Whether you use a crate, leash, or a potty pad, housebreaking a dog takes a lot of time and consistent effort. It’s normal for a dog to take 4-6 months to become fully potty trained, and some can take as long as a year. Positive reinforcement (Trusted Source) with a bunch of treats and lots of praise is an essential part of the process and can encourage your dog to learn quickly.
🚨 Bathroom accidents for housebroken dogs may indicate a serious health problem. You should also take your dog to the vet for a checkup if they aren’t housebroken after several months of consistent training.
The best potty training method for you comes down to your schedule, household situation, home type, physical abilities, and your dog’s particular temperament. People who live in apartments or cannot go on long walks might opt for pee pad training. The umbilical cord approach may be ideal for people who spend most of their time at home. You’re on the right track as long as you are patient and only use positive reinforcement. You and your pup will get to where you need to be — together.
Puppies pee and poop a lot. It’s a fact of their young lives. Your new puppy will need to go first thing in the morning, between 5 and 30 minutes after mealtimes, and before bed. However, that’s not the only time they will need to relieve themself. In general, a puppy can hold their pee for about one hour for every month of age.
For example, a three month old puppy will often need to go potty every three hours, including at night. Once your dog is about 4-5 months old, they may be able to go all night without a pee break, but will still need to go potty every 4 hours during the day. Becoming familiar with their potty habits and getting on a regular potty training schedule can help your dog catch on quickly.
Regardless of training type, a designated pee/poop spot will help simplify potty training for your puppy. If your dog can access the entire yard for their breaks, they won’t equate one spot with peeing and pooping, which can slow down the process.
You can choose whatever potty break phrase you like. Be aware that it’s smart to pick a phrase you don’t use in your regular speech. If you tell your dog to “go,” for example, they will be confused when they hear you say “go” in another situation. For this reason, some people invent their own phrases, such as, “Time to potty!” Remember to keep it consistent and unique so that you both know what you mean.
Keep treats on you at all times. When your dog does their business in the right spot, give them a treat and plenty of praise. If your dog has an accident, never yell at them. Never. We don’t recommend punishment—it will only teach your dog to fear you. If you do this, you’re a “bad, bad, bad human.”
A puppy’s tummy and digestive tract are much more sensitive than an adult dog’s. You’ll want to feed your dog on a vet-approved schedule for optimal health. In addition, because they will have to do their business soon after eating, you’ll want to know when their meals are. This way, you can plan to take your dog out shortly after they eat.
Adopting a puppy is a huge commitment. Puppies younger than six months old must relieve themselves at least once throughout an eight-hour workday, so it’s critical to plan ahead.
If you work full-time, consider asking if a neighbor, friend, family member, or professional dog walker will take your dog out on a potty break while you’re away. If you haven’t adopted a dog yet, you might want to look for a young adult dog who’s already housebroken instead of a puppy.
The best way to potty train your dog depends on a lot of individual factors, like when you’re home, how much time you have, and whether you have a yard. Here’s a cheat sheet to help you decide which method to start with:
Some people might start with one type of potty training and switch to another. That’s OK — finding what works best for your dog is more important than the method itself. Once you land on something that starts working, have patience. Learning where to do one’s business is a new concept. Some dogs get the memo quicker than others. You and your dog will get there if you stick with it.
Many experts agree that crate training is the most effective way to potty train your dog. Doggie psychology proves a dog’s instinct is not to relieve themselves where they sleep, which goes back to your puppy’s wolf ancestry. ScienceDirect (Trusted Source) explains just how effective this method can be, showing that puppies that used crates had fewer instances of accidents. It requires — you guessed it — a dog crate, as well as a consistent schedule.
You’ll need to start small, leaving your puppy in the crate for only a few minutes at a time. Over time, you’ll gradually extend the time they’re in their crate once they’re starting to feel more comfortable. If they start to whine, it’s important to leave them in the crate until they stop. Otherwise, if you bail them out, they’ll start to equate making noise with getting their way—which is definitely not what you want.
Paper or pee pad training is a very common method that requires few tools. Before the invention of the “fake grass” pee pads or absorbent pee pads, people used paper simply because it was cheap and available. You can pick whichever material works for you.
👉 If you prefer to use a potty pad, we recommend the Kennel Club Scented Puppy Training Pads with Ultra Absorbent Quick Dry Gel. These lemon-scented, super absorbent potty pads are sold on Amazon in a package of 100, which gives your puppy a good start.
Here’s how to potty train your dog with a pee pad:
👉 Potty pads work best as a temporary housebreaking tool to help your dog transition to relieving themselves outside. While some dogs may be able to permanently use a pee pad indoors, it isn’t recommended because your dog may get confused if they’re technically still allowed to relieve themselves inside the house.
This approach to potty training involves constant supervision. You (or a family member) are always connected to your new puppy by a leash. If you have a schedule that allows for this it can be very effective. The idea behind umbilical cord training is that it simply won’t be possible for your dog to have accidents.
If you’re no farther than a 6-foot leash away from your dog, you can take them for a potty break before they can have an accident. Once your dog catches on to where to properly do their business, you can allow them more freedom. However, the umbilical cord method requires constant supervision, which is a tedious process that may be impossible for some pet owners. Here are the steps:
Naturally, accidents will occur—and for puppies, they happen even more frequently than adult dogs. When your puppy does have an accident, it’s important not to act overly dramatic. Just scoop the poop or wipe up the pee and keep rolling.
If you find them right before or in the middle of doing their business, try to pick them up and take them to the designated spot. Calmly and firmly say “no” as you pick them up and then give them the command word for potty once they’re outside or on their pee pad.
Don’t ever yell, hit, or otherwise punish your puppy for relieving themselves in the house. Not only is this wrong, but it’s also extremely ineffective, since some dogs crave attention, even if it’s negative.
Thoroughly cleaning the accident and applying a dog urine odor eliminator can help speed up the potty training process. Dogs are more likely to return to a spot that already smells like their pee and poop, so it’s important not to leave a trace.
👉 Whatever method you choose, avoid giving the command for your dog to potty right before you leave the house. Puppies are on limited time with their small bladders, but you want them to create positive associations with the potty word—and with you leaving the house. After your dog does their business, you should give them a treat and play with them for a few minutes before you leave or put them in their crate to avoid creating separation anxiety.
📷 by reader of the pack
Dogs catch onto potty training at their own pace. Realistically, it takes an average of 4-6 months to potty train a dog. It can take up to a year for a dog to reach complete housebroken status, but some will learn much faster. Factors that can affect how quickly they learn include:
Potty training a pup can be challenging and frustrating. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed at times, and it’s okay to seek professional help from a dog trainer or behaviorist for additional help. They can provide tailored advice and support to make the potty training journey smoother for both you and your furry companion. Remember, patience and consistency are key. And don’t forget about getting FidoAlert just in case your puppy gets away from you.
Housebreaking takes time and patience, but some methods may work better for you and your dog than others. For example, umbilical training can be a good match if you work at home. Crate training makes more sense if you have a pet sitter who comes and checks on your dog while you’re away at work.
Dogs mature and learn at different rates. On average, it takes between 4-6 months for a dog to be completely housebroken. If you’ve been consistently training your dog for longer than 6 months and they’re still having frequent accidents, you might want to take them to the vet for a checkup to make sure they don’t have any underlying medical issues.
If you catch your dog in the act or see signs that they’re about to go, you can pick them up and set them outside, or on their pee pad. You should never punish them for relieving themselves, but you can say “no” and give the command word for potty once you’ve reached the appointed area.
Potty training should begin at an early age, but always adopt after 8 weeks old. Puppies need to spend their first couple months of life with their mothers in order to receive the nutrition and social learning that they need for a wholesome life. Separating a dog from its litter too soon can create headaches, including a hard time with potty training since they’re too young to comprehend commands. That being said, you should start potty training your new pet as soon as you bring them home from the shelter or a responsible breeder who won’t let them go before they’re ready.
No! We don’t know who created this “trick,” but we sure hope they don’t use it on their human children, either. Potty training takes time, patience, and positive reinforcement of good behavior. Leave the poop out of it.
