How to Potty Train a German Shepherd Puppy: 11 Easy Ways

A German Shepherd Puppy GSD is your best companion in your home. It gives anyone pure joy to get a German Shepherd puppy, GSD.

However, this joy can be killed if you do not potty train your German Shepherd puppy the right way. You must begin the potty training when you bring your cute and joy-giving GSD home.

Are you looking forward to buying a German Shepherd Dog, or do you have one? This article will give you the ideal ways to potty train your German Shepherd Puppy GSD and save your beautiful home from being ruined.

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What is Potty Training?

Potty training is the process of teaching your puppy the correct way of peeing and defecating in the right place.

You can train your puppy to pee, defecate correctly, and not mess up your home. This is pretty tasking but essential.

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What is a German Shepherd Puppy?

When you think of a German Shepherd, you typically picture a more serious, tall, and well-behaved dog. You may even associate a German Shepherd with the police force or search and rescue squads.

The German Shepherd dog is a dog breed that originated in the German country of Germany. This dog breed has been around since the late 1800s and was bred primarily for herding and monitoring cattle.

They have ties to the Ancient Romans and are related to Mastiff-type dogs. Because of their history and position in herding, they needed to pay close attention and have a strong work ethic.
They trained German Shepherds to gather cattle precisely, and they were quite good at it thanks to their specific training. Most importantly, this knowledge bred German Shepherds to listen, search, and respond quickly.

This dog breed requires continual stimulation, exercise, and attention from its owners. With these characteristics, all German Shepherds strongly desire to succeed, focus on their work, and obey their owner’s commands.

German Shepherds, like all dogs, look up to their humans, but they are also developed to be considerably more protective than other breeds. They are more likely than other breeds to look up to their owners, learn from them, and use their great energy to fulfill tasks.

Are German Shepherd Easy to Potty Train?

When you get a German Shepherd, you’ll want to train him when he’s a puppy. In fact, due to their high energy levels and desire for attention, German Shepherds require extensive training.

However, potty training a German Shepherd puppy does not have to be difficult or stressful, but it needs time and perseverance.

The first house rules your GSD puppy should learn when you bring her home is not to poop or pee in the house. It’s easy than you think if you do it correctly.

On the other hand, easy training stems from a deeper source than the conventional function of having a strong work ethic.

However, your German Shepherd will most likely want to burn their high energy by receiving attention and activities, depending on their temperament and disposition, and will flourish when you train them, especially if you know what you’re doing.

Even if your dog does not require specific training for everyday living, encourage training in them by bringing them out on walks. Going beyond basic training can be helpful for your dog.

German Shepherds were bred to be obedient and accomplish tasks like herding livestock. They enjoy receiving training and adhering to the regulations.

If you don’t pay attention to your dog or give him a purpose to complete, you can find him getting into things, chewing on anything that comes into his path, and even letting off steam by urinating in the home or barking excessively.

Encourage your dog by training him, providing him with something to do, and allowing him to demonstrate his commitment to you as an owner through his actions.

Check Also: How to Stop a Dog From Peeing in the House

How Long Does it Take to Potty Train a German Shepherd Puppy?

If you are patient, consistent, and prepared to put in the effort, you can house-train a German shepherd puppy in five days.

Many German Shepherd puppies will understand your expectations better after five days of consistent house training.

While you won’t have to be as tight with the routine after he gets the hang of it, keep in mind that pups don’t always have complete bladder control and will need to go potty every few hours.

Because a German Shepherd’s bladder control does not fully develop until around the age of 5 to 6 months, plan on continuing your toilet training efforts until they have complete control of their elimination habits.

Why is it Important To Potty Train Your German Shepherd Puppy?

No one wants to meet the home stinking with the GSD’s pee. You do not want to run helter-skelter when your friends are visiting you because of the pungent smell emanating from the excreta of your German Shepherd puppy.

This makes it critical that your puppy be properly trained to use the potty promptly, saving you from embarrassment and apologies.

It is extremely difficult to correct the old habits of puppies after a long time of their peeing in the wrong place. This potty training starts from day one. The earlier, the better.

You can find out if they trained your puppy to defecate and pee properly if your puppy does not feel comfortable peeing or defecating inside the house or outside the designated areas you make for it.

If it is trained, you still need to teach your GSD where it should pass out urine and faeces outside your home since you are bringing the puppy into a new environment.

This is a must-read for anyone who owns a puppy, whether untrained or well-trained.

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Ten Easy Ways To Potty Train Your German Shepherd Puppy Fast in 2023

There are many ways of potty training German Shepherd puppies that many have created from experience.

This article will save you from trial and error by giving you the best easy ways to potty train your lovely GSD.

#1. Direct Your German Shepherd Puppy To Where it Should Pee Or Defecate.

When you bring your puppy home, it will not know where to potty. Unlike humans who can ask for directions to the restroom, your potty solely depends on you to direct it to where it should be.

If you fail to do this, your puppy will have no other option but to potty in your home, which will not only create additional work cleaning for you but also annoy you greatly.

Create a place outside the house where you want your puppy to defecate and pee even before you bring the puppy home. This makes the potty comfortable. Always use a particular door when taking it to the potty spot, so it will be easier to identify and use in the future.

When you sense your new puppy wants to potty, please take it to the designated area and wait for it to do the job there.

Play with it and give your approval while it is doing the job, and it will learn that you approve it by doing the potty act on the spot. The next time the GSD wants to potty, it will seek its way to the same spot.

#2. Learn Your Puppy’s Potty Signals.

In the course of time and with curiosity, you will learn the signals your puppy makes when it wants to potty.

It may not be easy to denote this at first, but with constant studying of your puppy; you will observe such behaviors. When it displays such signals, take your GSD to the potty spot.

Some of the potty signals are:

Circling while sniffing.
- Sniffing the door.
  - The movement towards the door that leads to the outside.
  - Restlessness.

#3. Make Your German Shepherd Puppy Learn a Potty Cue

While your puppy is doing the potty job, always say something to it, and it will associate it with the act of it relieving itself. You can tell it – potty time. Say it softly, patting the puppy.

Your puppy will take a while to learn the cue, but when it does, you are a big winner. It will associate the potty spot with the cue and use it when the need to potty arises without your guidance.

#4. Gently Make Your German Shepherd Puppy Learn To Use The Crate.

Gently make your German Shepherd puppy like the crate and use it. The crate is a small cage for your puppy.

This is more important during the first weeks, as it will keep the puppy from messing up the house with the pee.

Do not force it into the crate. Pat the body, offer a treat and enjoyable meals while the GSD is in the crate. Forcing it into the crate will make your GSD hate and refuse to stay in it.

Let it sleep in the crate at night. You may be unable to monitor your puppy at night to keep it from peeing or defecating in the wrong location.

Meanwhile, the crate is your saviour in this case. Ensure you get a crate your puppy will be comfortable in; turn around, sit, and lie down.

#5. Reward Your German Shepherd Puppy When It Relieves Itself In The Potty Spot.

Make it a habit to reward your puppy when the GSD does the job in the potty spot. Give the GSD a delightful treat of a good meal, snack, or milk, pat the back, sing for it, and praise it.

Stay with it all, though it is doing the relieving work at the time. This will make it want to keep doing the right thing repeatedly, which is your goal.

#6. Utilize Puppy Pads.

You can use puppy pads indoors to mark relieving spots for puppies. During the first weeks, put as many as possible. The puppy will choose where it is most comfortable, and you dispose of it afterward.

Meanwhile, the puppy may not like the spot if you use one at a time, but using many will give it several options. When you find the location your GSD is most comfortable, you can keep the puppy pad at that point only.

Place a new puppy pad on a soiled pad. The smell of the urine will signify to the puppy’s location to use the next time.

A puppy pad is helpful, but the disadvantage is that it creates another work of teaching the puppy to go outside to relieve itself after it has identified the puppy pad as a spot for peeing or defecating in the house. It is safer to direct the puppy to go outside from the outset.

#7. Avoid Accidents

Use the crate for the puppy when you are busy or sleeping to keep an eye on it. A blink away from the puppy, and the unwanted action happens.

When the puppy is outside the crate, it needs careful monitoring and studying to know what it is up to at any point. This will help to reduce accidents of peeing at home.

Accidents are not completely avoidable. When there is an accident, if your puppy is peeing, gently carry your puppy to the potty spot.

Your GSD cannot hold pee for long. Do not shout or your puppy will become shocked and find it difficult to pee, even at the potty spot.

#8. Plan The Feeding Schedule

Regulate how you feed your puppy. It is better to feed it lightly three times a day than give it two heavy meals two times a day.

Study the type of meals you feed it and how frequently it makes it want to potty. Liquid meals will make it pee more. You will take it out often to the potty to avoid messing up your home.

Give it more liquid foods during the day and less liquid foods in the evenings. Twenty minutes after each meal, it is time to take the puppy out to potty.

Feed it at least one hour before bedtime and ensure it urinates before you finally retire.

Do not put the meals close to the potty spots. GSD hates feeding close to where it does the potty job.

#9. Use the Leash When Taking Your German Shepherd Puppy to the Potty Spot.

Use the leash when taking your puppy to the potty region. This will make it know you are in charge and that you give the orders it must follow.

Don’t coerce it. The leash only makes it easier for you to direct it, and it follows you.

#10. Take The Puppy To The Veterinary Clinic If You Suspect Any Abnormality.

Sickness can make your puppy pee more than necessary. If you notice certain changes in the puppy’s potty habit, take the puppy to the veterinary clinic to find out what is wrong.

This will save the puppy from further illness if the cause of any abnormality in the potty habit is a result of an illness.

Frequently Asked Questions

At what age should a German Shepherd Puppy be Potty Trained?

It should be trained from seven to eight weeks old. At this time, they are very young and can start learning different activities.

How long does it take to potty train a German Shepherd Puppy?

It takes five to six months at which time the puppy will have full bladder control. It may linger up to a year for some puppies.

What affects your German Shepherd Puppy’s potty habits?

Feeding schedule, exercise, playtime, sleep, and nap affect potty habits.

Why does my German Shepherd Puppy pee so much?

German Shepherd Puppies lack bladder control. Hence they have small to zero control over their peeing.

Why does my German Shepherd Puppy become nervous when scolded?

The puppy learns better when calmly taught. Do not shout if there is a case of an accident of it peeing outside the potty spot. Gently take your puppy to the right spot.

Conclusion

We have given you different ways to potty train your German Shepherd Puppy. You can merge the different methods to get the best training.

This knowledge equips you with the experience needed to buy a German Shepherd Puppy or start potty training in the right way if you have one already.

References

www.shepherdsense.com– how-to -potty-train-a-German-shepherd-puppy
anshepherdcorner.com: How to Potty Train German Shepherd Puppy: 13 Tips to Do it Right
www.shepped.com/Potty-Training-Your GSD Puppy Without Losing Your Mind