Why Potty Training Isn’t Working – And What to Do Instead 

Potty training your new puppy can feel so challenging, but it really doesn’t have to be. Onyx K9 Training and Rehabilitation is passionate about offering advice that will make your life, and your puppy’s life, easier. So, here are some essential things to understand when setting out to potty train your new furry friend. 

1. Say “No” to Puppy Pads!

Contrary to popular belief, puppy pads and puppies really don't mix. Your fur baby will quickly come to associate the area you place the pad, or even worse, any soft surface, with going potty. 

2. Instead, Take Them Outside

Rather than using those puppy pads, you should designate an area outside that you take your pup to every time. Leash your dog, to prevent future anxiety about pottying on a leash and to keep them in that designated area, and take them through the same door, to the same spot, every time they need to go. 

3. Know Your Pup’s Schedule

A puppy’s bladder capacity can be calculated as Age in Months + 1, so if your pup is 4 months old, they can hold it for around 5 hours. When they are small, or even just new to your home, they should go out every time they eat, drink water, play, or wake up from a nap. 

4. Dogs Learn in Pictures. So, Keep it Simple and Consistent! 

The reason your dog isn’t asking you to go potty, is likely because you’re not painting a consistent picture for them. Their memories are sort of photographic, they remember in images or pictures of things. If every potty break is taken out of the same door, to the same spot, your pup will associate that routine with going potty and thus , will eventually go to that door to ask to go out. 

5. Crate and Supervise

Puppies should not spend any time in the house unsupervised or not in a crate until you are 100% confident in your dog’s ability to communicate needing to go potty. This prevents the creation of bad habits or accidents you don’t notice immediately. 

6. Give Your Pup Limited Time to Go 

Don’t stand outside for 30 minutes begging your dog to go, or simply throw them outside unattended and hoping for the best. Instead, give your pup a reasonable amount of time – 4 to 5 minutes – and if they choose not to go, they haven’t earned freedom in the house. Place them in a crate for 15 minutes, then try again.