How to Potty Train Small Breed Puppies

Bringing home a new puppy can be an exciting time. You have a chance to learn and shape the personality of an animal that can be a member of your family for years to come. With a young puppy, you have the chance to teach it how you want it to behave and raise it to be your ideal pet. With an older puppy, you still have the opportunity to change any behaviors that are problems for you. Small breed puppies don't make the same size mess as bigger dogs, but they need the same care in potty traiing so that they can grow up to be well behaved members of the family and learn to respect you as their owner.

Instructions

    • 1

      Determine what method is going to work best for you and your family and come up with a plan for where you want the puppy to go potty. Paper training a puppy may be easier and works well for small breeds and is useful for apartments or dogs that will be mostly indoor pets. Training a puppy to go only outdoors will be less messy in the long run, but you have to be prepared to go outdoors with the puppy at all hours and in all weather.

    • 2

      Be patient with your puppy. Training may take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on how old the puppy is and how the puppy has been raised so far. Puppies also do not have full bladder capacity until they are older. Your puppy will have accidents, and it is best to not punish it for these accidents, but instead praise your puppy for the times it goes where you want it to. Supplemental treats while catching your puppy "in the act" help to reinforce positive behaviors.

    • 3

      Establish a routine by taking your puppy to the spot you want it to use. This can be a quiet corner covered in newspapers or puppy pads, outside in a yard or on leash going for a walk. Be sure to bring a plastic bag to clean up your puppy's poop if you are letting it go on public property. You should take your puppy to its spot in the morning when it wakes up and at night right before it goes to sleep, as well as two to three times during the day.

    • 4

      Give your puppy time to explore and sniff the area that you want it to use. Do not rush your puppy. If it feels uncomfortable in the area or senses that you are uncomfortable because you are in a hurry to leave, your puppy may not be to potty in that spot. If you are paper training your puppy, make sure you put the paper or puppy pads in a quiet spot so that your puppy will be comfortable going there.

    • 5

      Watch your puppy while it is in the house. If the puppy gives signs that it needs to go, such as sniffing in one spot or squatting, tell it "NO!" in a loud, firm voice or clap your hands to distract it. Then quickly take your puppy to the spot outside or on the paper where you want it to go. Do not hit the puppy or yell at it. That will frighten the puppy and distract it from learning not to go in the house.

    • 6

      Praise the puppy in a soft but excited tone of voice each time the puppy goes where you want it to. Clean up the mess as soon as the puppy is done. Your puppy will not be comfortable going in a spot that smells or is dirty. Be consistent with your routine and your puppy will be eager to please you and should potty train quickly.