Bringing home your German Shepherd puppy would probably be one of the best moments of your life. You’ll be raising a puppy who will grow to love and protect you for all his life. However, you’ll need to take on the different responsibilities owning a German Shepherd, and though they are highly intelligent, you need to ensure that they’re given proper training from the start to grow their mind and body.
One of the issues many owners have are the German Shepherd potty training problems. I’m sure many dog owners are exasperated from having to potty train their pups or dogs. Fortunately, there are ways on how to effectively train them to potty where they should be. To learn more, read on!
German Shepherd Potty Training Problems
The German Shepherd potty training age is when once they hit a month old. This is the best time to begin training, and they’ll be able to know where and when to potty once they reach four months old! But, there are several common issues all dogs, including German Shepherds, go through during potty training, may it be at a young or old age. Here are the top five issues to watch out for:
Soils In the Same Area
This is normal and the main reason German Shepherds do this is because they pick up leftover urine scents. They just want to go potty in the same area, so make sure you clean their urine and accidents thoroughly and get rid of the smell.
They Have Accidents While You’re Gone
Puppies can only hold their bladder for so long, about an hour for every month of age. Unfortunately, they aren’t able to wait for hours at a time while you’re at work! You can remedy this by having a family member or dog sitter to take care and train your dog for you or to consider crate training.
Won’t Potty When You’re Out
There are various reasons why your dog doesn’t go when you’re both outside. Either he doesn’t feel like going or focus on playing and exploring. That’s why it’s important to notice any pattern changes with your dog, specifically when it comes to their potty times.
They Don’t Let You Know When They Need to Go
Don’t expect your dog to know immediately how to let you know it’s time to go out. Sometimes, we miss out on their subtle cues as well! This is why it’s important to teach German Shepherds not only to potty outside but a specific cue for them to let you know it’s time to go!
Older Dog Urinated In the House
If you have an older dog who urinates at home, it’s either he’s urine marking, or an underlying medical issue to check on. Older dogs tend to mark their territory with urine, usually with new items or animals in the house. If there haven’t been huge changes in the household, it’s best to have him checked by the vet.
How to Potty Train Your German Shepherd
German Shepherds are quite easy to train so long as you do it right! With that being said, how can you properly train your dog? Here are some training tips to follow:
- Make sure you schedule their potty times, which should usually the moment you wake up and before bed. You should also take them out after nap or playtime (also during times they are excited), as well as an hour after drinking or eating. Remember, German Shepherds drink a lot of water so observe their intake!
- Just like training your German Shepherd with commands and games, you have to reward them when they do a good job with potty. They will be more encouraged to take up good potty habits because of this.
- Besides setting a potty schedule on when to take your German Shepherd out, you should also have a fixed routine as to when he eats, sleeps, and trains. This prevents untimely accidents from happening and he will most likely potty at similar times with a schedule.
- If you’re still training your dog, then you may need to confine him until he’s accustomed to doing his business outside. You might want to consider crate training as well, which has its own benefits outside potty training. Furthermore, avoid having him wear potty pads, which encourage your dog to do his business in the house than outside!
If you want to learn more on potty training your German Shepherd, here’s a helpful video:
Wrapping It Up
As one of the smartest dog breeds existing, the German Shepherd needs better training, especially when it comes to potty! While they do have their issues in potty training, it gets easier over time as long as you reinforce rules the right way. Whether they’re young pups or old dogs, you can get your German Shepherd to potty in the correct area.
Hopefully, this article on the common German Shepherd potty training problems helped you out! So don’t wait any longer and begin potty training today.