Are you planning on adding a new puppy to your family soon? The most common question that people have when adding a new puppy to their family is “what is the first thing that I should teach my puppy?” There are many “first things” that are important to teach your puppy. Let’s start with what is most important to YOU.
By far the number one issue that new puppy owners ask is How can I potty train my puppy?!
Here are three important actions that you can take to solve your puppy’s potty training needs:
1. POTTY TIME HAPPENS OUTSIDE: I highly discourage the use of ‘puppy pee pads.’ Teaching your puppy to use ‘pee pads’ gives him or her permission to go potty inside your house. Pee pad training results in much more work for you and is confusing for your puppy. Use pee pads only if you are unable to take your puppy outside, or if you want your puppy to learn that going potty in your house or apartment is acceptable. Pee pads help your puppy to be happy to pee or poop on anything that feels soft on its feet, including your carpet, laundry on the floor, your shoes, etc. Puppy pee pads are not a good way to start life with your new pup.
Teaching your puppy that ‘potty training happens outside’ speaks to your dog’s natural instinct to NOT soil in its den, and provides clear rules and boundaries for ‘potty breaks.’
2. ‘SHOW ME THE DOOR’: Your puppy will not initially know the location of your desired exit door for their potty break. You must SHOW your puppy what door they will use to go outside for potty breaks. You will repeat the ‘show me the door’ exercise by calmly going through the same door with your pup for each and every potty training session. Once outside, taking your pup directly to the desired potty area of the yard is ideal, and soon your pup will be looking for ‘his spot’.
3. PUPPY ‘HOLD IT’ POTTY FORMULA: Be proactive. Don’t wait for an accident to happen before teaching your pup how and where potty training happens. Involve everyone in your family to establish a successful and workable potty training plan or routine for your puppy.
Puppies generally can hold it for about 1 ¼ hours for each month of age. That means that for an eight-week-old puppy, you will take it outside through the designated door, to the designated place in the yard EVERY 2 ½ HOURS throughout the day.
In addition, you will also take your puppy outside to go potty after a nap, after each meal, after a brief play session and whenever you think of it! Praise profusely when your puppy makes the right choice to go potty outside! Treats are NOT necessary. The reward is the sense of relief that your puppy feels when going potty and the sense of accomplishment when receiving your genuine praise!
Puppies want to earn your praise to be the best companion with you for life! Focus on the behaviour that you want and you will get more of it from your puppy.
Follow these three easy steps for the win with potty training your puppy!
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