Puppies will fill your life with joy, but they can make a bit of a mess if they haven’t been toilet trained. That aspect of bringing a new puppy home may cause a bit of frustration, but mastering toilet training should be a key goal for their initial days with you. Here’s our advice on how to toilet train a puppy.
Start toilet training your puppy from the very beginning
Begin toilet training your puppy as soon as they arrive home. There are things your puppy will pick up naturally, but you need to be very clear where the ‘no go’ zones are for your puppy to relieve themselves. Creating a routine for toilet training is a smart way to reinforce your message and also to guide them through this transitional stage.
Allocate a toileting spot for your puppy to use, and take them there at times they’re likely to want to go to the bathroom. In particular:
- As soon as they wake up
- After playing
- After eating
- After being in a crate
Going to their toilet zone at these key times will give you the opportunity to avoid any accidents and help your puppy understand where they should to go to the bathroom.
Look for signs that your puppy needs to use the toilet
Just as you communicate with your pet, they will try to communicate with you via body language. Keep an eye out for signs such as turning in circles, sniffing the ground or whining, which could be your puppy telling you they need to go. Take them to the toilet zone when you notice these behaviours.
Use toilet training aids
Puppy training pads are fantastic for creating a dedicated spot for your puppy to relieve themselves. They’re great for apartment-dwellers, but they’re also handy when you want to encourage your pet to walk into the garden.
If you’re struggling to entice your pet to go outside, use the training pads by moving them closer and closer to the door to the garden each time. Your puppy will soon enough follow the trail until you no longer need to use the pads.
Toilet training essentials
To help attract your puppy to the designated toilet area, consider using scent attractants like Petsafe Skip to My Loo. This synthetic pheromone mimics the scent of dog urine. Apply the solution to puppy pads or designated toilet area, and your puppy will be drawn there to do their business. Don’t worry about the smell – the scent is undetectable by the human nose.
Clean up your puppy’s accidents effectively
Don’t assume that your standard household cleaners will be enough to clean up toilet accidents indoors. While it may seem to remove the smell of urine enough that you can no longer detect it, your puppy’s nose is much stronger. Unless the residual urine is completely broken down, they’ll keep returning to the same spot to reinforce their scent.
When you clean up their accident, use a pet enzymatic cleaner. Enzymatic cleaners will break down the urine more effectively than standard household cleaners.
Praise your puppy’s good toileting habits, don’t punish accidents
Your puppy can go to the toilet around a dozen times in one day, so you know that some little accidents will happen. But bear in mind that the way you respond to these accidents will determine the speed and effectiveness of your puppy’s habits. Being patient with them and reacting in the right way will be the difference between success and failure.
Sure, cleaning up accidents can be frustrating, but you should never lose your temper with your puppy if they go in the wrong place. When they go to the toilet in the right area then you should give them lots of praise and positive reinforcement with treats or toys.
If you find they have gone to the toilet in the wrong place, gently redirect them to the designated toilet zone. Avoid getting angry at your puppy, and never rub their nose in the mess if they have an accident. These actions build negative emotional associations and will teach your puppy that going to the toilet anywhere when you’re nearby is unacceptable.
For more help with toilet training, enrol your puppy into Petbarn’s Puppy School. Our qualified trainers will teach you all the puppy fundamentals including toilet training, basic cues, socialisation and more!
Your puppy will be eager to please you, so if you stick to these tips and a good routine, they should pick up the basics of toilet training quickly.