Starting the potty process
Potty training a dog takes patience, kindness and a little planning. Before you begin, have these helpful tools on hand:
Create a command and a reward
Establish a command that your pup can understand. Say, “Go potty” while your dog is doing their business. This word association will help your pet learn to go whenever you say those magic words.
Whenever your dog is done, say “Good potty!” and give lots of praise.
Timing is everything
Set up a consistent schedule for potty breaks. First, keep your dog’s feeding times consistent and remember to remove leftover food between meals. This will help your dog develop a natural, predictable rhythm for elimination.
Recommended potty break times:
BE patient---consistency in timing is key………Do not freak out if they have an accident as it is your fault…….Either you are not taking him out often enough or allowing too much free roaming……..SUPERVISION is essential……
Potty problems
Some dogs learn faster than others, but if your puppy seems to be having an unusual number of accidents, there could be a physical or emotional reason. Your dog may be anxious, depressed, frightened, excited, or could have a urinary tract infection. A male dog may be marking his territory.
Do not have paper or potty pads inside your home. Peeing is for outside only!
A puppy is not physically able to control the muscle that allows him to "hold it" until he is about 12 weeks of age. Before this time, good housebreaking routines should be practiced to avoid having your puppy urinate and defecate all over your house. Watch for signs of urination or defecation, such as turning in circles. Take your puppy out often. Using a crate or confining your puppy to a small part of the house that has easy clean up floors are some ways to ensure your puppy does not urinate all over your house. It is much harder to housebreak a puppy if he smells is urine in places you do not wish him to relief himself.