Inga is 10 months old and she knows 25 commands. I posted this on another board where a lot of people are new at this, but I thought I'd bring it over here. She knows:

Sit
Down
Stay
Sit, Down, Stay (from distant hand signals)
Stand
Up (get up on something)
Off
Load Up (truck)
Off Load
Jump (as into water or through hoops)
Get It
Bring It
Out!
Kennel
No!
OK (the release command)
Come
Heel
Eat!Eat! (verschlingen)
Lets Go
Relax
Enough (as in enough barking)
No Bite (stop mouthing)
What Is It? (Very important, not over used. When Inga is barking in in alarm, barking while jumping up off the floor, this means run out there and find out what the heck it is. We can do this, we live on a ranch)

still working on -
Find It (tracking)
Drag (while biting onto her knotted rope and lying on side, allow herself to be dragged across the lawn)
Leave It
Guard

My man friend and I taught her and we never went to any trainer. We put in the time to work her at least twice a day. These are 15 minute sessions mixed with play. She gets exercised first to get her puppy energy burnt off somewhat so she can focus. She gets taken to big box stores and put through her paces on leash under distraction, gets taken to dog parks if one side is empty and worked under heavy distraction. I am not letting her jump very often now and no higher than her own back to preserve her growth plates and joints.

We started when Inga was 6 weeks old with Don Sullivan's methods and equipment. The reward is praise and play, not becoming a Treat Dispenser. When she became a big strong dog, she is a European working lines GSD, we went to a prong collar to keep her from pulling. We also use an e collar set on vibrate that is effective up to 500 yards for distance work. If she went after a calf or a deer it can give a strong correction. But they have to be trained not to even look at a "critter" first. E collars are actually a lot of work. It is to reinforce the commands the dog already knows, as you know. Mostly we use the lowest settings- tone and vibrate. We are fortunate to have the time to do these things. Inga is my first GSD and is a joy to train and to work with. Now the teenage attitude is starting to appear but we will get through it.

 Quote: melissa bishop

Inga is 10 months old and she knows 25 commands. I posted this on another board where a lot of people are new at this, but I thought I'd bring it over here. She knows:

Sit
Down
Stay
Sit, Down, Stay (from distant hand signals)
Stand
Up (get up on something)
Off
Load Up (truck)
Off Load
Jump (as into water or through hoops)
Get It
Bring It
Out!
Kennel
No!
OK (the release command)
Come
Heel

EAT !!! EAT !!! (verschlingen)

Lets Go
Relax
Enough (as in enough barking)
No Bite (stop mouthing)
What Is It? (Very important, not over used. When Inga is barking in in alarm, barking while jumping up off the floor, this means run out there and find out what the heck it is. We can do this, we live on a ranch)

still working on -
Find It (tracking)
Drag (while biting onto her knotted rope and lying on side, allow herself to be dragged across the lawn)
Leave It
Guard

My man friend and I taught her and we never went to any trainer. We put in the time to work her at least twice a day. These are 15 minute sessions mixed with play. She gets exercised first to get her puppy energy burnt off somewhat so she can focus. She gets taken to big box stores and put through her paces on leash under distraction, gets taken to dog parks if one side is empty and worked under heavy distraction. I am not letting her jump very often now and no higher than her own back to preserve her growth plates and joints.

We started when Inga was 6 weeks old with Don Sullivan's methods and equipment. The reward is praise and play, not becoming a Treat Dispenser. When she became a big strong dog, she is a European working lines GSD, we went to a prong collar to keep her from pulling. We also use an e collar set on vibrate that is effective up to 500 yards for distance work. If she went after a calf or a deer it can give a strong correction. But they have to be trained not to even look at a "critter" first. E collars are actually a lot of work. It is to reinforce the commands the dog already knows, as you know. Mostly we use the lowest settings- tone and vibrate. We are fortunate to have the time to do these things. Inga is my first GSD and is a joy to train and to work with. Now the teenage attitude is starting to appear but we will get through it.

I use "Friss Du" for EAT

The translation for EAT would simply be FRISS for an animal. (Don't use it ever for people!) But for the dog of course this doesn't matter at all. If he's used to FRIISS DU, just leave it. He understands.
You've got already a huge vocabulary for your dog; When mine were at that age they knew SIT, Down, Stand and No and of course the release marker ClICK. this taught by a selfstyled "professional" trainer. I'd start completely different, if I could go back.

I like German for Engulf and Devour > https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1CHWA_enUS601US601&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=german+word+for+engulf

Since this is for poison proofing it may be incorrect but it works and no one would know it. She sits and waits drooling and looking at me until the command.

My question is- are 25 commands a lot to expect of a 10 month old German Shepherd? Am I pushing her too hard? She seems to like it.

As long as both you AND the dog are still enjoying it then it's never to much.

As to numbers I think it is dependent on both the trainer and the dog.

There are as many training methods as there are trainers but we all start with something.

In time most of us will probably blend things we've learned over the years.

That is usually based on finding what works best for us and the individual dog.

FOR ME, marker training was a true eye opener after 50 yrs of doing most everything else in training.

Michael Ellis then took it to a new level for me but I think all of us that have been training for a while will eventually develop a blending of what we've learned over the years.

One thing I've learned through the years is that with ANY method both the trainer and the dog need to occasionally teak a break and just have fun doing nothing.

We can still get tired of ice cream you know........well.........maybe that wasn't a good example.

What a brillant description. Really grown out of real experiences. I love M.E. too. I've got most of his DVDS and watch them over nd over, although some things are still down the road for my level..
Generally I have to admit: Without Leerburg I'd be lost. I as a bloody beginner and an complete idiot of a trainer. Marker training was an eye opener for me too . Now everything is fun. Mistakes don't matter any more, because I can always go one or more steps back and then fun is immediately back too.
I too think, it can1t be too much as long as the dogs are crazy about the training. And Bob is right. Handler and dog need a break now and then. I for some time had the tendency wanting to catch up, because I had missed such a lot of time. In between I take those things very calmly. What concerns this I learned not only from LB but from my brain damaged Charlie. He is learning but slowly. Does it matter? I only want a happy dog, who learns to move with more certainty in his surroundings. I'm trining with him at the moment differnt exercises mostly about body awarenes.

I change Bob's dictum: From Vets declared stupid dogs love to learn new tricks.



Alissa: I like the word "verschlingen" too, as long as it is done by dogs. I detest not the word, but the action when done by humans. Rather bad manners, especially when done in public. But it is quite common nowadays, I know, perhaps I'm just too old.

 Quote: Bob Scott

We can still get tired of ice cream you know........well.........maybe that wasn't a good example.

Glad you caught yourself, Bob. Up until now, I've had a great deal of respect for just about everything you've posted on this forum. This last statement of yours, however, was something I just couldn't agree with, with all due respect of course.

Thank you for your responses. I do use a sort of a maker and it is the word, yesss when she starts to do what I ask. And then followed by a shoulder stroke. I am using a SportDog e collar and that is their advice, the shoulder stroke and praise for a reward, not food. But not over the top praise and petting either, that distracts them from learning the task. Their idea about not using food rewards is that a pack leader does not cough up food for other wolves, the others are subordinate. Our sessions are mixed with play of course. And for relaxation together, its a horse ride. She is beside herself with joy to see me bring out the saddle.

I "verschlingen" ice cream every chance I get but not in public.