What You Need to Know About Making a Puppy Potty Schedule

Whether you’ve had puppies before or this is your very first one, you’ll learn quite quickly that “accidents” happen. While it’s one of the things that go into training a puppy, at some point, they’ll have to learn how to go properly. They need to know that it’s best to go outside to get their business done, and that they should be able to hold it until then.

Understandably, first-time puppy owners end up falling into certain patterns when it comes to potty training. While it seems sensible to just let the dog out when they need it, it may not work out for puppies down the line. Read on to find out how to properly train a puppy.

What are the important things to know about making a puppy potty schedule?

Do Not: Allow the puppy to go where they want at all times. This involves having the door left open and allowing said puppy to move off-leash into the yard as well as sniff and wander as needed. Moreover, when puppies are just left to freely roam, they don’t hold their potty well. They will end up growing up to be an older puppy that needs more potty breaks instead of having set times to do so. Puppies don’t have an internal instinct as to when they will go potty outside. In order for them to form the habit, they need to get shown that over and over again.

Do Not: Spend a lot of time waiting for them to go potty outdoors. Half an hour is too much time; even 15 minutes is a lot. When a puppy initially goes outside, they can be distracted quite easily. The last thing the puppy’s thinking about is going potty, and they probably won’t do it. When you choose to wait around, urgency isn’t created. That will raise the likelihood, instead, of accidents happening inside the home. 

Do Not: Stand by while the puppy sniffs and roams for minutes until they find their ideal spot to potty. To begin with, they’re likely not doing that as much as they’re exploring their new surroundings. Different spots will end up confusing them, and they won’t understand that the point of going outside is for them to go potty.

Do Not: Train a puppy to have a potty bell in use during the teaching process. It’s a lot like allowing the puppy to roam freely. There is no positive enforcement or puppy training going on here: more than anything, it’s human training. The puppy will soon learn that ringing the bell equates to being let out, potty or not.

Conclusion

One of the first things that come with having puppies is finding out that accidents happen. It’s key to learn how to potty train a puppy properly early on. Avoid teaching the puppy with a potty bell, avoid standing by while the puppy tries to find an ideal spot to potty, and avoid allowing the puppy to go where they want at all times.

Figuring out the best way to potty train a puppy? Check out The Pets People today! We provide practical, real-life ideas and training tips that will assist you in taking care of your pet.