Yup, we’re going there. Every dog poops, but the happiest owners have dogs that consistently poop (and pee) outside. Questions about this topic, housebreaking, are some of most frequently asked to trainers.
Whether it’s a newly adopted dog or puppy or a dog who is still having some accidents, there are some easy tips & tricks to help save your carpets!
Use the right cleanser!
With any housebreaking situation, accidents happen. They’re unavoidable on your journey to a housebroken dog. Using the right type of cleaner will help remove any leftover scent that could entice a dog to go in that same spot again. A mixture of bleach on appropriate flooring or an enzymatic cleanser like Nature’s Miracle will do the trick!
Give your dog a schedule.
Consistency is key! Take your dog outside consistently every few hours.
Here’s a good rule of thumb for puppies. Number of months old your puppy is + 1 = The number of hours they can hold their bladder. (i.e. 3 month old puppy + 1 = 4 hours) This calculation is capped at 6 months. Dogs 6 months and over should be able to hold their bladder for 6 – 8 hours.
Below are some of the potty breaks you should build into your schedule:
- Within an hour after meals
- Within an hour after drinking a bowl of water
- Immediately after a rowdy play session (with people or dogs)
- Immediately after waking up from a nap
- First thing in the morning
- Right before bed
Help your dog WANT to potty outside.
Now, let’s add the training piece, the essential piece to housebreaking. When you take your dog outside to potty, try to go to the same spots where they’ve gone previously. When they do potty, reward with lots of praise and even a treat. This will help teach your dog that when they potty outside, good things happen! They will WANT to continue to go outside.
