Potty training sounds simple enough—it boils down to one rule: take your dog to the right spot at the right time, and praise it for doing its business there. Yet many owners still struggle with this, even though they know not to punish the dog and should use rewards instead. Why does it never seem to work smoothly?
Four Reasons for Indoor Accidents
- The dog is too young and hasn’t developed the awareness to use a designated potty spot.
- The dog poops or pees in its crate, and the owner lets it out right after cleaning up. This makes the dog form a subconscious link: If I go potty in the crate, I get to be let out.
- The owner spoils the dog by leaving food out all day, worried it might go hungry or thirsty. More food means more waste—this is all down to overindulgence.
- For households with male dogs: as their male instincts kick in, they may mark their territory indoors.
Potty Training Methods
It’s best to take your fully vaccinated dog outside to pee and poop morning and night, to build a habit of going potty outdoors. For puppies not yet ready for outdoor trips, you’ll need to train them to use a designated spot indoors first.
Outdoor Potty Training
- Take your dog outside at fixed times every day—usually right after morning and evening meals. This helps it learn to do its business outdoors. Walk it more often if you have time.
- Pick specific outdoor spots for it to go potty, and stick to those areas. Don’t let it wander around and choose a spot randomly.
- Keep the leash short while walking. Encourage it to sniff and pace around the chosen area—this is how dogs get into the mood to go potty.
- Praise it immediately when it goes potty in the right spot. This lets it know it’s done something good.
- Potty training takes time—it won’t happen overnight. Be patient.
- Outdoor potty breaks also double as exercise, which is great for your dog’s physical and mental health, and burns off its excess energy.
Indoor Potty Training
- For unvaccinated puppies that can’t go outside, pick a good indoor spot—the balcony or bathroom are perfect choices.
- Cover the entire area with pet pee pads, and take your dog there at fixed times every day to do its business.
- To guide it, place a pee pad that has a bit of its old urine or poop on it in the area. This tells the dog, This is where you’re supposed to go.
- Give your dog plenty of time to go potty, and reward it right away after it’s done.
- Start big, then shrink the space: Begin with a large area covered in pee pads, then gradually reduce the number of pads until only one remains—this is your dog’s final designated potty spot.
Important Notes
Potty training is a long process—patience is key. Never scold or punish your dog for having an accident once or twice; this will only make training harder. Always reward your dog immediately when it uses the designated spot, so it forms the association: Going potty here makes my owner happy.