Puppy Toilet Training Begins...

Toilet training a puppy is a part and parcel of any Pawrent's journey with his or her puppy.

It is advisable to provide your puppy with ample opportunities to urinate or defecate outdoors and also to avoid hurrying your puppy. Toileting places your puppy in a vulnerable position, so it is vital that you remain patient and allow lots of sniffing time.

Reward your puppy with food, play, praise, or affection when he or she performs, depending on which form of reward motivates your puppy the most. It is important to remember that each puppy has different preferences and what could be a perfect incentive to one puppy may not similarly be a perfect incentive to another puppy.

Your puppy will most likely need to visit the toilet after playing, after waking up, or after any form of excitement. During such moments, bring your puppy out to the same place. Routine is key.

Gently repeating a word or phrase such as "do your business" to your puppy helps your puppy remember what he or she is there for. As soon as your puppy starts sniffing or circling, offer your puppy some gentle encouragement. After toileting, be sure to give your puppy lots of praise and a special titbit to reward him or her. If you puppy does not perform, you may bring him or her back inside and try again a little later.

If you catch your puppy about to go to the toilet in the house, you can say words such as 'outside'. Thereafter, you can take them quickly to show them the place you do want them to go - even if it's too late!

Refrain from shouting at, smacking or scolding your puppy if they toilet indoors. Puppies that look "guilty" are most likely showing fear, and they can learn not to go to the toilet in your presence as a result, or even start poo eating to "remove the evidence". Dogs are generally very clean, but it is up to us Pawrents to provide them with all the right opportunities to get it fight.