How To Potty Train A Stubborn Puppy

Do you have a puppy who is consistently refusing to potty train and frequently having accidents? You should not excessively worry about the problem as there are steps that will train him to go where he should be.

So, how to potty train a stubborn puppy?

No matter how much you like your puppy, there is no way you are going to like him leaving his messes on the carpet or the floors. Getting him potty-trained is an absolute necessity and it should not be a difficult task. But it is to some extent when you have to deal with a stubborn pup.

However, even they can be potty trained with a little patience and persistence.

Have Patience, Have Persistence

Sometimes, you may feel like giving up on your little pup. He may simply refuse to potty train and is more accident-prone than he is going to his designated spot to relieve him. But take heart, you are not very far from making your dog where he should go.

You need to give him more chances while you need to have more patience with him. It may take up to six months for your little pup to get fully potty trained.

Until then, you should have the patience to put up with his accidents.

Maintain A Feed Time

An important thing that can speed up the process of potty training of your dog is to get him on a strict feed schedule. If he eats as per a fixed timing, his elimination time would also form a definite pattern.

This would help you anticipate with more precision when he is likely to go for it. Rest you can manage with ease.

Give Frequent Bathroom Breaks

Another important thing that can go a long way in making him fully potty trained is giving him frequent bathroom breaks. Your little pub has small bladders so he can’t hold it for long. In the beginning, take him for a bathroom walk every two hours.

That can be quite a task but that will help him understand where he needs to eliminate before he has his accident. Young pups would also need a midnight bathroom break. Slowly, he would learn to hold the bladder for a longer period such as the entire night.

Show Him Where He Needs To Go

During all the potty and bathroom breaks, take him to the place where you would like him to relieve himself. This is one way to make him realize that this is the place where he is supposed to go to attend to nature’s call. So, that’s the first place you take him in the morning.

That’s also the place you take him immediately after his meals in the afternoon and evening, and also before bedtime. The idea is when you give your pup more opportunities to go to the same place, he would associate the place with the act and vice versa.

That’s an important milestone in potty-training your stubborn dog.

Get A Crate For Your Puppy

Putting your pup inside a crate to avoid him making accidents in the home is a good idea. This is more so for a dog who has earned the notoriety of being stubborn. The dog is likely to find it an interesting place, especially if it is roomy enough to give him some flexibility for turning around and standing up.

This is a place where he can feel the safest. He is practically away from not only other animals but from humans in the house where he lives. This is his me time and the more time he spends in the crate, the fewer accidents he will make within the house.

But you should not lock him away in the crate and forget. Make sure he has access to freshwater in the crate and there is a comfortable blanket if it is going to be cold.

Find A Comfortable Spot

After a few rounds to the place where you want your dog to go for elimination if he is not picking up the cue, you should try to understand if there is a reason why your dog is avoiding the spot. If it is open to the elements and it’s mostly inclement weather – rain or snow.

Is it uncomfortable for him to go out there every now and then to eliminate it? It’s also possible that the place is too close to noisy traffic and he gets scared or distracted.

Try to find him a more relaxed and sheltered spot to eliminate. If your dog finds it comfortable and likes to return here every time he wants to eliminate, a major part of the potty-training for your dog is over. An important aspect of training is consistency.

It makes the training work as it is long after the training is over.

Reward The Behavior You Want

Positive reinforcement is an important tool in dog training. It’s rewarding good behavior with a treat or an equivalent reward. So, before you give up on your stubborn dog, try giving him a treat whenever he goes to the spot where you want him to go for elimination.

If you give him a tasty treat, you should accordingly reduce his meal. Or else, you can take him for a walk in the neighborhood to reward him for using the designated spot for elimination.

Clean All Accidental Messes Immediately And Thoroughly

It’s natural for your new pup to accidentally be eliminated in the house. First of all, if he is staying inside the house, earmark his space and don’t encourage him to get into a non-designated place. You can fence off such areas by home barricades.

Then, use a dog training pad for the dog to eliminate. Clean all feces and urine immediately with proper cleaning materials. If you don’t clean the messes immediately, drawn by the smell the dog would be prompted to eliminate at the same spot again and again.

You can train the dog to use a dog training pad for elimination.

Final Thoughts

Potty-training your stubborn dog is not all that difficult if you use patience and persistence with your dog. The above-mentioned steps are easy and practical but they are hugely effective in giving your dog a strong training in the right potty etiquette.