Potty-training can be a frustrating time for both puppy and owner. However, several different techniques exist that owners and trainers commonly use to successfully potty-train new puppies. Since puppies tend to have short memories and establish bad habits quickly, owners should begin the training as soon as they get their new dog home. No matter which potty-training technique an owner selects, remembering to have patience, persistence and to praise the dog for good behavior can help the training to progress quickly and smoothly.
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Crate Training
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One popular potty-training technique for puppies is crate training. This technique involves keeping the puppy in a small cage or crate during the potty-training process. Crate training relies on the notion that a puppy will not relieve itself in an area that it sleeps in. Successful crate-training will encourage the puppy to learn to wait before relieving itself. Owners should take their puppy outside before and after being placed in a crate. A puppy should be kept in the crate whenever it is left unattended. An owner can wean a puppy off of the crate as training progresses.
Observation
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Some owners who have the necessary time may prefer to potty-train their puppies using observation. Most puppies will exhibit tell-tale signs when it needs to relieve itself such as sniffing or circling the floor. Owners who spend a lot of time around their puppy throughout the day can observe the puppy and learn to discern its tell-tale sign. Once the behavior is observed, the owner can then rush the puppy outdoors to relieve itself. With this method, it is important to get the puppy outside before it relieves itself in the house. This will help the puppy learn to associate the outdoors (instead of the indoors) with relieving itself.
Regular Schedule
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Instead of taking a puppy outdoors at the spur of the moment, some owners may prefer to potty-training their puppy according to a regular schedule. A good generic schedule is to take the puppy outdoors before and after it sleeps, before and after a meal, before the owner leaves for work and after the owner returns home. Since not every puppy may have the same bodily needs, owners can adapt the generic schedule to fit their individual puppy's needs. Owners can also adapt the schedule to fit their own lifestyle. Asking a family member or friend to help may benefit owners who work during the day or at night.
Word Recognition
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It is well known that dogs can learn to recognize and respond to certain words or commands. This ability can also serve as a good tool for potty-training a puppy. To use this method, owners should select a word to represent going outside such as "outside" or "potty." Owners should speak this word preceding each time they bring the puppy outside to relieve itself. If an owner catches their puppy about to relieve itself in the house, they should tell the puppy "no" in a stern voice, then speak the designated command and quickly bring the puppy outside. Over time, the puppy will begin to recognize the routine and associate hearing the command word with a trip outside.
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