This Dog Training Totally Transformed Our German Shepherd Puppy

I have been the proud owner of German Shepherds for nearly half my life. My wife has had the breed most of her life, and she introduced me to what a special breed these dogs are. German Shepherds are wonderful, but they can be a handful due to their drive and yearning to work. They are, after all, a working line breed. The best way that the personality of a German Shepherd has ever been described to me is this.

If you do not give them a job to do, they will find one themselves and it will not be the job you want them to do.

Meet Radar: Our High-Energy Working Line German Shepherd

Earlier this year, we gained a new addition to the household, a Czech working line German Shepherd named Radar. He is currently five months old and, much like any puppy, he is a lot. Mix in the fact that he is a high-drive working line breed, you could say that we’ve certainly got our hands full.

When it came to potty training, basic commands like sit and lie down, we had that part handled. Both my wife and I knew that we were going to need much more than our knowledge of training dogs to help us overcome the hurdles of having a working line puppy, and professional training was going to be the best course of action for him.

Radar’s Transformation at Mountain State K9 Academy

This past weekend, Radar completed his three-week board and train at Mountain State K9 Academy. Let me tell you, this was one of the best things I think we have ever done for a dog.

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Kari, Gator, and the rest of the training staff were great from the start to where we are today. They have been nothing short of amazing when it comes to information, and most importantly, training us on how to speak the language our puppy can understand. There is still so much more training to do, but we have a rock-solid foundation to build upon.

The Power of the ‘Climb’ Command in Everyday Life

Gator worked with Radar, teaching him so many things like heel, reactivity to other dogs, to sit, and stay, and what I believe has been the most important part of the training. The “CLIMB” command.

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The “CLIMB” command has been a game changer for our puppy. When Radar is given the command, he bolts into action and goes to his special cot placed strategically in the living room where he can be out of the way, yet still see everything that is going on in the main living area. This command makes it possible to bring groceries into the house, cook dinner, and perform many of the other daily tasks much faster without a puppy under your feet.

On Memorial Day, I moved his cot into the garage and all three of us hung out there for well over an hour. Radar got the ‘CLIMB’ command, and he took in all of the sights and sounds of a holiday weekend on our block. The kids riding their bikes up and down the street, into our driveway, our neighbors washing their dogs across the street, and other neighbors walking past with their dogs.

Let me tell you, Radar did outstanding. I couldn’t be more proud of the pup he is turning into and all that he has learned and retained at Mountain State K9 Academy. I am not really sure where Radar would be behavior-wise without the help of these amazing trainers who understand how a dog’s mind works. For that, I am eternally grateful.

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