Dogs are cute, fun, and brightens up your day – ALWAYS. But there’s more to just fun and excitement when you choose to raise one or two or a bunch of them. There’s the challenge of keeping them tidy and then keeping your house clean.
That’s why it is important to potty train! And this technique will be effective if you implement it early on in their lives, after all, they say that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks, right? So yes, we are going down and dirty and discuss how to potty train a dog in 7 days.
!Umbrella concepts!
It’s important to take note of these core concepts when you’re trying to potty train your puppy before we actually go to the steps needed to be performed. What are these?
We’re talking about positive reinforcement, clear direction, and consistency. You have to be committed to the process too or else it won’t work. As a matter of fact, we recommend that everyone in the house or everyone who will deal with the pup as they are getting trained should be committed to this process.
This ain’t a lifetime process either so think of it as a small sacrifice for a lot of good towards the upbringing of your dog. Trust us, once they are potty trained your life will be so much easier and your relationship with your pet a lot better as they grow up. It’s going to be so challenging depending on the temperament of your dog but the rewards are all worth it.
Also, the 7-day program that you are going to follow can vary depending on your household, access to tools, and day-to-day schedule. There are core concepts like what we mentioned but there are no hard and fast rules here.
What’s the best age for your pup to be potty trained? We say about 12 weeks old so they’d be more physically and mentally mature by then to take on what’s required for the process. So, here we go!
Potty Train Your Dog 1st Day
You need to set up boundaries here. And by boundaries, we don’t just mean that in a physical sense but also on this first day your pup needs to understand the rules. Remember, it’s okay to be tough on them now than face the consequences of too much pampering them later when they become spoiled and stubborn dogs as they grow up. Trust us, being tough while they are young as necessary can save you from a lot of headaches later on.
All right, so what are you supposed to do on this day? First of all, set up a confinement area for your pup. This is where your dog needs to be for most of the duration of your potty training. Is the confinement area where they poop and pee then? Not quite.
At this point, it’s just where they stay for most of the time so they don’t wander off as much and lose concentration. Also, to make sure that they know the boundaries of the house while they are getting trained. Don’t worry, they can roam around free after they are completely potty trained. It’s just to make sure that they poop or pee just anywhere in the house as they like and just ruin the whole program.
For now, after you’ve established a confinement area for your pup so they know where they always know where they should be at all times, you need to think about whether you should let them do their business outdoors or does your situation require them to do them indoors?
Preferably, let them go outdoors for pooping ad peeing. So, how do you go about this? Simple enough. Take them out on a leash for about 20-30 minutes. Please make sure to not distract them as you go out, no playing or anything from other members whatsoever.
And once you’re out, wait until they poop and pee. If they do so after a few minutes then immediately reward them thus this is where positive reinforcement comes into play. Maybe let them play off-leash for 10 minutes under supervision.
So, how do you know if it’s time to let them go out? Some strategic times to walk them outside would be after naps or meals or even after they drink water. Sooner or later, they will realize that their confinement area is not a place for pooping or peeing and it’s time to do their business once outside.
So, what if it’s not possible to do so outdoors and you can only let them poop or pee indoors? It’s the same concept only you’re going to need a few things.
Just let them out of the confinement area and let them do their business in another designated area. Potty pads and litter trays are great options. Of course, choose a strategic place in your house to prevent accidents.
Potty Train Your Dog 2nd Day
Wow! That was just day 1, you may ask? Well, yes because you need to establish rules first for both you, other people living in your house, and most of all, your dog. Spoiler alert, everything that you do from here on now moving forward is just iterations of what you did on day 1.
Day 2 is just pretty much a time to perfect for the process. Get to know your dog’s instincts a little bit more and adjusting your schedule to fit the process you’re about to take.
Buy the things that you need to buy for your pup’s needs and once again, be consistent!
Potty Train Your Dog 3rd Day
Some pet owners find success as early as day 3. Hurray, right? For some, not quite so they still need to perfect their process and make sure that their pet follows through as well.
This day, you can hone in on the spots outside or inside the house where they really love to take a dump or pee. Believe us, most dogs will have a favorite spot to do their business outside. Just make sure that it’s not someone else’s property, it’s not breaking any rules when on public grounds, or it’s a pet-friendly place and would pose no hassle for them too that might traumatize them from pooping outside.
Again, as much as possible, don’t distract them at this point as everything can go down the drain and you need to redo the whole thing only it will be harder. Also, other dogs outside can sometimes be a distraction so keep watch for that.
Potty Train Your Dog 4th Day
Day 4 is all about knowing the signs of your pet that they are about to poop or pee. Sometimes they can be obvious and not so much. Barking, circling, sniffing, whining, and scratching are just some of the tell-tale signs that they are about to take a leak or dump.
As you can see, this is a learning experience not only for your pup but also for you. an indirect effect of all this is strengthening your bond with your pet dog and we’re pretty sure that you both are going to be best of friends in the process.
Potty Train Your Dog 5th Day
Now that you are a bit familiar with the signs that your puppy is about to take a leak or dump then try to avoid as many accidents as possible at this point of your potty training.
It’s also helpful to know that it won’t be smooth sailing or perfect in the entire process. There will be several accidents but use them as a learning experience. Your pup is also just figuring things out too so be extra patient with it. But also, don’t fall for those puppy eyes.
Be quick, be observant, and be sure to let them out or get them to their designated poop or pee area whenever they need to.
Potty Train Your Dog 6th Day
Remember be sure to be careful when reprimanding or punishing your puppy or if not necessary, don’t do it completely at all. Punishing or reprimanding can be counterproductive and you’ll just stain, no pun intended, your relationship with them.
But also, at this point, if nothing’s working out and you’ve done all you could and followed every advice you’ve read or seen from the experts, it may be time to rethink your strategy. Maybe you need a different methodology or more help from other people, most specifically, dog trainers.
But if all else is working out just fine at this point, then you’re good to go.
Potty Train Your Dog 7th Day
Potty-trained dogs mean that they also know how to control their bladder and wait for some time to do their business. This sometimes comes naturally with potty-trained dogs but sometimes you also have to reinforce it.
This may not be developed naturally within a week but keep at it and they soon will learn how to completely control their bladder. Let’s face it, sometimes you will be too busy and can’t let them out all the time. If they are potty trained indoors then that should be extra beneficial.
No matter what you do, no matter the process you follow as you potty train your dog, be sure to do so with love and care. Good luck