Toilet Training

For Puppies and for Older Dogs

Toilet training for your puppy should start as soon as the puppy is home with you. You must be prepared to be patient and observant!

Times When Your Puppy Will Need to Relieve Himself

There are six times a puppy should be left outside for about 30 minutes to toilet:

1. before going to bed for the night
2. as soon as he wakes up
3. after a nap during the day
4. after eating
5. after exuberant play
6. after you return home from an outing.

Many people take their puppies out for a walk only to see the puppies relieve themselves as soon as they get back indoors. To avoid this, walk the puppy to his toilet area. Stand still with him, allowing the puppy to lose interest in you. Do not sit down as this will only encourage the pup to jump on you and forget what he is out there for.

Praise him if he performs. NEVER rub his nose in any mistakes! Positive reinforcement when he does the right thing in the right place is the best and quickest training method.

Outside Training:

When training the puppy to go outside to relieve himself, LEAD him to where you want him to go, stay with him, praise him when he performs. Note that a male puppy sometimes takes longer to perform than a female.

Remember that just like a child, when a puppy has to go, he really has to go! Your puppy cannot travel long distances to relieve himself, so keep his toilet area nearby.