When I asked my 5 year old niece, Charlotte, “Why are puppies the best?”, her response was “Puppies have so cute little faces and they like playing in the grass and they fall asleep all the time even when they are eating food.” That’s just a shortened version of her response but it was a quick one word answer when I asked what she doesn’t like about puppies… “Poop!” So, as it turns out, Charlotte and I are pretty much the same. Puppies really are the best but potty training is not. To help you through the process, here are some tips and tricks to get it done faster:
Use a non-porous crate just big enough for your puppy to turn around comfortably
Don’t put any blankets, toys, or food inside the crate
Keep your puppy in the crate in between potty breaks
Keep a consistent feeding schedule
Take your dog to the same potty spot every time you take them out
Reward you do with a treat or praise for going potty outside
Do not reprimand your dog unless you catch them in the act
After your dog goes potty outside, allow on-leash free play for 10 minutes
Puppies can hold their bladder about the same number of hours as how many months old they are
A puppy can hold their bladder twice as long at night
Monitor your puppy closely for any excessive sniffing or circling a certain spot and immediately take them outside if observed.
If your puppy barks or whines after being in the crate for a while let them out to the potty spot immediately.
The major thing to take away from these tips is that your puppy doesn’t want to sit in his own waste, so by putting him in an empty, hard-bottomed crate during potty training your puppy should start realizing he has to let you know when he needs to go out.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]