Ahh, potty training. One of the least glamorous parts of pup parenthood. Between all the accidents, late night/early morning outings, and constant supervision, it’s definitely not one of the most fun parts of training.
But, there are some things we can do to make the training process go as smoothly as possible. In this video in the Dog Training POV Series, Trevor Smith talks all about potty training. He will cover:
- How to get your dog to stop going potty in the house
- How to help them find the value of going potty outside
POTTY TRAINING
OVERVIEW OF POTTY TRAINING VIDEO
HOW TREVOR TRAINED BOLT
They made sure to watch Bolt when he went outside. When he went potty, they would be sure to treat and reward him right away!
Going to the bathroom for most dogs is a reinforcing behavior, because when they relieve themselves they will feel much better after. So when you treat them after, it will help to build value for that behavior.
It’s also important to watch your dog when they are inside. If you aren’t able to watch them, it is a good idea to put them on a leash or give them a play pen to help them be more successful in the beginning.
TROUBLESHOOTING
WHEN DOGS MAKE MISTAKES
When Bolt would make a mistake, (which isn’t his fault, It’s important for us as the pet parents to set them up for success), don’t scold them! You will need to try better next time. Quickly take your dog outside, and put the point of reinforcement outside!
REWARDING YOUR DOG FOR DOING THEIR BUSINESS
Wait until your dog is totally done doing their business, and then reward them. You don’t want to interrupt them, open the bag of treats, or anything while they are doing their business. You want to wait!
GETTING YOUR DOG TO GO POTTY IN A TIMELY MANNER
This can sometimes be a challenge. At some point in the potty training process, our dogs may just want to go outside to play instead of relieving themselves. If our dogs are used to going out into the backyard off leash, it can also make it challenging for times when you do need your dog to relieve themselves quickly, like on a road trip, when you are late to a meeting, etc.
Putting them on a leash can be helpful! Get your dog used to the process of getting them to go potty on a leash, which can help in different kinds of situations.
GETTING THE RIGHT TOOLS
When it comes to potty training, certain tools can also make a huge difference. For example, if a dog goes to the bathroom indoors, we may clean it up, but if we don’t use an enzymatic cleaner, it may not work to totally eliminate the odor. making it so our pups go back to that same spot time after time. Enzymatic cleaners work to remove the odors AND eliminate the stain completely. Shop potty training tools here.
PS- You can learn about bell training a puppy here!
For more help with potty training, be sure to check out the Potty Training course in Pupford Academy. There you will have access to videos to help with puppy training, excitement urination, regressions, marking, and so much more.
Make sure to follow along for more from the Dog Training POV Series on YouTube. See you next time!
