Most Effective Tips for Potty Training Puppies

Toilet training a new puppy is probably not as difficult and daunting as you may expect it to be. If you follow the advice and potty training tips provided below, you should achieve success in no time and be able to relax and enjoy the time spent with your new family member.

The following guidelines will help you to understand what your puppy needs from you to be able to achieve potty training success. These 5 important tips to live by when potty training will make the experience completely non stressful and easy for both you and your pet.

1. PATIENCE- You must always remain patient when potty training your puppy. Think of your pet as an infant child or toddler. They cannot always hold their bladder and tend to go more frequently then adults. They also have to be taught the appropriate place to alleviate themselves. They are not born with this knowledge! You have to teach them and this may take time.

2. POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT- Never ever use physical violence as a means of discipline! The results will be negative. Accidents can happen and do not require physical correction. Simply state a stern and firm, "No" and take the dog outside and give your chosen "potty" command such as, "go potty" or "let's go". Don't rub his muzzle in the mess. This will only confuse the dog and be useless in correcting the behavior. Positive reinforcement is much more effective and can also speed up the potty training process. Reward your dog each time he "goes" in the correct place, even if it is after an accident in the house. Praise him with pets and hugs, lots of "good boys", and a treat every once and a while.

3. CONSISTENCY- Consistency is very important when toilet training a puppy. You must stick to a schedule or routine. Puppies need to eliminate their bladders and bowels much more often than older dogs. You have to be able to devote plenty of time to your puppies potty schedule. He can't help it if an accident occurs because you were distracted with the end of your television program or some other reason. You need to take your puppy out every hour if possible or every 2 hours. Each time you should state your "go potty" command and give praise when your puppy does his business properly.

4. FIGHT ODORS- Clean up after any accidents immediately. Use a pet urine odor eliminator to mask the scent of any urine smells. Your puppy will be tempted to relieve himself near an area that smells like urine. The scent will trigger his instincts.

5. SUPERVISION- You need to keep a close eye on your puppy at all times during the potty training stage. It is normal for your puppy to be confused as to where the appropriate place to "go" is an have occasional accidents. It is your job to watching for these mishaps and correct them. Do not correct your puppy unless you catch him in the act! In which case, you should pick him up and take him outside. Tell him the "go potty" command and give praise. Eventually, you will begin to see the "signs" your dog exhibits when he wants to relieve himself. By nature, dogs prefer not to alleviate waste or have waste present in their living quarters. Once your puppy establishes that your home is his den, he will not want to relieve himself in the house unless unavoidable. If your dog behaves otherwise, this is not normal and could be result of stressful living conditions, medical problems, or neurological factors.

Becoming a parent to a puppy comes with many responsibilities and requires an abundance of patience, love, and time to devote. The time and efforts invested into training your puppy properly is well worth any challenge you may face. You will be greatly rewarded with a well mannered, loving, and loyal companion. Both dog and owner can enjoy a wonderful stress free life with one and other when training is properly implied and positive reinforcement remains consistent.

I wish you the best with your training efforts! I hope that this article was able to assist you with your endeavors.

Have a great day!