No one likes to have their nose rubbed in their mistakes but that is often a form of punishment that new dog owners will result to when trying to teach their pup to not use the carpet as a toilet. While this may appear to be an appropriate form of punishment but it will not help train your dog to potty outdoors.

A dog does not comprehend that they are being punished because they made a mess in the house, only that their mess (or a mess from another dog) will cause them to be punished.  It can actually make the dog afraid of feces and they may avoid making potty even when in the appropriate place.

If you find the mess when you come home and use this form of punishment it can also make the dog afraid of your return and instill aggression and fear, two things that can defeat the purpose of having a dog in the first place.

Physically forcing your dog’s nose to the floor will be perceived as punishment but not because of the odor from their mess.  Dogs like the smell of feces which is why it is important to completely clean the area around their mess so that they do not return to the scene of the crime.

Even thought the dog may enjoy the smell, research has shown that this form of punishment can cause damage to the sensitive nose of a dog, particularly its olfactory passages in the nose.

Instead of punishing your dog for making a mess on your carpet, praise the pup when it goes outdoors.  The dog will quickly link their actions outdoors with positive responses from their owner and will want to continue receiving that praise.  It is also important to accompany your dog outside and offer praise immediately following their actions.  If you send the dog outside and return 15 minutes later it will be hard for the dog to understand what they specifically did to deserve the praise.

You should also take your dog outside to potty first thing in the morning and last thing at night.  This will help your dog develop patience and will instill a set habit.  Feeding your dog 2-3 hours before you go to bed is also a bad idea as it can often set your puppy up for failure.

There are several ways to potty train a new puppy but rubbing your dog’s nose in its mess should not be a method that you use.  It’s counterproductive and can establish a relationship of mistrust and fear early on.