Below, we’ll take you through a step-by-step guide on how to teach your dog to use the toilet. Yes, the one inside. If you are in an apartment or somewhere with no access to a backyard, this could be a handy tip to help your furry friend if they are inside all day while you are at work.
Like babies, puppies should also be toilet-trained so they don’t mess inside the house. It means you have less cleaning to do around the house.
The last thing you want to hear when you are lying comfortably on your bed is your dog doing the job on your clean floors.
That is why you must make a point of teaching your dog to use the toilet. Here are some tips and techniques on how to toilet train a puppy successfully.
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How To Toilet Train A Puppy: Tips And Techniques For Success
Follow this guideline, and you’ll soon have a completely toilet-trained dog.
Define Tasks
This may not be the easiest trick to teach your dog, but it’s not the hardest either. The challenge lies in showing your dog how to use the toilet and that it’s easy.
Once this is done, the remaining tasks will be easier. It’s easier to train puppies than adult dogs, so you should start toilet training as early as possible. It could take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to toilet-train a dog.
Get Started
You’ll need to keep a few things in hand before you can completely toilet-train your dog. You can motivate your dog with treats or its favourite food. You will also need a child’s plastic potty at the beginning.
You’ll need to dedicate some of your time to when it would require going to the toilet. It would mostly be soon after meals, in the morning and evening.
The first few attempts will be tough; you’d need a lot of patience and an anti-bacterial spray to deal with it. Once ready with these, you can head to the toilet.
The Rise Of The Potty Method
- Take A Potty Outside
The potty should be there whenever your dog needs the toilet. Therefore, you must always take a potty with you outside.
Keep your dog on a short leash and encourage it to go to the potty. Only then will it remember to go to the potty when it feels the need to.
You can use treats and old feces to encourage it to use the potty.
- Reward And Praise
Lots of praise goes a long way when motivating your dog to use the potty. Lots of tasty treats and verbal praise are what you need to give your dog when it finally goes in the potty.
When your dog is happy, it will also be more inclined towards going to the potty next time. Repeat this daily until your dog regularly goes to the potty.
- Move The Potty Inside
Place the potty close to the toilet and encourage it to go. Your dog might have an accident somewhere else, so you shouldn’t punish it.
Clear the mess and see if you can get it close to the potty next time.
- Gradually Increase The Height Of The Potty
You must get your dog used to doing the job on a raised toilet. Therefore, secure it at increasingly higher levels.
You need to increase the height of the potty bit by bit each day until it is the same size as the toilet. Bringing it to this height is the ultimate goal.
Ensure to praise and encourage your dog as much as possible so that it will be motivated to do so. Accidents may occur, so be prepared to do a bit of cleaning initially.
- Place The Potty Seat On The Toilet
At this point, your dog is used to going to the toilet on a raised platform. Therefore, it’s ready for the toilet as well.
Your dog will feel comfortable on the potty seat the first few times. However, you must gradually lose the potty seat and get your dog used to the toilet.
Keep praising and rewarding your dog until it’s completely comfortable using the toilet and will use it without the assurance of food.
The Potty Method
- The Potty On Your Walks
There will be a transition period before your dog masters the toilet. Therefore, you need to take the potty on walks.
If your dog needs to go to the toilet, place the potty down and keep it on a short leash. Encourage your dog to go to the toilet there.
- Make It Simpler
You can make going to the toilet easier for your dog by placing the previous day’s urine or feces in the potty. If your dog smells like it’s been there before, there’s more of a chance it’ll go to the same place again to do the job.
Make the potty the only option left for it. For example, if your dog doesn’t like going on concrete, take it to a place with only concrete and the potty. It will leave your dog with no choice but to use the potty.
- Reward successful attempts
Make sure to praise and give treats when your dog succeeds in going to the toilet or the potty. Remember that it will take a lot of time for this to occur. You must show a lot of patience until then.
Motivation and encouragement will take your dog a long way in its toilet training journey.
- Take The Potty Inside
Once your dog is well-trained to use the potty outside, it’s time to get used to using it inside. At first, you might have to put your dog on a leash and walk it to the potty to make it easier.
Gradually, move the potty closer to the toilet, and finally, until you can put it in the same room.
- Place The Potty Seat On The Toilet
When your dog’s familiar with the potty, place the seat on the toilet and take it to it. Your dog will probably want to go in the potty, but it will also get used to the toilet.
After about a week, get rid of the potty and encourage your dog to go to the toilet. At one point, your dog will do it all by itself. Remember to treat it after every successful attempt to go to the toilet.
The Wee Pad Method
- Emphasise On ‘Good Toilet’
Every time your dog does the job, say ‘good toilet’ or something along those lines. Make sure you say it in a friendly tone.
Your dog will associate this saying with going to the toilet. After that, you can use the same command before your dog goes to the toilet to trigger it to want to go.
- Bring A Wee Pad
After about a week, start by saying the command before you go out for the toilet. However, the difference is that you need to bring a wee pad to encourage your dog to go on there this time.
Wee pads are easy to find; you can get them from local pet stores or online stores.
- Praise, Encourage, And Reward
Initially, you will have to give your dog treats and encourage it to go on the wee pad. If the wee pad smells like your dog itself and home, it’s more likely to go on it.
You also need to keep in mind to give your dog some privacy. You would be uncomfortable going to the toilet when someone watches you, so the same applies to your dog. Therefore, don’t look at your dog when it’s doing the job.
- Bring The Wee Pad To The Toilet
It will take many days before your dog gets the hang of the wee pad. Once your dog gets used to the wee pad, place it in the toilet.
After that, give the initial command as a bathroom trigger and walk it to the wee pad in the toilet. Keep doing this until your dog is comfortable and expects to go inside.
- Place The Wee Pad In The Toilet
The last step is to get your dog used to the toilet. However, your dog needs to see the wee pad in the toilet to do that. You can leave the wee pad in the toilet for several days and then lose it.
Give the initial command or phrase, and then walk your dog to the toilet. Once your dog gets the hang of it, you can reduce the frequency of giving treats.
Other Issues You Face When Teaching Your Dog To Use The Toilet
Other factors must be considered if your dog is having difficulty picking up toilet training. Being cooped up for a long time can hinder the process.
Sometimes, your dog may not be able to hold it for long. If you are about to leave the house, it’s best to leave your dog in an area where they can go if needed.
If you’ve just brought a puppy to your home, remember it’s a brand-new environment with new people. Therefore, it will take time for your puppy to adjust to its new life and surroundings. It can impact how your puppy picks up things, so be kind and give it time to adjust.
If all your attempts at toilet training seem to be failing, it’s time you speak to a vet. Certain medical conditions may be why you’re having difficulties toilet training your dog.
IPet Guides provides useful information and tips about successful training and issues you may face when caring for a dog.
Final Thoughts
Teaching your dog to use the toilet is important, to raise it. You must gradually train your dog to go to the toilet and prevent messing inside the house.
However, you must expect accidents to occur, especially at the beginning, and be prepared to clean up. With time, your dog will get used to the toilet, and you will see fewer accidents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should You Teach Your Dog To Use The Toilet?
Toilet training is an essential part of caring for your dog. Dogs must learn vital life skills such as going to the toilet, and training is an essential bonding experience between you and your dog.
Is It Difficult To Toilet Train A Dog?
It’s easy to toilet-train a dog. However, it takes time, and you must be patient with your dog.
What Age Is Too Late To Toilet Train A Dog?
It’s never too late to toilet-train a dog. However, it’s much harder to train an adult dog than a puppy, so you need to start training when they are very young.
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