House Training

Potty training? Remember the rule of thumb. 1 hour for 1 month of age.

I like to set a timer so that I remember to take them out regularly in case I get busy with other things and might forget. Limit where the dog can go during these early days of potty training.

Watch for sniffing, circling or hiding. If you have an accident do NOT rub the dogs nose in it or punish. This will encourage the dog to hide and fear you as they will most likely connect potty to punishment rather than potty to "I should do this outside" and it will delay your goal.

Hang a bell near or on the door leading outside. Every time you take the dog outside ring the bell. Soon the dog will ring the bell to let you know it needs to go outside.

I prefer to leash in the beginning. This way you can take the dog out, keep an eye on what is happening and reward with big praise and petting immediately upon success. And having a dog that will readily do their business on a leash is good if you have to travel with them.

If he doesn't go within a few minutes take the puppy back inside, but keep the leash on so they can't go far. Take them back out after a few minutes and try again. Repeat until you have success.

Give it a cue. At our house it's "business". If I am in a hurry I can tell the dogs to "do business" and they do it quickly without getting distracted by play.

Note: I am not a fan of pee pads. These can teach the dog that it is ok to go inside and make it that much harder to transition to outside.