Tips on How to Potty Train a Mini Schnauzer

It's never too late to housetrain a miniature schnauzer--this is an intelligent breed. Although they have a reputation for stubbornness, the secret to training them is to make them choose to toilet where you want them to toilet. This is done through positive reinforcement and not force.

  1. Basics

    • A mini schnauzer has an incredibly sharp nose. When they are walking around in tight circles, sniffing, they are sniffing for trace scents of ammonia that lets them know where they can urinate and defecate. Pick up any mini schnauzer doing this behavior and place them outside or where you want them to perform. Give lots of verbal praise when they squat where they are supposed to. Using a "Pee Post" (see Resources) can help train the dog. Clean any accidents with an enzyme-based cleaner and not an ammonia-based one. Clean up any accidents without making a fuss. Never rub a mini schnauzer's nose in an accident. They will not know why you are doing such bizarre behavior and may bite out of fear.

    Crate Training

    • According to "ASPCA Complete Guide to Dog Care," crate training is the fastest way to train either a puppy or an adult dog. A healthy dog will prefer to never sleep in an area that has been fouled by its own waste. Make sure the crate is large enough for the mini schnauzer to stand up, turn around and lie down in. Make the crate inviting and comfortable with a comfortable bed and toys. Keeping the crate in an area where the family hangs out will help the dog prefer to go into the crate on his own. Never send the mini schnauzer to the crate as punishment. The mini schnauzer will then not want to go into the crate. Adult mini schnauzers can only hold their bladders for an average of eight hours, so do not keep them penned up longer than necessary.

    Rescue Dogs

    • Because they are a small breed, miniature schnauzers can often be bred in puppy mills or have spent so long in a cage that they are used to defecating and urinating in the same area where they sleep. If your miniature schnauzer is a puppy mill rescue dog or was purchased from a pet store, the chances are high he will not realize that pooping and peeing in his bed is not normal. But given time, he will learn to use your designated toilet areas because he will come to prefer sleeping in waste-free areas.