In today’s Pitbull Puppy Training Tips post, we’ll be discussing getting your puppy to go potty outside.
When potty training your Pitbull puppy, you want to make sure you aren’t inadvertently teaching it habits that you’ll have to break further down the line.
It’s much harder to train a stubborn pit later on than a malleable pup, after all!
Pitbull Puppy Training Tips for Housebreaking
There are a few things you need to do to get your Pitbull puppy to go potty outside. All of these tips work together synergistically to help you quickly and easily get your Pitbull puppy to go potty outside.
Ditch the Puppy Pads
Many people start potty training their puppies with puppy pads. These special pads are scented to make the puppy want to go potty on them. Don’t do it! It sounds great, but what you’re really teaching your puppy is, “This is where we go potty in the house.” You don’t want your puppy going potty in the house. At least not one that’s going to be as large as your Pit.
Related: Pitbull Puppy Training Tips – Pitbull Puppy 101
Limit Food and Water Before Bed
This is an important step in my Pitbull puppy training tips for housebreaking. Since you’re not using puppy pads, you want to limit the possibility of accidents. So make your last feeding of the day is sometime in the afternoon – around five or six. Then about three hours before bedtime, pull the water.
You won’t starve your puppy, and it wont’ dehydrate. You’re simply limiting the volume of waste produced by its little body. This will help drastically reduce the possibility of accidents.
Crate Train
Crate training is another big one in my Pitbull puppy training tips for properly potty training. Crate training is great because once your Pitbull puppy associates the crate as his cozy home, he’ll be more likely to hold it until morning. He won’t want to soil his abode. =D It has the added benefit of being a safe place to go whenever your Pit is feeling stressed.
Related: Pitbull Puppy Training Tips – Touch, Crate, and Rewards Training
Take Them Out Frequently
You want to take your puppy to go potty immediately after every feeding and then every hour. Reward it heavily when it goes potty. If you notice that it’s not producing very much, you can try upping the time by half hour increments until you find a schedule that fits your puppy’s body. The point is this. You should give your Pitbull puppy every opportunity to do its business outside and not on your carpet.
Know the Signs of “I Have to Go!”
Vigilance is a key part of my Pitbull puppy training tips for potty training. Watch your puppy like a hawk. If your puppy shows any of the signs of impending potty, get it outside immediately. The signs that your puppy has to go potty are:
- Excessive sniffing
- Circling
- Laid back ears (when it’s starting to get the potty training idea)
- Vocalizing more than usual
If your puppy shows ANY of these signs, bet that pooch out to the yard STAT. Your puppy and your floors will thank you.
Reward, Reward, Reward
This is the running theme in all of my Pitbull Puppy Training Tips articles. Whenever your puppy does what you want, reward it heavily. Make doing its business in the yard the high point of its days. When your Pitbull puppy goes potty in the yard, stuff it with treats, oooh and aaah over it. Pet it. Squeal. Do a dance. Do whatever it takes for your Pitbull puppy to think, “Hey! This is AWESOME! I should do this ALL THE TIME!”
Just remember, no one gets off Scott free. You WILL be cleaning up accidents. That’s okay. Our kids have accidents when they potty train, and what are puppies but just canine children? Follow these Pitbull puppy training tips on housebreaking, and the pain should be minimal. =D
Do you have any other questions about pitbull puppy training? Ask in the comments section.
