Trainer Edition: How To Potty Train Your Dog

Introduce Routine

Dogs learn faster when activities are consistently encouraged over time. But how can you get your dog to understand that you’re reinforcing and encouraging specific activities? It is very simple. Establish a consistent routine, and it will make it easier for your puppy to figure out what you want from them. 

Helping your dog realize there is a time for play, time for training, eating, and time to do other business is essential. If you’re trying to potty-train a dog, establishing a routine should be the first goal. Routines are also great to help them during the adjustment period after you bring them home.

If your puppy is two months old, you can assume they need to use the bathroom every two hours. If they are three months old, every three hours, and so on as they age. When dogs are playing indoors, when it is hotter out, or are particularly excited, they may need to use the bathroom more frequently. You can download the puppy potty log to keep tabs on your dog’s elimination schedule.

Know When To Take Your Dog Outside

Taking your dog outside at a specific time can help cultivate a better-eliminating behavior. Dogs are likely to eliminate immediately they wake up, during and after play, and after eating and drinking. Taking them out 15-30 minutes after any of these activities helps them succeed with mastering housetraining. Ensure that your pup goes to the bathroom before returning inside. Depending on the age of the pup, it is advisable to take your dog for a stroll at least every two hours (or 3-5 times a day).

Pick A Potty Spot Outside

When you’re trying to potty-train your dog, it is essential to choose a bathroom spot outside. Always take your dog (on a leash) to the same spot whenever it wants to go. Repeat this process over time, and the puppy will start to associate the spot with what it does there, instead of getting distracted by new smells in new locations.

It is also important to use specific words or phrases whenever your dog is in the designated area to help them remember what to do. New research has shown that dogs can understand human speech more than we previously thought. Be sure to use the same command each time for the two bathroom commands.

Encourage Behavior With Rewards

The best way to encourage behavior is by attaching some rewards or benefits to it. Giving your dog a treat or praising it every time it eliminates where you want is important.

Rewards delivered at the right time encourage a behavior to be repeated, a training technique known as positive reinforcement. Rewarding your dog after a particular activity helps it associate that activity with the reward. Thus, your dog will be more likely to repeat that activity in the future.

Keep Your Dog Under Supervision During Training

While potty-training your dog, it is important that they stay closeby. This will enable you to keep an eye on them and notice the behaviors they engage in as their ‘bathroom tell’.  When your dog is close, you can observe signs that it needs to go out. Some of these signs include: Barking, Restlessness, Sniffing around, Squatting, Mouthiness , Scratching at the door or Circling. Two ways to keep your dog close are:

1. Use a tether: A tether is a rope that can be used to attach your dog to you or any piece of furniture around the house. You can also use a tether when you’re taking your pup for a stroll in the neighborhood.
2. Use a leash: Although it is similar to a tether, a leash can be more mobile. All you need is to hold it (or find a place it can be attached to). You can keep the leash under your foot or around your wrist when your puppy is relaxing, this can help you be more attuned to when they may begin to get restless. 

*Whether you rely on a tether, a leash or both, they should never be attached to your puppy’s collar but should always be on a harness for safety. Your dog should also always be supervised when using these tools.

Reduce Mistakes

No dog is perfect. Even a grown dog may soil the house sometimes. You should never punish your dog when they have an accident in the house, it’s confusing and stressful. For dogs, punishment is usually counterproductive. Punishment can damage your relationship with your dog, resulting in fear, insecurity, confusion, or anxiety for them. Here are a few things you can do to reduce mistakes:

1. React Immediately

Dogs are very sensitive. Interrupt your dog when you see them eliminating on the wrong spot. Doing so will interrupt the process and make the dog realize that spot is the wrong spot. You don’t have to be harsh. Break your dog’s focus, pick your dog up and run them outside, showing them the correct spot and encouraging them with the appropriate command. 

Next, thoroughly clean the spot. Make sure there is no smell. Puppies will likely return to eliminate in a spot that smells like urine (you can read about our favorite and safest cleaning tips here for your dog).