How often should I take my 6 week old puppy outside at night? A Step-by-Step Guide

How to potty train your puppy with pee pads

This method requires a little more thought on your part, but could help to reduce the number of full-blown accidents as your puppy learns the ropes. It uses pee pads, or puppy pads, as an intermediate step between peeing anywhere they like and learning to only pee outside. This means you can set up an area of your puppy play pen or their crate (if you’re crate training) with some nice absorbent pads that reduce the mess caused by little accidents.

This is a good option if you live in a flat and have a very young puppy, as it means fewer trips up and down the stairs/in the lift until they are old enough to hold it a bit longer. If you only have shared space for exercising your pooch, use this method to limit their time in that space until they have had all of their vaccines.

So, here’s how to stop your puppy peeing inside:

  • Set up some puppy pads where you want your furry friend to go to the toilet.
  • Take your pupper to the toilet area regularly – and definitely more often than just when they are getting desperate! This includes first thing when they wake up, after every meal and every two hours (or however many is right for your puppy’s current abilities!).
  • When they get there, give them plenty of time to toilet if they want to and give them lots of praise and healthy treats when they go.
  • If you spot an accident and the furry culprit is nowhere around, just clean it up and forget about it. They don’t ‘get’ learning from past mistakes, so there’s no benefit to showing them what they’ve done, however unhappy you might be about it!
  • If you spot them mid-pee, pick them up gently – they should stop – and then set them down on the pads to finish their business. Praise and treat!
  • On the occasions you do take your puppy outside, try to time it so you know they will need to go to the toilet and go crazy with praise. This will give them an idea that peeing outside is a great way to make you happy.
  • As your puppy gets better and better at going to the pads when they need to pee, move the pads a little closer to the exit each day. This will help prepare them for the eventual move to outside-only!
  • Finally, and when you know you will have plenty of time to take them outside lots of times during the day, get rid of the pads and start taking them out a little more regularly than you think they need to go. This is to help them get used to the transition and to allow for the extra time it will take you to get them out of the house! You may need to bring a puppy pad with you and place it on the grass, and if your little one struggles when you try without the pad after that, try cutting the pads down in size until he works it out!
  • If your puppy doesn’t go when you’re outside for a pee break, bring him in. Don’t play with him or make a big deal about it; just take him back outside in 15 mins and try again until he decides to oblige! Otherwise, he will associate waiting by the door with you taking him outside for playtime.

    Top tip: learn to recognise the subtle signs that your fluffy friend is ‘crossing his legs’, so to speak! Some dogs circle or sniff the ground, looking for just the right spot! Others might move towards the door or start pawing at the exit.

    Bethney Foster is social justice coordinator for Mercy Junction ministry, where she edits the monthly publication “Holy Heretic.” She is also an adoption coordinator with a pet rescue agency. Foster spent nearly two decades as a newspaper reporter/editor. She graduated from Campbellsville University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in English, journalism and political science.

    Place your puppy in his crate anytime you cant directly supervise him. Instinctively your puppy doesnt want to eliminate in his crate. You have established the crate as his “den,” and dogs do not want to soil their space.

    Place your puppy in the crate. Speak to your puppy in a reassuring tone when you introduce him to the crate. Give him a treat once he is inside. Let him sit in the crate for just a few minutes.

    Praise the puppy and give him a treat once he is finished, but wait until he is finished. At 6 weeks he has a very limited attention span, and even your praise while he is still going potty might distract him.

    While you can begin potty training when your puppy is 6 weeks old, dont expect perfect results. At six weeks, puppies havent developed the physical ability to wait to go potty. Using several methods together will help your puppy learn more quickly what you want him to do.

    What if my puppy has an accident?

    It’s also important to remember not to scold your pupper harshly for mistakes. First because it’s hard for them to get their fluffy little heads around what it is that you want, and second because it can make them nervous to pee in front of you… and that could lead to them hiding away to do it. We hear that behind the sofa is an excellent hiding place!

    There are a couple of different ways to train your puppy, so read on to see which one will work best for you and your new best bud.

    Puppy Potty Training At Night WITHOUT Setting An Alarm – Bringing Home A New Puppy Episode 6

    As the weeks go by, not only is your little fur ball getting bigger and more full of energy, you are falling more in love with their sweet little face and funny personality. Your six week old puppy has seen some significant changes in their life, like learning to walk, gaining independence, and transitioning to puppy food. They are now ready for the next stage in life. Weeks six to eight are super impawtant and will play a large role in how your pup perceives the human world. Your little one will be schooled on bite inhibition by their mother and littermates, further their socialization, and continue to explore their surroundings. When they finally leave the care of their mother, they will depend on you to show them the ropes.