Potty Training

 Does your dog only have occasional accidents?

First make sure he does not have any health problems. Then try to understand when he has his accidents - 30 minutes after eating, while he is playing, right after he gets up (or is released from his crate), when greeting people, etc.

Does your dog only mess when you leave him alone? Does he only do it in a certain room of the house? Does he mark your furniture? Learn what causes these behaviors and how to work with your puppy or adult dog to solve the problem.

If you work and must leave your dog at home for long hours, you need to learn how to effectively crate train your dog as well as how to successfully potty train him so that he always eliminates in the appropriate place at the appropriate times.

Potty training, like all other types of dog training, involves positive reinforcement. Learn how to deal with accidents appropriately without hitting your dog or “making a big deal” out of it.

Some breeds are easy to house train as they don’t like for their living quarters to be messy or smelly or they really like to please their owners. Other breeds are more difficult to housebreak. Others may take a special type of housebreaking. However, with patience and persistence, your dog can be housetrained.


Basics of Potty Training

It is important for your dog to have an established routine and for you to be consistent in your expectations of him. The easy way to look at the routine you need to establish is that any time there is a break during the day or a change of direction in your dog’s day, take the dog to his potty place.


The five keys to your success are:

-When your dog gets up, take him to the potty place.

-Feed your dog on a regular schedule which will eventually be twice a day, about 10-12 hours apart. After he eats or drinks anything, take him to the potty place.

-After your dog plays or exercises, take him to the potty place.

-Withhold water for two to four hours before your dog goes to bed.

-Just prior to going to bed, take him to the potty place.