Easy Dog Potty Training

Whether you have bought a new puppy or adopted an older dog from a shelter or rescue, one of your priorities will undoubtedly be potty training. Potty training helps keep your house free from "potty spots" that can smell and cause stains. Successful potty trainers are patient, calm and consistent. With the right attitude, potty training can be quick and easy.

  1. Time Frame

    • The amount of time it takes for a puppy or dog to become completely housebroken depends on the size of the dog's bladder and his ability to control it. Small puppies have little to no bladder control and don't realize they need to potty until the moment it happens, said dog trainer Norma Bennett Woolf in the Dog Owner's Guide.

    Considerations

    • Dogs have a natural instinct not to soil their dens. Used appropriately, a dog crate can help with potty training. Feeding meals and giving treats inside the dog crate help create a positive association, according to the Humane Society of the United States. Using crate training techniques together with positive reinforcement can help speed up the potty training process.

    Benefits

    • The benefits of crate training are many. As well as helping with potty training, the crate can be a safe haven for your dog to escape to when he needs some time alone. Confining your dog in its crate when you are out prevents your dog from chewing inappropriately on your furniture or your shoes. Positive reinforcement potty training also has its benefits. It helps build trust and friendship between owner and dog.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Preventing accidents is important when potty training. Dogs have excellent noses, and even if an accident spot is well-cleaned, there could be a slight scent undetectable to the human nose that could cause your dog to repeat his mistake. Cleaning the spot immediately after the accident with an enzymatic cleaner removes the odor and the stain. Before your dog is 100 percent housebroken, constant supervision helps prevent accidents, according to the Dumb Friends League, a Denver animal welfare organization. When you cannot supervise your dog, put him in the crate or gate him in a dog-proof room.

    Warning

    • Punishing a dog for a potty accident indoors is counterproductive. Corrections such as yelling, smacking or rubbing your dog's nose in the mess only scares and confuses your dog, Bennett Woolf said. Punishing for an old accident is a bad idea because the dog is not smart enough to link his past act with your present anger and punishment. Instead, distract your dog if you catch him in the act and take him outside, praising when he eliminates outdoors. If you find an old accident spot, remain calm, clean it up and remind yourself to supervise the dog better next time.