Those big puppy-dog eyes and soft, cuddly fur… the first time you laid eyes on your new puppy it was true love. All up until the moment you’re on your hands and knees cleaning up there mess.

Before you bring home your new puppy, you’ll need to have a potty training plan in place. Puppies can develop bad habits quickly so it’s important that you start potty training them from day one.

Unfortunately, not all puppies take to potty training as well as others. There are a few dog breeds that are known to take to potty training quite well, while others are known to be notoriously difficult to potty train. Even a puppy from a breed known for being easy to potty train can end up being a challenge.

In a lot of ways, potty training a puppy is the same as it is with small children. At a young age, they have very little control over their bladders and have just a few moments between the time they realize the have to go… and the time they are going all over the floor. Puppies are also a lot like children in the sense that they comprehend things a little slower and need more time to understand what’s being expected from them. Be sure to take your time with them and be patient, they will eventually learn.

This article will focus primarily on how to potty train a puppy to go outside. There are some folks that  pottytrain their puppies to use a cat litter box but those instances are rare and usually limited to the smallest of dog breeds. Steer clear of using potty training that involves puppy pads or other paper potty training methods. These should be used for indoor training only.

First off, invest in an indoor kennel proportionate to your puppies size. They should be just tall enough to stand up in and just long enough to lay down in, but no larger than that. Don’t get a kennel that is too large for you puppy. Dog’s will feel more safe and comfortable in a kennel that’s there size, and will be less likely to have accidents in it if they have no way of getting away from it. Potty training a puppy will be much easier if you have a kennel to control their environment.

Puppies should spend every minute that they can’t be watched in their kennel. Even if you’re going to be out of their line of site for a few minutes, take the time to put them in their kennel. Make sure that other members of the family understand this and agree to kennel the puppy whenever they aren’t able to watch it… especially at night. Potty training a puppy is a group effort that requires everyone to be on the same page.

The type of food and the feeding schedule play a critical role in how long it will take to potty train a puppy (and how hard it is for you to clean up after them in the mean time).  Stay away from canned, wet foods or any type of human foods. Dry foods will keep your puppy’s stool solid. It’s also a good idea to feed your puppy on a meal plan (4-5 times a day) rather than having food available whenever they want it. Make sure they don’t have any food or water within a few hours of bedtime so there are no overnight accidents.

You should take your puppy out first thing every morning, after every single meal and nap, after any playing or excitement and right before bed each night. Take your puppy outside on a leash and if it doesn’t go potty within a few minutes, put it back in the kennel for 15 minutes or so and take it outside again. Eventually your puppy will have to go potty, you just need to make sure you’re outside when it happens.

In addition to a regular schedule, you should keep an eye on your puppy for any signs that they may need to go like excessive sniffing or circling an area in the room.

Unless you’re really, really lucky, accidents are going to happen. If you catch your puppy in the act then pick them up and take them outside. It’s okay to scold your puppy by firmly telling them “no” but don’t rub their noses in it or spank them. If you didn’t catch them in the act but find an accident later, don’t punish your puppy. Instead, identify how the accident happened and make sure you keep a closer eye on them. Potty training a puppy is about about teaching them to go outside, not teaching them they shouldn’t go inside.

Lastly, but in my opinion most importantly, when an accident does happen clean it up properly. Dogs will identify with the scent of its waste and think it’s OK to go in the same spot. Instead of using regular household cleaners, purchase a specialty spray cleaner from a local pet store.

If you’re not able to potty train a puppy after the first few months, your puppy may have some health issues. Be sure to take your puppy to the vet if you believe this is the case. Potty training your puppy takes lots of work and patience so be sure to be honest with yourself before choosing to do so. Have you really followed all of the above suggestions consistently during those last several months?

Good luck and enjoy your newest addition to the family!