How Do You Potty Train A German Shepherd Without A Crate
In the no crate method, you allow your German Shepherd to have either limited access to the spaces in your home or free-range throughout the house.
If your German Shepherd pup can roam freely through your residence, it should follow that you will need to supervise him constantly.
Once your puppy becomes acclimated to your home, you will begin to notice even subtle signs he may need to relieve his bladder.
As you teach your pup a predictable routine, he will eventually start to go to the door to signal his need to go to the bathroom.
Puppies can also learn to use a dog door at a very early age. However, you want to be present when your puppy eliminates outdoors for a few reasons.
- Reinforce your pups designated area.
- Make sure your puppy is taking care of business and not just playing around.
- Praise your puppy to encourage desired behaviors.
Although you may not be using a crate, you can still confine your puppy to smaller areas with a baby gate or playpen. Enclosed spaces work well when you cannot watch your puppy during a certain time frame.
You can incorporate puppy pads at one end and resting area and water at the other.
Things To Keep In Mind
Finally, there are a couple of things that you need to keep in mind when you are training your German Shepherd.
- Built-in-Breed Specific Function These dogs are essentially considered working dogs, which means that they need to lead an active life to really prosper. Try to give your dog at least 30 minutes of physical exercise every day.
- Your Dog Is a Reflection of You Your German Shepherd will see you in any setting and pick up on small things that you may not even realize youre putting out. It is important for you to be a good example for the dog that you are training.
- They Communicate Differently Your dog will not speak or communicate in the same manner as you, but they do pick up and react to any stimuli in the environment. Your body language and the tone of voice that you use are crucial.
- Positive Reinforcement Is Key to Positive Results There is no way to lay enough emphasis on the fact that your German Shepherd will react best when you carry out training with the help of positive reinforcement. The dog will only grow to mistrust you if you keep yelling or resort to physical punishment.
German Shepherds have been used across the world for different purposes, whether it is as service dogs, guard dogs or just affectionate pets for the family. The best part about having a GSD at your home is that they are so much easier to train than many other pets, mostly because of their highly intelligent nature.
Letting Your German Shepherd Puppy Explore The Garden
Besides the gnomes and questionable garden furniture you may have, letting your puppy explore your own garden is a great and safe way to start showing them the sounds, lights and wonders of the outside world.
When theyre outdoors, theyll be able to experience what wind, and rain and sunshine feels like, as well as get familiar with walking on different surfaces.
PRO TIP: Gardens are the perfect toilet areas for puppies. Teach your puppy where the toilet area is in your garden, by rewarding them when they go for a pee or a poo, and also by rewarding them simply for being outside just so they get fully on board that its a fun place to be.
Recommended Reading: How Cold Can German Shepherds Handle
Enjoy The Best Traits Of The Breed
German Shepherds have plenty to offer in terms of entertainment, love, and companionship. But you wont even notice those traits if youre busy trying to deal with bad behaviors.
Training your GSD to be well-behaved is the only way you can enjoy the wonderful traits that have made them the 3rd most popular breed.
Common Mistakes Made While Training
Most people who train a German Shepherd have good intentions, but they may not always know much about training dogs, and so can be prone to making mistakes. Here are a few mistakes to be aware of, and ways to avoid them.
Using a Forceful or Violent Approach
Some people may think that being the alpha means being aggressive, and they might yell at or react violently to their dog when it messes up or doesnt obey commands. This is a poor way to train German Shepherds.
German Shepherds do not react well to violence and aggression and so can be known to act out in response. This is often in self-defense and ultimately will destroy the trust you have with your dog. Instead of violence or aggression, remember to stay cool, calm, and confident. You can be firm without inciting fear.
Positive reinforcement and kindness is best with German Shepherds. This will build love and trust, and will create a better experience for all involved.
Not Being Consistent or Repetitive
If you use different methods to train your German Shepherd the same thing, it will likely get confused. Using the same commands and actions is best in order to avoid that.
When a dog successfully obeys a command once, you shouldnt stop there. Repetition is vital to really help your dog understand what its supposed to do. Repeat tricks several times, and over several sessions so that it can really understand what things mean and what youre asking it to do.
Not Socializing your German Shepherd
Also Check: German Shepherd Color Variations
How To Potty Train A German Shepherd Puppy
House training your German Shepherd puppy is easy when you know the right steps.
Knowing how to potty train your German Shepherd is vital to having a happy, comfortable life with them. Use this training consistently to have the most effect.
A proactive approach works best. Which means you should
focus on preventing accidents, instead of waiting on them to happen!
Follow a strict feeding and bathroom schedule to see the best results. But potty training isnt only about teaching your pup where to go. Its also about clarifying that house soiling isnt appropriate.
Basically, you teach your German Shepherd puppy the right potty skills
until it becomes a habit .
Heres how to make it easy for you and your GSD to succeed!
Your Dog Does Not Communicate Like A Human
Your German Shepherd will respond to many different stimuli. Your body language and tone of voice being the two most important.
In time, your dog will understand certain commands such as sit, stay and come, drop etc.
But, dogs only understand single direct commands. Use language your dog will understand. Calm, simple commands and body language will make your message crystal clear.
You May Like: Making A Whelping Box
Common Mistakes You Should Avoid
There are some common mistakes that could make potty training your German Shepherd puppy go less smoothly than you intend.
Watch out for these little things
Note On German Shepherd Colors
German Shepherd puppies come in many colors:
- black and tan,
- black and brown,
- and sable.
Some color patterns are not accepted as standard by the AKC: for example, a completely white German Shepherd. A puppy with tufts of hair in his ears and between his toes is considered a “long-coated black” German Shepherd. Although he is not a standard German Shepherd type, the long-coated black will make an excellent family pet.
Recommended Reading: How Much Should A 1 Year Old German Shepherd Weight
Tip #: Dont Be Afraid To Use Food Treats For Training
I am sure you have heard all sorts of things against the use of food for training. Let me say it loud and clearTHEY ARE ALL WRONG! :)One of the key features of a good trainer is that he is able to motivate the dog. To do this, you need to find the things that your dog likes most and use them as rewards. Food will be one of them, so use it. But also use anything else, like walks, petting, play time, toys, etc. So, of all the German shepherd puppy training tips here, I don’t want to hear any excuses for this one!Using food for training doesnt mean that your pup will only obey when you have treats in your hand. Done the right way, your pooch will respond to your command even when empty handed. Here is the link that tells you the secret to train your dog with treat so that he responds even when you dont have them.
Hope my website is helping you better understand and train your dog. Do you want to help? For as little as $1 a month you can be my Patron and get exclusive benefits while helping me to continue to create the best and most updated content about dog training and positive methods. Be a modern philanthropist through Patreon.com
How Do You Stop A German Shepherd Puppy From Biting
Tug-o-War
You May Like: Hypoallergenic Dogs German Shepherds
Don’t Miss: When To Switch German Shepherd From Puppy Food
Tip #: The Best German Shepherd Puppy Training Tip Is
Reward good behavior and ignore bad behavior.
This rule is amazing and will work wonders, besides it is really easy to apply, all you have to do is pay attention to your German Shepherd puppy and reward the good things he does. However, there are a couple rules to keep in mind for it to work:If you notice that the bad behavior is no getting any better, it’s probably because _somehow_ it’s being rewarded! You need to figure out what the reward is and remove it.If ignoring your pooch for the bad behavior doesnt work, then you can train your canine friend an incompatible behavior. For example, when a dog is laying down, it is harder to bark.
German Shepherd Training: 10 Tips
German Shepherds are among the smartest dog breeds in the world. They are also eager to work and especially eager to please. Because of this, it is relatively easy for them to pick up new commands.
However, GSDs are also confident and headstrong dogs. Without proper training and leadership, they could develop some unwanted behaviors.
This article will discuss German Shepherd training, why it is important, and provide some tips to help you along the journey.
Also Check: Stanley Corens The Intelligence Of Dogs
Dogs Stick To What They Have Learned
If you have a second thought about investing your time and resources on your German Shepherd puppys good training, then this fact will make you decide in favor of it.
Research testing the tendency of dogs to go with the crowd revealed that dogs would stick to what they have learned and not conform to other dogs behavior even under different manipulated situations.
This means that the good training you give to your German Shepherd puppy will stick with him, and you can expect your dog to portray good behavior in any situation.
Get Into Real Training
Begin by introducing the command for the session. If its sit, say it once and let your German Shepherd puppy smell the treats again. Say it a second and third time while indicating the sitting posture with your arm.
When your dog sits, reward him with a treat and praise and repeat the process 5 to 6 times. Reward your pet every time he gets it right.
You May Like: German Shepherd Beagle Mix Size
Why Training German Shepherds May Not Be A Difficult Task
In the past, German Shepherds were used for a number of different tasks, initially for guarding homes or herds, and more recently as police dogs, firefighting dogs or even drug dogs. If you are familiar with all of these settings, you may notice that they are highly sensitive and need some amount of training before a dog can be prepared to take on such work.
This is where a GSDs intellect, determination, alert nature and impressive work ethic come into the picture.
Since the very beginning, German Shepherds have been trained to listen well, recognize any threats in the environment and react to these as quickly as possible. These are highly energetic dogs that run fast and want to do everything well. They pick up on commands quickly and view their owner as a leader that they have to follow religiously.
German Shepherds rank 3rd out of 137 breeds after the Border Collie and Poodle in terms of rankings put out in Stanley Corens book, The Intelligence of Dogs. According to the author, a German Shepherd has the capability of learning a new trick with as little as five repetitions, which is indicative of how easy it can be to train them.
The sections below will go into some detail about how a GSD can be trained, both as a pup and as an adult.
More 8 Week Old German Shepherd Puppy Training Help And Support
Is this your first German Shepherd puppy and you need more help and support?
Then youll definitely need to have a copy of Your German Shepherd Handbook: Month by Month.
Its got everything you need to know about your growing puppy and explains what to expect as they grow. This useful book is a great resource for helping take your energetic puppy into a dedicated and well-adjusted dog that youll love to be around.
For an even more in-depth training course take a look at Brain Training for Dogs, the only online training course youll need to keep your highly intelligent breed thoroughly engaged in their training.
The course is not only easy-to-follow but includes dozens of incredibly detailed demonstration videos. Further, as a member, you have access to a unique private forum for additional support and guidance from the creator of the training program in a positive support group.
Its a must-have training program for new German Shepherd puppy owners!
Read Also: Is My German Shepherd Too Skinny
At What Age Should You Start Training German Shepherds
You should begin training your German Shepherd puppy the moment they arrive in your home. Despite popular misconceptions, its never too early to start training.
In fact, the longer you wait, the harder it will be to train your pup. If German Shepherd puppies are given the opportunity to form bad habits it will be harder to break them as they get older.
You need to be consistent when training your GSD. Establish the fact that you call the shots when they are still very young. They dont react well to harsh training methods, nor do they need them. Instead, these beautiful animals should be instructed with a firm but loving hand.
While its important to begin training right away, its crucial to keep your German Shepherd puppys mental and physical development in mind. Set your expectations to match them. For example, its unreasonable to expect a 10-week-old puppy to be fully house-trained and responsive to all commands.
If youre worried that your GSD puppy isnt reaching various training milestones, check out this general guideline:
of age your German Shepherd puppy should be able to:
- Come when called
- Walk nicely on a leash
- Hold their bladder for 2 3 hours
of age your German Shepherd puppy should be able to:
- Give paw on command
- Stay or wait before taking food on command
- Hold their bladder for 4 4.5 hours
of age, your German Shepherd puppy should be able to:
How To Do Clicker Training For German Shepherds
Clicker training is a popular reward-based training method. Its a great option for German Shepherd owners because its direct. The dog wants to please their owner, and is a simple way of letting your dog know what you want so you can instantly reward them once they comply.
If youre interested in clicker training your dog, the good news is that you only need one thing: a clicker. A clicker is a small plastic device with a button makes a distinctive clicking noise when you press it.
There are tons of different clickers on the market, and they all pretty much do the same thing. The brand and model you choose will be based largely on personal preference. The difference is mostly in the sound: some are loud, while others make a softer clicking noise.
Youll want to find a clicker that you wont lose, and that is comfortable to use. Some, such as the Downtown Pet Supply clicker, come with a bracelet so you can wear the clicker around your wrist during training sessions.
Others, such as the Starmark Pro-training clicker, have a keyring and can easily be attached to your house keys, which is particularly useful if youre using the clicker to help with potty training. Its also great to be able to train on-the-go.
Whatever clicker you choose, the methodology is much more important than the hardware involved. When clicker training your dog the most important thing is consistency.
Heres a simplified step-by-step guide to clicker training:
You May Like: When Do German Shepherd Ears Go Up