German Shepherd Dog Tip (Use of Little Bells to Potty Train)

Exploring the vast prairie of the Washita National Wildlife Refuge

Hi Everyone,

Today I am going to recommend that when you bring home a new German Shepherd Dog puppy that you hang a little Christmas bell from the door that the puppy will be going in and out to potty. Hang the bell by a string at the height of your German Shepherd Dog puppy’s nose. This way as the puppy grows you just shorten the string length.

Every time the German Shepherd Dog puppy goes out that door gently make them ring the bell with their nose while saying in a high pitched voice with enthusiasm, “let’s go outside” or “let’s go potty”. Just be consistent with your verbal reinforcements.

If you combine the bell to your potty training efforts, within a couple of days your puppy will start ringing the bell when they want to go outside. This will help you more quickly and successfully complete the potty training because your German Shepherd Dog puppy now has a way to tell you that they need to go outside. Be aware that like small children, German Shepherd Dog puppies will get busy playing and having fun and will hold it until they cannot hold it any longer. So when you hear the bell, be judicious by opening the door to let your puppy go outside.

Follow your German Shepherd Dog puppy outside and if they do use the bathroom, tell them, in a high pitch and fun voice, how much you love them.

Note that we make the German Shepherd Dog puppy ring the bell with their nose so that when they are grown, they do not scratch our door and doorjamb, as they would if they were trained to use their paw to ring the bell.