There are a lot of different ways to potty train your puppy. The idea behind potty training with wood chips is to give your puppy a unique substrate that he can habitually use for his potty area. That way he will refrain from using carpet, grass or other areas when he has wood chips available.
Things You'll Need
- Bag of wood chips
- Small shovel and rake
Instructions
Pick an area of your backyard that is off to the side or in the back but easily accessible. Dogs usually prefer to use spots that are not in the main area. If you are using wood chips in a litter box, you can use the same idea indoors.
Clean the area of any debris. The size should be large enough for your puppy to walk around. Pull up weeds and excess grass, and spread the wood chips over the area.
Take your puppy out to her area every 15 minutes to every hour, depending on her age, and wait for her to go potty. As soon as she does, give her lots of love and a treat. If she doesn't go, take her out again in a few minutes. By doing this, you are training her to use only that area and helping her to avoid mistakes.
Pick him up and take him to his spot on the wood chips if he has an accident. You don't need to yell or be negative, just show him where to go. Eventually he will get the idea.
Clean the wood chips regularly with the rake and shovel. At least once per week, replace all the wood chips with a fresh bag. If the area becomes too dirty, your puppy will avoid using it.
Anticipate your puppy's needs. By minimizing the negative and making potty on the wood chips fun, she will quickly learn.