Great Dane puppies are adorably cute – all ears and legs. That is, until they have a potty accident in your house – not so cute. Potty training is the one unpleasant task of puppy ownership. And if not done correctly, your Great Dane puppy could grow up into a dog that still thinks it’s okay to go to the bathroom in the house. It’s important to start out right from the very beginning in order to be truly successful. To that end, here are 5 potty training tips to make sure your Dane puppy gets it right from the start.
#1 – Say NO to Potty Pads
I don’t use them at all and here’s why: Potty pads are made to encourage your Dane puppy to go to the bathroom in the house, which is the exact opposite of what you want! So then you have to fade out the pads (which can be hard to do correctly). Instead, what they get is a dog that sometimes goes in the house because they’ve been allowed to in the past.
#2 – Confined Space
Until your Great Dane puppy knows not to potty in the house, she needs to be confined. This is because dogs will not go where they eat and sleep, so if the space is small enough, it aids in house training. This is where crate training really comes in handy. A crate is a natural den and your Dane puppy will be much less likely to soil it, not to mention, it keeps them from chewing on things when you are not around to watch. It also teaches them to be calm in a crate when needed for travel or stays at the vet or groomers.
#3 – Have a Set Schedule
If you feed your Great Dane at set times every day, you can get your pup on a bathroom routine, making it easier on both you to not let accidents happen. Most puppies go about half an hour after eating, but each dog is different so pay attention to timing. If your puppy keeps having accidents, you may be waiting too long to take him out after eating.
#3 – Reward!
Dogs are more likely to do behaviors that are reinforced, so make sure you are rewarding your Great Dane puppy every time she goes potty outside. Give her treats, praise, playtime, a big party, whatever your Dane puppy loves. This will make her more likely to go outside again.
#4 – Tether To You
This will probably be the only time in your Great Dane’s life where they are small enough to do this, so take advantage! If you’re home and want your Great Dane puppy to be where you are, but don’t have a good way to confine him, tether him to you with a leash or rope. Most potty accidents happen when our puppies wander away from us and go quick as a blink, before you even notice where they wandered to. This prevents them from doing that, and it also helps keep them from chewing on things. If your puppy is already too strong, you can also tether them to a closed door (wrap leash around door knob on other side of door and shut it to secure) or a very heavy piece of furniture in the room where you are.
#5 – Don’t Forget To Take ‘Em Out!
First thing in the morning and last thing before bed are times most people think about. But you should also take your Great Dane puppy out immediately after a nap or play time, and a little bit after mealtime or drinking water. Finally, any time they have had a lot of excitement, including meeting new people or dogs, they should get a potty break. Although they are bigger puppies and therefore have bigger bladders, that doesn’t mean they have control over them; take ’em out often!
