Over 69 million U.S. households own a dog. That equates to about 6 in 10 families that own a pet.
Are you thinking about becoming one of those houses of pet owners? Then you may be wondering everything you need to know about dog care before you get one yourself.
And part of what you need to know is the experience of potty training a dog. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the do’s and don’ts of potty training a puppy.
Keep reading to learn more.
The Dos of Potty Training a Dog
There are so many right ways to potty train a dog. And when you do it correctly, you’ll thank yourself for the entire time you own your dog.
But what must you do during potty training to ensure things go right? Here are a few tips to follow.
Learn About the Process Beforehand
It is vital to learn how long to potty train your pup before they take up residence in your home. Otherwise, you’ll end up scatterbrained trying to figure out what to do when your dog needs to go to the bathroom or has an accident in the house.
This means you should do some research before you get your new furry friend.
Learn about the breed you are getting and the background of the pup, and start paying attention to their habits once you do get them.
It is best to focus on the potty training when they are between 12 and 16 weeks old. But starting earlier is also a good idea if you get them earlier.
Create a Fixed Schedule
Your puppies will do best if they are on a routine schedule. This will also help the potty training to go more quickly. This means feeding your pup at the same time, walking it at the same time every day, and having a bedtime.
This schedule will help them get used to when they go outside to use the bathroom.
Always Use Praise and Rewards
One of the best ways to train your puppy is to use praise, rewards, and positive reinforcement.
When your dog uses the bathroom correctly, give them a small treat and praise them. They love to be praised, so this helps in the process.
Fed Your Puppy a Balanced Diet
Keeping your puppy on a good diet will help with the potty training because they will have good gut health. You won’t have to worry about irregular stools as much, so the process is easier for both of you.
Consider Crate Training
If you haven’t thought about crate training your dog yet, you will want to give this some thought.
Crate training can help because they don’t want to go to the bathroom where they sleep—so limiting their space can ensure they don’t go overnight.
When you get a crate, just be sure that they are big enough for your dog but not too big, where they have a separate spot for the bathroom and their bed.
Ensure you also supply water if you keep them in the crate for over two hours.
Be (Endlessly) Patient
One of the most important things you can do when potty training your dog is to be patient. It’s not easy to potty train, and your puppy doesn’t know what it’s doing yet.
They are going to have accidents. That is part of the process.
Accepting this and trying your hardest with the training is essential. Consistency is key.
The Don’ts of Potty Training Your New Pup
While there are a lot of things you can do right when training your puppy, there are also plenty of things you can do wrong. You will want to avoid these to make the process as easy as possible for you and your puppy.
Don’t Respond With Frustration
You want to always be calm with your puppy. They do not understand what anger means—it simply frightens them. This will not help your situation.
It is always best to respond with positive reinforcement when training your dog.
Don’t Allow Free-Range or Unleashed Exploring
If you allow free-range exploring with your pup, your pup will not be restricted to what it can do where. When this happens, they will go to the bathroom wherever they see fit.
You want to be able to catch your puppy before they go to the bathroom inside so you can break the habit and start the training.
Don’t Use Paper or Puppy Pads
Paper training can be easy because you don’t need to worry about taking your dog out all the time when you first start potty training. However, there are a few downfalls to this way of doing it.
For starters, this is quite a smelly way of going about puppy potty training.
Not only that but when you do want your dog to start going outside, it may be a bit confused about where to go. It is always best to start outside and stay outside with the training.
Learn All About Potty Training a Dog
Now, you know everything you need to know about potty training a dog. Now, you can enjoy the actual process.
It may be tedious at times, but it will go by so quickly, and you’ll find yourself wishing your puppy was still as young as it was when you got it.
If you enjoyed this article, check out some others about dogs on our site.
