Little Pitty puppies are the sweetest things in the whole world. That is, until they have a potty accident in your house. That’s about when most puppy owners start to wonder why they got a puppy. And we can all agree it’s the major downside to getting one. Worse still, if not trained properly, you will end up with an adult Pit Bull that thinks it’s okay to go 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 Pit Bull puppy gets it right from the start.
#1 – Say NO to Potty Pads
I don’t use them at all and here’s why: you are allowing your Pit Bull to go to the bathroom in the house, which is the exact opposite of what you want! In fact, potty pads encourage your Pitty to soil inside with the use of scented materials. So then you have to fade out the pads (which most people do not do correctly). Instead, what they get is a dog that sometimes goes in the house because they have been allowed to the in past. So ditch the pads for faster and more effective potty training.
#2 – Confined Space
Instead of pads, confine your Pitty puppy until she knows not to potty in the house. 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 Pit Bull 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. Finally, it teaches them to be calm in a crate when needed for travel as well as stays at the vet or groomers.
#3 – Have a Set Schedule
If you feed your Pit Bull 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 Pit Bull puppy every time they go potty outside. Give her treats, praise, playtime, a big party – whatever she finds most rewarding – every time she chooses to go outside. This will make her more likely to go outside again.
#4 – Tether To You
Depending on how big he gets, this may be the only time in your Pit Bulls’s life where he is small enough to do this, so take advantage! If you’re home and want your Pitty 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 for you, you can also tether him to a closed door (wrap leash around door knob on other side of door and shut door to secure) or a very heave piece of furniture where you can keep an eye on them.
#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 Pit Bull 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. After all, we all know how excited Pitties get and when puppies get excited, things start moving! These are the main times your puppy will need to go, and often we forget because we are busy. That’s when accidents happen.
