Potty Training Done Right
The basics of dog potty training are pretty simple and are covered in Puppy Training Tips. But there is more to it than that. How exactly do you potty train your dog on lead? What about a dog that comes back in the house and pees? And finally, how about going in winter?
Potty Training On Lead
I often get asked why it’s so hard to dog potty train on lead. They sniff and sniff until you feel they know every blade of grass on a very personal basis, yet they won’t go.
Then you decide that they don’t really need to go, come back inside and — boom– they do their business right there. What’s with that?
I think it’s important to realize how much you communicate to your dog through the lead. If the lead is tight or you are jerking them from place to place, realize that you are not helping matters.
Most of us like to do our business in a quiet, unstressed environment. So do our dogs.
So first and foremost, loosen up. Loosen your hand on the lead. Go to where you want your dog to go. Stop. Become a post. Let your dog walk round you, finding the right spot. Watch the pretty clouds. Or an interesting tree. Pretty soon, if he needs to go, he will squat.
Then praise. Continue this until he looks like he’s done. Then take a nice walk. You don’t want to head straight back to the door as soon as he’s done because that tells your dog that the longer he holds it, the longer the walk will be.
This way going on lead can become a regular and happy routine.
Small Dog Potty Training – Done Right
I got the below question about 6 months ago.
This sounds like my 6 yr old miniature pincher, he barks at us to let him out, and he does go, and goes out alot, but I still find spots in the house where he went, I never seem to catch him either, will getting him neutered help?
Thanks for your question. There are several things you can do that will help in house training your boy.
1. It sounds first of all that he is not fully emptying his bladder. So I would take him for longer walks. And then, at least at the beginning, I would put him in his crate when you come back in (he IS crate trained, right?) then take him out AGAIN after about half an hour.
2. When you are not home he should be in his crate.
3. When your boy is out and about in the house, he should be in a belly band. Click here for House Training Tools. for how to do this.
4. Then I would do a super house cleaning, getting in every single little corner, with the goal of really cleaning out the pee smell.
If you have been thinking about changing out your carpet, now would be a good time to do so. Your goal is to eradicate every single yummy(to a dog) smelling spot in your house.
5. Every time you catch your boy lifting his leg in the house take him outside and potty him. You should tell him, Potty OUTSIDE! but you don’t need to yell at him so much as really show him what he should do.
Neutering will moderate the left lifting and should help with the sniffing, but this primarily a behavior issue, and behavior modification is what will achieve real dog potty training.
Hope this helps!
Small Dog Pottying in Winter
Hello, my name is N. My Silky terrier (Mukki) is 1 year and 6 months. I got her when she was about 4 months. She does really well with kids.
I’m 17 years old, and I have 8 younger siblings. Mukki gets along with all of my siblings and my little brothers pitbull 5 days younger. I just had to tell you that. Anyways…. I am having a lot of problems with Mukki’s house training.
I live in Minnesota and we get bad winter storms. I shovel some snow so there is flat ground for her to go potty but she won’t go potty. She sniffs EVERYWHERE for the 30-40 mins then I have no choice but to bring her back in. She potties anywhere in the house though, which is the BIG problem.
I mean my mom just got 2 new mini pinchers and they are understanding potty WAY better than Mukki, in her life. I came to a conclusion that Mucky is a picky potty-er. How would I train her? I really need help.
You seem to be a pro, and I hope you can help me. My friend thinks she is from a puppy mill and that plays an role why she will potty anywhere, EVEN in her own kennel, which is surprising! So I’m lost now, I hope you can help me.
Thank you very much
-N. A. C. Saint Paul, Minnesota
Dear N,
Despite Mukki’s potty problems, she sounds like a gem.
My sister lives in Canada, and has similar problems with her Silky every winter.
The bottom line is that Silkys don’t like water, and they hate cold.
Is there a spot in your nice warm house where you could put up an exercise pen with lots of newspapers? You can hang out with Mukki when she needs to go so she’s not lonely and perhaps give her another one of the dogs for company.
Yes, you will have some clean up to do but it will at least be in an area you designate. For more information on exercise pens, you can look up House Training Tools. Good luck with Mukki and keep me posted.