How to train pets for toilet
Dogs:-The majority of our adult dogs will already be toilet trained but they may need a few reminders. When you first arrive home take them out into the garden and wait with them until they have relieved themselves. When they do go, give calm praise.
Don’t expect your dog to ‘tell you that they need to go outside as not all dogs will have been taught this. Remember that an adult dog will want to urinate every three to four hours, so give them plenty of opportunities to relieve themselves outdoors.
Don’t ever take your dog’s water away as a way of reducing urination. If they’re thirsty, they should be allowed to drink, and if you do this they will only drink excessively when you give the water back.
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Poop scoop
You must clear up and dispose of your dog’s feces, and there are bylaws enforcing this. Always take ‘poo bags with you when you take your dog out. We would recommend using bio-degradable bags
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How to train in Steps
Bringing home a new puppy is such an exciting moment
and one you’ll never forget! Although there’s a lot to learn, one thing you’ll want to get started with as soon as they step paws into your home is puppy toilet training.
You’ll soon discover that puppies pee a lot – sometimes more than 12 times a day! It’s your job to guide them so they don’t make mistakes, work out when they need to go outside, and teach them what to do once they get there. And of course, reward them every time they get it right.
Keep reading to discover how to toilet train a puppy in 7 days (UK), how long it takes to toilet train a puppy, and learn how to notice the warning signs when nature calls. Remember, consistency is key!
What age should a puppy be toilet trained?
You should start housetraining your pup the moment they come home. With new puppies, this is usually around 8-9 weeks old. This is so they begin to learn where they can go potty. If you’re training an older dog, the process should also happen the minute they come home.
How long does it take to toilet-train a puppy?
It is almost impossible to predict as every puppy will take a different length of time to become fully toilet trained. If you’re wondering how to toilet train a puppy in 7 days in the UK, remember that consistency is key with this. For most, it will take between four to six months for your puppy to be fully reliable, but it will depend on its size, age, and ability to learn. Some puppies can learn how to be toilet trained quickly in only a few weeks, whereas for some dogs it may take longer and could be up to a year. Often smaller breeds take longer as they have tiny digestive systems and can’t hold on for very long, and dogs who have been reared in a kennel environment rather than in the home can also take a bit longer.
How to tell when your puppy needs to go to the toilet
You can usually tell when your puppy 'wants to go because they might start to look around, walk in circles and maybe start sniffing in suitable corners looking for a place. That's your cue to take them outside! Calmly carry them out to the toilet area. Wait for as long as you need to – sometimes puppies can get distracted by the excitement of the great outdoors, no matter how much they wanted to go!
Your puppy will also need to go to the toilet when they wake up, after a meal, after drinking, after or sometimes during a game, and at other times ‘just because!
When considering how to toilet train a puppy it’s important that you follow these steps:
1. During the day, take your puppy out to your designated toilet area as soon as they wake up and after eating or drinking. Also, take them out every hour or so.
2. Be prepared to wait for a while - toilet training takes patience and puppies are easily distracted.
3. Once they’ve been to the toilet, reward them with a treat and plenty of praise. The more opportunities you get to reward them when they get it right, the faster your toilet training will be
4. Give them lots of opportunities to go to the toilet in the right place
5. Never punish your puppy for accidents - it's not their fault that their needs haven't been anticipated. Any punishment will slow progress and also damage the relationship you are trying to build with your dog, so keep toilet training positive.
The importance of a toilet area
When thinking about the best way to toilet train a puppy, you ideally want to separate the ‘play’ part of your puppy-proofed garden and the ‘toilet’ part. You can do this by fencing off an area and always using that as the toilet. This makes it look and smell different from the rest of the garden, so your puppy can learn to recognize it and use it in preference to other parts of the garden.
Most puppies like to go somewhere natural rather than concrete or paving, and grass (or possibly bark chippings) is ideal.
An important part of toilet training for a puppy is to keep their toilet area clean by clearing it up every day. While the smell of the toilet area will encourage them to use that space, the leftover mess can put them off, and they may look for other areas to do their business. No one likes a dirty toilet!
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Do be patient with puppy toilet training
Once you’ve established a toilet area, take your puppy there routinely to let them use it and always then reward them with a treat. If they sniff around but don’t do anything, be patient… you might have to wait for a little while. If they still don’t go, bring them back inside and watch them carefully for their first five minutes. Take them outside again if you spot any warning signs of needing to go.
Do add in a cue word
It’s a good idea when puppy toilet training to introduce an accompanying cue word like ‘busy’ or ‘hurry’ as they are going to the toilet so you can use this word later to encourage them to go if you are in a new place.
Don’t forget the rewards
Always, always reward successes. The more opportunities you get to reward your puppy for toileting in the right place, the faster your toilet training will be. This does mean that you have to go with your puppy every time (no matter what time it is or whatever the weather!) so you can see that they’ve been to the toilet and you can reward them immediately - so they know exactly what it is they have done right.
Do be consistent
For the first couple of weeks when house training a puppy, it’s your mission to take them out to go to the toilet as soon as they wake up after they’ve had something to eat or drink, and every half hour while they’re playing. You always have to have your eye on them as well so you can spot their tell-tale signals of needing to go.
Remember to reward them each time they get it right - and use the cue word when they are in the act so you link it to the behavior.
How to toilet train a puppy without a garden
When you've got a puppy in an apartment, getting them out in time can be a challenge! Therefore, it's even more important to recognise the signs when your pup is trying to let you know they need to go!
Identify a suitable toilet area that you can get to quickly and easily - no matter what time of day.
Taking them out every hour can help as it gives your puppy more opportunities to 'get it right and get rewarded for that behavior. Set a timer for every hour as a reminder so you don't forget!
If you have no access at all to a suitable outdoor space, you can train them to use a litter tray or puppy pads in the same way that indoor cats will always toilet inside
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How long does it take to toilet-train a puppy?
Accidents in the house will happen - especially if you are not vigilant or get distracted. These are especially likely during the first few weeks of your training and while they still have very immature digestive systems, but if your puppy does go to the toilet indoors, stay calm, remind yourself that it is your fault, and remember that it’s all part of the learning process.
Clean it up quickly
If you discover a little puddle or a mess, whether or not you were there when it happened, just clean it up without making an issue out of it. Use a purpose-designed enzyme-based cleaner (you can get these from your local pet store) rather than a more usual household cleaner - as while these will smell clean to you, to your puppy’s sensitive nose, it will still smell like a toilet.
Never get angry or shout
It’s unfair to punish them for something that they can’t help and haven’t learned any different yet (and might physically not be capable of yet). If you happen to catch them in the act, calmly take them outside to the toilet area to finish off what they’ve started, then clean the floor thoroughly with a neutralizing spray so there’s no smell that your pet can associate with a toilet area. The more work you put into toilet training a puppy - and the more chances you get to reward them for getting it right - the faster they’ll pick it up. Punishment will only damage this training process - and your relationship.
How to toilet train a puppy (nighttime)
The difficulty with night time toilet training is that you are asleep and so can’t watch your puppy - and you are not going to want to take them outside every hour!
Thankfully most puppies will have learned not to soil their sleeping area before they even come to you. As soon as a puppy can go to the toilet unaided by its mother, she will encourage them to move away from the sleeping area when they need to go to the toilet. No one wants to lie on wet or soiled bedding and well-reared dogs are no different. Breeders who rear their puppies in the house will usually have them in a large puppy pen, and the mother will designate where the sleeping place or places are - and where the toilet is.
This early learning is going to be useful for your puppy toilet training - and if you restrict the area the puppy has to sleep in, they are more likely to try and ‘hang on so as not to make a mess of their bed, as their mum taught them.
Also being enclosed in a secure, comfortable area means they are not able to wander around potentially getting into hazardous situations, chewing things that you don’t want them to - or just amusing themselves - rather than learning that night times are for sleeping.
The easiest way to create a restricted area is either with a puppy pen or a crate. For most people, a crate is the easiest, most portable secure option - and is usually the most convenient to set up beside your bed.
Here are some tips for puppy toilet training at night:
- Don’t make your puppy’s last meal too late – otherwise, they are going to need to the toilet before the morning! The last meal around 6-7 pm works well as digestion takes around four hours. Don’t, however, reduce access to water. A puppy who has constant access to fresh water is unlikely to take great long drinks before bed anyway.
- Give them a chance to play and have a gentle game with you an hour or so before bedtime – movement stimulates the digestive system and they are more likely to toilet fully before you want them to sleep. Plus, a tired puppy is more likely to sleep for longer than one who has already been sleeping for hours before bedtime.
- In the last half hour or so before bedtime, let your puppy relax so they are fairly sleepy and then when you are ready to go to sleep, put them quietly into their crate or playpen and go to bed!
- It may take them a little while to settle but resist the temptation to take them out and play with them - otherwise, they will quickly learn to wake you up when they want a game!
- Some puppies sleep better with a night light on, others will settle better in the dark. Experiment.
- If they wake up, give them a little while to see if they will settle again. If not, they might well need the toilet.
- For the first few weeks, you will have to get up in the middle of the night - so don’t let that come as a surprise to you!
- You have to remember that puppies only have small digestive systems (and if you have a toy or small breed, this is especially true) and no bladder control. Also, they may never have had to ‘hang on before. Your number one aim is to avoid accidents in the crate or playpen. Soiling their sleeping area is stressful for your puppy - and will hurt your toilet training. This does mean getting up in the middle of the night and taking your puppy out to go to the toilet. If they are a toy breed, you may well need to do this twice. One of the advantages of having them next to you is that you can easily hear if they are awake and restless which if they don’t settle straight away again is nearly always a sign of needing to the toilet – plus puppies nearly always need to go to the toilet when they wake up.
- When you go out, carry them to the toilet area without much interaction, wait till they go to the toilet, reward them with a small food treat, and go straight back to bed. Try not to play or get involved in a game - otherwise, your puppy will try and wake you up when they are bored! This is what they will have done with their littermates but you want to encourage them to learn that night times are for sleeping.
- Then you need to get up early and the very first thing you need to do before you do anything else is getting your puppy out to the toilet once more. They will need to go to the toilet the instant they wake up - especially with the excitement of you being up and about.
It won’t take long until you can make the middle of the night toilet visit later and later, and eventually cut it out altogether and your puppy will be sleeping through the night clean and dry. Don’t rush this though. Be guided by your puppy.
Always go out with your puppy
Most toilet training fails to happen because the puppy doesn’t understand what you want – and you need to make sure they know that peeing or pooing outside is fantastic!
This means that you go with them every single time. Whether it is dark, raining, cold, or the middle of the night…you need to reward them every possible chance you get at the exact moment they have finished peeing or pooing. They have to know exactly what it is they are being rewarded for – and every chance you get to reward them means they will be even more likely to be successful in the future.
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Puppy toilet training: Should I use a crate?
Lots of people don’t like the idea of a crate but used correctly, it is nothing more than an enclosed, safe space that gives your puppy a 360° view all around them that you can use as toilet training, sleeps training, or aid.
It can be set up beside your bed so your puppy can’t wander off and get into trouble while you are sleeping, but they are next to you so you can hear if they awake and need to go out to the toilet.
If you don’t like the idea of a crate, you can use a pen (although sometimes it is hard to set them up small enough - and athletic puppies can climb out).
Puppy crate training
Make sure you get a crate in the right size. The puppy needs to be able to stand up comfortably, lie stretched out and be able to get up and turn around. It shouldn’t be so big however that they can use one end for sleeping and the other end as a toilet!
Line the crate with soft veterinary bedding (vetted) that goes up the sides to keep the pup warm and comfortable. This is fully washable and doesn’t wrinkle up. Then introduce it slowly to your puppy. Leave the door open – and when you are playing with the pup, encourage them to go into the crate – possibly to chase a toy, or to get a tasty treat. Make them feel happy about being in there and that it is a safe place to be. Don’t shut the door yet!
Feed them their meals in the crate and while they are eating you can shut the door for a few minutes. Whenever the pup is sleepy, put them in the crate so he gets used to going in there whenever they want a nap – this is their special sleeping place. Make a hard and fast rule that no one ever disturbs the puppy when they are in the crate – this is their sanctuary.
Once they are happy and relaxed in the crate, they can be put in there to spend the night – for most pups, this doesn’t take long at all. Every pup is different thought and so you need to be sensitive to your dog. The crate should always feel positive and safe.
Thankfully most breeders will have already crate-trained their puppies (as it is a lot easier for them not to have puppies running riot around their house) and this will make things so much easier for you – so it may well be something you want to ask the breeder right at the very start so you can skip this step.
If you would rather use a puppy pen (which has the advantage that it can grow as your puppy grows) – introduce it in the same way and make sure it is set up small enough that your puppy can’t use one end as the toilet.
How to toilet train a small-breed puppy
Smaller breeds can take longer to toilet train than larger breeds. Their bladders and digestive systems are tiny and they may also have a higher metabolism so they process food more quickly. They also are often rehomed slightly older as they can take longer to wean so they don’t get the early start on toilet training that larger breeds get.
They can’t physically hang on for long so owners have to be even more watchful and dedicated to their toilet training - and expect it to take longer.
Take the puppy outside often
Be sure to take your little puppy out as soon as they wake up, straight after eating or drinking, and after playtime. Ideally, you want to give your puppy plenty of opportunities to 'get it right, so aim for every 30 minutes during the day, to encourage this behavior, and be sure to reward them.
Combine puppy toilet training with sleep training
If possible, it is better to integrate puppy toilet training with crate and sleep training as your puppy will still need to go out during the night in these first few weeks. If you are crate training, your pup will be much less likely to soil its sleeping area, so it should need less frequent night-time toilet trips outside.
A large puppy should only need 1-2 additional outings during the night. Smaller breeds will likely need more frequent trips during the nighttime period until they are a little older. Try not to give your puppy much attention when getting them out at night time – keep the process very functional before putting them back to bed.
How to deal with puppy ‘first fear phase’
Puppies often hit a natural developmental ‘fear’ period, and this can affect your toilet training. This fear period happens around 8 weeks of age - although this varies with different breeds and individuals - and can last for a few weeks.
As a result, they may be worried and nervous which can lead to puppies not feeling comfortable outside, as well as more worried, less able to learn, and less relaxed.
To try and prevent this, make sure the toilet area you've chosen is quiet and stress-free with no distractions. Puppy toilet training should be reward-based from the start, and remember it doesn't take much for them to become worried about making a mistake in their owners' presence.
Puppy toilet training and re-training
If you stick to a consistent puppy toilet training routine, your dog will soon learn to toilet outdoors. You may still get the occasional lapse but this is only natural, so don’t panic – just increase the number of visits outdoors for a while, and increase the rewards, until you’re confident your dog’s back on track.
Toilet retraining an adult dog
Of course, it’s not just puppies that need to be house-trained. If you’ve rehomed a dog, they won’t automatically know where they’re expected to go in their new home.
You’ll need to learn when they need to go out, what their tell-tale signs are, and make a point of taking your dog outside regularly - and never forget to reward them. Don’t just expect them to know what to do and where to go. Follow the same program as you would with a puppy until they understand where the toilet is in this strange new place.
So, now you know how to toilet-train your puppy! Remember that consistency is key, keep your routine in place, and before you know it, you’ll have a fully house-trained pup.
