How to Potty Train a Young Puppy

Newborn or young puppies have a tendency to go to the bathroom in the house until they have been trained. This can become a nuisance if they are not properly trained because of damage that can be caused to your home. You can properly train your puppy to go to the bathroom outside, relieving your mind of worry, and preventing stains in your house.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog kennel
  • Dog leash
  • Dog treats (if preferred)
  • Pet stain remover (if applicable)
  • Cloth
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Instructions

    • 1

      Prepare to take time off from work or your daily life routine so that you can give yourself time to training your new puppy. It will take time for your puppy to learn where to go to the bathroom. Puppies have the urge to go anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes after eating or drinking.

    • 2

      Watch for clues that your puppy will give you, indicating that it needs to go to the bathroom. These signs include pacing back and forth, sniffing around the house or if there is a spot they have been using to go to the bathroom, they will return to that spot and sniff near that area.

    • 3

      Take your puppy outside and allow it to go to the bathroom. Stay by your puppy so that you can praise it after going to the bathroom. Praising your puppy will teach it that it is good behavior to go to the bathroom outside and the puppy will seek your praise as a reward. You can also give your puppy a treat to reward good behavior, do not, however, make a habit of it because your puppy will become spoiled and think it needs a treat anytime it goes to the bathroom.

    • 4

      Put your puppy in a kennel if it does not go for 10 to 15 minutes, then take the puppy outside and then back into the kennel. When you see the need for it to go, take the puppy outside and allow it to go to the bathroom. This teaches the puppy that it can come out of the kennel when it goes to the bathroom and it will also teach the puppy to go when you want it to. You can place the puppy in the kennel if it goes to the bathroom in the house to teach it that it is not acceptable to go in the house. Reward the puppy when it goes to the bathroom outside. Ignore the fact that the puppy has gone to the bathroom in the house, you do not want to give energy to the dog for going to the bathroom in the house. Refrain from rubbing your puppy's nose in its potty spot. This is never a good technique and will only scare and confuse your puppy.

    • 5

      Attach a leash onto your puppy's collar and take it outside when it needs to go to the bathroom. Take your puppy around the yard on the leash to teach it to go to the bathroom in different areas of the yard.

    • 6

      Clean any potty spots in the house with a pet stain remover and a cloth. The pet stain removers are not only good at removing the pet stain but they are also good at removing the smell. There is a certain smell in the pet stain remover that discourages the puppy from going to the bathroom in the same area.