Housetraining Your Puppy

Jun 18

2 min read

Bringing home a new puppy is exciting, and one of the first lessons they'll need to learn is where to go to the toilet. The key to successful housetraining is consistency, patience, and supervision.

Dogs naturally prefer not to toilet where they sleep and rest. Our goal is to teach your puppy that the entire house is their living space and should be kept clean.

Start Small

To a young puppy, your home feels enormous. What seems like a short distance to us may feel like a completely different area to them.

Limiting your puppy to a small, safe area when they cannot be supervised helps prevent accidents and encourages good habits. As your puppy becomes more reliable, you can gradually increase the space they have access to.

A crate can be an excellent training tool. Most puppies will avoid toileting where they sleep, making crate training very effective for housetraining.

Establish a Routine

Puppies thrive on routine. Take your puppy outside:

Immediately after waking up
After eating
After play sessions
Before bedtime
Every 1–2 hours during the day, depending on age

Choose a simple toilet command such as "Toilet," "Hurry Up," or "Go Potty," and use it consistently each time.

When your puppy toilets outside, praise them immediately and calmly. Then return inside. Remember, this is a toilet trip, not a play session.

Watch for Signs

Every puppy is different, so it's important to learn your puppy's routine and body language.

Signs your puppy may need to go include:

Sniffing the floor
Circling
Suddenly stopping play
Wandering away
Heading towards a previous accident spot

If you notice these behaviours, take your puppy outside straight away.

Mealtimes Matter

Most puppies need to defecate shortly after eating. Once your puppy has finished their meal, take them outside and wait patiently.

When they have finished, praise them and return indoors. A follow-up toilet break 10–15 minutes later is often helpful for urination.

Play Time vs Toilet Time

It's important that your puppy learns the difference between going outside to toilet and going outside to play.

For toilet trips:

Take them straight to the designated toilet area.
Give your toilet command.
Praise when they finish.
Return indoors.

For play sessions:

Enjoy time outside together.
When playtime is over, supervise closely indoors or use a crate or small pen until the next toilet break.

Night-Time Routine

Take your puppy outside for a final toilet break as late as possible before bed.

In the morning, take them outside immediately upon waking. Don't stop for cuddles, breakfast, or play first.

Young puppies often wake very early, but as they mature and learn the routine, they will gradually be able to hold on for longer periods.

Be Consistent

The more consistent you are during the first few weeks, the faster your puppy will learn. Accidents will happen, but with patience, routine, and positive reinforcement, your puppy will soon understand exactly where they should go.

Remember: reward the behaviour you want, supervise closely, and set your puppy up for success.