Potty training is quite simple, really. But, it does require patience, timing, and consistency. The trick is in how you will help your puppy to succeed. And in how you will manage the little accidents along the learning curve. There are different ways to potty train a dog, and we’ll share some of our favorites with you.

But first, let’s start with this crucial rule in mind: don’t punish your puppy.

So you have to take advantage of your pup’s willingness to please and use that to teach that there is a right place to go potty.

Since your dog is so attentive to your energy and emotion, expressing happiness and excitement, and praising her with treats and/or toys when she performs correctly while ignoring when she behaves adversely to what you want is the best method to train your dog in a positive way.

Why Punishing Doesn’t Work?

Because most likely it will get your puppy to urinate or defecate when you are not looking.

Dogs will certainly understand when someone is angry. The problem is that it is not always clear to them why a human is upset. Our logic might not make any sense to the puppy simply because we are two very different species.

So please, be patient with your dog.  

Don’t yell, scold, spank, or rub your puppy’s nose on her urine or feces. These humiliating and outdated practices will most likely get her to associate your anger with the act of her defecating or urinating, rather than with the spot where it was done.

In extreme circumstances, dogs may develop anxiety about going potty in front of their punisher, even during a walk.

Also, if there is a more humane way of training your dog, why not do it so?

Things To Consider

treat. You want her to know that you are happy because she peed on that specific surface: a puppy pad or the grass.

When To Start Potty Training A Puppy?

As soon as your new dog gets home, you should start potty training her. Take this chance to show her where she can relieve herself. Remember to praise your puppy when she relieves herself at the designated location.

You should be ready to take your puppy to the chosen location several times during the day and night. Puppies can’t hold on for very long since their bladders are so little.

A good rule of thumb is:  for every month of a puppy’s age, you count as one hour that the puppy can hold its natural urges. So, for example, a four-month-old puppy should be able to hold for 4 hours. But there are limits! You do not want a ten-month-old dog to hold for 10 hours. That is way too long! After 8 months of age, a dog should not be expected to hold for more than 8 hours.

NOTE: Every canine is unique and therefore timing can differ for a particular puppy, within breeds, and health conditions.  Also, the ability to hold will change with time. An elderly dog will probably have less bladder control and be more prone to incontinence.

Smaller breed puppies will likely pee more often. So, a 2-month-old from a small breed might need to pee every half an hour. A 3-month-old for one hour, and so on.

Prevention Is Key

The best way you can help your puppy succeed is to prevent, as much as possible, accidents to happen.

Here are some likely times your dog will be prone to toileting:

The Best Way To Housetrain Your Puppy

After the puppy is consistently toileting on a pad, you can decide if she will continue to use the pad indoors or, if you will transition her to potty outside. You can also choose to have your pup trained to potty on a pad as well as on the grass outside. Every time your puppy toilets on the grass outside, you praise and give her something extra tasty as a treat.

Housetraining With No Enclosed Areas

If you choose to not confine your puppy to an enclosed area in the home, or in a playpen, you will have more work because you will need to watch your puppy constantly.

If your dog is sniffing the ground and circling in one place or just sniffing the ground as if she is looking for something, it is probably toilet time. Hold her up gently when she starts to squat and take her to the location where you want her to potty. Do not forget to compliment her and give her a treat after she finishes her business in the proper location.

Having a routine for a roam-free puppy is the best way to proceed. This is helpful because if you feed your puppy at regular times, it is very likely that the puppy will soil at regular times.

Make A Daily Schedule For Your Puppy

If you have a schedule, it will give you an idea of when you have to take your canine friend outside to potty; or to take her to the indoor location where the pad is.

Plan the puppy’s day so that it has some pattern for what to expect and so that you can anticipate when she needs to go potty more accurately. Make sure you include the puppy’s wake-up and bedtime, as well as other crucial activities.

Down below is the schedule for my new puppy. This is merely to give you a general idea. If you create a schedule, be mindful to adapt it to your own lifestyle.

This schedule is for a two-month-old puppy, and it will change as she grows.  Also, as she learns where to go potty, she will gradually stop needing the playpen.

I really like the setting where there is a crate inside a dog playpen. This is really helpful to get the puppy used to a crate.

By the way, on this schedule, BT&G means Basic Training, and Grooming (a routine to get the puppy being used to grooming).

Once again, this is a schedule that fits my lifestyle and I am pretty sure that it will have adjustments once the puppy is here.

Some theories suggest that a two-month-old puppy can exercise by walking for 10 minutes. According to this theory, a puppy should take a 5-minute walk per month of age. So, for example, a four-month-old can have a 20-minute walk.

Even though this is a good theory to go by, there are other factors we should take into account, such as the breed of the dog, her energy level, and her general health.

Playing is also a good exercise for puppies. To enrich your dog’s life, don’t forget to include activities and toys that stimulate the mind.

How Long Does It Take To Housetrain A Puppy?

A puppy’s complete housetraining could take anywhere from a few days to several months. There are a couple of things that can affect that:

Conclusion

Puppies can, and should, be trained to go potty in a stress-free, humane manner.

In this post, we have shared our ideal housetraining method as well as some very useful training advice.

 Although there are some factors that can affect a puppy’s learning curve, every dog can be successfully trained with persistence, patience, and consistency.

How is your puppy progressing in his/her housetraining? Let us know in the comment area below, or send us an email.