How-To: Potty Training

How-To: Potty Training

1. Set up a small puppy area
For the first few days, don't give the puppy access to the whole house. Use a playpen or small puppy-proofed area with:

  • 🛏️ Bed/crate on one side

  • 🍚 Food & water away from the toilet area

  • 🚽 Pee tray on the opposite side

The smaller the space, the easier it is for the puppy to understand where the toilet is.

2. Bring puppy to the tray at the right times
Take the puppy onto the pee tray:

  • Immediately after waking up

  • 5–15 minutes after eating or drinking

  • After playing/excitement

  • Before going into the crate

  • Before bedtime

  • Whenever you notice sniffing, circling or suddenly wandering away

For very young puppies, you may need to offer the tray every 30–60 minutes when awake.

3. Reward immediately 🎉
The moment puppy finishes peeing on the tray, praise enthusiastically and give a small treat within a few seconds.

You want puppy to make the connection:

Pee on tray → good things happen!

Don't wait until you leave the area to reward.

4. If puppy has an accident...
Don't scold or shout at them! Puppies don't understand punishment after the fact.

Simply clean it thoroughly with an enzymatic pet urine cleaner so the smell doesn't encourage them to use the same spot again.

If you catch puppy about to pee, calmly pick them up and place them on the tray.

5. Give more freedom gradually
Once puppy is consistently using the tray in their pen, expand their access to the house one area at a time.

If accidents start happening again, the area is probably too large — temporarily reduce their freedom and build up again.

⭐ Importantly, do not expect 100% accuracy from your puppy immediately immediately.

A puppy may have accidents after going home because:

  • It's a completely new environment

  • They may be excited or nervous

  • They don't yet know that the new tray is their toilet

  • Their routine has changed

The goal during the first week isn't perfection — it's creating a predictable routine and rewarding the correct behaviour consistently.

🚽 What If My Puppy Has an Accident?

Accidents are a normal part of puppy toilet training — especially during the first few days in a new home. Your puppy is still learning, and moving to a completely new environment can temporarily cause more accidents.

If you catch your puppy in the act:

  • Gently interrupt them with a calm “uh-oh” or “no-no”.

  • Immediately carry or guide your puppy to the pee tray.

  • If they finish peeing on the tray, praise them and give them a small treat.

  • Keep your reaction calm and positive.

If you discover an accident afterwards:
Don't scold or punish your puppy. Puppies do not understand why they are being punished for something they did several minutes ago, and punishment can make them afraid or anxious.

Instead:

  1. Clean the area thoroughly with an enzymatic pet urine cleaner to remove the scent.

  2. Avoid giving your puppy unrestricted access to the area until they are more reliable with their toilet habits.

  3. Continue bringing them to the pee tray regularly, especially after waking, eating, drinking and playing.

  4. Reward every successful pee on the tray.

💡 Remember

Accidents don't mean your puppy has forgotten their training. They are simply part of the learning process.

The key is consistency, supervision and positive reinforcement. The more opportunities your puppy has to successfully use the pee tray and the more you reward them for doing so, the faster they will understand what you expect. Never punish your puppy for an accident. We want them to learn that going to the pee tray is a safe and rewarding behaviour, not something they should be afraid of.

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