How to Train Your Dog Where to Pee

Training a dog where to pee is an important task for any dog owner. Dog behaviorist Patricia McConnell argues that dog owners should teach dogs the right place to pee rather than punishing them for peeing in the wrong place. Whether you're training your dog to pee outside, on puppy pads, or even in a litter box, reward-based training is the most effective method.

Things You'll Need

  • Treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Select the location where you want your dog to pee. Dogs are creatures of habit and are highly motivated by smell, which means they tend to pee in the same spot every time. If you're using puppy pads, the pads need to stay in the same location. If you'd prefer that your dog pee outside, take your dog to the same spot every time you take her out.

    • 2

      Know when your dog needs to pee. Puppies will need to go to the bathroom after every meal, after naps, after drinking water and after playing. Take your puppy outside frequently to avoid accidents.

    • 3

      Clean up accidents immediately but don't let your dog or puppy see you do so. Dogs will pee in spots that smell like urine, so it's important to eliminate any smell by using a good odor neutralizer.

    • 4

      Take your dog outside if she has an accident. Dog trainer Pat Miller argues that dogs can learn bad behavior from accidents: if your dog pees on the carpet and you don't take her outside, she may think that peeing on the carpet is okay.

    • 5

      Don't yell at your dog when she has an accident, as you may make her anxious and likely to pee from submissiveness.

    • 6

      Give your dog a treat as soon as she begins to pee in the correct location. Dogs learn most quickly when they are rewarded for doing the right thing. The praise needs to be immediate so that your dog develops an association between peeing in the right place and getting a reward.