How to potty-train a dog

Potty Training

Take Fido on a leash to the same spot to eliminate each time; watch to make sure he goes.  Remember to praise and treat him for going in the right spot while he is learning!  Carry goodies and treat him the second he has finished his business so he forms a strong association.  If you wait to reward him until you get back to the house, he will not realize that the reward was for going potty (he will think it’s for coming through the door).  Sometimes young dogs get so excited when brought outside that they are more interested in exploring the yard (particularly its smells) than in going potty.  The answer for this is prevention.  Bring the dog to the potty-spot on the leash, and basically ignore him.  Keep him around the same spot, and try to be as boring as possible.   After the dog relieves himself, fuss over him, play with him, allow him some time to explore and sniff, and/or take him right away for the rest of his walk.  He will quickly learn to hurry up with his business so he can carry on with his fun!  Do not get in the habit of heading back to the house immediately after Fido has eliminated (whether he eliminates in the yard or along his walk).  Many dogs will quickly figure out that elimination ends the pleasant outings and will “hold it” as long as possible in an effort to extend the fun!  Head back to the house at least 5-10 minutes after potty-time so the dog does not make the association.

Shouldn’t My Dog “Tell Me” When He Needs to Go Out?

Notice that during all the above procedures, you have been telling the dog when to go out, and you have been putting the dog on a schedule, much like a human baby.  There is no reason you cannot continue this arrangement indefinitely, even for the life of the dog.  This is what I do with my own dogs.  The dogs’ needs are met, and they have never turned me into a human door-attendant: someone who lets them in and out 20 times an hour at any time the whim occurs to them (because they will want to go in and out at various times for various other reasons besides potty, once they have gotten the hang of barking for my compliance).  My dogs are also generally quiet for dogs, because they have never learned that barking earns them any extra favors or attention.  (I will, however, quickly let them outside if I see an urgent and obvious need, such as a dog sniffing the floor a little too earnestly or making a tell-tale circling motion over a spot on the carpet).

Whether you want to train a signal to be let out, such as barking or sitting by the door, should be totally up to you.  Just make sure you can live with the consequences of your decision (particularly in regard to barking).  Remember that the dog will not know automatically what you want him to do; you will need to train him accordingly (see section III). One cute training-idea is to hang a bell or set of bells from the doorknob.  You can train the dog to ring the bell(s) with his paw or snout when he wants to go outside.  Whenever you are sure that the dog’s need to eliminate has been satisfied, you can make it clear to your dog that there are times he must stay inside with you.  At these times you simply remove the bells out of sight as a clear visual signal to the dog that the great outdoors is temporarily unavailable.

Accidents

If the dog has an accident in his crate or elsewhere, say nothing.  Think of this as your fault, not the dog’s!  Assuming he is healthy, and the crate is a proper size, you have probably not taken him out often enough.  If the dog tends to urinate overnight, you can try cutting off the dog’s water-supply about an hour before bedtime, or giving him a few ice chips instead.  You should also try waking him up and taking him out a little later than usual before you go to bed yourself.  Small dogs, particularly, have tiny bladders and tend to have a hard time making it though the night.  If the dog has eliminated elsewhere in the house, you have given him more freedom than he can handle, so increase crate-training and supervision accordingly.

You should also never punish the dog for having an accident.  If the dirty deed is done, say nothing because it is too late to change the dog’s behavior.  If you punish him (put his nose in it, etc.) he will not understand why.  Worse, he might begin to eat his own feces in an attempt to appease his angry master. 

If you catch him in the act, say a loud “AAAH!” in an attempt to interrupt him.  Pick him up or quickly leash him, gently lead him outside, take him to his usual spot, and praise him and treat him for finishing his business there. Clean up the mess thoroughly using white vinegar or products specially designed to clean up dog messes.  It is important to remove all trace of odor even to a dog’s nose, which is up to a million times more sensitive than a human’s.  Elimination of any odor will reduce the dog’s inclination to mark again in the same spot.  Do not punish the dog because you have caught him in mid-act.  The dog might not understand the reason for punishment:  eliminating in the house.  He might think you are punishing him for eliminating in front of you!  This will make it much, much harder to housetrain him, since you should be going outside with him each time and making sure he voids outside, even if you have a fenced-in yard, until the habit is well-established.

Some people feel Fido is smart enough to “know better” because he “acts guilty” after he has soiled a room or chewed up a pillow.  Nothing could be further from the truth!  The dog either:  (A) senses your anger from your tone, movements, and facial expression, or (B) associates (from prior experience) your return (in the context of a soiled floor or torn pillow) with a tantrum on your part.  Fido is incapable of connecting his actions hours or even minutes ago with your reaction or his own punishment now.  The lowered head, the lowered ears, the tail tucked between his legs are all attempts by a lower-ranking canine to appease a more dominant member of the pack.  If the submissive behavior does not work as expected, he will begin to see you as some kind of psychopath!  The resultant extra anxiety can either cause further misbehavior during your absences in the future or even cause an aggressive reaction by the dog.  He might feel he has no choice but to defend himself.  Please, don’t set yourself or your dog up for such a sorry situation by resorting to punishment!  Find some therapeutic way of venting your anger out of your dog’s sight and hearing.

If a veterinarian has pronounced your dog healthy and he has more than an occasional accident in his crate, consult with a good dog-trainer for ideas on what to do next. If the dog’s accidents are due to submissive urination or separation anxiety, also read the special sections below.