How to potty train your puppy
When you bring your puppy home at 8 weeks old, they won't be house-trained. Their breeder might have had good routines and taken the puppies out frequently, helping them prefer going outside. However, before they're around 3 months old, puppies lack the ability to control their bladder and bowels. House-training can take anywhere from a few days to almost a year, depending on your puppy and how attentive you are as an owner.
Make it a habit to take your puppy out first thing in the morning. You'll usually need to go straight out, so don't worry about your own morning routine first. Act cheerful and encourage play – the happier you are, the more likely it is your puppy will need to go before you've even got outside. Just get dressed quickly, grab the lead, and carry your puppy out.
Try to go to the same spot every time you take your puppy out to relieve itself. This helps them recognise the scent and understand what's expected. Dogs often prefer to go in the same place, so sticking to one spot makes it easier for your puppy. This is also why, if your puppy has peed on a mat once, they may be happy to go back there again. Special products can neutralise scent particles, but your puppy will still remember peeing there, so it’s usually best to remove the mat until they are house-trained.
Be prepared to stay outside until your puppy has finished. Sometimes they'll go straight away, but other times they'll be distracted by butterflies, sounds, or interesting smells. You can't rush it, so you just have to wait patiently.
As your puppy is almost finished, calmly praise them with your voice. If you get too excited, they might get overexcited and finish inside if they weren't quite ready. If you wait until they've walked a few steps after finishing before praising them, they won't understand why they're being praised. The real reward for your puppy is successfully going to the toilet, so we want to encourage that outside as much as possible.
When should I take my puppy out?
Puppies generally need to go outside after every meal, every play session, and every nap. Plus, possibly a few more times in between. This means you might need to take your puppy out once an hour sometimes. You can often tell when your puppy needs to go – they might pace back and forth or seem to be looking for a good place to sit. If you see these signs indoors, just pick them up and carry them outside. They rarely pee when you're carrying them.
What about at night?
Make sure your puppy goes out for a wee or poo last thing before you go to bed. At night, it's a good idea to confine your puppy's space to one room, or part of a room. The smaller the area, the fewer things your puppy can get distracted by. You should sleep close enough to hear if they wake up and seem worried that they need to go out, or set an alarm to take your puppy out a few times during the night.
If an accident happens
If an accident does happen indoors, just clean it up and keep a closer eye on your puppy to prevent it from happening again. Scolding your puppy for having an accident indoors will damage your relationship and confuse them, as they usually won't understand why they're being told off. If they do understand, they'll just become more careful to do it where you can't see.
Be patient
Remember, it's not just about all toilet breaks happening outdoors. Puppies learn to hold themselves better as they get older. So be patient, do your best, and use your puppy's age to help you succeed with house-training. As your puppy enters adolescence, they might start having accidents inside again. Male dogs may want to mark their territory, and female dogs often pee more when they're coming into season. Keep this in mind too if your puppy starts having accidents inside.
