“I have a new puppy who is not potty trained and he has gone to the bathroom several times behind our sofa in the family room,
Q What is the best way to potty train a puppy to not go in the house?”
Puppy Potty Training (Housebreaking) is one of the key lessons for a puppy to learn. There are several things you can do when potty training to help your new puppy learn that the place to ‘take care of their business’ is outside.
The reason your puppy has selected behind the sofa as a place to relieve is that this location seems ‘out of the way’ to the puppy and the carpet responds like grass by absorbing the urine.
A young puppy has a small bladder and needs to go outside frequently. This is why when potty training a puppy, devising a schedule and sticking to it is key! This schedule can be modified as the puppy gets older and has more bladder control but in the beginning, it is important to provide with regular opportunities to go out and ‘relieve’.
MY LEGENDARY PUPPY POTTY TRAINING “HOUSEBREAKING PUPPY” SCHEDULE
Tip: Puppies can hold their bladder their age (in months) + 1 = total hours
Relieving is a fundamental need that your puppy has and they look to you to provide the opportunities to go outside. Going for a walk is one of the healthy benefits of having a dog so enjoy your outings with your puppy and make them fun. We all feel better after a bathroom break. Pick up after your puppy so the areas stay clean and ready for next time.
How long does it take to potty train a pup?
With consistent outings, this pattern can usually be established withing 4-6 weeks or sooner.