Potty training your puppy is one of the most crucial initial stages for any new dog owner. Dogs won’t just know where you want them to “do their business” if you don’t show them, even though they don’t like to urinate or poop where they sleep or eat. Teach your puppy where they should and shouldn’t go to help prevent them from using the house as a toilet. Potty training your puppy can be difficult and perplexing, but there are strategies to help both you and your dog have an easier time with it!
With the help of these ten suggestions, you may quickly and effectively (and with the fewest accidents possible) train your puppy where to poop, freeing up more time for you both to learn about the enjoyable stuff.
Take your puppy outside frequently
The fact that pups are unable to contain their excrement or urine throughout the day is not surprising. Puppies can only retain their bladder for an amount of hours equal to their age in months plus one, as a general rule of thumb. Put differently, at four months old, your dog can only be out for a maximum of 5 hours per day.
Whenever possible, take your puppy outside to relieve themselves once every hour to assist them succeed. This is especially important for extremely young puppies or toy breeds.
Use a lead when taking your puppy outside
When potty training your puppy, keep them on a lead, even in a fenced garden. You want your puppy to concentrate on using the restroom during bathroom breaks rather than scurrying around for an unplanned play session—especially at 2am in the morning. After you take them outside, put them on a restraint, lead the way straight to their designated toilet area, give them the cue to “go potty,” and wait for them to go. When potty training your puppy, go to the same location each time; the smell of past trips will motivate them to use the restroom immediately.
Give your puppy a treat when they use the potty
Reward your puppy with a favourite goodie every time they defecate or pee in the proper place. That might be anything your puppy enjoys doing, like playtime or eating. Dogs learn to utilise their proper pee location through repetition of behaviours that result in rewards, thus it is important to positively reinforce good potty behaviour.
An early-morning play session may mean your puppy is suddenly wide awake and ready to play when you’d really prefer them to calm and go back to sleep. For a late-night bathroom trip, you may want to choose a tiny, valuable snack or plenty of praise from you instead of an active game of tug. Find the method which works best for your puppy, but when they complete an assignment, don’t forget to give them a pat on the back.
