Potty training is one of the most important jobs to undertake with your puppy. No one wants to live in a house constantly being submerged in puppy urine and faeces. This article guides you on how to potty train your puppy in 2 weeks.
Being able to potty train your puppy in 2 weeks will depend on several factors. The main factor is how good a routine you put in place for your puppy to go outside to toilet, and second to that is how consistently you are sticking to the routine. After this, it will be how quickly your puppy can learn to toilet outside and how physically able it can hold on to its toileting.
Potty accidents occur when people are distracted
Life gets busy, and it’s easy to lose track of time when caught up in work calls or household chores. Unlike guide dogs trained to signal with bells, your dog doesn’t always make a noticeable fuss when they need to step outside. This lack of communication leads to the all-too-common wet surprises on your floors.
You understand how crucial it is to maintain alertness for your pup’s cues. But let’s face it: continuously watching your puppy isn’t always practical. However, having a good routine for your puppy significantly cuts down on those accident risks.
Set Up A Good Routine
Puppies have almost no control over their bodily functions. Like babies, they will go to the toilet after sleeping, eating, drinking, and playing. They will also sometimes toilet during playing. You can be prepared when you know roughly when your puppy will need to go to the toilet. Watch for the signs your puppy needs to go to the toilet, sniffing around, circling, squatting.
When setting up the routine, ensure it fits your lifestyle, and you can stick to it. Being consistent will allow your puppy to learn quickly – this goes for all puppy and dog training. Always use praise and reward when your puppy toilets outside, encouraging your puppy to repeat toileting outside.
Your puppy will need to go out to the toilet:
- When it wakes up (first thing in the morning, before your coffee and any daytime naps)
- After it’s eaten and drank (keep mealtimes the same time daily, and no drinks to close to bedtime)
- After play or exercise
- When it’s excited
If your puppy has an accident inside, don’t scold or shout at your puppy; this can cause anxiety and stress, which can cause more indoor accidents. Clean up the mess with as little fuss as possible, and ensure you use an enzyme cleaner to eliminate the scent. Dogs will often toilet in the same spot if the scent is left.
Praise and Reward
Always praise and provide a little reward as soon as your puppy has toileted outside. By giving a reward and praise, your puppy will be encouraged to repeat the rewarding behaviour. Your puppy will learn that toileting inside receives nothing, but toileting outside means praise and a yummy reward. Therefore, your puppy will want to continue to toilet outside.
Add In A Cue
Once your puppy is toileting outside, you can add a cue such as ‘pee pee time’. Say your preferred cue as your puppy is toileting, then praise and reward. This can come in handy when you need your puppy to toilet.
At bedtime, when we need our dog Luna to go to the toilet for the last time before sleep, we say ‘pee pee time’, and she goes into the garden for her pre-bedtime toilet. The cue can be used at other times of the day.
Consider Crate Training
Dogs are pretty clean animals and don’t like to go to the toilet where they sleep. Crate training can be a great tool to help with toilet training, especially if you are busy doing something and can’t keep an eye on your puppy. Crate training also helps your puppy to settle and rest, giving them a safe space to relax and keep them safe.
Patience and Consistency
Having a solid routine that you are consistent with, using plenty of praise and rewards for toileting outside, and being patient with your puppy while it is learning the house rules will guarantee success. Just remember, a young puppy doesn’t have much control over its bladder and bowels, and accidents happen.
However, as your puppy gets a bit older and is still having accidents, take it for a vet check to ensure that there isn’t an undiagnosed medical condition.
You may find these articles helpful:
Take A Crate Break: Help For The Dirty Dog
How To Potty Bell Train Your Puppy
Dog Submissive (Appeasement) Urination: Urinates When Anxious Or Nervous
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