5 Common Mistakes to Avoid While Potty Training Your Puppy

Training your new puppy on house manners is no joking affair! You’re probably well-aware of that…But wouldn’t it be advantageous to have a guide outlining the don’ts, rather than the overwhelming number of dos already out there?

Right?

Even when you’re doing your best and sticking to the pointers and training guides, everyone’s bound to make some mistakes.

We’re going to try and help you reduce those mistakes so your pup’s potty training stays on track.

There are a whole bunch of tips and pointers on how to potty train your puppy when you first bring him home. And we’ve shared them with you too, be it hacks or detailed housetraining guides.

But this time let’s talk about things NOT to do when you’re potty training your new puppy...

1. Delaying or Being Irregular with Training or Supervision

Some owners believe their puppies couldn’t possibly learn complex stuff like behavioral training until they’re several – say, six months – or older.

That’s not right.

Even a puppy that’s a couple of months or so old can start absorbing basic things like simple commands. He will understand that behaving a certain way is pleasing his owner.

Of course, he will! If you reward and praise him consistently, that is!

On the other hand, delaying the start of training can lead to problems. Your puppy won’t be used to the discipline of the training routines.

And getting him to drop habits when he’s several months old will be much harder than if you start as early as possible. That’s especially true for potty training.

And it’s not just about starting early. You need to be absolutely regular too until you’re sure your puppy is well trained.

That means “accidents” have completely stopped being so rare as to be worth disregarding.

2. Not Making Use of Crate Training

Crates are actually perfect for something like potty training.

Why?

Because once your dog understands that the crate is his den or home, he will be particular about keeping it clean.

It’s a great way to inculcate a habit of keeping his regular haunts accident free. Plus, it also builds up his “hold time” – the amount of time he can hold it in before potty breaks or walks.

Crates are one of the best tools for potty training, and not making use of them is indeed one of the bigger yet common mistakes to avoid while potty training your new puppy.

3. Being Stingy with Rewards

We made this point at the very beginning…

Being consistent and regular with rewards is essential to reinforce all that your puppy is learning while housetraining. And they’re actually more important than punishments or scoldings, for sure!

So don’t hold out on the treats, praise, or affection when your puppy is getting it right.

4. Skimping on Supplies

All potty training guides will stress how important it is to clean up after accidents immediately, and especially the odor. Making use of good products like stain and odor removers can make a world of difference.

Believe it.

And while not everyone likes puppy pads for fear of having their pup thinking it’s ok to go potty at home, they can be seriously useful. At least in the early days.

And if you intend to let your puppy relieve himself on a puppy pad out in the yard or something, go for it.

5. Expecting Too Much

This is another common mistake to avoid while potty training – and one of the biggest ones. Having super high expectations can really derail everything.

It could realistically take many months until your puppy is really fully housetrained. Of course, it depends on a bunch of factors and varies from dog to dog.

In any case, it can be hard to keep up your motivation and drive to keep at it and stay consistent and regular. And that’s crucial, as we pointed out in the first point.

Don’t overestimate your pup’s ability to retain his training. Wait until he’s truly accident-free for months on end before you let your guard down.

Why?

Regression can be really hard to handle. You don’t want to experience that!

We hope you found these tips on avoiding common mistakes while potty training your puppy useful! If you have any other tips or suggestions, do let us know in the comments section below and check out more of our how to train your puppy from our HUGE combine dog training tips guide.

Featured image by instagram.com//charliethebulldog312

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