The do's and don'ts of puppy potty training are only for preparing in advance, staying on schedule and keeping the cool.
It can feel overwhelming when you have not done it before, but actually this stage of puppyhood is fairly straightforward once you have your face around it.
So let's start with a simple list. The very best do's and don'ts of puppy potty training.
Then we'll explore more detail with each one, to determine exactly why they've made the cut!
DO's of Puppy Potty Training
- Have a schedule
- Stick to your schedule
- Watch your puppy
- Have a pee spot
- Clean up mistakes immediately
- Get a proven method for that job
- Crate train
- Stay calm
DON'TS of Puppy Potty Training
- Punish your puppy for mistakes
- Rub their nose inside it!
- Leave them unsupervised
- Put them on the ground indoors when they failed to pee in the yard
- Give them the run from the house
- Let other people hinder your plans
- Rush
- Compare your puppy’s progress with others
- Worry
DO Have a schedule
Puppies change quickly, but it still pays to understand what their general routine reaches each stage.
When your puppy arrives home at 8 weeks old their schedule will be jam packed, making up much of your day.
It's much more important to know precisely where they should be and just what they should be doing should you normally work from the house.
Simple generally works best and it is easiest to follow along with.
Between the hours of 6am and 11pm you'll want to enable your puppy out every 2 hours in a maximum, and again after each of their four meals.
DO Adhere to your schedule
Once you have your schedule arranged, fight hard to stick to it.
Life, work and family will all try to foil you, however the closer you can preserve to your puppy's routine the better the chance is going to be of succeeding soon.
I like to write out the timings in writing and place it to the fridge.
That way the whole family knows what to expect, and are more inclined to get aboard!
DO Be careful about your puppy
When your puppy is having time on the floor indoors, then you need to be watching them.
Although many puppies will go 2 hours between pees at this point, some will want to go again after just twenty minutes.
If they start sniffing in one spot, backing up, wiggling their cute little butt or squatting, scoop them up and pop them within their pee spot in the backyard.
DO Have a pee spot
This is definitely an area in the backyard in which you want their pees and poops to go.
Ideally it will be enclosed and on the surface you would like your pup to keep company with doing their business.
So if when they're older you will want these to pee on the lawn, make sure the pee spot is grassed.
DO Cleanup mistakes immediately
You aren't going to catch every pee or poop your pup does in those early weeks. Even with the best planning in the world.
So once they use the house, you'll want to clear it up immediately.
Get a good pet safe detergent, that will destroy the give an impression of the waste.
Clearing up straight away will discourage your pup by using exactly the same location for repeated toilet trips!
DO Get the right tools for the job
As well as a good cleaning kit, you will need some puppy barriers too!
My essentials for puppy toilet training include:
- Baby gates (enough for each door to the puppy's main room)
- Puppy crate (big enough for the pup to face up and turn around, no bigger)
- Indoor puppy play pen (for everyone the crate for when you can't supervise them for some time)
Outdoor puppy play pen (to help establish the pee area!)
DO Crate train
For the easiest path to toilet training success, do purchase a dog crate and employ it carefully and sparingly.
This isn't a cage for storing your pet in throughout the day. It's a snug, well-fitted, cosy den where they can rest their head.
And since it is relatively small, they won't wish to pee when they're inside.
You'll start by closing the doorway only for seconds at any given time, and slowly build this up.
Make sure to associate it with lovely things, like surprise piles of kibble and puppy safe toys.
You can find more in depth instructions for doing this within our online Puppy Parenting course here.
DO Stay calm
Bringing home a new puppy is stressful for a lot of of us. They turn our way of life inverted temporarily.
Remember, it's okay to feel annoyed or fed up. However when you do, don't allow it overwhelm you.
I attempt to get into another room, have a (large amount of) deep breath(s), drink a vat of coffee.
Anything to make you feel a little more centered again.
It's such a short time, and you can do it!
Do’s and Don’ts of Puppy Potty Training…!
The do's and don'ts of puppy potty training would absolutely not be complete with no don'ts…
DON'T Punish your pup for mistakes
Punishing a puppy for peeing or pooping won't make sure they are not as likely to visit the restroom indoors.
What it'll make them less likely to complete, is get caught.
Puppies which have been punished for his or her mistakes form a connection between your act. Not the location and also the act.
So the next time they need to pee or poop, they'll nip out of your eye line. To make sure you don't see them doing it.
It will also impact upon your bond between them, and decrease their enthusiasm to test different things to impress you. Which is fundamental to succeeding with positive reinforcement training.
DON'T Rub their nose inside it!
It's something I've only ever seen people do on tv, but it comes up a lot like a question from our readers.
Rubbing a puppy's nose within their mess won't make them associate the place as well as your anger. It'll simply make them sad and confused.
DON'T Leave them unsupervised loose within the house
Whenever your pup is using the ground, or using a scout about, you have to be keeping some eye.
Puppies get into trouble once they aren't watched, and also you won't be able to pre-empt those indications of a filling bladder discover keeping an eye.
Don't worry, this era of extreme vigilance won't continue for long!
DON'T Leave them alone to pee
Because the probability is, should you choose, they won't!
Your puppy is hard wired to want to become together.
DON'T Use them the ground indoors if they didn't pee within the yard
This is a vital one.
With the very best will, and pee place attendance, in the world, your dog will sometimes hold it in.
This may be because they want to pee indoors within the warm, or it could be another random and inexplicable reason.
Your job is to help them understand that there's just one place that pee is originating out.
And it can be done by holding them in your lap for the following 15 minutes, or popping them in their crate, prior to trying again.
You'll have to repeat this until the pee finally emerges!
DON'T Let other people hinder your plans
But it will take new puppy parents by surprise.
People will try to state “oh just stay longer, your pup will be fine”. They'll try to have fun with the pup on the floor indoors during a pee break.
They will wreck havoc on your system!
You need to have some firm lines prepared to reel off when this happens.
“Sorry to be a party pooper, but I'm leaving now”
“We don't want her over excited, therefore the game is ending now”.
Give your lines having a cheery grin, but immediately set that moving by functioning on what you are saying.
Remember, you are the boss and the person who will help this process go as smoothly as you possibly can.
DON'T Rush
Sadly, smoothly doesn't necessarily mean quickly.
There are quick techniques that some people tout, however these usually involve short cuts that come to bite them later.
For example, leaving the backdoor open so the puppy always has access to the yard.
This provides the illusion that toilet training is finished really fast, however the weather turns-
DON'T Compare your pup to others
So, your friend's puppy is really a week younger and can go without peeing for four hours?
Good for them!
Your puppy however doesn't comply with the same schedule.
Just because someone else has had some success at the same or an earlier stage, doesn't mean you and your puppy are failing.
Puppies' bladders are different, and they place their own time. In one litter each sibling won't crack toilet training on the same day, despite the very same management.
And remember, smaller breeds have tiny bladders and potty training will often take longer in these cases.
In fact, I'd also take brags like this with a pinch of salt.
DON'T Worry
The do's and don'ts of puppy toilet training really are a nice method to summarise this detailed process.
And probably the most important ones is this. Don't be concerned.
Puppies are stressful, and toilet training is essential, but you have this.
Still struggling?
You will find more in depth help and knowledge regarding potty training on our online Puppy Parenting course.
And get access to our private, members only forum. We can't wait to meet you there!
