Imagine it from your new puppy’s point of view:

You were living with your mother and siblings in a strange enclosure for several weeks, and then one day, your whole world changes.

You now live in a really big place with a new, taller family, and every time you saunter off to relieve yourself, they get very angry. You can’t help but wonder, “What did I do wrong?”

Herein lies the problem of potty training a puppy. Puppies don’t know how valuable the antique oriental rug in the living room is. They’re not particularly interested in not going #2 in the middle of the place you walk the most. They don’t know that their puppy dookie does not easily come out of the new white rug in the bedroom. They just don’t know.

Therefore, it’s easier to teach a puppy what to do, instead of what not to do. Puppies want their owners/ pack members to be happy. They aren’t whizzing on the pile of clean clothes because they hate you, but because it’s comfortable and absorbent.

The absolute best way of preventing such events is by not giving your puppy a chance to do the wrong thing. Most trainers and vets cannot stress enough how effective the use of a crate is in potty training your puppy. If you are already using a crate, make sure to leave the puppy the minimal amount of room. They should not be able to run freely from end to end. A crate works so well because of a dog’s natural instinct not to eliminate their solids or liquids where they sleep. No one wants to sleep in that mess, including your puppy. For that reason, you want to make their crate space as small as comfortably possible. That way he or she can’t run off to the non-sleeping end and leave an unpleasant surprise. Here’s the key: the puppy is going to hold it while in the crate. If a person is looking for training for potty for dogs, then here it is the link that will provide the solutions to the person. The sitting of the dogs will be convenient while training for the potty. 

So how does this help with potty training your lovable ball of fluff? If they aren’t “going” in the crate, then they will “go” on your terms. As soon as your puppy leaves his or her crate, carry, I repeat CARRY the dog to the spot where you want the deed to be done. Set your canine down and say your trigger word. Many people choose something such as, “Do your business,” or the like, but creative commands are just as effective–and sometimes more useful. You don’t want your trigger to be, “Get to it,” because if you tell your children, “Go do your homework. Now get to it!” then your little pup just might lower his or her anchor and unleash the awful. It’s best that the trigger word or phrase be something unique, something you don’t say all the time, nor should it be something that sounds similar to something you say all the time. You want your puppy to know that that phrase means one thing and one thing only: potty time.

When the puppy is nosing around the target area, repeat the trigger over and over. The younger and more inexperienced the dog, the longer it takes. Be patient! Eventually, he or she will go, and when the blessed moment happens, quietly praise the dog. You don’t want to cause so much excitement that the potty experience actually ends prematurely. However, once the puppy is relieved, be the happiest person on Earth. Show your puppy how special he or she is.

The reason I recommend using your praise and not a treat is because you can always be excited, but you won’t always have Beggin’ Strips or Milkbones in your pocket. Dog treats are a rather fleeting commodity. You may have them, but unless you are a trainer, you probably won’t always have them on you. Rely on the thing your pup wants most: your happiness!

Remember:

Always take the puppy to the same exact spot. Their smell is familiar, and they’ll be inclined to add to it. If they don’t add to it, they are commonly inspired by the smell. It’s win win.

If you don’t want your puppy to “go,” but you can’t be with the pup, use the crate. Dog may be man’s best friend, but the crate is your carpet’s best friend.

Let’s review. It’s easier than you think.

  • Use a crate.
  • Carry your puppy from the crate to the same spot in the yard.
  • Repeat your trigger word, and don’t encourage play time.
  • Once they go, be ultra happy.

Repeat this process often. A puppy has to go after eating, sleeping, and often after playing. A puppy can typically hold his or her bladder for as many hours as they are months old, plus one. A three month old can hold it for four hours, etc.

The best way to prevent accidents is to not allow them to happen!

Good luck and be patient!