Potty Training Devices for Dogs

Potty training a new puppy or dog is time consuming, and patience and consistency are the most important characteristic the new owner needs to have. Some breeds do take longer than others because their personalities are a bit more stubborn, but all dogs want to make their owners happy and a well-trained dog is a happy dog.

  1. Crate Training

    • Training kennels are similar to those used in boarding kennels.

      Crate training your new dog is one of the most successful and quickest ways to housebreak your dog. You need to purchase a training kennel from your local pet store or other retail outlet. Big stores such as Wal-Mart and Target carry these types of kennels. The most durable kennels are made of wire and have removable plastic bottoms for easy cleaning. To crate train your dog, start with him in the kennel and immediately take him outside to go to the bathroom before you let him back in. You should praise him when he goes outside properly and then allow him to come back in. He also needs to go in the kennel right after he eats. When he is a puppy, it is important for him to be in the kennel when you can't keep an eye on him. It is also important to remember to let him outside every time you open the kennel until he is completely housebroken.

    Training Pads

    • Using training pads to housebreak your dog is similar to using newspaper but it is a little less messy. To use training pads to train your dog, you must first pick a corner away from where he eats and sleeps that will also be easy for you to clean up. To begin with, cover a larger area than what your puppy needs with training pads. Over time, you can reduce the number of pads he needs in one area. Just like with crate training, you should take your dog to the pads after he eats and give him a command such as "go potty." If he walks away from the pads, pick him up and put him back and give the command again. Keep doing this until he relieves himself on the pads. Praise him with a happy tone.

      It is important to take him to the pads after every meal, drink, nap, after any playtime, before bed or when he starts giving tell tale signs of needing to go (such as circling or sniffing the ground).

    Belly Bands for Male Dogs

    • A belly band is a piece of fabric with Velcro on each end that goes around a male dog's penis to stop him from marking inside. To use this as a training aid, put the belly band on him while he's inside and take it off of him when you take him outside.

    Extra Tips

    • During housebreaking, only give your puppy food and water when you can take him outside or to his training pads right after he eats.

      The quickest way to potty train your dog is to be consistent and give a lot of praise when he goes where you want him to go.

      When you train a dog to go to the restroom inside using training pads, it is more difficult to train him to go outside if you decide to retrain him.

      Puppies need to go out frequently. The best way to judge is a 2-month-old puppy should be taken out at least every two hours. A 3-month-old needs to go out at least every three hours and so on until the puppy is 6 to 8 months old.