10 essential tips for toilet training your puppy.

by Mairin Ni Chonghaile on February 02, 2024

 

  1. Until your puppy has completed 4 consecutive weeks without soiling in the home, it should be regarded as NOT fully house trained.
  2. Your puppy should be within eyesight of a family member or confined to a safe puppy proof area at all times.
  3. You can use a crate, pen or room for conferment when your puppy cannot be directly supervised.
  4. Go out with your puppy every time they are brought outside, and immediate praise and give tasty food rewards for elimination outside in the desired place.
  5. During initial training, take the puppy out every hour, if possible, if they do not eliminate within 5 minutes, return indoor, supervise closely for 15 minutes and try again. The formula for the maximum time your puppy can be left with out a toilet visit is: months of age + 1. For example, a 2 month old puppy can't be left any more than three hours, 3 month old puppy can't be left any more than four hours. No puppy who isn't toilet trained should not be left for more than four hours. 
  6. Your puppy is most needs to go to the toilet after play, exercise, naps, after being confined in a crate, after eating and drinking, before bedtime or confinement.
  7. You can teach your puppy a command for going to the toilet.
  8. Fed your puppy three times a day, at the same time. Only leave the food down for 20 minutes. Take up water bowls 1-2 hours before bedtime.
  9. Punishment should never be used if accidents happen. The goal is to interrupt your puppy if it is caught in the act of eliminating indoors and direct your puppy to the appropriate location so that you can reward your puppy for going in the right place.
  10. If you catch your puppy in the act, call the puppy to you, then immediately take your puppy outside and greatly reward them when they are finished. Do not allow your puppy to be part of the cleaning up. For example you should remove your puppy from the room she they can't play with you, play with the mop or cleaning utensils while you are cleaning up the mess. Accidents happen, it doesn't mean the training is not working. 
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