Potty Training a DogIt's Easier than You Think 
Potty Training a Dog is the fist training that most people attempt. It is required of every dog that lives happily in the home. The first question that every new dog owner asks. "How do I Potty Train or House Train My Dog?" It is also a common misunderstanding that potty training a dog and house training a dog are the same thing. In fact, they are two very different milestones for your dog.
Potty Training vs. House Training Successful potty training means that the dog is no longer having accidents (urinating or defecating) in the house. Successfully house training a dog means that he is no longer chewing your shoes or eating the sofa when left alone in the house. Potty training is typically the first milestone and as the dog matures and learns more manners, the house training is mastered.Potty Training a Dog is Simple 
The actual mechanics and how to’s of potty training a dog are surprisingly simple. It does not matter if you are potty training an 8 week old puppy or a much older dog. The method is the same.
When you see the dog sniffing as if he is about to potty, take him outside, when he potties outside, praise him for a job well done. If you watch your dog and repeat this process, your dog will soon be potty trained. Simple and easy right? Of course, nothing is ever as easy as it would seem. There are a number of pitfalls when potty training a dog. There are also quite a few absolute no-no’s and a few tricks I have learned over the years. This brings us to… Potty Training a Dog... The Rest of the Story Be Realistic It is unrealistic to expect that a dog will never have an accident. Puppies will have more accidents than adult dogs. Puppies just don’t have as much bladder control as adult dogs. Dogs also have days that they aren’t feeling well and will get sick. Cleaning up accidents is part of owning a dog. The good news is that success with potty training a dog is possible and clean up duty will soon be a once in a blue moon occurrence.Accidents are Your Fault If you discover an accident in your home, you cannot punish your dog. It does not matter if it happened 5 minutes ago or 5 hours ago. It’s history. Dogs live in the moment. Rubbing the dogs nose in it or yelling “what did you do!” does nothing except to confuse the dog and make him fearful. If you discover an accident in your home (did not catch the dog in the act) it is your fault for not keeping a close eye on the dog. This is worth repeating. If you discover an accident, it is your fault. Learn from your mistake and watch the dog closer next time.How Long Will it Take? If you have a puppy, potty training will take months. Realistically any dog under 6-8 months old can not be fully potty trained. Their bladders are tiny and the control just isn’t there yet.If you adopted a young dog or an adult dog, he could be trained in a couple of days or a week. You may have been lucky enough to adopt a dog that has already been potty trained. In this case he simply needs a brief refresher after his life in the shelter and he should remember in a matter of days. If you adopted an adult dog that was never potty trained, the process will still go much quicker than with a puppy. A mature dog has the bladder control that a puppy does not and will usually understand the rules within a couple of weeks. Nutrition Nutrition will not only impact your dog’s health and coat, but nutrition can affect your success at potty training a dog. Dog food found at your local grocery store is average or low quality food with a lot of fillers. This food results in much more waste being produced. The higher quality food, has higher nutritive value which results in less waste. Premium dog food will cause your dog to have to go less frequently so there are fewer chances of an accident.
Feed your dog on a twice a day schedule. (morning and night) Do NOT free feed your dog (leave food in the bowl all day). If your dog is not on a feeding schedule he will not be on a potty schedule. Dogs will typically need to go about 20 minutes after they have eaten. Feed on a schedule and you’ll have a good idea on when he needs to go potty.
If your dog is not used to being on a feeding schedule, it is easy to change his habits within a meal or two. Offer the food in the morning. Whatever is not eaten within 5 minutes gets taken away. At dinner time offer the food again and take it away after 5 minutes. A dog will not miss more than a meal or two before he realizes that he needs to eat his dinner when it is presented to him. Some trainers suggest that you limit access to water when potty training a dog. I understand that this may help for some, but I have never needed to do so. I always have fresh water available for my dogs. If you are struggling however, you may consider offering water only at certain times a day, but make sure the dog does not become dehydrated. Watch Your Dog Your dog should never be in a room alone until he is fully potty trained and house trained. The more accidents your dog has, the longer and harder it will be to potty train. Prevention is the best method. You can only prevent an accident if you are there to redirect him if he makes a mistake. Crate training is critical when potty training a dog. Dogs will not go potty in their crate. Putting the dog in his crate while you are at work or while he sleeps will teach him to hold it. Take him outside as soon as you let him out of the crate and praise him when he does go outside.When you are home, it is a great idea to tether the dog to you. This is also referred to as the umbilical method. I have used this method several times for potty training a dog and helping a new dog adjust to his environment and I've had great results. Put the dog on a leash and put the leash around your waist or clip it to your belt buckle. Your dog is now in the position of having to follow you everywhere. You are pack leader, he is follower. He is never out of your sight and you can still do what you need to do around the house. When you go to take out the trash, the dog follows. When you put away laundry, the dog follows. When you sit down to pay bills, the dog will sleep at your feet. Because the dog is never out of your sight, it is very easy to make sure he gets outside when he needs to. Establish a Routine Dogs like routines. Establishing a daily routine for you and your dog will not just make the dog happy, but will also help with potty training. Walk the dog at the same time each morning and night. Feed the dog at the same time each morning and night. With the same routine, you will quickly begin to know your dogs habits and when he is more likely to need a potty break.A set routine also means using the same door for access to outside and going to same spot each time you take your dog to go potty. Taking your dog outside through different doors will confuse the dog and prolong potty training. Clean Up When your dog has an accident in the house, make sure you are using a cleaning product made specifically for pet stains. The cleaner that you use must contain the enzymes to break down the urine or feces. If there is any remaining trace, your dog will be tempted to go back to that spot again. Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t necessarily mean that your dog doesn’t know it’s there.Our recommendation for proper clean up is Bell Training Putting a bell on the door used to access outside can be quite helpful when potty training a dog and for many dogs this will speed up the process of potty training. Your dog will ring the bell when he needs to go outside. This is a clear signal to you if you have a dog that is hard to read. This saves your door from damage if you have a dog that likes to scratch at the door. It can save your ears if you have a dog that likes to sit at the door and bark. It is also a bit of a novelty trick that will amuse your friends.
Bell training can be accomplished in just a day or two while you are potty training. Hang the bell (a ribbon or string with a couple of jingle bells dangling) on the door. Swing the ribbon or string to ring the bell each time before opening the door to let your dog outside. After a couple of exits, take your dogs paw and swipe the bell before opening the door. I have bell trained several dogs and they all picked it up in just a few days. If you prefer to purchase your bell instead of trying to make one, we recommend Poochie Bells . They have additional tips and tricks for bell training and designs to match your decor. What's Wrong with My Dog? Some dogs are just harder to potty train than others. It may have to do with a certain breed or it may have to do with the history of the dog. Many times the problem is more with the trainer than the dog.A common problem I have heard from owners when potty training a dog is that they think the dog is urinating in the house on purpose and out of spite or anger. This is simply not true. If you find yourself having problems, go back to the beginning and look at what you are doing to contribute to the problem. Common Mistakes Praising the dog outside is good, but be careful not to get overly excited before he has finished. If you startle the dog mid stream, he can become fearful or uncomfortable outside and may prefer to finish back inside.If you are discovering accidents in the house, think back to your previous reactions. If you reacted negatively and scared the dog, he may be seeking out corners of privacy. Keep in mind that until your dog is 100% potty trained, he should never be alone in a room of the house. The only way to teach your dog what you want is to catch him doing it wrong or about to do it wrong and then redirect him outside. If your dog always goes to the same spot in the home, make sure it is thoroughly cleaned and that you are not encouraging him to come back to the spot because of a previous accident that was not cleaned properly. You Can Do It Potty training a dog can be a frustrating process. However, you may be surprised at how simple it can be when following a few guidelines.1. Don’t ever let your dog out of your sight until he is 100% potty trained. 2. Keep a consistent routine and feeding schedule 3. Thoroughly clean any accidents 4. Have realistic expectations based on age and history of your dog. 5. Positive, Positive, Positive. Praise for a job well done goes a long way. As with any dog training, patience and positive reinforcement will lead to success when potty training a dog.
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