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Potty breaks are part and parcel of daily pup life, and our fur babies need to be taken outside or to a designated potty pad regularly to avoid unwanted accidents. Toilet training is a crucial step in any dog’s development - once they have got this mastered, the world is their oyster!
Depending on your dog’s age and health conditions, they may need to be taken out more often than your average adult dog, and so it is important to be aware of your individual dog’s needs when it comes to house breaking.
We are going to look in more detail at how often you should take out your dog for walks or potty breaks, how their age and state of health may affect this, as well as some insightful toilet training tips to make potty training a whole lot easier.
When dogs are young, similar to human babies, they have not yet learnt about bladder control, and so little accidents are more likely to occur. Also, putting it simply - smaller dogs, smaller bladder, and therefore a minimized ability to hold their pee.
Puppies are often able to go to their new homes when they are around 8 weeks old, and it is recommended that in the first few weeks to take your puppy out to potty every half hour or hour to give them a regular chance to do their business.
The general school of thought when it comes to puppy pee breaks is to align their age in months with the amount of time they can hold their urine for, and then add one. So a 2 month old puppy should be taken to the toilet every 2-3 hours, at 3 months old this can be increased to every 3-4 hours, and then by the time a puppy is between 4-6 months old they should be able to fully control their bladder.
Even when a puppy reaches the age where they should be able to regulate their own need to pee, it is still vital that they are given regular chances to go to the toilet outside, whether this is through regular walks or being let out into a safe outside space.
Many pet owners find puppy pee pads an effective tool during potty training to avoid accidents around the house and help your puppy learn where they can and can’t pee.
Potty training will naturally be a little hit and miss to begin with as your puppy learns when and where they are allowed to relieve themselves. The most important thing to remember is to keep things positive, offering your dog lots of praise and encouragement, and never scolding them for going to the toilet in an unwanted place.
Toilet training takes time and patience, but following these few simple steps to help keep your pup’s routine consistent should be a recipe for success:
The first thing to do in the morning is to take your puppy outdoors and either let them outside to pee or put them on a puppy pad. They will have hopefully been able to hold their pee during the night, and a full bladder paired with the excitement of seeing you gives you a short window of opportunity before the flood gates open!
The way you greet your dog when you see them in the morning can also affect whether they have a little accident or not. Coming downstairs with high energy and lots of excitement can get your puppy all riled up, the thrill of seeing you causing them to lose control of their bladder and pee where they shouldn’t.
It is good practice to get into the routine of letting your dogs outside after each meal to relieve themselves, of the number one or number two variety. Younger puppies very often have to go number two after their meals, and it is recommended to only leave about 5-30 minutes between giving your puppy a meal and taking them to the toilet.
Planning toilet breaks around mealtimes also helps you with toilet training timings and helps you keep an eye on how often your pup needs to go out to pee in between.
Playtime often gets a puppy’s internal cogs working, so that by the time they are all tuckered out and ready for a nap, they can have a quick trip to the toilet before they settle down for a snooze.
Whatever time of day your puppy sleeps, it is important to encourage them to go to the toilet when they wake up to avoid post-nap accidents.
Whether you are leaving your pup home alone or taking them with you, it is important that they are given the chance to use the toilet last thing, before you leave the house. Making sure your dog has emptied out whatever they need to before leaving will minimize the risk of coming home to accidents, or finding little puddles in the backseat of the car!
Just like how many of us use the toilet just before we go to sleep, dogs are no different. Always take your dog out to use the toilet before bedtime, as this will encourage them to sleep through the night and make it less likely for them to wake up and be desperate.
Nighttime routines with a new puppy can be tricky, with a need for more regular toilet breaks and attention, and the added issue of possible separation anxiety that occurs in many young dogs, broken sleep may be the norm for the first few weeks while your fur baby gets used to their new home.
Creating a specific area within your home where your puppy can go potty will help them to associate a specific place with having a pee, rather than feeling they have full run of the house. Pee pads are a great tool for new puppy parents, and can be super effective in minimizing household puddles even if you are taking your dog outside regularly.
It is helpful to use set cues or commands for your puppy to let them know where and when they can pee - these can be words or phrases such as ‘pee’, ‘go potty’ or you may choose to make certain sounds to encourage your pup to pee or poop.
Above all else, positive reinforcement is the most effective way to encourage your dog to repeat a desired behavior. Whether through treats or fuss, your puppy just wants to feel loved and to know they are doing a good job, so even when they have a little accident, remember they are trying their best and reassure them that they are a good girl or boy.
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