Potty training a puppy requires commitment, patience, persistence, and consistency. It can be a long and tedious process, but it is worth it. Learning how to potty train a puppy will save your floors, carpets, and other surfaces from a lot of mess. Learn about the 12-step potty training process for your furry friend and how to address problems that may come along the way.
When to Start Puppy Potty Training
One of the first questions that fur parents ask when they learn how to potty train a puppy is when they should start. You can begin potty training a puppy when they are 12 to 16 weeks old. They already have enough bladder and bowel control suitable for training at that age.
However, if you adopt older puppies, you can always begin any time as soon as you bring them home for the first time. It may take a bit longer to help them learn the necessary routines, but they can transition away from their old habits and learn from the training you will give them.
It is important to remember to give plenty of praise, verbal cues, and a display an excited tone of voice when they perform the right behaviors. Don’t forget to reward the correct responses with treats, which helps to reinforce the lessons you’re teaching and help your pup to learn faster.
12 Step Potty Training Guide
Establishing routines in the house when you learn how to potty train a puppy is essential. Create a manageable schedule for you and your beloved young canine to make things easier. Taking your pup to the designated potty spot around three to five times daily would be best. Be prepared and patient while providing positive reinforcement.
Here’s the 12-step process that can help make potty training a puppy easier.
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Start Early in the Morning
Puppies old enough for training can hold it in and sleep at night for about seven hours before they feel the urge for a bathroom break. It’s crucial to start the day with an early trip outside so your pets can relieve themselves. This early morning habit also helps establish their routine for the entire day.
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Let Them Choose Their Spot
Let your pups choose their potty spot, which they will mark. This will become the designated potty spot during training.
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Allow Them to Explore
Each pup will be different, so let them explore and select the potty spot they’re comfortable with. Don’t choose the area for them. They will smell the ground, turn around, and pick the best site.
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Positive Reinforcement
Give lots of praise every time your pup potties in the right spot. You can also give a treat.
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Go Back Inside
Never allow your pup to wander outside after pottying. It is vital to reinforce the habit of returning indoors after a potty break. After potty first thing in the morning, make sure to give your pup some breakfast, which also helps to establish the routine they need to become familiar with during training.
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The 20-Minute Rule
After giving your puppies a meal or after playing and drinking water, expect your pup to go outside again. Be patient; this will also be part of the routine you need to reinforce.
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Always Pick the Same Spot
Every time you bring your puppy out to the potty, always bring it to the same spot they initially selected. Allow your pup to explore and locate their spot; they will choose that area to do their business.
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Choose a Command
Whenever your pup goes out to potty, use the same command to help them associate the behavior or routine. You can use this command later to help your puppy understand it’s time to potty.
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Repetition is Key
You must repeat the command while pointing to the designated potty spot. It can take many tries before your pup begins associating the command with the behavior to potty in the same place.
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Reward the Right Behavior
Every time your puppy does the expected behavior in the designated potty area, reinforce it and give a treat. If they make a mistake, don’t give any praise or a treat.
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Repeat
Repeat steps seven to 10 every two hours. Follow a regular feeding schedule so you will have an idea of when you need to take your puppy outside.
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Consistency
To fully reinforce the behavior, always be consistent. Don’t miss a scheduled potty time.
Puppy Potty Training – The Do’s
When you’re working on puppy training, you hope for fast results. But dogs need time to learn where and when to go potty, and accidents are to be expected. That said, if you follow these potty training tips, your puppy should catch on pretty quickly.
DO Take Your Puppy Outside Frequently
Young puppies, particularly those under 12 weeks of age, have limited control over their bladder and bowel movements. Puppy training experts say to provide plenty of potty breaks – going out every one to two hours – and your four-legged friend will start to understand that outside is where they’re supposed to do their business.
DO Use a Leash for Every Potty Break
Before you take your puppy outside to potty, put them on a leash. By doing so, you’ll not only be there to see if they have relieved themselves, but you’ll also be helping them get comfortable being on a leash. Once your furry friend is finished, walk around a bit or spend a few minutes playing to help create a positive association with the leash.
DO Create and Stick to a Daily Schedule
When you’re trying to potty train a puppy, a feeding schedule can make a major difference. As a general rule, dogs who get regularly-scheduled meals respond well to scheduled potty breaks. So if you feed your little pooch at the same time every day and then go outside afterwards, you can often avoid accidents in the house.
DO Consider Crate Training Your Puppy
According to puppy training experts, a dog crate with a cushioned liner can help prevent potty accidents. Dogs enjoy having a cozy haven of their own, and they don’t like to do their business where they sleep. Put your pup in the crate for naps, at bedtime, and whenever they can’t be supervised – and when you open the door, head right outside.
DO Offer Rewards for Proper Behavior
Right after your tail-wagger does their business outside, offer praise along with a tasty treat or some playtime. Positive reinforcement is paramount when working on puppy training, and by celebrating your pup’s actions, you’ll be letting them know that they pleased you – and that going outside definitely pays off.
DO Learn to Recognize Your Puppy’s Cues
When in need of a trip outside, most dogs give some sort of sign – like whining, scratching at the door or walking in circles. Keep a close eye on your pup, watching for these types of behaviors, and if you think they need to go, head right out for a potty break. You may not always be right, but you may also prevent unnecessary accidents.
Puppy Potty Training – The Don’ts
Some breeds are harder to potty train than others, but puppy training experts say that most dogs can be fully trained by the time they reach nine to twelve months of age. Puppies can often make faster progress – but for that to happen, you’ll need to avoid doing any of the following.
DON’T Leave Your Puppy Unsupervised
With a puppy, it can seem as if the moment you turn your head, they decide it’s time to go potty. You don’t want that happening inside your house – so don’t leave your furry friend without supervision unless they’re in a dog crate. Once they’re reliably doing their business outside, you can allow for longer periods of alone time.
DON’T Punish Your Puppy for Accidents
If you catch your puppy going potty inside, scoop them up and go right outside. Accidents happen, and puppy training experts advise against the old-school approach of scolding and rubbing a pup’s nose in the mess. Punishments can backfire, making your pooch hide before pottying or causing them to eat their poop to hide the evidence.
DON’T Substitute Potty Pads for Trips Outside
In certain situations – such as for pet owners with limited mobility and those who live in high-rise apartment buildings – using potty pads can make sense. Otherwise, allowing a puppy to use a pad may eliminate messes, but doing so is sending a mixed message. Skip the pads, and your tail-wagger won’t get confused about where to go potty.
DON’T Give Up on Potty Training Your Puppy
The process of getting your pup to the point of being fully potty trained may feel like it is going to last forever, but don’t give up hope. As long as you follow the advice above and remain consistent in your efforts, your pooch can learn to do their business outside. But if you’re having trouble, you can always turn to a puppy training professional.
Puppy Potty Training Schedule
The training schedules will change as your puppy gets older. The former two-hour interval is best for puppies six months or younger. When they get older, up to a year old, they will need a three-hour interval. However, they will still need to go out again 20 minutes after each water intake or meal, regardless of age.
Troubleshooting
Expect setbacks during puppy potty training. Make sure to clean up after every accident and never punish them for mistakes. No dog is perfect, but they can learn with some guidance from you, their owner:
- Crate Soiling: If your crate is too big, it can be tempting for puppies to relieve themselves right there. You can get a smaller crate or use partitions to limit the space and convince your pup to return to the designated outside spot.
- Peeing or Pottying Anywhere in the House: Puppies may have been given too much freedom too soon, or, in the case of smaller dog breeds, they have poor bladder control. You can keep your pup in a crate or other restricted area and continue potty training. Pay attention to smaller dogs since they may need to go more frequently.
- Choosing a Spot Inside the House: Some pups can accidentally choose a potty area inside the house and pee there repeatedly. You can use an enzymatic cleaner to make that spot less appealing so they can select the original potty area.
FAQ Section
How Long Does It Take To Potty Train A Puppy?
Your puppy’s age, breed, and temperament will play a part in the length of potty training. Fully training a puppy can take a few weeks to around six months.
What is the Best Way to Potty Train a Puppy?
The best way to potty train your puppy involves the techniques described earlier, consistency and patience.
Signs Your Pup Needs to Go?
Watch out for a sudden interruption in play coupled with whining and barking. Pups may also start getting restless and pacing, sniffing, and circling, indicating that they’re ready to go.
How to deal with mistakes?
Reacting calmly to your pet when puppies make mistakes would be best. Scolding, shouting, and other aggressive behavior can confuse pups. If you catch them in the act, you can interrupt them and take them to the designated potty area. You may have to supervise your pups in the early stages of potty training until the habit gets established. Avoid punishing your pup, and make sure to clean accidents thoroughly and remove any smells. You may have to adjust your routine, considering if you give puppies enough time to go outside, the level of your consistency, and the meal schedule you’re implementing.
Get Help from a Puppy Training Professional
Jacksonville pet parents in need of puppy training trust Unleash Fido. We offer both private lessons and boot camp programs, either of which can help your furry friend develop good potty habits. Our puppy training professionals work with all breeds, and we welcome dogs with behavioral issues.
If you aren’t making progress with potty training, the experienced team at Unleash Fido is ready to help. For more information on our puppy training programs in Jacksonville, Florida, contact us today.