4-Month-Old Puppy Still Not Potty Trained
The average 4-month-old puppy will still be having occasional accidents, even with the best house training plan. The muscles that control the bladder are only just starting to become fully developed at this age. In addition, your puppy’s bladder is still relatively small.
Signs That Your Puppy Needs to Eliminate
Whining, circling, sniffing, barking, or, if your puppy is unconfined, barking or scratching at the door, are all signs they need to go. Take them out right away. Â Consider bell training as a way for your pup to communicate their need to go out (so cues arent overlooked).
Accidents are common in puppies up to a year old. The reasons for accidents range from incomplete house training to a change in the puppyâs environment.
When your puppy does have an accident, keep on training. Then if it still doesnât seem to be working, consult a veterinarian to rule out a medical issue.
To potty train your puppy, establish a routine
Puppies do best on a regular schedule. The schedule teaches them that there are times to eat, times to play and times to do their business. Typically, a puppy can control their bladder one hour for every month of age. So if your puppy is 2 months old, they can hold it for about two hours. Dont go longer than this between bathroom breaks or they’re likely to have an accident.
Take your puppy outside frequently—at least every two hours—and immediately after they wake up, during and after playing, and after eating or drinking.
Pick a bathroom spot outside, and always take your puppy (on a leash) to that spot. While your puppy is relieving themselves, use a specific word or phrase that you can eventually use before they go to remind them what to do. Take them out for a longer walk or some playtime only after they have eliminated.
Reward your puppy every time they eliminate outdoors. Praise or give treats—but remember to do so immediately after they’ve finished, not after they come back inside. This step is vital, because rewarding your dog for going outdoors is the only way to teach whats expected of them. Before rewarding, be sure they’re finished. Puppies are easily distracted and if you praise too soon, they may forget to finish until they’re back in the house.
Put your puppy on a regular feeding schedule. What goes into a puppy on a schedule comes out of a puppy on a schedule. Depending on their age, puppies may need to be fed two or three times a day. Feeding your puppy at the same times each day will make it more likely that theyll eliminate at consistent times as well, making house training easier for both of you.
Pick up your puppys water dish about two and a half hours before bedtime to reduce the likelihood that theyll need to relieve themselves during the night. Most puppies can sleep for approximately seven hours without needing a bathroom break. If your puppy does wake you up in the night, dont make a big deal of it; otherwise, they will think it is time to play and wont want to go back to sleep. Turn on as few lights as possible, dont talk to or play with your puppy, take them out to the spot where they relieve themselves and then return them to bed. Top 10 tips
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Dont give your puppy an opportunity to soil in the house; keep an eye on them whenever they’re indoors.
Tether your puppy to you or a nearby piece of furniture with a six-foot leash if you are not actively training or playing. Watch for signs that your puppy needs to go out. Some signs are obvious, such as barking or scratching at the door, squatting, restlessness, sniffing around or circling. When you see these signs, immediately grab the leash and take them outside to their bathroom spot. If they eliminate, praise them and reward with a treat.
Keep your puppy on leash in the yard. During the house training process, your yard should be treated like any other room in your house. Give your puppy some freedom in the house and yard only after they become reliably house trained.
When youre unable to watch your puppy at all times, restrict them to an area small enough that they wont want to eliminate there.
Expect your puppy to have a few accidents in the house—its a normal part of house training. Heres what to do when that happens:
Its extremely important that you use these supervision and confinement procedures to minimize the number of accidents. If you allow your puppy to eliminate frequently in the house, theyll get confused about where they’re supposed to go, which will prolong the house training process.
Stop Accidents Indoors With THIS Puppy Potty Training Plan
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Housebreaking, house-training, or potty training— no matter what you call it, all new dog owners want to teach their new puppy not to mess inside their new home. The best way to achieve this goal is by establishing a timeline to follow, and sticking to it.
While you’re adhering to your timeline, it helps to firmly establish the rules for where your puppy should and should not eliminate, and dog crates and puppy pads can be very useful training tools to assist you in establishing your potty training plan.
Each day begins the same for you and your puppy. When the alarm clock goes off, wake up and get your puppy out of the crate and outside to do their business. Don’t stop to make coffee, check emails, or brush your teeth.
Keeping the crate in or near your bedroom lets you hear a whimper or a whine if your pup needs to go out during the night or before your alarm sounds. When they’re still small, you may be able to pick your pup out of the crate to carry them outside. This will prevent them from stopping and peeing on the floor on the way to the door.
Always head out the same door to the same area where you want your puppy to potty, and keep them on a leash outside while training (even in a fenced yard), so you can see what’s happening and react immediately.
Another morning ritual will be breakfast. After you take your puppy out to potty, they will be ready for their first meal of the day. Try to keep this scheduled at the same time each day. This will aid in regulating elimination, so you can set your watch to potty time.
After the meal, only wait between 5 and 30 minutes to take your puppy outside. The younger the puppy, the sooner they should be brought out after a meal to potty. As the puppy grows older, they will gain bladder control and learn to hold it longer each day. Most puppies eat three to four meals a day when they are growing, and most puppies will have to poop after meals, so paying attention to this short follow-up period is important.
Also, remain watchful when the puppy drinks water. Treat this just like a meal, and take them out to potty soon afterward. Choosing a puppy food that digests well and avoiding feeding within two hours of bedtime will help.
There are many other times that a young puppy will need to go potty, besides the first thing in the morning and after each meal. These instances include periods after naps and playtime.
Naps are mini-versions of the morning routine. Make sure that whenever your puppy is sleeping, you take them outside the moment they wake up.
During playtime, the stimulation of the digestive tract may also give your pup the urge to have a potty break. Some seemingly random clues that a puppy needs to go out can include sniffing the floor or carpet, wandering away from the family, becoming overexcited with zoomies, whimpering, or running to the door. If you see any of these signs, take your puppy out to potty immediately.
As you establish the routine of taking your puppy out after sleeping, eating, and playing, you also must focus on what to do once you are outside.
Find a spot that will become the “potty spot,” and always take your dog to the same spot. Stand quietly and wait until they are ready, and as they commence, give a voice command or signal to “go potty” or “do your business.” Then wait for the results, and praise lavishly if your puppy goes. Say “good boy/girl!” then give the pup a yummy treat.
Do this every time you are outside (or indoors if using puppy pads or dog litter boxes), and soon enough, the puppy will understand that doing their business in the proper spot will bring lots of love and treats. Also, after they eliminate outside, play with your pup for a few minutes before rushing back inside.
If your pup doesn’t go when you’re outside, you may have to take them inside and come back out again in a few minutes. Even they do go, they may need to head back out very soon, so stay vigilant.
Remember, if there are accidents indoors, do not punish your puppy. If you catch them in the act, you can make a noise or say “uh-oh” to get their attention, and they will likely stop. Immediately, gently pick up your puppy, take them outside, and praise them heartily when they finish up. Always be sure to sanitize soiled indoor areas with appropriate pet stain cleaning products, so the pup isn’t drawn to the same spot again.
Many owners have great results by also placing a bell on the door handle, and training their puppy to ring the bell when they need to go out. Start by ringing the bell as you exit with your dog, and praise the puppy as soon as they learn to ring the bell on their own.
When you have to leave home for several hours and your puppy needs to stay in a crate during the day, remember to plan ahead. If you’re unsure about how long your puppy can hold it, use the month-plus-one rule. Take the age of your puppy in months and add one, and that is the maximum number of hours that your puppy should be able to comfortably hold it between potty breaks. A 3-month-old puppy plus one equals 4 hours that they should be able to stay in the crate without a mess.
Remember that the last thing you should do before you go to bed for the night is to take your puppy out for one last potty break before bedtime. However, your pup will usually be able to hold their bladder for a longer period when they are asleep and not active.
“When it comes to how long potty training takes, it depends on the puppy and the schedule you keep,” says Dr. Jerry Klein, AKC chief veterinary officer. “If training begins early, a 6-month-old puppy is usually able to be depended on most of the time to eliminate outside. However, if you feel that you’re not making progress, you should have the puppy checked out by a veterinarian. They may have a urinary tract infection or some other health issue causing the delay in house-training.”
By scheduling meals, walks, playtime, and other activities in a daily routine, you and your pup will be on your way to success in potty training, but it won’t happen overnight, so remember to be patient. https://www.akc.org/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php Get Your Free AKC eBook
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