Congratulations on becoming a new pup parent! We are sure you are super excited right now. Sorry to burst your bubble, but with oodles of excitement comes an equal share of responsibilities. How to potty train a puppy snags the top spot in the list of these responsibilities.
Just like teaching your baby step-by-step how to “life”, you have to teach a pup to do that as well. Petrified? Don't know where to begin? Worried about how long of a commitment it will be?
Well, you can stop that train of thought right now!
What if we told you that potty training a puppy in just 7 days is totally doable? We promise you no voodoo here, just a step-by-step guide from our most experienced dog trainers. Your heart just skipped a beat, right?
It's time you soak up the steps in this guide and by the time you reach the last line, you will be itching to put all the information you have gained to potty train your newfound love – your pupper. Happiest woofs await you!
The Kickoff…Preparing For Effective Potty Training
Housebreaking your puppy is 50%your dog’s effort and 50% yours. So you need to be mentally prepared for the commitment that lies ahead of you. With our formula, it's merely 7 days of hard work and dedication.
Dog owners should start potty training when the puppy is 8 weeks old. You must come prepared for the battle ahead. That means creating an inventory and itinerary plan. We have divided this into smaller chunks so that the process becomes more transparent for you. Let’s begin with:
I. Gathering The Right Supplies
Crate training ranks as the highest-used potty training tool, especially for puppies. It's mainly because dogs don't like to soil the place where they sleep. So for starters, get your puppy a new suitable crate.
- Easy-Grip Handle
- Keyed Paddle Latching Door
- Large Ventilation Holes
- Easy-to-Clean Drain Hole
- 4 Sizes to meet your needs
- Indestructible Heavy Duty Dog Crate
- Safe And Convenient Design
- Easy To Clean
- Discourages re-soiling by removing the odor of the toughest dog messes
- For use on carpets, hard floors, furniture, fabrics & more
- Safe for pets & home
- Enzymes target severe dog messes
- Works to eliminate severe stains and odors
- This cute fire plug hydrant statue made of durable resin with red and white distressed finish.
- Hand painted fire hydrant replica ideal to improve your yard decor.
- Decorative fire hydrant outdoor statue stands 14.5" inches, weighs Approximately 3.6 pounds.
- Our dog poop trash can for outdoors is great for dog park equipment or fire hydrant puppy toy.
- Swivel Bin & Rake: Great for large and small dogs, Odorless bin keeps the smell locked inside while also keeping water and bugs out.
- Dog Pooper Scooper with Adjustable Handle: The lightweight handle extends up to 36 inches
- Heavy Duty Bags: These poop bags are two times thicker than standard grocery bags.
- Easy assembly, Simple Storage: Assembling the pooper scooper is a breeze out of the box and is as simple as a push and click.
- How To Use Bags: Place the dog waste bag on the bucket, loop the bag around the top model to secure
Now that we have covered the preliminaries, it is time to begin the real deal. Brace yourself for some patience, a tad bit of flexibility, a lot of commitment, and a great deal of consistency. Since this is a step-by-step guide to a fully potty-trained puppy, read, make notes, and then just follow our guide.
Step 1: Introduction To The Crate
Don't cringe at the word crate before knowing the real deal. Effective crate training is extremely crucial, especially for new puppers. Getting your dog to accept and get used to the crate life is not only important for housebreaking but for so many other reasons like vet visits, travel plans, etc.
Selecting the right crate size is one of the basics of crate training. Since we have covered that before, we will not get into it again. For starters, place the crate where the dog spends most of its time with the family. Ideally, place it in your bedroom so that they are less stressed at night. Keep gradually pushing the crate further until you reach the spot where you want it to stay for a long time.
Keep the door open at all times. You can add a blanket, crate pad or a rug to make it look appealing. A curious one will want to have a look inside. Otherwise, sweet talk them into it. If this fails, try throwing high value doggie treats or placing a Kong toy inside the cage. Remember to remove any collars or harnesses before placing them in the crate.
- COMFORT FOR YOUR PET: It's important for your pet to have a comfortable, sleep or as a dog training mat for place.
- QUICK SET-UP: This roll up dog mat is lightweight and slimline, making it easy to store in a car or bag as a travel dog bed.
- VERSATILE USES: Its designed to be used in multiple ways - as a dog travel mat even for cats, training mat, a cozy living room bed or a travel dog mat
- EASE OF MAINTENANCE: Your pet's mat is made from high quality durable oxford fabric, this weatherproof material for the outdoor dog mat waterproof is easy to clean and maintain
- WEATHERPROOF DESIGN: The waterproof dog mat is made of weather-resistant materials, making it suitable for use both indoors and outdoors.
- DOG TRAINING SPRAY: Our potty training spray for dogs makes house breaking easy
- HOUSE TRAIN WITH EASE: Shorten house training time for dogs of all ages with our easy-to-use dog spray for potty training
- SAFELY USE ANYWHERE: Our puppy training supplies are safe to use indoors and outdoors around children
- CONVENIENT:This dog potty training spray is both convenient and effective; with its easy-to-use spray nozzle
- MADE IN USA: Our house breaking potty training spray is proudly made in the USA, ensuring the highest quality and safety standards
Typically, we do not rely on sprays to help in potty training but you can also use a potty attractant spray in worst-case scenarios. If you want to take the potty game one notch up, you can house-train your puppy for Potty Bells. Many of our customers have found that a chiming doorbell mat is easier to use than the potty bells your dog has to ring. You can also hear it from other rooms! But our recommendation would be to hold that for later. It's always good when you take one step at a time.
The Crux…
You have reached the pinnacle of the 7-day potty training guide. The next few steps are going to be crucial. Keep reading to learn how to finish the potty training process.
Step 3: Establishing A Routine
Now that you introduced your pup to the outside world, the next thing our 7-day potty training requires is a fixed routine to start rolling on the fast track. Being on a routine is crucial if you aim to achieve long-lasting results.
Puppies work best if kept on a schedule. Scheduling keeps them disciplined and there is no more adorable puppy than a disciplined one. Sign up for our Potty Training Academy to get access to customizable puppy schedules! Time for chow, sleep, play, and going potty outside. Set the time and duration for each activity. Be persistent and make sure that you follow the set schedule.
Not following the routine can make your pup confused and it can have serious negative results. The routine covers wake-up time to night night time and everything in between. That means fixed meal times, outdoor playtime, crate time, poop time, nap time, and whatnot.
Now coming back to the puppy potty training schedule. As we mentioned before, puppies have a shorter bladder control span. So they need to eliminate it almost every hour. That means taking them out immediately after they wake up and then continuing the cycle after every hour. You also have to take them out after meals and playtime and before bedtime.
Be specific about the feeding time. Being regular in what, when, and how you feed them will bring consistency and a specific pattern in their time to go poop. Soon you and your pup both will be on the same page when it comes to potty training. e urge all pup parents not to leave the food bowl lying around at all times. This creates an issue because puppies usually have a bowel movement quickly after eating. If you don’t know when they ate you won’t know when to take them out.
When we talk about food, how can we not talk about water? Your puppy’s water dish needs to be put away at least two hours before bedtime. This is going to minimize the chances of pee accidents in the middle of the night.
Normally, a pup can make it through the night without having to wake up to a call of nature for six-ish hours. When they do wake up in the middle of the night, don't create a fuss about it. Your job is to quietly take them to their designated spot, have them go potty, and return them to their crate.
Step 4: Identifying Signals
Establishing a routine is easy only when you monitor your dog closely. For that, you will have to be vigilant in observing the signs. Your puppy will adopt key behaviors when it's time for it to potty. These may include:
- Sniffing
- Pawing
- Whining
- Fidgeting
- Moving around in circles
Sometimes a dog chewing on something will immediately leave the job and start showing distracted behavior. That’s your cue to take your pup out to the designated potty location. They might sniff around, circle around you, or even whine. Some dogs bark or walk back and forth to get your attention and signal that they need to go outside.
Do not linger or waste time and respond quickly to these signs. An urgent response from your side will help create a bond or an association between that feeling and the act of going to the designated spot.
Step 5: Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting is a part of any learning process. So naturally, there will be some problems that you will have to face. But what is important is how you will handle these problems. While puppy training, be prepared for occasional accidents to happen.
If the frequency of the piddling accidents is increasing, know that you need to change something. Look for underlying reasons. It is always a good idea to rule out any medical issues that may be causing your puppy to urinate more frequently than usual. If you suspect that there may be a medical problem, take your puppy to the vet for a checkup. UTIs are common in young puppies and lead to a lot of pee accidents in the house.
If there is no medical issue, just increase your vigilance at this point. Crating them more may also help in such situations. Another common problem during potty training is when your puppy likes to go on a particular surface such as carpet or tile. Make sure that you have them potty on the grass outside rather than on an outdoor patio to help prevent this issue.
Pro Advice: The soiled area in the house should be thoroughly cleaned so that no trace of urine smell is left. Puppies associate with the smell and get highly motivated to keep soiling in the same place. We recommend a product like Natures Miracle to clean up the scent.
If you're struggling to potty train your puppy despite your best efforts, seek professional help. Sometimes, a puppy may have an underlying medical issue that makes it difficult for them to control its bladder or bowel movements. In other cases, they may require a more specialized approach to training.
At Suburban K9, we offer private in-home lessons that provide personalized guidance to help your puppy learn where and when to go potty in just 7 days. Our experienced trainers use a balanced approach that combines positive reinforcement with effective management techniques and fair discipline to teach your puppy good behavior.
During our in-home training classes, our expert trainers work closely with you and your puppy to understand their specific needs and develop a customized training plan that addresses their unique challenges. We use a range of techniques to encourage good behavior and help your puppy feel confident and comfortable while learning.
