How to housetrain your puppy

Puppies are bundles of fun and excitement but, to keep everyone in the house smiling when your furry friend arrives, it’s important that they know when and where they should go to the toilet! 

The toilet training process is one of the most important parts of a puppy’s development - as important, for example, as learning to walk on a leash. In this article, dog trainer Sue Mosedale takes us through her toilet training strategies.

What is puppy toilet training?

Toilet training, sometimes referred to as potty training or house training, is the process of disciplining your puppy to go to the toilet outside - as opposed to inside the house. 

It’s an important part of responsible dog ownership: not only will toilet training ensure you keep your house clean, but will teach your puppy self control and obedience skills. Toilet training isn’t just about helping your puppy either:  you’ll also learn to spot the signs that they need to go to the toilet and be able to let them outside to relieve themselves. 

Once they’re successfully toilet trained, your dog will know exactly when and where it needs to go to relieve itself, and take the opportunities to do so - rather than making unpleasant messes around your house or, worse, other people’s houses. 

How long does it take to housetrain a puppy?

The answer to this question really depends on your puppy, says Sue: “Every puppy is an individual and they all learn at different rates. Some puppies might be nearly house trained within five days, while for others it’ll take much longer.”

The key is not to expect too much too soon. On average, most puppies will be house trained within 4 to 6 months.

How to house train a puppy

When you make the decision to house train a puppy, it’s a good idea to have a plan in place, so all family members know what to expect. 

The best way to house train a puppy is the way that works for you: every dog, owner, and home is different - so bear in mind that you’ll face unique challenges. Fortunately, there are a few easy strategies that can help structure the training, and make things easier. 

Establish a cue word

Before you begin training your pup, you’ll need to choose a ‘cue word’ that they start to associate with going to the toilet. Choose something simple like ‘be clean’, ‘toilet’, or ‘garden’.

Sue recommends using this word very quietly to start with, so you don’t put your puppy off: “As they get older, they’ll associate that word with what you want them to do.”

With your word chosen, it’s time to begin training! Let’s take a look at Sue’s daily puppy toilet training schedule:

First thing in the morning

As soon as the first person in your family gets up, they should take your puppy straight outside. Choose a designated ‘toilet spot’ in the garden or yard and take your puppy here every time.

Don’t leave your puppy alone. Stay with them and use the cue word when your puppy starts going to the toilet. Remember to offer plenty of praise and treats.

After your puppy has had their breakfast, take them outside again and repeat the process.

During the day

Puppies have small bladders and need to go to the toilet a lot! Take your puppy outside every half hour, and gradually build up the amount of time between toilet visits.

Sue says that “playing can also stimulate the digestive system”, so make sure you take your puppy outside after a play session.

It’s also a good idea to take your puppy outside to go to the toilet after every meal.

How to potty train a puppy at night

Night time toilet training is more complicated for obvious reasons but, as always, forward planning can help. Decide on your puppy's ideal bedtime, and feed them at least two hours before. Make time to take your puppy outside just before you go to bed.

Crate training your puppy at night can also help give them a safe space of their own, and discourage them from going to the toilet indoors.

Sue recommends “placing puppy pads at one end of the crate, in case of accidents. You can also use these pads elsewhere to help establish where you want your puppy to go to the toilet. A lot of dogs won’t want to go to the toilet at all in their crate.”

You will still need to let your puppy out at regular intervals during the night. For the first week or so, you’ll probably need to stay up later and get up earlier, in addition to getting up during the night.

As your puppy gets used to their routine, you can slowly extend the amount of time you leave them overnight.

Here’s Sue’s puppy toilet training schedule to get you started:

First thing in the morning

As soon as the first person in your family gets up, they should take your puppy straight outside. Choose a designated ‘toilet spot’ in the garden and take your puppy here every time.

Don’t leave your puppy alone. Stay with them and use the cue word when your puppy starts going to the toilet. Remember to offer plenty of praise and treats.

After your puppy has had their breakfast, take them outside again and repeat the process.

During the day

Puppies have small bladders and need to go to the toilet a lot! Take your puppy outside every half an hour, and gradually build up the amount of time in-between toilet visits.

Sue says that “playing can also stimulate the digestive system”, so make sure you take your puppy outside after a play session.

It’s also a good idea to take your puppy outside after every meal.

House training a puppy at night

Decide on your puppy's ideal bedtime, and feed them at least two hours before this. Also take your puppy outside just before you go to bed.

Crating your puppy at night can also help give them a safe space of their own and discourage them from going to the toilet indoors.

Sue recommends “placing puppy pads at one end of the crate, in case of accidents. You can also use these pads elsewhere to help establish where you want your puppy to go to the toilet. A lot of dogs won’t want to go to the toilet at all in their crate.”

You will still need to let your puppy out at regular intervals during the night. For the first week or so, you’ll probably need to stay up later and get up earlier, in addition to getting up during the night.

As your puppy gets used to their routine, you can slowly extend the amount of time you leave them overnight.

Signs your puppy needs the toilet

One of the main issues Sue comes across is owners not seeing the signs that their puppy needs to go to the toilet. 

“Study your pup to see what little signs they give before they need to go,” Sue says. “You can use these signs to better structure your toilet training and help your puppy learn faster.”

The signs that a puppy wants to go to the toilet include:

• Fidgeting and restlessness

• Sniffing the floor

• Squatting

• Circling

• Panting, whining, barking

• Standing or sitting by the door

If you see any of these signs, pick your puppy up and take them to their designated toilet spot. If your puppy does have an accident, don’t punish them – instead just clean up and carry on as normal.

What to do if your puppy has an accident

Accidents will happen during toilet training so it’s important to keep your cool and know what to do. Keep the following in mind: 

• Don’t punish your pup if they’ve had an accident - or even if you catch them having an accident indoors. It’s easy to confuse a puppy during toilet training and you don’t want them to start feeling scared or upset when they go to the toilet. 

• Have a ‘cleaning kit’ ready to go. Warm water, kitchen towels, and washing powder should do the trick. The wash will remove the smell, clean the area, and make it less likely your pup will try to go there again. 

• Consider any contributing behavioural factors that might be making your dog have accidents. It might be worth getting advice from a vet if the problem keeps happening. 

• Reward successful toilet trips with treats so your pup knows it’s on the right track!

At what age should you house train your puppy?

House training should begin as soon as your new puppy arrives home, but Sue mentions it’s also important to “do your homework before you get your puppy.” 

Sue offers the following advice: 

• Knowing what to expect andhaving a schedule in place will help keep things as smooth as possible during your toilet training period.

• If you’re training an older dog (perhaps a rescue) then the house training schedule outlined above will still apply, but the process may take a little longer.

• While older dogs can hold their bladders for longer than puppies, they still need to be taught where they can go to the toilet.

• If your rescue dog has only lived outside, then they won’t know where they should or shouldn’t go.

What your puppy’s toilet training habits mean

Your puppy may develop certain toilet habits as it trains. This is perfectly normal and may actually help you train them. Your pup may, for example, prefer to go to the toilet on certain surfaces - such as cement, gravel, or grass - so it’s worth giving them that opportunity as much as possible. 

Negative habits can also be used to inform training. Very young puppies may have become used to going to the toilet on their bedding, or on the wooden floor of their house. By blocking access to places in which they might try to go to the toilet, you can help them break their negative habits and learn faster!

Ongoing behavioural problems during house training

If your puppy’s house training isn’t progressing after a couple of months, Sue suggests that now would be a good time to seek help from a behaviourist.

Treatment might be covered by your puppy insurance. ManyPets covers behavioural conditions if your vet has referred your dog.

The problem may even be down to a health issue although, fortunately, this is quite unusual. Vet Tim Kirby says that “we rarely see true urinary tract infections in puppies, mainly due to the fact that they urinate so frequently, which helps keep the bladder empty and promotes good urinary hygiene.”

“If you do notice your puppy dribbling urine almost constantly, this isn’t usually a sign of a urinary tract infection,” he says. “In most cases this is a symptom of an 'ectopic ureter' where the normal anatomical position of the ureter is deviated. As a result, the urine doesn’t accumulate in the bladder as it normally should.

“This is more common in female puppies than males, and these puppies often have congenital issues such as a very small bladder as well. Surgical intervention does carry a good prognosis.”

Patience, consistent training, and praise are all key when it comes to successfully toilet training your puppy - but don’t be afraid to seek advice if you feel your training isn’t going to plan.

Behavioural treatment covered up to your vet fee limit.

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