Potty Training

Yeah, wouldn’t it be amazing if our dogs could be trained to use potties? Well this isn’t exactly what this article is about. We are talking about how to train our dogs to do their business outside, and even more specifically, on demand.

Potty training your dog is a prolong procedure but at the end you’ll understand it’s worth it.

Dog toilet training is super important and necessary, because unfortunately unless you are a psychic you won’t be able to guess when and where your dog is about to g . Dogs need to learn to “hold it” and only go where they are told to, because don’t know any other way.

Understand the process

There are all sort of methods to train your dog. The simple one is the newspaper method, which we will discuss later in this article. 

Many owners are familiar with the problem where dogs go in the house. You can make them sit outside for hours and nothing, but the minute you’ll go inside they will do it. Most of the time they it will be where you can’t even see that. Why? Because while trying to potty train them, many owners punish their dogs after they went inside. But that is the wrong way! Yes, they do need to be caught in the act, but you do not suppose to rub your dog’s nose in it as many suggest! The dog needs to learn to trust you, not fear you or it will never learn.

Dog toilet training can be a difficult task. Every day needs to repeat itself, and you need to give your dog constant attention when you can; This will make the toilet training procedure much easier. Notice that your training process will take longer if you are working outside the house, as your dogs will need to go and the house is the only place they can.

The Newspaper method

First thing in the process is to teach the dog how to go on command. You can do this inside the house then slowly work your way up to teaching it to do it outside. You need to give your dogs a place of their own. Pick a certain area inside the house, maybe at the back door or a corner of your back room. It is recommended that their food, bed and toys are around, place a lot of newspapers around the area and every 40-60 minutes take them to the desire corner and tell them to do the toilet. Soon your dogs will make the connection and do it. But (!) you still have to keep a close eye on them around the house so you can caught them in the act. When you see them about to do the toilet, take them to the paper and command them, then praise them for doing it on the paper, so they will learn the connection between the command and the act.  This needs patience! don’t rush it.

If it is possible, when they learn to go on command try to take them outside instead as soon as it happens; They will then realize that this is where they need to go to the toilet, and when they can control their bladder a little better they will wait until you come to let them out. It does take a lot of time and patience though.

Another newspaper’s approach is to cover the whole area where your dogs spend time when in the house and gradually take the newspapers out as they start to go to the toilet in a more specific area.

Submissive urination is another awful problem that can be quite a large problem, especially when they get excited. Potty training your dog will help to only release on command.

A rewardable process

Potty training is another huge step towards another accomplishment in your dog’s life (and your home cleaning). So when they do the toilet outside and not in the house make sure they receive lots of treats and praise their behavior. The more your dog  knows it pleases you the more they will likely do it! But Remember, no dog is properly toilet trained until he is about 6 months old so it is a lengthy procedure but a great one when the end results start to show!