Potty training is the single most important thing you will do when you bring home a new puppy.
Here is a step by step guide on how to accomplish this quickly and effectively.
After a puppy eats, drinks, plays, sleeps, or chews, he must soon go "potty.
" oUp to 6 months of age, more than 12 times per day.
oFrom 6 - 12 months of age, more than 7 times per day.
Take your dog out to relieve him or herself as many times a day as you can.
The more he goes outside, the more it will become ingrained that outside is the proper place to do his business.
Always use a leash when you take your dog out to potty.
If you are using a crate, which I strongly suggest, remove your puppy from the crate, pick him up, clip on his leash and carry him outside.
Place him in the grass in your designated area and keep repeating "go potty" over and over.
There should be no excess talking or playing.
This is not play time or walk time.
This is potty time.
Just stand in one place and let your puppy have as much of your 6 foot leash as he wants.
But that's all.
Keep repeating his name and "go potty".
When the mission is accomplished, reward your dog with a treat (ALWAYS HAVE TREATS HANDY) and a "good boy" or "good girl.
" Immediately bring dog back in the house.
If he did not eliminate within five minutes or so, return him to his crate and try again in about 15 minutes.
If he did go potty, (both kinds), go back inside and keep your pup with you as you prepare for your day.
Keep him on his leash indoors at all times.
It is helpful to keep a leash on your dog in the house when potty training.
It's easier to find them when they are hiding behind a chair or couch, although your puppy should NEVER be unsupervised during potty training.
In the beginning stages of housebreaking, always pick him up and carry him outside.
Do not allow him to walk, because he might squat and have an accident on the way.
Regulate feeding times and amount of food.
I recommend feeding two times per day for pups under 1 year old.
Read the portion amount on the bag.
Divide the daily portion in half and feed once in the morning and once in the evening before 7 p.
m.
Leave your dog's food on the floor no more than 10 minutes.
If your dog does not finish his food, pick up the bowl, and do not feed again until the next scheduled time.
Leaving food and water out all day is setting your dog up to fail.
Allowing constant access to food makes it more difficult to predict when your dog will have to relieve himself.
Observe your dog for signs that he needs to go outside.
Tracking, sniffing, and circling are signs that a trip outside might be in order.
Learn to recognize the signs, and get your dog outside BEFORE he has an accident in the house.
Feed your dog a high quality dog food.
The cheaper brands are loaded with fillers, and chemicals that are hard to digest, which can lead to inconsistent stools and lack of ability to hold it until he gets outside.
Even the well known national brands contain ingredients which dogs cannot digest, such as corn, chicken by-products, (heads, feet feathers, beaks,) wheat, sorghum, and other things I won't feed my dogs.
Don't feed "people food" to your dog as a steady diet.
You can use it as an occasional training treat.
A dog's digestive system functions very differently than ours, and the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that your dog needs will not be supplied.
Do not change dog food all at once.
If you do change foods, do it gradually, mixing 75% old with 25% new for a week, 50% of each for a week, then 75% new with 25% old for a week, and finally 100% new.
Be aware, and keep track of, when your dog relieves himself (i.
e.
, after meals, playtime, or awakening from a nap), so you can develop the pattern and time line that your puppy follows.
All dogs will differ somewhat in their potty habits.
I recommend the use of a crate when potty training.
When your puppy is going to be left alone all day, then a small penned area is recommended.
Use the crate day and night, and especially when everyone is asleep.
Crate training should be done in short increments and gradually increased.
Don't force your dog into the crate or he will view it as punishment.
Don't ever use a crate as punishment.
Dogs love their crates, and they become their own personal "den.
" They feel safe and secure there.
The crate should be viewed by your dog as a good place to be.
To get your puppy used to his crate, remove the wire door.
Use a treat to lure him into the crate.
When he goes into the crate voluntarily, give him the treat and say "good boy".
Then allow him to leave the crate in his own time.
Repeat this process several times.
Then put the door back on the crate and again lure your puppy into the crate.
Give him the treat, praise him, then close the door and wait five seconds.
Open the door and invite your dog to come out.
This is very important.
Your dog must wait until he is invited out.
A slight touch to his chest and the word "wait" should do it.
Repeat this process.
Start with very short increments of time, and increase the length of time in the crate gradually.
Once again, never force your dog into the crate, or he will view it as punishment.
We want him to have positive experiences going in and out of the crate.
Put a toy and an old t-shirt or towel with your scent on it in the crate.
This will also convey to your puppy that the crate is a good place to be.
You will find that in a short time your dog will go in his crate voluntarily when you are not even paying attention to him.
Never leave the dog in the crate for excessive periods of time: ono more than 2-3 hours if puppy is under four months of age o4-5 hours from 4-6 months of age o6-7 hours if the puppy is 6-9 months of age These estimates vary by breed, size of dog, and accomplishments thus far.
If you work all day and are going to leave your puppy alone for several hours before they are potty trained, crating him may not be an option since that's just too many hours to be confined to a crate.
Instead, consider a small area such as a bathroom, laundry room, or blocking off a small portion of any room you choose to limit your puppy's space.
I recommend an adjustable pen sold at most pet stores.
The heavy duty plastic type works best.
Each section is about two feet wide and there are usually 8 sections.
This allows you to increase the size of the pen as your dog grows.
Adjust the size of the pen so there is room for his blanket or bed at one end and a potty pad at the other, with very little room in between.
The goal is to ensure that your dog hits the pad when he relieves himself.
If successful, gradually increase the size of the pen.
Eventually, you can give your dog more freedom by allowing him a larger and larger area, being sure to leave the potty pad accessible.
Try to position the pad in front of the door you most often use to take your dog outside.
Give your dog a chew toy to occupy his time when confined to his pen.
Constant supervision is critical when puppy is not in his pen or crate.
Always keep your puppy on a leash inside the house so he does not wander off and potty without being noticed.
This also helps the puppy become accustomed to wearing the leash so he does not fear or dread it.
If your puppy starts to squat, pick him up quickly saying "no," immediately carry him outside, set him in the grass with the leash on, and say "go potty.
" Give him time to re-focus and squat again.
Say "potty" and "good boy" or "good girl.
" When the puppy is finished, give a treat and praise him.
Bring the puppy directly back in the house.
Allow 30-45 minutes of supervised free time out of the crate or pen.
Then return the puppy to his crate or pen for approximately 1 - 1 1/2 hours, and repeat the process.
If you need to leave the house, always return the puppy to the crate or pen.
If your puppy completes his urination or defecation in the house and you do not catch him in the act, do not bother disciplining him.
It is too late at this point.
After just a few seconds, he will not know why you are scolding him.
There should be no yelling, no rubbing his nose in it, and no hitting.
You will confuse him and make matters worse.
Just clean it up and move on.
Be sure to clean with the correct products to remove any scent that your dog may be tempted to return to.
Several are sold in pet stores.
Be sure that you do not clean with anything containing ammonia, as the smell of ammonia will attract the puppy back to that spot for a repeat performance.
Teething may cause your puppy to make mistakes in the house.
The discomfort in his mouth may trigger irregular urination.
Be patient during this time-it will pass.
Before you go to bed at night, take the time to play with your puppy to burn off some energy.
Take him out one last time to potty, and then put him in the crate or pen for the night.
You may want to keep the crate in the bedroom with you so that the puppy can see and hear you and feels like he is still part of the pack.
First thing each morning, remove him from the crate or pen, pick up the puppy, and carry him outside.
The first few weeks, the puppy may wake you very early (4 or 5 a.
m.
).
As they grow, they will sleep longer and be able to hold themselves for longer periods of time.
Most of all, be patient and consistent! Good Luck!
Here is a step by step guide on how to accomplish this quickly and effectively.
After a puppy eats, drinks, plays, sleeps, or chews, he must soon go "potty.
" oUp to 6 months of age, more than 12 times per day.
oFrom 6 - 12 months of age, more than 7 times per day.
Take your dog out to relieve him or herself as many times a day as you can.
The more he goes outside, the more it will become ingrained that outside is the proper place to do his business.
Always use a leash when you take your dog out to potty.
If you are using a crate, which I strongly suggest, remove your puppy from the crate, pick him up, clip on his leash and carry him outside.
Place him in the grass in your designated area and keep repeating "go potty" over and over.
There should be no excess talking or playing.
This is not play time or walk time.
This is potty time.
Just stand in one place and let your puppy have as much of your 6 foot leash as he wants.
But that's all.
Keep repeating his name and "go potty".
When the mission is accomplished, reward your dog with a treat (ALWAYS HAVE TREATS HANDY) and a "good boy" or "good girl.
" Immediately bring dog back in the house.
If he did not eliminate within five minutes or so, return him to his crate and try again in about 15 minutes.
If he did go potty, (both kinds), go back inside and keep your pup with you as you prepare for your day.
Keep him on his leash indoors at all times.
It is helpful to keep a leash on your dog in the house when potty training.
It's easier to find them when they are hiding behind a chair or couch, although your puppy should NEVER be unsupervised during potty training.
In the beginning stages of housebreaking, always pick him up and carry him outside.
Do not allow him to walk, because he might squat and have an accident on the way.
Regulate feeding times and amount of food.
I recommend feeding two times per day for pups under 1 year old.
Read the portion amount on the bag.
Divide the daily portion in half and feed once in the morning and once in the evening before 7 p.
m.
Leave your dog's food on the floor no more than 10 minutes.
If your dog does not finish his food, pick up the bowl, and do not feed again until the next scheduled time.
Leaving food and water out all day is setting your dog up to fail.
Allowing constant access to food makes it more difficult to predict when your dog will have to relieve himself.
Observe your dog for signs that he needs to go outside.
Tracking, sniffing, and circling are signs that a trip outside might be in order.
Learn to recognize the signs, and get your dog outside BEFORE he has an accident in the house.
Feed your dog a high quality dog food.
The cheaper brands are loaded with fillers, and chemicals that are hard to digest, which can lead to inconsistent stools and lack of ability to hold it until he gets outside.
Even the well known national brands contain ingredients which dogs cannot digest, such as corn, chicken by-products, (heads, feet feathers, beaks,) wheat, sorghum, and other things I won't feed my dogs.
Don't feed "people food" to your dog as a steady diet.
You can use it as an occasional training treat.
A dog's digestive system functions very differently than ours, and the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that your dog needs will not be supplied.
Do not change dog food all at once.
If you do change foods, do it gradually, mixing 75% old with 25% new for a week, 50% of each for a week, then 75% new with 25% old for a week, and finally 100% new.
Be aware, and keep track of, when your dog relieves himself (i.
e.
, after meals, playtime, or awakening from a nap), so you can develop the pattern and time line that your puppy follows.
All dogs will differ somewhat in their potty habits.
I recommend the use of a crate when potty training.
When your puppy is going to be left alone all day, then a small penned area is recommended.
Use the crate day and night, and especially when everyone is asleep.
Crate training should be done in short increments and gradually increased.
Don't force your dog into the crate or he will view it as punishment.
Don't ever use a crate as punishment.
Dogs love their crates, and they become their own personal "den.
" They feel safe and secure there.
The crate should be viewed by your dog as a good place to be.
To get your puppy used to his crate, remove the wire door.
Use a treat to lure him into the crate.
When he goes into the crate voluntarily, give him the treat and say "good boy".
Then allow him to leave the crate in his own time.
Repeat this process several times.
Then put the door back on the crate and again lure your puppy into the crate.
Give him the treat, praise him, then close the door and wait five seconds.
Open the door and invite your dog to come out.
This is very important.
Your dog must wait until he is invited out.
A slight touch to his chest and the word "wait" should do it.
Repeat this process.
Start with very short increments of time, and increase the length of time in the crate gradually.
Once again, never force your dog into the crate, or he will view it as punishment.
We want him to have positive experiences going in and out of the crate.
Put a toy and an old t-shirt or towel with your scent on it in the crate.
This will also convey to your puppy that the crate is a good place to be.
You will find that in a short time your dog will go in his crate voluntarily when you are not even paying attention to him.
Never leave the dog in the crate for excessive periods of time: ono more than 2-3 hours if puppy is under four months of age o4-5 hours from 4-6 months of age o6-7 hours if the puppy is 6-9 months of age These estimates vary by breed, size of dog, and accomplishments thus far.
If you work all day and are going to leave your puppy alone for several hours before they are potty trained, crating him may not be an option since that's just too many hours to be confined to a crate.
Instead, consider a small area such as a bathroom, laundry room, or blocking off a small portion of any room you choose to limit your puppy's space.
I recommend an adjustable pen sold at most pet stores.
The heavy duty plastic type works best.
Each section is about two feet wide and there are usually 8 sections.
This allows you to increase the size of the pen as your dog grows.
Adjust the size of the pen so there is room for his blanket or bed at one end and a potty pad at the other, with very little room in between.
The goal is to ensure that your dog hits the pad when he relieves himself.
If successful, gradually increase the size of the pen.
Eventually, you can give your dog more freedom by allowing him a larger and larger area, being sure to leave the potty pad accessible.
Try to position the pad in front of the door you most often use to take your dog outside.
Give your dog a chew toy to occupy his time when confined to his pen.
Constant supervision is critical when puppy is not in his pen or crate.
Always keep your puppy on a leash inside the house so he does not wander off and potty without being noticed.
This also helps the puppy become accustomed to wearing the leash so he does not fear or dread it.
If your puppy starts to squat, pick him up quickly saying "no," immediately carry him outside, set him in the grass with the leash on, and say "go potty.
" Give him time to re-focus and squat again.
Say "potty" and "good boy" or "good girl.
" When the puppy is finished, give a treat and praise him.
Bring the puppy directly back in the house.
Allow 30-45 minutes of supervised free time out of the crate or pen.
Then return the puppy to his crate or pen for approximately 1 - 1 1/2 hours, and repeat the process.
If you need to leave the house, always return the puppy to the crate or pen.
If your puppy completes his urination or defecation in the house and you do not catch him in the act, do not bother disciplining him.
It is too late at this point.
After just a few seconds, he will not know why you are scolding him.
There should be no yelling, no rubbing his nose in it, and no hitting.
You will confuse him and make matters worse.
Just clean it up and move on.
Be sure to clean with the correct products to remove any scent that your dog may be tempted to return to.
Several are sold in pet stores.
Be sure that you do not clean with anything containing ammonia, as the smell of ammonia will attract the puppy back to that spot for a repeat performance.
Teething may cause your puppy to make mistakes in the house.
The discomfort in his mouth may trigger irregular urination.
Be patient during this time-it will pass.
Before you go to bed at night, take the time to play with your puppy to burn off some energy.
Take him out one last time to potty, and then put him in the crate or pen for the night.
You may want to keep the crate in the bedroom with you so that the puppy can see and hear you and feels like he is still part of the pack.
First thing each morning, remove him from the crate or pen, pick up the puppy, and carry him outside.
The first few weeks, the puppy may wake you very early (4 or 5 a.
m.
).
As they grow, they will sleep longer and be able to hold themselves for longer periods of time.
Most of all, be patient and consistent! Good Luck!
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