Puppy Housetraining

1. Start Outdoors From Day One

Take your puppy outside to potty right from the start. Avoid indoor options like potty pads or grass patches as they can create confusion and make it harder to teach outdoor habits.

2. Reward Every Success

Celebrate every outdoor potty success with gentle praise, a treat, and fun activities like playtime, a longer walk, or supervised indoor freedom. Keep it positive and consistent!

3. Manage Space Wisely

Puppies naturally avoid soiling their sleeping area. Avoid giving too much freedom too soon. Start with a small, safe space and gradually expand it as your puppy reliably potties outdoors.

4. Try a Potty Cue (Optional)

You can teach your puppy to go on command:

• Say a cue word (like “go potty”) as they eliminate.

• Soon, you’ll be able to use it just before they go to encourage quicker results.

5. Create a Safe Setup

• Nighttime: Use a crate just large enough for your puppy to stand, turn, and lie down.

• Daytime: Use a small playpen or gated area on easy-to-clean floors, with only their bed and toys; no rugs or blankets.

• You can also supervise by using a leash tethered to you or a sturdy object.

  6. Stick to a Potty Schedule

• Take your puppy outside immediately after waking; don’t wait!

• Use a leash to guide them to the potty spot and keep interactions minimal until they go.

• If they don’t go within 5 minutes, head back inside and try again after 15 minutes.

Accidents Happen!

• Potty training takes time. Accidents are normal!

• Stay calm. Gently remove your puppy from the area before cleaning.

• Use an enzymatic cleaner that fully removes stains and odours (not just masks them).

• If the scent isn’t completely eliminated, your puppy may be tempted to potty there again.

• Patience, consistency, and proper cleaning are key to long-term success!

Never Punish Your Puppy

Punishing your puppy for accidents doesn’t teach them where to go, it only makes them fearful of going near you and more likely to hide when they need to eliminate.

If you catch your puppy in the act:

• Use a gentle sound (like a soft clap or kissy noise) to interrupt without scaring them.

• Immediately take them outside to finish, then reward them for going in the right place.

Patience and positive reinforcement are always the best approach!

How Long Can Puppies Hold It?

As a general rule, puppies can hold their bladder for 1 hour per month of age, plus 1 hour (up to a limit during resting times).

For example:

• 2 months old = up to 3 hours

• 3 months old = up to 4 hours

Important: Active puppies need more frequent potty breaks, especially after playing, eating, drinking, or waking from a nap.