Beaucerons are highly trainable dogs, and can be considered among the most impressive of dog breeds when successfully trained: noble, imposing, helpful toward human beings, and with few problems related to discipline.
The problem, however, is that few people actually know how to take full advantage of through dog obedience training. Worse yet, many people think that they can be trained with just a few hours of work every week, leaving the Beauceron completely alone in the house for the rest of the time. This will inevitably result in an untrained dog–meaning destructive, neurotic, and aggressive –and will obliterate many of the qualities of nobility and gentleness that make the Beauceron so attractive as a breed in the first place.
Despite the difficulty of obedience training for a Beauceron, it’s vital to learn how to train the Beauceron yourself–and to devote a great deal of time to this training becoming the pack leader in his/her life. Hiring a professional trainer may result in a well-trained obedient dog, is true–but that Beauceron will be well-trained and obedient when his or her trainer is around, and will be another kind of dog altogether when it’s simply you in the drivers’ seat. So if you’re interested in owning this breed, make sure that you’re willing to learn how to train him/her–and make sure that you’re willing to spend the time to train them effectively as well.
One of the keys to successfully training for the Beauceron is to train them early. This holds true for all dogs, of course–one of the easiest ways to ensure that a dog behaves in a desirable fashion is to ensure that desirable habits are formed before the dog has a chance to form less desirable habits–that is, he/she learns to chew their dog toy before he learns to chew your sofa, for example.
However, for the Beauceron, the early training policy isn’t merely a good idea, it’s absolutely vital. This breed, which was a very cute puppy of only a few pounds, will inevitably grow into a massive, hundred-pound plus dog with powerful limbs and a powerful personality. If you have not taught the Beauceron how to curb that personality early on, all of that weight and power may very well be used in a way that you will not enjoy, we guarantee.
Once your training program has begun and you have invested in the appropriate dog training supplies, remember to follow these two rules: exercise patience, and be consistent. The Beauceron’s inherent nobility and arrogance makes it less likely to obey your commands at first, or to be interested in an obedience training program.
It is vital to gain the dog’s respect through positive obedience training messages and some light firm methods– limited to no more than a stern tone of voice to discourage negative behavior, consistently applied.
Consistency is the key here: they need to know, from constant, repeated examples, exactly which behaviors are rewarded, and which behaviors will not. If your dog perceives the slightest leeway in your policy, for example, you punish your dog whenever you see him chewing the furniture. But then leave him alone for twelve hours a day to chew the furniture unsupervised–then the Beauceron won’t perceive you as the pack leader, won’t follow your commands, and will gradually become more aggressive and hostile toward the human beings who, in the dog’s mind, he or she rules over.
Does this mean that a Beauceron cannot be trained? Absolutely not–but be aware of the commitment it takes to effectively train a dog of this breed, be willing to take the time to become the pack leader in his/her life, and be patient. If you can do all of these things, it will only be a matter of time before you reap your noble reward.
