A: A new puppy has various needs like a new baby:  age appropriate food & toys, access to clean fresh water and a safe quiet warm place to sleep. We recommend buying a crate for your new puppy. Crate training eases the way to housebreaking your puppy & provides him/her with their own area in your home. This is a place where the puppy can go for quiet time & a secure area when you are not able to provide supervision. We personally use an airline type crate but wire crates work as well. You may want to cover a wire crate with sheets or blankets so that it will resemble a den and the puppy will feel more secure. Going to a new home and the first night away from brothers & sisters is a stressful time of change for a puppy. Placing an article of your clothing in the crate or a ticking clock near the crate can ease this stress.

A: Puppies are like children, scheduling is key. Waking up from a nap, eating, drinking & playtime are all events that will cause a need to potty. Consistency is key. When the puppy wakes up, take him outside. After the puppy eats or drinks, take him outside. After playtime, take him outside. If you see the puppy sniffing around, take him outside.

 If you have a particular area of the yard where you want the puppy to use the bathroom take them to that area at that time & use a phrase like "go potty". Use the same phrase & praise the puppy when you get the desired behavior. This reinforces to the puppy that you are pleased with what he has done.

Puppies have limited control when they are young. they cannot possibly hold it for 8 hours at 8 weeks of age. This control will increase with time. Puppies do not like to foul the area where they sleep so crating a puppy when unsupervised helps them to train themselves.

Expect accidents, an enzyme cleaner will help to remove the odor associated with the accident & prevent the puppy from returning to the same area of your home to use it as his personal bathroom. If you catch the puppy going potty in a prohibited area give him a stern "no" and take him to the appropriate area to potty. Praise the puppy if he finishes his business in the correct area.

Do not scold your puppy for accidents unless you catch him in the act. Dogs have a very short memory & though they will react to your scolding they really do not understand what they have done. Do not scold the puppy for crate accidents as they may have been waiting for too long.

A: All dogs need training in at least basic obedience. We recommend a puppy class once the puppy is current with vaccinations. The best training is done hands on by you. Training with a trainer is more for you than the dog. Experienced trainers understand how dogs communicate and how to get desired behaviours & to discourage unwanted behaviors. They can teach you different techniques depending on your individual dog. Group classes allow for socialization. Puppy learns how to behave around strange people and strange dogs in an environment away from home. This is critical with a dog like a German Shepherd. They can be very sensitive. Exposing them to strangers and different environments when they are young will result in a well adjusted adult dog. Training creates a special bond between you and your dog. Your dog wants to please you and you learn how to speak his language. Many other training classes are available beyond basic obedience. Explore the other options such as agility, flyball, rally, etc. These events are competitive but you don't have to compete to enjoy the time spent working with your dog in training & discovering the amazing talents you both possess.