How To Train A Dog To Use The Bathroom Outside

Introduction

When you first bring a puppy home, it can seem like the little thing needs 24/7 attention. When do you eat? When do you sleep? And where in the world are you supposed to use the bathroom? It’s only natural that your new pup will be tempted to use your carpet as a potty area since that’s where he or she was used to pottying before becoming part of your family. Fortunately, with a little patience and training, your puppy can learn that there is no need to go potty on your comfy rugs when there are perfectly good grassy areas all around! Over time, your dog will come to understand that using the bathroom outside is safe and acceptable.

Create A Potty Schedule

If you want your dog to know when it’s time to use the bathroom, you’ll need to set a schedule. A good rule of thumb is every two hours (unless your dog needs to go, in which case they should go immediately). This may sound like a lot at first, but once your routine is down pat, it’ll be easy as pie!

It’s also important that you remain consistent with this schedule. If you tell them it’s time for potty break at 8:00 AM on Monday and then don’t take them out until 10:00 AM on Tuesday because Tuesday happens to be trash day and there just wasn’t enough room in the can for all their excrement alone…well then they won’t know what they’re doing!

If your dog has an accident while outside or inside his designated potty area (or doesn’t do anything all day), don’t punish him! Just clean up after him or her and try again tomorrow.* It takes time for puppies—and adults—to learn new habits, so be patient with them as they get used to their new routine.*

Wean The Puppy Off The Crate

Weaning your puppy off the crate involves removing the dog from his kennel and placing him on a leash, either attached to you or on a short lead. The leash will help you control the puppy, so he doesn’t sneak away and relieve himself inside the house.

Next, take him to the designated potty area. If your yard does not have a fence, create one with stakes and string to make it easier for your pup to identify where he can do his business outside of his crate. Praise him when he does go potty outside; this will reinforce that behavior of doing his business in that specific spot rather than leaving messes elsewhere in your living space!

Walk The Dog After Eating And Drinking

> Walking the dog after eating and drinking is an important part of training your dog to use a designated bathroom area. Most dogs have to go potty after eating, so take them for a walk right after you feed them. If your dog has a habit of not using their bathroom spot, try walking them immediately after eating or drinking so that they can empty their bladder before going back inside.

> Another time when you should take your dog out right away is if they just woke up from any nap. Dogs often need to go potty when they wake up because they were sleeping on their bladder!

> You should also get in the habit of walking your pup every time before you leave home with him or her (such as if you’re taking him/her out in the car). This way, the act of getting into the vehicle won’t become an excuse for missing his/her scheduled bathroom break!

Anticipate Problem Areas

To help your dog develop a good routine, it’s important to be aware of:

His age. A puppy or adolescent dog may need some extra time to get used to your home and the new rules you’ve put in place.
His history. If your pup has never been trained before, he may have developed bad habits that will take time and patience to break.
His environment. Finally, consider how his environment has changed—new people in the household or frequent visitors can be stressful for some dogs, especially if they were previously used to being alone with their owners most of the time.

Limit Outdoor Time When It’s Cold

When it’s cold outside, it’s best to avoid letting your dog out. If you must take him or her outside, be sure that there is a warm shelter with plenty of water and a comfortable bed.
Avoid taking your dog out in the rain because this will encourage them to mark their territory.
If you have an outdoor cat enclosure for your cat, do not let the dog go near it when it’s windy or hot outside as this can make them aggressive towards other animals.

Training your dog to go potty in the yard is all about consistency and routine.

The most important part of training your dog to go potty in the yard is consistency and routine. This means you must be consistent with the following:

The signals you use to tell your dog it’s time to go outside (the cue).
How much time you give your dog before taking him or her out again after they’ve finished their business (the interval).
The location where you’re going to take them outside (if there are multiple locations, that’s okay!).

For example, if I tell my dog “outside” using a particular tone of voice and pet his head, that becomes my signal for him to go potty outside. Every time he hears me say it in this tone of voice while petting his head he knows what I want him to do: potty! If we had a very short interval between when he was done pooping/peeing and when we went outside again (like five seconds), then he would learn that if I say “outside” while petting his head, then go immediately outside so as not to miss another chance at going potty again!

Conclusion

And that’s it! Just remember to be patient and use positive reinforcement to make sure your dog learns the right way. It may take a while, but it’s worth it — both of you will be able to enjoy the outdoors much more when they are potty trained.