Potty Training Your GSD Puppy Without Losing Your Mind
Potty training should start at a very early age as the dog will have troubles changing its potty habits in the later stages. If you don’t want your German Shepherd puppy to ruin your home with poop, make sure you start with a potty training schedule.
Many GSD owners make a mistake of not coaching their dogs during its initial days. A German Shepherd pup is undoubtedly adorable, but that doesn’t mean you ignore the fact that it is capable of ruining the floor, beds, carpet, etc. with its poop and pee.
How to Begin Potty Training?
Developing a litter plan for your GSD is essential and should start from day one.
- Little pups can be trained to live in a crate at night so that they do not contaminate the home.
- If you hear your puppy cry or whimper, know that it wants to defecate.
- Take the little pup outdoors at night time before it sleeps and again in the morning as you wake up.
- When you feed your GSD, take it outdoors after 20 minutes because this is the time when your GSD will need to defecate.
- Do not let your GSD potty in different areas every time but make sure that it poops in its designated area. This practice will help your dog learn that it cannot potty everywhere it wants.
- You can also make use of small treats or toys when your GSD poops in its designated area.
- Command your GSD to ‘go potty.’
- You will need to be consistent with the timings and the routine. Make sure you take it outdoors after every meal so that it learns its potty timings.
- Do not leave it all on your GSD until it truly learns its timings and routine or you’ll end up cleaning lots of waste.
- Staying alert and keeping your eyes open while training your pup will help a lot.
Is My German Shepherd Potty Trained?
This is the question that many owners ask too quickly. Potty training doesn’t happen overnight. You will need to consistent and alert. After several days of teaching, your puppy will start to learn.
- If your pup stands in front of the door and looks back at you, know that it wants to go out and poop.
- If your dog scratches the door, know that it is nature calling.
- To confirm the effectiveness of potty training schedule, you will need to wait a few days to check your dog. If your dog doesn’t poop inside the house even when it really needs to, you’ll know it is trained.
- Do not stop the process until your dog has truly learned to potty in its designated area.
What Happens when You Don’t Train Your Pup Early?
Potty training your GSD puppy might seem a little too much at first, but with time and continuous efforts, your dog will start to learn. However, many owners make a mistake of letting their GSD pup enjoy its first days in the home without making it learn important behaviors and discipline.
A GSD puppy doesn’t have control over its bladder or bowels.
That’s why as owners, you need to take full responsibility of keeping an eye on their behavior. If you see your pup getting uneasy or arching its back, know that it is time to take it outside. If you leave the puppy alone, it will make a mess inside the home, on beds, and floors. This will be a lot of work and a dirty one, so it is always better to adopt a preventative approach.
Another issue with GSDs that don’t get trained in the initial days is that they tend to become dominant and disobedient. If you don’t want your GSD to get control over you, make sure that you potty train it from the first day. When a GSD knows that it is not being stopped, it will develop it as a habit that will be hard to get rid of once it grows.
Simple Tips to Make Your GSD Learn Faster
There is always a proper way of doing things that are far more effective than other. Below are some tips to help you potty train your GSD the right way.
- Always take your GSD out from a specific door.
- Always put a leash on your dog and lead it outside so that it knows that you are the alpha, and it should follow you.
- Give your dog a treat when it defecates in the exact spot.
- Guide your dog back inside the home with the help of a leash.
- Never scold or punish your GSD pup if it accidentally poops inside the house. This treatment will promote different reactions.
- During your pup’s initial days, make sure you wake up twice or thrice in the night to check on your pup. If it is standing on the crate, crying, or seems uneasy, take it outside for poop.
- Do not let your puppy out of the crate until it learns the house rules.
The entire potty training might seem a little too much for some owners but believe me, once it’s over with, you will feel extremely relaxed.
If your GSD pup is not responding well to the schedule or isn’t comfortable outside, don’t hesitate in asking us for the solution. We will give you effective tips on how you can train your GSD in the most efficient way. For further topics and information on German Shepherds, you can sign-up to our newsletter and leave the rest to us.
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