Potty Training A New Dog or Puppy

As a dog trainer, most of the puppy-related training calls we get involve how to house train a new dog or puppy. Potty training a new puppy requires lots of patience, consistency, and structure. The exact process may vary depending on the individual puppy, but the following guide provides a general one-month schedule and tips to help you successfully potty train your new dog.

Introduction to their New Home

Your new dog or puppy has just had a MAJOR life event happen; most dogs experience some degree of stress when moving into a new environment, so it is critical we take these first few weeks slowly and allow our new friend to settle into the home. This means you should limit taking them new places, set up a comfortable crate in a quiet area of the house, and give your dog or puppy plenty of space to allow them time to settle in. One of the biggest mistakes with potty training is giving away too much (unearned) freedom too quickly. Remember, it is always easier to give a dog freedom than it is to take it away when there is a problem. Allowing decompression gives our new dog time to get comfortable, but it also helps set up a foundation of calm and relaxation in the home.

Starting Potty Training Right

**Set up a designated potty area:** Choose a specific spot outside where you want your puppy to relieve themselves. Take them there frequently, on leash, and don't let them wander. If your puppy won't go to the bathroom in that spot, take them back inside, put them in their crate for 15-20 minutes, then try again. Pay attention to your puppy's behavior before they go potty. Signs may include sniffing, circling, or whining. Patience and persistence is key here!

**Establish a routine:** If your puppy is under 10 weeks of age, you'll want to take your puppy outside every 2 hours, immediately after waking up, after meals, and before bedtime. Any time your puppy changes gears -- meaning they are playing and stop to sniff, they are sleeping and they wake up, or they were calm and now appear a bit restless, you should take that as a sign to pick your puppy up and carry them to their potty spot. For now, you should feed your puppy at the same times every day to establish a consistent potty schedule. We recommend varying their feeding times once they are potty trained, to avoid demand behavior around perceived mealtimes.

**Positive reinforcement:** Praise and reward your puppy when they go potty outside. Use a consistent command like "go potty" to help introduce them to a verbal concept of pottying on leash in a new space. Try not to allow your puppy to play BEFORE pottying; make the playtime outside the reward for going to the bathroom in their designated spot.

**Supervise indoors:** Keep a close eye on your puppy when they are indoors and take them outside immediately if you notice signs they need to go. Your puppy should be wearing a leash in the house so you can prevent them from sneaking off, and so you can interrupt any naughty behaviors they might practice. If you cannot directly supervise your puppy, they need to be in their crate! Potty training is ALL about preventing mistakes in the first place, so the number one thing to avoid is unsupervised freedom to sneak off and make a mistake.

**Extend time between bathroom breaks:** You may gradually increase the time between bathroom breaks as your puppy starts to hold it for longer periods. Don't push too quickly, as the same rules above still apply. Make sure you are monitoring for any housebreaking regressions (accidents in the house). Our goal is to slowly increase time between potty trips, WITHOUT mistakes happening. If your puppy was doing well at 2 hours but is struggling with 4, go back down to 2 for a few days and then try 3.

Remember, every puppy is unique, and the timeline for potty training may vary. Be patient, stay consistent, and celebrate the progress your puppy makes. If you encounter challenges, consult with a professional dog trainer for personalized advice.