Potty training a puppy is a crucial step in its education. Shortly after adoption, you will quickly discover that the frequency of pees is certainly higher than expected: a puppy can sometimes pee up to 12 times a day! Don’t wait to learn to detect the early signs of an urgent need.
Here is a complete guide in a few points to help you in this essential step of training a puppy to potty-trained at home and to do its business outside or in a designated area inside the house, often more practical if you live in the city or during the winter seasons.
Create a Potty Schedule
Establishing a regular routine for outings is essential to this learning. Take your puppy outside or to the designated indoor area as soon as you wake up, after every meal, and after every play period. Puppies often feel the need to go potty soon after these activities.
When it is time to go, use a verbal cue they can associate with the correct behaviour eg. 'toilet'.
Guide your puppy to the designated area for his needs and reward it when he uses it. Be patient if he sniffs without acting immediately... it's common to have to wait a little while. If nothing happens, bring it back inside.
For the first two weeks after adopting your puppy, take your dog out every time you wake up, after every meal, or every 30 minutes during playtime at home. Never wait more than two hours to encourage your puppy to go potty. And remember to always positively reward your puppy for appropriate behavior.
Designate a Specific Spot
Designate a specific spot outside or inside where you want your puppy to go potty. Always take it to the same place so he associates that place with elimination.
To successfully potty train your puppy, mark off a specific area of your garden by covering it with wood shavings, for example. This visual and olfactory differentiation will help your puppy recognize the appropriate area for playing and the appropriate area for elimination.
Puppies tend to prefer romping in wooded and grassy environments that retain their scent. It is therefore important to maintain the daily cleanliness of this area in order to encourage it to return there. Be careful to avoid the accumulation of excrement, as this could dissuade the puppy from using this space and he will tend to look for another space to relieve itself.
Reinforce Positively
Praise and reward your puppy when it does its business in the designated spot outside or inside. Use words of encouragement and offer a dog treat or compliment. Associate elimination outside with a positive experience.
Monitor your Dog's Behavior Indoors
Keep an eye on your puppy indoors, especially when it is active, playing, or has just woken up. Pay attention to signs such as sniffing, twirling or growling, which may indicate it needs to go outside or go to the inside potty area.
Avoid Punishment
Indoor accidents are normal during potty training. Stay calm when discovering incidents, clean up without getting upset, ideally out of sight of the puppy.
Avoid anger, tantrums, or harsh punishment if an accident occurs indoors. Puppies do not understand scolding afterward and remember that elimination is a natural behavior. If you catch it in the act, it is suggested to clap your hands or say "hey" in a firm tone while gently diverting your puppy towards the designated elimination spot.
Remember, actively participating in potty training your dog will speed up the learning process.
Clean Carefully in Case of Accident
In the event of an accident, clean the area with an enzymatic cleaner to eliminate odors. This discourages the puppy from returning to the same place.
Use a Puppy Crate or Playpen
Using a puppy crate or playpen is a particularly effective potty training technique at night. Puppies tend to avoid dirtying their own space because their mother taught them not to dirty the nest from their first days of life.
The cage therefore encourages the puppy to hold back more, but it is essential not to leave it inside for too long and to give it frequent opportunities to do its business. Vigilance, including during the night, may be necessary because the puppy's bladder is small and fills quickly.
Additionally, it is important to use a crate that is appropriate for the size of the puppy, with enough room to stand and turn around.
Avoid Restricted Areas
Limit access to larger areas of the house until the puppy is well trained. Releasing too early can lead to accidents.
Be Coherent
Be consistent in your approach. Consistency helps the puppy understand your expectations. All family members must follow the same training plan for it to be successful.
Be Patient and Positive
Potty training can take time. Be patient and keep a positive attitude. Puppies respond better to positive reinforcement than to punishment.
Depending on their age, size and learning abilities, fully potty training your puppy can take between 4 and 6 months. For some older dogs, potty training can take up to a year. Additionally, it is important to know that small breed dogs urinate more frequently and therefore need more frequent outings.
It is recommended to start potty training when the puppy is between 12 and 16 weeks old. Before this age, your puppy's bladder and intestines have not reached sufficient maturity to allow it to adequately control its elimination urges.
Rehabilitate if Necessary
By potty training your puppy regularly, it will quickly learn to do its business outside or in a designated area if it is indoors.
Occasional forgetfulness is normal, so don't panic. If this happens, it is recommended to add more structure to your dog's routine. So, for a while, increase the number of walks or trips outside or to the elimination corner until you rebuild trust with your dog.
Over time, a routine will be established between the two of you: your dog will know how to wait until it is outside to eliminate, and you will have learned its body language. Rely on your common sense and your dog's signals to establish a rhythm of outings. Consistency is key, maintain the same routine until cleanliness is well established.
By following these basic tips and adjusting your approach based on your puppy's specific needs, you can quickly establish lasting potty habits. Remember that every puppy is unique and it is essential to adapt training to their personality and individual pace.
