15 Tips on Potty Training German Shepherd Puppy

Bringing home a German Shepherd puppy can be very exciting, but they need to be potty trained. Potty training German Shepherd Puppy takes time because each puppy is different, so some puppies will potty train faster than others. Here are 15 tips to help with potty training German Shepherd puppy.

#1 Decide Where the Puppy’s Bathroom will be

This is your choice. So, take some time to find a suitable part of your yard and take the puppy there. Keep the puppy there until it goes, before letting it explore.

#2 Take Your Puppy Outside after its Meals

If you can, you should have fixed feeding times for your puppy. These should be the only times that food is available to them. The puppy will adjust to the eating times, and this will help set specific times for bathroom breaks.

#3 Crate Training can Help With Potty Training German Shepherd Puppy

Dogs do not like to make a mess of their living spaces. training can help with potty training German Shepherd puppy because their crate is their main living space.

#4 Positive Reinforcement

This can be hard, but you should not punish a puppy when an accident happens. Most times, punishment will cause your puppy to have negative feelings about their natural body functions. If you catch them, interrupt them with a word like ‘outside’, but do not yell at them.


#5 Reward the Correct Behavior

Every time that your puppy goes in the right area, reward them with affection or a . The best option for the reward will depend on the puppy.

#6 Paper and Pee Pads do not help with Potty Training German Shepherd Puppy

The problem with using paper or pee pads is that the puppy learns that they can use the bathroom in that area. This makes it harder to stop puppies and even adult dogs from using the bathroom inside.

#7 Routine

You should have a good routine for when you take your puppy outside. A routine tells the puppy what to expect and when. This helps them learn to wait to go to the bathroom, until a set time of day.

#8 The Bladder Holding Times

German shepherd puppies will have control of their bladder at around 20 days old. From 8 to 16 weeks, they can hold their pee for around 2 hours. After 16 weeks, puppies can hold their pee for up to 4 hours at a time.

#9 Do Not Feed Them Close to Bed Time

Think about how many times in the middle of the night that you have woken up to go to the bathroom. The same happens with dogs, so avoid feeding the puppy close to bed time.


#10 Keep Them Close

It is common for German shepherd puppies to move to areas where people cannot see them and use the bathroom. To stop this, you can tether the puppy to you.

#11 Pick the Right Size Crate

Many people make the mistake of buying the largest crate because they know that German Shepherds grow up to be large dogs. However, puppies will use the bathroom in a crate that is too big, because they have space between their bed and their bathroom.

#12 Use the Same Door

When you are Potty Training German Shepherd puppy, you should make sure that you use the same door to head outside every time.

#13 Lead the Puppy Outside

This is more about letting your puppy know who is alpha.  This helps with both potty training and other types of training that your puppy will need later on.

#14 New Spaces

Access to more space in your home and yard should depend on if your pup is doing well with their potty training.

#15 Be Consistent

This is super important when you are training your pet to do anything. The more consistent you can be, the better your puppy will learn.

Potty training German Shepherd puppy should start as soon as you bring them home. You will need to be patient because some dogs do not completely master using the bathroom outside until they are older.

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