Congrats on the new addition to your family! Now what?
Well now it’s time to start that routine that your new family member will thrive off of!
Potty training is a crucial part of any well-mannered puppy or dog’s upbringing. While it is understandable and expected that each family might have its own schedule to adhere to, it is important to establish a consistent routine early on. Regardless of if your dog is just 6 weeks or 6 years, establishing a predictable schedule will not only keep your pet regular, but will help you establish clear expectations and rules in your household for both where, and when your dog should relieve themselves, encourage them to practice independent play, and helps to create time in our busy human schedules to engage with our pets for enrichment and training consistently.
Please enjoy this complimentary guideline for scheduling your new dog’s day!
6:30 am Good Morning!
Take your dog outside for a potty break.
We recommend taking your dog on a leash to the same general area every potty break.
6:45 am Breakfast
Meals should be fed in a crate, on a leash, or in a confined area for 20 minutes max.
A potty break after eating.
Enjoy some playtime with your dog!
7:30 am Crate Time or Direct Supervision
Have your dog crated (when not supervised or on a leash during this 2-hour break)
They can be crated for up to 2 hours at a time.
Your puppy can have toys in the crate
9:30 am Potty/Play/Potty/Crate
Take your dog potties to the “potty area”
Play with your dog after going potty
Offer potties again after playing
Return to crate unless directly supervised or on leash with you
12:00 pm Lunch Break
Meals should be fed in a crate, on a leash, or in a confined area for 20 minutes max.
A potty break after eating.
Enjoy some playtime with your dog
Potty Break again.
Return to the crate.
1:00 pm Crate Time or Direct Supervision
Have your dog crated (when not supervised or on a leash during this 2-hour break)
Your puppy can be crated for up to 2 hours at a time.
Your puppy can have toys in the crate if they are safe.
3:00 pm Potty/Play/Potty/Crate
Take your dog potties to the “potty area”
Play with your dog after going potty
Offer potties again after playing
Return to crate unless directly supervised or on leash with you
5:00 pm Dinner
Meals should be fed in a crate, on a leash, or in a confined area for 20 minutes max.
A potty break after eating.
Enjoy some playtime with your dog
Potty Break again.
Return to the crate.
6:00 pm Crate Time or Direct Supervision
Have your dog crated (when not supervised or on a leash during this 2-hour break)
Your puppy can be crated for up to 2 hours at a time
Your puppy can have toys in the crate
9:00 pm – 6:30 am Bedtime with Potty and Crate
Breaks should start at 2 hours but gradually increase the time between breaks
Take your dog potties to the “potty area”
Do NOT play with your dog after going potty
Return to crate
Potty Box Training for Dogs and Puppies
Have a hard time getting your dog to use pee pads or go outside? They may be more familiar or more comfortable with a Potty Box! Many breeders these days start potty training using this tool, as they don’t have to risk exposure to outdoor contaminants to their litters by bringing them outside, while also having an easy-to-clean, transferable system when the pups are ready to start going potty outside.
If you want to build a potty box it’s pretty simple! Find a small container you can use as a litter box, you will find some readily available online. For larger dogs you can use a plastic kiddie pool or build a litter box of your size preference. Line your chosen box device with plastic. For the litter we suggest pine or paper pellets. Then, simply use a cat scoop to remove the wet or solid waste! If you have a male dog, you can place a traffic cone in the middle, or build a cute tree or other vertical objects for them to lift their leg on. Make sure to put some of their urine and poop in the box at first so they feel it is safe to use! Your litter box can be as simple or fancy as you desire but it can save you a lot of stress and a lot of mess, especially when it is not so easy to go outside. This also works really well in RVs!