Don't punish your puppy for eliminating in the house. If you find a soiled area, just clean it up. Rubbing your puppy's nose in it, taking them to the spot and scolding them or any other punishment will only make them afraid of you or afraid to eliminate in your presence.
Never punish your dog for urinating inside the house because dogs do not always associate bad behavior with the punishment, and it could actually make the problem worse for him. This is especially true if you leave him home and find the puddle rather than catch him in the act.
Punishing your dog by rubbing their nose in urine is an ineffective and outdated method that can cause more harm than good. Dogs are much more likely to learn and respond to positive reinforcement, rather than punishment.
When to Begin House Training Puppy. Experts recommend that you begin house training your puppy when they are between 12 weeks and 16 weeks old. At that point, they have enough control of their bladder and bowel movements to learn to hold it.
For most, it will take between four to six months for your puppy to be fully reliable, but it will depend on their size, age and ability to learn. Some puppies can learn how to be toilet trained really quickly in only a few weeks, whereas for some dogs it may take longer and could be up to a year.
It is a common misconception that when your puppy has an accident while potty training, that rubbing their nose on the mess while voicing your displeasure will teach them that the behavior is undesirable.
Dogs do not pee or poop out of revenge. What is this? Dogs mark their territory by peeing or pooping. This is a natural, instinctive behavior that dogs do.
The reason puppies hold on outside and then pee immediately once they get back in is that the house is their happy place and the yard is not. As soon as they come inside, their parasympathetic tone increases and only then do they feel the urge to urinate. Your job is simple in theory: make outside a happy place too.
Baking soda naturally neutralizes odors. Sprinkle it liberally on the damp area or even an old urine stain, and work the powder gently into the fibers of any fabric, rug or carpet. Let the baking soda sit overnight for maximum odor absorption, then vacuum it up to remove the smell completely.
Your Pup Still Doesn't Have Full Bladder Control
If your puppy will only pee inside the house, you need to remember that young pups don't have complete control over their bladder. Most puppies aren't able to hold it until they are about 4-6 months old, and this is the time most accidents happen.
Take your dog outside to help them make a connection with this being the place to pee. If you're returning home, give your dog a treat to distract them and give them something productive to do with their excited energy. Keep your greetings modest and calm so your dog doesn't interpret them as acts of dominance.
Do: Watch the Clock. Give your puppy 15 minutes to do his business. If nothing happens, put him in his crate for another 15 minutes before trying again. If it's first thing in the morning, he will need to do both #1 and #2—so if he only urinates, return him to his crate for 15 minutes and try again.
Watch your dog when they are indoors for signs that they are thinking about urinating. When they begin to urinate, interrupt them with a loud noise and take them outside. If they urinate outside, praise them and give them a treat.
Dogs do not pee out of anger or when they get mad. Anger, or frustration, rather, in dogs can manifest in a whole host of unpleasant ways, but “anger pee” is not one of them. Dogs do, however, often pee from just being overstimulated or excited, which can sometimes be mistaken for “anger” by humans.
The core idea behind this advice is to elevate the owner's status, based on the belief that dogs adhere to a rigid dominance hierarchy. However, this myth has been disproven over and over again.
Don't punish your puppy for eliminating in the house. If you find a soiled area, just clean it up. Rubbing your puppy's nose in it, taking them to the spot and scolding them or any other punishment will only make them afraid of you or afraid to eliminate in your presence.
One of the easiest ways to train a dog to go only in one spot is to train it to go on command. Take your dog on a leash to the spot you want it to use, and say the cue word. Keep the dog in that spot until it goes, then offer a reward. Only reward the dog when it goes in that particular spot.
Some seemingly random clues that a puppy needs to go out can include sniffing the floor or carpet, wandering away from the family, becoming overexcited with zoomies, whimpering, or running to the door. If you see any of these signs, take your puppy out to potty immediately.
They can be a useful aid for training, especially at the stage in your puppy's life when they need to go frequently. Maintenance and cleanup are as simple as tossing the previous pad and laying down another. Versatility is a plus as well: you can use pads part- or full-time to fit your pup's needs and your lifestyle.
Keep to a regular routine of taking your puppy outside at least every two-to-four hours and after every change of activity. This is especially important during house training and will keep accidents to a minimum. Several short play sessions during the day are better for a puppy than one long one.
It's perfectly normal for dogs to follow you into the bathroom—and perfectly normal if they don't. The only cause for concern would be if your dog gets seriously anxious about being alone while you're in the bathroom, even for a few minutes. It could be a sign of separation anxiety in dogs.
Accidents are especially likely at night if your puppy is sleeping on the bed with you. Young puppies can't hold their bladders through the night, so if you don't get up to take your pup outside for a pee break, a walk to the end of the bed is probably as far as your sleepy dog will travel on their own.