Training a 6 month old dog
Many dogs are fully potty trained by 6 months old but don’t be discouraged if your pooch has accidents up until 12 months old.
Every dog is different and it can take some a bit longer than others to make it to that high level of fully potty trained. Small dogs tend to train later than larger dogs due to having smaller bladders and higher metabolisms. They naturally need to go more often than bigger dogs.
If this does lead to more accidents than you would like, it’s important not to scold the dog for this. After all, they didn’t mean to go in your house, they just couldn’t find the right way to let you know they needed to go.
Using Fresh Patch to train your 6 month old dog
Potty-training your dog can take on average 3-6 months, so by introducing the Fresh Patch porch potty for your dog straight away, the dog will automatically associate this with the outside. We have a whole blog dedicated to How to Train your Dog Where to Potty here.
If you feel like your dog is behind, make sure you’re always encouraging positive behavior. You can find out more on how to do this in our blog: Encourage Pawsitive Puppy Behavior.
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.
How to Potty Train your Puppy EASILY! Everything you need to know!
Your puppy brings such joy and laughter — until you step in a little present she left behind when she couldnt make it outside in time. House-training a puppy is a lesson in patience, and its not always over quickly. Some puppies have it down pat in just a few weeks, while others take closer to a year.
Most puppies arent able to control when they go until they are at least 12 weeks old. After shes about 6 weeks old, you can start taking her outside at least every hour to give her the chance to go. While this can cut down on indoor accidents, she wont be ready for true house-training until 12 weeks.
Most puppies have a good understanding of where theyre supposed to potty after about a month of house-training. By the time she is 4 months old, your pup knows to wait for you to take her outside, and she might understand ways to tell you she has to go, such as barking or scratching at the door. However, shes still young, so you should expect accidents. According to the Humane Society of the United States, your puppy can hold her bladder for about one hour per month of her age. For example, at 4 months old, she can likely wait about four hours between potty trips. This can vary depending on how much she has to drink and exciting events that occur, such as if guests are coming in and out the door — shes more likely to have an accident when shes excited.
Many dogs are fully house-trained by 6 months old, but dont be discouraged if your pooch has accidents through 12 months old. Every dog is different, and some take a bit longer to make it to professional potty level. Small dogs tend to be fully house-trained later than large dogs because they have smaller bladders and higher metabolisms, meaning they must go out more often. This can lead to more frequent accidents during the housebreaking process.
To help your puppy house-train faster, be consistent about taking her outside often to give her an opportunity to go potty. Using a crate can help, because dogs prefer not to go where they sleep. If you must leave her for longer than her bladder can handle — when you go to work, for example — put her open crate in a small room, such as the bathroom, with puppy pads on the other side of the room. This gives her a place to relax and a place to potty without soiling her bed. Keep some toys, food and water near the crate as well. When you get home, take her out immediately, and plan to get up at least once during the night until shes about 6 months old.