House Training Your Puppy
Once you have your new puppy home, one of your most important considerations will be house training your puppy. As with most other aspects of puppy training, its best to begin as early as you can – expect the training to be complete only when your dog reaches six months old. Nearly all dogs respond to house training fairly well – the German shepherd is one of the most receptive breeds.
Perhaps the first thing you need to know is how frequently your puppy may need to go. On average, a three month old puppy needs to urinate every three or four hours, while a puppy that is five months old urinates every four to five hours. Generally speaking, as a dog grows older, it can go that much longer before having to urinate.
There are certain signs that your puppy may need the bathroom – after a while, you will be able to spot them and anticipate. If he suddenly puts his nose down and sniffs intently, it’s usually a signal. Your puppy may appear agitated, or begin to whine or pace if he needs go. He may also run behind a piece of furniture, squat down or raise his leg.
If your dog urinates in the house when left alone, this is actually a form of separation anxiety. It’s caused by stress – and the dog usually does this shortly after being left alone. One solution is to train your puppy to feel comfortable with his crate and to leave him there – the problem may go away after a few weeks or months. Other than that, try to leave your dog alone as casually and with as little fuss as possible.
One of the biggest problems for a dog owner is the dog who goes to the bathroom in the house – but won’t go outside. There may be several causes of this: a dog that has been confined indoors for at least a month has simply got used to relieving himself indoors – he doesn’t know any better.
If your dog goes to the bathroom indoors, rather than out, make sure you are taking him outside as often as he needs. A puppy should be taken outside several times a day – immediately after waking, and after eating or playing. While walking your dog outside, try to be alert to any signs that he needs the bathroom.
If your dog has an accident inside the house, immediately and thoroughly clean the area so your puppy won’t assume that spot is for going to the toilet. And if your dog goes in an approved spot in your yard or outside – leave the droppings there, if practical. The next time your puppy sniffs that spot he will be encouraged to do his business there.
House training may not be the most glamorous aspect of training your puppy – but as most of us would point out, it is one of the most important.