Okay, I understand all of the reasons why I have to make potty time a positive experience for my puppy but what about the actual act itself… how long does it take for my dog to reflexively understand that he is supposed to go to a certain spot every time? What is the best way to potty train my puppy?
Supervise your puppy constantly. Observe, watch, and learn your puppy behavior. If your puppy is constantly sniffing around the floor and walking in circles, this action usually means that he needs to eliminate and needs to go outside quickly. Pick him up and take him outside to the toilet area. Do this every time your puppy wakes up, finish his eating or drinking.
As you get to know your puppy better, you will know when he wants to go to the toilet. If your puppy does the potty correctly in the right spot, praise him, tell them how good he is. You can even reward him with a treat every time he does his potty outdoor.
Get your day started with a morning walk with your puppy. This is by far the fastest way to get your puppy get used to do his potty outdoor. Of equal importance is to keep a morning feeding schedule.
Puppies will naturally need to use the toilet after eating, so you can take advantage of this point. That way, your puppy will return to his familiar spot for potty after his morning meal.
If your puppy doesn’t seem to be peeing or pooping in the correct place, bring him to the right spot. You must not punish your puppy if he had not done his potty correctly as this can re-enforce the idea that potty leads to punishment.
The last thing you want for your puppy is to develop a habit of “Go Peeing or Pooping” in the house. Find a suitable potty spot outside for him to go. You must remember to reward or praise your puppy if he goes to the toilet outside as this will encourage him perform the same action over and over again because of positive reinforcement effect.
If you are thinking of letting your puppy doing his potty indoor, limit the size of your confinement area. Dogs tend to avoid soiling their “den” and will try to hold their potty if they can, till they reach the potty spot. If your puppy or dog feels as though he can go anywhere in the house, he will use the house as his bathroom.
You can also buy puppy training pads to train your puppy to do his potty indoor. These absorbent pads attract puppies to relieve themselves and is perfect for indoors. Train your puppy to do his potty on the absorbent pads and as soon as he relieves himself, praise him and offer him a treat.
If you are using a crate to help with house training, select a crate that is small enough to ensure that your puppy wouldn’t want to do potty in his crate. If the crate is too large, he will be able to use one end as a toilet and the other end as a sleep area which will delay your potty training process.
In fact, using a crate to help with potty training a puppy is no longer a new idea nowadays.
- 1. When you let your puppy out of the crate, take him immediately to the potty area.
- 2. Place the crate in an area where you can view easily.
- 3. Put some chew toys in the crate for your puppy’s enjoyment.
- 4. Keep the crate’s floor dry when possible by covering the area with a towel or blanket.
- 5. At night you’ll need to keep him in his cage so that he can stay asleep as crate is often view as “safe” den for dog.
If your puppy is confined for long periods of time such as overnight, keep him in a crate with newspapers on the floor to protect the carpeting and the puppy’s area. Such confinement will also allow you to establish his potty place and avoid accidents.
You will need to ensure that you clean your puppy crate or indoor dog toilet very thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner to remove any smell if your puppy is doing his peeing or pooping in these area.
The old rules of potty training a dog still apply. You will need to take your puppy outside for potty breaks fairly frequently. Similar to humans, most puppies will need to use the toilet first thing in the morning, after naps, after meals, and after playing. It’s never hurts to take a morning newspaper with you with when you out strolling with your puppy.
Spend as much time as possible with your puppy, especially when you are training him. Even if you have to separate him for awhile, be sure to continue training and to give him lots of praise for good behavior.
Puppy potty training and housebreaking can be tedious, but it is necessary. Like all forms of training, successful potty training requires repetition and patience as your puppy learns the rule. Remember that your puppy always wants to please you and he is willing to learn what you are teaching him.