Toilet Training

Take your puppy out regularly

Don't expect your puppy to tell you they need to go.

Take them outside:

• after eating or drinking
• when they wake up
• after playing
• approximately every hour to hour and a half

Yes, it's tiring. And if you've brought your puppy home in the middle of winter, standing outside waiting for a wee isn't much fun!

But consistency now, makes everything easier later.

Go outside with your puppy

Don't stand at the back door waiting for your puppy to go to the toilet.

Go outside with them.

If you stay inside and then give your puppy a treat when they come running back through the door, you've rewarded them for coming back to you. That's no bad thing — but it isn't what you're trying to teach at that moment.

You want the reward to be associated with going to the toilet outside.

The two-second rule

Timing matters.

You have approximately two seconds between your puppy doing something and giving the reward if you want them to make a clear connection between the two.

So when your puppy goes to the toilet outside, be there.

As they are toileting, you can start introducing a word or phrase that you'll eventually be able to use as a cue.

Some people use “Be busy.”

I use a good old “Have a wee.”

Use whatever you like. Just be consistent.

The second your puppy finishes — lots of praise and a lovely, tasty reward.

And yes, if it's pouring with rain, you still have to go outside!

What if you've been outside for ten minutes and nothing happens?

Bring your puppy back inside.

But don't let them wander freely around the house.

If you do, there's a very good chance that the minute your back is turned they'll go to the toilet indoors.

Pop your puppy into their bed or crate for five or ten minutes and then take them outside again.

It's a good idea to pop them on a long training line or a lead when you take them out, so they don't get distracted.

If they still don't go, repeat the process.

Outside → wait → back into the crate → try outside again.

Keep going until your puppy toilets outside and you can reward them.

Remember, you are building the habit.

You can even choose where your puppy toilets

Because toilet training is about habit, you can teach your puppy to use a particular part of your garden.

Take your puppy to the area on a lead so they don't wander off and choose somewhere else.

This can save your lawn and makes clearing up considerably easier.

Always clear up poop promptly. Your puppy may happily wee somewhere they've used before, but they may be reluctant to poop where old poop has been left.

What about overnight?

There are two ways you can approach overnight toileting.

Option 1: Provide a toilet area

I'm not good at getting up in the night, so I prefer to shorten my night and make sure a young puppy has a toilet area in their crate for emergencies.

Your crate needs to be large enough for the puppy's sleeping area and a separate toilet area.

Option 2: Set an alarm

The other approach, which can work very successfully, is to set your alarm and get up during the night to take your puppy outside.

If you choose this method, don't wait until your puppy cries and then get up.

Set the alarm so that you decide when it's toilet time.

And when you get up:

No playing. No cuddling. No excitement.

Out for a wee and straight back to bed.

See Sleeping Well at Night for more help with settling your puppy overnight.

What if your puppy has an accident indoors?

First of all, your puppy hasn't done anything wrong.

They simply don't yet understand what you want them to do.

So:

• don't tell them off
• don't make a fuss
• calmly move your puppy away while you clean it up
• clean the area thoroughly

Then think about why the accident happened.

Had your puppy just eaten?

Just woken up?

Been playing?

Had it been longer than usual since you took them outside?

Rather than blaming the puppy, use the accident as information to help you prevent the next one.

Remember

The key to toilet training is preventing accidents and building the right habit.

Every successful trip outside helps.

Be consistent, reward immediately and make it easy for your puppy to get it right.

Some puppies will take longer than others. Their early environment can make a difference too. If your puppy hasn't previously had the opportunity to move away from their sleeping area to toilet, establishing the new habit may take a little longer.

Keep going. You're teaching your puppy something they simply didn't know when they arrived.

Pin this quick reference sheet to your fridge

Toilet Training Your Puppy

Overnight Toilet Area

Puppy pads, newspaper - all are likely to get ripped up. The ideal is a box with sand in the bottom for absorbency and a roll of turf. This gives pup the grassy texture under their feet to build association with weeing on the grass outside. A roll of artificial turf can also work and it can easily be washed off.