Being a pet parent is all fun and frenzy until your puppy starts pooping on your mattress. Eww, and gross! Besides, as a responsible pet owner, you might be able to teach a lot of things to your dog, like certain commands that include sit, etc. In addition to that, training your dog’s pooping manners is significant. This will lead to a disciplined lifestyle for your pet and a happy lifestyle for you as well. But, teaching and then making these adorable creatures follow our steps is a bit of a tricky process. Moreover, this activity may require a lot of patience, effort, and hard work with your pet. So, with our guide, learn how to potty train a puppy effortlessly.
How to Potty Train a Puppy or Adult Dog?
Training your dog on how to poop in a well-behaved manner is not an easy job. But with the right method and optimistic attitude, you can make it simple.
The entire process of potty training confides of 3 simple steps, which are as follows:
Step 1- Learn the Fundamentals
This step includes knowing your puppy’s basic behavioral aspects, needs, and comfort level. The training starts with introducing them to their new home. Supervise and monitor their potty behavior and how they treat the process. Befriend your pup and assure it that it is allowed to make mistakes. However, you must correct them regularly with love and affection. Later, start by providing a suitable and appropriate spot to them where they can release. Make some words or phrases to let them know what they need to do.
Step 2- Keep the Area Confined
Here, in this step, it includes people limiting the area where their puppy can attend to its nature’s call. Providing a smaller area for them and keeping it close and accessible to them is necessary. Let your puppy roam around the house freely for some time so that they get involved in their surroundings. Also, select the right method to train them, such as the crate method, the paper method, or the pad method.
Step 3- Make it Habitual
It is important for pet owners to ensure that they make this training constant and habitual for their loyal buddies. Furthermore, they must keep it consistent throughout the process without being harsh at all on their whelps. Make a routine or itinerary of the things you would like to teach your dog. Start with simple activities, like scheduling your trips to the park and peeing.
Do’s and Don’ts of Dog Potty Training
While one wants to train their dogs on how to pee outside, they must also understand the do’s and don’ts associated with the process. Here we go:
Do’s
- Reward your puppy for learning and performing the lessons properly.
- Be patient, helpful, and lenient with the pooch when it’s memorizing and understanding what you are teaching it.
- Let your dog make mistakes and teach them with a positive attitude.
- Monitor your dog’s progress and supervise whether there is room for improvement.
- Stick to a healthy and timely feeding schedule. Then, take your puppy out for walking and playing regularly.
- Use crate, paper, and pad training as an alternative for your puppy to poop and pee outside.
- Befriend your dog.
- Keep an eye on your puppy’s needs and time when it comes to nature’s call.
Don’ts
- Never scold or punish your pet when they make mistakes. It makes them fear you.
- Don’t act rudely and aggressively with your dog.
- Avoid pad training along with crate training your dog.
- Don’t rush the process, and let your dog learn at its steady pace.
- Never miss out on the schedule.
- Don’t be inconsistent with the training process.
Indoors-to-Outdoors Methods to Potty train your Pet
In case you do not have a huge garden or yard, worry not! But how to potty train a puppy to go outside? You can start the process by training your dog to pee/poop inside and then take the training outside. The starting step would be to teach them to release their waste in proper places no matter where they are, inside or outside the house. This process involves the following methods. So let us know about each of them in detail.
#1 House Training
This includes training your puppy to pee and poop inside the house but in a proper and definite manner. Here, it is about giving an approved spot for your pet to pee. When following this method, one needs to keep in mind the guidelines given below.
- Feed your dog healthy and balanced food regularly.
- The first thing you ought to do in the morning is take your pet to any one place to attend its nature’s call. And after that, repeat the same process every 2 hours.
- Always take the puppy to the same place to pee. Doing so will help it remember the familiar odor and will pee only there.
- Wait there until your puppy finishes peeing or pooping.
- Later, praise and reward him for doing so well with his favorite treat.
After performing these activities, you can take the following methods to train your dog.
#2 Crate Training
This type is best for people wanting to know how to potty train a puppy in an apartment. A crate is a good option for training your dog to pee and poop in a designated place. Though it is a short-term method, it can prove very effective and can inculcate certain good habits in your puppy. You need to teach your canine that it has to pee inside the crate. Moreover, the training involves people teaching their loyal buddies to hold the pee until they reach the crate and open it.
This method can prove to be very productive if you follow the instructions given below.
- The first and foremost thing you need to take care of is to ensure that the crate is handy, spacious, and comfortable. Ensure that it is sufficiently huge for a puppy to stand, turn and sit in it. Although it shouldn’t be big enough that they use it as a leisure activity.
- Attach a container of fresh water to the crate so that a pup can use it as and when it wants.
- Make sure you give them proper training to release in the crate only at various time intervals for 8-9 months.
- Additionally, ensure to take your pooch on regular strolls outside and that he uses the crate only in an emergency and accidentally.
#3 Paper Training
Paper training is an effective method of training your dog in some potty manners. Pet parents simply allot an approved place for their pets where they can relieve themselves comfortably. This method is effective because one provides multiple options for their whelps to choose from. Also, this is a great help in case of emergencies and accidents. In case you cannot take your dog outside, they can relieve themselves at home without causing any problems to you. After some time, with proper encouragement and good effort, a pup will be mature to pee on the paper appointed to it. This method works efficiently if you follow the instructions provided here:
- Decide a good and comfortable place for the paper to be placed. And remove any harmful objects from that place.
- Place the paper in one corner and your dog’s bed in another corner.
- Put multiple papers in different places for ease.
- Keep improving the paper and change it for more comfort.
- When your pet gets accustomed to peeing on the paper, remove the other papers except one.
- After some time, you’ll see that your dog pees and poops only on the paper assigned to it.
By this method, you are giving more liberty to your dog to roam around in the house and less tension to yourself. This method keeps you and your dog happy.
#4 Puppy Pads and Paper Training
How to potty train a puppy on pads? Well, actually, puppy pads and paper training work in the same manner. You can easily train your puppy to pee and poop in certain designated areas with these steps:
- The first step of this method would be to determine an area that is safe for a pooch.
- People may choose an area near the bathroom or on the balcony, preferably where it is easy to clean in case of mishaps.
- Now, ensure that you remove all the harmful products from that area and there is nothing that can cause any problems for your puppy.
- Now set up the pee-pad in your chosen area and place your puppy’s bed in another corner.
- Keep changing the pee pad so that the odor of the new pad will let the puppy know where he needs to pee.
- Now let your puppy learn that there are multiple pads to pee on, and monitor which one it uses the most. After some time, remove all pads except one or two for your puppy that it uses the most.
- After some time, you’ll see some success, and now you can increase the area accessible to them as a reward for their good work.
By following this method, you can teach your puppy to pee or poop in certain areas and make it easy for it to find the areas designated for it.
How to Train a Puppy to Pee Outside?
As a pet owner, you must know that puppies are fond of their schedule. They can do anything and everything according to the schedule you have set for them. For this task, you need to pull up your socks and get ready for some constant trolls. Because the secret of your pet’s potty training puppy is your effort and hard work associated with it. To train a puppy easily and effectively to pee outside the house you just need to follow the instructions given below.
- Take your puppy outside for trolls and small walks often. It is ideal to take them for frequent walks every two hours. Also, take them for a walk after they wake up from a sound sleep, after playing for a good amount of time, after they have taken a meal.
- Select a fixed spot for their puppy and always take them to this spot after several breaks. It is advised to take your puppy on long walks and playing sessions only after they have peed. You may also use certain words or phrases you have taught them during their training. This will remind your dog of what they need to do.
- Praising your dog every time they pee outside is a very good way to let them know that they did a good job. Reward them immediately after they have peed outside, not after any break, so they’ll know what this reward is for. By doing this you’ll be telling your dog what you expect from it and how he performed. Give your puppy its favorite treat or thing to play with. Make sure to clean that with a pooper scooper and keep it in dustbin.
- When you feed your puppy on time, they will certainly pee on time. This is the mantra to inculcate this habit into your dog. Feed them properly and at the same time every day. It will give them an understanding of what you are trying to teach them. Make a schedule of their eating intervals and feed them according to it.
- Keep an eye on your pet’s peeing needs and take care of them patiently. Don’t panic if your puppy wants to pee at night too. Even when you are not teaching him, monitor how much he remembers from the past lesson and take note of what you need to do next.
When to Begin House Training Puppy?
According to some eminent researchers and experts, it is ideal to start teaching a pup the habit of mannered pooping between the age of 12-16 weeks. This is advisable because, at this age, pet owners have good control over their canines. On the other hand, these adorable creatures also have good control of their bladder, bowel system, and digestive system. Pooches at this age can easily learn to control and hold their poop until they find a good and appropriate spot. This habit will remain with them forever if taught at an early age.
But suppose your pet has already started pooping outside its crate and eating its waste. When to start potty training in such cases? Well, as soon as possible. However, remember that this training will take some additional time. In this situation, you must mold your dog’s behavior through constant training, support, and yummy rewards.
How Long Does it Take to Potty Train a Puppy?
Most people ask how long to potty train a puppy. Well, the answer to this question changes from case to case. That means how long it takes a dog to adapt to a new practice varies from one dog to another. Many factors help you to determine it. These factors encompass age, size, weight, health conditions, pre-training, history, and learning capability. In addition to them, the time you invest in the training and the technique you choose also plays a significant role. Regardless, one needs to be consistent throughout the training process. Unlike humans, animals, especially dogs, learn at their own pace and with certain different methods. But sooner or later, every dog does learn this practice.
A well-mannered puppy will learn it quickly, let’s just say in a couple of months. On the other hand, an aggressive puppy may take some time to learn; it could be a year or more. Although, with an accurate attitude, positive behavior, and a comfortable environment, you can teach your pet some great potty manners. Overall, every expert potty trainer says that it takes 5-6 months for a well-mannered puppy to learn this habit, and a hostile dog may take up to one year.
Conclusion
It is always advised to be all calm and patient about any kind of training most pet owners give to their pets. A person’s attitude towards the training is the decisive factor of its success. This is certainly not a one-day job. You need to make some changes, introduce some new practices, etc. But the patience and effort you invest are worth it in how to potty train a puppy. By having the right technique and the right attitude towards the activity, you can surely get over it easily. For your aid, all the necessary information is provided in this guide so that you can have an enjoyable time in the process of puppy potty training.