Good Ways to Potty Train a Dog

Dogs are naturally clean animals. Their instinct tells them to urinate and defecate far away from where they sleep and eat. This instinct helped them remain clean and healthy in the wild. However, due to the domestic environment, it is not always easy for dogs to eliminate in the right place, so it is the responsibility of the dog owner to potty train his puppy.

  1. Create A Potty Area

    • Your puppy will have accidents during potty training. Establish an area close to an outside door that you can use as a potty area. Lay down newspaper and encourage your puppy to enter the area, even if he or she doesn't need to eliminate. Every time the puppy goes in to the area, reward this behavior with a treat. The trick is to get the puppy to associate being in the area with the reward.

    Positive Reinforcement

    • Positive reinforcement is a very simple psychological process used in dog training. Each desirable action performed by a dog is met with a pleasant response. Reward any desirable potty behavior with a treat. If you are outside and the dog urinates or defecates, reward it. If you happen to be in the potty area and the dog uses it, reward this behavior.

    Don't Punish

    • Dogs are naturally inclined to establish a toilet area, so any inappropriate toilet behavior is accidental. If your dog is urinating on the carpet and you begin to shout at the animal, the dog will simply associate urinating with a negative response. This will make it difficult to encourage the dog to urinate in the correct place.

    Pay Attention

    • Make it as easy for your dog to succeed during potty training as possible. Being aware of the signs that he or she needs to go will enable you to act accordingly. Scratching at the door and circling are two very common signs that a dog needs to go.

    Potty Diary

    • Record the times of day that your puppy goes to to the toilet. Keep a note of the amount of time it takes for the puppy to need to go after having food and water. Be ready to gently guide the dog into the potty area at these times.

    Remove The Potty Area

    • Once the dog's bladder and bowels become able to hold on to waste for longer periods of time, you can expect your dog to wait until he or she is outside. Practice by taking the dog outdoors on a leash. Walk around the area you want your dog to use. As soon as the dog begins to show signs of needing to go, guide them to the correct area and reward them when they go. Keep the potty training area in place at night in case of accidents and remove it completely once the dog understands that the garden is the place to go.