When it comes to training your puppy on potty pads then there are a few things you need to remember. As discussed in other articles you need to have a calm and assertive mind frame. DO NOT punish your puppy for bad behaviour, Instead just use the word NO in a stern voice and remember to encourage good behaviour by rewarding it and giving a lot of praise and attention.
Initially you will need to restrict the rooms your puppy can access, This will help with potty training as you can keep an eye on your dog. It will also help you to create boundaries freeing up the rest of the house as your relationship develops. Keep your puppy close to you with a leash or in their pen and when they show signs of needing to pee then use your chosen word "Potty" etc and then take them to the potty pad to relieve themselves.
As mentioned previously we need to encourage good behaviour and not punish bad behaviour. If your puppy does potty in the wrong place then simply take them to their potty and clean up the mess using cleaning products. Make sure you clean thoroughly as they will use the spot again due to the scent they left behind. When your puppy does potty in the correct place then make sure you reward them and give them all the attention for doing a good job.
Set up a room where you can leave puppy when you are not at home. You need to make sure the floor is covered with potty training pads and gradually over time take away one pad a day until you are left with just one. If your puppy pees outside the bad then you will need to start again.
You need to make sure your puppy is fed on a tight schedule. This will give them a routine (Dogs love routines) and it will also help you manage their toilet breaks better. When you feed your puppy only leave out the food for 15 mins and then remove the food whether they eat it or not.
When you use a pad try and take your puppy to the pad every 2-3 hours. You need to do this after play, Sleep and eating periods as well so you minimise accidents. Have them stand near the spot, Don't give them attention and stay there until they have done their business. Wait for 5-10 minutes and then move onto something else.
You can check out some puppy training pads here.
For further training tips check out our other post on toilet training your puppy.
Comments