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Quick & easy toilet training
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I know toilet training can feel overwhelming. This guide gives you a simple, proactive plan to reduce accidents, build good habits, and create a happily housetrained puppy.
With practice this will help you achieve:
- Preventing accidents in the house.
- Visiting friends and family confidently.
- Relaxing overnight without constant worry.
What you'll need
- High-value treats for rewards
- Puppy pens, baby gates, or a crate
- An enzyme cleaner for accidents
Step-by-step
- Should I use puppy pads? I prefer to take puppies outside to the garden from day one so they learn right away where they’re meant to toilet. This helps establish good habits early and avoids confusion later.
- How often should I take them out to toilet? When they are awake, young puppies will need to go out every 20 minutes or so. It will be longer when they are sleeping.
- Do not wait for your puppy to tell you: Many pups don’t even know when they need to go until it’s too late. Be proactive and take them out frequently, especially after waking, eating, drinking, and playing. Set alarms on your phone to stay consistent. Eventually over time they will signal to you when they need to go outside.
- Help reduce distractions: Using a lead or a puppy pen outside helps them focus on the task instead of getting distracted by exploring.
- Use a verbal cue: As you put them down, say your cue (like “be quick”). Wait patiently. The moment they finish, praise them calmly and give them a treat.
- Manage freedom inside: Too much freedom is the main cause of accidents. If you can’t be watching your puppy with 100% focus, they should be in their crate or pen to keep them safe and your floors clean.
- Overnight toilet trips: Many puppies will need to go to the toilet in the night, you can gradually phase this out as they get a bit older.
- Accidents will happen: Do not punish them but do clean it up with the pet cleaning spray.
Top tips for success
- If an accident happens, do not punish your puppy. Just calmly clean it up and make sure you take them out more often.
- For early morning barking, beat them to it! Set your alarm 30 minutes earlier, take them out for a boring toilet trip, and put them straight back to bed.
Members only
This resource is a special perk for our members. To join us, first is to book one of our services. If you’re already a member, log in to enjoy full access.
Feeling overwhelmed by puppy puddles?
Every puppy learns at a different pace. If you're struggling to get results or want a personalised plan for your home and routine, a Puppy Head Start session is the fastest and most effective way to succeed.
