Pet Care
Your dog and.....Toilet Training
For the first three weeks of a puppy’s life, its mother stimulates defecation and also cleans up afterwards.
After this period of three weeks it is time to start toilet training.
It is a time to be patient and accept you are not going to know exactly when your puppy will want to “go.” Be prepared for a fair share of accidents!
A puppy of three weeks will urinate over a dozen times a day and defecate approximately five times a day.
He will circle around before going to the toilet, but you may not always be able to spot this.
Dogs by nature are clean animals and will not want to use a toilet are close to eating and sleeping areas.
When you have chosen a toilet area, place plenty of newspaper or absorbent padding on the floor. Your puppy will not always “make it” to the toilet area, so be patient if he doesn’t. Just clean up the mess and don’t make a fuss.
Dogs will prefer to do their toileting outside if this is possible. They should be encouraged to go outdoors from about four weeks.
Reward your dog with a treat or positive comment when he squats in the garden.
Always take your puppy out as soon as he wakes and always after meals.
Remember, his toileting needs at this early age. Take your puppy out every hour or so.
Stay with your puppy in the garden and give him plenty of time to remember what he is supposed to be doing there!
Change newspaper and absorbent padding regularly, dogs can be fastidious about cleanliness.