If you are thinking about adopting a German Shepherd puppy, you’ve probably done a lot of research. You most likely have come to the conclusion that the German Shepherd is basically the best dog out there. They’re super intelligent, loyal, people pleasing, absolutely gorgeous, and even easy to train. But what about potty training: are German Shepherds easy to potty train?
So, are German Shepherds easy to potty train? Yes, they are. To make the German Shepherd even more perfect, it is generally recognized that they are one of the easiest breeds to house train. Their in-born people pleasing combined with their striking intelligence make them predisposed to learning new tricks quickly – new tricks like not peeing where they shouldn’t.
The potty training of German Shepherds obviously has a lot to do with the German Shepherd owner. That’s you. Your dog’s potty training success has everything to do with your consistency and patience. I’ve scoured the web to get some of the best advice for you to make the potty training experience as quick and pain-free as possible.
When Should I Start Potty Training My German Shepherd Puppy?
It is generally advised to start training your German Shepherd (GSD) immediately. Some experts even suggest before you bring the puppy into the house.
When you are approaching your home for the very first time with your new puppy, be sure to spend a few extra minutes showing your pup the specific area where you will expect them to do their business.
Remember that German Shepherd Dogs are territorial by nature.
This means that you should be teaching them their territory right off the bat.
If your puppy actually goes potty where you want him to, make sure to reward him with a lot of praise immediately! You can also reward with food or toys.
Pick out a Designated Spot
Before you go and get your GSD puppy, be sure to have already planned out where you will have them going potty. This can be a spot in your yard or a particular place in the house if you will be paper training them.
Be sure to take your GSD to this spot every single time you take them out. Eventually, they will associate going to this spot with needing to ‘go’ and will do their deed quickly upon arrival.
Develop A Routine
German Shepherds are easy to potty train when they have a consistent routine that they can come to count on. They will come to anticipate their opportunities to go out and will learn to control their bladder as a consequence.
A good routine is one that respects your GSD puppy’s biological capabilities to “hold it.” If you can, try to take them out every 2 hours. This is about the longest that they can physically control themselves. You can slowly build up the time between potty breaks. By about four months of age, your GSD will be able to hold it for about four hours. By six months of age, your puppy should be able to make it through the night and can be considered fully potty trained.
A good routine might look something like this:
- 6 am – wake up – immediate potty break.
- 8 am – breakfast time – potty break
- 10 am – potty break
- Noon – potty break
- 2 pm – potty break
- 4 pm – afternoon walk – potty break
- 6 pm – dinner time – potty break
- 8 pm – potty break
- 10 pm (or just before bed) – potty break
For those first few nights, be attentive to your puppy and consider a middle of the night outing or two to the potty place.
Should You Crate Train Your German Shepherd Puppy?
What if you are not home all day to take your pup for a walk every two hours and doggie daycare is not an option?
What about night time?
Consider crate training your GSD puppy.
Even if you are home during the day, consider using crate training as a valuable tool for potty training and house training your puppy.
Crate training is considered by many people to be an absolutely necessary tool in the training process of any puppy. For potty training, it is particularly helpful to use a crate because it will help your puppy develop bladder control.
Choosing the right size crate is crucial for it to be an effective tool for training your puppy. Dogs, by their nature, are den animals. They feel safe and secure when they have their own small space that is exclusively theirs to retreat to and rest in. By instinct, your puppy will most likely not do their business where they sleep.
If the crate that you choose is too big, you could be unintentionally setting yourself up for disaster. Your puppy might find that he has just enough space to eliminate on one side of the crate while keeping his bed clean. That’s not the idea!
Putting your dog in the crate at night will give you peace of mind that your puppy is not having accidents all over the house. Having the crate close by, where you can hear your pup in the night, will help you to be aware of when he needs to be let out for a break.
Be patient, attentive and prepared for some middle of the night trips to the potty spot – especially while your puppy is just getting started with his potty training.
You wouldn’t expect a baby to sleep through the night with a dry diaper, would you?
Come Up With A Potty Command
Whenever you take your GSD puppy out to his potty spot, be sure to use a very specific command that he will come to associate with doing his business.
You could say “hurry up” or “go potty,” or whatever works for you. Just be sure to use the same command every time you reach the spot.
This will be really helpful later on when you find yourself in other situations (such as a long car ride) and need your dog to do his business when and where its convenient.
Praise and Punishment
Remember, accidents will happen.
They’re inevitable.
When an accident happens, never punish your German Shepherd for an accident.
If you find them in the act, just rush them outside immediately. If you find the surprise later, just clean it up really well and promise yourself that you will do better next time to be more aware of your puppies’ needs.
On the other hand, when your dog goes potty in the potty spot, lavish them with lots of affection and praise immediately.
Remember, your dog wants to please you! When they see that you get so excited when they go potty outside, they will try and do it again and again, just to make you happy.
Consider a Potty Pad
If you live in an apartment or your life just doesn’t give you the chance to take your puppy out every couple of hours, you might want to consider the use of a puppy potty pad to help control your GSD puppy’s needs inside the home.
Potty pads can be substituted for the potty spot outside.
Just take your puppy there every couple of hours (some folks recommend every 15 minutes until your puppy goes the first time on the pad). Be sure to shower them with praise every time they successfully go where they should.
Eventually, your puppy will develop better bladder control and be able to hold it during the hours when you are not able to get them outside.
The potty pad can eventually be phased out (or not).
Remember, be Patient with Your German Shepherd Puppy
You can do all the research in the world and think you are prepared to confront the task of potty training. German Shepherds are easy to potty train but don’t forget – a puppy is a puppy. It is guaranteed that you are going to have accidents, and encounter frustrations.
Just remember, the more patience you have, the faster the process will go.
Show your puppy how proud of them you are when they get things right, and they will keep trying. Patience and consistency are key to successfully potty training your pup.
Related Questions
No. It is generally considered a bad idea to put a potty pad inside of your dog’s crate. By doing this, you are inadvertently teaching your puppy that their crate is a good place to pee. The potty pad also presents a choking hazard, as a young puppy might get bored and chew, shred or eat the potty pad. Keep the potty pad outside of the crate and learn the signs that your puppy is ready to go potty and let them out of the crate to do their duty.
The most important thing is to soak up any pee or wetness immediately. Then place a heavy sprinkling of baking soda over the entire stain to eliminate remaining odors. The baking soda can be vacuumed up when fully dry. There are also a lot of different options for enzyme-based cleaners. Be sure to follow the instructions on the package. If you have a lot of old stains on your carpet, consider hot steam carpet cleaning.
