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Many people find that once they get into potty training their puppy that it is much harder than they thought. The thing is though; it really does not have to be. As long as you are following a few basic guidelines and keeping a strict schedule, your puppy will be potty trained in no time at all.
One of the biggest mistakes a pet owner can make is being inconsistent. You have to make sure that you are keeping affirm schedule in the beginning. Sure, life throws you a curve ball once in a while but while that puppy is still learning about potty training, you have to do everything you can to make sure that there is a schedule that is being followed. Once the puppy grows up, there can be a little wiggle room in the schedule because the dog will have more control over his bladder.
Think of your puppy just like a baby. Babies cannot control when they go to the bathroom, but older children can. Make sure that you are only feeding your puppy and giving him water at certain times of the day. You also have to make sure that you are taking the next ten to fifteen minutes to make sure that your puppy goes outside after he is done. This will ensure that when the food and water finally passes through, the puppy is in the right place at the right time. Basically, you are setting your puppy up for success and he will love you for it!
You will want to make sure that two or three times in between meals you are taking your puppy out to go to the bathroom, just in case. Of course, when you are not home, you need to have someone else come to the house to let the puppy out.
Even though your puppy may not have just eaten, there is a good chance that he has to go pee. Do not scold the puppy if he does not go because maybe he does not have to. However, do make sure that you give treats and praises for when he does go to the bathroom. This will encourage him to at least try every time you take him outside.
You should also have a strict bedtime schedule as well. This will help the puppy adjust to a routine. Make sure that you are again letting him outside for any last minute business.
Do not be surprised if you wake up in the middle of the night to the sounds of a whimpering puppy that needs to go potty. Instead of being angry you were woken at up 3am, be happy that your little puppy was trying to let you know he needed to go out. With the help of the strict schedule and as your puppy grows older, you will find that the middle of the night potty outings will become less and less.
Train Your Dog to Love Their Crate.