Wendi, training her puppy, Kilo

Welcome to Part Two – Potty Training Tips

Our favorite receptionist and dog training guru, Wendi (seen here on the left training her puppy, Kilo), has put together a few more tips for successfully potty training your new (or new to you) puppy.  If you missed the first 4 tips, see our previous blog post – Potty Training tips – Part 1.  If you’re all caught up, let’s go!

5. Use CUE words to teach your dog to go:

Can your dog learn to go on command? Of course they can!
Over time, your friends and family, if they are as impressed as easily as mine, will be astounded if you take your dog outside, tell them to “go potty” and they do so on demand! AND, it is easy to do! Of course, we don’t demand our dogs to go, we ask for the behavior, and if they go, they are rewarded.
You will learn your dog’s behavior when they have to go – a certain circle, sniff, even a different way they hold their back. When they enter into this “about to go” stance, give a cue word. It doesn’t matter what you pick, just be consistent. I’m not sure if it is just my luck or what, but most of my dogs get potty trained over the winter. As a result,  their cue is “hurry” but it can really be anything. Once they go, they get rewarded, eventually they will start going as soon as possible to get that praise or reward for going.
This is a handy training tool to have at your disposal. This can be the difference between a five minute potty break at a rest area while traveling and a half an hour adventure hike at a rest area. The choice is yours. I’d prefer my pets go when I ask them to go.

6. TREAT/REWARD timing

With real estate, it is common to hear location is everything. With potty training, TIMING is everything!
A treat and/or rewards/praise are to be given IMMEDIATELY, even to the point where you are rewarding them while they are still going. Some people wait until they come inside to give the dog a treat. By then it is too late. You are rewarding your dog for coming inside, not for eliminating outside. Reward immediately when they eliminate outside since THAT is the behavior you want them to repeat. Otherwise, you are going to have a dog that wants to go outside, do nothing, come inside, and expect a treat.

Time to give a treat/praise/a toy for a job well done!

You have to discover what your dog likes as a reward. Some dogs may love verbal praise and others may be totally indifferent to you verbally praising them or it may interrupt them from going. Some dogs love treats the most. I have a dog who is not crazy about treats, nor is she responsive to verbal rewards. For her potty training, I always let her play with a squeaker ball for a few moments after she went potty. Those few moments of play were the reward she got immediately for going. I always gave the cue “hurry,” and when she went, I gave her a verbal short “YAY” followed quickly with her squeaker ball. Whatever it takes. Find your dog’s loves, then use them to your advantage.

7. THE OTHER DOOR
It is common for dogs to be confused as to where to go to relieve themselves, especially if they go on walks for exercise.  For this reason, choose ONE door that leads to where they are to relieve themselves and use that consistently for potty training and use ANOTHER DOOR to exit for exercise. 

While potty training, always go to the ONE door that leads to the potty break area first.
After potties, come inside for a few minutes. Then, go out the OTHER DOOR for a walk!

“Why not use the same door and walks for potties?”
If their mind stimulating walk is utilized for them to relieve themselves then a couple things could happen:

It’s time for a fun walk Mom!

    They will be too distracted to go to the bathroom (the walk is so much fun!)
There will be too many distracting sights and sounds and smells that going to the bathroom will be the last thing on their “to do” list.
    They will HOLD IT on their walks to get longer walks. Dogs are smart. They learn that if they “go” then they get taken back inside. They don’t want to go  inside, they want to walk!!! A super smart dog will eventually learn to hold it longer and longer because they want longer and longer walks.

If you only have one door, no worries – here’s how to make it work for you:
Simply make sure the dog is taken outside to void in a designated spot in the yard, rewarded immediately, and come inside for a few moments.
That way they don’t associate the to go potty trip with the outside to get exercise trip.
Always make sure they void before you set off on your adventures; Going potty before setting off on a walk is another incentive to go fast on a potty break because the adventurous exercise walk is a reward for doing so well!

I don’t wanna go inside yet…

Using the Two Door method will avoid what I call “walk let down” as well. What is “walk let down”? This is when you take your dog outside, and they get let down because they think it is going to be a fun trip or walk about the neighborhood. By taking them out the POTTY DOOR first, they know NO walks will occur until they eliminate, so, it could be good encouragement to go, and go fast, to try to earn a fun walk.

We covered a LOT of tips for successful potty training. Some are intertwined and related, as there is no cut and dry formula for potty training. All dogs are different, but all dogs respond to a lot of the great tips presented.  If you’re a client of Blue Door Veterinary Services and you’d like a little help with potty training, feel free to request a chat with Wendi after you’ve had a visit with to doctor to make sure there are no behavioral or medical health problems factoring in to the troubles.  

If you’re not a client with us yet, feel free to give us a call at 503-819-8040 or request an appointment online to get your pet(s) on our schedule!  We love puppy kisses!

Our last segment on potty training will wrap up the loose ends of training, including a sample schedule to help get your pup on the right track to perfect potty training. 
If you missed our initial potty training segment, check it out at “Potty Training Pitfalls. 

In our previous blog post,  Potty Training Pitfalls, we discussed some common issues that might make potty training difficult. Now we will share some training tips that will not only have you avoiding those pitfalls, they should have your dog avoiding going inside the house altogether!

Don’t Forget the Health Check:
Previously, two key factors were discussed that are of utmost importance, the physical health of your pup or adult dog, and their behavioral health. These are still key factors. If you are facing house training problems, make sure you discuss your dog’s physical exam results, diagnostic testing results,  as well as their behavior with your veterinarian. Potty training attempts with a pup with parasites or an older dog with an ailment aren’t going to go so well. We want you to be able to succeed in potty training your dog. No dog is ever too old to learn to eliminate outside, and no puppy is too young to start learning the basics of what is expected of them, though a puppy’s age must be taken into consideration. Physically, most puppies will  not be able to have control over urine and bowels for several months. Don’t expect too much too soon from very young or very small breed puppies. The same goes for very old dogs. Sometimes as senility sets in, they may forget to go outside, but accidents in the house may also be a sign an older dog is not well.  So remember, the first step to solving elimination issues, is to schedule an appointment for a check up with your veterinarian.  

Now, onward for TIPS FOR SUCCESS!

1.  Patience
   Your dog is not going to learn to eliminate outside overnight. It is a behavior they will learn, so be patient. Accidents will happen, so don’t have a freakout when they do occur. Just clean them up, and move on with life. No sense in crying over spilled milk, and no sense in yelling over accidents on the floor. Be patient, and following the pitfalls to avoid with the tips this week, we’ll have your on your way to potty training success!
2. Consistency
   Dogs, like people, do better when they know what is expected of them. A dog is less likely to have an accident if they have a good idea of how long they are going to have to hold it. So, CONSISTENCY is important in training. A dog is less likely to soil indoors if they know they will be let out soon.  Take them out at the same times every day. Over time, dogs will learn to adjust as they know they will not suffer the pain of a bursting bladder by being forced to hold it all day.  Some pups are very good and CAN hold it all day; the point is, they SHOULD NOT have to hold it all day.
   If you work 8 hours a day, imagine not going to the bathroom from the moment you leave for work in the morning until you get home. That is the exact same thing you are requesting of your dog! They shouldn’t have to hold it all day, nor should you. You probably CAN, but from a medical perspective, it isn’t good for bladder, kidneys, or bowels to hold it that long. And, containing it for long periods actually can become physically PAINFUL to a pet. Your dog may be in pain from trying to hold it, and may have an accident simply to avoid a painful situation.
   We recommend you schedule a mid day walk, either from a pet sitter or other source. Your dog will thank you, AND it will make house breaking easier.
   If a dog KNOWS they are going to be forced to hold it all day, they may simply GO  hen they have to as they will want to avoid the pain and/or discomfort from holding it all day; However, dogs who KNOW they will get that middle of the day break will be more apt to try to contain it because they KNOW they won’t have to hold it all day.
   As for puppies, there is NO QUESTION they will be unable to hold it all day, and probably should have several scheduled breaks for elimination during the day. So, if you work outside of the home, get those pet sitters or dog walkers lined up. It is unrealistic to ask a puppy to contain urine/bowel movements for an entire work day.
3. Scheduling
   Scheduling is related to consistency; they go hand in hand. A regular schedule is of utmost important when it comes to effective potty training. What goes in must come out, and for dogs that timing is predictable.
   Put your dog on a regular feeding schedule, feeding at exact time(s) every day. Leave the food down for ten minutes then pick it up until the next scheduled feeding time. For puppies, after they eat, take them immediately outside to eliminate. For older dogs it may take up to ten minutes to get the urge to go.
   As for water, you must monitor when your dog drinks. Puppies will have to urinate within ten minutes of drinking, and adult dogs within 20 minutes. You can measure how long it takes until your dog “has to go” by monitoring when they drank some water and when they had to eliminate. After a few days, you should start noticing patterns in your dog’s elimination patterns, and, with proper monitoring you will notice pre-elimination behaviors, such as circling, intense sniffing, or hiding behavior if they’ve had a bad experience from voiding  in the house.
4. Confinement
   This can be a hot button topic for pet owners, because for a lot of people when they think of confinement, the first thing that pops into their head is PRISON, and no one wants to imprison their puppy. But a potty training pitfall is giving a dog or puppy too much freedom too soon. Dogs are den animals, and WILL NOT object to their own den. It is a natural behavior for them to seek out a cozy, quiet spot to relax. Once a dog is used to their crate (and yes, we will have a blog on crate training as well!) it is a simple matter of utilizing the crate for house training. This may NOT be an option for some dogs, or some owners, so let’s examine the pros, cons, and alternatives.
   1. Crates: If you chose to use a crate, it should only be large enough for the dog to turn around for house/potty training time. You can also feed and water the dog with bowls that hang inside the crate, as it is even more unlikely for a dog to eliminate where they eat/drink. If the dog must be in the crate, make sure you give him something to do, like a large nylabone or Kong stuffed with stuffing to chew on.  When we go over crate training, there will lots of tips to keep your pet entertained while crated. Crating, as awesome as it is, is NOT an option for all dogs. Highly stressed dogs, dogs with anxiety, or dogs who have been abused or neglected often have bad association with crates and cages, and can never be crated.
   2. Leashes indoors: Leashing is simply having the dog on the leash indoors to keep them with you, so where you go, they go. Tight monitoring of the pet is accomplished because they are literally attached to you at all times with the leash. This allows you to spend time with the dog outside of the crate or their designated small potty free zone without worrying about them slipping off to void in the house. NEVER tether the dog to something as the object of leashing indoors is to have them monitored and in your sight. They need to be close enough for you to monitor their every move.
   3. Small room/Potty free zone: If a crate is not an option, a small enclosed area with an easy to clean floor may work. You may need to invest in baby gates and/or exercise pens to accomplish creating an area that is puppy proof and easily cleaned in the event of an accident. Avoid rooms with carpet or those with possibly unsafe items, such as garage or storage room. The room should be safe for dogs – perhaps a small powder room or bathroom that is devoid of anything a pet may get into. Offering food at scheduled meal times and water in this designated room can help, as again, dogs are less likely to soil areas where they eat and drink. 

When fostering dogs, I often keep the dog  on the leash while indoors. It keeps them within eyesight, and I can socialize them and spend time with them out of their crate all while I can get some work done. For me, a super productive day is spent solving pet and pet parent woes on my laptop, all at the same time as potty training a rescue, foster, or my own dog/puppy.  I simply put a dog bed with some toys next to my work area. I  attach the leash to my trainee, and the handle end of leash I tuck under a leg or behind me so I can feel it if the dog gets up and I’m engrossed in something, like making potty training blogs 😉 I keep them within eyesight, and I keep the leash on so I don’t miss anything if they get up unnoticed. Win win!

ALL dogs can be potty trained,  but not all potty trained dogs can avoid accidents if they suffer anxiety.

If your dog is suffering from anxiety, and is having elimination accidents because of anxiety, be advised it is NOT a potty training issue. It is a physical manifestation of a more deep rooted medical/behavior issue. Speak to your vet about anxiety as your dog will not be able to avoid accidents if they are anxiety related.  Anxiety can be helped with behavior modification though some dogs are so bad they may need medications.
We will have a blog on KEEPIN’ CALM with pointers and tips to help dogs with anxiety! But some dogs may need more.  Again, this is NOT a training issue, but a much more insidious condition in which potty training cannot commence until it is remedied.

Keep following our blog to hear more tips and tricks from Wendi (our favorite receptionist and puppy trainer) on potty training and other training tips for your puppies and newly adopted pets.


If you want to learn more about why a mobile veterinary service could be your and your pets’ next favorite thing, learn more about us at Blue Door Veterinary Services here. 

Avoiding potty training pitfalls

House training is one of the most challenging times in all of puppyhood for both puppy and owner. Puppies are carefree and happy, and most don’t understand why their humans freak out over a piddle or a poo on the floor.
They don’t have the control of their bladder or bowels and some are so young it almost seems silly for humans to get so upset. After all, it would be the equivalent of getting upset at a baby for soiling their diaper.
For older dogs who may have been adopted or rehomed, they may never have been properly potty trained or they may be suffering stress at new surroundings or simply may not know where to go.
The good news is, no matter what age a dog is, as long as they are old enough to have some control of their bladder and bowels, potty training can commence.

So let’s first examine some potty training pitfalls, how you can avoid them, and how you and your new puppy or “new to you” dog can get ready for house training.

First things first, here are some key factors to consider:

PHYSICAL HEALTH: It is important to make sure there are NO HEALTH problems that are causing inappropriate elimination behavior. Schedule an appointment with your vet if you find that you’re having some potty training issues to help rule this out as a contributing factor.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: A dog’s prior history is important too. A dog’s elimination behaviors are a product of the environment in which he or she has been raised. A chat with your vet can help determine if this is part of the issue.

We will get into both physical health and behavioral health in a later blog, but for now, remember to rule these out to make sure there are no underlying health issues that could play a major role in house training. Even completely trained pets can have accidents in the house. For most, it is simply that, an accident, and for others, it could mean they don’t feel well or are having another problem.

On to the Potential Pitfalls:

Here is a list of common potty training mistakes;
We can help you avoid these, as they should be avoided at all costs!
Common and easily avoidable potty training mistakes:

1. Not taking your dog outside often enough:
   This is a tough one, because most newbie pet parents will not understand how a puppy can hold it at night but can’t make it more than 20 minutes while they are playing. Well, an easy way to explain it is –active puppies have “to go” more. Why is this so? Because when they sleep, their bodies aren’t making as many waste products. When they are awake, active, and running, they generate waste products, sometimes rapidly. Metabolic waste has to go somewhere, and that is usually through urine and feces. AND, you will notice in young puppies, it is mostly urine. Lots of urine. Growing is serious business, and puppies may not notice they have to go until they are actually going.
   A good rule of thumb for a puppy to hold it at night or while sleeping, is roughly an hour for every month of life for the first few months. So, a three month old puppy should be able to “hold it” for three hours in a crate at night. HOWEVER, if they are awake, they really may have to go every 10-20 minutes. This also means that for most puppies you will have to get up in the middle of the night to let them out, and when they are awake and active they really may need to go every 10-20 minutes, especially toy and smaller breeds. Remember too, when they wake up they will have to go immediately, so keep an eye on those babies. When their eyes pop open from a nap, pop that leash on and get them outside.
2. Not cleansing with effective products: 
   There are some rules when picking out cleaning supplies for a new puppy, such as, NEVER use ammonia or ammonia containing products. Urine breaks down into ammonia, so when a dog smells ammonia, it means, “It is OK, there is already urine here, so this is a great place to go!”
   So say “NO” to using products that contain ammonia.
   NEVER use products that are known to be toxic to pets; read labels carefully. Most will state to keep away from pets not only while you are using them, but even after use, and these products should be avoided. The safest products to use are those specifically labeled for PET ACCIDENTS and that are designed to be safe for use around pets.
   The next thing you need to be on the lookout for, is ALWAYS use a product that has ENZYMES for cleaning. The enzymes actually break down urine and feces, and when they are broken down, their odors are eliminated. Just because you have a favorite cleaner and you cannot smell the accident site, rest assured your dog who has thousands of more smell receptors than you do can still smell odors. And, an odor means, “This is where we go!”
   That is why we frequently hear, “He always goes on this carpet” or “she likes to go here all the time.”
3. Free feeding:
   Leaving food down all the time seems like a great idea at first. However, this can make housebreaking almost impossible, as most puppies eat and then almost immediately, poop.  They can also eat a lot for their size, and if you do not time your feedings, they will also be making a lot of waste. It is best to put food down for about ten minutes at regularly scheduled times, and pick it up at the end of ten minutes, and don’t put it back down again until the next scheduled feeding time.
4. Too much freedom too soon:
   “Hey, Sparky didn’t have an accident all day, I’m going to let him run through the house!”
   Don’t do it. When training, your puppy or newly adopted dog should be within eyesight at all times, just like a toddler, and when they can’t be watched, they should be in an area they are unlikely to soil, like a crate or smaller area.
   The use of baby gates to keep them in the room with you, or even tethered (SAFELY) to you are good methods to keep them close, so you can see what they are doing, and more importantly, to learn their cues for when they have to go.
   
   
5. Using walks as potty breaks:
   There are a couple of reasons not to have your puppy or adopted dog use long walks as their main means of elimination.
   They may be too distracted to go to the bathroom (the walk is so much fun!) There are usually too many distracting sights, sounds and smells that going to the bathroom will be the last thing on their “to do” list.
   Dogs are smart. They learn that if they “go” then they get taken back inside. They don’t want to go inside, they want to walk!!! So they will start HOLDING IT longer and longer to get LONGER WALKS. Our dogs are very smart, and they train us very well, so they can really learn to hold it, as long as it gets them a longer walk.
   Plus, training your dog to go when you want/need them to, instead of having to go for a three mile trek before they go, can be helpful in the future.
   Don’t fall into that trap. Have your pet learn to go outside to eliminate first, then you can go off and do fun things like a fun walk. We’ll discuss more in a later blog such as learning to cue to eliminate as well as other techniques to make potty training faster and more convenient both for the here and now, as well as for future events.
6. Rubbing a dog’s nose in excrement:
   We know this is a long held training method, and many people still hold firm to the belief that showing a dog that they had an accident is an effective method of preventing future accidents, but veterinary behaviorists and trainers disagree.  Truth be told, it does teach the dog something, that having one’s face rubbed in excrement is gross and disgusting. If they make any connection at all, it may teach them that if a mess is out for all to see, then faces get rubbed in it. So, if they have an accident, and this technique us used, they may learn to simply HIDE where they go. We call these “closet poopers” or “behind the couch whizzers” because their owners have unknowingly trained them that hiding when they go eliminates the facial rubbing. It can also destroy the trust you’ve made with your new pet, and they may learn to fear you.  It could even lead to “submissive” urination issues as well, which is a topic for another day.
7. Attributing dogs inappropriate voiding behavior to spite, jealousy, or anger:
   While we know our pets feel emotions, they probably do not feel them the same way humans do. It is highly doubtful Fifi peed on your new carpet because you hugged Uncle Frank or fed the goldfish first. For our pets, revenge is probably not even in their emotions repertoire.  Your dog doesn’t soil your home out of spite; there is always another reason.  Except for anxiety, emotions don’t play into potty training. Anxiety affects animals on a physical and mental level, and is very real, so we’ll address that separately.

Take Home Message: 

There are a lot of aspects to potty training; it isn’t a simple cut and dry “just follow the directions and they get it” kind of training. There are a lot of factors that influence a dog’s behavior, including their elimination behaviors. Hopefully, by avoiding some of these common mistakes, you and your pet can live harmoniously.

In our next blog segment, we will try to teach pet parents some simple tricks and methods for potty training, making it easier on both the pet and their people.