# A 3 and a half year old GSD



## mcpuck (Aug 18, 2013)

Hello,

I am a new member here. I just had a GSD last month -called Kaiser- from friends of mine who left the country and couldn't take him with them. He has basic training, but he doesn't listen from first time unless he knows that he'll get a treat after it. I've tried to let him meet other dogs but he never stops barking when he sees them. I live in Jordan in the middle east, and since people here are not very much used to seeing dogs, they keep on barking at him and sometimes throwing stuff when I'm walking him, especially the kids, so I try to play with him in the front yard instead of walking him and it doesn't seem that he has a drive to play that much, maybe because of the very hot weather? How can I correct his behavior and make him obey from the first time and how can I let him stop barking when he sees other dogs or cats?

PS: I've never had a dog in my life and I'm not very experiences, so any help would be very much appreciated, especially that I couldn't get a professional because they ask too much here and I can't afford it.

Thanks in advance


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Hello! The heat could by why he is not so playful, I know my own play much harder in the early morning and late evening when its cooler. Has he seen a vet yet? Might want to rule out any potential health problems too. Do you have access to training classes there? If no, maybe try looking through you tube videos for people working with their dogs and going through different commands. Consistency is key, the dog needs to know what to expect from you.


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## mcpuck (Aug 18, 2013)

mcpuck said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am a new member here. I just had a GSD last month -called Kaiser- from friends of mine who left the country and couldn't take him with them. He has basic training, but he doesn't listen from first time unless he knows that he'll get a treat after it. I've tried to let him meet other dogs but he never stops barking when he sees them. I live in Jordan in the middle east, and since people here are not very much used to seeing dogs, they keep on barking at him and sometimes throwing stuff when I'm walking him, especially the kids, so I try to play with him in the front yard instead of walking him and it doesn't seem that he has a drive to play that much, maybe because of the very hot weather? How can I correct his behavior and make him obey from the first time and how can I let him stop barking when he sees other dogs or cats?
> 
> ...


Hello Nigel, Thanks for the reply. He was at the vet today to take his annual shots and the vet said that there's no problem with him. As I mentioned before, it's very expensive here to get him to training classes so I need to learn how to train him on my own. Any specific videos you recommend?


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Since he is treat motivated, you may want to try clicker training. Also he needs to learn to focus on you. Here is a thread that you may find helpful: http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/how-do-i-teach-my-dog/85869-teaching-focus.html


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Sorry, I don't have any specific ones. I've seen this site recommended to people looking for videos, maybe it can be useful. 

BowWowFlix.com: Dog DVD Rentals | Dog Training Dvd | Dog Dvds | Rent Dog Videos


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