How to potty train a puppy

Crate training + routine + consistency. That old adage about "training the human" is more apt than it seems. If you can send a consistent message, how is the puppy supposed to receive it?

calteg wrote: Crate training + routine + consistency. That old adage about "training the human" is more apt than it seems. If you can send a consistent message, how is the puppy supposed to receive it?

I'd like to think we've been pretty consistent with his crate training. In the morning between 7-8 I let him out and we go straight outside where he pee's. Then breakfast. Then about an hour later outside again to poop. Then potty breaks as necessary throughout the day. Dinner is served for him between 5 and 6 pm. An hour later outside to poop. Then he goes out one last time around 11pm to do his last business before he goes in for the night.

Back in the old days when dogs could run free, I had two mixed breeds,not at the same time. My potty breaking consisted of putting their nose close to their mess. Then a slap on the rear, firmly saying NO then putting him outside. Worked well on both. Maybe I was lucky.

Drewsifer wrote: ...........Dinner is served for him between 5 and 6 pm. An hour later outside to poop. Then he goes out one last time around 11pm to do his last business before he goes in for the night.

I think I see what you're doing there.......

From 11pm until you take him out again between 7 and 8 is too long for a puppy to hold it. It's gonna suck, but a middle of the night run to do his business will help.

I've found that with puppies, taking them out as often as possible (I'm gonna put some time bounds on it and say 3~4 hours in a crate max) helps. Yeah, it puts a cramp in your home life for a while but the more opps they have to do it outside, the better. And regular visits outside will help make him more, um, regular, too!

If the soft stool doesn't clear up, he may need another checkup to see if there is some sort of parasite making him ill.

Stay the course, Sir!