What's the best way to potty train a 3 weeks old puppy?

1. 81

   dailytop10posted 11 years ago

   What's the best way to potty train a 3 weeks old puppy?
   
   Will rewarding work more than punishing?
   
   

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2. 0

   sheilamyersposted 11 years ago

   My dad read up on house breaking puppies and found great advice that worked for him. Take the puppy outside as soon as they wake up and about 15 minutes to a half hour after they eat. In between those times, take them out every couple of hours. Give them a couple of small treats and a lot of praise when they do their "business" outside. If the puppy has accidents in the house, take it to where the mess is and scold it with a firm voice, but never rub it's nose in it or hit it. After the scolding, take it outside for at least a few minutes.

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3. 0

   Sri Tposted 11 years ago

   Buy books on the subject. Search the internet sites for the best advice. Seek qualified, highly skilled trainers advice. Don't punish a dog for something that happens naturally. It has to happen. You wouldn't attack a child because he couldn't hold it back. Get the right instructions.

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4. 82

   agilitymachposted 11 years ago

   Three week old puppies cannot be potty trained yet.  They are too young.
   
   When the puppy is old enough to start potty training (usually around 10 - 12 weeks), you ALWAYS use positive methods.  Punishment based methods can cause some dogs to feel that going potty is bad anytime, anywhere.  Using positive methods will make the process go much faster.
   
   If you are in the USA, Petsmart stores carry a great, little book that will teach you how to properly potty train a dog.  It's called "Potty Training is Possible."
   
   PLEASE do not attempt to potty train a three week old dog.  I don't have room here to go into it all, but a puppy's brain is developing.  If you use punishment on a three week old puppy, you will be creating a highly negative impact on that growing brain and the connections being formed.  A puppy that old also won't have any motivator (ie reward) available for you to use in positive training either.  In addition, their bladders are not capable of holding urine at that age. 
   
   Wait to begin potty training until the puppy is old enough to understand rewards, and the bladder is capable of holding urine for several hours.
   
   I strongly suggest that in addition to the "Potty Training is Possible" book that you look into a good general book on how to raise a puppy.  Look for a book that promotes positive reinforcement training techniques.

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