Half the battle when training your dog is getting into a good routine. Toilet training your dog can be quite a simple task and like any form of behavioural training, if it is carried out correctly and the commitment is there you will see results.
Usually a puppy will need to toilet just after waking up. It is at this point that you take your puppy out to a spot in the garden. This will become yours and the puppy’s new routine.
Also it is handy to note that a puppy eating its meal will stimulate its digestive system. As a result of this it is usually expected that a puppy will need to urinate fifteen minutes after and within half an hour it will want to defecate, however this is just a guideline and variance can occur between different individuals.
When out in the garden with your puppy you want to assign ‘cue-words’ to your puppies toileting actions. For example ‘wee-wees’ & ‘do-doos’. This will help prompt your dog at later stages.
A puppy’s bladder is incredibly week. A puppy will usually need to urinate every 2 hours. Also puppies are known to lose control of their bladder when excited. So it is key to take your puppy out often to avoid any mishaps.
Be sure to attach the appropriate ‘cue-words’ in an enthusiastic tone to the toilet action being performed, then directly after, reward your puppy with positive praise by being vocal (as dogs react to your positive tone), saying ‘Good boy/girl’ and also hug & stroke them or even a treat.
Remember routine is key! Also, the earlier you can train your puppy to see your garden as its toilet, the less you will struggle and you will avoid toilet tragedies in the future!
