To begin, I did a great job when it came to transitions. I picked out transitions specific to the topic, like when it was an argumentative or an informative, I chose transitions that flowed well and went with the type of blog I was posting. I also did well when it came to developing my ideas and using specific examples. Like when I did my explanatory, I made sure to mention the tiniest details like how often the dog should be rewarded to keep the action going so the dog remembers the action. I did so to ensure that the steps were clear and that there could be no confusion with what to do to complete the shake.  

     However, I could have done a better job with looking over my blogs and revising them more carefully. I left a dead word in my informative, which could have been fixed with time and more revisions.

     Finally, with free reigns to write about anything, I would have gone into why German Shepherds are the best breed of dog to have. However, I felt like I could not have done that topic effectively in under three hundred words. I would also have had to have more time in order to make the post all that I would want it to be, as research would be required and I would want to make it my strongest piece in order to display my confidence in my opinion and to persuade others to believe the same as I do.

Word count- 253

Reflection

     To begin, German Shepherds are extremely smart. They are, in fact, the third most intelligent breed of dogs behind the Poodle and Golden Retriever. German Shepherds can pick up on many situations such as any high-stress situations or suspicious activities. Their intelligence also helps them obtain new tricks like laying down when they find an object or sitting when they smell an illegal substance. Their intelligence allows them to complete tasks many other dogs would not be able to and gives them an edge up on the competition when it comes to catching criminals and being the dogs used on the force. https://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/german-shepherd-dog#/slide/1

     Furthermore, German Shepherds have an incredible bite force. 238 pounds of force in fact. An average human has roughly 86 pounds of force when they bite. 238 pounds of force can cause some damage, and certainly creates fear in anyone who questions the dog’s authority or causes harm to anyone they protect. Their bite stands out as a fear factor for people, as if the police dogs were viewed as cute and cuddly, they would not help coerce criminals to surrender or be frightened. https://www.insidedogsworld.com/15-amazing-german-shepherd-facts/

     Finally, German Shepherds are typically known as police dogs because of their yearning to work and complete tasks. German Shepherds live to work and please their owners. Since they have so much built up energy, activities that get their mind and body active appeal greatly to German Shepherds. This is why German Shepherds love being police dogs, they constantly have tasks to complete and get plenty of exercise and attention. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/amazing-facts-about-german-shepherd/

 

Word count- 257

Type- informative

    To begin, training a German Shepherd to shake is easier than people think. First of all, there is something called operant conditioning. This is teaching someone or a dog a behavior and increasing the behavior through rewards. Therefore, when a dog starts doing the action that is desired (shaking a hand) they are rewarded with treats.

Steps:

1. Place a hand in front of the dog.
2. Motion the hand in a “come here” motion with all fingers.
3. Grab the dog’s paw right after this action.
4. Shake the dog’s paw.
5. Reward the dog with a treat.
6. Repeat this until the dog meets their paw with the hand on their own.

Tip:

    To keep the action fresh in the dog’s mind, reward the shake every few times they complete it after initial training. This will help ensure that they keep up with the desired action.                                                                                                                                                           Finally, if the steps are followed and treats are received and constantly being reminded of the action, the dog will have learned a new trick.

Word count- 166

Type- Explanatory

     To begin, German Shepherds should not be banned or outlawed from public places or from owning in states. German Shepherds are not bred to be attack dogs, they protect their owners and behave how they are trained to behave. If a trainer displays love and affection and takes their time introducing their German Shepherd to people and they are rewarding for good behaviors and still showing discipline, German Shepherds will not attack any person that they see, rather they will show affection and wag their tail or jump to give kisses, or remain calm and stay where they were.  

     Contrarily, proponents believe that banning German Shepherds would be beneficial because there are some aggressive German Shepherds who could put people at risk if provoked. There are owners who train their German Shepherds to attack and be aggressive. These dogs can become dangerous and harmful if they come in contact with others.

     However, German Shepherds can be trained to be obedient and gentle dogs. German Shepherds get excited easily, which can be confused with being aggressive, but biting is not involved in the excitement. Many confuse their playful energy and aggressiveness. It is normal for a dog to get excited when they see someone. However, like they can be trained to sit and go potty outside, German Shepherds can be taught to calm down and not become excited when guests come around. German Shepherds are supposed to be guard dogs, but that is only if they feel threatened. German Shepherds simply get a bad reputation because of their size and a few owners who mistreated their dogs and trained them to act aggressively. Therefore, German Shepherds should not be banned. They should be trained.

Word count-285

Type- persuasive 

         To begin, when I first was told we were finally getting a dog, I honestly was a little scared. I had always been scared of dogs, as I was bitten by one when I was little. Walking down the hallway in the pound, I could hear all of the dogs barking, and I started to wonder if this is what I really wanted. Finally, at the end of the hallway, I saw her. She was sitting down on the concrete and opened her mouth and smiled at me when I came to the window. She was huge. 100 pounds was the rough estimate the vets gave. I went against my gut instinct to run and asked if I could take her on a walk to see how she interacted with me.                                                                                                                      Immediately, she jumped. But not to hurt me, instead, she gave me kisses and wagged her tail so hard I felt a welt forming on my leg. She finally jumped off of me and started to run in the backyard of the pound. I could see she was so happy to finally be able to run and play, rather than be confined in her tiny room. She eagerly grabbed a ball and dropped it at my feet. After I threw it, she came back and laid down by my feet. She looked at me, and from that moment I knew she was my dog.                                                Finally, when she got home, she would lay in my bed and only listened to me when she was given commands. She was always gentle with me when I would get nervous. I started playing more with her, and now she has shown me that dogs just need love and a lot of grass to run in.

word count-292

type- narrative