Potty Training 1-2-3 (A step-by-step guide)

If there’s one mantra every dog owner should live by, it’s this: what goes in will eventually come out. I’m talking, of course, about pee and poo. For most owners, the issue isn’t if it will happen, it’s when and where we’d like it to happen. Whether you’re bringing home your first puppy, adopting an older dog, or giving your long-time companion a refresher, getting your dog reliably potty trained should be a top priority.

Successful potty training sits on three key pillars:

1. Setting up an environment that naturally discourages unwanted accidents.

2. Generously (and I mean GENEROUSLY!) rewarding elimination in the right place.

3. Avoiding any reinforcement for elimination in the wrong place.

These three principles form the backbone of the step-by-step method presented here, as popularised by award winning author and dog trainer Jean Donaldson.

WARNING: Before I paint too rosy a picture for you, I would like to acknowledge that potty training is indeed inconvenient and potty accidents unpleasant. Just as with training human children, it will likely require time, effort, lack of sleep and sometimes frayed tempers on the part of the human. But 4 weeks of pain is totally worth the next 10-15 years of relief! Persevere without wavering! It does get better, just stick with the plan.

STEP 1: Management, Management, Management!

In this step, we will:

• Crate or confine your dog when no potty training activities are scheduled.

In dog trainer speak, the term "Management" refers to deliberately and thoughtfully orchestrating the environment to discourage potty accidents. Every time the dog is allowed to have an accident, it actually makes successful potty training even harder because the relief that the dog feels upon elimination encourages them to repeat the same accident. Hence we must start by preventing the dog from making mistakes.

We'll do so by taking advantage of the tendency for most dogs to NOT want to soil their sleeping areas. During these 4 weeks, when not having potty time, playtime or meals, confine the dog to a crate or an appropriately sized, fenced-off area or exercise pen (Ex-Pen). Don't worry, this is only a temporary situation. Once your pup has had no accidents for 2-3 weeks, we will slowly begin to wean them off the confinement.

A good potty training plan doesn’t just teach a dog the difference between legal and illegal potty locations, it also helps them gradually develop the ability to “hold it” when a proper spot isn’t immediately available. This skill depends heavily on the dog’s physical maturity and bladder/bowel capacity. That’s why, at appropriate intervals (see table below), we will be letting the pup out for a scheduled pee/poo break as outlined in the next step.

STEP 2: Elimination Breaks & Treat Parties

In this step, we will:

• Give your pup a potty break at regular intervals.

• Blow their minds with a treat party every time they potty in the correct spot.

• Engage in play time.

• Place them back in crate for rest.

When it’s time for a potty break, grab some of your best, mind-blowing treats. Think shredded chicken, dried anchovies, tripe, cheese… the stinkier, the better. Keep a small stash in your pocket or treat bag so you’re ready the moment your dog goes in the right spot.

Next, let your dog out of confinement, attach the leash, and head straight to the designated potty area (outside or a puppy potty spot indoors). For smaller dogs, you can even pick them up and carry them to minimise the chance of accidents on the way.

The key here is being fully prepared before you open the crate or doggie pen gate. That means treats in your pocket, leash in hand, keys ready, and you’re dressed to go. If you let your dog out before you are ready, you risk giving them just enough time to squat and eliminate indoors while you scramble to get organised.

Once you’ve reached the designated potty spot, stay with your dog, leashed, even if you’re using an indoor pee pad, and wait patiently (and boringly) until they eliminate. The moment they’re done (i.e. within 1-2 seconds), celebrate! Praise them enthusiastically and give them those “mind-blowing” treats you brought along. If they do not eliminate, then crate them again and try again in 10 -15 min.

After you are 100% sure that they are fully empty, offer a bit of playtime (30 min for puppies and up to 1 hr for adults) or enrichment as a bonus reward and to drain some energy. Once time is up, it is back in the crate / ex-pen for them with a favourite chew toy / treat to rest till the next potty break. Expect to be at this step for about 2 - 3 weeks.

(Geek stuff incoming: ) The goal of this step is twofold. First, it helps your dog settle into a predictable routine, which reduces anxiety because they learn that if they wait a little longer, they will be given a chance to go. Second, it builds a strong history of good things happening when they eliminate in the right place. This becomes especially important later, when accidents inevitably occur, the contrast between “legal” elimination (which earns a treat party) and “illegal” elimination (which earns nothing) becomes crystal clear for the dog.

STEP 3: After 2-3 Weeks of No Accidents, Interrupt Accidents

If you have been ruthlessly following step 1 & 2 for at least 2 weeks, then you should be rewarded with significantly less accidents at home. It is now time to gradually allow greater freedom outside the crate / ex-pen. This is done by gradually increasing the time that your pup spends outside of confinement in step 2 up to a point where your puppy can reasonably hold it.

For example if your puppy has gone accident-free for 2-3 weeks and has been getting 30 min of playtime after eliminating outside, then we can now increase playtime by 5 min (i.e. to 35 min) before going back into confinement as per step 2. We will continue this increase every 1-2 days provided there are no accidents. If any accidents occur (i.e. he can't hold it), then we have gone too fast. Simply go back to the previous play duration which your pup can tolerate and try the increase again in a couple of days.

There is however a caveat. During this step, it is imperative that during play / free-roam time, that you have eyes on your puppy at all times! The moment you notice that your puppy is showing signs of wanting to eliminate (excessive sniffing, lifting leg, turning in circles etc.) you must interrupt them with happy talk, scoop them up and whisk them away to finish eliminating legally. Then reward them for finishing up outside.

This means not only do you need to keep them within reach in case you need to scoop them up fast, but you should not be distracted by other tasks. If at any time, you are unable to have eyes on them, then it would be better to put them back in confinement early. Other remedies are to have them seated or laying down on your lap or on a leash by your side on a bed. This way you can leap into action to whisk them away if you notice any signs of impending elimination.

Closing Thoughts

dd

Tips for Success

Never Punish Accidents (It makes it worse!)

Back in the day, before we understood how animals actually learn, the common advice was to harshly punish a dog for potty accidents. Unfortunately, this often led to something called Reverse Housetraining, where the dog learns that it’s safer to eliminate only when the “scary human” isn’t around to notice.

Dogs trained this way often refuse to eliminate in front of their owners and instead wait until the owner leaves. Some even start sneaking off to hidden spots (closets, under beds, behind sofas) so their accidents won’t be discovered right away. By the time the mess is found, it’s far too late for any consequence to make sense. Punishing a dog for something they did hours or days earlier has zero impact on their potty habits, because they simply cannot connect the punishment with a long-past behaviour.

Pick A Designated Potty Spot and Stick With It

Whether it is a spot outside or an indoors potty pad, it is imperative that you keep the location constant. Continually switching locations prevents the dog from forming a strong link to the legal potty location

Properly Use A Potty Command

The usage of a consistent phrase like “Go potty” or “Do your business” is helpful in cueing your dog to eliminate on command. Observe your dog closely during potty breaks. When you notice that they are showing signs of elimination (squatting, raising legs, turning in circles etc), try to time your potty command so that "Go Potty" is spoken a split second before they actually successfully eliminate. This takes practice to get the timing right but over time, you will get a good feel of your dog's pre-elimination habits.

Reward Immediately and Profusely

When rewarding your dog for legal elimination, you must do so within 1-3 seconds after they finish eliminating in order for it to have the biggest impact. Discreetly stash the treat in your hand so as not to distract them from completing their elimination and deliver it to their mouths the moment they are done.