How To Train A German Shepherd Puppy Potty Training

Recognize Underlying Causes Of Accidents

Suppose your puppy was doing well in their training and suddenly regresses for no apparent reason. In that case, it might be a sign that your dog is experiencing a health issue such as a urinary tract infection, a hormonal problem, or it may be responding to stress or anxiety.

In this case, it may be time to visit your vet to check for health problems or a behaviorist if the vet finds nothing physically wrong.

Potty training a German Shepherd puppy can seem like a daunting and relentless task. While it is challenging, afterward you get to sit back and enjoy your adorable new family member. If you had any struggles or experiences housetraining a German Shepherd, drop us a comment below. We would love to hear from you.

How Do Puppy Pads Work For German Shepherds

Many trainers advise not to use pee pads in training if you want your dog to use the bathroom outside. You certainly want to train your Shepherd completely in eliminating outside before training on paper to avoid confusion.

However, puppy pads can be useful in several special circumstances.

• Incontinent older dog Illnesses like degenerative myelopathy whereby your dog becomes debilitated and cannot control his bladder.
• Excessive urination Your dog is PU/PD, and you cannot let her outside often enough.
• You have a very young puppy or a senior dog who cannot get outside much.

Training Goal #: Begin Obedience Training

The German Shepherd Dogs work ethic is legendary, and you can encourage your dogs best working traits with early and ongoing training. GSDs excel at obedience, so begin teaching your puppy basic commands like sit, down, and stay, as well as loose-leash walking, from an early age. Enrolling in a puppy obedience class can be extremely helpful both for teaching these commands as well as socialization, and its not too early to begin thinking about CGC training as well.

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How Often Should You Take Out Your German Shepherd Puppy To Potty

You should take out your German Shepherd puppy every 2 hours for an 8-week-old pup. Add an hour for each month your pup is old. So, a 12-week-old dog needs to go out every 3 hours. And a 16-week-old German Shepherd needs to go outside to relieve themselves every 4 hours.

Heres a visual chart to help you remember so you dont have any accidents inside your house.

Know Its Not An Instinct

You might have seen a cat dig up poop and fill it with sand. However, dont expect your pup to do it!

Till puppies are six weeks old, the mother is taking care of their hygiene, just in case you are wondering why the kennel doesnt smell? The mother dog might be potty trained, but the puppy wont ever learn from her, neither will it naturally occur to your pup! This is why you need to train your puppy to poop only in a designated spot!

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Things That Can Cause It To Pee Inside

There are a number of reasons why your German Shepherd might pee inside and Ill mention a number of them below. You should make sure to take the time to consider why your German Shepherd might be peeing inside since it can make it easier to get it to stop.

Nervousness

It could be that there is something that is causing your German Shepherd to become nervous that is causing it to pee. It could be that there is an abusive member of the family causing it or, if its still young, then it might just be frightened of noises going on around you.

Excitement

Excitement can cause young dogs to pee. When they get excited they can lose control of their bladder which causes them to pee a little bit when this happens. If this is whats happening with yours then dont get frustrated as this is something that commonly happens and they learn to control their bladder when they excited as they get older.

A lack of training

If you havent trained your German Shepherd to pee or poop outside then it wont necessarily know that its what you want it to do. That is why it is important to take the time to make sure that it gets trained to do so.

German Shepherds are not a breed that is suited to being left alone often. They were bred to work with humans and because of this, they can become anxious when you are not around which is known as . One of the things that can come with it is that it can cause it to pee when youre not around.

Age

Take Advantage Of The Puppy Crate

The puppy crate is not to be used for punishment.

Puppies do not like going to the bathroom in their crate because it is their living space. They will hold their pee for as long as they can, rather than pee in their crate.

Because puppies can only hold it for two hours, they should be in the crate for no more than four hours at a time.

Try to exempt water at night to prevent accidents, unless you are getting up every four hours with your pup. After your puppy learns to potty train, it can have free reign on the water supply.

Make sure the crate is inviting and cozy. And remember to praise your puppy for using its crate with treats, positive attention, or a toy.

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What About Super Hectic Jobs

You might be a busy person with a 9 to 5 job, which means you might be able to see your dog between 6 to 11 pm, the rest of the time you have to sleep.

This means your dog will be neglected plus if it is staying in its kennel for the most part of the day, how can it not be frustrated and attention-seeking. This is why it might poop in the undesignated places too.

Your dog needs to poop or pee every four hours, if you arent attending to him, chances are he will poop somewhere he isnt supposed to. If this habit continues, it will become constant therefore de-training your dog.

The best you can do in such a situation is having someone come over to your place once or twice a day to attend to your dog. This will also help your dog feel less lonely, and since he will feel he is being watched and taken care of, the chances of breaking rules are zero!

Here are some top tips on house training your German shepherd puppy who has poor bathroom habits

Training Your German Shepherd Puppy Young: Its Easy And Possible

When it comes to dog training, the rule of thumb is that they are trained young. This does not imply that adult dogs cannot be trained it simply means that the success philosophy of bending the tree while still young applies.

In fact, the German Shepherd Dog Club of America indicates that the first 2-6 months are important in laying the foundation for a German Shepherd puppy to integrate into the family.

What all this means is that when you bring your German Shepherd puppy home at eight weeks , the dog has most likely interacted with few realities and is fresh enough to learn and follow the rules of a new home.

The truth that young puppies learn easily has been scientifically proven. A study with 8-week-old puppies found that they easily learned to open a puzzle box motivated with food and retained the skill. Surprisingly, these puppies learned the skill better from a conspecific than they did from their own mother.

Other studies have also proven that its significant to train puppies instead of older dogs for future behavior. In this study, puppies who attended a command and socialization training class for one hour daily in six months showed better behavior towards strangers than adult dogs attending the same classes.

Apart from the age factor, other breed-specific reasons make training a German Shepherd puppy easy and possible. Here are 3 of those reasons:

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Understand Your Pup’s Body Language

No matter how strict your house training schedule is, there will be times when your dog just needs to go. Your puppy’s needs won’t always stay constant, so you must keep an eye on them and learn to read their body language.

Oftentimes, a GSD puppy will start circling around the room when they need to relieve themselves. If you’ve established a routine with a specific door, they might sit in front of it and look at you.

You might even hear some barks or whimpers. Learn to identify these signs and let your dog out to avoid accidents.

How Do I Stop My German Shepherd Puppy From Peeing In The House

To stop your German Shepherd puppy from peeing in the house, you need a positive attitude, a strict routine of potty runs outside, and to have your puppy accustomed to both the crate and the leash.

What sometimes throws a wrench in the works is not your GSDs intelligence or stubbornness, but rather that they can be single event learners. This means that a negative experience during the wrong stage of their development can lead to them learning entirely the wrong lesson all together.

For example, a puppy going through a natural fear period, might have one bad experience which could set the whole process back by days or even weeks.

This is not the end of the world. Patience and routine can heal all.

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How To Begin Potty Training

Developing a litter plan for your GSD is essential and should start from day one.

• Little pups can be trained to live in a crate at night so that they do not contaminate the home.
• If you hear your puppy cry or whimper, know that it wants to defecate.
• Take the little pup outdoors at night time before it sleeps and again in the morning as you wake up.
• When you feed your GSD, take it outdoors after 20 minutes because this is the time when your GSD will need to defecate.
• Do not let your GSD potty in different areas every time but make sure that it poops in its designated area. This practice will help your dog learn that it cannot potty everywhere it wants.
• You can also make use of small treats or toys when your GSD poops in its designated area.
• Command your GSD to go potty.
• You will need to be consistent with the timings and the routine. Make sure you take it outdoors after every meal so that it learns its potty timings.
• Do not leave it all on your GSD until it truly learns its timings and routine or youll end up cleaning lots of waste.
• Staying alert and keeping your eyes open while training your pup will help a lot.

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.

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Tip #: Socialize Your German Shepherd Puppy

The most important German Shepherd puppy training tip is socialization. Right after you take your puppy to the vet for his first set of shots, enroll him/her in a puppy training or puppy socialization class. Some vets will tell you to keep the pooch inside until the full set of vaccines is completed. Unfortunately, if you do keep your pooch safe inside until he is 4-6 months of age, his socialization period will have closed forever and your chance to raise a friendly and confident dog drops significantly!That said, it is ultimately your decision whether you want to take the risk to take him outside or not. Most large US cities do not have too many disease problems and taking your puppy to a class where the trainer checks that every puppy has had the first set of shots is mostly safe. However, if you leave in a rural area, make sure there is not an outbreak of a disease that can affect your pooch.

Of all the German Shepherd puppy training tips, I suggest you really think this one through. As a dog trainer, I recommend you find a safe puppy socialization class because this developmental period is critical to prevent behavior problems in the future. Apart from that, you also need to socialize your puppy daily on your own, this link will explain the process and give you a list of things to check as you go!

Who Needs To Use A Grass Pad

• You live in a condo or an apartment with no backyard
• You are toilet training your puppy
• Your dog is healing from an injury, and you dont want him to move a lot
• Your dog is emotionally fragile such occurs if your dog fears walking outside if he associated it with negative experiences.
• You work for long hours, and you arrive at your house late at night.
• You have limited mobility- if you cannot walk your dog now and then outside, then a grass potty pad is the best alternative.
• You are tired of using peep pads- pee pads make your house smell they are a burden to the environment and require a lot of energy to produce.
• Your dogs urine is destroying your lawn- if you care more about your lawns aesthetic, then letting your dog pee on it may not be the right option. However, you can let your lawn flourish by utilizing a dog grass potty pad like the Doggielawn grass potty pad.

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Make Commands Only Once

When it comes to training, what you give is what you get. If you train your German Shepherd puppy to listen to commands three times before obeying them, thats exactly what he will learn.

Teach your pup to heed a command at its first mention. If a command is not executed the first time, show your puppy what you want them to do and make the command again. Repeat that until they can learn to obey the first time the command is made.

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!

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Learn From Your Instincts

In general, dogs are considered animals that require burrows to find refuge and comfort. Use this to your advantage by providing the canine with a sufficiently spacious cage. This will give it security and will be an indispensable tool.

As an instinct, a dog avoids dirtying where it sleeps. Having it in the cage during this period will help with its control. You have to be aware of removing it from time to time to do the bathroom, both day and night.

Training Goal #: Crate Training

This is also a good time for crate training, which Adams recommends as well. GSD trainer and dog sports enthusiast Alexa Hagood, LVMT, agrees: Crate breaks, even when brief, can help the puppy become acclimated to going in the crate and having some alone time. She notes that this can help reduce the risk of a puppy developing separation anxiety, and recommends beginning with using the crate for feeding times , and at times when the owner needs to do daily chores.

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Finding A Puppy Who Is The Best Fit For You

Finding a good, ethical breeder is one of the most important ways to ensure you are getting off to the right start in obtaining the puppy who will be the best fit for you and your household. Breeders observe their puppies personalities and drives and can match the right puppy to the right individual or family.

You may also wish to acquire a puppy from one of the breed-rescue organizations listed in the AKC Rescue Network currently, over 40 GSD rescues are listed, a testament to the popularity of this magnificent breed. If you choose this route, be sure to discuss with the breed rescue organization your needs and what you are looking for in a puppy they should also be able to help you find the puppy whose temperament and personality will be the best match for you.

Nadia Adams of Oher Tannen German Shepherd Dogs has been a GSD breeder for 15 years and comments, A well-bred German Shepherd Dog is highly intelligent, thriving on praise and wanting to please the owner. This combination makes them very trainable, which is one of the most appealing qualities of the breed.

This breeds high level of intelligence and strong willingness to work mean your GSD must receive consistent and ongoing training from an early age. A bored GSD is a destructive GSD. That said, states Adams, the sky is the limit, if the owner ca devote a good amount of quality time to the dog, especially during the critical first year of life.