Potty Training Made Simple: How Sadie the Fox Terrier Went from Messes to Successes
Sadie, a high-energy 7-month-old Fox Terrier puppy, had some obedience lessons and learned how to relax (stay tuned for a future blog on training high-drive dogs). However, the biggest challenge for Sadie wasn’t her energy—it was her frequent accidents in the house.
Her owners were at their wit's end. They would stay outside with her for 45+ minutes, only for Sadie to run inside and poop in another room! It's enough to make anyone feel hopeless and like they're failing. But have no fear, Drew is here! (I can’t believe I just wrote that.)
Potty training can feel overwhelming, but with the right plan and tools, it’s absolutely achievable. Let’s walk through how we turned Sadie’s potty problems around and created the perfect potty-training plan.
Step 1: Build a Routine and Log It
One of the most common potty-training challenges is the lack of a consistent schedule. Establishing a routine makes it easier to time potty breaks, giving your pup the best chance to succeed—and you fewer messes to clean up!
For Sadie, our first step was setting a food and water schedule. When puppies have unlimited access to food and water, predicting their potty needs can become quite difficult! Instead, offer food and water at specific times throughout the day, and pick up their bowls as soon as they finish.
Next, start logging the times you offer food or water and when you take them outside for potty breaks. Record whether they went and what they did. Over time, you’ll begin to notice patterns, making it much easier to predict when your pup needs to go.
Consistency is key. The more often you get them outside at the right times, the faster potty training will progress. On the flip side, every accident in the house makes it harder to break the habit—so sticking to the schedule is crucial!
Step 2: Reward Potty Success
Make pottying outside enjoyable for your puppy by rewarding them with a treat immediately after they finish. Just like teaching “sit”—when their butt hits the ground, they get a treat—rewarding after they go potty outside helps reinforce the behavior, making it more likely to happen again. Timing is everything! Be sure to reward them right away to create a clear association between pottying outside and getting something valuable. If you wait until they’re back inside to reward them, your puppy may not connect the treat to going potty outside, making the training less effective.
Want to teach your puppy a potty cue? Say your chosen command (e.g., “Go potty”) while they’re doing their business. Once they’re done, immediately reward them with a treat. If you’ve trained with a clicker, click the moment they finish and follow up with a treat. Over time your pup will begin to associate the command with going potty, to save you time in the future when you’re running late for work!
Step 3: Supervision is Key
Does your puppy have free roam of the house? If so, accidents are bound to happen, and once they do, it can be tough to break the habit!
For the first few weeks, keep your puppy on a leash and attach it to yourself when you’re home. This way, you can catch them before they have an accident or get into trouble, like digging through the trash or chewing on furniture. Puppies are learning machines—they’ll quickly figure out what they can and can’t do. Your presence ensures you can teach them the right behaviors from the start, saving you stress (and money) in the future!
Step 4: Use a Crate When You Can’t Supervise
Crate training provides your puppy with a safe space to relax and helps prevent accidents or bad habits when you’re not able to supervise. If your pup is allowed to roam freely when you’re away or in another room, they’re bound to make mistakes—they simply don’t know any better yet. Let’s stop bad habits and accidents before they even start!
Dogs are naturally clean animals and avoid pottying where they sleep. However, if the crate is too large, your puppy might treat one corner as a bathroom. To prevent this, use a crate or divider that’s just the right size—big enough for them to stand, turn around, and lie down comfortably. This setup encourages your puppy to hold it longer and reduces the chances of accidents. As they grow or become fully potty trained, you can gradually increase their crate space.
Pro Tip: Puppies need plenty of sleep, and a cozy crate in a quiet area helps them get the deep rest they need. Lack of sleep can often contribute to bad behaviors, so creating a restful environment is crucial for their well-being.
If you’re finding it challenging to make the crate a positive experience for your puppy, stay tuned for our upcoming blog on crate training and its many benefits!
Sadie’s Perfect Potty Plan
Here’s is our perfect potty plan summarized!
Log Everything: Track when your dog eats, drinks, and potties to identify patterns.
Reward Success: Reinforce outdoor potty breaks with treats and praise.
Leash Supervision: Keep your puppy attached to you to prevent accidents and bad habits.
Crate When Unsure: Use the crate to give your puppy a safe space when you can’t supervise them. Make sure it’s the correct size to help avoid accidents.
Build Gradual Freedom: Once your puppy has gone accident-free for a while, slowly give them more freedom!
During Sadie’s training, sticking to the routine was critical. Her accidents happened when the routine wasn’t followed, highlighting how important it is to build consistent habits—for both the dog and the owner!
Sadie’s owners followed her schedule: eat, play, train, potty, and repeat. With this plan, she quickly became potty trained, and her owners got their clean home and peace of mind back.
Potty training requires patience and consistency, but it’s absolutely doable with the right tools and techniques. If you’re struggling with potty training, reach out—I’d love to help you and your pup succeed! Tried our potty plan? Let us know how it went, we want to hear all about it!
