Potty Training
House training may be one of the most important things you do with your new puppy. The keys to teaching your puppy where to take potty breaks are regular outings, proper management, appropriate supervision and treats and praise (Punishment has no place in potty training!) It is a process that takes both time and patience, but you and your puppy can master this important task. So how long does it take to potty train a puppy? That largely depends on how consistent you are and how long your puppy can hold it. (Small breed puppies typically have a harder time holding it than large breed puppies, for example.) Potty training a puppy is all about setting you and your puppy up for success. Proper management and supervision are crucial to successful house training. Until your puppy is fully house trained, make sure your puppy is always either managed or supervised. Management can mean several things.
Tethered
Tethering to an object ensures the puppy can’t go beyond a certain boundary. Tethering to a person makes it easier for the person to monitor the puppy’s behavior. Hands-Free Bungee Leash to tie the puppy to you comfortably.
Crated
If you are going to crate train your puppy, make sure the puppy is comfortable in the crate. It should be just big enough for your puppy to turn around and lie down, but not much larger. That way, the puppy can stretch out a little, but they can’t potty in the corner and then snooze comfortably in another corner.
Outdoors
Pottying that happens outside is an opportunity for positive reinforcement for going in the right place, and the more often you reinforce appropriate pottying, the faster your puppy will be house trained.
Potty training a puppy is all about setting you and your puppy up for success. Proper management and supervision are crucial to successful house training. Until your puppy is fully house trained, make sure your puppy is always either managed or supervised.
Keep track of your puppy’s potty habits
Create a house training chart or use a notepad to take notes about when and where your puppy potties, so you can learn their patterns. This information will help you learn which times of day your puppy is most likely to potty, when and where they tend to have accidents, and when they probably don’t need to go to the potty area.
Likely potty times
After eating
After drinking
After five to 10 minutes of play or other vigorous activity
Immediately after waking up from a nap
Get your puppy on a feeding schedule
One good way to get pottying under control is to put your puppy on a feeding schedule.
With a feeding schedule, you give your puppy regular meals, at regular times, rather than leaving the food bowl out all the time. Fixed meal times make it easier to set up a schedule of potty breaks (it also sets up for other training later one and creates a less picky eater.) The right feeding schedule depends on age, size and more, so ask your veterinarian to help you figure out a feeding schedule for your puppy.
What if my puppy potties in the wrong place?
If you see your puppy having an accident, calmly take the puppy outside and then praise and offer a treat for going in the right place. Fight the urge to yell or scold! Punishing your puppy, whether by yelling and scolding or pushing the puppy’s nose into the urine, will not help.
Punishing your puppy usually teaches them to pee and poop where you can’t see them. In other words, they won’t stop pottying in the house; they’ll just hide before they do their business. This is because puppies often misinterpret punishment to mean they shouldn't potty in front of you. The nuance that the punishment was about pottying indoors may be totally lost on them.
Clean up past accidents thoroughly
The odor from past accidents is like a “restroom” sign for your dog. Identify the spot and use a cleaner designed for pet stains.
Cheat Sheet
Take your puppy to a potty area (outdoors or indoors) on leash at least once every 30 minutes while you are home and awake. At night, one or two outings are enough for most puppies. Set a timer if needed!
Stand still and quietly watch to see if the puppy pees or poops. If you would like to put this on cue, before puppy goes, say ‘go potty’ or ‘do your business’. Say this each time.
Praise and offer a treat as soon as the puppy pees or poops outside. If the puppy does not pee or poop, that’s OK—take the puppy back to a confinement area for 10 to 20 minutes, and then outside again.
After the puppy pees or poops, play with the puppy outdoors, or give puppy up to 15 minutes of carefully supervised time in the house (whichever the puppy prefers).
Repeat these steps throughout the day.
