It typically takes 4-6 months for a puppy to be fully house trained, but some puppies may take up to a year. Size can be a predictor. For instance, smaller breeds have smaller bladders and higher metabolisms and require more frequent trips outside. Your puppy's previous living conditions are another predictor.
You can start potty training a puppy when they are about 8 weeks old (ideally, they're with their mother at least until 8 weeks of age, if not longer). Ideally, you'll start potty training when they're anywhere from 8 to 16 weeks old.
Remember, puppies can't control their bladder until they're about 16 weeks old.
The good news is that the pace of pooping will slow down as the dog matures. Although a 2-week-old puppy may defecate at every feeding, by 12 weeks, they may be down to only 4 times per day. By 6 months, it may be 3 times per day. Usually by 1 year of age, they will have settled into their “normal” habits.
Approach the door and cue your dog to touch the bell with your command word. When they do, react with excitement, open the door, and take them outside. With enough repetition, your dog will learn that you will open the door and take them out whenever they ring the bell.
If you need to pop out, take your puppy out to go potty first. Make sure that every outing fits around your puppy's potty-training schedule and does not extend longer than their ability to hold their bladder. So don't leave your puppy for more than a couple of hours, and when you return, take him out to go potty again.
The reason puppies hold on outside and then pee immediately once they get back in is that the house is their happy place and the yard is not. As soon as they come inside, their parasympathetic tone increases and only then do they feel the urge to urinate. Your job is simple in theory: make outside a happy place too.
Give your puppy 15 minutes to do his business. If nothing happens, put him in his crate for another 15 minutes before trying again. If it's first thing in the morning, he will need to do both #1 and #2—so if he only urinates, return him to his crate for 15 minutes and try again.
It typically takes 4-6 months for a puppy to be fully house trained, but some puppies may take up to a year. Size can be a predictor. For instance, smaller breeds have smaller bladders and higher metabolisms and require more frequent trips outside.
Take your pup outside routinely — every half hour or hour for very young puppies, every couple of hours for older ones. Set a timer, and about 15 minutes after they eat or drink, head outside.
Puppies can hold it a little longer while they are sleeping. You will still need to make (at least) one trip halfway through the night for puppies under 4 months old, and maybe a little after that for some pups. Remember to set a (gentle) alarm for 4-5 hours after your puppy's bedtime.
A rule of thumb many trainers agree upon is that a puppy can hold her urine for the number of hours that corresponds to her age in months, plus one. So an eight-week-old puppy (two months) can hold it for three hours—but that is the most time she can hold it, so she may feel the urgency to eliminate before that.
Female dogs are often said to be easier to house train than male dogs. "Many pet owners report that female dogs are easier to house train and are more attentive to their owners than male dogs, with male dogs being more aloof," Johanna Reel, registered vet technician for NHV Natural Pet, told INSIDER.
They can be a useful aid for training, especially at the stage in your puppy's life when they need to go frequently. Maintenance and cleanup are as simple as tossing the previous pad and laying down another. Versatility is a plus as well: you can use pads part- or full-time to fit your pup's needs and your lifestyle.
In a clean spray bottle, mix one cup of distilled white vinegar with one cup of water and 2 teaspoons of baking soda. Shake it up to mix the ingredients, and then spray on the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then blot with towels until clean.
Male dogs seem to be more prone to separation anxiety than females (McGreevy, 2008; Storengen & al., 2014). Neutered dogs show a higher frequency than intact dogs (Storengen & al., 2014). Neutering however may not be a cause of SA, but mostly an attempt by the guardians to treat the behavior problem.
Different dog breeds have different energy levels and rates of growth; the growth plates in their joints close at different ages. But do schedule play and exercise time into your puppy's day: a walk around the neighborhood, playing with toys, and time spent bonding go a long way toward expending energy.
When Can You Start Training Your Puppy? Training a puppy starts as soon as you bring them home, which is typically about 8 weeks of age. At this young age, they can learn basic puppy training cues such as sit, stay, and come.
The bell. Each time you take him out to go to the toilet, you're going to use the bell. Secure him to a leash and then on the way out, hold your hand behind the bell with a treat so he has to knock the bell to get to your hand. As soon as he hits it and it makes a sound, give him a treat and reward him.
From when you bring your puppy home at eight weeks until they are four months old, it's best to feed them four meals a day. At four months, reduce this to three meals a day and when they turn six months, reduce to two meals. Continue a morning and evening meal for your pup's life.
It's best to remove your puppy's water bowl at night. Be consistent with the time you remove water, the same way you're consistent with feeding times. As a rule of thumb, remove the food and water bowls about two-to-three hours before bedtime.
AFTER MEALS
Most puppies eat three to four meals a day while they're growing and they'll have to pee and poop after each meal. For younger dogs, wait about 20 minutes after a meal to take him outside to potty. The younger the puppy, the sooner you should take him out after a meal.