Wildlife Gal
New Member
As someone currently raising their first Doberman, but who has raised probably 100+ puppies (I foster), here are my tricks.
NEVER paper, pee pad or otherwise TEACH them to eliminate in the house, unless this is where you always want them to go. I know how tempting this is, but it only confuses everyone and makes outdoor potty training soooo much harder.
In general terms, dogs can "hold it" for one hour for each month they are old...a three month old cannot be expected to "hold it" for more than three hours.
It is NEVER the pups fault if it has an "accident", it is the humans fault for not paying close enough attention. Watch for "change", sniffing, wandering...grab and go, do not attempt to walk a very young puppy out the door. Do interrupt indoor potty behavior with your "outside" command, while you pick up the pup (yes, you will get pee/poop on you, and trailing through the house) and rush out the door so they can "finish" outside.
Never scold, punish or otherwise associate anything negative with undesirable potty behavior, they will connect this with the action of pottying, not the location. You do not want them to be hesitant to "go" outside to eliminate, nor do you want them become a stealth eliminator and learn "hide-a-poop" or "hide-a-pee" so as to not incur your wrath.
Decide on a key word/phrase for elimination: pee pee, potty, get busy and use it in conjunction with whatever praise words you use.
1) all puppies will eliminate within minutes of waking, eating, stopping playing - take them out.
2) learn poop transit time (feed carrots) and watch for length of time from eating to elimination.
3) no water in the house - drinking occurs outside, AFTER peeing.
4) if necessary, limit water at night to deal with late night peeing.
5) when they eliminate outside you MUST do the "potty praise" as if you dog has just discovered the cure for cancer!!! Effusive, excited, repetitive..."GOOD DOG, GOOD POTTY, OH YOU ARE SUCH A CLEVER GIRL/BOY, GOOD PEE PEE....."
Potty training is all about learning your pups patterns, and giving them the opportunity to be successful. Depending on the pups age this could take days or weeks, but the progress is dependent on you providing a positive, rewarding environment to learn the proper protocol.
NEVER paper, pee pad or otherwise TEACH them to eliminate in the house, unless this is where you always want them to go. I know how tempting this is, but it only confuses everyone and makes outdoor potty training soooo much harder.
In general terms, dogs can "hold it" for one hour for each month they are old...a three month old cannot be expected to "hold it" for more than three hours.
It is NEVER the pups fault if it has an "accident", it is the humans fault for not paying close enough attention. Watch for "change", sniffing, wandering...grab and go, do not attempt to walk a very young puppy out the door. Do interrupt indoor potty behavior with your "outside" command, while you pick up the pup (yes, you will get pee/poop on you, and trailing through the house) and rush out the door so they can "finish" outside.
Never scold, punish or otherwise associate anything negative with undesirable potty behavior, they will connect this with the action of pottying, not the location. You do not want them to be hesitant to "go" outside to eliminate, nor do you want them become a stealth eliminator and learn "hide-a-poop" or "hide-a-pee" so as to not incur your wrath.
Decide on a key word/phrase for elimination: pee pee, potty, get busy and use it in conjunction with whatever praise words you use.
1) all puppies will eliminate within minutes of waking, eating, stopping playing - take them out.
2) learn poop transit time (feed carrots) and watch for length of time from eating to elimination.
3) no water in the house - drinking occurs outside, AFTER peeing.
4) if necessary, limit water at night to deal with late night peeing.
5) when they eliminate outside you MUST do the "potty praise" as if you dog has just discovered the cure for cancer!!! Effusive, excited, repetitive..."GOOD DOG, GOOD POTTY, OH YOU ARE SUCH A CLEVER GIRL/BOY, GOOD PEE PEE....."
Potty training is all about learning your pups patterns, and giving them the opportunity to be successful. Depending on the pups age this could take days or weeks, but the progress is dependent on you providing a positive, rewarding environment to learn the proper protocol.