Potty training your puppy can be a trying battle at times. It is much easier to accomplish when you have some dog potty training tips to follow. We want your puppy toilet training to be as painless, yet as effective as possible. This all becomes part of your general puppy training routine. Repetition is the key to achieving this, but patience is definitely needed as well.
You may need to spend some time setting the stage for this routine task. Potty training puppy should begin from the time you bring him home. Remember that a puppy aged 8 weeks old will need to eliminate more frequently than an older dog. If you cannot be with your puppy during certain hours due to work or school, the purchase of a crate for your dog should be first priority.
As a rule dogs will not eliminate in their living space and they will learn to wait until they can get out of the crate. It need only be large enough to allow your dog to turn around and lie down. If the breed of puppy you have chosen is one that will grow to be considerably larger as an adult, you may want to consider buying the large crate now and modifying it with heavy cardboard or a well sanded piece of plywood or pressed wood that you can adjust when your puppy needs more room to move.
Become aware of a few details concerning your puppy’s behavior that could indicate the need to go outside such as circling or sniffing the floor. It is also a good idea to have any needed items ready ahead of time to avoid a state of confusion when it’s time to take your puppy outside for another potty break.
This is a good time to use positive reinforcement and clicker training. When you are potty training your puppy and they associate the command with the required action, make the click and offer the reward or praise. You want to make sure you have treats and your clicker on hand before opening that crate door.
The area you want your puppy to use for eliminating should be confined to one particular place in the yard. By using the same location each time you have a potty training puppy session, he will quickly make the connection between that location and what needs to be done there. You can also use a verbal command or phrase each time your dog goes outside. By simply saying “go potty” every time you are working on puppy toilet training you puppy will associate those words with the action expected of him. Soon enough you’ll be able to open the door to your yard, say the word and watch your puppy follow the command.
The first time of the day it is important to practice puppy toilet training is when puppy first wakes up. It is an essential time since they have been crated overnight so not only do they have the need to potty, but also get a bit of exercise and stretching done. Another occasion for you to practice potty training your puppy is to take them out right before bedtime for their last potty and exercise occasion of the evening. Make sure that you continuously praise your puppy each time they correctly achieve a command. The praise they receive will be a trigger for them to willingly repeat the action.
Another puppy potty training tip is following a predetermined schedule for feeding so you will learn to anticipate when your puppy needs to go outside. Usually it will take somewhere between 30-45 minutes after eating for your puppy or dog to need to go outside. By keeping track of times between eating/drinking and eliminating you will soon have a good idea how long to wait until it’s time to go outside.
Don’t scold your puppy if they have made a mess in the house without you catching him in the act. If you do see your puppy squatting to relieve himself however, it is perfectly fine to say “No” or some other predetermined word, scoop him up and bring him directly to the outdoor potty area. He will soon understand that it is not acceptable to do his ‘business’ anywhere but the assigned location.
Potty training your puppy requires planning and a bit of patience and consistency. When your puppy knows what is expected of them and you’re able to be consistent with your requests and your rewards they will quickly catch on. Potty training doesn’t need to take months, follow these basic dog potty training tips and your puppy can be trained in no time.