Potty Training 101
The first few hours and days can make all the difference between potty training going smoothly or turning into a problem. When it comes to potty training, one of your goals needs to be to give your dog one option to go to the bathroom and that option is outside, Easier said than done, right? This means you will be taking your dog outside A LOT.
Puppies
If you are bringing home a brand new pup, be prepared to let your dog outside to use the bathroom every 30-60 mins during the day and 2-3 hours overnight. Yes, you will need to wake yourself up overnight to take your dog out multiple times. This timing should continue for the first few weeks then as your pup begins to understand and hold it longer, start to extend the time between potty outs little by little.
Adult dogs
Adult dogs may be potty trained in one house or environment, but not another. They will need a refresher course coming into your home! Treat them as if they are a new puppy and plan to take them out frequently during the day and once or twice overnight the first few weeks. Then extend the time as they learn to hold it in your environment.
If your new pup is stressed or feeling overwhelmed, they may not go right away when brought outside. Give them some time and do your best not to distract them. Walk in circles and allow them to focus on smelling the ground and listening to their body.
If your new pup is stressed or feeling overwhelmed, they may not go right away when brought outside. Give them some time and do your best not to distract them. Walk in circles and allow them to focus on smelling the ground and listening to their body.
Set your dog up for success
Get right into a consistent routine from the beginning. Taking your dog out frequently helps them realize that a trip outside is in their future, and will help encourage them to hold it until that time has come again. Utilize a crate or penning in area to help not overwhelm your dog with too much space. Keep your dog in the crate/penned area whenever you can't supervise them. Visit Crate Training 101 for more on how to crate train your dog. Make sure to always bring the dog directly outside when letting him/her out of the crate, first thing in the morning, last thing at night, after eating or after a play session. Coming out of the crate is a sign for your dog to release and you want to make sure he/she is releasing outside!
Don't let your dog out of your sights, especially in the beginning and, of course, leave a drag leash on them while inside. If your dog does make a mistake and goes to the bathroom inside, you are going to walk to stop them in the act and bring them right outside. The drag leash makes it so you do not have to "collar grab" your dog in the event they make a mistake. Collar grabbing is a very invasive and confrontational move. More often then not, dogs do not like this! If your new pup looks like he/she is about to go to the bathroom, calmly and swiftly grab the end of the drag leash and guide them outside as quickly as possible.
Don't yell at or rub your new dog's nose in it if he/she does have an accident in the house. This only tells them "never go to the bathroom in front of a person" and this will be problematic when you go on walks and works against all your house training efforts. Instead, look closely at the time when your dog had the accident and make adjustments - did you leave them unsupervised before they were ready? Did you let them go to long without taking them out? Potty training is all in the routine. |
RULE OF THUMb!Always make sure he/she is always either with you, in a clear line of sight, or in the crate. Never leave your dog unattended! This way you can catch a quick "mistake" and guide them rather then allow that mistake to turn into a bad habit. |
Do's and Don'ts of Potty Training
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Written by Jamie Ianello, IAABC-SBA