GSD K9 & Obedience Training

After purchasing a puppy, you can choose to have your dog trained here, or you can Purchase a Trained Puppy, one already finished with Obedience from the Beginning Training Programs. We offer training to previously purchased Kraftwork K9 puppies only.

The training skills our German Shepherd trainers teach are the basic fundamentals every puppy should know. Each program is custom-tailored to suit each dog and family’s needs. All commands are taught in German unless otherwise specified. All German Shepherd K9 training is conducted here at our location in Rochester, Washington, served by PDX airport in Portland, Oregon, and SEA Seattle, Washington State.

Training Programs
Obedience from the Beginning Part 1 – Imprinting & Socializing

(30 Days)
Minimum Age: 8 weeks
We call this “Obedience from the Beginning”. This is the perfect age to lay down a solid foundation on which future training can be built. Our German Shepherd trainers introduce the puppies to a reward system using food to reinforce the correct behavior. This helps us develop their drive to learn in a distraction-free environment. We teach them their name, how to sit & lie down, and introduce them to the heel position. We also begin house training and expose them to new environments. Level 1 of Kraftwork’s obedience training sets the puppies up for success in every area of their lives.

Week 1:
a. Learn how to respond to collar and leash
b. Follow the handler on leash
c. Name Association

Week 2:
a. Come and sit in the front position
b. Sit on command
c. Down on command
d. Teaching the meaning of no

Week 3:
a. Introduced to house-training with indoor environment
b. Crate Trained
c. Vehicle familiarization
d. Drive Building – Encourage chasing and biting of approved toys

Week 4:
a. Introduction to stairs
b. Exposure to slippery stairs
c. Bathing, trimming of nails, and ear cleaning on an elevated table

Obedience from the Beginning Part 2 – Manners & Obedience

(30 Days)
Minimum Age: 12 weeks
Kraftwork’s obedience level two is where the rubber meets the road for the puppies. We transition them from food rewards to play objects, such as tugs or balls, to build drive. Drive is a term describing the emotional and physical energy that motivates dogs to act. We go from using a food reward-based system to an actual training program. This is where our German Shepherd trainers test each command the puppies have learned. Each puppy has learned what to do, so now, we give him or her an opportunity not to do it. If the puppy makes the wrong choice, they are corrected for their behavior, but if the puppy chooses to obey, they are rewarded. During this level, the puppies are taught how to extend their sit-downs, developing their stay. They also learn how to greet people respectfully. Level 2 of Kraftwork’s obedience training teaches the puppies the practical obedience that they need to excel as a young, developing dog.

Week 1:
a. Introduction of training collar as a positive experience
b. Stop mouthing, inappropriate biting, and biting with stronger corrections
c. Recall & Sit in front of the handler from a distance

Week 2:
a. Sit & Stay (One minute)
b. Sit & Stay under distraction
c. Sit & Stay at a distance

Week 3:
a. Down & Stay (Three minutes)
b. Down & Stay under distraction
c. Down & Stay at a distance

Week 4:
a. Fetch (Promoting retrieving instincts)
b. Drive building – proofing behavior under different distractions and strange environments
c. Continued house-training

Obedience from the Beginning Part 3 – Boost Performance Levels

(30 Days)
Minimum Age: 16 weeks
Once we develop optimum drive in the puppies, we can take their training to the next level, with our obedience part 3 training course. This is a vital step in their training development. We help them begin to transition from puppies into confident and capable young adults. Once they have a solid foundation in their home field, they have to learn how to perform everywhere.

Week 1:
a. Fuss – Heel (Walk on loose lead in the heel position without pulling)
b. Automatically sits when the handler stops
c. Finished Fuss – Get into heel position from here, front sit

Week 2:
a. Formal German obedience commands as well as informal English house commands
b. Introduction to obedience hand signals
c. Obedience commands at a distance

Week 3:
a. Increased duration of sit and down stays
b. Extending the area of influence of the handler has increased from six feet to thirty with a long line
c. Introduction to off-leash obedience

Week 4:
a. Promotion of off-leash response to commands
b. Create a positive expectation based on the quickness of performance of behaviors
c. Proofing already learned behaviors around distractions: Dogs, people, vehicles, in home & office environments

young german shepherd puppy running on grass with tongue out and blurred background

black german shepherd lying on elevated dog bed outdoors with trees in background

German Shepherd Trainers

Kraftwork K9 Pro is dedicated to offering superior dogs to combat would-be assailants. A security guard may only be on shift for 12 hours, with the ability to stay prime for only 8 of those hours. A German Shepherd is vigilant even when their owners are resting. The first goal of a trained dog is to provide a deterrent. This obstacle alone will combat a large percentage of burglaries and home invasions. “Bad guys” would much rather take on an empty home than one with a barking German Shepherd. Our Practical Protection Program was created to aggressively engage these criminals and take the fight to them if necessary!

german shepherd in mid-air during bite training with man in padded suit on grass field

german shepherd sitting and looking up at trainer wearing protective sleeve in outdoor training area