House Training

This is having a potty trained dog that knows to hold their bladder until they are outside. 

Puppy Potty Training Essentials

1. Puppies Don't Know Yet

  • Puppies need to learn to hold their bladder until they’re outside.

2. Crate and Routine Are Key

  • Use a properly sized crate and stick to structured routines to teach them bladder control.

3. Mistakes Are Not Their Fault

  • If they have an accident indoors, it’s on you, not the puppy. They rely on your guidance.

4. Supervise Free Time

  • Manage their free time with 100% supervision to prevent accidents.

5. Know the Time Limits

  • A good rule: Puppies can hold their bladder 1 hour per month of age (e.g., a 3-month-old puppy = 3 hours).

6. Crate Training Reference

  • Check out the Crate Training handout to help your puppy love their crate.

How to House Train

Puppy Potty Training Steps

  1. Take Outside:

    • Remove your dog from the crate, leash them and take them outside to go to the bathroom.

  2. Limit Distractions:

    • Walk around briefly but avoid letting the dog get too distracted.

  3. Time Limit:

    • If the dog doesn’t go within 3 minutes, place them back in the crate for 20 minutes.

  4. Repeat:

    • Repeat steps 1-3 until the dog goes to the bathroom outside.

  5. Praise and Reward:

    • Once they go, immediately praise and reward them.

  6. Playtime or Bonding:

    • Spend 5-10 minutes (or more) doing something fun your dog enjoys, like playing fetch, tug, belly rubs, exploring, or cuddling.

  7. Back to the Crate:

    • If you can’t supervise, place the dog back in the crate. Repeat these steps for every potty break.

Crate Sizing and Setup for Potty Training

  1. Choose the Right Size Crate:

    • The crate should be just big enough for your puppy to stand, turn around, and lay down.

  2. Avoid Oversized Crates:

    • A crate that’s too large may encourage the puppy to pee in one spot and lay in another. Proper sizing helps teach them to hold their bladder since dogs dislike lying in their own mess.

  3. Remove Bedding Initially:

    • Skip bedding, towels, or blankets for the first week or two. Puppies may pee and push bedding aside, making cleanup harder. Use only the plastic tray for now.

  4. Monitor for Accidents:

    • Without extra material, it’s easier to see if your puppy had an accident and determine if the crate size needs adjusting.

  5. Introduce Bedding Gradually:

    • After 1-2 weeks without crate accidents, add a towel for comfort. Towels are less tempting to chew and easy to clean if accidents happen.

  6. Expand Crate Space Once Trained:

    • Once your puppy is fully house-trained, the crate size can increase. You can transition to an x-pen or a puppy-proofed room for more space.

Always be Watching

  • Anytime you are not actively training, playing or watching your dog they need to be in a kennel for this to really take effect.

  • They can’t be allowed to make mistakes especially if you aren’t able to catch them in the act.

  • If you are training or playing it’s always a good idea to take them out afterwards as that tends to make them need to pee. If you let them run around a corner after a play session there will probably be a puddle waiting for you. 

  • If they just woke up from a nap in the crate it’s a good idea to take them out as soon as you can.

Outside Means Business First

  • By going back into the kennel after NOT peeing we are helping paint a picture that going outside means business time and if you don’t do your business then you don’t get to do anything else fun. This is not a punishment, it’s just the way it is.

  • BUT if you do go to the bathroom now you get more freedom and things you love. Bathroom outside predicts fun. Not going to the bathroom predicts back in the kennel after a short time.

What to Do if Your Puppy Pees in the House

  1. Catch Them in the Act:

    • If you see your puppy peeing indoors, calmly interrupt the behavior. Kissy noise, light clapping, “nope”, etc.

  2. Interrupt and Redirect:

    • Say “Outside” and either pick them up immediately or guide them outside.

  3. Reward Success:

    • If they finish peeing outside, praise, reward, and play with them.

  4. Crate if They Don’t Finish:

    • If they don’t pee outside, place them in the crate for 20 minutes, then try again.

  5. Use Predictive Words:

    • Begin saying “Outside” every time you head to the door.

    • When catching them in the act, calmly interrupt followed by "Outside" as you take them out. This reinforces the association.

  6. If You Miss It:

    • If you find a puddle after they’re done or catch them walking away, don’t react. It’s too late to address it.

    • Treat it as a reminder to supervise more closely.