Potty training a dog may not be as easy as many people think, but it’s definitely possible to do. It’s definitely a pleasure having a dog in the house, but only if it knows that it should only go potty outside (or at designated spots inside the house). This article will help you potty train your dog quickly and effectively.

Before everything else, you’ll have to remember two VERY important rules in potty training a dog. The first rule is to NEVER reprimand it for something you didn’t catch it doing. If you see some poo or pee on the floor, but you didn’t actually SEE the dog leave it there, then just clean it up. Reprimanding the dog at that point won’t drive the point home, and will just make scared of you.

The second rule is to praise it for doing what you want it to do, such as going potty at the right places and when you tell it to. Give it treats or play with it for a few moments. It’ll reinforce the good behavior. Potty training is usually done in one of two methods: (1) Crate training and (2) Paper training. We’ll be discussing each one in turn.

Method #1 – Crate Training

Crate training involves the use of a cage for your dog. It’s important to get a cage that’s just big enough for the dog to lie down — it shouldn’t be able to pace too much or stand on its hind legs. If you plan to crate train your pup until it grows up, get a cage with a movable divider to make sure the space in the cage is just the right size.
The purpose of the cage is to train the dog to hold in the urge to poo or pee. Dogs usually won’t go potty while inside their cage, because they don’t like the idea of lying down or sleeping on their own waste. So they’ll hold it in until you let them out.

Dogs usually go potty only after they wake up, or after they’ve had a meal. So it’s best to take the cage outside to a spot where it’s okay for it to do its job around these times. And when your dog hops out the cage and does its job as it should, give it the praise and treats it deserves.

But here’s the important part — make sure you bring the dog BACK INDOORS after it finishes going potty. This will housebreak it much more quickly.

It’s also important to remember not to leave the dog in the cage for longer than a few hours. Just leave it in the cage during times when you can’t keep your eye on it, such as when you’re entertaining guests, having meals, or sleeping. As your dog gets better at going potty at the right times and places, you can leave it out of the cage longer, until the cage becomes unnecessary.

Method #2 – Paper Training

Paper training is another way of potty training a dog, especially if you don’t like the idea of leaving your dog in a cage. This generally takes a bit longer than crate training and requires a bit more patience, but it still does the job.

Paper training is done by using newspapers or special pre-scented pads you can buy from good pet stores. These pads are scented with a chemical that encourages dogs to go potty on them instead of on the floor.

Basically, you leave the newspapers or pads on an area where you don’t really mind the dog doing its business (such as at a kitchen corner). When you see the dog making its motions to poo or pee, bring it to the area. And when it successfully keeps the floor clear, give it the praise it deserves!

Later on, as your dog gets better at paper training, you can reposition the paper closer and closer to the door, until you can lead him outside. Afterward, you won’t need any paper anymore — your dog will be trained enough to know it’s supposed to do its job OUTSIDE every single time.