Potty Training 101

Potty Training is one of the biggest concerns and hurdles new puppy owners can have . It goes without saying it can be a very frustrating, challenging, and potentially long process. However it is also easy to overcome with enough diligence and consistency on the pet parents part .

First lets start by saying,  your new puppy only has the ability to hold its bladder for about an hour for every month old it is . Now in no way does mean if you get lucky enough to have a puppy sleep straight through the night, that you should go wake it up. It doesn’t happen often but that puppy does happen periodically. Waking them will only create a routine/schedule that later on you won’t appreciate . Also take into consideration your puppies breed…..small versus large basically . Larger breed=larger bladder and smaller breed= smaller bladder. Not that it makes one necessarily easier than the other but smaller breeds generally take a smidgen longer in most cases.

So now your basics…..

1. ) 1 hour of bladder control per  month old
2. ) Don’t expect to see house training success until 4-6 months old (be forgiving of accidents even after)
3. ) If your puppy has an accident…..DON’T yell at them, rub noses in it, etc. Particularly if you don’t catch them in the act . Once it’s done, it’s done and they’ve forgotten about it . Harsh discipline will only make it more likely that they WILL NOT alert you to having to go to the bathroom and more likely to do it in a hidden location away from you. However , if you catch them in the act ….make a loud noise, typically it will stop them in mid stream and allow you to rush them out to their potty spot. PRAISE and make a fuss to reward them for finishing in the desired location.
4. ) Don’t free feed…..scheduling feedings will allow you to have some control over when they need to go. General rule of thumb is 15-30 minutes after meals.
5. ) Use the same door EVERY time .
6. ) Add a bell to said door ….it will ring automatically and your pup will associate this with telling you its time to go potty . In no time they will be ringing the bell to alert you they need to go to the bathroom.
7. ) Take them outside on a leash . Sending a puppy outside on their own to potty is similar to expecting a potty training child to  stop in the middle of playing and go to the bathroom . Just like kids, puppies can get easily distracted and literally forget to go . Going out with them allows you to keep them focused and on task .You can even give them a command like ” Go Potty ” . Have a treat ready and when they go , praise them . If they are able to safely play outside off leash , let them off and play as a reward .
8. ) If you can’t supervise them , either kennel them or gate them off somewhere .
9. ) Patience
10. ) Consistency

Remember your key times for a potty trip as well ….. Immediately after waking up , 15-30 minutes after a meal, and immediately following a play session or excitement . Also ALWAYS use a product specifically designed to clean up pet urine ….if not you could be unknowingly training your puppy to potty in that spot . Their noses are way stronger than ours and even when we can’t smell it they can when using regular cleaners .

Following these rules will help ensure your success with housebreaking .Expect the occasional accident during the course of training . If your pup is housebroken and suddenly starts having accidents again, evaluate the scenario….for example, has anything in your day to day routine/life changed . If there are no changes to be thought of consider a trip to the vet to check for issues .

HAPPY TRAINING !!!