7 Easy Ways to Potty Train a German Shepherd Puppy Faster

You probably already know that learning how to potty train a German Shepherd puppy can be a stressful time.

There’re lots of things to remember and plenty of room for accidents.

But…

once you know these easy steps, great things happen!

Give me 10 minutes of your time and I’ll show you the easiest ways to conquer potty training your German Shepherd puppy.

How to Potty Train a German Shepherd Puppy

Knowing how to potty train your German Shepherd is vital to having a happy, comfortable life with them. Use this training consistently to have the most effect.

A proactive approach works best. Which means you should…

focus on preventing accidents, instead of waiting on them to happen!

Follow a strict feeding and bathroom schedule to see the best results. But potty training isn’t only about teaching your pup where to go. It’s also about clarifying that house soiling isn’t appropriate.

Basically, you teach your German Shepherd puppy the right potty skills…

until it becomes a habit (humanesociety.org).

Here’s how to make it easy for you and your GSD to succeed!

1. Prevention is Key

The key to quick success is taking your pup out every 2 to 3 hours and never giving the opportunity for them to have an accident inside. This means at least 8 to 10 trips outside every single day!

To prevent accidents in your home your pup should always be:

1. Attached to you by a short leash so they can’t wander off and find a quiet spot to potty. You can’t keep your eyes on your pup every moment unless they’re attached to you.
2. In their welcoming and safe crate either resting, eating their meals, or enjoying a play toy.
3. In an exercise pen or playpen with a strict potty area.
4. Under your direct, undivided attention. This means you are always watching your pup.
5. Don’t take your eyes off them for even a second! All it takes is for you to check your phone for a few seconds for your pup to have a toileting accident!

You can either use a crate to speed up their potty training or provide them an area indoors to eliminate. I prefer the crate method.

2. Teach Them to Love Their Crate

Housebreaking with the use of a crate speeds up your success rate incredibly!

Puppies don’t like to use the bathroom where they sleep or eat, and the use of the crate takes advantage of this instinct. But you want to use the crate positively so they learn to love their little den.

Make their crate an enjoyable and inviting place to go. Keep the crate in a warm, draft-free area and place their favorite toys inside (puppy-safe toys that won’t tear and supervise their play).

How to show your pup how to love their crate:

1. Never force your pup into their crate! Take your time with crate introduction and allow them to explore under their own will.
2. Serve your pup at least one meal a day inside their crate. Use a Kong with their meal stuffed inside and mixed with a small spoonful of unsweetened Greek yogurt or peanut butter to entice them to stay and work on the Kong inside the crate.
3. Offer treats when they willingly go inside to rest or explore their crate.
4. Use a verbal cue when you want your pup to go into the crate. I like to use a simple command like, “crate” or “bed” and to point where I want my pup to go.
5. Praise them gently when they go inside their crate and don’t just slam the door shut immediately on them.

You can learn all the benefits of teaching your dog to use their crate in this easy post on crate training your German Shepherd successfully. Check it out to get the complete facts, tips, and step-by-step instructions to perfect crate training today.

Be sure to buy the best crate for a German Shepherd puppy they’ll love by using this helpful guide. It’s better to get a crate that comes recommended rather than just pick any old one and hope for the best.

3. Use Puppy Pads

Not going to use puppy pads?

You can skip to step 4.

But…

if you prefer to use puppy pads, then you need an area where you always take your dog when they need to go to the bathroom. Preferably place their pads near the door that you eventually want them to use to go outside.

Place more pads down than you think you need at first. This is because puppies have poor aim and also may find a spot they prefer (other than the one you pick).

It’s better to lay a few more pads than necessary than have them soil your floors and leave behind their scent.

After a couple of weeks, you may remove the extra pads until there are only two puppy pads on the floor in the primary area they prefer to go.

Keep the food and water area away from the puppy pads in another place. Puppies don’t like to eat and drink where they use the bathroom.

Using Puppy Pads Successfully

Change your puppy pads as they become soiled.

Although, at the beginning of training I like to leave a pad that’s soiled with urine only under a clean, new pad so that your pup learns that they are soiling in the right area and their previous odor attracts them back to the pads.

I don’t let the dirty pad sit out for days or weeks and smell too strongly. But a lightly soiled pad is attractive to your pup in the beginning stages of training and helps them learn the right area to potty indoors at first.

Once they are reliably using the correct spot, you need not continue to use this trick and can throw away the pads as they become too soiled.

If they’ve missed the pad or soiled another area you don’t want them to use, then you must clean with an enzymatic cleaner. This pet enzyme cleaner will remove your puppy’s urine smells, stains, and lingering odors that cause your dog to soil in the same spot.

Training Them to Go Outside After Using Pads Indoors

1. If you set up your pads near the door you use to take them outside to their elimination area, then you can transition them to go outside more easily.
2. So, place or move your puppy pads closer to the door from their original spot to begin the transition to the outdoors.
3. Move the pads over a period of two weeks so that your pup learns the new spots to use the bathroom and doesn’t experience stress or confusion. It’s better to go slowly than rush them to figure out an entirely new routine.
4. When your pads are close to the door, watch them for their elimination signs and get them to the outside as swiftly as you can.
5. You can either encourage them to go outside instead of to their pad by calling them with the door open, or you can scoop them up if you think they won’t hold their bladder and take them outside yourself until they learn the potty routine you want.

While I generally use a crate to house train my German Shepherd puppy I also totally understand that you might prefer to learn how to potty train a German Shepherd puppy using a puppy pad (for any number of reasons).

I’m not here to judge and I love that you want to help your pup learn his potty routine quickly by reading up on this training!

4. Teach Them a Potty Routine

Teaching your dog to eliminate outside means that you must have a strict schedule.

Don’t let your dog out of your sight unsupervised in your home for even a second! Watch for signs that your pup needs to go potty so you can avoid indoor accidents.

Morning Potty Routine

1. First thing in the morning when you let your pup out of their crate or from their sleeping area take them to their potty spot.
2. Don’t allow them the chance to squat and pee inside the home. If in doubt, carry them outside yourself.
3. If you will not leash your pup when you take them out in the morning, then run ahead of them to lead them outside quickly.
4. But don’t turn your back since all it takes is one sniff and they’ll potty inside your house.
5. If you have stairs, carry your pup since rushing downstairs on a full bladder is never a good idea.

Outside Potty Routine

1. Stay with your pup until they do their business.
2. You can place your pup in a small confined area to go potty or keep them leashed to you.
3. Either way, don’t allow them to become distracted.
4. Stand quietly until they potty.
5. Then, praise them and offer a tasty treat.

This can bore you at first, but potty training a German Shepherd puppy becomes easier every day.

But don’t look down at your phone because you must praise them right as they are peeing—not when they’re done and walking away!

If your pup doesn’t toilet after 5 minutes, take them back inside to their crate. After 10 to 15 minutes, take them out of their crate and repeat the above process. Learning how to potty train a German Shepherd puppy takes repetition and patience.

But…

I know you can do this because you’re reading how to house train your GSD pup the right way!

How do you know when to take your GSD puppy outside to potty?

1. Take them out after a nap. They need to relieve themselves after sleeping or napping in their crates.
2. Take them out after a play session. If you’ve played with your pup inside, then take them outside before placing them in their crate.
3. Take them out after they’ve eaten a meal.
4. Take them out after they’ve gotten overly excited about something.
5. Take them out after they drink a large amount of water.
6. Take them out first thing in the morning and the last thing before you place them in their crate or go to bed.
7. Take your dog out when their body language says they are searching for a potty spot!

How Often Should You Take Out Your German Shepherd Puppy to Potty?

You should take out your German Shepherd puppy every 2 hours for an 8-week-old pup. Add an hour for each month your pup is old. So, a 12-week-old dog needs to go out every 3 hours. And a 16-week-old German Shepherd needs to go outside to relieve herself every 4 hours.

Here’s a visual chart to help you remember so you don’t have any accidents inside your house.

You can crate your pup for the same number of hours as they are old in months (just like in the above example). And, they can stay in their crate the entire night if they’re sleeping.

But during the day don’t crate them for any longer than they can hold their bladder.

Keep in mind if you’ve given your pup a large drink or meal then they won’t be able to hold their bladder as long. Monitor when you feed your pup.

Your pup needs to potty 10–20 minutes after they’ve had water. Remove the water bowl for about an hour before you put your dog to bed for the night. This helps them hold their bladder throughout the night.

Remember when potty training:

• Take your puppy out 10 to 20 minutes after they have water
• Remove their water dish about an hour before they go to bed

Your young pup should make it through the night for 6 to 8 hours while they’re sleeping, although during the first week or two they may cry and whine and stay awake because of their new environment. You should expect not to get much sleep or they may have an accident.

5. Know Your Puppy’s Potty Dance

Stay watchful of your pup to see when they begin cluing you into their potty needs. Learn to understand their body language that tells you they need to eliminate.

The Puppy Potty Dance

• Stops playing or chewing abruptly and wanders through the house
• Sniffs the floor
• Circles while sniffing
• Digs at the carpet after sniffing and circling it
• Wanders to an area where he’s gone before to have an accident
• Paces near the door to the outside

If you see these signs, take your pup out immediately! Don’t wait one second longer!

Prevent accidents and learn from your mistakes. When your pup has an accident inside it’s a learning opportunity! Ask yourself what went wrong and don’t make the same mistake again.

Learning to house train is about establishing a habit of only relieving themselves outside and never giving the opportunity to potty inside and make a mistake.

6. Add in a Cue

Once you understand what your dog’s behavior looks like when they eliminate, begin adding in a short cue word to help them.

I like using the phrase “go potty”.

Use this cue word as they are squatting and right before or as they eliminate. You want to use the words to teach your pup that the cue means to do their business. It takes time to learn to eliminate on cue.

Provide a tasty treat and words of praise after they potty. Keep training positive and never yell or scold them.

Yelling and scolding them may make them anxious about using the bathroom in front of you, which is the opposite of what you want.

Eventually, you’ll work your way through the basic German Shepherd dog training commands, too.

7. Prevent Accidents

Even with perfect training, there’s room for error. Take these steps when there’s an accident and you catch your pup eliminating inside.

Steps to Prevent a Potty Accident in Your House

1. Interrupt them. Use a sharp “ah” sound to get your dog’s attention. But don’t yell or scare them!
2. If this sound scares them, then don’t make any sounds. Rush over to your pup and scoop them up. They will quit peeing mid-stream once you scoop them up.
3. Get outside quickly. Rush outside as soon as you can. Your pup can only hold her mid-stream urination for a few moments.
4. Place them in their designated potty zone. Reward them and praise them after they finish. Play with them for a bit, as rushing them back into their crate may stress them more.
5. Clean up the area with an enzyme cleaner. Don’t use a regular cleaning product on urine. Urine needs an enzyme cleaner to break down the molecules and take away the smells so that your pup doesn’t mark the same area.
6. Vow to watch your pup more carefully!
7. Figure out what went wrong and don’t make the same mistakes.

German Shepherd Puppy Potty Training Routine and Schedule

German Shepherd Potty Training Questions and Answers

Here are some of the most popular questions and answers about potty training a German Shepherd puppy. Use them to help you troubleshoot any problems you are having with toilet training your GSD.

Housetraining your puppy might feel difficult at first, but it does get easier. So, hang in there and stay positive!

At What Age Should a German Shepherd be Potty Trained?

A German Shepherd should be potty trained starting as young as 7 to 8-weeks-old. Around 5 to 6 weeks of age, puppies wander from their mother and learn to soil outside their sleeping areas. Take advantage of this instinct by showing your pup the basics of potty training, for example, where to go potty, where not to potty, and the path to get to the potty area.

How Long Does it Take to Potty Train a German Shepherd Puppy?

A German Shepherd doesn’t have full bladder control until about 5 to 6 months of age so plan on continuing your potty training efforts until they have control of their elimination habits. While you may begin housebreaking your pup as soon as you have them, expecting them to have no accidents early on is unrealistic since they’re physically unable to control themselves. Start a positive potty training program that includes a routine, schedule, and guidance for the best results.

Bladder control increases with age, but a variety of factors can change this. Activity level, amount of water consumption, and if your dog has any underlying medical concerns can and will cause your dog to have more frequent potty breaks.

GSD puppies can also learn many other skills in a short time. Read up on what they can learn in How Long Does It Take to Train a German Shepherd if you want to learn how to train them quickly.

What Affects Your German Shepherd’s Puppy Potty Habits?

Keep in mind that many things affect your dog’s elimination, such as their:

• Feeding schedule
• Exercise and playtime
• Sleep and nap schedule

Base your potty-training schedule on whether you stay home during the day or work outside the home, your wake-up time, how many meals your dog eats, and what type and how much food you feed your German Shepherd puppy.

This schedule depends on your own personal obligations and preferences. Change the times to suit your needs, as this schedule is one example only.

If you are working outside the home and can’t stop by at lunch or get a dog walker, then place your pup in their safe area with clean pads while you are away or their crate and have a dog walker stop by to let them out.

Remember there are other times your pup needs to eliminate:

• When he wakes in the morning or after any nap
• After all meals (feed on a schedule to predict bathroom needs)
• After playing, exercising, or exciting events
• At least every 2 to 4 hours (depending on your dog’s age)
• At night, before bedtime

Why does my German Shepherd puppy pee so much?

Your German Shepherd puppy pees so much because they lack bladder control. A dog can’t fully control their bladder until 5–6 months old. They simply lack the muscle control and behavior patterns to hold their bladders past a few hours when they are puppies.

If you’ve taken your dog to your vet and nothing is medically wrong, try the following:

1. Take your pup outside on a strict schedule. Stick to the schedule and use alarms to remind you.
2. Remove their water an hour before they go to bed. Don’t forget to replace their water in the morning!
3. If you notice your pup peeing so much after certain activities, then note those activities as a trigger. For example, if your pup pees a lot after you play with them, then take him out right after playing.
4. Does your pup leak urine when they meet new people? This is submissive behavior. Greet your dog more calmly. Try to not get them excited. Or ignore them and pick them up to go straight outside. Only offer them a greeting after they relieve themselves.
5. Do NOT punish your pup for peeing too much! Check with your vet and use the above tips to find a solution.

German Shepherd House Training Tips

Toilet training is about making it easy for your dog to go outside in the correct area and to avoid any toileting inside. Create a routine that your dog understands and stick to it.

5 Helpful German Shepherd Potty Training Tips

1. Don’t scold them for eliminating indoors. Your pup doesn’t understand where to potty yet and scolding and yelling don’t help. It can actually make toilet training them take much longer!
2. Use positive reinforcements outdoors–like rewards of treats and praise–to make going potty outside a better choice for them.
3. A puppy will still have an accident in their crate if they’re in confinement too long or have had a meal or water before going to sleep. Watch your feeding and watering schedule closely.
4. If your pup has an accident inside, calmly clean up the spot. Don’t let it sit and saturate further.
5. Figure out what went wrong and address the issue, so it doesn’t happen again. Did you miss your dog’s potty clues? Did you feed or give them water at a different time? Did you let them roam the house unsupervised?

In my first week with my German Shepherd, I had three accidents. All of which were because of my sloppiness.

I didn’t watch her directly and let her roam, I missed her cues, and I was watching TV when I should have been watching her.

Learn from your mistakes and move on with the new information.

Need more help with learning how to potty train a German Shepherd Puppy… and what to prepare for next?

The best way to house train a German Shepherd puppy starts with knowing the right steps to begin successfully.

Be proactive in your approach.

See the best improvements when you:

• keep to a regular schedule, including their feeding and drinking of water
• are on top of their elimination body language
• and don’t leave your pup unsupervised to roam freely inside your home

If you’re potty training your German Shepherd then I bet you’re also the type of owner who wants to know what to expect next with your puppy.

Read this book Your German Shepherd Puppy Month-by-Month to stay one step ahead of your energetic pup! Don’t miss out on every learning opportunity you have with your GSD.

Other like-minded dog owners who think like you have also joined a scientifically-based online dog training program to train their dogs with love and compassion after reading my review of Brain Training for Dogs.

Check it out to give your German Shepherd a kind, positive start in this world with you.

Happy training! 💗