Puppy Potty Training Tips
Lately it seems as though I’m meeting more and more families who are having difficulty house training their new puppies. Here are some tips to help get puppy on the right track.
- Have a designated potty area and take puppy there immediately upon arrival home
- Take your puppy to the potty area after eating, drinking, playing, naps, first thing in the morning and right before bed in addition to every 1-3 hours depending on the age of your puppy
- Put puppy on a feeding schedule 2-3 times a day depending on her age and only leave food down for a half hour each time. Puppies will usually potty 30-60 minutes after eating.
- Praise and reward for pottying in the correct location
- If puppy thinks potty time is play time use a leash to keep him focused on the job at hand
- Supervise, supervise, supervise! Puppies should not be left unattended unless confined to the crate
- If you catch your puppy having an accident interrupt and bring to the potty spot (you are supervising, right?)
- Select the appropriate crate size. Your puppy should have enough space to stand, lay down and turn around in the crate. Too much room too soon and he may potty inside
- Crate train your puppy and use the crate for sleeping and times when he can’t be supervised
- Use a leash and tie puppy to your pant loop or a piece of furniture in the room so you can keep a close eye on her
- Keep a potty chart so you can track your progress