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Nothing is more frustrating than wanting to enjoy and play with your new puppy but battling the constant potty training struggles. It often seems overwhelming and it can feel like it is taking over your life.
That's where we come in and help set the puppy up for success with puppy potty training!
Step 1: Management
Think about what management tools work best for your household. A crate, an ex pen, baby gates to block off certain rooms, or all of the above.
Depending on your living location and situation, you may need a baby gate to block off upstairs, rooms where you do not want the puppy to get into just yet, and/or keeping the puppy just in one area.
We highly recommend crate training due to the many benefits but an ex pen can also work. Most crates come with a divider that will come in handy with potty training.
We want the puppy to have enough space in the crate for the puppy to stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably.
We do not want a lot of space where the puppy can pee on one side of the crate and sleep on the other.
We want to set up our living space in order to supervise the puppy when out at all times. A few suggestions include opening up an ex pen to keep the puppy in one area/room, using baby gates to block off areas of the house, and puppy proofing the house by putting away shoes, cords, and things that puppy can reach.
Step 2: Setting a Routine
The general rule of thumb is the puppy should be able to hold their bladder based on how many months they are + 1 when resting ( 3 month old puppy should be able to hold its bladder for 4 hours.) This rule varies depending on individual pup, smaller breed pups tend to have to potty more often and overnights vary for each dog. If the pups are not feeling well and have an upset stomach or an UTI then this rule also will not apply.
When the puppy is playing, chewing, running around, and being active, puppies usually. need to potty around every 40mins- 1 hour.
Setting up a routine is the most effective way to get quicker success with potty training.
Most common potty times are usually
- First thing in the morning
-After they eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner
- After they have been resting in the crate
-Right before bedtime
-Possibly sometime overnight depending on the pup
Step 3: Throw a Puppy Party
The moment your puppy pees or poops at the appropriate location. We want to immediately give the puppy a treat and throw a "puppy party." This includes lots of praise and pets. Being consistent with the rewards encourages the puppy to go outside and tells the puppy exactly what we want.
Dealing with accidents: Accidents are bound to happen with every new puppy.
The important thing we want to remember is to not yell or scold the puppy. Most of the time, the puppy has no idea what they did wrong and often think going potty in front of you is what not to do.
I recommend using a good enzymatic cleaner to get rid of the smell to not encourage the puppy to potty in the same area again.
If your puppy struggles with fear of going outside or in certain areas or if you are still struggling with potty training after a few weeks. Please reach out and we would love to help you with training your pup.
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