Potty Training Your Puppy

If you follow many of the common rules to puppy potty training like:

• confining your dog when your away
• using a routine
• praising and rewarding for going potty outside

You will soon discover that nothing is full proof and it will take time to accomplish a potty trained dog. Our puppy had to go potty every fifteen minutes and their seemed to be no rhyme or reason to her having to pee or poop. With age she has become more reliable even going to sit by the door when she wants to go outside. Don't be discouraged if your dog has accidents. It takes time for them to be able to hold their bladder.

From experience, pooping seems to be a bigger struggle to get acrossed and seems to lag in the potty training. This puppy we have now doesn't seem to be able to empty her bladder or bowels completely. She will poop outside and then come in the house and leave another pile. I'm hoping that with age that too shall pass. She seems to pee and then have to pee again shortly after making me think she doesn't really understand about emptying her bladder out.

Exercise has been the biggest key to getting her to be able to not have as many accidents in the house. It may be that the exercise is developing her muscles giving her more control or perhaps it is the opportunity to go potty on a walk. She probably also diffuses some of that nervous, excited energy that makes her feel like she has to go all the time. Whatever the reason it works and I would highly recommend it especially if your puppy spends long periods of time confined during the day.

Potty training is not something that can be accomplished quickly with all dogs and you have to be willing to customize the process for the needs of the dog.