German Shepherd

Question
Cindy, my son has a 10 wk old german shepherd. The short time (3 wks) we've had him, he has left our house stinking. How, and how soon, can we make the transition to him being an "outside" dog? I don't want to do it too early and traumatize him. Also, I'm sure neighbors won't appreciate his hours of crying and barking. We need to make the transition smooth for all, especially the dog. Thanks for your time.

Answer
Hi Ed,

Thank you for your question. It sounds like you need some housebreaking advice, and if that's the case, please re-submit your question and I will provide that for you.

I will tell you this though, I would recommend getting a professional carpet cleaner to come in to clean your carpets and eliminate the odor. I usually recommend Nature's Miracle, or some other enzymatic cleaner, but sometimes it is virtually impossible to eliminate all residual stains and odors. You can also get a black light to try to find out where the spots are, but if the house has become odorous, I recommend saving yourself the stress of trying to fix the problem yourself and just paying a professional to clean your carpets.

That said, I would encourage you to re-think your decision to make your dog an "outside dog." Dogs are social animals that provide us with companionship at a minimum and perform important work in roles other than as the family pet. Isolation can be very damaging, not only to the human-animal bond, but to the dog's psyche. Dogs need mental (proper training using positive reinforcement and interactive play) and physical stimulation (exercise) - they need to be with their human family. That, after all is why most of us get dogs - for the companionship.  

Besides loneliness, leaving a dog outside exposes him to the elements and other hazards, such as teasing by passersby and harm from other animals, and dogs tend to develop abnormal neurotic behaviors. German Shepherds especially are very bonded to their owners and want to be with them.

As a general rule of thumb, dogs are able to hold their bladders an hour longer than their age in months, and any "accidents" are usually owner error for not watching and training the puppy correctly. Again, if you need help with this, let me know.

The most important thing for you to be doing with that puppy right now is socialization because the window of opportunity closes between 3 and 4 months. After this, any lack of socialization or improper socialization will manifest itself in various behavior problems - leaving a dog outside is also likely to result in behavior problems.

Again, I really recommend you reconsider this decision.

Thanks for your question.

Cindy