01/23/2020
I read this on another page and thought I would share.
🐾 Potty training/ Indoor puppies and dogs 🐾
I see an overwhelming number of posts on multiple pages about potty training and dogs going potty in the house. The question doesn't bother me, it's the responses that are typically appalling.
I want to start with, your new puppy does not want to upset you or make you mad, they aren't going potty inside because of some sort of vendetta against all carpet or area rugs.
I compare potty training puppies to babies a lot because the same rules apply. As a new born baby your parents kept you in diapers because they knew when you had to go, no matter where you were at you were going to go 💩. Having a diaper on didn't stop you from going, it just helped contain the mess. The same rule applies to puppies except we don't use diapers but instead an exercise pen or room blocked off with a baby gate with a place to potty, I recommend litter pans but some people use potty pads. Some people will recommend that you s***k the puppy or rub his nose it it when he potties inside. This is a "training myth" that is older then all of us. The theory is that it will teach him that is not good behavior. In reality the puppy had to go, and s***king him for that doesn't teach him that he shouldn't potty in the house. It actually doesn't teach anything but fear, that's the reality with s***king or hitting of any kind, as that is human language not canine. Also I'm sure your parents never s***ked you when you pooped in your diaper... or rubbed your nose in it. Why? Because they knew you couldn't control when you had to go.
Puppies can not control their bladder or bowels until roughly 16-20 weeks of age depending on the dog.
Eventually when you were old enough your parents started to potty train you but before then, they just accepted the fact that there would be a lot of dirty diapers and messes to clean up. You were taught that all pees and poos go in the toilet, if you were never taught that you might just go anywhere in the house 🤷♀️. Your dog has no clue about your house rules, they don't follow the same set of rules as people. They aren't like us, and they only know what we teach them about our rules. Anyone bringing home a puppy needs to accept the fact that if the dog will be living inside you will be cleaning up accidents until roughly 1 year of age, they will be less frequent depending on how you are as an owner and your ability to potty train your puppy.
Some posts that really strike me as odd are the ones saying that the person is gone all day (8,9 or 10+ hours) and they have decided to get a puppy or have a dog at all. It is unrealistic to expect anything to go 8+ hours without having to potty. If you don't believe me don't allow yourself to go to the restroom once you leave your house in the morning, you can't go until you return home, and your bladder is larger than your dogs.
Don't bring an 8-10 week old puppy home and expect it to be potty trained in a week. On average potty training with dogs takes 6-12 months, it takes time and patience just like with children. You take them out often, and if they potty inside you take them out more often. You reward them for going potty outside and you clean up accidents inside.
Crate training is also very helpful but it's also a training process, you introduce them to the crate (crate training games are amazing) feed them in the crate and really shouldn't start locking them in the crate until they are 100% comfortable with it. The old method of shoving them in and shutting the door followed by hours of screaming is not beneficial for the puppy or his humans.
At 8 weeks old a puppy needs to potty every hour, as the puppy gets older each week you can extend that time by 30 minutes give or take but my philosophy is a tired puppy will sleep. So take them outside and get them running and playing, that will get everything else moving and they will go, then play and run some more. Puppy will come inside and find a place to nap, once puppy wakes up go back outside and repeat. This will stop with the questions, we came back inside and 5 minutes later he pottied, what should I do? Yep, they will go more than once, sometimes 3-4 times an hour 1's and 2's 💩🤷♀️
If you are gone a lot that's something to take into consideration prior to getting a puppy. There are options like dog walkers, doggy day care, coming home at lunch to let the dog out etc. If none of those are options maybe at this point in your life having a dog doesn't fit into the equation.
Just don't be unrealistic and think you can leave a puppy or dog of any age in a crate for 9-10 hours a day. If that's going to be his life consider the quality of life that would be.
