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For all the joy and excitement of bringing home a new puppy, potty training can be enough to make you wonder what you were thinking. In fact, one of the most popular questions on is how to potty train a puppy. The goal of potty training is simple, but the details can be confusing, like whether to use or even an .

Having your dog go outside is the ideal solution, but training pads can sometimes play a role in successful potty training. For example, with very young puppies, it鈥檚 necessary to make frequent trips outside. That might be too challenging for elderly owners or apartment dwellers. Or, if you don鈥檛 have a backyard and your dog鈥檚 toilet area is a public place, you might want to limit your puppy鈥檚 exposure until they鈥檙e fully vaccinated.

If you want to include potty pads or indoor potties in your puppy鈥檚 housetraining routine, read on for tips on how to potty train a puppy on pads.

Be Patient

It鈥檚 easy to get frustrated with your new puppy when potty training takes longer than expected. But it鈥檚 essential to be patient during this process. Remember, potty training takes time. Don鈥檛 expect more from your puppy than they鈥檙e able to deliver. The following points will help you keep your cool:

• Decide if you鈥檒l be using disposable or
• Consider an indoor 鈥渓itterbox-type鈥� dog potty station
• A puppy can鈥檛 control their bladder until they鈥檙e 16 weeks old. So, as much as you might like them to wait, they simply can鈥檛.
• A puppy can typically only hold their bladder as long as their age in months plus one hour. So, a 4-month-old puppy can only hold it for five hours. That includes during the night as well.
• Every breed is different. For example, a toy breed might need more frequent potty breaks due to a fast metabolism and tiny bladder.
• Every puppy is different, even within breeds. Your first puppy might鈥檝e been potty trained in a few weeks, but your next one might need months.

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Supervise at All Times

It鈥檚 important to watch your puppy at all times for safety, but this is also the key to successful potty training. You can鈥檛 prevent accidents if you don鈥檛 have your eyes on the dog. Here are some tips to help with supervision:

• Take your puppy to the potty pad or indoor bathroom frequently. How often will depend on their age and bladder strength. For very young puppies, it could be as often as every 15 minutes. Better a wasted trip than an accident.
• Set a timer if you鈥檙e having trouble remembering when to take your puppy to their pad.
• Watch your puppy for telltale signs they have to go, such as sniffing the ground, circling, or whining. When you see those signs, take them straight to the potty pad.
• Use a if you have trouble keeping your puppy in sight. Clip the leash to your waist to limit your puppy鈥檚 movements.
• Put your puppy in a or a safe area whenever you can鈥檛 supervise them.

Use a Crate

A crate is an important potty training tool because dogs don鈥檛 like to soil where they sleep. Plus, a strong denning instinct means that if you introduce a crate properly, your puppy will see it as their safe space rather than a punishment. Keep the following in mind when introducing a crate to your puppy:

• Choose an appropriately sized crate. Your puppy should be able to lie down and turn around but with no extra room. If the crate is too large, your puppy can use one end as a toilet, which will delay potty training.
• Use dividers with a larger crate. If you buy a crate for your dog鈥檚 adult size, dividers can help the crate 鈥済row鈥� with your puppy.
• Associate the crate with wonderful things. If you put in the crate, feed your puppy at the back of the crate, and leave in the crate, your puppy will learn to love it.
• Reward your puppy for going in their crate. They鈥檒l be happy to go inside if it鈥檚 a rewarding place to be. Although a crate is great for a quiet time out, don鈥檛 use it for punishment.
• Take your puppy straight to their potty pad whenever you let them out of the crate.

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Be Consistent

When thinking about how to potty train a puppy, don鈥檛 underestimate routine and consistency. Setting a schedule and sticking to it will help prevent accidents. Plus, it will ensure you give your puppy every chance to go in the correct location. These tips will help you stay consistent:

• Know when your puppy has to go. Most puppies need the bathroom when they wake up in the morning, after eating, playing, and napping. So, take your puppy to the potty pad every time one of these events occurs.
• Take your puppy to the potty pad anytime they haven鈥檛 been for an hour or two.
• Bring your puppy to the potty pad whenever you suspect it鈥檚 time. But if they don鈥檛 go, don鈥檛 let them run around and play. Instead, put them back in their crate for 10-15 minutes, then immediately try again. Repeat until they do their business.
• Feed your puppy on a schedule. If you control when your puppy eats, you can better predict when they鈥檒l have to go to the bathroom. Don鈥檛 free feed.
• Choose an appropriate place for the potty pad. Try not to move it while your puppy is still learning. If you confuse your puppy, they鈥檒l likely have more accidents and take longer to train.

Reward With Praise and Treats

Dogs repeat behaviors that are rewarding, and doing their business in the right spot is no different. If you reward your puppy with praise and treats whenever they use their potty pad, they鈥檒l be more likely to use it again. Keep the following in mind when rewarding your puppy:

• Reward your puppy immediately after they do their business. Don鈥檛 wait to get the treats out of the cupboard. Have them ready to go in the moment. You can keep a bowl or bag of treats beside the potty area so you鈥檙e always prepared.
• Use a leash if your puppy is easily distracted. Walk them to the potty pad on a leash and only unclip them after they鈥檝e done their business. The freedom to play will be a bonus reward.

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Switch From Pads to the Outdoors

When it鈥檚 time to transition your puppy from potty pads to the outdoors, you can apply many of the tips above in a similar way. Simply take your puppy outside rather than to their pad. This advice can help along the way:

• Teach your puppy a potty cue like 鈥渉urry up鈥� or 鈥済o potty.鈥� Start using the cue whenever your puppy is about to go, then reward them as soon as they finish. With enough repetition, you鈥檒l be able to ask your puppy to go where and when it鈥檚 convenient for you, including in the outdoor toilet area.
• Move the potty pad outside. Only move it a small distance each day so you don鈥檛 confuse your puppy. First, work toward the door to the outside, then to just outside that door, and then slowly to the final outdoor location.
• Decrease the size of the potty pad once it鈥檚 outside. Some puppies will catch on quickly, particularly with the help of potty cues. But if your puppy is struggling, cut the potty pad into smaller and smaller sizes until they鈥檙e using the ground instead.

Handle Accidents Calmly

It鈥檚 human nature to look for what鈥檚 wrong and take what鈥檚 right for granted. But we need to do the complete opposite with our puppies. Always reward and praise good behavior and ignore the things that go wrong. This is especially true with potty training accidents. Here are some tips for handling potty accidents:

• Interrupt your puppy if you catch them in the act of having an accident. Don鈥檛 scare or startle them. Instead, marking the behavior with a quiet hand clap or the words 鈥渙h-oh鈥� should be enough to stop them mid-stream. Punishing them in the act will only teach them not to go in front of you, leading to a dog that sneaks behind the couch to go in private.
• Take your puppy to their potty pad as soon as you catch them. If they stop when you interrupt them, they might finish on the pad. If they don鈥檛 finish on the pad, at least you鈥檝e shown them where they should鈥檝e gone.
• Don鈥檛 react if you learn of an accident after it happened. Lecturing your puppy afterward won鈥檛 teach them anything about potty training.
• Clean all accidents with an . Dogs are attracted to the smell of previous business, so thorough and proper cleaning is essential.