australian shepherds are highly intelligent dogs and are very easy to train their athletic
lifestyle demands proper training in order to make the best use of their
high energy drive if not trained they could learn some undesired behaviors
basic obedience training is the fundamental training process and it paves the way for
further training this training helps you better communicate with the puppy
start obedience training early when the puppy is seven to eight weeks old some of the basic
obedience commands are sit stay come down etc once your puppy has mastered these commands
she can move on to other advanced commands your puppy should be able to recognize her name and
respond to that when called once you've given your aussie a lovely name start calling her by
that all the time puppies need to hear their name several times before they recognize it
sit is one of the first commands your puppy needs to learn this command allows you to better control
your puppy in a variety of situations like when she's running around outside or trying to jump
on you this is a transition command that once learned can be used to teach other commands it
is also one of the easiest commands to learn this is a very useful command for your puppy to learn
especially when she's off leash or running around the park this command is very helpful
for australian shepherds when you're trying to stop their hurting behavior when they're
about to herd you can use this command to redirect them towards another action
the initial phase of training could be difficult for a number of reasons
your puppy is an infant dog and cannot understand words or gestures she requires time to fully
comprehend commands and desired actions she also has no idea which behaviors are acceptable
and which are not so you should not expect quick results puppies also have a shorter attention span
than adult dogs make sure the training sessions are short focused and entertaining for them food
is a big motivator for puppies treats and positive reinforcement will accelerate the training process
make sure your commands are clear and consistent instead of saying sit on the floor or sit on
the table use a specific word such as sit be patient and consistent in the training process
the obedience training class is an excellent way to teach various training techniques
it also teaches them how to interact with people and other dogs training classes begin
when the puppy is eight weeks or older before enrolling your puppy in a class make sure she's
been vaccinated these professional classes teach your puppy basic obedience commands
while also helping them develop healthy behaviors a puppy is regularly exposed
to other dogs in healthy environment which helps them to become well socialized dogs
patty training your puppy could be a challenging task australian shepherds are highly intelligent
dogs who learn things quickly a regular training routine combined with their intelligence will make
things much easier start potty training as soon as you bring them home make the best use of their
developing brain and start training when they're seven to eight weeks old if a puppy has stayed
with her mother for the first few weeks she will already know not to urinate in her living space
designate a specific spot for potty and use it consistently
do not change the spot unless necessary this spot could be a place in your backyard or potty pads
depending on your living conditions make sure it's quiet and a side area where the puppy won't
be disturbed while doing your business make it on one side so you're also not disturbed by the smell
while choosing a spot consider the weather conditions the spot should be suitable in case of
rain snow etc it must be properly shaded from the sun keep the area clean because your puppy will
be reluctant to go potty in an unclean area make sure your puppy always uses this same spot for
house breaking this way she'll learn where to go potty and will have fewer accidents in the house
puppies have small bladders and very loose control over their muscles it takes around 12 to 16 weeks
for a puppy to get in control of its bladder they can hold their bladders for as many hours
as months old they are this means a four month old puppy can hold her bladder for four to five hours
but that's the maximum she can hold it she feels the urge to eliminate before that time having
a schedule and being consistent with it is very helpful for puppies and soon they pick it up there
are certain times when you have to take them for potty after a nap when they wake up in the morning
10 to 20 minutes after a meal after playing or exercise before you leave them alone in the house
before going to bed aussies are intelligent dogs and most of the time they'll give you certain
signs when they have an urge for elimination you can tell when they're ready for elimination by
reading their body language some of the common signs are when puppy winds when she's sniffing the
floor when she walks in circles restlessness and squatting scratching the door or going towards it
always praise your puppy and reward her whenever she eliminates in the designated spot
this helps them to associate the process with a positive experience
choose one specific command for potty and use it every time you take them outside aussies
are intelligent and they will quickly associate the command with the action this command could
be something like go potty do business etc always use the same command to avoid confusion accidents
are totally okay in the beginning of the training process and aren't inevitable puppies need time
to control their bladders and get used to the designated potty spot it takes around 12 to 16
weeks for a puppy to have control over its bladder they will have some accidents during this time
due to their inability to control their bladders whenever you see your puppy house breaking inside
handle the situation carefully firmly say no and direct her towards the designated potty spot
there's no need to yell at your puppy that'll scare her and she may even try to hide this stuff
after elimination it's recommended to clean the spot with a stain and odor remover puppies have a
keen sense of smell and finding the previous potty spot is not a problem for them they think it's
okay to use the previous spot for elimination use an enzymatic cleanser to erase any trace and odor
a crate will help you allotting puppy training your puppy dogs have a natural den instinct and
they consider the crate as a den they are very unlikely to mess around the place where they sleep
they love to keep their den clean make sure the crate is large enough for them to stand up
turn around and lie down easily but not so large that they urinate in one corner of it
potty training can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months
depending on the individual dog it could also be affected by their living conditions and the
owner's commitment to the training australian shepherds are very smart and they learn things
quickly it could take around four to six months for an aussie puppy to completely potty train
however you will notice progress throughout the process you need to be consistent and patient
during the process it is totally worth the effort to have a potty trained adult
dog first and foremost you need to determine the reasons for crate training your aussie
dogs are den animals and they naturally seek out spaces to create a safe and secure
sanctuary of their own if used correctly a crate could become a safe haven for them
it could work as a shelter for your dog whenever he's alone scared or needs some rest it works
equally for puppies adults and senior dogs crate training is also beneficial for their owners
it could be a place to leave your dog whenever you have to go outside for a short time
crate training plays a crucial role in potty training dogs by nature don't spoil the area
where they sleep and this prompts them to go outside for potty a fully crate trained dog can
be easily transported which is a blessing however you should never use the crate as a punishment
it's a training and management tool and should be used humanely especially for an active breed like
australian shepherd if used incorrectly it could become a disaster for your dog
crate placing area matters a lot dogs are social animals and they want to be around people
place the crate at such an area where your dog could feel the vibe of a household it could be
a living room kitchen or a space where you spend a lot of time such as a home office keep your
puppy close to you especially during the first few weeks of crate training at night you can keep the
crate in your bedroom this will help you to know whenever your aussie wants to go for potty however
the crate should not be at such a central location where there is always noise and distraction
in order to lure your puppy inside decorate the interior of the crate
to make it appealing for your puppy the crate is supposed to be a warm and comfortable place
make a comfortable bedding by placing a dog's bed blanket or towel at the bottom surface use bedding
that's not allergic durable and easy to clean fill the crate with some of his favorite toys
and shoes dogs are going to be unsupervised in the crate so don't leave any toys that they can break
up and swallow the best option is to use kong toys and stuff them with their favorite treats
water should be available at an easy access through crate mounted water bowls
slowly introduce your puppy to the crate make sure the interior of the crate is clean and appealing
walk her over to the crate using a soft voice spread some food treats on the door and inside
of the crate encourage her to go inside the crate using treats and her favorite toys once she gets
inside the crate do not close the door immediately stay with her for some time before leaving make
sure her first few experiences in the crate are positive for the first few days placing your puppy
in the crate would be a challenging task she needs some time to get used to the crate and during
that time she requires special care and attention leave her in the crate for a short period of time
while remaining around where she can still see you extend the time period in the crate
gradually never push your puppy inside the crate if you use the force she may associate the crate
with a bad experience and the training process will be disturbed make sure your puppy isn't
wearing collars inside the crates as this could strangle her if it gets stuck in the crate a puppy
whining in the crate is a common problem that could be because of a number of reasons they could
be whining because they want a potty break however the main reason a puppy whines is to get outside
of the crate this happens a lot in the early stages of crate training because the puppy is not
used to the situation in such cases you'll have to ignore her running with a heavy heart you don't
have to be blackmailed every time by the whining tactic otherwise your puppy will use it a lot
according to the aspca an eight-week-old puppy should not be left in a crate for more than an
hour while an adult dog can be left in a crate for a maximum of eight hours with breaks in
between dogs need human interaction otherwise they develop separation anxiety australian shepherd is
a herding dog and it was supposed to remain active throughout the day due to their high energy drive
they cannot be left alone in the crate for a long period of time do not overuse the crate it should
be a place of comfort for him not a place of confinement you can leave them in the crate when
you have to go somewhere for a few hours and want your dog to be safe at home if you're going away
for a long weekend or vacation you better hire a pet sitter or take them to a pet boarding place
rather than create them choose a crit that is appropriate for your australian shepherd
it should not be too large or too small it should be large enough for them to stand up
turn around and lay down easily however it should not be so big that they urinated to one corner of
it and sleep at the other the australian shepherd is a medium to large size breed
they reach full size by the age of 16 months and by that time they're grown between 18 to
23 inches in height and 40 to 70 pounds in weight obviously you cannot buy a crate every time your
aussie grows so the best practical option is to buy a crate that comes with dividers
aussie puppies grow rapidly during the first few months and as they get bigger you can
partition off the space in accordance with their height and weight a wire type crate is
best for at home usage wooden crates may be used to match with home decor whereas plastic crates
are typically used for transportation choose a crate that is both comfortable and durable
always use a command whenever you want them to get inside the crate you could use words like
crate kennel etc aussies are highly intelligent dogs and they will quickly learn crate training
it could vary depending on the individual dog the time duration for crate training also depends on
how you make their first few experiences in the crate it may be a matter of days or weeks till
your aussie is fully comfortable with the crate however it could take months for a puppy to fully
crate train you need to be patient and consistent with them without using force or bad language
australian shepherds are herding dogs and they have an innate ability to herd
this hurting instinct is very beneficial when used on a farm but it can be problematic in the
household aussies could start hurting your kids considering them as flock this is a completely
natural behavior of herding dogs and expecting them not to hurt is unrealistic if you're getting
an australian shepherd you should know their herding instinct comes along with the package
aussies could start hurting anything that moves like children flock and even
cars in order to make them a family dog their hurting behavior must be minimized
typically an australian shepherd will show certain behaviors and body movements that indicate they're
about to go for hurting some of the common body positions are an alert body position with head and
chest raised most of the time they bark before hurting they may also sniff the heels before
hurting if your aussie has gone into a crouch position she is most likely going for hurting
you need to observe and analyze their behavior just before they start hurting
if they show a certain behavior repeatedly you can predict their next move and intervene in time
use basic obedience commands to control your dog's hurting behavior when you realize your dog is
about to go for hurting interrupt him by assigning a different task for example when an aussie goes
into a crouch position and is about to begin hurting interrupt him by giving him another task
such as sit stay or watch me this is an effective method for diverting their attention aussies are
very intelligent dogs and if they are repeatedly stopped from hurting they will soon realize it is
an undesired behavior aussies are highly active dogs who require regular exercise to burn off
extra calories if your dog is properly exercised it is less likely he will go for herding whenever
your aussie starts hurting take them for a walk and play different games with them they
need a proper alternative to their hurting instinct in order to run off excess energy
tryball is a relatively new dog sport it's a competitive dog sport that is more suitable for
herding dogs like australian shepherds and border collies the game involves herding a number of
balls into a soccer style goal within a time frame these hurting balls are supposed to be taller than
the dog the owner has to use different commands hand gestures and whistles to control the dog this
helps a lot in controlling their hurting behavior you don't need to use force while minimizing the
hurting behavior yelling at your dog or physically punishing them is totally counterproductive
the hurting instinct of an aussie may vary with the individual dog if you're unable to stop or
minimize their herding behavior you can take the help of a professional trainer a professional
dog trainer will help you better understand your dog's behavior and deal with its hurting
socialization plays a very important role in the behavioral training of a dog a properly socialized
dog can better interact in different situations and places poorly socialized dogs often develop
behavioral problems socialize your aussie from an early age expose them to new people places and
pets take them for a walk in a new neighborhood to a dog park or to other public places you can
also enroll your aussie and puppy socialization class however make sure your puppy is fully
vaccinated before exposing him to other dogs the prime time for socialization of a dog is from
two to four months of age during this time it is very important that your aussie becomes familiar
with different sounds pets people and sights it helps your dog to become a well-behaved adult dog
reward based training also called positive reinforcement is the key to a successful
training process australian shepherds are eager to please their owners and they
thrive on rewards praise them whenever they follow a command give them treats
after the completion of an action you can use treats to lure your dog into desired actions
aussies are highly motivated by treats which can help accelerate the training process yelling at or
punishing your dog is totally counterproductive and should be avoided at all costs
keep the training sessions short focused and entertaining for your dog long training
sessions can cause exhaustion as well as a loss of interest and focus teach them only
one command in a single session a short focused session of 15 to 20 minutes is enough for them
finish the training sessions on a positive note by rewarding them with treats and praise
while training an australian shepherd it is very important to be patient and consistent
in the training process your puppy is like a baby he doesn't understand your language or commands
he has no idea which behaviors are acceptable and which are not
puppy brain may take time to comprehend the meaning of your commands
so be patient and consistent throughout the training process