Puppy training – Potty train your puppy
Here's myĀ free Puppy Potty Training Free Video CourseĀ that's getting rave reviews.
I've also created a Podcast all about Toilet Training Puppies And Dogs. Listen and enjoy!
You are responsible
The most important concept to grasp with toilet training is that you are responsible for their actions! Thatās right! When it comes to toilet training, the emphasis is firmly on you.Ā Youāre gonna have to make sure your puppy is always in the toilet area when he needs to go. So, the first thing in the morning, take your puppy straight outside the area you need to go and say the words that you want him to associate with toileting, such as “toilets” or “go potties”.
Another important concept is realizing that like young children, puppies are not able to hold on for very long sometimes as little as 15 minutes with very young pups. So YOU need to make sure that your puppy is outside every time that he needs to go.
The waiting game
In the video you'll see, young Alex, a Spoodle puppy, is in the right area. And then itās just a matter of time. Heās due to go. Itās been two hours since he last went. Thatās about the right length of time that he can hold on for. Much younger puppies may only be able to hold on for fifteen minutes to half an hour or so. Then wait calmly in the area, suggesting every now and then that he goes to the toilet by saying ātoilets!ā. For the time being, his toilet area is anywhere on the grass. Itās a waiting game to start with, you sometimes have to just be patient. If youāre not and you start becoming stressed because you are in a rush, your puppy will pick up on it and become tensed and unable to go.
Ā A few tips
- First of all, make sure you maintain the same word. This is critical, as thereās nothing more confusing for your puppy than everybody saying a different word when she has to go toilet.
- Use a leash. If your dogās charging round and isnāt in the right area, then put a long line on them.
- Always use the same area. Go to that area and your dog will associate that area with going to the toilet.
- Stay calm at all times. This will really help your puppy.
Don't give up
It does become a bit of a waiting game. You may have been outside 5 or 6 minutes and you're at the stage of thinking, is he really gonna go? And you really feel like giving up sometimes. But, hang in there. If you have been outside for maybe 10 or 15 minutes, then take your dog inside, put them in maybe a crate or a safe place or put them on a surface which is easy to clean. And, try again half an hour later.
Bingo!
Jackpot – your puppy eventually goes to the toilet – this is when you immediately reward your dog by giving it lots of affection AND you give him a treat. Something thatās really really special, that he never gets unless he goes to the toilet outside. Thatās the secret to successful puppy potty training!
Prepare for success
Letās have a look at some of the things that we need to do to succeed. And they need to be done every time.
- First of all, number one: plan. Make sure your dog is in the right area when it needs to go to the toilet. Thatās your responsibility. Once your puppy starts toileting inside, thereās nothing you can do. If necessary, set a plan and write down the hours of the day and the times the dog went to the toilet and work out when heās gonna have to go next. If necessary, set up an alarm or a pinger or a timer to remind you.
- Secondly, prepare! Have your treats ready. Maybe leave them outside in a jar. Itās so easy to get to the toilet area, and then suddenly you realize that youāve forgotten them. Itās too late then.
- Remember to have that long line ready if your puppy is one of those that runs off in the wrong direction, or into the wrong area.
- And, make sure you have the time to do this, that youāre not in a rush. Rushing the puppy out because you're late getting ready for work won't work. You need to be able to say the word “toilets”, nice and gently. Remember, it doesn't last for very long, so make the effort to make this as pleasant an experience for you both.
- Praise your dog as soon as he goes to the toilet in the right area, with lots of affection and of course, treats. You should make it so that your dog thinks āif I go to the toilet on the grass, I get the most amazing piece of chickenā. It never gets chicken for just lying in its basket and looking cute. Thatās working against you. Make sure you save that chicken and your dog realizes that itās only gonna get chicken if it goes to the toilet on the grass. Thatās positive reinforcement.
It would be wonderful if thereās a magic wand we could wave on our puppy to instantly became toilet trained. But, there isnāt. Toilet training is exactly that. Its training and training genuinely takes a bit of time. The key is to get it right for the first few days without a single mistake. And then you stretch it out to a couple of weeks and then suddenly you realize youāve cracked it.
Looking for additional puppy training resources? Check out my Puppy Coach training program!
Good luck!Ā Comment below and let me know if you nail it.
Cheers,
4 Responses
The yard where Iām staying has sticky, thorns all over. Itās an ordeal every time we have to go out to pick them out, and puppy doesnāt like to walk if they are in his paws, of course. I saw booties but they were pretty pricy and my boy is a toy so, not sure if they will fit or if he will tolerate them. If it were my yard I would kill the darn things but itās not. Any ideas?
Hi Deb, this sounds like a bit of a painful situation….for you and your puppy! Are you able to clear a smaller area of the yard and put up a small puppy pen/barrier so that your puppy has a safe place to spend time in? An alternative to expensive booties may be just to get some children’s socks with the grippy rubber pads on the bottom, they are the ones used when toddlers are first starting to walk and they may avoid sticks and burs from penetrating the sock. You may have to gently tape the sock so it stays on your puppy’s feet. Just an idea! Doggy Dan
My puppy is doing well with potty training. She has accidents once in awhile. Part of the problem is she doesn’t let us know verbally. She goes to the door and waits but if we arent in the room we don’t know. Please advise. We love your whistle video and Whistle, works great for us. We do think the whistle may be defective. It doesn’t work all of the time, seems to get stuck. Thank you. Yours respectfully Kirk
Hi Kirk, great to hear that the potty training is going well… You can train your puppy to ring a bell or something similar however I have found that a lot of dogs will then start ringing the bell just to get you to come running! The other way I have found worked for me is to simply set an alarm on my smart phone for 15 mins, then it reminds me. As the puppy grows up pretty quickly you can increase the time to 20 mins, then 25 mins and before long your pup only needs taking out every hour or so.
I do have a FREE potty training blog post here http://theonlinedogtrainer.com/free-puppy-potty-training-video/
A FREE potty training Podcast here http://theonlinedogtrainer.com/doggydan-podcast-02-toilet-training-puppies-and-dogs/
and a FREE potty training course here http://theonlinedogtrainer.com/potty-training-optin/ – this is probably the best place to start…
All the best, Doggy Dan š