, the Verein fur Deutsche Schferhunde, also

known as the SV), of which he became president, and shortly

thereafter was successful in creating a standardized German shep-

herd breed.

What does Czech/DDR Bloodlines Mean?

The popularity of the German Shepherd Dog (GSD) had

been growing in numbers since their origin by founder Rittmeis-

ter Max von Stephanitz. Little did anyone know what an impact

both World Wars would impart on the German Shepherd breed.

The German Shepherd was much sought after by the military for

their profound working abilities, loyalty , trainability, and their

dedication to their owners or handlers. One of the greatest im-

pacts to astound the working dog world and the German Shepherd

breed was the onset of the Cold War.

Before the onset of the Cold War, Germany was one na-

tion. Great Britain, France, The Soviet Union, and the USA were

allies during World War II. As World War II was coming to an

end, all 4 Allies occupied Berlin. At the end of World War II, the

city was split into 4 sectors. A large dispute arose over the

boundaries. Thus began the Cold War with the Soviet Union

closing borders; hence the two nations for Germany were formed,

West Germany and East Germany ( Deutsches Demokratische

Republik the DDR ).

Many of us remember what communist controlled countries were

like. They were not allowed free trade or contact with the outside

world and were dominated by their government over

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decisions most of us take for granted everyday. So was it also for

the breeding kennels in East Germany. With the border and Ber-

lin Wall up, closed breeding within the DDR kennels kept the

dogs at their standards without outside influence.

Germany now divided became a satellite state of the com-

munist regime on October 7th, 1949, East Germany is now offi-

cially the Deutsches Demokratische Republik - DDR. It didn’t

take long for “The Partei” to quickly confiscate and gain control

of the German Shepherd pedigree registration and financial ad-

ministration offices. With the government’s hand and control

over breeding and registration, strong criteria and tests were set

forth as many of the dogs would be used for their military pur-

poses.

Consequently only the best of the best would be suitable

for their new duties. Strong bones were needed for the great dis-

tances of walking they would endure, exposure to the most ruth-

less of harsh elements also played a part in the development of

structure. Thus they were very athletic with straight lines and a

large intimidating look with large heads, broad shoulders and

large chests. Other breeding criteria that differed from West Ger-

many was the DDR dogs could only be bred if they were com-

pletely free of HD. Dogs that had “fast normal hips or lesser

could not be bred. Dam’s had to appear with her whole litter for

an inspection of teeth, ear set, temperament, coat, total overall

appearance and males naturally had to have both testicles de-

scended by one year of age.

Major differences in the working abilities skills tests in-

cluded a straight wall of 1.5 meters and 1.8 meters instead of the

inclined wall now used. They also had to go walk a balance

beam, 10 blinds to search instead of 6, the tracking tests include

more corners and angles; the FH 3 contained 16!

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Along comes Czechoslovakia

1955-- The Z Pohranicni Straze

The kennel Z Pohranicni straze (Z PS) was founded in the

year 1955 for the single purpose of production and training of

dogs that would be solely used for the protection of the Czecho-

slovakian People's Republic's, and since 1968 Czechoslovakian

Socialist Republic's borders. Most of the dogs were acquired from

the territory of former East Germany (DDR) and also there were

dogs from Czechoslovakia used for breeding; the ones that ex-

celled in their character qualities.

The breeding program, established in 1956, was under the

direction of Mr. Jiri Novotny from 1981 to 2001. Mr Novotny

also was the director of training during this time. Since the foun-

dation of the breeding program , it was focused mainly on

strengthening the good power of bones, dark pigmentation, strong

nerves and willingness to work in tracking, obedience and de-

fense work.

There were three breeding facilities with a total of 80

breeding females that made up the "Z Pohranicni straze" kennel.

Combined to these 80 females were 30 stud dogs, all of which

were on active duty with their handlers. The breeding facilities

were located within the Czech Boarder Police compounds in Do-

mazlice, Libejovice and Prackovice. These compounds had a high

security status with access to them strictly forbidden to anyone,

including Czech Boarder Police, who did not work at the specific

facility.

The females were bred and puppies whelped, raised and

trained all within these breeding stations by military service con-

scripts. These stations were staffed by trainers, veterinarians, as-

sistant breeders and kennel help. Once trained the Pohranicni

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Straze dogs were assigned a handler and patrolled primarily the

border with Germany and Austria to prevent Czechoslovakian’s

and any others from within the East Block from escaping.

The dogs were trained at the kennels for about 12 months

and afterwards relocated to Border Patrol training facilities in

their quarters (nowadays they're located in Czech police training

facilities).

During the years under the communist regime, the

Czechoslovakian boarder patrol and their dogs would apprehend

20 to 30 people on a daily basis. While nine out of ten people

would give up when confronted, the dogs were regularly called

upon to defend their handlers from those intent on crossing the

boarder at what ever cost.

YOUR PUPPY’S PEDIGREE

Sire: Streiten Van Den Heuvel http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/

german_shepherd_dog/dog.html?id=693929

Dam: Abigail Slavens http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/

german_shepherd_dog/dog.html?id=693931

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PUPPY SUPPLIES

Crate For every day – 24" wide x 36" long wire mesh

Similar crate for vehicle transport

Food "Chicken Soup for Puppy Lovers" or any other HIGH QUALITY

kibble - it should not contain any corn products!

1-2 Tbsp Lard

1 Tbsp Minced Garlic

We also highly recommend the Raw Diet. An excellent article can

be found at http://leerburg.com/pdf/feedingrawdiet.pdf

Treats

We like the 100% dried Chicken breasts but we also use dried

hotdog bits for training. Put sliced hotdogs in oven at 200F for

approximately 1 hour or until almost crispy. Place on cookie

sheet with paper towels on top & bottom to absorb excess grease.

Collar Training- Prong Collar - yes I do believe in them, they are like

power steering for dogs.

Everyday - 1" Flat Leather or Nylon

Leash 6’ Lightweight Leather

15-20’ Cotton Webbing Long Line

16 - 26' Flexilead

Gates for doorways The kind that can be opened or easily stepped over. Target and

Wal-Mart have baby gates at a reasonable price.

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2 dishes for food/water

Toys Jolly Ball makes excellent, durable toys but anything the dogs

likes and will not hurt them is ok.

Note: Do not use tennis balls with dogs who have their adult

teeth, the glue mixed with saliva will deteriorate the enamel.

Training Toys Tugs, Sleeves, Ball on a string - all of these are helpful but should

NEVER be left with the dog. These are YOUR toys that you

allow the dog to play with.

Your Puppy’s New Home

The First Few Nights

Your puppy will be frightened and confused the first few

nights away from his mom and littermates. If he cries at night

you have a few different options:

1. Place his crate near your bedside but not so near that he can

reach your bedding and pull them into his crate. If he cries at

night, reach over and put your fingers through the crate, lightly

pet him and softly console him. He should go right back to sleep.

2. We put the crate in another room and learn to ignore his fuss-

ing. We will also sit in the dark with the puppy for a few minutes

just to provide some reassurance and comfort. If the puppy is be-

ing a “brat” and you will know when, we “Phui” him and some-

times use a spray bottle of water to emphasis the he should be

“quiet”. It should stop in a few days. He may soil his crate dur-

ing this time since it may cause him some additional anxiety.

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3.Taking your puppy outside in the middle of the night might start

a habit that is hard to break. Make sure he has gone outside right

before bedtime, and get up early enough in the morning to let him

out before he has an accident. Follow one of the options 1 – 2

described above instead of letting him out. You should get up

and take him outside as soon as he wakes up in the morning.

Crate Training

The crate should be placed in an area where the puppy

will not feel totally isolated, like in the kitchen, living room or

family room. If it is placed down in the basement, out in the ga-

rage or in a closed bathroom, your puppy may feel abandoned and

may not make the adjustment.

You should put an old blanket or towel, something easy to

launder, to use as bedding; but if you have trouble with your

puppy soiling his crate, remove all bedding. Your puppy may be

given a safe toy or chew when he is put in his crate but do not

give him more than one. Favorite toys can be rotated to keep him

interested.

Say “go in”, “kennel” or some other command, in a happy voice

and give your puppy a treat when he goes into his crate. Follow

with praise.

If your puppy cries/barks while in his crate, you may follow sev-

eral courses of action:

a. Shout “QUIET”, as this usually startles the puppy into silence

long enough to get in a quick praise and immediately follow with

praise, “Good quiet”

b. Ignore the puppy, praise when he is quiet. If he is too noisy

and you cannot ignore him, take a walk around the block, go out

and work in the garden, make a quick trip to the store, etc.

c. Totally ignore the puppy (no praise)

d. Pick up the front of the crate about two or three inches from the

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floor and drop it or briefly shake the crate a little while shouting

“QUIET!” Follow immediately with praise.

e. Use a spray bottle filled with water and spray him in the ears if

he is noisy while telling him “QUIET”. When he is quiet, quickly

follow with praise. He will most likely be very wet by the time

you finish this training. Some dogs like being sprayed in the

mouth but not the ears. Lemon juice squirted directly in his

mouth works in particularly difficult cases.

You do not need to follow the same course of action each

time. You may alternate from one to another. Try to stay on your

predetermined schedule. If you puppy is crying/barking in his

crate but it is time for him to go outside or to eat, follow the

schedule anyway. Do not necessarily wait for him to be quiet be-

fore you take him out.

Children should not be allowed to play in the crate or to

bother your puppy while he is in his crate. You don’t want the

puppy to become overprotective of his crate but you do want a

place where he can go for peace and quiet.

Your Puppy’s Current Schedule

5:00-6:00am Puppy wakes up and needs to be let outside—Praise him each

time with “Good Outside” or something that shows your approval

with what he has done. After his business is done, put him back

into the kennel.

7:30-8:30am One more outside trip, then back to the kennel for breakfast.

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8:30am-8:30pm We always try to so something with the puppy for part of the day.

Walks, drives, socializing activities & training sessions. We usu-

ally give them some time on a tied leash or line also.

8:30-9:30pm One last outside & drink and then to the kennel. We also give

them a small snack in their kennel each night, currently it is about

1/2 cup of dry kibbles.

10:30-11:30pm This is optional most nights but if the puppy is getting up too

early, or is soiling his kennel, then give take him outside before

you turn in.

House Training

1. Get on a schedule. The puppy should be able to predict

the time he will get up, eat, be kenneled and go to bed at night.

Take the puppy out the same door every time. Don’t take him out

the front door one time, the back door the next, and the patio door

a different time. To begin with, he should be taken out at least

once every two hours. Timing should begin from the last time he

went potty, not from the time he came indoors. He may have

been playing for an hour since he last went potty.

2. Tie a small cowbell (jingle bells should not be used as

they can catch a toenail in the slots) to a piece of elastic. Leave

about two inches of elastic at the end. Hang the bell on the door

that the puppy will be using to go outside. Make at least one ex-

tra hanging bell. Take it with you as you bring your puppy with

you to different rooms. You should not expect your puppy to go

to the outside door to ring the bell when he is with you in the bed-

room or bathroom.

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3. Take your puppy out at the following times:

• the very first thing in the morning when your puppy

wakes up

• after eating

• after playing

• after napping

• after being confined or crated

• when his training schedule indicates it’s time

• before going to bed for the night

4. Frequently repeat, “Let’s go outside” (or some other key

phrase – be consistent in what you say) in a happy voice on the

way out. You may begin by carrying him but as he becomes

more dependable, encourage him to walk to the door. Continue

to repeat your key phrase on the way to the outside door. Take

his paw and use it to hit the bell and follow with lots of praise.

Continue with the key phrase and praise as you open the door and

take him out. Take him right to the area that you want him to

potty in (make sure it is someplace that he will be able to get to

through the snow in the winter). Walk him around the area –

don’t just stand there and don’t leave him out unattended even if

you have a fenced area for him because he will need to praise if

he is successful.. Encourage him by softly and calmly repeating

“Go potty” (or some other phrase) until he goes, then give him

LOTS of praise (I do not encourage the use of treats for this train-

ing, but it is up to you). Give him only about 10 minutes to do

both jobs.

5. If YOU (and he) WERE SUCCESSFUL within 10 min-

utes – Make note of the time he went. Allow the puppy some free

time to play with you or by himself – either indoors or out. Make

sure that he has plenty of fresh water outside and shade, espe-

cially if it is hot.

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6. If YOU (and he) WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL within 10

minutes – Take him indoors and put him in his crate for 15 min-

utes (give him a treat for going in). Then repeat #4 above.

Sooner or later he will go.

Do not ever leave him unattended indoors. You must be

in the same room with him. Make him your shadow. If you are

in the bedroom getting ready for work or the bathroom brushing

your teeth, bring him with you and close the door (bring chew

toys). Block off doorways by closing doors (attach the bells if it

is a door he would exit) or by putting up gates. When it is time to

go outside, have him ring the bell to first get out of the room and

then ring the one on the door to go outside. Limit his access to

other rooms – do not give him the opportunity to wander through

the house. Watch him continuously. If you must move from

room to room, put him on a leash and tie him to a belt loop or a

buttonhole to make him follow you around. If you cannot watch

him, put him in his crate.

If your puppy rings the bell, either on purpose or acciden-

tally, give lots of enthusiastic praise, repeat your key phrase (i.e.

“Go outside?”) and immediately take him outside. He may begin

ringing the bell just for the praise and/or attention – NEVER tell

him “NO” and do not take the bell down. No matter how hard it

is, even if he just went out 5 minutes earlier, praise him and let

him out. This behavior should last no longer than about two

weeks. If you do not have enough patience to do this, put him on

a leash and tie him to you so he cannot get to the bell.

IF HE HAS AN ACCIDENT, whether or not you caught

him in the act (although in the act is much more effective), show

it to him (DO NOT rub his nose in it) and repeat in your most

firm and unhappy voice “YOU GO OUTSIDE” or whatever your

key phrase is. In this case, try to always carry him, with an adult

dog, just pick up his front paws and walk to the door—you are

establishing control, dominance and that you are the pack leader.

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Take his paw and hit the bell on the way out while continuing to

repeat your key phrase in a very firm voice. If he finished his job

outside (or goes again) give him praise and follow #5 above. If

he did not go, follow #6.

General Training

Long Leash

Leave a long, lightweight leash or long on your puppy

(both indoors and out) when he is not crated. If he is naughty,

you can grab the leash and pull him to you. Never to call your

puppy and then discipline him – that only teaches him not to

come when he is called. Always go to him to discipline. Never

let him out of your sight with the long line attached – he could

easily get tangled and be hurt.

Protective of Food or Toys

If your puppy has a special chew toy, hold it for him while

he is chewing. Pet him and softly praise him while he chews. As

he gets used to you doing this, continue to hold the toy while he is

chewing, pet him near his mouth and continue praising him. This

will let him know that just because you place your hand near

whatever he is chewing on, doesn’t mean that you are going to

take it away.

When your puppy is chewing on a chew toy, get a special

treat for him. Before you give it to him say, “GIVE” and take the

toy away from him. If necessary, show him the treat to get him to

give up the toy. Immediately praise, give him the treat and then

give the chew toy back. Follow with lots of praise. Do this sev-

eral times. This will teach him that he can give something to you

and still get it back. It also teaches him that giving something up

to you and getting a treat and praise (even if he doesn’t get it

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back), may be more enjoyable than keeping the toy.

At meal times, put a few morsels of dog food in your

puppy’s dish. Before he completely finishes them, pick up his

dish, add a few more and return the dish to the floor. Before he

completely finishes them, pick it up again and add a few more.

Do this several times so that he realizes that it’s OK for you to

handle his dish.

Barking

There are different schools of thought concerning barking.

I believe that NOT ALL BARKING IS BAD. You purchased a

German Shepherd and part of his or her duties may require bark-

ing AGRESSIVELY ON COMMAND. Streiten is trained to bark

aggressively when given the command to do so. He is also

trained to stop when given the “AUS” (pronounced owss) or

“QUIET” command. I have found that when something causes

your puppy to really bark aggressively (for Streiten it was seeing

cattle) that you can name that behavior by saying “GOOD BAD

GUY” or something that you like. It will not be long before you

can say “BAD GUY!” and your puppy will obey without the need

of the initial stimulus. Once your puppy understands the com-

mand to bark, it is a natural step to say “PHUI BAD GUY” or

“AUS” or “QUIET”.

Jumping Up

This behavior should be stopped from the beginning. It is

a very difficult behavior to change once your puppy gets into the

habit. Use a command like “OFF” or “STOP.” Do not use the

same command that you will be using when you want him to lie

down (you could use “DROP” for this command) or when you

want him to get off of the furniture (you could use “DOWN” for

this command). Be consistent and remember to follow your cor-

rection with praise even if no command or correction is needed.

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Chewing

Your puppy will have a natural urge to chew, especially

while going through the teething stage. Have a “toy box” (an ice

cream bucket or basket) where he can reach the toys inside.

The toys should be of different textures (tennis balls, nylabones,

rope toys, hard rubber toys, chew hooves, bell balls, stuffed toys,

etc.). If he is able to get a toy, he will be less apt to chew on

things he shouldn’t. If he does find something to chew on that he

shouldn’t have, take it away, tell him “NO” and offer him some-

thing from his toy box.

We use a product called “Bitter Apple” (NOT Bitter

Yuck) to help stop unwanted chewing. The “Bitter Apple” treat-

ment is to soak a corner of a wash towel with it and then place

that in the puppy’s mouth. Hold the puppy’s mouth shut on the

corner for 30 seconds (yes you count to 30) then release him. The

first time do this 3 times per day for 2-3 days, You will then be

able to dilute the bitter apple in a spray bottle of water and spay

the items the puppy has interest in. The interest WILL be gone as

soon as he gets a whiff of the stuff! This IS a “Negative Rein-

forcement”, the puppy should NOT like this and vocally show his

displeasure. The “better” the negative experience, the more effec-

tive it will be.

We also use ice as a treat and “short term” chew. It is a

good habit to get into, allowing you dog to have ice. It will help

cooling him after a hot day of ...

Play Biting-Bossy Mouthing-Growling

Your puppy will be very playful and will use his mouth

and teeth when playing. He may also begin to display “bossy”

behavior by snapping, biting or growling when he doesn’t par-

ticularly like what you are expecting him to do. This is normal

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adolescent behavior that puppies exhibit to determine their place

in the “pack.” You should let him know right away that none of

this behavior is acceptable. When he does this, grab his cheeks (a

fist full of cheek in each hand), lift him so his front feet are off of

the ground, give him one good shake, get “in his face” and say

“NO BITE” or “DON’T BITE ME” in a very firm voice. Only

when he settles, let go and give lots of praise by saying “GOOD

BOY, NO BITE.”

If the behavior continues, you may need to do this for a

longer period of time, saying “NO BITE” two or three or even

four times before letting go. To get the full affect, the puppy

should be struggling at first and should even cry while you are

administering the correction. Don’t forget the praise when you let

go. You need to let him know that you are the pack leader, and

that you are not kidding – you mean business.

Quiet Time

You and your puppy should spend a little quiet time to-

gether each day. While you are watching television or a movie or

just sitting and relaxing, hold your puppy and speak softly while

you pet him and tell him he is a good boy. Occasionally turn him

on his back and hold him like a baby, on your lap or on the floor,

softly stroking his tummy. This is a very important for children

to do as well. Sometimes puppies see children only as playmates

to roughhouse with and they have a difficult times being calm

around them. Arrange for quiet time for your puppy and children

so that both are aware that they can enjoy each other’s company

without being wild and crazy.

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Come

You will need two people to teach your puppy to come.

This must be done in a fenced area or with a long line attached to

your puppy. With the puppy on the ground and one person hold-

ing him, the other person should go halfway across the yard, call

the puppy and turn and run away from the puppy. When the

puppy starts to struggle to get free, the person holding him should

let go. When the puppy reaches the caller, he should be praised

enthusiastically and given a treat. Now that person should hold

the puppy and the other go halfway across the yard and repeat the

exercise. Soon you should be able to omit the treat but always

continue the enthusiastic praise. Eventually, the puppy will come

when you call him, even if you are not running away from him.

If he ever gets out accidentally and isn’t coming when called, just

call him and run away and he should come after you because he

will remember the “COME” game.

Please note that some of the training materials that we

recommend have different techniques for the COME command.

The additional training resources will be listed in the RE-

SOURCES chapter at the end of this handbook.

Fetch

Roll a ball (a bell ball works well) and encourage your

puppy to get it and bring it back to you. If he does, give lots of

praise. If he doesn’t, use a retractable lead (26 foot works best) to

bring him back to you, then give lots of praise. Soon he should

be retrieving without the lead. This teaches him that he can give

something to you and still get it back and it’s FUN. It also is

great exercise for the dog with very little effort on your part.

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PUPPY OBEDIENCE

AND SOCIALIZATION

Learning for puppies begins the morning after they join

your household. An eight-week-old puppy can quickly learn to

sit for his food or a treat, walk on a leash without pulling, and

come when called without formal classes. However, unless the

household is full of dogs, kids and other people coming and go-

ing at all hours, the puppy will not get his critical socialization

at home.

Most clubs and training schools offer a Puppy Kinder-

garten class that fulfills two goals: helping the owner under-

stand the puppy and exposing the puppy to the world. Puppies

should not be subject to regimented lessons in these classes but

should learn basic commands, play a bit with other puppies, and

learn how to behave in a friendly and stimulating atmosphere.

German Shepherd should never be manhandled. Your

dog will do well in obedience with lots of praise, practice and

positive reinforcements. Trust your instincts, if you feel un-

comfortable with a training procedure, don’t do it.

Training a dog relies on the principle of positive rein-

forcement. Positive reinforcement has proven to be the most

successful in training because it is so simple, a child can do it,

and it doesn’t hurt the dog.

This does NOT mean that we do not encourage or use

Negative reinforcement. Negative Reinforcement has it’s place,

for instance the “DON’T BITE ME” command.

We encourage you to take your puppy with you to vari-

ous events, buildings, stores, anywhere you can think of.

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This builds his confidence and teaches him to accept

new places and people. ALWAYS defend your dog from other

dogs, you are his PACK LEADER and he expects the pack

leader to defend him. NEVER, REPEAT, NEVER allow your

dog to get into a dog fight. If he does get into a fight with an-

other dog, there is a very good possibility that he will be dog

aggressive for the rest of his life.

Please note that a puppy from Noble Companions will

NEED to be socialized often. If you spend the winter shut up in

the house and on your property, there is a very good chance the

puppy will behave aggressively to strangers—it is what they

were bred to do.

GROOMING

Grooming should be considered by both of you as an

enjoyable experience. Lay your puppy down on his side and

tell him “STAY” in a firm but affectionate voice. You will

definitely have to struggle with him to begin with but remember

you are the boss. You will most likely have to start out by hold-

ing three or all four of his feet with one hand while you brush

with the other. Gently brush his side and tummy while telling

him “GOOD STAY” or some such phrase. This should begin

as very short, gentle grooming and not particularly serious. As

he gets used to the position, he may even take a nap during the

grooming session. Finish up by giving him a treat.

Your dog will benefit from frequent grooming sessions

several times a week. Routine grooming helps to keep your

dog's skin, coat, teeth, gums and nails in peak condition. As

well as generally improving your pet's overall appearance,

grooming also provides you with an excellent opportunity to

examine the skin and coat for early signs of problems such as

parasites, foreign bodies, skin disorders, mats, growths and

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wounds.

Good grooming behavior should start at an early age, as

soon as you acquire your puppy. Begin by getting it used to being

placed on a steady table for grooming. Use a rubber backed mat,

small carpet or towel to prevent slipping. Teach your puppy to lie

down and/or stand quietly and to relax and enjoy your undivided

attention (see Grooming in General Training). Scratching the ears

or chest may help to sooth an anxious pet, while a hand under a

young puppy's stomach provides support and promotes confi-

dence as you gently brush through the coat. This early training

taught by repetition, correction and praise is important to ensure

that your dog learns to accept grooming and thinks of it as a

pleasant experience. You may, if you wish, reward good behavior

with a small treat at the end of each grooming session. Be pa-

tient. Praise for good behavior and scold firmly if the dog tries to

use its mouth on you.

Combing

Brushing and combing your dog several times a week is

the best way to keep the coat in good condition. On long-haired

breeds like the German Shepherd, brushing removes the dead hair

before it has a chance to mat and also serves to stimulate the

growth of new hair and to help distribute natural oils throughout

the coat.

The most efficient method is line combing, where the en-

tire coat is brushed in layers from the skin out. This is usually

easiest if the dog is lying on its side. With one hand, the hair is

parted to the skin and held down while the other hand gently

combs through the hair below the part. Once this section is

smooth and tangle-free, another section of hair is pulled down

along the part and groomed in the same way. You may need to

moisten each layer with a light mist of conditioner or coat dress-

ing before brushing.

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With the dog lying on his side, use a wide toothed comb,

to start by line combing the front and hind legs on that side. Then

proceed to the body coat until you reach the backbone. Turn the

dog over and repeat the procedure on the other side. You can also

reverse this procedure by starting at the backbone and working

down to the legs. The order does not really matter so long as all

parts of the dog are brushed and combed thoroughly.

The chest and stomach area can be reached by lifting the

dogs front leg or by rolling it onto its back.

Finally, with the dog sitting or standing, comb the head,

neck, top of body and the tail. Any mats or tangles should be

teased out gently rather than pulled or cut out: use your fine-

toothed comb. Comb out the face, corner of the eyes and beard.

With a small scissors, remove the hair from the pads of the feet.

Leaving the hair between the pads is uncomfortable to the dog.

Teeth

Just like human beings, your dog’s teeth accumulate

plaque, which can harden into tartar. If the teeth are neglected,

bacteria can grow causing infections. Regular brushing can help

maintain your dog’s teeth and gums, as well as keeping his breath

fresh. You should brush his teeth 1-2 times a week.

If you start at a young age by scratching the muzzle and

handling the mouth you should soon be able to rub the teeth and

gums with your finger. Then you should be able to easily progress

to gently brushing the dog’s teeth with a small soft toothbrush or

finger brush. Never use human toothpaste as it contains detergent,

which will foam in the dog’s mouth and if swallowed may upset

the stomach. A better alternative is to use canine toothpaste. This

special enzymatic toothpaste is available from your vet or pet

supply store in an assortment of palatable flavors like chicken,

liver and malt. Giving your dog bones, which should always be

large, hard beef bones that can’t be splintered or swallowed, is a

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natural way for dogs to clean their teeth. These bones can be pur-

chased at pet supply stores or local dog shows.

We advise against Greenies and rawhide, as it can block

the digestive system. Never give your dog bones from a carcass.

You may also give nylabones, sow ears, bully sticks and femur

bones. Chewing also helps the teething puppy.

Trimming the Nails

Nail care is a basic grooming issue. Your dog’s nails

should be trimmed twice a month. Long nails interfere with the

dog's gait, making walking awkward or painful. They can also

break easily. At Noble Companions we have taken to using a

Dremel tool with a grinding stone to trim the nails. There is no

chance of cutting to close and causing the puppy to bleed. It is

much easier on the dog and they learn to ignore the funny vibra-

tion feeling they get. It really tickles much more than anything

else.

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ENGLISH

GERMAN

FRENCH

CZECH

DUTCH

Heel Fuss

(fooss)

Au pied

(oh-pee-aye)

K noze

(kno zay)

left=Volg

right= Rechts

Sit Sitz

(siitz)

Assis

(ah-see)

Sedni

(said nee) Zit

Stay Bleib

(bly'b)

Reste

(rest) Zustan Blijf

Down Platz

(plats

Coucher

(coo-shay)

Lehni

(leh nee)

Af/

Liggen

Come/Here Hier

(hee er)

Ici(e see)/

Viens

Ke mne

(khemn yea) Hier

Stand Steh

(shtay)

Debout

(da-boo) Stuj (stuuya) Staan

Retrieve/

Fetch

Bring

(brrring)

Rapporte

(aport) Aport Apport

Jump Hopp Saute (soot)/

Aller

Skoc/

Hop Over

Go Out Voraus

(for owss)

En Avant

(onn-avauhnn)

Vpred

(va porshed) Voruit

COMMANDS

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ENGLISH

GERMAN

FRENCH

CZECH

DUTCH

Track Such

(tsuuk)

Piste

(piss-te) Stopa

Keuring/

Zoek

Guard Pass auf/

Wache

Garde

(guard) Pozor

Bewaken

(bay-wawken)

Bite Packen/

Fass

Attaque/

Mord

Drz

(dursh) Stellen

Out/Let Go Aus

(owss)

Halte(alt)/

Donne

(don-aye)

Pust

(pusht)

Los/Loslaten

(those-lawten)

Speak/Bark Gib Laut

(gheblout)

Aboie

(ah-bwaa)

Parle

Stekej

(esteke)

Blaffen

(blauffen)

Luid

Kennel/

Crate

Zwinger/

Box Chenil Kotec

Hok/

Kennel

Go Outside Geh Raus/

Geh Draussen Dehors Jdi ven Naar Buiten

Go Ahead Geh Voraus Vas Volno Voor uit/

Vrij

Go Inside Geh rein

(gay rine)

Monte/

Entre Pojd sem Ga de in

Good (praise) So ist brav Bon Garcon

(bon gar-scon)

Hodny

(hout nee)

Braaf/

Goedzo

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Correction

Word "No"

Pfui (fooey)

Nein (nine)

Non/Mauvais/

Mechant Fuj (pfui) Foei

OK In Ordnung D'accord Vyborne

Eat food Nimm Futter Mange Vem si

Leave it Lass es

Laisse/

Pas Touche

(pa-too-shay)

Nech to Los

ENGLISH

GERMAN

FRENCH

CZECH

DUTCH

Online Resources

Leerburg www.leerburg.com

Van Den Heuvel K9 www.vandenheuvelk9.com

Koehler Method of Dog Training www.koehlerdogtraining.com

J-B Wholesale Pet Supplies www.jbpet.com

Doctors Foster & Smith www.drsfostersmith.com

White Dog Bone Company www.whitedogbone.com

Krueger Enterprises/B.O.S.S www.kruegerenterprises.com

White Pine Outfitters/collars www.whitepineoutfitters.com

German Shepherd Security and

Abbas German Shepherds www.germanshepherdsecurity.com

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RESOURCE BOOKS

The following is a list of German Shepherd breed specific books that may be

interest.

1. GERMAN SHEPHERD: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO OWN-

ING AND CARING FOR YOUR DOG (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series) – by

Zoila Portuondo Guerra

2. GERMAN SHEPHERD: A COMPLETE AND RELIABLE HAND-

BOOK – by Diane Klumb and Joanne Baldwin DVM

3. THE JOYOUS GERMAN SHEPHERD – by Kathryn Braund

The following is a list of puppy/dog training books.

1. POSITIVE PUPPY TRAINING WORKS – by Joel Walton

2. PUPPY CARE & TRAINING: AN OWNER’S GUIDE TO A

HAPPY HEALTHY PET – by Bardi McLennan

3. PUPPY TRAINING FOR KIDS – by Sarah Whitehead, Jane Burton

4. THE KOEHLER METHOD OF DOG TRAINING – by W.R.

Koehler

5. THE KOEHLER METHOD OF OPEN DOG OBEDIENCE – by

W.R. Koehler

6. THE KOEHLER METHOD OF UTILITY DOG TRAINING – by

W.R. Koehler

7. THE KOEHLER METHOD OF TRACKING DOG TRAINING – by

W.R. Koehler

8. THE KOEHLER METHOD OF GUARD DOG TRAINING – by

W.R. Koehler

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RECOMMENDED VIDEOS &

E-BOOKS BY

ED FRAWLEY AT

WWW.LEERBURG.COM

DVDS

Your Puppy 8 Weeks to 8 Months

Establishing Pack Structure with the Family Pet

How to Raise a Working Puppy

Bite Training for Puppies

Basic Dog Obedience

eBooks on Puppy Training

Ed Frawley's Philosophy on Dog Training

Socializing Puppies: How to Socialize Your New Puppy

The Ground Work to Becoming Your Puppy's Pack Leader

Training Puppies NOT TO BITE

Who Should Pet Your Puppy

Introducing a New Dog into a Home with Existing Dogs

Introducing Dogs (or Puppies) into Homes with Cats

Dog Parks

RECOMMENDED VIDEOS &

E-BOOKS BY

ED FRAWLEY AT

WWW.LEERBURG.COM

DVDS

Your Puppy 8 Weeks to 8 Months

Establishing Pack Structure with the Family Pet

How to Raise a Working Puppy

Bite Training for Puppies

Basic Dog Obedience

eBooks on Puppy Training

Ed Frawley's Philosophy on Dog Training

Socializing Puppies: How to Socialize Your New Puppy

The Ground Work to Becoming Your Puppy's Pack Leader

Training Puppies NOT TO BITE

Who Should Pet Your Puppy

Introducing a New Dog into a Home with Existing Dogs

Introducing Dogs (or Puppies) into Homes with Cats

Dog Parks

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YOUR PUPPY’S VET

& FREE HEALTH EXAM

Special thanks to our Sources:

1.“German Shepherd Dog (Alsatian) Breed Standard.” The American Kennel Club. http://

www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/136.

2. “Welcome to DDR Legends. Where the REAL working dogs unite.”\

www.ddrledends.com Pam Cyrene

3. "http://www.prairieshepherds.com/bloodlinehistory.html"

Prairie Shepherds, LLC

Kansas, USA

4.Dr. P's Dog Trainging "COMMON DOG COMMANDS

IN SEVERAL LANGUAGES"

http://www4.uwsp.edu/psych/dog/languag1.htm

Lance Roasa, DVM, MS

Animal Medical Center

15226 W Hwy 24 Woodland Park, CO

719-687-9201

For your free puppy health exam, just tell them you

have a puppy from Rick at Noble Companions when

you make your appointment.

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Noble Companions

719-884-1125

noble_companions@yahoo.com

Facebook: Noble Companions

SIRE: Streiten Van Den Heuvel

DAM: Abigail Slavens