If you have a puppy or dog, it’s important that they form good habits as quickly as possible. Toilet training can be a time of trial and error, but with patience and consistency, you can help them develop the right behaviors.
Accidents happen when toilet training, so it’s important to be calm and don’t get angry. Getting upset will only confuse your dog and can cause them to feel even more frustrated, which will lead to more accidents!
1. Use a Pee Pad
A pee pad is an inexpensive, convenient, and easy way to create a dedicated toilet area for your puppy. Some brands also include odor-eliminating scents to reduce the smell of dog urine.
Some pee pads are even washable and reusable.
Choosing the right pad can be confusing, so it’s important to choose the one that’s best for your home and puppy.
A good puppy training toilet pad will be a comfortable size, be easy to clean up, and have leak-proof materials. This will allow you to change it in the event of an accident or a nighttime change in your schedule.
2. Place the Pee Pad Under the Toilet Seat
Using a pee pad under the toilet seat can help your dog understand that you want them to do their business on this area. It will also prevent them from slipping it on the floor and hurting their feet.
Be sure to keep the pee pad under the toilet seat until your puppy is consistently going potty on it and is comfortable doing so there.
Once your puppy is used to using the pad under the toilet seat, start moving it outside a little at a time. Only move the pad a small distance each day so you don’t confuse your puppy.
3. Give Your Dog a Stool
One of the best ways to train your dog’s toilet is by giving them a stool. Just like children use Play-Doh, a healthy stool should be firm enough to hold its shape but soft enough that it will give when pressed with your finger.
Aside from being a good training tool, poop can also help you determine if your dog has any health issues. The shape, size, content, consistency, and coating can all be an indication of how your dog is doing.
4. Give Your Dog a Bin
Many owners find that the best way to teach their dogs how to use a toilet is to give them a bin. This can be a large, litter box-like bin or a smaller one that fits under the toilet seat.
It’s important to choose a bin that your dog will be comfortable jumping up on and depositing their poop in. This may mean providing a stool to help your dog jump up or adding a child’s toilet seat for more stability.
Once your dog is comfortable with jumping up on the bin, it’s time to make the switch to using a toilet inside your house. This is going to take a little time, but you can do it with the right patience and supervision!
5. Give Your Dog a Treat
Treats are an excellent way to train your dog and they can also be used to reward your puppy for potty training. However, it is important to use treats gently and in moderation if your puppy has just started learning his bathroom manners.
The first step to successful puppy toilet training is to establish a special area for them to go to the bathroom in. This can be a crate or a small room and it should be an enclosed, comfortable place where they are safe from accidents.
6. Give Your Dog the Go Potty Command
The Go Potty command can be a great way to teach your dog where she should go for her pee and poop. The key is to give the command only once and make sure you praise her for doing her business.
Once your dog understands that the toileting spot is where she should go, take her there whenever she needs to go out for a potty break. Try to do this every 20- minutes or so, depending on your dog’s needs.
As a reward, give her a treat when she goes to her potty spot. You can also give her a ball toss or other game as a reward.
7. Clean Up After Your Dog
Puppies are messy creatures and learning to live in your home is no exception. This can lead to some accidents, and you should make an effort to clean up after your puppy when they are done training toilet.
This will help keep your house cleaner and your dog smelling fresh and clean.
You can use a mixture of vinegar water to remove the odor of any pet messes. This will also disinfect the area and neutralize any pet stains.
