I remember as a kid my parents and I picked up this fun and adorable puppy from a friend’s house.
I was so excited that it felt like the first time you met your school crush and you couldn’t wait to see them everyday.
Ironically I get it now why they call it puppy love years later after I met this puppy.
Now I had dogs before, but this time it was going to be different.
This time he would be mine to own and take care of and the best part was I convinced my parents to keep him inside our home.
If only I knew what keeping a dog in the home entailed 😔.
The first night we had him home we were all watching tv and then I found out that the little guy peed in the corner on the carpet.
Let’s just say my mom wasn’t too happy with me or him.
It wasn’t long before he joined the other dogs outside and I had to take care of him with the others.
I tell you this story to say now that I am older I know better and the one thing I would have done better is learn the fundamentals of how to house train a dog.
Even better…
potty train him.
So here is a simple guide on how to potty train your dog effortlessly and if correctly you can begin to see results within 7 days.
How Long Does It Take To House Train A Dog?
Is it possible to train a dog in 7 days?
So there is a book on the market called “How to housebreak your dog in 7 days” but the question remains “is it really possible to house train your pup within 7 days?”.
I mean that would be amazing since the quicker you do the faster you can be stress free of any accidents around the house am I right?
Well I am here to tell you it is possible.
It is up to you to house train your dog and even though house training may take several months for your dog to be fully house trained with these simple steps you can be on your way to a well groomed and potty trained dog.
What it takes to house train your puppy
One of the first tell tale signs of a great owner boils down to 1 word…
Consistency.
If you are consistent in your training regimen then your pup will understand what you are asking of them and will be the obedient little pup you dream of and love.
If you are consistent in controlling your dogs environment and supervising them then you should have no worries in directing their potty problems.
Fun fact, dogs don’t like to handle their business where they live and sleep, but because it takes time for them to get acclimated to their new living arrangements you need to give them time.
For the best results stay consistent and vigilant with house training for up to 4-6 months.
Why It Is Important To Create A Puppy Potty Training Schedule.
Why does your pup need a schedule?
Continuing on with the idea of consistency, the goal of house training with a regular schedule is to reinforce and instill good habits with love through consistency, patience and positive reinforcement.
Yet schedules are important not only for your dog, but for you.
Creating a regular eating time and bathroom schedule helps you to oversee how often your dog needs to use the bathroom and gives you more control from when they eliminate their waste.
Young puppies are not able to control their bladder like older dogs so it is important for you to create a regular routine.
After they eat or drink, usually within 5-30 mins, take them to the same place to take care of their business so they can get used to that specific area and their scent.
How old before I can potty train my puppy?
So you know that consistency and a regular schedule are important when it comes to potty training your pup, but the question now is when should you start.
According to pet.webmd it is recommended that they are between 12-16 weeks old to begin.
At this age they are mentally and physically ready because they are now able to hold their bladder and bowel movements.
A good rule of thumb for how long a dog can hold their bladder is for every month your dogs age is roughly about the amount of hours they can hold.
So for example, a four month old is about 4 hours and up to 12 hours for a 12month old but we don’t recommend you have them hold it for that long.
3 Breeds Considered To Be Easy Potty Trained Dogs
If your looking to get a new dog then here are some fun facts of 3 breeds that are easy to potty train.
Labrador Retriever
There’s a reason why they call them retrievers lol.
Considered as on of the most popular dogs in the United States Labs are one of the easiest to train overall.
They take commands very well and along with having a pleasant personality labs are great with children and live long and healthy lives.
So if your in the market for a new pup that will be easy to house train then definitely check out Labrador retrievers.
Boston Terrier
As a relative to the french bulldog, which we thoroughly enjoy here, the Boston Terrier makes it on the list of one of the breeds to be easily trained.
Since Boston Terriers like to be clean and avoid being smelly potty training should be easier.
This doesn’t exclude them from having challenges and mistakes as each and every dog will, but don’t lose heart and enjoy the process.
German Shepherd
Its no wonder these dogs are chosen for police dogs.
One of the most well known dog to be easily house trained, or trained in general, they learn easily and are very hard working.
A prime staple breed to the idea of a man’s loyal best friend.
If you would like to know more about other breeds that are good for house training then check out this article here
The Difference Between How To Potty Train An Older Dog And A Puppy
Is it too late to teach an old dog a new trick?
We all know the old saying, but I am here to say to you it is possible and it is not too late to train an older dog.
It may take some time because they have been stuck in their old behavior for so long, but don’t fear or lose hope it can be done.
Just give it time with some patience along with a lot of rewards and praise and you will get there.
What to expect
Of course with any puppy or older dog there are hurdles to overcome, but again you will get there with patience and consistency.
However, so you’re prepared for the challenges to come here are a few things to look for.
Challenge with Puppies
When it comes to puppies because they are so young they do not have full control over their bladder so accidents are prone to happen.
When that does happen be sure not to scold or punish them unless you catch them in the act because it can give them a negative association.
So just pick them up and carry them outside.
Remember, it is not their fault they are just like an infant so look at yourself when an accident may occur and learn to control the environment, don’t worry we will go over this in more detail when we discuss the training schedule.
Challenge with Older Dogs
With older dogs it usually much easier to house train due to the obvious fact that they are older, but with their age that means lower energy.
Lower energy means there are less prone to have accidents, but it doesn’t mean it won’t happen.
The things to look out for when an older dog eliminates in the home is due to the fact of previous learned behavior.
However, if your dog is eliminating in the house than it might be a good time to check your local veterinarian.
A good checkup along with some stool and urine samples can help to identify if there are any parasites as the cause.
But if there are no medical issues then once again it just goes back to the fundamentals of patience and consistency of a good schedule for familiarity.
The pros vs the cons
So to wrap it all up with the pros and cons of potty training between the two are…
Puppies will take a little more time and prepare for accidents and
Older dogs are a little easier, but just be mindful of any medical issues if any.
How will I know when my puppy is completely potty trained?
You’re well on your way to the ins and outs of house training your pup, but this may be the most important question of them all.
Knowing when you are out of the kiddie pool boils down to as simple as this…
If you haven’t had any accidents within 2 months and if you can leave your pup for several hours at a time then you’re probably in a good position.
I know 7 days for potty training seems unreasonable, but as mentioned before some dogs are easily trainable and in 7 days of consistent training you will begin to clearily see a difference in your dogs behavior.
Ok so now on to the thing you been waiting for.
A Simple Guide To Potty Train A Puppy On Pads
How to get started
Ok so as mentioned earlier about the importance of a schedule it’s time to create one, but where do you begin?
Well we will go over the steps you can take so you can begin to see results within the first 7 days.
Step 1: Create a food schedule.
This is very important in order for your pup to get used to a routine which will give you the ability to control when they will use the bathroom.
When you’re away be sure to take away there food in between meals in order to reduce the risk of accidents or mistakes.
For growing pups its also important to give them proper nutrition for growing strong and healthy.
A good suggestion for some food options would be foods like Iams Proactive Health if your desire dry dog food or if you prefer wet dog food then check out Merrick Grain Free Wet Food.
Step 2: Create a bathroom break routine
If you haven’t noticed the main idea of house training your dog is in its consistency.
So if you created your schedule for when you’re going to feed them then it is good time to start taking them out after every meal.
Along with taking them out after every meal it is important to take them out every 30mins to an hour and after naps.
You are doing this to know how often they use they bathroom and getting them familiar with the environment.
Another important time you should take them outside is every morning when you wake up.
Remember they have a small bladder so long periods through the night may cause some accidents in their cage if waited too long, pee pads can come in handy for these moments.
When it comes to new pups its best to keep them with you through the night so you can be aware if they start whining or scratching at the gate.
These signs are an indication that they may need to use the bathroom.
No worries though, you don’t have to keep them in your room forever if you don’t like, but once they’re older and trained you can take them out the room.
They’re like babies so you will have to take care of them like that in the beginning.
Also we can’t stress this enough but make sure you take them to the same spot to handle their business so they can get used to where they go.
Especially since they will be drawn to their scent it will be familiar to them.
And before you call it a night take them out one more time and you will be getting them used to their potty routine.
Oh and almost forgot, when you take them out to potty just let them roam around by themselves and don’t distract them.
You want them to focus on eliminating, but when they do go make sure you reward them or praise them so they can create positive emotions with the act.
Step 4: Familiarize them with their new home
Here is another fun fact, dogs do not like to eliminate in their own home so eliminating in your home happens only because they are not used to their environment.
Again, it is your job to potty train them and accustom them to their new environment.
When training them to eliminate outside in the same spot you need to help them get familiarize with their home.
It’s best to start them out small with one area in one room and just let them roam freely so they can get familiar with it themselves so they associate this space as their home.
If you want to have a little more control in this process while you supervise them you can keep them on a leash and just let them roam around and they will only be able to go as far as the leash goes.
You can even clip the leash to you so you can keep your hands free while you’re watching them learn their way around.
Depending how big your home is it will take some time for your pup to get familiar with the area, but through time, and your supervision, they will come to accept their new environment as their home.
If the leash is keeping you from doing other things then cages or barriers might be a good option for you for them to roam while you step away for some time.
Dogs are den creatures so for your pup a small cage will give them comfort and give them their natural instinct to keep their home clean so they will try to hold their waste until they can go outside and wait until they get used to their new home.
Step 5: Rinse and Repeat
Once you create a feeding schedule along with frequent trips outside and creating a controlled environment to help them familiarize themselves with their new home 75% done.
Continue to do this over the next several days and you will begin to see your pup picking up on your cues.
In no time you will have a well house trained pup you can be proud of.
Pee pads to help house train your puppy
Ok so we suggest when it comes potty training your dog for the best results to take them outside to get them familiar to the same spot and know what using the bathroom outside feels like.
However, some owners are not able to take their pup outside every time or they live in an apartment or a loft that doesn’t give quick access so we suggest puppy peepads.
Puppy pads come in many shapes and forms and you can even create your own to give your pup that real outside feel, but for those who are looking for a quick non DIY solution then the pre-made pee pads are just what your looking for.
If your looking for one of the best ones on the market as well as affordable then we suggest this pee pad from one of your favorite suppliers…
amazon.
Basic puppy pee pads training problems
As mentioned above puppy pads are good for lofts or small apartments, not a first resort, but when you’re not able to get outside as often as you would like.
But sometimes there can be some complications when it comes to pee pads so it’s best to be aware of them and prepare for some of the challenges that come with it.
Remember dogs develop a preference when it comes to relieving themselves and they learn the world through their senses.
For example, If you teach a dog a specific commands like sit and if you only taught them in one place like the kitchen then when you try to do it somewhere else where they are not familiar with then the will be confused.
They familiarize themselves with everything around them as well as the cues you give until you repeat it enough times till it sticks.
So one thing to look out for if you give your dog pee pads is…
they will familiarize themselves with eliminating inside the home as normal so they can mistake other places in the home or the carpet as ok.
Yet, if they are familiar with outside elements then doing their business outside is much easier.
For best practice try to provide elements that can help them associate better with the outside or if you have a balcony try outside with the natural elements so you can reduce accidents.
Again it is best for training them to go outside, but if pee pads are a necessity for you then just be sure to know that mistakes can happen.
When they do go on the pee pad be sure to give them praise whenever they do it in the right place.
Its all about positive associations and emotional cues.
If they do happen to have any accidents in the house and you need a way to clean up the mess, especially the odor, then check out this all natural enzyme spray cleaner.
It eliminates the smell and produces a scent the detracts your dog from peeing there again.
Free resources to help get your pup on a schedule
Wow I know that was a lot of information but you now know everything you need to know when it comes to potty training your pup or older dog and the best practices to take.
We addressed questions like when should you start house training your pup, breeds that are considered as easily potty trained and how to get started getting your dog on a potty training schedule.
We also wanted to provide you with other links to help you if you want to learn more about this topic and others like dog training tools or how to deal with separation anxiety.
Here are some quick videos on potty training and house training your dog and summarizes what we presented in this article.
Potty training your dog with pup pee pads
If you enjoyed this content then please share it with a friend who is looking into potty training their pup or about to get a dog and desires to potty train it.
Enjoy and happy training.
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