Housetraining or “Potty Training” your puppy is an essential albeit often frustrating experience. This information is presented to help bring clarity to your situation in order to help you better tackle any challenges.
#1 – Your goal is to get your dog to consistently urinate and defecate outdoors, as soon as possible. Most owners expect their dog to give cues that they need to be let outside. These cues will happen eventually, but be prepared to wait until your puppy has matured.
Shouldn’t my dog naturally want to potty outdoors?? Yes, but sometimes No.
The two reasons why puppies learn to potty outdoors:
- They develop a preference for certain surfaces (e.g. grass or mulch)
- They develop bladder control (with physical age and maturity)
Seems too simple? Thatʼs it! Dogs are pretty simple.
If you consistently make frequent trips outside to allow your puppy to urinate and defecate, so often that your puppy never has an opportunity to go inside, your puppy will start to *prefer* the outdoors (e.g. grass).
How often should you take your puppy out to potty? About every hour, but these are some extra times to consider if you’re struggling with “missing” those inappropriate eliminations.
- when they wake up in the morning
- right after a meal
- 15-30 minutes after that meal
- every 20 minutes during a play period
- after every nap
- when they stop playing suddenly and start sniffing around
- right before bed
When your puppy potties outdoors – praise him! Bring a treat and praise as soon as s/he is done.
How long can my puppy hold their urine?
A common “rule” to follow when confining your puppy is this: a puppy can physically hold their bladder for one hour longer than their age in months. e.g. 2 months old = 3 hours; 3 mos, 4 hrs..
Why does my puppy pee on the carpet? ..or the bed?! Or in the far corner?
Puppies prefer urinating where they wonʼt step in wet, which is a place that can soak up the urine. And most dogs prefer not to eliminate in a place they call “home.” Thatʼs why your puppy just peed on the carpet instead of the tile, and itʼs why puppies will often avoid urinating in their crate (not always, there are exceptions).
But sometimes when youʼve gotta go, youʼve gotta go…
I see my puppy eliminating in the house! What do I do?!
- Say “OOPS!!” to quickly interrupt your puppy
- Pick them up and take them outside – praise for finishing potty outside
- Clean the soiled area thoroughly with an enzyme-based cleaner to remove odor.
Do NOT:
- Yell NO! Bad puppy!
- Bonk your puppy on the nose with a newspaper, shake a can filled with pennies, etc.
DO have compassion and common sense and realise that both owner and puppy are going through this learning stage together. Kick your feet up and try again next time.
My puppy JUST went outside – why did s/he come back in to pee/poop?!
Let me guess – your puppy went outside for 20 minutes, ate leaves, chewed on some grass, chased a butterfly, rolled around… and didn’t eliminate? Classic! Welcome to puppy training. Your’e not alone.
Consistency and observation of your puppies habits are essential:
What to do if you suspect your puppy still needs to go potty after they run back in the house? Set them up to succeed by not giving them the opportunity to potty in the house. The best way to do that is to crate or confine them for a few minutes, then take them back outside! Do not let them have access to your rug, your bed, your pile of dirty laundry, etc. Repeat as needed.
Keep up the good work! Your consistency and practice WILL pay off. If you need hands-on instruction for your unique situation, book an in-home new puppy consultation:
TROUBLESHOOTING:
What about puppies who urinate or defecate in their crate?
Peeing and pooping in a crate is not uncommon, and it is more to do with anxiety than the inability to “hold it,” but either can happen.
IF you keep a soft surface (blanket/bed) in the crate, AND your puppy needs to urinate, it is said that a puppy is more likely to urinate *because* it has somewhere that will soak up the urine, but in my experience, a blanket rarely makes or breaks the urinating. Puppies who have to pee will simply do so and lie in it if they must.
Puppies who show signs of discomfort in their crate (and you may not recognise the signs) should be crate trained with positive reinforcement. You can teach your puppy to enjoy their crate through conditioning as well as specific training games. What you do NOT want to do is assume that your puppy will simply get used to their crate over time. What is more likely to happen without training is that YOU outgrow your need for the puppy to be in their crate because they are old enough. That’s 6-12 months of a stressed out puppy that you will never be able to put in a crate as an adult. Crate training games are fun and rewarding! Book a session if it would benefit you and your pup to learn how to relax in their crate, as well as explore other management techniques customized for your unique needs.
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