How to Potty Train a Puppy: 15 Steps (with Pictures)

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Three Parts:Learning the BasicsKeeping Your Dog CloseEstablishing a RoutineCommunity Q&A

It's an exciting time when you bring your new puppy home, but a new pet also comes with challenges. One of the first and biggest challenges that you may face is that of potty training. Some puppies will learn this quickly, while others will struggle with it for awhile. During this training period, always remember to be patient, remain calm, and be consistent. If you stay positive and follow these guidelines, potty training can be a simple process.

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Steps

Part 1

Learning the Basics

1. 1

   Introduce your new pup to its new home, family and their role. Just like when you are new to a place or group, your new pet may be bursting with curiosity, excitement, fear or joy. Now is the best time to lay out the foundation for a good and pleasant relationship with your pet. For a puppy to settle in and learn to trust and respect you and everyone at home, it is very important to establish your expectations of your puppy and be consistent with them.

   • Only show your pet the areas where they are allowed to be. Initially do not let your new pet roam and explore on their own, especially, if you don't want them to go do their business there. For example, if the upstairs area or bedrooms are off limits, close them off and do not allow your puppy to explore there.

2. 2

   Understand your puppy's particular breed behavior and needs. Research your dogs breed traits and special needs or any behavior that you should be aware of and look out for. For example, If your puppy is a tiny little chihuahua, their bladder will be very small and they will need to urinate more frequently; accidents will happen even if they are well trained.

   • Although most dogs are highly intelligent, they don't think like humans do. It is often a problem when we expect them to understand simple command words or tell you that they need to pee or poop. For this reason, you must be willing to understand how they communicate with you and study the clues they give and get from you.

3. 3

   Keep an eye on your puppy. While potty training, it is ideal to keep your puppy where you can watch it at all times. This will allow you to look for early signs that it needs to go and help to prevent accidents. Signs when they might go are when they start circling, scratching, and sniffing.^[1]

   • Some of the signs to look for include whining, circling, sniffing, barking, or any sudden behavior change. When you see any of these signs, immediately lead the dog outside.

4. 4

   Interrupt accidents. If you catch your puppy in the act of urinating or defecating indoors, make a sudden noise such as a clap, and say the word "no." Then, quickly lead the dog outside.^[2]

   • You want to startle but not to scare the dog. The intent here is to get their immediate attention and know that you disapprove marking or pooping indoors. You also want to be consistent, using the same word and/or noise each time.
   • You may not get the same result if the dog is defecating, because most puppies will not be able to stop this. But, you should still do the same thing as part of the teaching process.
   • Never punish your puppy for accidents. The dog does not know it is doing anything wrong.^[3]
   • When you use punishment to stop them from going indoors it can confuse your dog and even make it worse. Your dog could only understand that you get mad when you see them potty and will hide from you when they need to go, most likely in places that hard to reach for you.

5. 5

   Choose a potty zone. It is best to pick a certain area outside and take your dog there every time it needs to go. You should pick a spot that is not visited by other dogs and is easy to clean up.^[4]

   • Your puppy will remember the smell of urine and start to associate the area as its "bathroom."
   • Pick an area that is easy to get to quickly. You will be visiting this area frequently during the training process.
   • Until your puppy has had its third set of vaccines, you should avoid areas where other dogs go or have recently gone, such as parks. Its a good idea to discuss this with your veterinarian.
   • When taking your dog outside, it's a good idea to keep it on a leash so you can teach it to go in a specific location. You can also more easily keep an eye on the dog, so you'll know when it is done.^[5]

6. 6

   Choose a specific sound or word command. Every time you take your puppy outside to their area, use the word "go," or pick another command. This will teach it to go in that specific location.^[6]

   • The dog will begin to recognize the command and understand what you want it to do. This will help the dog to learn when and where it should be urinating or defecating.
   • Use that command only when you want them to go. This will avoid confusion

7. 7

   Praise successes. Always praise your puppy every time it uses the appropriate area. Use a cheerful, happy voice that lets the dog know it has pleased you.^[7]

   • Being consistent with this will give them an emotional incentive to do their business in the correct place.

8. 8

   Make potty time a relaxing and rewarding event for your puppy to look forward to. To encourage your dog to patiently hold and wait until you allow them to go they must first enjoy it.

   • Going out for a walk and relieving themselves should be an awarding experience every dog should enjoy.
   • Do not interrupt your dog if they are doing their business where you want them to go. Allow them to relax, loosen up and relieve themselves.
   • You can also give your puppy a small treat afterward to help encourage it.^[8] For some dogs, though, this can also be a distraction.

9. 9

   Clean up accidents right away. When your dog has an accident inside, it is important to clean the area thoroughly. This will help prevent the dog from wanting to go again in the same place.

   • Use an enzymatic cleaner, not one that contains ammonia. This will help to get rid of the odor and the dog's attraction to the area.^[9]
   • Urine has a strong smell of ammonia that attracts dogs to smell and mark with their own. For the latter, some training pads are sprayed with ammonia to encourage a puppy to go there.
   • You can also use white vinegar to counteract the smell of ammonia.

Part 2

Keeping Your Dog Close

1. 1

   Limit the dog's area. It will be easier to keep a close eye on your puppy if you limit the dog to a certain area of your home. You can do this by by closing doors and using baby gates.^[10]

   • If your dog is confined to a smaller area, you will be able to observe it constantly to determine if it needs to go outside.
   • The area should be large enough for the puppy to play in, but small enough that you can see it at all times. A small room or sectioned off area of a room is ideal.
   • Be sure to pick an area that has fast, easy access to the outdoors. A room with a door leading straight outside is best.
   • Picking an area that is easy to clean is also a good idea. There will be accidents in the early stages of training.

2. 2

   Keep your puppy on a short leash. Keeping the dog on a leash, even while indoors, allows you to move more freely while still keeping a close eye on your puppy.^[11]

   • With your dog on a leash, you can move from room to room and keep your puppy with you. This way, there will never be a time you can't see it.
   • Having the dog already on a leash also means that you can more quickly take it outside when necessary.

3. 3

   Use a crate when you can't watch the dog. When you leave home or are unable to watch your puppy, using a crate can be an effective way to help potty train. Your puppy will learn to view the crate as its "home" and will be reluctant to soil their area.^[12]

   • The crate should be just large enough for the dog to stand up, lie down and turn around. If the crate is too large, the dog may use one area as a bathroom and another area for sleeping.^[13]
   • If you have a larger crate and a smaller puppy, you can block off enough space inside to make it the right size.
   • You can give the dog a treat or a toy to help make spending time in the crate a positive experience.^[14]
   • Limit the amount of time that the dog spends in the crate to less than four hours at any one time. This should be much less for younger puppies. Young puppies, under 12 weeks of age, have small bladders. They usually haven't developed the ability to control urination.^[15]
   • As a general rule, puppies can hold their urine for one hour for every month old that they are until reaching adulthood.^[16] So, if your puppy is only a month old, you shouldn't leave it in a crate for more than an hour.
   • When taking your dog out of the crate, you should immediately take it outside. Until potty trained, confining your puppy will make keeping a close eye on it and training it much easier. It will limit the possible mess as well.^[17]

Part 3

Establishing a Routine

1. 1

   Be consistent. Being consistent is one of the keys to potty training. When taking your puppy outside it is best to always use the same door. You should always take the dog to the same spot and use the same command to help it to associate the area with the appropriate action.

   • Establish a routine for taking the dog out. Do it first thing in the morning and after every meal. Take your dog outside anytime you come home or take them out of the crate. Let your puppy out after playing or drinking water, after napping, and just before bedtime.^[18]
   • With very young puppies, and in the early stages of training, you can also try taking the dog out every 20 minutes or so, when possible. This may help to avoid accidents and also give you more chances to praise your dog for going in the right place.^[19]
   • Regular walks can also help to encourage the dog to go.

2. 2

   Learn how often your dog needs to go. Pay close attention to how frequently your puppy needs to urinate. This will help you to learn their routine and predict when they need to take a trip outside.^[20]

3. 3

   Schedule trips outside around meal times. Keeping a regular feeding schedule will help with a regular potty schedule.^[21] Puppies will usually need to go immediately after eating.

   • Taking your pup out after every meal will help to reinforce the idea of where they are supposed to go while minimizing the mess.

Community Q&A

Answered Questions

Add New Question

• My puppy poops in the kitchen (which is where he sleeps) in the middle of the night. Would changing his meal times help him stop doing this? I give him two meals a day plus snacks.

  • Yes, when he eats and drinks will influence when he relieves himself. For example, give him breakfast early in the morning after you let him out so he will go outside during the day. Give dinner after sundown so he can go out one last time before bed. If he is young then be patient, he may not be disciplined enough yet. Consider giving him a third smaller meal during the day while he has access to the outdoors as a bathroom.

• What do we do when we can't see him and he pees?

  • There isn't much you can do: Just clean it up and keep a closer eye on your dog. Dogs don't possess the same logic as humans, so punishing him after the fact will not have the desired effect. Keep the dog on a leash, in a play pen, or in a crate if you can't give him full attention. Also, watch for warning signs like whining, pacing, standing or looking at the door, etc. The dog may be telling you he has to go, you just may not be picking up on his signals.

• Is it good for puppies to go do their business right after they eat?

  • It is normal, especially after you have fed a couple of hours prior. Observe how the poop or pee looks afterwards. If it is discolored or the texture isn't normal, then the diet may be causing problems or there may be health problems cropping up, and if so, go to a vet immediately.

• How do I keep my puppy from going potty while I'm asleep?

  • If the pup is very young (8 to 10 weeks), it is expected that your dog will 'go potty' through the night. It will simply not have the bladder control at this age to last through the night, so if you hear it whine once during the night, let it out to go toilet. Don't fuss the dog when this happens, otherwise it will learn that whining leads to attention, and can create separation anxiety. When there are nights where it lasts through, praise thoroughly in the morning and let the pup out to go toilet. Positive reinforcement and age should sort this issue out for you.

• Any tips on potty training a 12 week old puppy on pee pads? I keep him in a play pen with his bed on one side and his pad on the other side, but once I let him out, he will still pee.

  • Your dog likely does not want to pee in his own play area - dogs will urinate and defecate away from where they usually are active. If you wish to use the pads, try letting him out of the play pen every two to three hours at this age and tell your dog to 'go toilet', or send him outside at these time intervals. Take it as a sign of progression that your pup does not want to soil his territory!

• My dog will poop on his training mat, but he won't pee on it. Why is this and what can I do to get him to pee on the pads?

  • Without more information, it's not possible to be certain why your dog is doing this. However, dogs normally defecate in a certain area, and he probably now associates the mat with that action alone. To train your dog to urinate on the mat, you can scent it. To do this, wipe a spill with a tissue and press it into the corner of the mat. Your dog will recognise his own scent and hopefully will associate urinating with the mat. If possible, it is better to do this scenting with an outdoor space, to completely 'potty-train' your dog and skip out the pad stage.

• How do I get my 10 week old puppy to use only one door to go out to do their business?

  • If you mean the dog door, then use a bell as one way to train your dog to go outside on its own. The bell will be rung by you when you open the door to signal it is time to go use the bathroom. Over time, your dog may use the bell itself to call you to open the door for it. This will take a while and it is one way to do it before introducing the dog door.

• My puppy is going 15 times in a day. I'm tired, I can't keep up with the messes. Please help.

  • Puppies have small organs and can't hold their pee for hours like a grown dog. Set up a potty schedule for the puppy and stick to it. A puppy needs to get up at the same time each day, eat at the same time each day and potty at the same time each day. All puppies will have accidents the first week after you take it home, but when you put it on a schedule, the accidents should stop. If you praise the puppy and give it a small treat each time it does something right, it will catch on quickly. Your puppy only wants to please you.

• If you have two dogs, how do you know which dog has had the accident?

  • You don't. Punishing your dog after the fact will not help train the dog, as dogs do not possess the same capacity for logic as humans do. Take both dogs outside and see which one of them relieves him/herself. The one that doesn't has likely already done so, and is likely your culprit. Consider remediation training for that dog and see if it solves the problem.

• Can you let a 1 month old puppy outside in the cold?

  • A 1 month old puppy should still be with his or her mom at this point, and should not be let outside in cold temperatures. Use newspaper or non-clay litter such as wood chips to absorb the puppy piddle.

• Why do dogs go into the bathroom to drink?

  • A dog is sometimes curious and if they see a toilet bowl, they think it is a big water bowl and they sometimes decide to drink from it. Avoid this by closing the bathroom door or baby proofing the toilet if you need to. If you spend a lot of time in the bathroom, then your dog just wants to spend time where you are, to be with you.

• I take my puppy outside to potty and she does but she often urinates again in the house soon after. How can I stop this from happening?

  • Stay outside longer. Just because your dog "goes" does not mean he or she is "done." Wait to go back inside until after your dog has gone both 1's and 2's if you notice this is a recurring issue.

• My puppy still pees in is cage. how can I stop this from happening?

  • You may be expecting him to hold it in for too long. Consider taking more frequent visits outside. Alternatively, the cage may be too large. If more frequent outside trips do not solve the problem, consider making the cage smaller to encourage the dog to keep the area clean. Always watch the dog for signs that he has to go out; ignoring a whining, fidgeting puppy is a sure-fire way to end up with an accident indoors.

• How do you get a puppy to learn what you want according to your commands?

  • The easiest way to teach a dog a new command is to wait till the dog offers the action you want. Then offer it a reward and say the word. So, if you want your dog to lay down on command, when you see the dog lay down say 'down' and offer it a yummy treat.

• The puppy keeps peeing everywhere. It's hard to keep track and I don't know what to do!

  • Get an enzyme cleaner from a local pet store. Clean the spots your puppy has used with this. Even if you do not smell it, the puppy can. A black light will help you find the spots that need to be cleaned. Make a schedule and take your puppy out every 30 minutes. Mark down if/when they go to the bathroom. After a week or so you can see when they normally go and take them out at these times. Puppies also need to go to the bathroom after they wake up, after they eat and after they play.

• I have followed these instructions for two weeks now. She still uses the bathroom inside and just uses the outside time to explore.

  • Are you sure you're letting her have sufficient time outside? It can take a while before she feels like peeing. If you see the dog making a mess, immediately stop her and place her outside so that she can associate the bathroom as being outside rather than inside. Compliment and praise her for going outside so she sees it as a good thing. If need be, only let her out when she needs to pee so that she sees it as not only play time but bathroom time.

• My puppy was doing well on potty training. Now he won't poop outside at all and when he comes back in, he poops in the floor. What am iI doing wrong?

  • This is usually due to inconsistency in the training and sometimes dogs have to be retrained in order to really understand what they need to do. Do not get frustrated and give up but be patient until your dog can go to the bathroom on its own. An uncommon reason is that the dog has associated something scary or bad with the outside and is uncomfortable going there; this may require your investigation and perhaps moving things or blocking fence holes/views of the dog from outside to make the dog feel safer.

Ask a Question

Tips

• At the beginning of the potty training process there may not be much of a recognizable routine. This is especially true with very young puppies. At this stage you may often catch them in the middle of going in an inappropriate place. In these situations, whether they are urinating or defecating, you need to be consistent in your actions.
• You can use potty training pads to give a puppy a place to go inside. They are usually scented in order attract dogs to urinate on them. This can be an aid in potty training and may seem necessary depending on your situation. But, it can also cause some problems that may prolong the training period and make it more difficult. Using pads can confuse a puppy into thinking that it is OK to go inside.

Warnings

• Keeping a puppy tied to a leash when unintended can be dangerous.
• There are several medical issues that can interfere with potty training. Dogs with a urinary tract infection (UTI) will urinate frequently in small amounts, and will not have much control. You may also notice excessive licking of their genital region. If you notice a change in the consistency of their stool, the cause could be a gastrointestinal issue. Some common causes in puppies are intestinal parasites, having eaten something not in their normal diet, or a sudden food change. If a food change is necessary, do it gradually over 5 to 7 days. If you suspect any of these issues could be a problem, you should consult with your veterinarian.^[22]
• There also behavioral issues that can interfere with successful training. Urine marking is a normal dog behavior in which the animal will hike their leg and mark a certain area or object. With separation anxiety, the puppy may have accidents inside when you leave them at home alone. Some puppies become nervous or upset when their owners are away. Other puppies have a submissive or excitement urination problem. This causes them to spontaneously urinate during certain activities. Discuss these possibilities with your veterinarian or trainer if you're not getting positive results.^[23]

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