Puppy Potty Training

Potty Training a Puppy

In order to do any type of training – be it for potty training, obedience, behavior, etc – you need to focus on 2 very key points: timing and consistency. I would get frustrated when potty-training my first dog because, “she’s not being consistent with her signals”…when in reality it was I who was not consistent! The dog takes its cue from you, its leader. So you need to be aware that even the slightest change will produce a different result.

Also, timing is important because dogs cannot distinguish 2 seconds ago from 2 minutes / hours ago. So, if you turn around and the dog’s already done its deed, there is no use in correcting the behavior because it’s already in the past. IF, however, you catch the dog in the act, then you can take steps to correct it.

After knowing that timing and consistency are your weapons for housebreaking your dog, the next step is to know when to take your puppy out to do his deed. This is simple: Any change in activity should prompt you to take the pup outside (or to a puppy pad/newspaper if that’s your method). This means whenever the puppy wakes up, gets done eating, starts to play, etc, they’ll need to be taken out. They won’t always have to go, but chances are – especially the younger the puppy – the majority of the time they’ll at least have to urinate when you take them out. Increased activity will increase the urge to urinate/defecate, so if the pup is outside and you think they might have to go, play fetch for a few minutes or romp around with them.

Keep in mind your young puppy’s bladder is very small, so they won’t physically be able to hold it as long as an older puppy or an adult dog (another reason they need to be taken out constantly). The older they get (plus, the more they understand that creating a mess in the house is unacceptable) the longer they’ll be able to go without being let outside. The “basic” rule of thumb with puppies is for every month in the age of your pup, add 1 and that’s how many hours they can hold it. For example, if your puppy is 4 months old, they “should” be able to hold it for 5 hours. This really doesn’t apply for very young pups, and of course all dogs are different.

So, what do you do if your puppy makes a mess in the house (or in the non-designated area, for you apartment-dwellers)? Again, do NOT attempt to “correct” the problem after it’s already happened – it’s only a frustrating experience for you and the puppy since she don’t know why she’s being punished.

You must watch puppies constantly when potty training, and literally follow them around – even if they’ve recently gone outside – because, well, they’re puppies! For the first 8 weeks of their life they evacuate wherever they want and their mother cleans up after them. So, if you notice your pup in a squat (and/or actually peeing/pooping), make a sharp noise (try not to make it too frightening) to not only get the pup’s attention but make it “clamp” and stop messing. Then calmly pick up the puppy and head outside with him. Once there, put the pup down and, once he finishes his duty, praise him with a treat (or by throwing a ball, etc). If the pup doesn’t immediately finish with his duties, you can prompt him to do so by playing with him, making him run, etc – again, going back to the idea that changes in activity often prompt the urge to urinate/defecate.

Some people believe that, upon finding the pup messing in the house, the best way to stop the behavior is to rub the pup’s nose in her mess; another method hails to shaking the pup (like her mother would if she was misbehaving), say “NO!” and then take her outside to finish. If a method works for you, it works – I’ve heard many theories on the best practices for housebreaking dogs.

Potty Training with a Crate

The methods for potty training a puppy are numerous, but a very popular way to housebreak your puppy is to crate train him. This method uses the principle that dogs do not like to lie in their own mess. This isn’t a foolproof method, however, as sick dogs will evacuate their bowels/stomachs regardless of where they are, but of course generally speaking, most dogs will not urinate/defecate in the area in which they sleep.

Crate training is easiest with a crate that’s adjustable, because as the puppy grows you’ll of course need to accommodate for size. The trick with potty training your pup with the crate is the actual size of the area you leave for her. If you put a tiny puppy in a big crate (because the pup will eventually grow to fit it and you don’t want to buy numerous crates), you’ll end up with a puppy who’ll mess on one side of the crate and play/sleep in the other. Again, keep in mind that very small puppies physically cannot hold their bladders/bowels as long as older pups or adult dogs, so this will work best if you’re able to let the pup out at intervals throughout the day.

Dogs are “den” animals who like a safe, secure place to sleep, so crates that have solid sides are good, but they’re not adjustable. You’ll have to place some sort of barrier within the crate (which is neither chewable nor movable) to block the pup into a smaller space. Otherwise, I use the collapsible crates, not only because they’re easily toted to other places but because they come with a separator which can be moved as needed. Keep in mind that these crates aren’t the typical “den” crates, since they’re made of wire. Also, if the puppy does mess inside, it can leak out the sides and / or you can end up with excrement in the corners of the wire cage – MUCH harder to clean!

The trick when potty-training with a crate is to give your puppy only enough room to turn around. This might sound cruel, but keep in mind that puppies are continuously growing – they’re going to spend the majority of their day sleeping anyway. By leaving the pup with a minimum of space, you’re “ensuring” that they will hold it as long as they can, because if they were to mess, they’d have to lay in it.

Teaching Dog Obedience