Getting a new puppy is a very exciting, thrilling, and challenging addition to your family. One of the first things you will need to focus on teaching is puppy potty training. Puppies are known to be a sponge when it comes to learning new things at a young age. That’s why it’s important to teach your new puppy to eliminate outside as soon as possible. They’ll soak up your instructions as a puppy which will help them become an amazing dog! Check out our top tips for puppy potty training and become a master!
How often should your puppy be let outside?
Your new puppy has no idea that they should eliminate outside and not inside, or that they should give you a distinctive sign that they need to go eliminate. You need to teach them what to do. Luckily, there are some easy ways to determine when your puppy may need a potty break.
- Use Their Age As A Guide. A good reference to use is your puppy can hold it for as many hours as he is months old. So if your puppy is 2 months old, they should be able to hold their bladder for 2 hours. However, every puppy has a different bladder and may need to be let outside more frequently.
- Activity Helps. A puppy typically will need to eliminate its bowels and bladder after eating, drinking, playing, or waking up! Make sure to take them outside for a potty break after each of these types of activities to give them an opportunity to go to the bathroom.
- Sniffing Is Key. An important sign your puppy needs a potty break is if they are sniffing the ground or floor. This means that they may be looking for the right spot to eliminate. Take them outside to a consistent spot where they should take their potty break.
What to do during a potty break?
If you see any of the signs your puppy needs a potty break then take them outside right away. Make sure to give your puppy some good loving for going to the bathroom outside! YAY, your puppy did it! Remember to use positive reinforcement, such as a tiny treat or lots of praise, immediately when your puppy uses the bathroom in the place that you want your puppy to eliminate. This is to help them understand what you want them to do and then they’ll be eager to please you.
Consistency is the key to puppy potty training!
Consistency is very important in a puppy’s world. The best puppy potty training technique is to follow a set schedule and routine. As your puppy learns to go to the bathroom outside, it’s helpful to take them to the same spot each time. This will create a routine that you can repeat every day so they learn only to eliminate outside in their special spot. You should not use puppy pads or newspapers in your household if you are training your new puppy to eliminate outside. It gets very confusing for them and can ruin all of your teachings! Having a daily routine will also help your puppy learn to regulate their bodies because they’ll be able to anticipate when they’ll get a potty break.
Have a potty training schedule!
Set up a schedule and routine for your puppy potty training and follow it each and every day! Starting a schedule for potty breaks every one to two hours and then gradually increasing the time between potty breaks is also a very critical part of puppy potty training. A great schedule example:
- As soon as you wake up in the morning, take your puppy outside
- Feed him/her breakfast, take them outside immediately afterwards,
- Then take your puppy outside every 2-3 hours until the next meal, followed by an immediate potty break
- Repeat every 2-3 hours until bedtime
As your puppy grows up, you should gradually be able to increase the amount of time between when your puppy needs to eliminate.
How do I clean my puppy’s accident?
We all have accidents, it’s just life, unfortunately. And during puppy potty training, they will definitely have accidents. When your puppy does have an accident, don’t punish them. They often don’t understand the correlation between the punishment and their accident. If you punish them it will just make them afraid of you, and you never want fear in your relationship with your dog. Simply clean up the mess and then try shortening the time between potty breaks. Remember to give lots of praise and positive reinforcement when they go potty outside. To clean up an accident, use a pet enzyme stain remover or white vinegar so your puppy won’t smell it. Puppies have a keener smell than we do and an ammonia-based cleaner will not eliminate the smell. If they smell a previous accident, they may go to the bathroom there again since they know they went there before.
Hire a dog walker!
Using professional dog walkers, such as Charleston Dog Walker, can also be a major help with puppy potty training! They can give your puppy very much needed bathroom breaks during the day if your schedule doesn’t allow for you to let them out as often as they need. Pet care companies, such as Charleston Dog Walker, are much more than just dog walking – they are there to cater to your baby’s every need and want! Charleston Dog Walker can also be there for you in case of an unexpected trip, emergency, or when you go on vacation. A relationship with Charleston Dog Walker gives you the relief of not having to worry about your puppy going without a potty break. We’re here to make life easier for you and your puppy!
Charleston Dog Walker provides professional dog walking and pet sitting in your home that is customized to your pet’s needs. We’re so happy you found us (and we know your pet is, too!) and we would truly be honored to be your pet care provider.
Give us a call at 843-580-2212 or contact us to get more information about how we can help your pet!
