Tips on how to potty train a puppy who is aprox. 6 to 8 weeks old?
I just recently adopted a 6 to 8 week old St Bernard Puppy he might be mixed I am not sure yet till I take him to the vet. Potty Training him seems impossible he doesnt have a specific spot he just goes anywhere when he needs to go. I bought Puppy Training Pads but all he does is tear them up or one of my other dogs tear them up. So does anyone have any Tips and advice for me? Pleeeeeeeeeease I need it!!!!
Tagged with: dogs • puppy training • st bernard puppy • vet
Filed under: Housebreaking
Take puppy out side straight after feeding it and before going to bed. Try regular walks out side every hour or so.
Put down a news paper in one place at all times so if you catch him as he starts put him onto paper and when finished praise him. When he has gotten the idea then slowly move the paper (New) to the door you want him to use to go outside. Eventuall after 2 weeks he should be doing it outside.
Train him like you would any other dog.. Take him OUTSIDE. Do not teach your dog it’s okay to pee in the house.. Especially a dog that is going to be huge.. Crate train him, take him outside, and praise him when he goes..
Other then puppy pads and taking them outside i cant help you
A new puppy should not be allowed to wander where ever he likes - please start him in an x-pen (puppy play pen.) I’ve always used sod rolls in a sheet pan (pick up from any thrift shop.) The plus side of this is that the puppy learns to potty on grass - and after about 7-10 days you can place the used sod in an area of the yard where you want the pup to consider the "bathroom." Replace with new sod roll until puppy is about 13 weeks old, he should then be well on his way to being housebroken. This method also trains them not to use the whole yard as their toilet. You only need pick up the fecal matter and every 2-3 days rinse sod roll to keep the urine smell from being a problem. Line the bottom of the sheet pan with damp newspaper to keep the sod roll from drying out.
Puppy will need to go outside as soon as he wakes up, as soon as he eats/drinks and as soon as he stops playing - anything breaking up a cycle should be a cue to take him outside to potty.
Praise like crazy mad when he does make - even if you look like a moron.
Also start him on a leash, at first let him drag it around, as soon as he’s okay with the leash clip it to your belt - this way he doesn’t have free reign of the house and can be allowed outside an x-pen. You may also want to consider crating him (open face crate) when you can not keep an eye on him.
He should be crated at night, preferably in your bedroom, near you - limit his water/food an hour before bedtime to cut back on accidents.
At 6-8 weeks he has really little to no control over his bladder and bowels so it is really up to *you* to keep a close watch out for the potty squat, running in circles (generally a key to him having a bowel movement) this is where having a puppy leash familiar is the key - and why puppies should never leave home before 13 weeks; so that they do have some control, they know leash training and have had some type of housebreaking.
Best of luck.
Crate training is one way… then there is the schedule that you can try too.
He is still little so you are going to have to watch his behavior.
Feed and water three times a day. 15 min after feeding take him out and do NOT play with him… tell him to pee or whatever word you choose for him to go to the bathroom. Once he does REALLY reward him with verbal praise and bring him into the house to play. You want him at this point to associate going outside and potty. Once he gets older and is housebroke… outside is for play too.
Dogs learn when you teach… ANY age dog can be taught. It becomes habit.
I have dealt with puppies and adult dogs that have never been house broke and have always had success with the methods I am recommending.
ETA ……. ohhhhhhhh I love the sod. Learn something neat every day… am going to have to try that one….
6 weeks is still too young, puppies should not leave their mother until 8 weeks. give him a bit of a grace period before you get frustrated, at 6 weeks he would still have his mother eat the poop that is in the den (or sleep area).
puppies can not "hold it in", for every 1 month old they can manage to hold it in for 1 hour. so by 5months they can hold it for 5hours, and 8months 8hrs etc. but they wont hold it unless they are trained.
you need to look for the "signs" that your puppy gives when he needs to use the washroom. from spinning around in a circle, to extra sniffing in a certian spot.
make sure you put your dog outside after every meal, after every nap, just as soon as "play" starts, and before bed. PRAISE them when they go outside. If they go inside the house you must catch them in the act within 5 seconds if you are going to scold them for it. if you take longer than 5 seconds they will NOT understand what the punishment is for.
train your puppy to ring a bell, when he wants outside to go pee/pooh. if you don’t, your dog should eventually give you it’s own sign that it wants out, my dog sits with his back against the door and whines. just keep with it, your dog is extremely young, it’s going to take a few months. and remember to clean all the spots he peed on with a product that doesn’t have amonia in it (cuz that smells like pee to a dog, and they will just pee on the same spot again and again.) Goodluck!
Well at 6-8 weeks if the puppy doesnt have its mother. You might have to eat the poop yourself. at nine weeks you can take him outside after every meal or playtime. at this point you should be able to make eat his own.