Most German Shepherds lack the opportunity to roam a large backyard at will. They’re more likely to spend the day indoors while their family members are away at work and school. This can make sticking to a potty training schedule more difficult.

A combination of crate and leash training works for some dogs. If the adult German Shepherds are new to your family or returning home after time in a kennel while you were away, you may have to reinforce his potty training.

One option is to return him to the crate during the day and possibly use a leash that’s not overly restrictive when you’re present so that he stays in one area of the home. Keeping the dog contained 100% of the time isn’t the total answer – it’s merely part of the process.

Start as you would with a German Shepherd puppy and set up regular potty breaks. Make sure that you time the elimination breaks with enough time after feeding so the dog can do something meaningful on the trip outside.

Spend the weekend closely observing him on the leash whenever he’s out of the crate so that you begin to recognize the signs that he needs to potty. He may shake, sniff around, act agitated or start to squat. Those are your signals to stop what you’re doing and immediately take him to potty.