How To Potty Train In Winter
Winter poses a unique challenge to potty training. Not only is your puppy likely to be miserable standing outside at 02.00 a.m., but youre not exactly going to be thrilled about it either.
Unfortunately, theres no way around it. Keep a warm jacket and slippers beside your bed to bundle up for the potty runs, with treats or a favorite toy in a pocket so that it is still a positive experience for your pup.
In extreme conditions, consider setting up a construction outside to protect you both from the weather.
Dont Forget To Take Em Out
First thing in the morning and last thing before bed are times most people think about. But, you should also take your German Shepherd puppy out immediately after a nap or play time, and a little bit after mealtime or drinking water. Finally, any time they have had a lot of excitement, including meeting new people or dogs. These are the main times your puppy will need to go, and often we forget because we are busy and thats when accidents happen.
Feeding A Complimentary Diet
Keep your German Shepherd puppys body healthy and regular by feeding a good diet. We recommend avoiding foods like dog loaf, which are high in fat and can cause stomach upsets in young puppies.
Instead, choose an optimum diet formulated specially for puppies. Puppy foods are higher in protein, calcium and good fatty acids. These are essential for their bone health and brain development as they grow.
Choose a puppy food that has extra ingredients to support their gut, such as beetroot pulp.
Dont forget: always take your puppy out to the potty following a meal!
Don’t Miss: Clothing For German Shepherd Dogs
What About Dog Food
The first 5 ingredients listed on a dog food label are required to be listed in order of their pre-cooked weight. So the first 5 ingredients in dog food are the most important and should never include: Corn, Wheat, Gluten, Artificial Colors or Byproducts
“When evaluating any dog food youre always looking for a high quality, digestible meat-based protein as close to the top of the list as possible. So, if you havent found quality protein in those first few ingredients whatever the number its game over for that dog food.” Dog Food Advisor
The best way to choose a food for your new puppy is to read the ingredients on the dog food label and discuss the food with your breeder.
-
Protein should be the top ingredient in any dog food.Good protein comes from meat ingredients, but not just any meat ingredients. Good dog foods have specific meat sources, like beef, chicken or turkey, eggs & cheese. Bad protein ingredients include byproducts, like “chicken byproduct meal,” or mystery meats, like “meat meal,” which can include road kill, diseased animals from slaughterhouses and even euthanized dogs and cats.
-
AVOID foods that rely on corn products as the main protein source.
Training Goal #: Impulse Control
Learning to control their impulses is important for all puppies, and for the GSD, it can be one of the most important ways to curb problem behaviors to which this breed is prone if allowed to become bored: behaviors such as excessive barking, digging, aggressive chewing, and inappropriate chasing .
The key to impulse control is getting your dog to focus on you. This will have beneficial effects for all the rest of your training efforts, especially in AKC dog sports like Obedience and Rally.
Require that your puppy sit before getting food, playing with an exciting toy, going outside to play, or any other favorite activity. As your GSD puppy advances in obedience training and knows more commands, you can require more advanced commands or tricks in order to receive treats or play.
You May Like: Best Dog Biscuits For German Shepherd
Praise Immediately When Your Puppy Eliminates In The Right Place
After your German Shepherd puppy eliminates in the right place, you will want to reward them immediately so that they know what they did was correct. When your puppy goes potty correctly, let them know with a phrase like good job! or yes. You can also encourage them verbally by saying things like thats right or youre such a good boy.
If you are training your puppy using a bell, be sure to ring it and then reward them immediately so that the association between ringing the bell and getting rewarded is strong.
Use A Phrase They Will Learn To Understand
One of the most important aspects that goes a long with in potty training your German Shepherd puppy to use a phrase they learn to identify with.
With our own puppy, we would say go pee pee as soon as we had taken him outdoors or to his puppy pad. By doing so, he would learn to identify the phrase and location with the action.
After using this tactic long enough, whenever you say the magic words of go pee pee, your puppy will immediately know what they need to do.
Recommended Reading: Are German Shepherds Good For Families
Tip : Withhold Water At Night
Dogs should always have access to clean drinking water, but free access to a water bowl will make potty training more difficult.
Removing your dogs water bowl about two hours before bedtime will keep nighttime accidents to a minimum. Do this only until theyre fully housebroken. Once housebroken, your dog can have free access to water.
Teaching The Stay Step
Have your pup in their collar and a 6-foot walking leash. Begin indoors in a quiet area free from distractions.
Increase the stay time your dog is in the stay position beginning with 5 seconds and working up to one minute or more. Dont rush them to hold their stay, though.
Next, work on extending the distance between you and your dog while in the stay. Take a few steps back each time you train.
Your goal is to reach the end of your leash while your pup stays in place.
This could take many sessions over weeks or months.
You May Like: Akc Registered German Shepherds For Sale
Teach Them To Love Their Crate
This training starts with teaching your pup to not just like their crate, but to LOVE it!
Housebreaking with the use of a crate speeds up your success rate incredibly!
Puppies dont like to use the bathroom where they sleep or eat, and the use of the crate takes advantage of this instinct. But you want to use the crate positively so they learn to love their little den.
Make their crate an enjoyable and inviting place to go. Keep the crate in a warm, draft-free area and place their favorite toys inside .
Is My German Shepherd Potty Trained
This is the question that many owners ask too quickly. Potty training doesnt happen overnight. You will need to consistent and alert. After several days of teaching, your puppy will start to learn.
- If your pup stands in front of the door and looks back at you, know that it wants to go out and poop.
- If your dog scratches the door, know that it is nature calling.
- To confirm the effectiveness of potty training schedule, you will need to wait a few days to check your dog. If your dog doesnt poop inside the house even when it really needs to, youll know it is trained.
- Do not stop the process until your dog has truly learned to potty in its designated area.
Recommended Reading: Short Haired White German Shepherd Puppies For Sale
Give It Time And Patience
Following these steps will give you the best chance of success, but expect it to take some time.
Dont rush into increasing the time between potty breaks to keep accidents at a minimum. Nevertheless, accidents are inevitable sometimes and all you can do is be patient with them and carry on and make sure you clean up your puppys accidents thoroughly.
The good news is that you only need to endure this once in your GSD puppys life. Once they get it, its unlikely that theyll regress. So, persevere and trust that itll all pay off soon.
Principles Of German Shepherd Puppy Training
The purpose of any dog training is to have behavioral skills picked and maintained. As in human training, a good dog trainer is one who bears in mind that the trainee learns better when treated right, with utmost patience, and with consistent regard to the dogs feelings. I explain these training requirements in 10 key principles of successful German Shepherd puppy training.
Don’t Miss: How To Handle A German Shepherd
Simple Tips To Make Your Gsd Learn Faster
There is always a proper way of doing things that are far more effective than other. Below are some tips to help you potty train your GSD the right way.
- Always take your GSD out from a specific door.
- Always put a leash on your dog and lead it outside so that it knows that you are the alpha, and it should follow you.
- Give your dog a treat when it defecates in the exact spot.
- Guide your dog back inside the home with the help of a leash.
- Never scold or punish your GSD pup if it accidentally poops inside the house. This treatment will promote different reactions.
- During your pups initial days, make sure you wake up twice or thrice in the night to check on your pup. If it is standing on the crate, crying, or seems uneasy, take it outside for poop.
- Do not let your puppy out of the crate until it learns the house rules.
The entire potty training might seem a little too much for some owners but believe me, once its over with, you will feel extremely relaxed.
If your GSD pup is not responding well to the schedule or isnt comfortable outside, dont hesitate in asking us for the solution. We will give you effective tips on how you can train your GSD in the most efficient way. For further topics and information on German Shepherds, you can sign-up to our newsletter and leave the rest to us.
Easy German Shepherd Training Guide For Perfect Obedience
You dont realize it yet, but in the next 10 minutes, you will learn how quickly this German Shepherd training guide will change your life following a few simple steps.
Imagine what it would be like if you could get your dog to listen the first time, without hesitation.
Instead
they act like you dont even exist.
But it doesnt have to be this way!
Read Also: Do German Shepherds Need Boots
Take Your Puppy Regularly Outside
The key to house training your German Shepherd puppy is to take it out of the house to do his business frequently.
Usually, puppies can sleep around seven hours at night without needing a bathroom break. However, accidents still could happen.
If they do, you should take your puppy outside more often. Thats because when your pooch gets comfortable soiling the crate, he is going to do it again and again.
Include Crate Training In Your Process
Crate training is viewed as cruel by some dog owners. Crates, on the other hand, are a great way to teach your puppy to hold his bladder and bowels.
Puppies do not eliminate them in their living space by nature. Their mothers learn this.
As a result, when puppies consider their crate to be a den, they will not make a mess in it unless absolutely necessary.
However, in order for this strategy to work, you must obtain the appropriate crate. Your puppy will use a portion of your crate as a toilet if it is too big.
As a result, youll need a crate big enough for your puppy to comfortably turn around, stand, and lay down.
Also Check: Healthy Dog Food For German Shepherds
German Shepherd Potty Training
How to potty train a german shepherd puppy with the Potty Training Puppy Apartment crate. We have german shepherd house training solutions, so housebreaking german shepherd puppies will be fast and easy. Over 100,000 dogs have been successfully potty trained with our world-famous indoor dog potty, called the Potty Training Puppy Apartment, including german shepherds. The free video below is a short version of our free 15-minute video which is located on our Home Page. The training techniques and tips are being demonstrated by Miniature Pinscher puppies, however, the techniques are exactly the same for a german shepherd puppy or a german shepherd adult dog. If you are seeking german shepherd puppies for sale or adoption, please visit our Breeders page. At the bottom half of this page is specific breed information about the temperament and traits of a german shepherd. If this breed is available in a teacup, toy or miniature size it will be mentioned below.
This breed needs daily mental and physical challenges. It enjoys a good exercise session as well as learning session. It can live outside in temperate to cool climates, but it is family-oriented and does equally well as a house dog. Its coat needs brushing one or two times weekly.
Teach Your Puppy A Word Or Phrase To Go Potty
One way to make it easy for you and your puppy to communicate when they need to go potty is by teaching them a word or phrase such as go potty or hurry up. Pick one word or phrase and stick with it.
When you take your puppy out to potty, wait until they are about 10 seconds away from going potty and then let them know that they need to go right now by saying their word or phrase loudly and firmly. At the same time, use a hand gesture like a clap or tap on the ground to get their attention. This will help them to know that its time to go potty right away.
Don’t Miss: Where To Buy German Shepherd Dog
How To Potty Train Your Puppy Using Potty Bells In 3 Easy Steps
Potty training is one of the very first things that owners teach their puppies. To avoid messy clean ups and bad habits from developing, house training begins the first day the new puppy moves into their new home.There are many schools of thought on potty training dogs. Each one has its merits and not all methods work for each dog. However, one fun way to house train German shepherds is bell training. Bell training works well for German shepherds because they are so clever that they catch on quickly. They are also eager to please their owners and naturally want to eliminate away from their pen. Combine these traits and youll find they are the perfect dog for bell training.
What is bell training?Bell training is simply teaching your puppy to ring a bell rather than silently stare, bark, scratch, or whine at the door when they need to eliminate outside. The puppy learns to ring a potty bell to get the attention of their owner when they need to take care of business.
Crate Training And Why You Should Do It
Dogs are denning animals. This means that they actually seek out places where they feel safe and enclosed. This is why your GSD may often go under tables or covers. Its an instinctual behavior.
So training with a crate is actually comforting to your dog. My GSD loves his crate. Its not a place of punishment for him. Instead, its a comfortable, safe, and cozy environment in his eyes.
Your puppy has a few natural instincts. These include:
- not use the bathroom in its own bed
- to pee and poop after eating
You are using your puppys instincts to train it, rather than trying to teach it a new set of unfamiliar rules.
Some people speak out against crate training, often suggesting that its a cruel practice. This could not be further from the truth. Crate training beneficial for both you and your dog.
So really, ignore the naysayers. Crate training your puppy is efficient and effective.
Also Check: How To Take Care Of A Female German Shepherd Puppy
Go Outside With Your Puppy On A Regular Basis
Taking your German Shepherd puppy out of the house to do his business on a regular basis is the key to house training him.
When I say frequently, I mean right after they wake up in the morning, after napping, playing, drinking, and eating.
Puppies can usually sleep for seven hours without needing to go to the bathroom. Accidents can, however, still occur.
If this is the case, you should take your puppy out more frequently. Thats because once your dog gets used to soiling the crate, hell do it over and over again.
House Training A German Shepherd Puppy
Whats the right German Shepherd potty training age? Thats one of the first questions owners have when it comes to housebreaking a puppy.
Puppies can control their body functions when they are 20 days of age, so they are ready for potty training from the moment you bring them home.
As such, it should be on top of your list of things to do.
Waiting a day or two might result in the little one deciding that its all right to do their business inside.
Once a puppy forms a habit, its twice as hard to undo it. So, lets see how you housebreak a German Shepherd puppy.
Read Also: How Much Food Does A German Shepherd Eat