Potty Train A Puppy

....... it's easy when you know how!

Need a crash course in how to potty train a puppy?

Are you a new puppy owner struggling with the 'do's and don'ts' of puppy potty training? Want some help?

If your answer is a resounding "YES!", I can guarantee you that you're not alone!

Puppy housebreaking is often one of the biggest challenges new puppy parents face. But you can potty train a puppy without tears and trauma if you follow some simple guidelines and are consistent, patient and determined.

The Golden Rules

Association and cause-and-effect are a very important aspect of dog training. Housebreaking a puppy is no different. Puppy potty training begins the minute you bring that precious puppy home, before you even step inside your home.

It's easiest to potty train a puppy if you have a daily routine,a designated 'potty spot' outside, a crate, an understanding of the limited capacity of a puppy bladder/bowels (!) and a good dollop of patience.

Once you've assembled all of the above, you're ready to get started - Your puppy!

1. Designate a specific 'potty spot'
   Make sure there's an area of your yard just for Fido, and ALWAYS take him there to potty. Introduce him to it as soon as you get him home, before you even take him inside the house, and hopefully he'll be ready to relieve himself.
2. Realize that puppies need to potty a lot!
   The average 8 week old pup needs to go out approx. every 30 mins during the day. Always take him to his potty spot after every meal, nap and playtime - and anytime he is whining, circling and sniffing, or seems restless or agitated (all classic signs that he needs to 'go'). Check out our useful Puppy Potty Training Schedule to get an idea of what sort of routine works best.
3. Never leave your puppy to run around indoors unsupervised
   When you're beginning to potty train a puppy, NEVER leave your puppy to run around the house unsupervised. Dogs are naturally clean animals and will do their best not to soil in their den.

   However, your home is considerably larger than a dog's natural den, and it will take some time for Fido to realize that the whole house is, in fact, his den and needs to be kept clean. Whenever you're not watching him, put the puppy in a separate room (preferably with a clean-able floor!), in a fenced-off area of the kitchen or in his crate.

4. Pick a 'Trigger Word' and use it consistently
   When potty traininga puppy, choose a word or phrase (called a 'trigger word') and repeat it quietly as you encourage Fido to 'do his business'. "Potty time" or "hurry up" work, just choose something you're comfortable with.

   Over time your puppy will come to associate this word or phrase with the action of emptying his bowels or bladder and will appear to 'go' on command. This aspect of puppy potty training is something that will prove invaluable when it's 20F below and you don't want to stand outside for the next 45 minutes!

5. Make sure your puppy knows when he's succeeded
   Always praise Fido when he 'goes' in the appropriate spot. Your puppy wants to please you and this is how he knows he's been successful.
6. Don't scold, if he makes a mistake so have you!
   Never scold your puppy for an potty training 'accident' unless you actually catch him in the act. Fido doesn't know a puddle on the carpet is wrong, and his memory is short. If he's had the opportunity to have an 'accident' you've also failed somewhere. Maybe you didn't supervise enough, or forgot that he needed to go out after lunch or whatever. Your job is to make sure he's set up to succeed!

   However, if he does squat right in front of you it's perfectly OK to say "No' or "Bad" in a loud, firm voice. It may even startle him into pausing mid-flow. Scoop him up immediately and take him straight to his potty spot and let him finish his 'business'. Then give him lots of praise.

   Even if he seems to have emptied his bladder or bowels onto the carpet, still take him outside and repeat the 'trigger word' so that he understands that this is where he's supposed to 'go'.

   Obedience dog training and housebreaking are most successful when you are consistent, that way your little guy learns that the rules are always the same!

I love the '...For Dummies' series of dog training books, and this one's no exception.

The very words 'house-training' can strike fear into the heart of puppy owners everywhere! well, there's no need to panic if you have this book in your own, personal library.

Written with a humorous touch, this puppy training book is packed with practical tips and information to help you tackle the challenges of housetraining with confidence.

Topics covered include :

• Your dog's instincts and learning style


• Taking the right approach to housetraining


• Equipment you'll need (such as crate, cleaning supplies etc.)


• Indoor and outdoor training options

It doesn't matter if you're a newbie, or an experienced puppy parent...if you want to potty train a puppy, this book will save you time (and trouble)!

This will stop him returning to the same spot because he's attracted by the smell (strange little creatures aren't they?).

There are a whole host of dog urine cleaning products on the market today, some effective, some not so much. You can find a full list of the ones that we personally recommend on our Dog Urine Cleaning Products page.

If you live in an apartment without access to a grassy area, or if your puppy is going to be alone for long periods during the day, trying to potty train a puppy may be a little more challenging. But don't worry with persistence, patience and a crate you can still be successful. Scroll down to find out more about the options available to you such as pee pee pads and indoor doggie toilets.

Crate Training is the simplest and quickest way to housebreak a puppy. It works for puppies and dogs of all ages, and it prevents most of the opportunities for a puppy to make a 'mistake' indoors, as well as encouraging the development of bladder/bowel control.

Although I recommend training your pup to eliminate outdoors from day one, occasionally there are good reason for having to train a pup to pee/poop indoors, or on a balcony etc.

This may be you if you're trying to potty train a puppy and you live in a high rise apartment building, are disabled or have mobility issues, or if your pup is a very small breed and the weather is bad etc. etc......

In these situations you have a couple of options - pee pee pads, a doggie litter box or an 'indoor doggie toilet'. The pee pee pads are the cheapest option (but they're still not cheap!), but they're also the least effective. Many puppies see them as toys and prefer to drag them around and chew them up than pee on them!

A doggie litter box is often better than the pee pads, but some pups may prefer to play in the litter (or eat it!). The third choice is an indoor doggie toilet which is more durable than the pee pads, and not as messy as the litter box. Several of them have 'fake turf' for the pups to use which helps them when you want to transition over to peeing on REAL grass later on.

Take a look at these models....

• Rascal Dog Litter Box


• Mini Pee Wee indoor portable dog potty


• UGODOG Indoor Dog Potty


• Pup Head Portable Dog Potty for LARGE dogs


• Rascal Dog Litter Box "Little Squirt" (tm) - DESIGNED JUST FOR TOY BREEDS!

The initial outlay is a bit more than the first two options, but when you're trying to potty train a puppy they're worth it in terms of ease of use and how effective they are.

Consistency & repetition are the keys!

If you can prevent your little furball from thinking that it's okay to 'do his business' inside, and are consistent (bordering on fanatical) about taking him outside regularly, you've got a great chance of making steady progress.

The good news is that if you do YOUR job properly, Fido will get the general idea very quickly. When you're housebreaking a puppy it's important to remember that he's only a baby and that you can't reasonably expect him to be totally reliable before he's 4 - 6 months old.

Of course, this time frame can vary depending on the size, breed and personality of your dog, as well as on how effective a teacher you've been!

However, as long as you 'stick with the program', you will be rewarded with a clean puppy (and house).

Remember, little Fido wants to please you, and to potty train a puppy properly all you need to do is show him how to be successful and help him achieve that success.

If you know a friend or family member who needs help to potty train a puppy, why not help them out by sharing this page with them today?

Crate Training A Puppy

Puppy Potty Training Schedule

Puppy Training Tips

Dog Urine Cleaning Products

Help With Dog Urine Cleaning

Return from Potty Train A Puppy to Homepage