German Shepherd Potty Training: How to Housebreak Your Puppy

German Shepherd puppy training starts as soon as you get your new puppy is home. Your first goal with your new German Shepherd is potty training. Housebreaking your puppy relieves your worries about finding smelly messes, and it builds your puppy's self-confidence when you praise it.

There are only two times when you can be sure your puppy won't relieve itself: when it's eating and when it's sleeping. On the other hand, you can be certain that your puppy will relieve itself after meals and upon waking. For a German Shepherd puppy, training routines are highly effective, so begin a potty training routine that includes taking your puppy outside at those times.

For your German Shepherd puppy, training results are the best when you are consistent. Carry your puppy to a designated place each time you take it out. Keep the puppy in that area of the yard until it goes. When it relieves itself, praise it generously. Afterward, it's important to let your puppy have some fun and wander around outside its designated potty area for a while. If you don't let it have any fun afterward, expect that it will take longer and longer for your puppy to relieve itself. It's smart enough that it will delay so it can stay outside longer.

German Shepherd puppies are intelligent and want to please, so your puppy will learn the potty routine quickly. But your puppy will also need to go at random times, and training a puppy to wait until it is outside is the crux of potty training. Depending on your availability, complete housebreaking might take less than a month. Housebreaking could also take six months or more if you have to leave your puppy unattended frequently.

To accommodate your puppy's intermittent potty breaks, take it outside about once an hour. Also, take it out as soon as it starts showing signs that it is about to relieve itself. It may circle, start walking with an arched back or head for a remote spot. Your German Shepherd puppy may also whine or bark for no apparent reason. It's better to take it outside and risk overreacting.

There will be times when your German Shepherd puppy doesn't give any signal. If it is getting a lot of attention from visitors, it probably won't realize it has to go until it's too late. Interrupt the action frequently to take it outside.

Crate training helps with housebreaking. Puppies won't relieve themselves in their living space. If you have the right size dog crate, you can be pretty sure your puppy won't go to the bathroom there unless it is desperate.

Successful housebreaking helps set a positive tone for additional German Shepherd puppy training, and potty training should be your first priority for your new puppy.

Lincoln Kern has been training German Shepherd puppies and dogs for over 45 years. He shares his experiences training difficult dogs and unveils his secrets for training a German Shepherd, providing "Top 10" lists, "How to" articles and anecdotes from other German Shepherd owners. Learn proven techniques from German Shepherd owners for German Shepherd puppy training and housebreaking using a crate, German Shepherd Obedience training, Schutzhund and more at German Shepherd Training Now. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lincoln_Kern