How to Potty Train Your Puppy

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm Dr. Marcia Martin and we're here at Safe Harbor Animal Rescue in Jupiter, Florida. Today we're going to talk a little bit about potty training puppies. Potty training puppies requires consistency. The first thing you need to do is start observing your little puppy for his pre-potty behavior. Now most of the time, you'll notice that their, they go off and they start sniffing, maybe even walking in a little bit of a circle as they prepare to either urinate or defecate. Once you learn what their pre-potty behavior is, it's pretty easy to snatch 'em up and take 'em outside. Now you want to use a voice command when you do this such as you know, outside, potty, so he knows what you're expecting of him. So pick him up when you see that pre-potty behavior. Tell him "we're going outside to go potty" or whatever your command is and take him out and put him in the grass or outside where in the area that you want him to be using as a as a bathroom. And once he's pottied, lots of positive reinforcement, even consider giving him a treat. "Good dog", "good potty", use your voice commands. Now you need to be consistent with puppies. First thing in the morning, you need to take him outside, thirty to forty minutes after a meal you need to take him outside because those are the times they normally need to go and of course, before going to bed at night. Negative reinforcement really doesn't work. Spanking him when you find the puddle on the floor, when you find some poop on the floor, it's usually too late. By then he doesn't know what he's done wrong and you're just going to confuse him, so focus on the positive reinforcement when he does the right thing."