How to Potty Train a Puppy

How to Potty Train a Puppy

Georgia Grenenger

Outside Routine:

1.     Take your puppy outside frequently à when your puppy is very young, you’ll need to take her outside every few hours as they cant physically hold their bladder for more than an hour or two.

2.     Feed your puppy at the same time everyday à this helps to reinforce a routine and allows you to better predict when she may need to go outside

3.     Pick a designated place for your puppy to relieve herself outside

4.     Use a command to help your puppy associate the spot with relieving herself.

   5. Reward your puppy when she relieves herself outside à best way to train a puppy is to reinforce good behaviour and eliminate possibilities for bad behaviour. 

Inside Routine:

1.     Confine your puppy to a certain area in the apartment

2.     Consider having an indoor bathroom spot

3.     Keep your puppy in a crate at night and while your away

4.     Clean up accidents right away à if an area smells like urine, the puppy will instinctively want to relieve herself in the same spot again

5.     Don’t scold your puppy for having an accident à puppies don’t respond well to negative reinforcement, it only makes them afraid.