Potty Training

 Here is my article on Potty Training. 

Some pups submissive urinate when they get excited, or are around more dominant humans or dogs. I recommend confidence building exercises for the pup, they often will outgrow this issue in time. Always meet the pup calmly, work on their impulse control, and don’t pick them up any more often than necessary. A belly band or pup diaper may help until the issue is resolved.

Being attentive to the pup is the biggest factor with potty training. Pups have very little control of their bodily functions when they are very young. Be patient, some take longer to train than others.

No to using puppy pads, as they encouraging the pup to urinate/potty in the house which makes potty training outdoors much harder. 

Stay calm while you are waiting for your pup to go potty. Pups will pick up on our energy if we are stressed,and it can make them stressed as well - possibly making them feel uneasy about pooping outside.

Tether the pup to you indoors when they are not crated.  Stay attentive, and immediately pick the pup up and bring them outside when you notice them acting like they might need to go. Stand there with them on a 6 foot leash, by a tree is preferable, wait them out till they go then praise for doing well. A little play time at that point reinforces their good behavior.

Crates should be big enough for the pup to stand, turn around, and lie down in. Pups naturally don’t want to make a mess where they sleep, so I don’t want to give the pup too big a crate. A divider can be used in a larger crate to keep the pup confined to a smaller area.

I take them out immediately after they eat, and immediately after exercise- they are tethered to me and supervised,or crated otherwise. 
Generally most people use the one month of age for one hour a pup can last without being let out, so a 10 week old pup ( baring any physical issues) should be able to wait around two hours before having to go out again. Before ten weeks many have very little control, so I don’t expect much from them. Individual results may vary, especially in the beginning of potty training.

I do NOT scold pups or reprimand them for having an accident in the house, it won’t help the problem,but it definitely can cause some other really nasty ones- like the pup hiding when they go poop, or eating their poop so they don’t get scolded....
Instead,immediately pick up the pup and bring it outdoors as soon as it looks like it needs to go- too often people are distracted by the internet or TV and wait till the commercial is on ,or they get done texting to deal with the pup. Consistently and promptness are crucial. 

I DON’T give treats as a reward for going outside - as pups can easily start and stop peeing before emptying their bladder.  Some will pee just enough to get that treat, then get distracted and forget they have to go pee till back inside.  😕

Some pups will also intentionally pee/poop in their crates because they get rewarded by being let out to play. If the pup pees/poops in his crate- let him out ,but right back into a clean crate- not out to play.  It doesn’t have to be for a long time, just a few minutes- enough so they understand peeing/pooping in the crate wasn’t self rewarding.

I don’t use the bells on the door method, I find too many people either don’t hear the bell when the dog rings it,they are involved in something and don’t get up immediately to take the pup out, or the pup rings the bell every time it wants to go out - regardless of it having to go to the bathroom. 

I’m not a fan of doggie doors. 
They may seem convenient for us, but they can break down the valuable household structure by allowing too much freedom. 
Often pups decide they don’t feel like going out through their door when it’s raining or cold - or for whatever reason, and start soiling in the house instead. Going back and forth in and out of the house all day - the inside easily becomes the outside in an excited dogs mind.....

I don’t believe in limiting the pups water, being tiny and vulnerable they could get dehydrated easily.  If the pup isn’t healthy, or smaller than it should be to begin with, dehydration can lead to health problems and even death.  Fresh water should always be accessible to pups.

You may also want to look into what pup is being fed.  If pup is getting a lot of bulk in his meals he will have to poop more.  A high quality kibble or better yet a raw fed diet will produce smaller poop , and less of them.

Many more dog training articles are available at my link below, which is open to the public and free of charge. ❤️🐺❤️
https://www.facebook.com/AllBasicsDogTrainingKimChappell/