Elimination Time -- What to Expect During Puppy Potty Training

When your puppy first comes home, you will find that potty times may be an issue and puppies will have accidents so don’t set your expectations too high. Remember, your puppy is just a little guy. It can take up to six months for puppies to be fully house trained. So, to train your puppy what you will need is a lot of patience. Just keep in mind puppy potty training is worth the time effort it requires.

The bladders of puppies are small and so they have less control than healthy older dogs. Smaller bladders means they eliminate more frequently. Your puppy’s bladder control will get better around 16 weeks of age. Up until then, even if you are consistent and persistent with your puppy’s training, accidents will definitely happen.

When Does A Puppy Need to Go?

One of the first things you have to do when puppy potty training is to anticipate when your puppy will likely need to relieve himself. Of course any puppy will have to go first thing in the morning. Then puppies will need to go after meals or snacks and shortly after drinking water. Also expect your puppy to need go after their naps or a play times, and when he has been chewing on toys.

The probability for your puppy need to relieve himself will also arise during exciting events. Events like having visitors or going to new places, and meeting new people can cause a new puppy problems. ‘Excitement elimination’ is common when puppies get excited. Don’t worry your new puppy will grow out of this behavior in a few weeks.

Another problem time will be long car rides. After a trip, make sure the first thing you do once you pull over, is allow your puppy to eliminate. The first day you bring a new puppy home let him relieve himself in a spot you chose to be his potty spot before you even take him inside.

Meeting other animals, specifically the smell and sight of other dogs’ can also be exciting for a puppy. So keep in mind that your puppy will more than likely need to eliminate. Sometimes just the smell of another dogs’ urine will trigger a puppy’s need to go. It’s an instinctive behavior for a puppy. So don’t consider this a failure of your puppy potty training.

Lastly, consider bedtime, puppy potty training before the sandman comes is important. Make sure that your puppy goes before he goes to sleep. This alone will considerably lessen the probability of potty accidents happening during the night. Until your puppy goes out by himself you will have take him and make sure he does. Don’t forget to praise him if he does. You praise him to reinforce him and make him think that his behavior of eliminating before bedtime is a good behavior.

When The Bowel Talks

A puppy will likely need to poo between 1 and 30 minutes after his meal time.

There is unfortunately no precise time so puppy potty training requires observation of your puppy for you to be able to observe his need and help him to master his toilet behaviors.

Puppies are small so they move their bowel a number of times more often that older dogs will. Part of the reason is that they have lesser control and also they need to eat more often than older dogs do. So their digestion process requires more elimination.

There are times when you might feel that almost all of your puppy’s activities trigger potty needs. This is normal, your puppy’s control will improve over time. Don’t worry with consistent training, you puppy’s bathroom breaks will not be an issue for long.