Download Article
Download Article
It's fairly simple to house train a dog of any age; it just takes patience, consistency, and understanding. According to dog trainer David Levin, the most important thing to do is react quickly: if your dog begins to pee indoors, take it outside immediately. Eventually, your dog will learn to wait. In the meantime, it might help to leave your dog outside as much as possible and to keep an enzymatic cleaner on hand for any accidents. Keep reading for additional tips to help you eliminate messes from your home.
Steps
-
Keep your dog on a bathroom schedule. Having a daily routine is important for dogs of any age, but it's especially important for younger dogs. A puppy can typically only hold his bladder for one hour per every month of age, meaning that young puppies may need to go outside once every hour. It's best to establish a routine as quickly as possible with your dog to ensure that he doesn't have any problems. [1] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source
- In addition to the correlation between number of months of age and number of hours a puppy can wait to go out, it's also important to let your dog out first thing in the morning, during or after play time, and after he's eaten a meal or drank a lot of water. This time also refers to the maximum length of time he can hold on (i.e. at night). When house breaking a puppy, it is important to offer him a toilet break every 20–30 minutes for training purposes.
-
Let your dog have a designated bathroom spot. Whether you walk your dog or let him outside in a fenced-in enclosure, it's important for your dog to have a routine spot where he urinates. This can be a tree that you pass near your home, or a certain spot in the yard. Whatever spot your dog chooses, it's important to let him always have access to that spot while you are training him to urinate outdoors. [2] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source
Advertisement
-
Use a verbal command on walks. Try associating a verbal command with your dog's chosen bathroom spot, or with any spot that you pass immediately after leaving the house. You can say something like, "Go potty," or "Go pee" every time he urinates in that spot. Over time, your dog will hear that command and recall the associated act of urinating. [3] X Research source
-
Praise your dog. Whenever your dog follows your command of "go potty" when you let him outside, immediately praise him and give him a treat within three seconds of the positive behavior. It's important to follow rewards or praise immediately after positive behavior, as dogs have a hard time associating actions and praise if too much time has passed. [4] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
-
Gradually reduce food treats. As your dog's training continues, you may want to slowly reduce the frequency of food treats after he relieves himself, eventually phasing them out altogether. Treats are an important and helpful part of training early on, but rewarding your dog with food every time he relieves himself should not become a lifelong habit.
Advertisement
-
Choose the right crate. Crate training is a great method to incorporate when trying to housebreak your dog. Dogs come to view the crate as a sort of den within your home, and no dog wants to voluntarily soil the den. [5] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source However, crates are not a simple fix. Crate training takes time and patience, and you'll need to make sure your dog is comfortable in his crate.
- Crates come in a variety of materials and versions. There are plastic crates that are typically used for traveling, and there are metal crates with folding/collapsing frames. Choose a type of crate that will be most conducive to your needs, and be sure it's something your dog will not be able to chew or destroy easily, if that is a concern with your pet.
- Choose the right size. A crate should ideally be just large enough for an adult dog to stand upright, turn around in it, and lie down with his legs extended. If a crate is too big, your dog may designate one corner of the crate as a bathroom spot. If it's too small, your dog will be cramped and uncomfortable.
- If your dog is young and you expect that he will continue to grow, talk to your veterinarian about how to measure a crate that will fit your dog's anticipated adult body size.
-
Introduce your dog to his crate slowly. If you try to toss your dog into a crate without any proper introductions, he may become traumatized and fearful of the crate. It's best to introduce a new crate slowly, by encouraging your dog to explore the crate and using gentle, reassuring tones whenever he approaches it. [6] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source
- Try leaving the door to the crate open and periodically dropping treats in the crate. Start by leaving treats near the door, and progressively drop the treats further inside the crate.
- Let your dog explore the crate whenever he wants. Leave the door open so that he feels like he can go inside at his leisure.
-
Begin giving your dog his meals in the crate. Once your dog is comfortable and acclimated to venturing inside his new crate, you'll want to begin feeding him his meals inside the crate. This will help him get accustomed to going into the crate as a part of daily life. [7] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source
- Close the door of the crate while your dog is eating. When you first begin doing this, you'll want to open the crate as soon as your dog finishes his meal, so he doesn't become frightened. You can gradually increase the amount of time you leave the door closed, adding a minute or two every couple of days.
- If your dog begins to whine, cry, or bark, do not let him out right away. Wait until he stops acting out before opening the crate. If you open the door whenever he barks, he will begin to think that barking gets him out whenever he wants.
- Once your dog is comfortable staying in the crate for close to a half hour without incident, it is safe to start leaving your dog in the crate when you leave the house for brief errands, and you may want to consider leaving him in the crate overnight. Expect this process to take up to several weeks before your dog is comfortable being left alone in the crate.
-
Start crating your dog regularly. After your dog has proven capable of being left alone for brief periods of time, you can begin leaving him in the crate when you leave the house. It's best to prolong putting your dog inside the crate until you are almost ready to leave; otherwise he may get anxious and fail to understand why he's locked inside while you're still home. [8] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source
- Be sure to let your dog outside to relieve himself right before you put him in the crate. Failing to give your dog adequate outdoor time before being crated could increase the likelihood of his having accidents when you're not home. [9] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source
- Never use the crate as punishment. You do not want your dog to associate the crate with being yelled at or punished. As long as you continue to feed him in his crate and only use the crate for training purposes (such as preventing him from destroying the house while you're not home), he should have only positive associations with the crate.
Advertisement
-
Do not punish your dog for accidents. Your dog will inevitably have occasional accidents, even after successfully house training him. Accidents may happen frequently during the training process. It's important to remember that your dog did not mean to have an accident, and that he will eventually learn not to make it a habit. [10] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source
- Do NOT yell at your dog or rub his face in the mess when he has an accident. This does not help your dog learn from his mistakes, and it may cause him to become fearful of you. Take accidents in stride and be patient with your pet.
-
Interrupt indoor accidents when you observe them. Any time you observe your dog urinating in the house, make a startling noise, like clapping your hands or saying "Go outside". Then take your dog outside and praise him if he finishes relieving himself outdoors. [11] X Research source
-
Clean up accidents thoroughly. Dogs have a keen sense of smell, and may come to associate a former accident spot as an acceptable bathroom location if the smell is not properly cleaned away. This can be especially problematic in younger puppies. Use an enzymatic cleaner to thoroughly remove odors after accidents indoors. [12] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
- If you have a yard, you can use indoor accidents as a training tool. Any time you clean up an indoor accident, take the urine-soaked paper towels outside to the dog's usual bathroom area. Leave the paper towels outside on the ground, using a rock or stick to secure them in place. Once your dog smells his urine on the paper towels, he will firmly associate going to the bathroom with being outside. As soon as your dog learns the lesson and begins relieving himself outside again, you can remove the soiled paper towels.
-
Recognize potential problems. If your dog is having a hard time refraining from relieving himself indoors, it's possible that he's suffering from a medical ailment or emotional problem. Consult your veterinarian to determine whether your dog has any of the following problems:
- urinary tract infection (UTI)
- surface preferences (desire to eliminate waste only on certain types of surfaces or textures) [13] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source
- anxiety/fear of going outdoors [14] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
- separation anxiety [15] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
- urine marking of household objects [16] X Research source
- submissive or excitement urination [17] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source
Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Search
-
QuestionHow do you train a dog to pee in a certain area?Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.Stay outside with the dog when you take it to go to the bathroom. This way you can make sure your dog actually relieves itself where it's supposed to. You can also praise it after going to the bathroom in the area you want it to, which will train the dog much better than if you weren't there to do so.
-
QuestionHow can I train my 3-month-old puppy to go potty outside?Community AnswerThis process takes time depending on the dog. I recommend this YouTuber named Zak George's Dog Training Revolution. He has many videos on dog training and I recommend him to many people. He has many videos on easy puppy potty training.
-
QuestionMy dog will only go in the front yard. How can I change this?Community AnswerWalk her to the place where you want her to go and eventually she will. Praise her when she does!
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Tips
- Training may take longer for some dogs, but dogs of any age can be house trained. Be patient and encourage/praise good behavior.Thanks
- If your dog is still going inside you may need to let him out more often. If he doesn't relieve himself on a walk after 10+ minutes, try going back in the house but keeping the leash on. Then go back outside for another walk after 10 to 15 minutes have passed. Repeat until your dog relieves himself outside.Thanks
- If you are finding accidents around the house, you may not be supervising your dog properly.Thanks
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
References
- ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-potty-train-your-dog-or-puppy
- ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-potty-train-your-dog-or-puppy
- ↑ https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/housetraining-puppies-dogs/
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-potty-train-a-puppy/
- ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/crate-training-101
- ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/crate-training-101
- ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/crate-training-101
- ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/crate-training-101
- ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/house-training-your-adult-dog
- ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-potty-train-your-dog-or-puppy
- ↑ https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/housetraining-puppies-dogs/
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-potty-train-a-puppy/
- ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-potty-train-your-dog-or-puppy
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-train-fearful-dog/
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/dog-separation-anxiety-how-to-stop/
- ↑ https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/dog-behavior-problems-marking-behavior
- ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/house-training-your-adult-dog
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To train a dog to pee outside, stick to a daily routine by letting your dog out in the morning, after playtime, and in the evening so it gets used to peeing outside. Additionally, remember that young puppies can't hold on so long so you may need to take them out once every hour. When you take your dog outside, choose a tree or spot in the yard where it can urinate. Once there, say the command "Go pee," and praise the dog every time it does so. You could also try giving your dog a food treat immediately afterwards so it associates going to the toilet with a positive experience. For tips on how to crate train a dog, keep reading!
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 359,058 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "I messed up during pad traing (yelled at my pup). Don't try at home! Its traumatizing for both pup and yourself! I used this method on taking the pee soaked papertowls outside and BAM he started potty training outside. Amazing advice in this article!!!" ..." more
Advertisement
85%
of readers found this article helpful
.
Click a star to add your vote
% of people told us that this article helped them.
"I messed up during pad traing (yelled at my pup). Don't try at home! Its traumatizing for both pup and yourself! I used this method on taking the pee soaked papertowls outside and BAM he started potty training outside. Amazing advice in this article!!!"
..."
more
"The importance of cleaning spots with enzymes, and going to the same area outside. Also, the encouragement that if I'm consistent, it is possible!"
..."
more
"This has been so helpful. So happy that I got the information. I am trying to train two new pups."
"This is very helpful for me. We just got a puppy last week and he is 8 weeks now. Thanks!"
"Everything helped me!"
