How to Train a German Shorthaired Pointer to Listen

By: David Codr

Published Date: June 26, 2016

how to train a german shorthaired pointer

For this Omaha dog training session we worked with Osborne, a two-year-old German Shorthair Pointer. This high-energy pup gets overexcited, barks, jumps up, pulls on the leash and tries to bolt out the door any chance he gets. Osborne’s guardians reached out to us to learn some tips on how to train a German Shorthaired Pointer.

I like to refer to German Shorthair Pointer’s as a professional class of dog. They are very energetic and often high-strung. They need more exercise than most other dog breeds.

Osborne was kind enough to demonstrate just how high-energy he was during the greeting.

I sat down with the guardians to discuss the situation. This gave me a chance to observe Osborne as he paced around the room, nudged his guardians and jumped up on the furniture without hesitation.

Expert Tips on How to Train a German Shorthaired Pointer

I knew that Osborne had too much energy to work with me. So, I put a harness on him and strapped on my rollerblades. This way, I could do a bit of dog-skiing.

I don’t have any footage of Osborne pulling me during our dog-skiing adventure. However, I can say he was likely the strongest pulling dog I’ve ever worked with.

I let Osborne pull me as long as he wanted, for as fast as he wanted. It took us about 10-15 minutes, but eventually Osborne was able to fully empty his tank.

When we returned to Osborne’s home, it took him a good 20 minutes to cool off. It’s important that you give your dog a recovery period after any type of strenuous exercise, especially during the heat of the summer. Fortunately it was cooler and still early in the day when we headed out for this dog-skiing session.

As Osborne cooled down, I suggested a number of rules and boundaries that the family should start to incorporate. In the initial evaluation, I had learned that Osborne really didn’t have any rules. This often causes a dog to think that they have the same authority as the humans they live with.

How to Create a Leader-Follower Dynamic with Positive Dog Training

But if a dog considers themselves to have the same authority that you do, then listening to you becomes optional to the dog.

So, we had a combination of a dog that has way too much energy and the perception that he has the same authority as the humans. This caused him to frequently disregard their commands or corrections or not hear them at all.

Guardians can help dogs see them as authority figures. They can do this by setting rules, boundaries, and limits. It is important to enforce these rules effectively.

Good timing is also very important in this process. Once they see themselves as being in the follower position, then his response and respect for the guardians will increase.

While it is important for us to correct our dogs when they get out of line, I find positive reinforcement or positive dog training to be the most effective way of getting a dog to do what you want.

But if we pet a dog without any structure or at the wrong time, they can give the dog the wrong impression. To help the family start to reward Osborne for desired behaviors I went over my petting with a purpose strategy.

If all family members ask the dog to come, sit, or lay down, they will train him. They will do this every time they pet him, without even thinking about it.

Why is Leash Training Important?

Because burning of excess energy is such an important part of Osborne’s rehabilitation, I showed the guardians how they could use a Martingale collar to stop Osborne from pulling on the leash. Due to his strong pulling power, the family stopped walking him. Instead, they tried to use his energy through play in their big backyard.

I spent a few minutes going over some basic leash training; how to position the dog, when and how to correct, how to communicate while on walks and most importantly how to lead the dog instead of trying to pull him into position.

I also showed them a simple trick at the door that teaches the dog that just because it opens, it is not an invitation for him to exit.

The leash training really did the trick. Within minutes, the dog’s guardians had Osborne walking in a heel rather than having him pull them all over the place. By teaching the dog to heel on walks, both human and canine will have a more enjoyable experience.

A big part of this success was burning off his excess energy early by dog-skiing. Fortunately, both of Osborne’s guardians have experience skating. I suggested that at first they take him out for a nice fetch session in the backyard because he is a truly powerful dog.

A short game of fetch can help them take the edge off and make him more manageable when they start learning how to dog-ski safely.

Sometimes burning off the dog’s excess energy needs to happen multiple times over the course of the day. I have found that there are many other ways that you can help a dog burn off excess energy. The fetch I referenced earlier is a perfect example.

If the guardians can take Osborne outside for 20 or 30 throws, they should give him a break. After that, they can try dog skiing or walking him again. This way, they will find it easier to repeat today’s experience.

Since Osborne liked to run out the door, I spent a few minutes teaching his guardians how to claim the space. Then, I invited a guest inside. I demonstrated the technique myself first, then coached the guardian through it so that she had the same result.

This exercise needs some practice. I suggest they ask friends and family to act as guests. It may take a few minutes to answer the door this way. However once Osborne has practiced it enough, he will start to stand behind the imaginary boundary on his own.

Helping a High-Energy Dog Learn Self-Control

We ended the session with a structured eating ritual. This will help Osborne develop more self-control and restraint.

I recommended that the guardians consider taking Osborne to dog day care a few times a week. He would also benefit from playing scent games in the backyard. As a true hunting dog, getting him to use his nose will be stimulating as well as a good way to help him channel some of his excess energy.

By the end of the session, Osborne’s guardians were communicating with him much more effectively and getting amazing results. He was already starting to follow some of the rules and respecting the new boundaries on his own.

If his guardians can continue to burn off his excess energy while continuing to assume the leadership position, it should be easy for them to teach Osborne what they do and do not want from him moving forward. As a smart dog, I think this is going to happen for him pretty quickly.

Want to Learn How to Train a High-Energy Dog? Click Here to Book a Session
Tags: , , ,

Categorized in:

This post was written by: David Codr