Potty Training Your Puppy or Dog?

Answer 1

Potty training a puppy or dog can be challenging, but it is one of the most important things you can do to help your pet become a cherished family member. Whether you are working with a puppy or an adult dog, arm yourself with patience, enzymatic cleanser and a sense of humor to make potty training a positive experience.

When potty training a puppy, remember that puppies are not developed enough to allow them to go very long between breaks. In general, a puppy can go between breaks as many hours as his age in months plus one hour. So, a two month old puppy could go three hours between potty breaks. Of course, every puppy will develop a little differently, so you may find your puppy needs more frequent potty breaks.

Most puppies and dogs have specific times when they will need to potty. Take your pet outside to do his business after eating or drinking, and after a play session. Watch for sniffing the floor and circling. These are signs he needs to potty, so take him outside.

To potty train your pet, you need to go outside with her every time until she is completely trained. Praise and reward her whenever she goes potty outside. She'll soon associate pottying outside with rewards.

To help a puppy remain comfortable for more hours through the night, don't feed or allow him to drink for several hours before bedtime. Of course, if it is warm or the puppy has been playing, you'll need to allow him to drink. If possible, keep him cool and quiet before bedtime. Keep your puppy in a crate by your bed, and plan to potty young puppies in the middle of the night.

Use a crate to help with training. Most puppies and dogs do not want to soil their dens, so they are less likely to go potty in their crates. If you aren't able to watch your untrained pet, give her a chance to potty and then put her in the crate. Don't overuse the crate. Most pets should not be crated more than eight to 10 hours a day.

Despite your best efforts to watch your pet, he may have an accident in the house. If this happens, take a deep breath and remain calm. If you catch him in the act, you can calmly say oops, take him outside, and encourage him to potty there. Don't scold or punish him as this could make him afraid to potty in front of you.

If you find the accident later, just clean it up, and promise yourself you'll keep a better eye on her in the future. Bringing your pet to the accident and punishing her won't help.

Potty training takes time, commitment and patience. It is one of the most important steps in helping your pet become a loved family member, and it is well worth your time to do it right.