TOILET TRAINING

YES. Well not 100% but yes the puppies here at AussieDoods Australia are introduced to toilet training tools as young as 3 WEEKS OLD! At 3 weeks of age the puppies have just started to open their eyes and take in the world.

When they have done this we place a crate and synthetic grass into their room. Although they are too small to use it, it is a great early education to toilet training.

By 8 weeks of age our puppies have really started to understand the grass  is the only place that they are allowed to use the bathroom.

Basic tips on toilet training:

Step 1: As soon as your get home, or your puppy wakes up, pick them straight up and head outside. (Try not to let them walk along side you as they might want to wee along the way).

Step 2: As they go, happily say your word marker. Our cue is "go wee wees) (Imagine yourself saying this to them at the end of the night when it's bedtime, use that voice).

Step 3: Once your puppy is finished, reward them with a treat saying something like “good puppy,  go wee wees”.

Puppies are easily distracted, so it can be quite difficult to get their attention. The best way to toilet train a puppy involves patience and positive reinforcement. By establishing a regular schedule and firm boundaries, you’ll boost confidence, build trust, and decrease the likelihood of undesirable behavioral traits forming later on.

When you’re aiming to reduce the number of accidents your puppy has in the home, it’s essential to create a regular schedule for them to follow.

Having a good idea of your dog’s daily timetable will help reduce the risk of accidents because this will give you the best chance to anticipate when your puppy’s likely to need to go.

Dogs thrive on regular daily exercise – so set aside time for walks, play, and obedience training as well. As well as helping with toilet training, this creates good manners!

When creating a toilet training schedule for your puppy, consistency’s the key. To help them control their bladder, as well as gain a better understanding of where and when to eliminate, remember to take your puppy outside at key times. For many dogs, these are:

Immediately after waking in the morning After a nap After meals After playtime or training sessions Before bed During the night (please mention here that for first-time puppy owners, they’re going to have to prepare themselves for toilet runs at all hours of the night)

Remember that this schedule isn’t the be-all and end-all for every puppy. Every puppy runs to a different beat, and that’s perfectly fine. Just make sure you keep an eye on your own puppy’s daily clock, so you can make sure you stay on top of their needs. Take the above as a rough guide, and remember to adjust for your puppy’s personality.

Important note: Avoid large meals before confinement (restricting movement). Your puppy’s last feed should be several hours before bedtime.

Crates (or small fenced-off areas) are great tools for toilet training. Being in a crate encourages your puppy to learn bladder control, because dogs are inherently clean animals by nature, and won’t want to leave their mess in the crate.

You can help your puppy become more comfortable with using a crate by offering praise/rewards each time they enter. Repeat several times a day, gradually getting them used to being inside. Eventually, they’ll become comfortable with the door being closed behind them. When they’re comfortable in there for around 30 minutes, try leaving the house for a short time.

Important note: Don’t leave your puppy in a crate for more than 2 hours a day.

When your puppy starts to sniff, circle, or paw at the ground, they probably need to go. Introduce a cue command such as “go toilet”, so they associate going pee with your chosen command.

When they’ve finished, encourage them with verbal praise (e.g. “good job” or “yes”) and a treat. Eventually, you can use the “go toilet” command to encourage them to do so in various situations.

Add an answer to this item.Offering too much attention during toilet training can result in your puppy associating the outdoors with “playtime”, rather than using this area to go toilet.

Too much attention can also result in behavioral issues, such as separation anxiety. That’s why we recommend keeping coddling to a minimum.(we know it’s hard!)

Give your puppy plenty of verbal praise whenever they do something good (like going toilet in the designated area). Using “good boy” or “well done” will encourage them to continue their good behavior. Treats help too!

Important note: Treats aren’t balanced food. They can spoil your puppy's appetite for their normal diet (which provides essential nutrients) or increase obesity risk. Limit their treats to no more than 10% of their daily feeding, intermittently substituting them with belly rubs, pats, toys and praise. If your puppy’s really food-driven, try using regular puppy food instead of treats.

The easiest way to avoid a puppy eliminating indoors is by knowing the signs to look for and acting quickly. Here's a list of common signs that puppies need to go:

• Circling and pawing at the ground before squatting
• Barking or whining excessively
• Going to a door and scratching
• Sniffing or licking their genitals
• Revisiting a previously soiled area
• Restlessness and/or aggressive behavior

When you see one of these happening, take your puppy outside immediately.

The moment your puppy indicates they need to go, pick them up and take them to their designated toilet area (inside or outdoors). This process will soon become natural, so you won't need to supervise them as frequently.

When your puppy’s finished toileting outside, bring them in immediately. (We don’t want them to associate the outdoors with ‘playtime’.) Wait for an hour or so, (sometimes less) before taking them outside again to go toilet.

Remain calm when your puppy has an accident, avoiding any form of punishment. Punishing your puppy will cause unnecessary stress, which will prolong the process.

Getting angry can encourage your puppy to avoid you when going toilet, which makes it difficult to teach them the correct behavior. Keep reading to find out how to deal with toilet training accidents.

1. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR PUPPIES NEEDS

Different puppies need the toilet at different intervals, so keep a close eye on them to get a sense of their ‘natural schedule’. You’ll soon get the hang of it.

2. TAKE YOUR PUPPY OUTSIDE FOR FREQUENT BREAKS

To prevent accidents inside, take your puppy outside for regular toilet trips.

So, how often do puppies pee? For a puppy between 7 and 12 weeks old, toilet breaks need to be roughly every 20 to 30 minutes (especially during periods of high activity or playtime). The question of how long puppies can hold their pee varies, but that’s a good rule of thumb.

And remember, they’re only little. There may be many accidents when you’re training an 8-week-old puppy (for example) … but they’ll quickly learn that outside is the right place to go. (Once they’re more confident, you might like to check out our guide on interacting with other dogs.)

3. ALWAYS SUPERVISE YOUR PUPPY

Heavy supervision is essential at first. Crates are perfect for controlling your puppy's whereabouts, while giving them enough space to roam if they’re left alone during the day.
As they become more reliable, you can allow them access to more areas while gradually reducing the supervision level.