Dogs can fill your life with joy and happiness. They are loyal, adorable, loving and will always support you. It’s exciting to have dogs as pets, and they can soon become a part of your family. Dogs can make you smile and uplift your mood easily. These adorable creatures can also help people dealing with mental or emotional health conditions like stress, anxiety, depression, and more. You can also get an emotional support dog if you suffer from any of such conditions.
Now, thinking about living with dogs can be very exciting. But, there are certain things you need to take care of when you have dogs. And one of the most important things is house training or potty training your dogs. This is one of the biggest challenges you will face when living with your fur-companions. Some dogs can struggle with learning this. But, your pups may learn this quickly, if you are lucky enough. Potty training your dogs is all about patience, consistency, calmness, and positive reinforcement.
…But, when to Start Potty Training Your Pups?
Well, if you go with what experts say, you should start potty training your pups when they are about 12 to 16 weeks old. Puppies younger than 12 weeks can not control their bladder for much longer. So, start this training when they are between 12 weeks and 16 weeks old.
Now that you know about when to start this training, let’s get into how you can do it. When you bring your pups home, introduce them to the family. The pups would be full of excitement and curiosity. They can also get scared by seeing the new place, so give them time to settle. This way you can build trust and respect, and build a good relationship with your puppies. So, here are some tips for you that will help you potty train your pups.
1. Understand Your Puppers According to Their Breeds
Every breed is different and has different traits. They have different needs and their behavior can also vary. It’s important for you to understand the traits of your dogs’ traits. This will help you train them better. Many smaller breeds have a small bladder, so they urinate more frequently than the larger breeds. So, chances are that there will be some accidents even after you have trained your dogs.
Now, how can you minimize these accidents? The key here is to understand your dogs. Yes, try to figure out a way to understand how they communicate with you. This way you can understand when your dogs are giving you signs that they want to go for a ‘break’.
2. Supervise Your Doggos
This is very important while you are potty training your pups. You must keep an eye on them at all times. You will eventually start to understand the signs when they need to go for a potty or urine break. Some of the common signs you can notice are when your dogs start scratching, sniffing, and circling. They can also start whining or barking, and you may notice some sudden changes in their behavior. If you find your dogs doing any of these things, it’s time for you to take them outside.
3. Stop Them From Having Accidents
Keeping an eye on your dogs will give you various opportunities to catch them having accidents. Now, here’s what you must do, make a sudden noise immediately. You can clap or simply say “stop,” or “no.” And once you stop them, quickly take them outside, so that they can complete the ‘job’.
But wait, there’s more to it, you have to take care of certain things when interrupting accidents. The goal here is to stop the accidents, not to scare your dogs. You just need their attention and let them understand that you don’t allow them to poop indoors. Also, your pups might not be able to stop if they are defecating. But, you must still carry on with the teaching process. One more thing that you have to remember is to never punish your puppies for accidents. They don’t understand if they are doing anything wrong. Punishments can confuse them and it can make the situation even worse. Your dogs can also become scared of you.
4. Pick a Potty Area
You must pick an area to take your pups every time they need to go. Make sure you pick a spot where no other dogs visit. Dogs remember the smell of urine and start associating the spot as their “bathroom.” Once they get used to this area, chances of having accidents will automatically reduce. In case, you might be asking yourself about what things you need to keep in mind when selecting the potty area, read these points.
1. The area should be near your home so that you can reach there quickly. During the training, you will need to go there frequently.
2. Keep your pups on the leash while you are training them. This way you can give them directions to the specific area you have selected.
5. Use a Specific Word Command And Give Rewards
Whenever you take your dogs outside to the ‘potty area’, use a word command to give the signal to do it. You can say “go” or any other command you like. Your pups will start recognizing this command. This will help you understand when and where they need to urinate or defecate. Also, don’t confuse them by using this particular command unnecessarily.
Here’s something we all can agree upon, rewards can make anyone happy. The same goes for our beloved dogs. They just love getting rewards and praise. They will thrive to repeat the action that pleases their owner. So, praise your pups every time they excrete at the right spot. You can also give them rewards like treats for the same.
6. Establish a Routine
You have to be consistent with the training. Everything you have read till now will work only if you are consistent with these tips. Use the same spot and the same command every time. Your pups will soon start to recognize the area. You just need some patience. Also, establish a routine for your pups. Take them outside after every meal. And while they are young, take them out more often. In about every 1 hour if possible.
Final Words on Potty Training Your Dogs
As I mentioned before, you have to be consistent and patient with this training, and always use positive reinforcement. Learn when your pups need to go. This way you can learn when they need to do it. Stick to the schedule strictly, and reward them whenever they are eliminated at the right spot. Also, it’s okay if accidents happen at the beginning of the training. Accidents are normal. So, be patient and NEVER-ever punish your pups.