How to potty train a German Shepherd puppy: useful tips and methods

Today it is very fashionable to have pets, in particular, German Shepherd dogs. They not only make life more fun but also provide reliable security at home. However, animals need to be properly potty trained. Read more about how to potty train a German Shepherd puppy (GSD puppy) in this article.

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How to potty train a German Shepherd puppy: best time

Before answering the question, of how to potty train a German Shepherd puppy, you first need to find the best time for this.

The GSD puppy begins to control its body when it is 3 weeks old. However, potty training should begin the moment you bring your puppy home.

Often this happens when the animal is 2 months old. Even if you have adopted a puppy that is 4-7 weeks old, you still need to immediately teach it how to walk on the potty.

However, be prepared for the fact that the animal is not able to restrain its urge to go to the toilet for a long time. Therefore, you may have to remove urine or feces.

Scientists have proven that two-month-old puppies can tolerate the toilet for about 2 hours.

To avoid unpleasant situations, it is recommended to bring the animal to the potty at an interval of 1 hour. It is recommended to do this throughout the day, even at night.

You should not immediately refuse to have a pet. Such work needs to be carried out for a short time. Every month, you can increase the time by 1 hour.

In just a few months, the pet begins to sleep through the night, so you don’t have to get up every hour.

How long does it take to potty train an animal?

German Shepherd puppies are not able to fully control their bladder until they are six months old. That is why it is required to engage in potty training until the animal can independently control its instincts.

To begin with, it is recommended to use a positive program. It is necessary to draw up the correct daily routine and adhere to the prescribed schedule.

Only in this way can you achieve the desired result.

With age, the animal begins to control its bladder on its own. This is due to a variety of factors, including the amount of water consumed, the duration of walks, and health status.

Unfortunately, not all adult dogs are potty trained. Even if the animal grows up, there is no guarantee that it can not control its body. After all, a lot depends on the training and attention of the person.

If you have taken an already adult animal into your home, likely, that you also have to do potty training. Especially if the German Shepherd puppy was in a kennel and did not have an owner.

It is important not to immediately attack the animal, as it takes time to get used to the new environment. However, the potty training process is the same as with puppies.

How to potty train a German Shepherd puppy step-by-step

To begin with, you must decide on your own to teach the German Shepherd puppy to potty. The process of potty training is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance. You must set your own rules, and come up with a routine that you follow after. Step-by-step instructions we describe below.

Choose a place where the pot stands

First of all, you need to choose a place where the pot stands. It must be accessible. It must be easy for you to keep it clean. It is recommended to give preference to quiet places.

This allows the German Shepherd puppy to do business without being distracted by extraneous sounds.

German Shepherds, like most other dog breeds, live by habit. If the pet knows that the potty is in one place, and not carried around all the time, the process of going to the toilet is easy and convenient.

As you know, animal feces have a rich and specific aroma. Even if you clean up afterward, some smells can be caught. Thanks to this, the animal follows the smell.

Schedule setting

There must be a clear schedule for going to the potty. As already mentioned, small puppies should be taken to the potty at intervals of 1 hour.

As they grow up, you can adjust the schedule, and increase breaks. As already mentioned, every month you can increase the time by 1 hour.

Such adjustments are appropriate until the animal becomes an adult. After that, you can easily endure up to 8 hours a day. As is the optimal time for sleep.

First, you need to choose the right phrase that is not too long. It should not be changed so that the German Shepherd can get used to it. You can say “Potty” or “Empty”.

You need to say such a command at the moment when the animal approaches the pot. After that, the pet develops an instinct to go to the toilet on a certain command.

As soon as the German Shepherd puppy does his or her business, do not forget to praise the dog. If everything is done correctly and consistently, potty training does not take much time.

Engage in encouragement

Remember to reward the animal. Praise him or her whenever the dog successfully goes to the toilet. Especially if the German Shepherd puppy goes to the potty on command.

You can praise your pet, stroke its head, or treat it with treats.

Some pet owners play with their pets as a reward. The choice depends on your preferences, as well as the motivation of the German Shepherd puppy.

Stock up on patience

It is important to understand that potty training is never successful after a few days. On average, potty training can take weeks or even months.

You should not rush to increase the intervals between trips to the potty.

It should also be understood that accidents can happen, and this is quite normal.

Therefore, you should not immediately punish the pet. Be prepared that at first, you have to clean up after the animals regularly.

As soon as the German Shepherd puppy is potty trained, accidents are excluded. After all, regression is almost impossible.

If you stock up on the necessary amount of patience and time, your efforts soon pay off.

The key step is prevention

Many people wonder, how do I train my German Shepherd puppy to pee outside?

For the potty training German Shepherd outside, it is important to take the animal there every 2-3 hours.

This prevents “accidents” in the house. It is important to plan your day so that the German Shepherd puppy goes outside 8-10 times a day.

Useful tips

There are several tips to help prevent accidents in the home. Namely:

1. Keep the German Shepherd puppy home close to you. You can even use a short leash. This prevents the German Shepherd puppy from going to a quiet place and doing its own thing.
2. Constantly observe the behavior of the dog.
3. Remember the need for space zoning. The animal should have a place to play and a separate potty.

Cage potty training

You can potty train a German Shepherd puppy using the box method. This method calls crate training.

As you know, animals do not defecate in places where they rest, or there is a bowl of food. That is why crate training is an excellent option for developing the right instincts.

Equip the cage for crate training correctly. You can throw various toys and warm clothes inside so that the dog can play and sleep comfortably there.

It is recommended to put the cage in a warm place where drafts are excluded. Try to use toys that are not harming the animal.

It is very important to choose the right cage to house your German Shepherd. It must match the size of the pet, as well as be viewable.

This allows you to follow the dog, and he or she can see that the owner is nearby.

The use of special gaskets for potty training

There are many different types of German Shepherd puppy pads on the market today.

If you decide to use them, choose the right place to place them. It is better to do this when the dog goes to the toilet in the future.

You can also place gaskets near the door through which the exit to the street lies. Initially, it is recommended to put gaskets in more than one place.

After all, small animals aim very poorly and still do not understand that they need to go to one place.

As a result, they can defecate in a completely different place. You should not save on such devices.

After all, it is easier to throw away the bedding than to wash the marked area of ​​​​the room after.

Considering that the smell of German Shepherd urine is quite strong, even after a thorough cleaning of the floor, it can remain.

After a few weeks, it is possible to remove the pads from those places where the dog did not go.

The rest should be left in those areas that have become familiar to the pet. It is recommended that the distance between the food and water area and the toilet area be fairly large.

Gaskets should be changed as they become dirty. Some dog owners even put new pads on top of the ones they already have.

This allows the scent to be retained, and the animal knows where it needs to go to defecate. The smell left behind attracts the pet.

Do not leave old pads on for 2-3 days or weeks. After all, the aroma is so saturated that it is impossible to enter the premises. It is recommended to leave slightly soiled pads. However, they are effective only at the beginning of potty training.

As soon as the animal learns to walk to the same place, you can stop using this technique.

At this point, you can throw away the gaskets, as they become more actively contaminated.

If the German Shepherd puppy missed the mark a little or went to an area where there is no diaper, it is recommended to immediately clean up. For these purposes, it is advisable to use enzymatic cleaners.

There are several types of enzyme cleaners on the market. They effectively fight pet urine odor, stains, and residual odors.

With proper cleaning, residual odors have not attracted the pet to re-walk to this place.

How to potty train a German Shepherd puppy on the street?

The question often arises, how do you train a German Shepherd to pee and poop outside?

In such cases, it is appropriate to train the pet to go outside as soon as the use of pads inside the house is completed.

Steps

As soon as the German Shepherd puppy begins to approach the pillow, it is recommended to immediately take him outside.

This can be done in several ways. First, call yourself, and open the front door. You can also take the German Shepherd out on your own.

The second option is appropriate if you are afraid that the shepherd cannot contain the bladder.

After all, there is always the possibility that the pet does its business before it reaches the street. In this case, you have to do general cleaning again.

Learning to walk on the potty

For the animal to clearly understand that you need to go to the potty, you need to follow a strict schedule.

Try to constantly monitor the behavior of the pet. Do not leave it unattended even for a few seconds.

German Shepherds often make it clear by their behavior that they want to defecate.

If you notice these signs, you should immediately take the German Shepherd puppy to the potty. This avoids unpleasant situations.

Many pet ​​breeders wonder, how do you potty train a German Shepherd? More on this, you can find later.

Pot in the morning

Often, German Shepherds sleep in their cages. They are released only in the morning. Immediately, need to take the German Shepherd puppy to the potty.

Make sure that the animal does not squat or defecate in the house. If in doubt, it is best to take the puppy outside immediately.

If you are not using a leash to take the animal outside, try to walk or run ahead of it. Don’t forget to call the dog to follow you.

It is not recommended to turn your back to the German Shepherd until it goes outside. After all, there is a chance that the dog has time to empty the room in a second.

If you live in an apartment building, take the German Shepherd puppy in your arms. He or she should not be allowed to run while the bladder is full.

Daily routine outside the potty training

Stay close to the German Shepherd until the pet does the business. You can put your puppy in a compact, enclosed space to go to the potty.

It is allowed to keep the puppy on a leash. However, make sure that the animal is not distracted.

Be calm so that the pet does not feel stressed. Otherwise, the pet can do business in the wrong place from stress.

As soon as the German Shepherd does the business in the right place, praise and treat the pet.

At first, such actions seem tedious. However, every day the process is much easier. The main thing is to get used to it.

While the dog is trying to go to the toilet, you should not be distracted by trifles, including the phone. After all, in the process, you should praise the pet.

If within the first 5 minutes the German Shepherd has not done its business, put it in the cage.

After release after 15-20 minutes, repeat the steps described earlier. It is important to understand that potty training requires patience and constant repetition.

How do you know when to potty?

There are several tips to help prevent unpleasant situations in the room. Namely:

1. Get the puppy out of the cage as soon as you wake up. The pet needs to empty the bladder after waking up. If this is done, the animal goes to the toilet in the cage, after which it refuses to enter it.
2. Take your dog to the potty after you play with him. It is best to do this before the animal goes to sleep in the cage.
3. Take to the pot after eating.
4. Lead to the potty after the animal drinks water.
5. Take to the potty after you notice signs of need.

Intervals for walking to the toilet during the dog training

As already mentioned, the intervals between trips to the toilet depend on the age of the puppy. If the dog is 8 weeks old, you should take the puppy to the potty every 2 hours. Every month, the interval should be increased by 1 hour.

That is, a three-month-old puppy needs to go to the toilet every 3 hours. There are clear requirements that determine the age and frequency of going to the toilet, namely:

• 8 weeks – every 2 hours;
• 2.5 months – every 2.5 hours;
• 3 months – 3 hours;
• 3.5 months – 3.5 hours, etc.

It is important to understand that only general recommendations are listed above. The animal may want to go to the toilet earlier. That is why you need to constantly monitor the dog’s behavior.

At night, he is allowed to close the animal in a cage.

During the day it is better not to do this so that the puppy has the opportunity at any time, as needed, to empty the bladder.

If the dog ate or drank a lot of water, it is difficult to endure for a long time. That is why feeding periods should also be taken into account.

The animal must go to the toilet within the first half hour after quenching its thirst.

That is why an hour before the dog goes to bed, it is recommended to remove the bowl of water. This allows the dog to endure until the morning.

It is important to understand that a dog’s sleep, like a person’s, lasts 6-8 hours. The first time the animal is accustomed to the cage, it is possible that it is whine and cries. This is due to stress due to a change of scenery.

Signs that the animal needs to go to the toilet

As already mentioned, German Shepherds by their behavior indicate the need to empty the bladder. That is why it is important to monitor their behavior.

If this is not done, there is a high probability that an unpleasant incident happens. There are several signs that the animal wants to use the toilet, namely:

• abrupt cessation of playing or eating. The dog starts to roam the house;
• sniffing the floor for a place to go to the toilet;
• spinning circles while sniffing the floor;
• digging in the carpet;
• wandering around those areas where unpleasant situations used to happen;
• hike to the front door.

If you notice the above signs, you should immediately take your dog to the potty. Remember that slowness even in one second is fraught with adverse consequences.

If the dog started to go to the toilet again in the wrong place, then the potty training failed.

It is recommended to analyze what you did wrong. Then try to avoid such mistakes. If you taught your dog to go to the toilet outside from a young age, do not put pots indoors.

Prevention of accidents during the potty training

Fairly many people who get dogs are wondering, are German Shepherd puppies easy to train?

Even if the potty training takes place according to all the rules, unforeseen situations are not ruled out. To avoid accidents, try to follow a few tips:

1. Interrupt the process. If you notice that the dog is planning to go to the toilet in the wrong place, make a sharp sound. You must distract the dog. However, avoid screaming. If the puppy is scared, the pet experiences stress, and this will not end well.
2. If you notice that the sound made is scaring the puppy, try not to use it. Instead, gently approach the dog and pick it up. This allows him or her to stop the process of urination.
3. Quickly take the puppy outside. However, try to do it quickly. You only have a few seconds. If you linger, the dog may mark you.
4. Move the animal to the area where the potty is installed. Once the animal has done its job, praise it at the end of the process. You can play with it for a bit after. Putting a puppy in a cage right away can cause stress. This increases the likelihood of unpleasant situations in the future.
5. Clean with an enzymatic cleaner. Fortunately, there are a huge number of them.
6. Constantly monitor the behavior of the pet.
7. Don’t make mistakes in the learning process.

It is important to understand that cleaning with conventional cleaners is unacceptable. Enzymatic cleaners contain substances that can break down urine molecules and eliminate unpleasant odors.

Unfortunately, conventional cleaning products do not have such properties. They remove the smell only for a while.

Mistakes to avoid when you want to do a successful potty training process

Dog owners often make the same mistakes when potty training their young puppies. However, it is important to understand that they should be avoided. Only in this way, the potty training is effective and successful.

Many people try to fill the bowls with dog food abundantly. It is important to understand that too many products during the day are fraught, and the animal more often wants to go to the toilet.

It is important to understand that overfeeding is very dangerous. In addition to the fact that the dog wants to go to the toilet, you risk provoking his or her obesity.

A puppy can’t have free access to water and food. It is important to carefully monitor this to avoid unpleasant situations.

Many puppies are fed half an hour before bedtime. However, this cannot be done because the pet wants to go to the toilet in the middle of the night. As a result, no one sleeps.

It is forbidden to feed salty foods to German Shepherds, including processed meat. Also, do not give your dog a lot of food at one meal.

It is important to understand that the animal is incapable of signaling to a person that it needs to go to the toilet.

Everything needs to be monitored by yourself. Also, do not leave the animal alone in the house for a long time. After all, it is emptied inside.

Some German Shepherd owners refuse to potty train the dog on command. This is a serious mistake, which is fraught with unpleasant situations.

The dog can’t have access to beautiful and soft carpets that absorb moisture. After all, they perceive them as a pot.

Some refuse to stand by when an animal defecates outside. A pet needs to understand that the entire responsibility for learning lies solely with you.

A pet needs to understand that the owner encourages such behavior. This eliminates the chance that the puppy goes to the toilet in the house.

Some refuse to clean the areas where the animal went to the toilet. However, as mentioned earlier, this is fraught with the preservation of a pungent odor.

The dog perceives this place as a permanent potty. That is why you need to regularly clean with the help of special tools.

Some owners scold and beat puppies that have defecated in the house. However, this should not be done because the dog experiences stress.

Therefore, potty training is ineffective. As you know, an affectionate attitude towards animals is more effective than shouting.

FAQ

We will answer the most popular questions of breeders about the “toilet” case.

Conclusion

• German Shepherds Temperament: Are They Good With Kids?
• How to Care for Your 8 Week Old German Shepherd Puppy
• What is a German Shepherd dog? Full guide dogs about this dog breed 2024
• How Many Years Does a German Shepherd Live: Unveiling the Lifespan of a Beloved Canine Companion
• How to deshed a German Shepherd: Your step-by-step guide to taming the shedding beast in your German Shepherd