Shopping Product Reviews

Potty training transition from indoor to outdoor

Many people use an indoor potty for their dogs for a while. Testimony to this is the fact that the pet products market is now teeming with many varieties of indoor dog urinals to choose from. To name just a few: Simple Solution Jump Start Pads, Patio Park, Porch Potty, Penthouse Dog Potty, PetaPotty, WizDog, Pet Zoom Pet Park, Ugo Dog, Potty Patch, Pup Head, Pee Wee Portable Potty, and Pet Loo.

Some of these products are developed for people who want a dog that is permanently trained to eliminate in a designated indoor spot. But, the vast majority of people use an indoor potty for only a couple of months, until a young pup has developed the necessary bladder and bowel muscle control to “hold it” for periods of time between walks. Before then, a long-term confinement area, such as a bathroom that’s locked or an exercise pen, can be used when you need to leave your pup longer than you know he can “hold out” in his crate. In this enclosure, the pup has access to an indoor potty.

Most people faced with the task of transitioning from indoor to outdoor potty training are those with puppies. In this case, the goal is usually for the pup to switch from using the temporary indoor potty to eliminating exclusively outside. However, we certainly hear from people facing a more daunting challenge; Teaching your small dog who has been potty-trained indoors to now also go outdoors or, even more difficult, to stop using an indoor potty altogether and instead only relieve himself when needed take a walk

When I meet with people for puppy lessons, I often start by asking them what their house training goals are. Those with medium or large size dogs are usually pretty light. They want their dogs to be potty trained quickly when taken for a proper walk and not to relieve themselves indoors. People with small breed puppies are often not so sure about their house training goals.

In a perfect world of dog training, people would carefully plan their long-term goals for their dogs before they even brought them home. In the case of choosing a potty spot, they would consider that even if having a small dog in an indoor bathroom seems convenient, it may not be wise to have this as a dog’s exclusive potty area, as in the future something could change in his life that makes it preferable for the dog to go to the bathroom outside. This could be (among many reasons) bringing another dog into your family or having a new partner who wants the dog to potty outside. Plus, going for a walk can be such an enriching part of a dog’s life (both physically and mentally) that it’s a shame it’s not part of her daily routine. So while one of the many reasons some people choose a small dog is because of the assumption that it will be easier somehow, it is generally advisable for small dogs to be trained to go outside, even if they are also trained. teaches them to use an indoor potty for comfort.

In addition to socialization, building reliable housetraining skills is a top priority. The good news is, once you help your dog develop a strong habit of going to the bathroom in a specific place, he tends to be particular about going there. But that also means that once you’ve helped your dog develop the habit of going to the bathroom in a specific spot, it can be a bit more difficult to change that habit once it’s deeply ingrained.

Teaching your dog (whether a puppy or a small adult dog) to eliminate outside instead of or in addition to using an indoor potty will require diligent scheduling and time management on your part. Your main focus should be to give your dog as few opportunities as possible to be inside with access to the indoor potty when he needs to relieve himself on her. Instead, when he knows they need to go, he should take them (it’s a good idea to take them for the first few weeks, so accidents don’t happen going out) outside to an area about 10 feet wide and walk around. back and forth for five minutes without speaking to them.

If he doesn’t eliminate during that time, pick him up and take him back where you will hold him for five to ten minutes on your lap before trying again. Be sure not to leave your dog on the floor, as he may relieve himself indoors and this will create a behavior pattern where your dog learns to go outside, sniff, and then go back inside to relieve himself. In most cases, this in-and-out routine requires no more than a few repetitions before home-outdoor training success. It is advisable, however, that if this is your first attempt at getting your dog to relieve himself outdoors, you should probably spend a week or two walking your dog on a leash to his indoor bathroom before beginning the transition outdoors. This will give your dog a chance to become familiar and comfortable with leashed elimination, something many dogs that have been potty trained inside have not done before.

During this transition period, also take care not to allow your dog to roam freely in your home, even when you are home. Each time you do this, the dog can continue to practice indoor potty elimination, which lessens the chances of a successful outdoor potty break. Instead, when you can’t give your dog your full attention, have your dog on a leash safely tied nearby or resting in his crate, in both cases provide a couple of safe, attractive toys.

If you’re trying to eliminate indoor potty space, then be more diligent about it. Once you remove the indoor potty area, your dog may be so conditioned to go indoors that he will seek out other areas and surfaces that are similar to the old indoor potty. These could be rugs on the front door or in the bathroom or newspapers lying on the floor.

It’s also vital not to punish your dog if he makes a mistake indoors. This is unlikely to teach your dog much more than to avoid going after him in front of you (the big bad pee and poop police!). In this case, your dog will surely hold on to you as long as possible when he leads you outside on the leash while you stand nearby.

As you focus your energy on being a diligent manager of your dog’s time in an effort to help your dog learn to relieve himself on a new surface (grass or concrete), in a new and potentially very upsetting environment (outdoors, free), remember that it may take your dog some time to develop a strong new habit. Your dog is counting on you to help him understand the benefit of going to this new place (offering quiet praise and other rewards), and to help prevent him from going to places you’d rather not.

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