How To Train a Puppy To Go Potty - A Planned Approach Is Best

Start to train a puppy to go potty the first day she joins the family. The longer you delay teaching her to do this the harder it becomes, so it is best dealt with straight away.

If you only leave it a few days before starting to train her, that is too long, if she has started making messes inside. So, do not delay, if you want to keep your house clean and smelling fresh.

It is important to realize that communicating with your puppy is essential if you are to be successful in housebreaking her. She needs to understand the message you are trying to pass on to her. So no bad temper or harsh words, or she might misunderstand your intent.

Puppy does not know you want her to toilet outside when you first begin the training. She cannot see anything wrong with peeing and pooping in the house, whenever she wants. Once she begins toileting in the house you will have very little warning when she next needs to go to the toilet. It will happen so fast, you will not have time to take avoiding action.

Begin the toilet training in a systematic fashion. That means drawing up a plan of action, and keeping to it. That is so important. You are dealing with an animal who cannot talk, so no variation in the plan for the best results, or puppy will be confused.

Some dog owners teach their pets to toilet inside. Opinion varies about the wisdom of this approach, but if you teach her only to toilet outside in the garden, and never inside, she will be less likely to treat the inside of your home as a toilet.

The plan needs to be a daily routine of feeding and potty breaks. Write down the times when they are to be taken and stick to the schedule. Puppies respond well to routines.

Puppy will need to relieve herself first thing in the morning, on waking, and after meals, as well as after playing and bathing. Young dogs cannot hold their bladders for long periods of time, so a lunchtime break is needed as well. If you cannot be there for that one, try to arrange for someone else to be at home.

If she is allowed to toilet in the house during this time she will think it is alright to do the same another time, and the longer she will take to house train.

The best approach is to give puppy plenty of potty breaks each day so she will have lots of chances to learn the behaviour you want her to learn.