How to Potty Train New Puppies

Potty-training a puppy takes discipline on your part.

You should begin potty training as early as possible in order to teach your puppy what's expected of it. A puppy has no sense of a "right" place or a "wrong" place to relieve itself. It's up to you to teach it. If you instruct with patience and care, potty training a puppy can be a bonding experience. The time you invest training your new puppy can pay off in a lifetime of good habits.

Instructions

1. Create a routine. Put a leash on the puppy and take it outside to a designated spot to relieve itself immediately after it wakes up and after it has eaten or taken a drink.

2. Take the puppy outside to relieve itself at regular intervals throughout the day. A general rule of thumb is that a puppy can hold its bladder for one hour for each month of its life plus one additional hour. For example, a two-month-old puppy may be able to go for three hours before it will need to relieve itself. Watch your puppy closely for any clues that it needs to relieve itself before that period elapses.

3. Praise the puppy lavishly after it uses the designated spot to relieve itself. Dogs thrive on positive reinforcement and want nothing more than to please their family members.

4. Provide your puppy with a crate. Dogs are reluctant to soil their sleeping space, making a crate an effective potty-training tool. Lay a folded towel or blanket on the bottom of the crate for the puppy to rest on and add some of your pet's favorite toys. Coax the puppy into the crate and allow it to spend short periods there while you are nearby. After the puppy has become accustomed to the crate, leave the room for a few minutes at a time until the puppy begins to realize that you will return and learns not to be anxious.

5. Remove food and water two hours before bedtime. Take the puppy out one last time before putting it in the crate for the night.

6. Make a startling noise, such as clapping your hands, if you catch the puppy in the act of relieving itself indoors. Do not yell. Say, "No!" in a firm tone of voice. Take the puppy directly to its potty patch in the yard. Give it plenty of praise. Clean up any potty mistakes in the house so that the puppy will not be tempted to reuse that spot. Pet stores carry products that are designed to thoroughly clean the area and remove odor.

Tips & Warnings

• Never strike a puppy to punish it for an accident or for any other reason. This will only make the puppy anxious and fearful and disrupt the potty-training routine.

• Using a crate not only aids in potty training but also helps prevent separation anxiety. A puppy kept in a crate is protected from getting into household items that can hurt it and will be prevented from destructive behavior, such as chewing.

References

• The Daily Puppy: Fastest Way to Potty Train a Puppy
• Humane Society: Housetraining Puppies
• Dog Obedience Training Review: Puppy House Training--The Right Way
• American Dog Trainers Network: Crate Training