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How to make puppy potty training easier and less stressful for me?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

This is my first time owning a boxer and I love Joey to pieces and I would never get rid of them but I'm headed I've almost have with son with the training part is there a easy way to train them there's gotta be easier way everything that he was doing and he was doing so well at it it's becoming really stressful for me and causing stress on my relationship and I need help what can I do to get him to go to the bathroom where he's supposed to

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Rodrigo Roca, DVM

Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 16th, 2018


Steps to take when you are away from home:
•Take your puppy outside to eliminate before you leave


•Keep your puppy in a confined area. By keeping your puppy in a small area, he will refrain from eliminating where he has to lie down or stay close to the accident. The area needs to be roomy enough for your puppy to stand, lie down and turn around. A great way to do this is to crate train your puppy (see crate training handout). However, if you puppy is going to be alone for an extended period of time, he should have a bigger place than just a crate.


•Avoid leaving your puppy alone for extended hours. Although a young puppy of 8 – 9 weeks of age can go about 7 hours controlling his/her bladder, it is important to give your puppy ample opportunities to do the right behavior and eliminate outside. The more times your puppy goes where it is supposed to, the faster your puppy will learn where you want them to go. It is a general rule to let a puppy go outside at least every 4 hours.


•Remember to take your puppy outside as soon as you come home. Do not to let your puppy play or eat before it has gotten a chance to go to the bathroom. Puppies can be very unpredictable and can even eliminate right in the middle of playing fetch!


What if your puppy has an accident?
•Housetraining a puppy can take weeks to months, and accidents will happen. When your puppy has an accident, it is very important that you do not punish your puppy!


•All accidents must be immediately & fastidiously cleaned up, as odors of past accidents will draw your pup into voiding in the same places. We recommend cleaning with an enzymatic cleaner, such as Anti-Icky Poo ® or Nature’s Miracle ®.


•It is very important to refrain from verbally or physically punishing your puppy for eliminating in the house. Punishment creates fear and hiding or avoidance of human contact, and your puppy may even become fearful of eliminating in your presence. Furthermore, if your puppy is being punished after he eliminates in an inappropriate spot, he will not know what he is being punished for. So punishing your puppy can do more harm than good.


•If you catch your puppy in the act of eliminating indoors, distract him, pick him up and take him outside to his bathroom spot. If your puppy finishes eliminating outside, immediately praise and reward him for doing the right thing.



Common mistakes when housetraining:
•Not taking your puppy outside often enough


•Not supervising your puppy as closely as you should


•Missing “clues” from your puppy that he needs to eliminate


•Giving your puppy free run to the entire house before he is fully housetrained


•Verbally or physically punishing your puppy for improperly eliminating in the house


•Not cleaning up properly and immediately after an accident




Lastly, remember that although housetraining may be time consuming and frustrating, it is very rewarding and a great bonding experience for you and your new puppy! If you have questions or concerns about your puppy, do not hesitate to call or visit your veterinarian.

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Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Hello, thank you for your question. Puppies are challenging and time consuming in the initial stages. Training takes time. I have attached some information below that I hope will help provide guidance to you!


    Congratulations on your new puppy! This new relationship is going to bring you many great memories and experiences. Housetraining a puppy can be a somewhat frustrating task but very rewarding if done with patience and diligence. Here are a few tips and guidelines to help you get started.


    Steps to take when you are home:
    •Establish a routine and schedule for your puppy (see below for sample schedule). Your puppy should be taken out at least every two hours and when he wakes up in the morning, after playing, after eating, or after napping.


    •Establish a feeding schedule for your puppy. A regular feeding schedule is also important to keep bathroom breaks regular and predictable.


    •Keep your puppy in your sight at all times. This can be done using the “umbilical cord method” by putting your puppy on a leash and tying it around your waist. Baby gates and crates (refer to handout on crate training) can also be used to confine your puppy to an area where you can keep a close watch on him.


    •Use verbal cues when taking your puppy to eliminate. Using phrase like “go potty” in an encouraging tone of voice helps your puppy understand what he is supposed to do. By consistently using the same command, your puppy will learn that when he hears you say that phrase you want him to eliminate.


    •When your puppy eliminates where desired, reward and praise your puppy A LOT. You can reward your puppy by saying “good puppy” or giving your puppy treats. Be sure to praise your puppy as he is eliminating in order to avoid rewarding him for a different behavior such as coming back into the house.


    Take your puppy outside to eliminate during the night. You will need to set an alarm to wake you up in the middle of the night once or twice to take your puppy outside to eliminate. This is very important and necessary because it is physically impossible for a young puppy to hold it through the night.


    Sample schedule:
    •In the morning: Immediately after waking so he can eliminate after a long night indoors.


    •Feeding times: As soon as he is done eating. Most puppies will eliminate shortly after finishing a meal Feed your puppy at the same times each day so it will be more likely that he will eliminate around the same time.


    •During the day: At least once every hour, especially during playing, after playing, and after eating. The frequency will decrease as he ages. Keep him close by when you’re at home and if he looks like he might need to go, immediately take him outside to his designated spot. Remember, you’re setting up your puppy for success!




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    0Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Megan, DVM, CVA

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 22nd, 2017

    I would not obtained any puppy younger than about 8 weeks. If it is truly on 4 weeks old then he is too young to be weaned from his mom. Also, 7 hours is quite awhile to leave a puppy that young in a crate so make sure he has a big enough crate that he can pee/poop if needed and not have to lay in it. I would not leave water or food in there as this will encourage him to pee/poop while you are gone. You can give him food and water about 30 minutes before you leave but be sure to take him outside before crating him. Training a puppy to go outside and to hold it can take weeks. Most large breed dogs are trained by the time they are 4-6 months old. i hope this helps!

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Health & Wellness
My puppy is stubborn and won't listen. How do I housetrain him?
• DO have a feeding schedule in which elimination breaks follow eating and drinking; this is a natural reflex in dogs. Elimination breaks should also follow napping/sleeping and exercise/play. • DO praise your puppy at the time he is eliminating in an appropriate place! You can also give him a small treat at that time. • DO constantly supervise puppy to prevent him from sneaking off and eliminating when you can’t correct him; try keeping him on a leash attached to your waist. • DO clean inappropriate eliminations thoroughly with enzymatic cleaner to remove residual smells that may entice puppy to revisit the area. • DO leave feces in desired areas of elimination, when appropriate, to reinforce that this is an appropriate area for performing this function. • DO take puppy to the same desired area every time; do not play with or excite him until he has eliminated. He should realize that elimination is his first and foremost duty (no pun intended!) and that playtime is secondary. • DO interrupt improper elimination by startling your puppy (e.g. clapping your hands) and redirect or carry him to the desired elimination area. • DO be consistent and patient until your puppy’s housetraining is complete. Incomplete housetraining is a primary cause of housesoiling as an adult dog. What NOT To Do: • DO NOT punish your puppy for inappropriate elimination verbally or physically (e.g. hitting with rolled up newspaper, rubbing his nose in his mess, etc). This is ineffective and may lead to further and more serious behavioral problems. • DO NOT punish your puppy after you find it. • DO NOT leave puppy outside unsupervised. You may miss an opportunity to praise him for appropriate elimination behavior. • DO NOT make abrupt changes to your puppy’s diet unless instructed by your veterinarian. • DO NOT allow puppy to have free access to the house without direct supervision. Be especially aware if you think your puppy is going to sleep in the evenings…he may be sneaking off to eliminate. • DO NOT get discouraged – accidents will happen and should be expected! Please talk with your veterinarian if you have more questions about housetraining your new addition.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
Help! How do I stop my puppy from peeing and pooping indoors?
Potty training your dog or puppy can sometimes be a challenging task. However, with the steps below and a a lot of patience, you can have your dog potty trained quickly! Keeping a schedule, focusing on times when your dog needs to go, keeping the area clean, and stopping accidents before they happen will make the potty training process much easier. The steps are; Keep a routine- Most dogs will need to go out about 5-15 minutes after activities such as eating and drinking, playing, or waking up from a nap Know your dog's body: puppies, the rule of thumb is that they can hold their bladder at most 1 hour per month of age. This means a 2-month old puppy can hold his potty for a maximum of 2 hours. This is just a general rule and smaller dogs or those with bladder control issues may need even more frequent outings. Be sure to never let your dog go more than 8 hours without a potty break to prevent hurting their bladder! Keep in mind health issues Not punish your dog Cleanup after accidents as the scent attracts them to repeat accidents. Here is a link to puppy pads to help while you Are still training; Www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=37282 Here is an excellent resource to help you as you proceed; https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-rules-for-effective-housetraining/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-common-reasons-for-potty-accidents-in-dogs/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/top-5-tips-to-potty-train-your-dog-young-and-old/
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
How do I begin crate training my puppy for housebreaking success?
Crate training is great and definitely the way I have always house trained my dogs. Basically any time you cannot be at home to watch him he needs to be in the crate. When you get up in the morning or get home, you take him outside to a specific spot and tell him to "potty". When he does, you praise him. If he doesn't, then you put him back In his crate. The crate needs to be large enough for him to stand up and turn around but not so big that he can pee/poop on one side and sleep on the other. Also I do not recommend putting him in his crate with water as that is just setting him up for failure. If you are home on the weekend, make sure you watch when he eats and drinks and take him outside about 30-45 minutes after that. If you catch him IN THE ACTION of peeing or pooping, you can tell him "no" then take him outside to his spot and tell him to go "potty". If you don't see the pee or poop until after he has done it, it doesn't not benefit him to run his nose in it. Crate training is the best way to house train in my opinion. Just remember that he is young and it will take some time. You can also go to veterinarypartner.com and look up crate training to find some more reliable information. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
How to teach my puppy to stay home alone, walk nicely, and not pee on lawns?
Lots of questions! Good for you wanting to make the world a better place for dogs :) Always be willing to learn! Keep an open mind and soak up all the knowledge you can. The dogs will thank you for that. OK. Staying home alone is something that needs to be build up over time. If you are 3-4 hours and she is behaving and quiet and relaxed you're on the right track! Just keep building by adding 10-15 minute increments each time. My rule for kennel is their age in months plus 1=how many hours they should be able to be kenneled (after working up to it), to the max of 8 hours. Any longer than that and they need a break. Loose leash walking can be taught easiest on a harness. You can use treats or toys to encourage them to stay close to your side and focus on you. If they get pulling to hard I stop, wait till they look at me then take a step backward. This usually invites them into you, and they quit pulling. They also didn't gain any forward momentum, so they didn't accomplish anything by pulling. Keep working on this and the pulling should lessen. If you're in public and she is pulling, there is probably too much excitement and its overwhelming. Try giving more space and add distance between you and all the people. If she is bowing when she meets dogs, its usually a play bow or invitation to play. I would try to sign up for some puppy classes or find a group of friendly dogs to play with. Socializing is important for our dogs, just as much as us. And lastly, the grass. Keep her on a leash and simply restrict her access to people's lawns. Shorten the leash up when passing by and if you have to, pick up your pace walking. She will come right along with you. Of course, you can start her walk after she relieves herself at home and then hopefully she won't have to go again on her walk.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
What's the potty schedule for a 10-week-old puppy, day and night?
You can reasonably expect a puppy to hold its bladder and bowels for as many hours as they are months old. Keep your puppy on a consistent daily feeding schedule and remove food between meals. Keep the puppy on a consistent schedule. Puppies should be taken out every hour, as well as shortly after meals, play and naps. All puppies should go out first thing in the morning, last thing at night and before being confined or left alone. Know where your puppy is inside at all times. Watch for early signs that he needs to eliminate so you can prevent accidents. These signs include pacing, whining, circling, sniffing or leaving the room. If you see any of these, take your puppy outside as quickly as possible. If you can’t watch your puppy, he must be confined to a crate or a small room, door closed or with a baby gate. Gradually give more freedom, starting with a small area, and gradually increase it. If he eliminates outside, give him some free time in the house (about 15 to 20 minutes to start), and then put him back in his crate or small room. If all goes well, gradually increase the amount of time he can spend out of confinement. Accompany your puppy outside and reward him whenever he eliminates outdoors with praise, treats, or play. Take your puppy to the same place each time because the smells often prompt puppies to eliminate. If you catch your puppy in the act of eliminating inside, clap sharply twice, just enough to startle but not scare him. Immediately run with him outside, encouraging him to come with you the whole way. Allow your pup to finish eliminating outside, and then reward him with happy praise and a treat. If he has nothing to eliminate when he gets outside, don’t worry. Just be more watchful of him inside. If your puppy has an accident but you don’t catch him in the act and only find the accident afterward, do not punish him. He cannot connect the punishment with something he did minutes, let alone hours ago.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
How to stop dog accidents due to separation anxiety and new home?
I believe the accidents are associated with the stress from the move. I would suggest trying some of the following techniques; I am very sorry that you are experiencing these issues with your dogs. I will suggest a few tactics to help you both have some peace. The key is to helping them feel safe and secure at home, increasing exercise to help with anxiety and also increasing mental stimulation. Increased exercise especially a long afternoon or evening walk Chew toys Puzzle toys Interactive games like fetch and hide and go seek Leaving the TV, a fan or a White Noise generating machine on DAP- dog appeasing pheromone releasing diffusers Thunder coats Here are some further resources to help you, but also feel free to ask me any for their questions here on the forum. https://www.petcoach.co/article/top-5-tips-to-potty-train-your-dog-young-and-old/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/10-ways-to-stimulate-your-dog-s-brain/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-ways-to-make-sure-your-dog-feels-safe-in-your-home/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/10-signs-your-dog-is-stressed/
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
How to stop my dog from messing in the house when I leave for 8 hours?
I hate to hear that about Lucy. I'm sure this situation is very frustrating. I recommend crate training. Eight hours is fine to leave her in a crate as long as as she is getting exercise when you are home. Here is a helpful link in case you need a refresher: https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-crate-train-your-dog/ Now, once your pup is adjusted to the crate and assuming she will not potty in the crate, you will do this: Use a leash or carry her directly from the crate to the yard. You need to avoid the opportunity for her to potty in the house. Give her 15 minutes outside. If nothing happens, use the leash or carry her from the yard and directly into the crate. Keep her in the crate for 30-45 minutes. Then use a leash or carry her directly outside. Repeat this until she eventually potties outside. As soon as she potties, praise and give treats. She needs to be rewarded so that she starts to understand. She can then have freedom in the house until you know she should need to potty again. Also, keep her on a leash in the house as this will prevent her from sneaking away. If she seems to be urinating frequently, have her checked by the veterinarian for something like a bladder infection. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions
Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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