Three Keys to K9 Potty Training Explained

Housebreaking a K9 requires a consistent feeding and watering schedule, frequent potty breaks, and confinement, yet no one provides a detailed explanation of this process. Here we will clarify for dog owners how to potty train a new dog with three straightforward steps.

1. A consistent feeding and watering schedule will determine how fast and successful your housebreaking journey will be. Dogs need a bathroom break shortly after a meal (10-20 minutes), so this will establish your baseline for the remaining potty breaks throughout the day.

Puppies should eat three meals daily until they are 4 months old. Some small breeds require four meals daily. Follow breed-specific recommendations here. Then feed two meals per day up through adulthood. Divide daily recommended breed-specific intake amounts by three or four and serve that amount at each meal.

Serve the last meal and water 3 hours before bedtime so their bodies can process everything before that last potty break at bedtime. This will hopefully eliminate those middle-of-the-night bathroom breaks and keep everyone happy.

After each meal, pick up the food and water bowls so they don’t snack throughout the day. Constant access to food all day means your dog’s digestive cycle will not be regular, and we all want regularity.

2. Puppies need frequent potty breaks, so get yourself on schedule to take them out to your preferred potty place every 1-2 hours during the day (under 16 weeks every half hour). Adult dogs, especially large breeds, can go 2-4 hours between potty breaks, but you should adjust based on their specific needs. Once you have figured out the frequency of your dog's potty needs, set an alarm on your phone for that frequency. Your housebreaking plan is starting to come together.

This is your opportunity to teach them to relieve themselves at your preferred location on demand. Grab the leash and attach it, then lead them to the potty spot and say, “Go Potty.” Let them sniff around while you stay still without creating any distractions. If you notice them beginning to urinate, repeat the "Go Potty" command. Once they finish, affirm "Yes" and give them a treat as a reward.

3. Confinement entails preventing your Fitto from roaming freely around the house until he has fully mastered housebreaking.

You must confine Fitto to a containment pen, crate, baby gate, or baby playpen in a pet-safe room. Add a plastic tarp or waterproof rubber mat on the floor for added protection. Draw up the tarp on the sides to prevent any accidents from escaping the containment area and to simplify cleanup.

Unless you are interacting with your dog, he should remain in the containment zone, and you should leash him during those times to control his movement.

While it may be tempting to let him roam freely while you're preparing dinner, doing so could lead to an accident or the initiation of an unwanted habit.

When your pup needs to go, he will relieve himself wherever he happens to be at the time. It's not his fault.

Your dog must have a potty place no matter where they are at. Where is your secondary potty spot for running to the store or being away for a few hours? Adding a potty box to their pen or confined space while you are away is a good option but practice this option with your dog before that day comes. Ensure your dog becomes accustomed to the potty box by routinely using it as their primary outdoor potty spot. Place some of the smells from the outside spot in the indoor box.

With a little ingenuity, you can easily make indoor boxes using large flat plastic totes or by building a wooden box. You can use wood chips or wood pellets from your local farm and ranch or hardware store for the filler, but do NOT use cat litter. Cat litter will clog their digestive tract when they clean their feet. Cat boxes are too small, but there are commercially made options like the Porch Potty, which you can even get fresh grass sent out to you monthly. I like the product, but I would personally go with their artificial turf option, then purchase replacements from Home Depot and cut to fit.

How long should it take to housebreak a dog? There is no easy answer. Your training consistency, dog breed, age, and history before you get them will determine how long it takes. Do you have to break old habits first?

With no ugly habits from the past, some smarter breeds can be trained in weeks, while others take many months. Some dogs may slip back into old habits but just jump back into the routine and stick with it longer.

Expert trainers concur that every dog can learn, so don't give up on Fitto. Fitto might be slow to learn, but he will eventually catch up. Remember to always train with love, and you will have a happy and healthy life companion.

If you stay patient, consistent, and loving, you'll get through those inevitable challenges with your new pup. And, like me, you'll have a well-trained best friend by your side. Just don't give up - that housebroken dog is worth the effort!

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