Helpful Tips To Potty Train Your Puppy
Posted on: 3 February 2017
Getting a new puppy can be an exciting time. Puppies are adorable and cuddly. They also have that oh-so-sweet puppy breath. Puppies are more than just cuddles and cuteness. They require attention, food and water, and proper medical care as well as exercise. If you don't have time to put in the work required to train a new puppy, you may want to re-think bringing a puppy into your home. Puppies don't know what they're doing in your new home, so training them is essential. Here are tips to help you train your puppy to potty outside.
Crate Train
Don't give your new puppy free reign of your house to begin with. Puppies are sneaky and you'll wind up stepping in a puddle of pee, or finding a dried up puddle days later in a corner of your home you hardly ever frequent. Start by giving your puppy a very small space such as a cardboard box with the top open. Then use a crate to put your puppy into when you're away from home. Crate training isn't mean or cruel. It's a safe place for your puppy and helps protect your new pup from getting into something he shouldn't that can possibly be harmful. Keep the crate small enough for him to fit inside, but don't give him too much room that he'll potty inside the crate. Dogs will not potty where they sleep.
Take Your Pup Outside Often
It may feel redundant, but take your puppy outside every half hour to an hour to begin with. Praise your puppy when he potties outside by giving him small treats and praising him. If he potties inside the house, be sure to tell him in a stern voice "bad boy" and take him outside immediately. He will begin to understand that inside is not the place to potty and will eventually tell you that he has to go out by scratching at the door or barking.
Limit Water
To help your pup get through the day or night, limit the amount of water your puppy drinks. Allow your puppy to drink, then take him outside immediately afterwards. Don't give him any water after a certain time at night before bedtime, and be sure to take him out to potty before bed and then first thing in the morning. Put the water bowl up if there is still water in it, or just empty it.
Potty training your puppy can be done, but it will take some time. Be patient with your puppy, even when you're frustrated. Your puppy is learning something completely new and it will be a few weeks before he catches on. Talk to a veterinarian like Oakton Animal Hospital about other tips to potty train your puppy.
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