Toilet training, also known as house breaking, house training, and potty training, can be a long process for dogs. In general, most puppies take four to six months before they stop having accidents inside.
“In some rare cases, it may take over six months,” says Diana Ludwiczak, a USA-based CPDT-KA certified dog trainer and founder of Wolfie’s Place. For stubborn dogs, refusing to be toilet trained after six months may also be due to their bladder size, age, or lack of routine.
But you can (and should) start toilet training a puppy as soon as you bring them home.
Whether you use pee pads or grass, the process of training your puppy will be similar. We spoke with four professional trainers for tips on streamlining the process.
The Fastest Way to Toilet Train a Puppy
House training is one of the most important dog training skills. Your ability to take or leave your dog anywhere will be dependent on how well toilet trained they are.
Irith Bloom, a USA-based CPDT-KSA certified professional dog trainer and behaviour consultant, and owner of The Sophisticated Dog, shares these quick toilet training tips:
1. Set a routine for your puppy
With consistent playtimes and mealtimes, you will have an easier time predicting when your puppy has to pee. Because puppies have such small bladders and bowels, they will need to pee or poop soon after eating or playing.
Limiting water before bedtime will also help minimise midnight potty breaks. With less water in their bladder, your puppy may sleep through the night better.
2. Take your puppy outside often
Your puppy’s schedule shouldn’t dictate your life, however. You can play with your puppy if you’re in the mood, just remember that they may need to go after some excitement.
Bloom says to take your puppy outside on a lead once every 30 minutes, every time they eat or drink something, or after playing.
3. Pick the same potty spot
Inside or out, a restricted area keeps your puppy’s toilet training on track. The more space your dog roams without supervision, the more likely they will have accidents you don’t catch. Dog gates can help designate a particular potty area if you are using pee pads.
4. Praise loudly and reward largely
“Stand quietly, holding the leash, and wait for up to five minutes while watching to see if the dog pees or poops,” Bloom says. Patience is key! Give your puppy some time to relieve themselves. It can be distracting outside so you want to make sure your puppy remembers where to go.
Once they go, make sure to praise and offer a puppy treat. Positive reinforcement can help establish a positive connection to toileting outside.
5. Try again in 15 minutes, if they don’t go
If your puppy pees or poops within those first five minutes, Bloom says to reward your dog with 15 minutes of supervised time in the house or free play time outside. If they don’t within the first five minutes, take them back to a confinement area in the house (eg a crate or a pen) for 15 minutes, then try again.
6. Repeat these steps throughout the day
Dogs thrive with routine. Following a schedule consistently will help your puppy learn where to pee and poop. This routine might look like set meal times at 8am, 1pm and 5pm with a potty break 20 minutes after feeding.
“The more consistent you are, the faster the dog will learn,” Bloom reassures.
7. Track your puppy’s potty patterns
Logging your puppy’s potty schedule can help see their progress. If you find they’re able to hold it longer, you can change the frequency of how often they’ll need to go outside.
Pro tip: Bloom suggests creating a housetraining chart or taking notes about when and where the dog pees or poops.
8. Choose one person to be in charge
Toilet training a puppy is practically a full-time job. The more you’re able to direct and reward your puppy for pottying in the right spot, the more likely they will stick with it. In a family setting, you’ll want to designate one person to keep an eye on the puppy’s behaviours.
Ludwiczak says the ideal person is someone who:
- has a lot of time to devote to the process
- can be home for the first month
- is good at keeping routines
“They will need to be completely in tune with the new puppy,” Ludwiczak says. “This means setting their alarm to take the dog out every hour for the first few days.” Additionally, she says they should oversee the feeding schedule since most dogs will go to the toilet right after a meal.
Lastly, she adds it’s important to make a single person responsible for overseeing the toilet training process since it’ll allow for less confusion and more consistency. If possible, wait until your dog is fully house-trained before utilising an in-home pet sitter or dog boarding facility.
Signs to Take Your Puppy Outside
The fastest way to toilet train your puppy is to make sure they pee or poop where you want them to and rewarding them as they go. But not all puppies pee on a schedule. Puppies have small bladders and can pee when excited, too.
Watch out for these need-to-pee signals from your puppy:
You can carry your puppy and take them outside or to their pee pad in the middle of an activity.
What To Avoid During Puppy Toilet Training
Avoid showing anger or disappointment in your voice or body language when house training mistakes happen. If you’re angry, this causes a puppy confusion, says Sally Grottini, a professional dog trainer for over 30 years and a behaviourist with JustAnswer.
Instead, simply clean the mess up with the proper cleaning agents and make sure your puppy is alright. Never punish a dog for a potty training accident.
Other common pitfalls of toilet training include:
- Giving your puppy free rein of the house. Free roaming puppies means you’ll find surprise accidents in places you didn’t think to look.
- Letting a puppy go outside by themselves. You’ll miss your chance to reinforce their behaviour. And it’s unlikely your puppy will come back inside immediately.
- Not using a lead outdoors. A quality training lead can help keep your puppy focused outside rather than running around.
- Using the wrong cleaner for accidents. You’ll want to use an enzymatic cleaner to effectively neutralise a soiled area to prevent your pup from revisiting this spot.
- Providing inconsistent training. Without a stable routine or a potty command, a puppy might not understand why they’re going outside, resulting in them walking around and sniffing away. Additionally, a fearful dog may feel uncomfortable being in public places to go to the toilet.
- Training on pee pads when you eventually want your dog to pee outside. Ludwiczak says she’s found it easier to train puppies to toilet outside rather than on pee pads. Training puppies to go outside aligns with their natural behaviour.
“If your goal is to have your puppy potty outside, avoid using disposable pads,” says Brooke Greenberg, a CPDT-KA certified professional dog trainer and owner of Mind Body Paws. “This product confuses your puppy and delays the training process.”
When Is a Puppy Fully Toilet Trained?
A puppy has successfully mastered house training once they’ve learned to ‘hold it’. For most puppies, being fully toilet trained takes four to six months. The best rule is assume your puppy isn’t toilet trained until they’ve had no accidents for at least one month.
For dogs taking longer to learn, Bloom says it’s often due to either a poor toilet training routine or untreated medical issues. Other factors that affect how long your dog can hold their pee depends on their breed, age, and size.
For example, smaller dogs may only be able to hold their pee for two to three hours, while large dogs can often hold it longer.
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Toilet Training FAQs
Toilet training isn’t easy, but the end result is worth it. In addition to teaching your puppy a new skill, training can strengthen the bond between you and your pup.
Here are some common toilet training problems pet parents experience—and how to solve them:
1. How do I stop my dog from peeing in the crate?
“If your dog pees in the crate, reevaluate your puppy’s potty schedule,” Greenberg says. “They need more frequent breaks.”
Most dogs don’t like to toilet where they eat or sleep, Grottini agrees. If they are peeing in the crate after a long period of not peeing, she recommends scheduling a vet visit to check for any health issues.
2. Why does my puppy like to pee on walks?
Grottini says many dogs are encouraged to go to the bathroom while on walks solely because they smell another dog’s scent. However, she says this isn’t considered toilet training.
If your puppy goes for off-lead walks, Greenberg says to walk your pet on a lead in the garden. After they go, she says to reward them with a walk around the neighbourhood.
Lastly, make sure your dog has a well-kept designated potty area outside.
3. Why does my dog only pee on grass?
Greenberg and Grottini say that peeing only on the grass is extremely common in dogs. If a dog hasn’t been exposed to different areas of ground, they may prefer to only pee on grass.
You can also train a toilet command, Grottini adds, so that when it’s time for your dog to do their business, they can go anywhere. It’s also a great idea to get them used to walking on different surfaces to help boost their confidence.
5. Why does my dog run back inside before they’ve pooped or peed?
Puppies get easily distracted when outside. To solve this, Grottini says to change the potty area to a quieter spot. If they don’t pee after five minutes, keep them near you when you go back inside. Take them out again after 10-15 minutes, Grottini says.
6. Why does my dog pee when they’re excited or submissive?
This is known as submissive urination, and it happens because your puppy hasn’t learned to control their bladder yet. This should resolve with time as your dog matures.
Don’t make a big deal out of it, and instead think ahead. Take your dog outside for greetings or instruct people to ignore them until they’ve calmed down.
7. Why does my dog take forever to pick a spot?
Your dog may be confused on where to go. Greenberg recommends taking them to the same spot each time to poop and pee. This ensures they’ll understand why they’re going outside. If your dog is fearful, Grottini recommends creating a designated potty area with fencing and cover it with a tarp so they can’t see out.
8. Why won’t my dog pee while on a lead?
Grottini and Greenberg explain that some dogs might not pee when they’re on a lead due to too much spatial pressure, being too distracted, or feeling frightened and trapped.
Consider getting a lightweight training lead about 600 cm (20 feet) long, so they feel like they have more space during their private time. Grottini says you can get your pup used to this type of lead by putting it on and playing games out in the garden with it.
Eventually, you can reel in the lead till it’s the length of a regular lead.
Supplies to Help with Puppy Toilet Training
House training can seem daunting for new and experienced puppy parents alike—but it doesn’t have to stink. These supplies can help make the process easier:
- Crate. With crate training and positive reinforcement, puppies will see their puppy crate as a place to keep clean. When they don’t want to soil their sleeping area, they’re more likely to alert you that they need to go.
- Cleaning supplies. Mess is to be expected when training your puppy. Pet-friendly cleaning products are among many of the puppy essentials. If you notice an accident, clean it up as soon as possible to prevent your puppy from sniffing out the same spot.
- Puppy pads (optional). If your puppy isn’t old enough to hold it just yet or is still making toilet training progress, puppy pads are convenient for going inside when the outdoors is impossible.
House training is an essential part of being a puppy parent. However, it’s not a one-size-fits-all process. If you ever feel lost or like you’re not making progress, enlist the help of a qualified dog trainer.
