Many of us love the idea of a cheerful, playful puppy, but reality often checks in when we’re cleaning up puppy mess. While potty training difficulty differs between dog breeds, there are a few tips that can often be applied to potty training any dog breed.
The most important thing you can do for your pup at this time is to establish a steady routine. Without the adaptation of a routine to daily life, a puppy can become confused and may develop anxiety issues later in life. Begin by setting certain times in which you feed him, take him to potty, and sleep. Try to stick to the same general time every day.
There of course will be times when accidents happen-which is completely normal. There will be times when we don’t always hear our pup’s whimper in our sleep or are unable to let him outside at the exact moment when he needs to go. It could really help out to have a newspaper pallet on the floor. If your pup begins to potty inside, run him over to the newspaper. This is a good alternative option to use until your pup develops better bladder control.
The sooner you get to know your puppy’s “eat/potty” routine, the easier potty-training will become. A good rule to go by is to estimate that your pup will be ready for a trip outside around 15 – 20 minutes after he has been fed/watered. If you can, try to have your puppy outside at this time so he will familiarize himself with the proper “potty surroundings.”
You might find that you can save yourself a lot of unproductive potty trips if you establish separate times to potty and play. You might take your pup outside to potty, then after a successful trip, take him inside. Wait as long as you like before making a separate trip outside for him to play. By separating these tasks, you’ll greatly minimize your pup’s confusion.
This period in your puppy’s life is a great one to start administering praise and discipline techniques. Many people prefer “good boy/girl” and “no,” which can be still be used when your dog is older. Although puppies need a lot of repetition, routine, and firmness, remember that your puppy will soon grow up, so enjoy his puppyhood while you can!
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