If you’re new to dog ownership, potty training can be a stressful task. But don’t worry—you are not alone!
There are many methods of potty training a puppy. However, most of these methods require a lot of time, patience and dedication on your part. It is important to remember that your puppy will not be fully trained until around 4-6 months old. However, 12 weeks is the best time to start potty training for your puppy.
If you’re looking for an easy way to potty train a 12 week old puppy, then look no further than this article. In this article, we will go over everything that you need to know in order to properly potty train your puppy without having them spend their entire day with their nose in their business.
Why is potty training important for your 12-week old puppy?
Potty training your dog is important for a few reasons.
First, it makes them feel more comfortable and secure in their environment.
Second, it helps them to have a better understanding of where they can and cannot go to the bathroom. This is important especially if your dog urinates just after eating.
Third, it can prevent them from ruining your furniture or carpeting by teaching them where to go when nature calls.
General consideration before starting the housetraining
Potty training a puppy is much easier than potty training a human. Puppies are eager to please, and they have to learn quickly that eliminating outside is what you want them to do.
Before you start the housetraining process for your 12 week puppy, there are some general considerations you should keep in mind:
- Maintain a regular feeding schedule. Don’t feed your puppy between meals or give them extra snacks.
- Take your 12 week old puppy out first thing in the morning and every meal thereafter.
- Take them to the same spot every time they need to be eliminated. This will help them associate that spot with their bladder and bowel movements.
- Stay with them until they have completed their business; don’t leave until they have finished peeing or pooping at least twice in a row without going back inside the house!
- Praise them when they eliminate outside and give them treats when you return inside.
Here’s how to potty train a 12-week old puppy
So you’ve just brought home your new puppy. You’re excited, but now what? Well, the first thing you should do is-
Get Prepared
Getting prepared to potty train your puppy can be a fun and exciting time. It’s important to remember that every puppy is different, so the time to potty train your puppy will vary.
We recommend you start by getting everything together that you’ll need for potty training. You’ll want to make sure you have treats, toys, and plenty of patience.
We suggest reading up on the subject before you train so you know what to expect. Some tips we recommend are:
-Have a crate or pen ready for your puppy to use as his bathroom
-Be consistent with using a phrase when taking him outside to go potty (we recommend saying “go potty” or something similar)
-Make sure the area where you take him outside is well lit and safe for him
– Make sure your puppy has plenty of breaks and exercise before you begin potty training.
-Put a lot of newspaper down in one area for him to use as his bathroom
Start Training
The first step to potty training a puppy is to get them used to the idea of going outside. Start by having the puppy outside for a few minutes at a time. You can use treats or playtime as rewards for going outside. You can also use a leash. You want to keep them focused, and the leash will help.
The second step is to watch your puppy carefully so that you know when they need to go out and then let them out immediately after they do their business. This will help them learn that going outside means they will be rewarded with something good. In addition, if you practice this regularly your puppy will learn that going out means they will get attention from you as well; this will encourage them to go when they have needs.
The third step is to take your puppy outside every hour on the hour until they are trained. By doing this, you will help teach them that going outside needs to happen at regular intervals throughout the day rather than just once or twice per day when they feel like it might be necessary (which can lead to accidents).
Once you’re outside and ready to begin the process, stand still with your dog while repeating your very own specific command (this should always be the same and specific to potty). Do not allow him to play until he goes potty or pees outside—this will only prolong his time inside.
As soon as he finishes peeing or pooping outside, reward him immediately by praising and treating him—you don’t want him thinking that relieving himself indoors is what gets him treats.
At first this may seem frustrating because there maybe nothing happening yet but don’t give up! Just keep taking them out every hour until they go on their own. Once they go on their own, you can cut back to every two hours or so.
Troubleshooting and proofing behavior
One of the most confusing parts about potty training a 12-week-old puppy is knowing when to move on from one step to another. Below are some tips to help you troubleshoot your puppy’s behavior at each step.
1. If your puppy is peeing or pooping in the wrong place, try moving his crate closer to where he’s been doing his business. This will help him connect the two behaviors together and make it easier for him to understand what you want him to do. If that doesn’t work, try going back a step and start putting a leash on him whenever he’s outside (instead of just letting him roam free). This way, if he makes a mistake, you can gently pull on the leash until he goes over near where you want him to go. That will teach him that going near his pee spot means you’re going to stop walking forward!
2. If your puppy has been peeing but not pooping in the right place, make sure that when he goes outside with no leash attached, he’s not spending too much time sniffing around before going over near his pee spot. If he does this a lot, then he will get used to sniffing around outside before going to the bathroom. This can be dangerous because if he’s sniffing around and finds something else more interesting than his pee spot (like another animal or a bug), he may not go over near that spot anymore.
3. Take her outside only when you’re sure she needs to go. If she goes outside, praise her like crazy! Remember: every time you take her out, she’ll get better at holding it until she gets outside. So if you don’t know whether your pup needs to go, don’t take her out just yet. If your pup has an accident inside after being taken outside, don’t punish her! She might have just gotten distracted by something else in the yard or house, so it’s not really fair to punish her for something that isn’t entirely under her control yet. Instead, try taking a few minutes away from her, and then try taking her outside again. If you keep doing this, she’ll eventually get the hang of holding it until you take her outside.
FAQs
Here are some answers regarding potty training a 12-week puppy:
What is the best way to potty train a puppy?
There is no one right way to potty train a puppy. The key is consistency, so you need to make sure you’re doing the same things every time you take them out, and that you’re doing it at the same times of day. If you take them out at 8pm every night, for example, then do not wait until 10pm or 11pm on one night and then try to go earlier the next night. That will not work! You’ll just confuse your dog.
How long does it take for 12-week puppies to be potty trained?
It depends on the individual dog and how quickly they learn what “going” means. Some dogs are ready in just a few weeks while others can take months or even years before they fully understand what they’re supposed to do when they get outside!
What if my puppy doesn’t seem interested in using their new bathroom outside?
If your puppy doesn’t seem interested in using their new bathroom outside, don’t worry! This happens all the time with puppies who are new to their new home. It can take time for them to get used to a new place and feel comfortable doing their business outside.
Is there anything I can do while my puppy is getting potty trained?
Yes! You should make sure that there are plenty of toys available for your puppy so that they have something fun to play with while they’re still learning what “going” means.
What should I do when my 12-week puppy pees or poops on the floor?
Clean up the mess right away. You can use your hands, a paper towel, or a small plastic bag. If you use your hands, wash them immediately afterward. Clean up both the pee and the poop! Then put your dog on a leash and take him outside immediately. This will help him associate going outside with potty time so that he’ll be more likely to go there in the future.
How to know when your 12-week puppy is fully potty trained?
It’s difficult to tell when your puppy has completely mastered potty training. Like any other skill, it takes time for your pup to get the hang of it. The best way to know if your puppy is completely trained is by watching him closely. If he goes potty outside consistently and doesn’t go in the house, then you can be pretty confident that he’s doing well.
You can also look for signs that he’s ready for this next step: He should be able to hold it in until at least an hour after he eats or drinks something. If you notice that he’s getting better at this and can hold his bladder longer than before, it could be a sign that he’s ready for more responsibility.
How often does a 12-week-old puppy need to potty?
2-4 times a day. If you’re going to be gone for more than an hour, it’s best to take your puppy out for a walk before leaving the house.
How do I stop my 12-week-old puppy from peeing in the house?
Create a schedule. Take him out regularly throughout the day and during the night. You’ll want to make sure he has access to a clean area in which to relieve himself, and that he doesn’t get extra water or food after eating until after he’s taken care of business outside.