#AURAL CUE POTTY TRAINING PLUS#

So a two-month-old pup can hold it for up to about 3 hours (though this may be stretched a little during sleeping hours).

#AURAL CUE POTTY TRAINING PLUS#

The general rule of thumb for puppies is that most pups can hold it for the number of months old they are in age, plus one. Not all pups will make it through the night, however, as their ability to hold their bladder isn’t fully developed until about four to five months of age. Provide bathroom breaks within 15 minutes of waking, eating, drinking, or higher excitement activity, including play. She should be sleeping through the night by the age of three or four months, but for younger puppies you’re going to be in for a few weeks of sleep deprivation while you take her out once or twice during the night.Īllow for plentiful potty opportunities around potty-stimulating activities. You’ll also want to take her out just before bedtime. Events that can trigger a puppy’s need to urinate or defecate include waking up in the morning or from a nap, and immediately after eating and drinking.Įxcitement and stress can also lead to potty accidents, so letting your puppy play indoors can result in housetraining accidents. Puppies need to potty every two to four hours, so it’s crucial you plan accordingly. Which brings us to the third tip: Stick to a schedule. What’s more, a reasonable amount of time in a crate will help your puppy develop bowel and bladder control. And when she’s safely confined in it, you don’t have to worry that she’ll have an accident in the house, which will make it more likely she’ll potty in the house in the future. But if a crate is your puppy’s sleeping area, she’ll instinctively want to keep it clean. Many people think a crate is a punishment, and certainly we don’t recommend leaving your puppy in it for long periods of time. Those signals are your cue to scoop her up (or clip on her leash) and get her to her designated potty area fast!

Pawing at you, standing at the top of the stairs or in front of the door, barking, sniffling, pacing, circling, and whining are all the canine equivalent of crossing your legs and desperately asking Siri where the next rest area is. Here are our tried and true tips for raising a perfectly housetrained dog.įirst, learn to read your puppy’s body language.

Central to that goal is helping her understand where she can and can’t go to the bathroom. When a new puppy joins your family, you have a great opportunity to ensure she’ll grow up to be a confident, healthy dog.

This article was authored by Marty Becker, DVM, and Mikkel Becker, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, KPA CTP, CDBC, CTC

Aural cue potty training