Unlike cats, few puppies can do their business in the comfort of their litter boxes. As dog parents, we have to teach them where to go potty and where the no-gos are. However, urine marking is part of canines’ nature, so setting up a bathroom routine for them is an uphill battle.

If you’re in the same boat, keep scrolling down as we’ll share how to train a puppy to pee outside based on our hands-on experience.

In This Article:

5 Ways To Potty Train A Dog

Develop A Routine

Set Up A Plan

First, you should map out a detailed plan from when your dogs wake up until they hit the sack. Here is a typical routine we set up for our clients’ pups at PetSitUSA. We’ve experimented and polished it over time, and now, we believe this schedule works best for most dogs:

Feeding time: These little naughty tornadoes need about four meals a day because their mini tummies can’t hold that much food at once. You need to feed them at the same times daily, which urges them to go potty on a consistent schedule every day.
Potty time: Following the meal time is the bathroom break. You can either take the pooch outside or designate a spot inside for him to answer the call of nature. We will dive into details later.
Playing time: With a full stomach and a released bladder, your puppy is now ready for some enthusiastic games outdoors. Adequate exercise will burn their pent-up energy, preventing stress and anxiety among canines—a common reason for accidents in the house.
Confinement time: Confinement is part and parcel when potty training, as leaving your pup too much freedom can make him perceive that everywhere is his safe place for peeing and pooping.
Sleeping time: Don’t get frustrated if your pooch wakes you up with his miserable whining to take him to the toilet. Put him on a leash, take him to the designated potty spot (maybe inside or outside), and bring him back to his bed immediately after finishing. Only turn on the lights when you need to go outdoors, and don’t talk or play with him. Otherwise, you might toggle his energetic switch, and this wave of enthusiasm might keep him awake until dawn.

Go Potty

For outdoor training:

Once you’ve done the groundwork with a detailed daily schedule, it’s time to put it into practice. First, you should pick a spot outside and stick to it whenever you take your pup out for potty training. This consistency helps your dog associate that spot with going potty.
In the beginning, we recommend putting your puppies on a leash as they might be too excited when touching grass and wander off rather than going to the designated potty area.
Let your pup sniff around that spot for around 15 minutes without interacting with him. Don’t talk to him or make eye contact so he can focus on the task.
The moment he pees/poops, say the marker word “Go potty!”, “Hurry up!” or “Do your business!”. It’s crucial to use a phrase you don’t commonly use to avoid confusion. Timing is of paramount importance here; you need to say the phrase when the dog starts to do its business.

Repeating the word over and over again only diminishes its power and connection with the desired behavior. We’ve learned this the hard way as some of our dogs fail to link our marker word with going potty just because we keep saying the phrase many times while waiting for them to do their business.
Once he finishes, praise him with phrases like “Good job!” or “Good boy/girl!” followed by a high-value treat. Ensure you offer your pup his favorite treat or food to encourage him to do the same the next time. You can phase out the treat when he gets the rhythm and only cheer him up with motivational phrases. If your dog only sniffs around without any sign of going potty, bring him inside and confine him in a crate until the next bathroom break.

For indoor training:

Some busy owners can’t watch their dogs around the clock to take them out consistently and timely. Meanwhile, for those who live in multi-story apartment buildings, taking their pup down to the courtyard might be a daunting task.

Therefore, you need a potty spot indoors so your little four-legged friend can do its business on its own when you’re away. Here are two ways you can try:

Paper training: Set up a potty area in their playing and sleeping space by lining it with ready-made pet pee pads. Don’t have any pads on hand? Use newspaper or other absorbent materials. Keep an eye on your pup while he’s playing. Whenever he’s about to pee or poop in the wrong place, direct them to the appropriate spot. Reward him with a high-value treat once he gets the job done right.
Use litter tray: Though litter boxes are associated with cats, our canines can also make use of these supplies. Place the tray in a low-traffic spot in your house, and let it be there all the time. Remember to choose dog-safe litter and pick a shallow box so your little pup can step in and out easily.

Rinse & Repeat

Consistency is key to successful potty training, turning these learned habits into your dogs’ second nature. The cycle of eating, going outside, peeing, pooping, and being praised should be repeated every day.

Even when your pooch gets into the daily rhythm and knows where to go potty, repeat your training routine for at least three months on end. Expect that accidents can happen (a lot) during this time. After training hundreds of dogs at PetSitUSA, we’ve learned that patience is the best strategy when dealing with accidents. Our lovely dogs also learn from mistakes, as we do!

A Crate & A Leash Are Your Best Sidekicks

We can’t stress enough the importance of the crate and leash when potty training your dog. They can make or break your training because your pups might give you a hard time at first. You ensure your dogs are always under your control by tethering or confining them.

When taking him outside, the leash will keep him within your sweet spot, allowing you to supervise, command, and praise him at the right time. Canines are clean creatures, and they won’t pee or poop in their sleeping place. A crate provides a safe refuge for our furry friends to rest, making them less likely to soil their cocoons with their waste. Confining time teaches our pooches that whenever we put them in a crate, it’s not potty time!

A reminder: The crate size matters; a too big one might fool dogs into thinking that there’s enough place to do their business.

Mind The Bathroom Breaks

Bathroom breaks are the cornerstone of potty training. Mastering your dog’s potty schedule enables you to take him to the potty area at the right time. At PetSitUSA, we usually take our pooches out right after they wake up, after eating or drinking, after a nap, during or after playing time, after confinement time, and before sleeping.

Determining when your dog needs to relieve themselves after eating or drinking can be tricky. It can be anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes after each meal, depending on their age. An 8-week puppy might feel the urge to pee just 10 minutes after sipping some water, but older canines can hold their urine much longer. Bowel movements are even less predictable, so you need to keep a close eye on these furballs. We noticed that a pup with 3 meals a day tends to poop 4 times daily.

If you can’t remember all of these reminders, just take your dog out every 2 hours or so.

Pay Attention To Its Diet

Proper hydration and nutrition are essential for a consistent potty routine. If your furry companions don’t get enough water and food or consume poor-quality food or drinks during the day, their established bathroom schedule can go wrong.

Pay attention to their stool and urine to detect any problem soon and adjust their diet accordingly. For example, dark-colored pee might imply dehyration. Similarly, bulky or loose feces can tell you something about the dog’s diet.

A reminder: Don’t feed your pups any water or food after 8 pm. An empty tummy allows them to sleep soundly, minimizing the chance of them going potty during the night.

Don’t Forget Positive Reinforcements

Many owners withdraw rewards right after their pups learn where to go potty. Don’t be so stingy with your adorable puppy! Little praise goes a long way. Cheering him, petting him, or offering him his favorite toy or some cookies not only keeps our dogs content but also reinforces their association of peeing with positive rewards.

Do expect that accidents will happen every now and then. Don’t make a fuss and yell at your poor little pooch for soiling the house. Punishment will never work in any training method. In the next section, we’ll guide you on how to deal with some accidents while teaching your dog.

Some Accidents & Problems When Potty Training

My Pup Pees Everywhere In The House

Did you bring your dog out at the right potty breaks? If canines can relieve themselves at the right time, they won’t piddles all over the house. If you’ve followed the schedule correctly but accidents still happen, consider switching to indoor training using pee pads or litter boxes.

My Dog Has Accidents At The Same Spot

If your pup keeps urinating at a certain spot in the house, chances are you haven’t thoroughly cleaned up and deodorized the mess. The lingering urine smell signals the dog that this is a safe potty place. We recommend using a stain enzymatic cleaner to completely remove all the odors.

It Turns My House A Mess When Left Alone

Your pooch has learned where to do his business, and now you cease training and confidently leave him alone at home. That’s the recipe for disaster! Canines are creatures of habit, and they need at least 3 months to ingrain an activity into their routine. So, stick with the training schedule until the potty behavior becomes second nature!

My Pooch Piddles In His Crate

We’ve shared that most canines avoid using their crate as a bathroom. But the odds are that they can pee there if they are confined for too long. Keeping your pup in a crate for no more than 3 or 4 hours is recommended. Dogs can’t hold their bladder that long, and they have no choice but to relieve themselves in the crate. We, dog parents, need to respect their limits to prevent any training setbacks.

4 Mistakes To Avoid

Use pee pads as a permanent alternative for going potty outside. Unless you don’t have the conditions to train your pup, don’t rely solely on potty pads. Doing so will confuse your dog so that they can pee everywhere in the house (as long as they wear the pads), slowing down the training process.
Do not supervise your pup. This is a common mistake among owners, thinking that taking him out at the scheduled potty breaks is enough. Instead, monitor your dog for signs of peeing or pooping.
Make a fuss when catching your pooch in the act. This might scare your dog and disrupt their potty schedule. Remember to gently lead him to the right spot using a leash or saying the marker word.
Punish your puppies for soiling the house. This is not something loving and caring dog owners can do in their right mind!

FAQs

When Should We Start Potty Training A Pup?

Potty training your pup is best done once it’s 8 weeks old. Otherwise, start the training schedule right when you adopt him.

How Long Does It Take To Train A Dog To Pee Outside?

The required time varies greatly. You might not notice much progress when training a puppy until he turns 12 or 16 weeks (when his bladder fully develops). Training older dogs might take longer. Anyway, we recommend training your pup for at least 3 months.

How Long Can Puppies Hold Their Pee?

Puppies gain bladder control with age. For example, a puppy can hold his bladder for 2.5 hours at 6 weeks, increasing to 3 hours when he’s 8 weeks.

What Are Some Signs Your Dog Needs To Pee?

If dogs show signs like scratching the gate or door, barking, circling, sniffing, squatting, or pacing, they might be receiving the call of nature.

Conclusion

Potty training a dog is a long journey that requires consistency and patience. The key is setting up a routine and sticking to it until your pup turns it into a habit. Once he gets the job done right, don’t forget to reward him with praise and his favorite treats. You might never know how far a simple “Good job!” can take your dog in the training process.

See more: How To Train A Dog To Walk On A Leash

How To Potty Train A Puppy: 5 Training Tips For Owners