If you have recently added a cute puppy to your family, both of you must be busy adjusting to the change: your puppy to the new place and people, and you modifying your lifestyle to make the pup a part of it. One of the basic requirements for a comfortable co-living is to house-train your pup so that they do not pee and poop around the house. So how do you teach your puppy where and when to do their business? Let’s find out.
In this blog, we have provided a step-wise guide to potty-train puppies and a list of things to consider while training them.
Steps to Potty-Train Puppies
Just like human babies, puppies also need help to learn where to relieve themselves. Follow these simple steps to teach your furry friend where to take bathroom breaks:
- Take your puppy outside at regular intervals. In the beginning, make the outside visits more frequent as puppies do not have much bladder control. On average, puppies can control their bladders for one or two hours. So, schedule your puppy’s outside visits accordingly.
- Keep your pup on a leash while taking them outside. Puppies get distracted easily. Restricting their access helps them focus on the task at hand.
- Give your puppy some time to explore the place. When your pooch begins to release itself, use a verbal cue such as ‘toilet’ or ‘potty’. Repeating this command every day will help make the toilet training faster.
- Once your puppy has finished, reward them with verbal praise, a gentle pat, belly rub, or their favorite treat. This positive reinforcement helps your fur baby associate the training with a happy experience.
- If your puppy does not relieve in some time, do not lose patience. Take them back to the house and bring them outside after some time.
- Repeat this process every day, every time your puppy needs a toilet break. Dogs are creatures of habit. Repetition helps them get used to a routine quickly. As far as possible, try to take your furry companion to the same place, each time.
Things to Consider while Potty-Training A Puppy
While you are house-training your puppy, keep the following important things in mind to accelerate training and make learning easier for them.
Understand The Signs
Be observant about your puppy’s behavior when they need to take a potty break. This helps you be ready for it. Usually, puppies need to go to the toilet a few minutes after taking meals, after waking up from naps, and after an exercise session. The most usual signs puppies display when they want to relieve themselves include:
- Sniffing around
- Fidgeting
- Circling around
- Squatting
Provide Crate Training
Though not supported by all, crate training is very useful for puppies. Being naturally den animals, dogs find crates safe and home-like. Dogs like to live in clean surroundings and do not eliminate where they sleep or eat. Staying in a crate automatically discourages puppies from relieving while they are inside. However, keep the crate time limited as prolonged confinement can increase the chances of accidents instead of preventing them.
Follow A Feeding Schedule
Set a schedule for your puppy’s meals and feed them as per the schedule only. As puppies defecate shortly after eating, feeding at the same time every day means they will potty around the same time every day. This way, you can reduce the chances of accidents. A regular feeding schedule further assists in maintaining digestive health. You can also add digestive health supplements to your pup’s diet to maintain their gut health and avoid pooping at odd times.
Do Not Fuss About Accidents
However hard you try, accidents can happen. If your puppy accidentally poops inside the house (outside the designated area), do not shout at them or punish them. Your puppy may get afraid of you due to your aggression. Contrary to the desirable training outcome, your pooch may comprehend that they should finish their business when you are not looking.
Keep The House Clean
Clean the soiled areas of the house thoroughly with cleaners and odor-eliminator sprays. If your puppy gets the feces or urine smell from the place of the accident, they may start considering the place as their restroom and may pee or poop at the same place again.
Puppy potty-training: common questions
Here are answers to some of the common questions regarding puppy potty-training:
Q. Why do puppies soil their crate?
A. If your puppy’s crate is too big, they will get a room to pee or poop in one corner and then sleep at a distance. Make sure you get a crate that gives your puppy only the room to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably. Puppies will also soil the crate if the previous accident is not cleaned properly and they get the smell from the place. Make sure that you keep their crate completely clean.
Q. How long does it take to potty-train a puppy?
A. There is no standard time frame to house-train puppies. Puppies from some breeds learn faster than others. The learning speed also depends on the training frequency. Regular repetition of potty-training steps helps puppies learn faster.
Q. How to stop puppies from piddling all over the house?
A. This is a problem faced mostly by parents of toy-breed puppies. You can use dog potty boxes just like cat litter boxes to stop the soiling of the entire house. Additionally, you can also designate an area inside the house and train your pup to use it in case of emergencies.
Wrapping up
Puppies, just like human kids, are new to the world and need to be house-trained for clean and healthy co-living. With patience and consistency, they learn to go to the toilet at designated places, keeping the house free from pet mess. Follow the above-mentioned steps to potty-train your pup with ease. Keep in mind the tips listed here to make the training process a hassle-free and successful affair.
The post All You Need to Know About Puppy Potty Training appeared first on PetCareSupplies Blog.
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