Looking for the best way to potty train a dog? Check out our tips and tricks for house breaking Fido quickly and easily! Unless you’re planning to keep your canine companion outdoors for the long periods of time, only allowing them into the house for a couple of minutes, you won’t have to potty train him. However, this has never the case with any dog owner.
There are a number of ways to house train a dog, and as long as you are vigilant in monitoring him and praise him enthusiastically when he does it right, potty training should not be stressful or difficult. Of course, you will not succeed overnight. However, you will need to be persistent and patient. In addition, you will need to remember that “accidents” are unavoidable, especially in the beginning.
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Best Way to Potty Train a Dog
Keep it clean
As soon as the dog gives birth, she is naturally inclined to keeping the den nice and clean. This is also a lesson for her babies not to have any accidents inside. Growing up, the puppies are already programmed not to dirty their den. You can use the same principle to potty train dogs.
What you can do as a dog owner is thoroughly and immediately clean and deodorize any areas where your puppy has had an accident.
Maintain a schedule
Create a schedule for puppies, with regular or established times for feeding, sleeping, training, and bathroom breaks. Remember that the most common times for a puppy to have to go are right after eating, sleeping, and playing.
Not on the Carpet
It is quite common in dogs to pee on the carpet. They don’t know it’s a carpet, but they’ll just go if it is near the place you feed them. Moreover, they also like doing it on the carpet is because it is soft and scratchy. They associate this feeling with how grass feels to the touch.
While you are training your dog not to do it on the carpet, use puppy pads and slowly move them closer and closer to the door until your dog learns to run right out the exit to relieve himself.
Different Ways To Potty Train A Dog- And Which Method Is The Best?
The Paper Method/Puppy Pads
When you potty train a dog, using paper or puppy pads, you are basically training him to relieve himself on the paper that you place in a particular part of your house – and nowhere else. Many dog owners choose a laundry room or bathroom. Choose a place that is easy to clean.
The advantage of paper to potty train a dog is that they make it very easy to clean up the mess – the paper absorbs your puppy’s urine and provides a spot for depositing his feces. When he is finished you simply wrap it all up, dispose of it in the trash and place fresh papers for the next time. Many people use newspapers because they are fairly absorbent and easily available.
The Crate Method
The idea behind using a crate for potty training is that canines are very clean creatures who do not like a urine-drenched or feces-filled rug in their living areas any more than humans do. Make sure the crate is the right size – not too large or your dog will feel it is okay to dump in one corner and then happily settle down in the other.
When it is time to go, your puppy will typically let you know by scratching or whining. That is his signal that he needs to be let out of the den. This is where you will need to be extra vigilant and let him out immediately before he loses control in the crate and thinks it is okay to mess up his living space.
After the puppy matures, you can then work on having your dog do his business outdoors at all times.
The common problem with both the methods is that it requires the owner’s immediate presence. If you have a job, you will need someone else to be there when the dog needs to go or he will think it is okay to dump wherever. However, crate training is a better method since it teaches the puppy to hold it in until he has let the owner know when it is time to go.
Bottom Line
Keep in mind that supervision and observation are key to learning your dog’s personal rhythms and signals. Some puppies may have a tendency to hold it in longer than others, and you can only learn that if you watch closely enough.
