Successful toilet training is about creating good habits and preventing the practice of bad habits.
When puppies are very young you should take puppies out often to where you would like them to toilet.
Take them out;
- After puppy wakes up in the morning or after a nap.
- After eating and drinking.
- Before and after any activities.
- On arrival home and before you go to bed.
- And every 20 minutes during the day.
When you bring her outside you will need to be attentive but boring, as if you play games with puppy she may forget to toilet and hold it till you are back inside. As soon as they go, you can praise and even put toileting on cue ‘go potty’ or whichever phrase you prefer.
You can also use play outside after they have toileted as a reward. If they don’t go you will have to go back in and try again in 5 minutes. However do not allow them freedom to have an accident. Either tether them to your side or carry if small enough.
If puppy has an accident DO NOT PUNISH as puppy will be very confused and it will teach her nothing other than you are scary. Do not roll up a newspaper unless it is for slapping yourself over the head for not watching the puppy.
Clean the area where accidents happy with a biological washing powder dilution. This removes the smell of urine. Do not use bleach as it contains ammonia.
It will take up to 7 or 8 months before puppies are toilet trained, and you may need to get up 2 times a night while they are very small.
Try not to use puppy pads as this teaches puppies to toilet indoors and they may then begin to toilet on other surfaces like carpets and rugs. Remove rugs until puppies are over this stage of training. Do not place puppy pads in their crate as they may develop bad habits. If you need to leave puppy alone for a while leave the crate open so they can use a puppy pad outside the crate.
Also an open back door will not teach a puppy to go out. In the early stages you must go out with them and reward them for going outside. After all puppies want your approval and you must show them how to to succeed in the simplest way possible.
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