Are you bringing a new puppy home? Remember, you should start potty training puppy as soon as you bring him home. Potty training puppy is not only important but surprisingly easy to do without him or her making a single mistake.
Too bad you cannot train your neighbor to stop playing loud music, but this is another topic!
Keep in mind that each mistake he makes will make it considerably more difficult to train him. Puppies establish potty habits very quickly and even just one mistake will bring on many more in the future. To make sure that this does not happen, here are some housetraining ground rules for potty training puppy.
First Week of Potty Training Puppy
Here is what you should focus on for the first week of potty training puppy:
Pay attention to your puppy at all times
The first thing to bear in mind when you bring a new puppy home is to pay attention to him at all times to watch for signals or “tells” that he wants to pee or poop, including circling, sniffing the ground, and rushing to a corner or to the door. In order to prevent accidents before they happen, you need to keep your eyes on your pup all the time. This includes every time he wanders off. Watching your puppy closely at all times works well. It allows you to catch him before they have an “accident.”
Never leave your pup home alone
When potty training puppy, your job is to be there to prevent accidents before they actually occur. This means not leaving your pup home alone, ever. You should have someone to watch him or put him in a pet daycare center if you have to go to work or have to spend a couple of hours running errands.
Take your puppy out for walks often
During the first week of potty training puppy, be sure to take him out for walks. With a young pup, you may need to take your new friend outside every 30 to 60 minutes at first. As your puppy (and his bladder) grows, he won’t need to go out quite as often. This might be a little inconvenient for you, but it will prevent him from peeing or pooping inside the house. It will also boost his health and is a great way to bond with your new canine companion as well. Taking dogs out for walks regularly is important as it gives them the exercise they need and the opportunity to do their business outside.
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Praise your pup every time he gets it right
It is important to praise and reward your puppy every time he pees or poops in the right place. Treat him to loving and kind words, pat his little head and give him a little treat to celebrate his brilliant decision to do his business where he is supposed to. Consistently praising your pup for going in the right place will make him understand and learn that going about his potty business outside is the best decision.
Second Week of Potty Training Puppy
During your second week of potty training puppy, here is what you need to know:
Keep up the praise and watch out for signals
During the second week of potty training puppy, make sure to continue with the praises. Your goal is to make him be the proudest animal in the world every time he does his potty business outside. After a while, it might start to feel a little silly, but rest assured, what you are doing is getting the message across to your pet. You should also continue to watch for signals, which might be things like crying at your feet, waiting at the door, or ringing a bell that you have set up to help your pup let you know when it is time to go potty. The goal is to teach your puppy how to get your attention whenever he needs to go outside to do his business.
Clean up accidents thoroughly
When puppy training, it is important to bear in mind that accidents will happen and that they have a very powerful sense of smell. They also tend to return to spots that they have used before, either for peeing or pooping. Because of this, you need to make sure that you need to clean up accidents as thoroughly as possible. Pet urine can be quite tough to get rid of, and the odor cannot be eliminated with all household cleaning products. You should look for products that have a special enzymatic formula for removing pet urine odors and stains.
Keep a puppy potty schedule
It is important to keep and maintain a schedule when you are potty training puppy. As time passes and your little pup grows up to an adult dog, he will know when it is time to let you know when to let him out to relieve himself. A good rule of thumb is to give your little pet a chance to pee or poop at a minimum of these times:
- As soon as he wakes up in the morning
- Following each meal
- After playtime
- Soon after nap time
- Right before he retires for the night
Other Hacks on How to Potty Train a Puppy
Here is a look at some great puppy potty-training hacks to housebreak your new pet quickly:
Avoid punishment
One of the most important hacks on how to potty train a puppy is avoiding punishing your little canine companion. Remember the advice for dog owners that recommended rubbing a dog’s nose in the pee or poop if they did it inside the house so they never do it again? This is not only cruel but according to studies, it does very little to teach your pet what you want him to do. Positive reinforcement is a better option and your puppy will learn much more from it.
Spend quality time with your pup
Your pooch will learn very quickly that it is a bad thing to do potty business inside the house. So, you should spend as much time as you can with your pup. He will not want to do anything bad in your presence. When you see signs that he wants to pee or poop, you can let him out.
Use crate training
Crate training your pup is a great way to keep your home free of pee. Keep your pup in a crate when he sleeps and when you are not around to watch him. Dogs will not do potty business in their sleeping area. When your puppy shows signs that he wants to go out, you can release him from the crate. Let him go outside where he can go about his business.
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Use a bell
One of the most clever things you can do while puppy training is to use a bell to potty train him. Simply connect a long bell to your doorbell or hang a bell on the doorknob. This way, your little pooch can make noise with it when he wants to go out. This is a marvelous way to ensure that you do not miss his signals asking you to let him out. If you have a doggy door then you don’t need to worry about this but not everyone does.
Try puppy pads
If you want to teach your puppy to go potty in a specific spot inside your home, you can try using puppy pads. Teach him to go to the puppy pad and use it when he is inside the house. Eventually, move the pads to areas outside that you want him to use to pee or poop.
Do’s and Don’ts in Potty Training Puppies
Here is a look at a few dos and don’ts when it comes to how to potty train a puppy:
Dos
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- Be patient and stay calm when puppies have an accident inside the house.
- Always remember that your little pooch is still a baby.
- When your pup wants to go potty, remember that he does not know what to do. You must show him what is expected of him to alert you.
- Be consistent when potty training your pup.
- Enjoy your time with your new little furry pal. When you get frustrated, go for a walk to get rid of the aggravation. This is also a great way to play and bond with your pup instead of staying stressed out and angry over the mess he made.
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Don’ts
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- Never allow other people to pamper your puppy anymore than you would. He should always remember that you are his master and must look to you for leadership.
- Do not lose your temper when training him.
- Never finish a training session on a bad note.
- Never deceive your puppy. Do not praise him so that he comes to you and then punish him for an accident in the house.
- Do not let anyone else command your puppy when you are in the process of housetraining him.
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Potty training is an extremely important process when you bring a new puppy home. As mentioned earlier, you should get started immediately after your new baby furry friend arrives. This ensures that he never pees or poops inside the house starting at a young age.
Once you have successfully trained your pup, you can relax and enjoy his company, knowing that you never have to worry about cleaning up smelly messes around the house.
Featured Image: CC by 2.0, by VortBot, via Wikimedia Commons
