All new puppy owners want to teach their little one not to mess inside their new home as quickly and efficiently as they can. This can be easily achieved by following some simple rules and staying on a schedule. It is critical for the overall success of your puppy that all members of the household know and abide by the same schedule and routine. If everyone has different schedules in only confuses the puppy and can cause anxiety, especially if they are reprimanded for having accidents.
Pick a designated area for potty breaks
Whether you are training your puppy to go potty outside or inside using pee pads, find an area that will become familiar to your little one as the “potty spot”. Make sure that all members of the household who will be caring for the puppy are consistent in taking the puppy to their spot. It is important to give them a signal or voice command, telling them to go potty so that they can begin to associate the two things together. Stand quietly and wait until they are ready. If they do not go, take them back into the house and bring them back out in a few minutes. Continue doing this until they finally take action. After they do their business, offer lots of praise and a small treat to let them know that they did the right thing.
Keep your puppy on a schedule
Puppies, just like toddlers, have smaller bladders and bowels, and don’t have complete control over the muscles involved. As a new pet parent you must make sure to take your new puppy out often. After waking up from a night’s sleep or nap, after meals or drinking of water and after play time are the most important times to take your puppy out for a potty break. As they grow they will begin to associate these activities with the need to go.
Watch for signs
Your puppy may not know how to communicate through language, but they will be able to show you signs if you pay attention. Some of the most common signs that your pet will show when they need to go potty are:
- Pacing
- Smelling their backside
- Barking or scratching at the door
- Squatting
- Sniffing the floor
Give praise
Dogs of any age want to know when they have done something right. You’ll never see a happier pooch than when their humans tell them, “good boy/girl”, in fact you can almost see their smile over their tail wagging! Whether you use positive words or offer a treat, it is so important to let them know how well they did.
If after an extended training period of following the above guidelines, your puppy doesn’t seem to be making progress, it may be worth a trip to the veterinarian. Frequent accidents in the house may be a sign of a health concern. If this is something you or your family suspects, please contact your vet’s office immediately. It may be something as simple as needing to change their diet or routine, but you want to be certain and be glad you called sooner rather than later.
To learn further tips and tricks on how to successfully train your puppy, visit premierpups.com.