Potty Training a Puppy – The Importance of Routine

There is a lot to think about when you are potty training a puppy. One thing a lot of new dog owners don’t think about or do when they start potty training is setup a routine for their puppy.

Establishing a routine for your new puppy is very important and without it, potty training can take a lot longer than it should and will leave you feeling frustrated with your dog.

Think about your own routine for a minute. If you work a full time job you probably get up at a certain time every day, eat at a certain time, well, you get the picture.

Your puppy needs to establish a routine just like the one you have, minus going to work of course.

So why is it important to establish a routine when potty training a puppy?

Well it helps your young puppy get used to going outside to do his business at a certain time, and learn to hold it until that time. Not only will your puppy know when it is time to go out, but after a while he will be able to tell you when it is time to go out.

It will take some time to get to this point, but if you establish a routine when your pup is young, you can make it happen sooner.

Feeding your puppy at the same times every day is also important for establishing a routine.

You should feed your dog twice a day, once in the morning, and again in the evening, and take him outside to his potty spot 10 minutes or so after he eats. Leaving food out for your puppy and letting him eat whenever he wants is a recipe for disaster because you will have a hard time controlling when you puppy has to go potty.

The same is true with water. I usually let my puppy drink every hour or so and right after that I take him outside to do his business, that way I can avoid having accidents on my rug.

It is not always possible to let your puppy out during the day, especially if you work a 9-5.

If you can come home for lunch and let your puppy out, great. On the other hand if it is imposable for you to make it home during the day maybe a friend or relative can drop by to take your puppy out.

All this will help you when potty training a puppy because if you keep a set routine, your puppy will learn to be potty trained a lot faster.