Puppies really are great fun.

Puppies, they’re cute and cuddly, they’re playful and friendly. There must be very few people who can resist the charms of puppy. In fact, this new family member is so cute and loveable it is possible you can might forget one of the biggest challenges that you will face when that little puppy first arrives home – the potty training.

Puppy potty training, also known as housebreaking your puppy, is rarely easy, the fact is potty training can be downright frustrating even upsetting at times. There are though ways to make sure that you get through the process successfully. Let’s start with some tips to get you and your puppy off on the right foot (or paw):

Know Your Puppy’s Potty Dance.

You will want to catch your puppy in the act of potty dancing when possible, so you can teach them the correct way to go potty. Start watching your puppy for the signs of a ‘potty dance.’ These signs usually come right after they have eaten or had a drink and also very often after some playful activity. So, after you have fed your puppy, watch for the signs; sniffing, circling, cocking a leg or squatting. Also, after playing, watch to see if puppy is showing any of these same kinds of ‘looking for a place to piddle or poop’ signs.

Assign a Potty Spot.

Once you see puppy getting ready to go you will need to show them where to go to potty. If at all possible the best thing to do is to take puppy straight outside in order to help train them that the inside of the house is not a potty spot. If it’s not possible to take puppy outside because they are too little to wait until you can get them outside to the potty spot, then you will likely need to paper-train puppy first with a spot in the house. As the puppy gets older they will be able to hold on for longer and longer as time goes by thereby making it possible to plan an outdoor excursion to their potty spot.

Always Try to Reward Good Behavior.

If your puppy goes potty in the right spot, a reward is definitely in order. This can be either be your praise and affection or it could be a special treat reserved just for potty time. It is also best to use a mixture of treats, praise and playtime as that works very well in potty training puppies. Because puppy wants only to please you and only to play with you, your praise and play means everything to them and they will do anything to get it – including go potty in the right place.

Schedule Potty Time.

Since you have been vigilant with your puppy and learnt the ‘potty dance’ signs and understand the potty habits, you can now begin setting up a schedule so that you don’t have to watch puppy quite so closely. Typically speaking, most puppies will want to go potty about 30 to 40 minutes after they have eaten, or after waking up from a nap, or after they have played hard. Bearing this in mind, you are now ready to schedule these times to suit yourself and your puppy. So, feed puppy at a time when you know that you have the time in 30 minutes or so to take puppy for a potty run. Set up your playtime in the same fashion and include that 30 to 40 minute time at the end for potty time. If you stay consistent with your schedule, you will soon hopefully be able to relax a bit.

Consistency is the Key.

Speaking of consistency, it bears repeating you must keep consistent with your puppy. If you are not totally dedicated to the training you can expect it to fail. Puppies are a creature of habit. Therefore, if you are providing treats as a reward during potty training, have the treat prepared to give them immediately. If potty time is 30 minutes after they have eaten, then make sure to get puppy out ready at the potty spot after 30 minutes and remember, if you are not consistent, it is your failure, not the puppy’s failure.

Give it Time.

Puppy will have accidents. On occasions there will be times when puppy will happily go outside to the potty spot, only to look at you with a puzzled expression then just as you are returning to the house, puppy will suddenly understand and go potty where they are. You have to be prepared for this and mustn’t get stressed by it. You are looking for improvement over time and it does take time but as long as there is a forward progression, you should have nothing to worry about. Patience will be your best friend while housebreaking your puppy.

Limit Food and Drink at Bedtime.

When a puppy is very little, you cannot expect them to have more than approximately one hour of sleep for every month old they are. So, if you bring home a three month old puppy you can expect to set the alarm for about every three hours during the night, else you will probably wake up to a puddle or pile. In order to stretch this time out while waiting for growth and nature to take its course, it is a good idea to limit food and drink from three hours before bedtime. Try to schedule your puppy’s feedings earlier in the day to help you and your puppy to get a full night’s rest.

Being prepared with this type of information can help you get through puppy potty training smoothly without too much stress. Remember, consistency is the key. If you stick with it, your new puppy will be happily house-trained in no time at all.

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