Now that I have this adorable puppy at home, what do I do next.
Potty training your puppy should be high on your priority list.
This training is a building block for a close loving bond; and instill good behaviors and habits for your young pet.
Potty training your puppy involves consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement for your pet.
It is up to you to teach your puppy how to play nice and go potty in a designated place in the yard.
It may take several weeks or months of focused attention to teach a puppy how to do all of these things.
This training can be dependent on breed and dog size. The smaller the dog, the smaller the urinary tract and higher metabolism, thus requiring more trips outside to properly potty training your puppy.
Some breeds are easier to train based on their eagerness and willingness to please their pack leader, you.
When do I start potty training puppy?
Most seasoned trainers recommend that you begin house training your puppy when he is between 12 and 16 weeks old. At that point, he/she has enough control of their bladder and bowel movements to learn to hold it.
If you new puppy is older and has not been potty or house-trained, then this process of potty training may take longer as they have to be taught new behaviors.
Stay focused and persistent through encouragement and praise.
Training puppy pads can be effective in teaching a dog or puppy that there maybe an approved spot within the home to relieve themselves.
This can be effective for the older dogs as they will be going through a transition in knowing where and when is the appropriate spot and time to go potty as you progress in their training.
Puppy pads are also effective if you have to leave your dog or puppy inside for a long period, especially for the smaller breeds.
So here are some techniques and steps to assist you in potty training your puppy.
Here’s the HOW: Potty Training Your Puppy.
A schedule or consistent routine are very important to starting the potty training for your puppy. A 6-month old or younger puppy should not be expected to hold their movements or bladder for more than 6 hours at the most.
Another rule of thumb is a puppy should not be expected to hold themselves for a time period based on one hour for 
every month of age.
So if you puppy is 3 months old, do not let them go for over 3 hours between breaks.
Take them outside immediately after they wake up, during and after playing, and after eating and drinking.
Make them go in a particular place in your yard where you want them to by using a leash.
Be consistent with the words and phrases you use when taking them outside and remind them what they are out there to do.
Consider turning this into a walk or playtime afterwards once they have completed their business is a form of praise.
Treats are very effective once they have completed their business. This should be immediate and consistent.
This is critical to helping them understand what is expected of them. Be Always sure they are finished before giving them their reward as puppies as it can easily distract them if they are rewarded too soon.
Have your puppy on a regular feeding schedule. Puppies often need to be fed three times a day, depending on their age.
Try to feed them at a consistent time every day, as this will help them do their business at consistent times as well, making the house training process easier for both of you.
Monitor their food intake and do not over-feed as their digestive tracks are still developing.
To eliminate the need for your puppy to relieve themselves during the night, cut off their water supply roughly 3 hours before bedtime.
Most puppies can go about seven hours of sleep before needing to relieve themselves.
If your puppy does wake you in the middle of the night needing to go, don’t make a big deal of it. Simply take them outside without talking to or playing with them and return them back to bed once they are finished.
Observation of your puppies habits can be critical to understand when you puppy is in need of going outside.
Praise, Praise, and more Praise!
Make your puppy think that they are the smartest animal alive every time she/he performs this simple, natural act.
Cheer, clap, or throw cookies for an immediate reward.
Make them think that no other accomplishment, ever—not going to the moon, or not splitting the atom has been as important as this pee.
Dogs and puppies are eager for positive enforcement of their actions no matter what they are doing or what you are trying to teach them.
Training your puppy is one of the most important things you two will do together.
Is Crate training as important, YES!
Dogs are natural denning animals. If they were in the wild, their mother would provide a clean den(home) for them to live. The den is a place of comfort and security.
The crate can provide these attributes for your puppy or dog. So don’t be afraid of the crate or think it is gruel to use one.
After all, this is natural for the canine in your home.
Here are a few guidelines for using a crate:
- Make sure it is large enough for the puppy to stand, turn around, and lie down. Not any bigger than that.
- If you are using the crate for more than two hours at a time, make sure puppy has fresh water, preferably in a dispenser you can attach to the crate. I grate all of my dogs at night while we sleep.
- If you can’t be home during the house training period, make sure somebody else gives him a break in the middle of the day for the first 8 months.
- Don’t use a crate if puppy is continuing to go to the bathroom in it. Going in the crate could have several meanings. He/she may have brought bad habits from the shelter or pet store where he lived before. They may not be getting outside enough, the crate may be too big, or they may be too young to hold it in.
- Do not ever use the crate as punishment. This is their safe space and home(den).
- Keep the crate clean. This is natural that the mother would keep the den clean.
The Do’s/Don’ts of Potty Training your Puppy
Do praise, don’t punish are the important ingredients to a well-trained dog or puppy.
Accidents will happen, just stick to your training routine and your pet will adapt.
- Punishing your puppy for having an accident is a definite no-no. It teaches your puppy to fear you.
- If you catch your puppy in the act, clap loudly so he knows he’s done something unacceptable. Then take him outside by calling him or taking him gently by the collar. When he’s finished, praise him or give him a small treat.
- If you found the evidence but didn’t see the act, don’t react angrily by yelling or rubbing his nose in it. Puppies aren’t intellectually capable of connecting your anger with their accident.
- Staying outside longer with puppy may help to curb accidents. He may need the extra time to explore.
- Clean up accidents with an enzymatic cleanser rather than an ammonia-based cleaner to minimize odors that might attract the puppy back to the same spot.
Conclusion
Remember, accidents will happen. It will be your response on how the puppy will receive your correction, either positive or negative.
Praise is the best positive reaction for you to give your puppy.
Training works best when good behavior is rewarded.
You can reward your puppy with a tasty treat, by playing a game with his favorite toy, or by making a fuss over him and praising him.
Find out what makes your puppy the happiest and use this to reward him when he does something well.
I hope you find this of value and feel free to leave me a comment below if you have any questions and I will get back to you ASAP!