Many of our clients will bring their new puppies to us for socialization, and as owners or employees of animal facilities, they will have a lot of questions! One of the most popular questions is: “Do you have any tips for potty training?”.
A schedule and consistency are the most important pieces of the puzzle. Your dog does not have the ability to control themselves for very long – your dog also has not learned what behaviors are acceptable – we need to teach both of these things.
Crate Train Your Puppy
This means that when your puppy is in the house they are in a crate or they are interacting with you. At this stage we do not allow them free roam, as it is too difficult to actively manage what they are doing. When your puppy comes out of his crate they need to immediately be placed outside to potty. If your puppy goes potty, they get to come inside and spend time with you outside the crate. If your puppy does not potty, they go back into their crate and you try again a little later.
Define a Feeding Schedule
A regular feeding schedule is key to potty training, do not allow your puppy to graze or “free feed”. You should define the times when they are fed, give them access to food during that time, and pick up any leftover food afterwards. Your puppy is growing fast and will need to be fed 2-3 times per day with a high protein puppy food. Remember, what goes in must come out… take your puppy outside for a potty break 15 minutes after they eat/drink. If they do not go potty, your puppy should be put back in their crate and try again 15 minutes later.
Set a Schedule to Take Your Puppy Outside
In the beginning this should be every hour… and remember, 15 minutes after they eat/drink.
When Your Puppy Goes Potty Outside… CELEBRATE!
Give them a GOOD BOY!!! GOOD GIRL!!! Get excited and throw them a toy or give them treats. We need to reinforce this good behavior.
Make the Time Commitment
This will be a serious investment of your time and energy until your puppy has their routine down. Stick with it, the results are well worth the effort
Be Prepared for Accidents
Your puppy will have an accident inside. Don’t scold or punish them for this. Quickly and thoroughly clean up the mess. We do not want the scent to attract them back to this spot in the future.
Puppy Pads
One question we get frequently is “Should I use puppy pads?” We believe the steps above are all you need to quickly and effectively potty train your puppy. We never encourage or attract puppies to use the potty inside the home.
Currently, I own and oversee Shady Acres Pet Ranch and Fur Kids Grooming in Round Rock Texas. In the past I have owned and managed Compassion Pet Sitting, one of the largest Pet Sitting Services in the Austin, TX metro Area.
I have also worked as an Executive in Fortune 50 and Startup Businesses for the last 18 years, providing me a strong foundation of Leadership, Business, Finance, Technology, and Marketing.
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