10 Training Tips for Your German Shepherd Chihuahua Mix Puppy
There is a reason why German Shepherds are among the most popular dog breeds in the world. The GSD is in the top 5 by the American Kennel Club, a position it has held for years. The one downside of owning a German Shepherd is that the breed is prone to health issues. Enter mixed breeds, a way for breeders to prolong their lifespan. The German Shepherd Chihuahua mix retains most of the working dog abilities of the GSD, with a longer lifespan. Today, however, we will talk about training this mixed breed.
A well-trained Shep-Chi is a joy to live with. When trained properly, these dogs are amazing family companions and protection dogs.
These mixed dogs are loyal, intelligent, eager to please, and learn quickly. They can learn advanced skills and tricks, but it is your job as a dog owner to guide them through the process.
Generally speaking, when training a Chihuahua German Shepherd mix, you need to use proper timing, rewards, routines, and a calm environment, and ensure that physical and mental exercises keep them happy. Now let’s take a look at some tips for training your mixed puppy.
Challenges When Training
While the German Shepherd Chihuahua mix puppy is eager to please and loves training, this working mixed breed can present challenges as well. A common misconception is that using dominance-based training is the best way. While these dogs need an alpha to guide them, dominance-based training can backfire even if you are an experienced trainer/owner.
Understanding German Shepherd Chihuahua Mix Temperament
The interesting part about training a Shep-Chi is that these dogs combine two opposite traits. The German Shepherd is a working dog that loves pleasing its owner. Chihuahuas, on the other hand, are quite stubborn and can make training a challenge.
We also have to note that there are different lines of GSD dogs. Working-line German Shepherds are more intense, driven, and prone to aggression compared to the pet line. Working line GSDs are not suited for pet homes unless you are prepared for a lot of work to keep them trained and provide enough activity.
Pet line German Shepherds have been bred carefully for traits that make them good pets. They tend to be calmer, less protective, less intense, and have a lower energy. Working line GSDs were bred for their original purpose and work, which is guarding, protecting, and arresting suspects. They need to be intense and have a high drive. They are super energetic and addicted to their work. All these qualities will move onto your mixed breed puppy.
Tips For Training
Understand Your Dog’s Perspective
Every dog has a unique personality. While there are general personality traits for each breed, it is wrong to use blanket terms. Yes, GSDs and Chihuahuas have their own reputation. But it doesn’t tell you a lot about the individual dog you have. Understand your pet’s perspective before you approach training. Two dogs of the same breed can learn and train differently.
Set Up Your Dog for Success
The three essential parts of training a GSD Chihuahua mix puppy are timing, rewards, and routine. Timing is important, and you need to choose carefully when the dogs are motivated, focused, and eager to train. For example, training before mealtime is awesome, because dinner becomes the reward. If you want your puppy to succeed you have to provide rewards that make them want to work.
Routine, the final aspect of success, is maybe the most important. Dogs thrive on routine, and in this case, it means scheduling training sessions at the same part of the day. Routine doesn’t mean you need to practice the same thing over and over again. If your training sessions look similar, dogs get bored and stop showing interest.
Teach Them to Chill Alone
An underrated aspect of training a German Shepherd Chihuahua mix is impulse control. Teach your dog to chill out alone. Work on their impulse control around people, animals, and other stimuli. A calm dog is a joy to be around. If your dog is energetic and overwhelmed with energy around different stimuli, training will fail. Instead, give your dog a safe space to rest and be alone. When you are outside, sit on a blanket and just chill and observe the environment. Reward calm and positive behavior.
Add Mental Stimulation to the Routine
Physical activity is just one part of the training process. As a highly intelligent breed, both Chihuahuas and GSDs need plenty of mental stimulation to thrive. These brainy dogs need something that will work out their body, but also their mind. Balance fitness and focus to ensure success. Try to engage your dog in different mind games and build confidence by putting them in different situations. Reward your dog for showing good behavior in unknown situations.
Start Training in a Calm Environment
As an energetic and enthusiastic dog, these puppies can get distracted easily. In the beginning, you want to provide an environment that can help your dog train and focus on you. No dog will have a 100% reliable focus in the beginning. Make sure to ensure as few distractions as possible until your dog masters recall and focus on you.
Be Consistent
If you correct a behavior only some of the time, then the dog will get confused. He might think that correction is bearable and they can do it every once in a while. If you set boundaries, stick to them 100% of the time. Consistency also means that if you choose a word for a command, you use the same word always. For example, you cannot use “come”, “come here”, “here”, and so on for recall. Use only come!
Balance Play and Training
Play and training should be one and the same with your German Shepherd Chihuahua mix puppy. When training is fun, dogs love to learn. Every game you play should have an element of training. This puts your dog in a constant exercise of maintaining focus and control.
Be Careful Not to Reward Negative Behavior
One of the common mistakes pet parents make is they reward misbehavior. Jumping on people might look cute for a puppy. But imagine an adult dog doing the same. Stop the misbehavior when your puppy is young. Be careful not to reward things like chewing on items, barking for attention, and jumping on people. It makes it harder to correct the behaviors in adulthood.
Adapt and Be Patient
As we said before, every dog is different. You might choose a training plan to begin, but you should be ready to adapt it. Be ready to adapt to even a single training session. For example, if your plan involves learning the command “down”, and your dog has trouble doing it, switch to a different exercise. Always give your dog the best chance to “win” and finish with something he knows how to master. That way, you end the training session with a reward.
The Alpha Status
We mentioned before that dominance-based training doesn’t work with German Shepherd Chihuahua Mix puppy. But that doesn’t mean you need to let them do what they want. Both GSD and Chihuahua can be stubborn and show alpha personality. They will try to manipulate you. And if your dog, at any time, views you as being lesser than them, they will take control. That will spell trouble for any possible successful training.
