Potty Training Your Puppy
Potty training your puppy is one of the most important things for you and your puppy to get along, but you have to remember that hurrying him will not get you anywhere. If you hurry your puppy without paying attention to what he needs or wants then he is not going to understand what you want. You may want him to go potty but he may not need to. The result will be that he doesn't understand what you expect him to do in that particular spot.
In the beginning, it will take a while for him to understand that he must go potty outside meaning that you will most likely be spending quite a while outside with him. Don't worry if it is cold, raining or snowing outside because puppies have a natural fur coat and they love being outdoors. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to take him inside as soon as he is done, because then he will learn that he has to go inside when he has finished going potty, meaning that he will try and hold on as much as he can, even going potty in your home when you come back in. The best way is once he has gone potty, spend some more time with him outside, playing, this way he will learn that he still gets to play after he has done the deed.
With a puppy you will have to keep an eye out for signals that he needs to go, which with puppies is around 20 minutes after they wake up or eat, but they usually give off signals such as becoming agitated or smelling the same area over and over again. If you see him displaying this type of behavior take him outside quickly and praise him when he goes. Don't expect perfection right from the beginning as there will be more accidents in your home than successes with him going outside, but never scold him after he has gone potty in your home because he will not understand why you are upset with him. If you catch him in the act, tell him sternly no and then ignore him for a little while. This will be more effective that screaming at the top of your lungs.
Later on, your puppy will learn to ask to go outside when he needs to go, either by barking, pawing at you or staring intently. Of course, it can be difficult to tell what he wants but you will often find that if you start for the door and he takes a running leap towards it, then he most likely really needs to go. However, if he darts for the kitchen then he probably wants something to eat.
It is a good idea to set up a routine for him and initially you will need to take him out at least four times throughout the day as puppies have small bladders and can only hold on for a short while, generally around four hours. Once he is about seven or eight months old you can cut down the walks to three as this will be more than enough for him to go potty and also get a little exercise in.
The secret to potty training is patience and understanding, as he is a baby and it will take time for him to learn what you want from him. Just like a child, he will make mistakes, but with a gentle voice you will find he will learn quickly because he wants to please you and make you happy.
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