How to Potty Train a Puppy in Five Days

Training a puppy to relieve himself outside takes a considerable amount of patience. But since instinct makes him want to go in nature, you have one thing on your side starting out. Your puppy will likely have accidents. With consistency and a great deal of patience, however, you can train your puppy to go in your own back yard in under a week.

Things You'll Need

  • Floor cleaner (appropriate for your inside floors)
  • Enzyme pet spray
  • Paper towels
  • Crate
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Instructions

    • 1

      Establish a regular schedule for feeding your puppy. Generally, puppies should eat three times a day for the first six months. Attempt house training when you have established a diet and not during a food change. Don't feed him table food, especially during the crucial days of potty training, as the effects on your puppy's young stomach are unknown and unpredictable. Discontinue all food and drink several hours before bedtime to help train your puppy to wait until morning.

    • 2

      Allow your dog to go outside often--ridiculously often. After the first feeding of the day, place your puppy in his crate for 30 minutes. Dogs do not like to soil their personal space. After 30 minutes, let him out and lead him directly outside. A puppy's digestive process is extremely quick and efficient, so he should need to go right away. Allow him the time to look around and find a spot of his choosing.

    • 3

      Choose a key word and speak it each time he is going--for example, "potty." Speak it both while he is going and in your praise afterward. Your dog will begin to make an association between the command and the act, and will understand what you expect of him when you say this word. The key word will also prove handy at times when you need your dog to go in an unfamiliar location.

    • 4

      After each success, praise your pet. Use treats, petting, play or kind words to reward your dog, making sure you accompany the gesture with positive energy. Repeat this and the first three steps after each meal throughout the training process. Take your dog out as often as once an hour, when possible, and any time he gives a signal that he needs to go. Signals include going to the door, sniffing the floor and walking in circles.

    • 5

      When you leave the house, even briefly, crate your puppy. At bedtime, take your puppy out one last time and then put him back in his crate to sleep. As soon as you return home or wake up in the morning, take him outside immediately for an opportunity to relieve himself.

    • 6

      When your puppy has an accident, clean the surface thoroughly. If the affected area of the floor is a hard surface, scrub it several times with the appropriate cleaning solution for that type of floor. If the area is carpeted, treat it first with pet enzyme spray, followed by your regular carpet-cleaning solution. Some carpet-cleaning solutions contain enzymes for pet messes.

    • 7

      If you catch your dog in the act of going inside, call to him immediately and urge him out the door. Allow him to finish in the yard. If he is able to finish outside, treat it as a success and follow through by saying the key word and praising him.