POTTY TRAINING

A Simple Potty-Training Routine

House training improves when you prevent accidents, reward the right location, and track your puppy’s individual pattern.

Go out at predictable times

Immediately after waking or leaving the crate
After eating or drinking
After play, excitement, or training
Before bedtime and before being left alone
Whenever you see sniffing, circling, pacing, or wandering away

Reward the moment

Go to the same general area on leash and wait quietly. As soon as your puppy finishes, praise and give a small treat outdoors. Rewarding immediately makes the connection clear.

Handle accidents without punishment

Interrupt gently only if you catch the accident beginning, then go outside. Clean indoor spots with an enzymatic cleaner. Scolding after the fact does not teach the correct location and may teach a puppy to hide.

Track patterns and rule out illness

Write down meals, water, potty trips, and accidents for several days. Increase supervision or shorten the interval if accidents repeat. Contact your veterinarian about straining, blood, diarrhea, excessive thirst, very frequent urination, or a sudden loss of house-training progress.

The simple takeaway

Supervision, frequent opportunities, and immediate rewards build reliability. Freedom should expand gradually as your puppy succeeds.

Health and safety note: This guide is educational and is not a substitute for advice from your veterinarian or a qualified reward-based trainer. Contact your veterinarian promptly about illness, injury, pain, ingestion of a hazardous item, or a sudden behavior change.