If yourpuppy won’t pee outside,you’re no doubt feeling pretty frustrated right about now.
Watching your carpet turn an ever darker shade of yellow is never much fun. Spending half your life waiting in vain for your pup to do their business in the yard isn’t exactly a riot either.
And as for the ‘joys’ of a dog who takes your freshly washed floor as an invitation to open the floodgates… well, the less said about that, the better.
No doubt about it, potty training is tough. It’s smelly, it’s messy, and it’s downright frustrating.
So, how do you get through the experience with your sanity intact?
How do you keep your smile when you’ve read all the rules, devoured all the books. And your puppy still prefers to pee in the kitchen rather than the yard?
For a start, you can do yourself a favor and check out thePuppy Coach Programfrom Dan Abdelnoor over at The Online Dog Trainer. (see video below)
It’s a comprehensive, step-by-step masterclass that’ll take you through the a-z of raising your pup.
During the course, Dan explores the ins and outs of potty training, guiding you in exactly what to do (and what not to do!) to get your pup fully up to speed.
Even if you’ve potty trained dozens of dogs in the past, take a look anyway – if there’s a trick you’ve missed or a gap in your training, this is where you’re going to spot it.
Here’s the link to take a look:
(video will open in a new window)
Watched the video? Then let’s crack on with finding out why your puppy’s peeing indoors, and what you can do to stop it.
Why Won’t My Puppy Pee Outside?
Indoor peeing can be a harder habit for some dogs to break than others. Anything from poor house training to a fear of the outdoors can all make a pup more inclined to relieve themselves inside than outside.
Working out why your dog behaves the way they do can be tricky, but it’s the first step in correcting the issue.
Once you’ve successfully identified the reason, you can get to work on implementing the most effective training strategy.
Ultimately, every dog is different. Not every puppy is going to pee indoors for the exact same reason.
But by and large, the behavior can usually be explained by one of the following.
They’ve Developed a Fear or Anxiety
If your puppy would rather risk your wrath by peeing in the house than waiting until they’re in the yard, they might be frightened or worried about something outside.
Maybe they’ve had a fright or a bad experience on a previous potty break. Perhaps the sound of a car backfiring scared them, or another dog threw them the evil eye.
Puppies can be incredibly sensitive to their environments: if they get frightened, they can quickly and easily develop fears.
If your puppy was making good progress with their potty training until now, they might well be feeling too stressed or scared to carry on with their good work.
They’ve Got a Medical Condition
While it’s rare for a puppy to suffer health problems, it’s not unheard of.
If they’ve only recently started peeing in the house, it’s a good idea to rule out any underlying medical issues before anything else.
Some of the most common ailments that could lead to indoor elimination include:
Diabetes/ Kidney Problems:Diabetes or other conditions that affect the kidneys can lead to increased thirst, which in turn can result in more frequent urination.
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs):A UTI can lead to frequent (and urgent) calls of natures. UTIs in puppies are most commonly caused by bacterial infections.
The infections can often develop if a puppy isn’t able to urinate for a long time, and the urine is left to breed bacteria in their bladder.
They Haven’t Been Housetrained Properly
Dogs can easily and quickly pick up bad habits, even when they’re very young.
If your pup hasn’t been housetrained, they’ve probably become accustomed to peeing whenever and wherever they like.
Regardless of where you’d prefer your pup to pee, you can’t expect them to follow suit if they’ve never been trained to do it.
Some pet owners unwittingly contribute to the problem by becoming over-reliant on pee pads. Although pee pads have their uses, some dogs will find it difficult to make the switch when it’s time to start peeing outdoors.
If the pee pads continue to be used on occasion (e.g. if it’s cold outside or if you’re going to be away from home for most of the day), it can add to the confusion.
Related Post:Why Is My Puppy Peeing Everywhere? – How To Potty Train ANY Pup
They’re a Small Breed
First up, all breeds are capable of being potty trained. With time and consistency, any dog, regardless of size, shape, weight, or personal preference, can be trained to pee outdoors.
All that being said, some breeds have a tougher time of it than others. As a rule of thumb, the smaller the breed, the longer and more ‘challenging’ the potty training experience.
The reasons for this are manifold, but the most common reasons include:
- Their bladders are smaller, leading to a more frequent need to urinate
- Their bodies are closer to the ground, making them less motivated to pee or poop outdoors when the ground’s covered by a thick layer of snow or frost
You’re Staring at Them
Some dogs are happy to pee or poop in front of an audience. Others aren’t.
Going to the bathroom can leave them feeling a little… exposed. A little… vulnerable. A little… embarrassed.
The last thing they want is all eyes on them. The problem is, you’re probably so desperate for your pup to do their business outdoors, you don’t give them a moment’s peace to do just that.
So what do they do? Wait till they get back indoors and can do it in private, naturally.
The Leash is Freaking Them Out
Cast your mind back. Was your puppy happy enough to pee outside when they were allowed full freedom?
Is it only since you introduced a leash into their life that the problem has started?
If you answered yes to both those questions, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out the reason for their sudden aversion to peeing outdoors.
Ultimately, dogs don’t innately know how to walk on a leash. Neither do they innately know it’s nothing to be afraid of.
If your pup develops a fear of the leash, they won’t be inclined to do their business when they’re on the end of one.
Related Post:How To Quickly Stop Your Puppy Pulling On The Leash
How to Get Your Puppy to Pee Outside
The first step in getting your puppy to pee outside? …Identify the reason why they’re not doing it already. Once you know what’s behind the problem, you’ll have a much easier time correcting it.
The second step? Watch this video from the Puppy Coach Program.
The course will let you know how to potty train your pup the right way. It’s going to make the process easier for you, more constructive for your pup, and stop you both butting heads all day long.
Watch it and learn from it – it really will make a huge difference to where you end up and how soon you get there.
Once you’ve done both of those two things, you can try giving some of these tried and tested methods a whirl.
Go Back to Basics
Sometimes, there’s nothing else for it. You have to reverse your steps and go all the way back to square one. And that’s just fine. After all, second-time lucky, right?
If your first attempt at housetraining didn’t go to plan, go back to the start and start working through the basics again. Watch thePuppy Coach Programfor an easy, step-by-step guide to the process.
Once you’ve done that, remember some of these key takeaways:
Use a Leash
Each time you make a trip outside, pop your pup on a leash.
Puppies can get easily distracted. If they spot something interesting, they’ll go haring after it and forget all about their need to pee until they get back indoors.
A leash will help you focus their attention on the task at hand. Use it to limit any prancing and to direct them to a specific location you’ve designated as a ‘bathroom.’
Remember to Reward
Throwing a huge party when your pup pees outdoors might seem a bit OTT, but don’t underestimate the power of praise.
Puppies love to feel they’ve done something good: the more often you reward them when they do, the more inclined they’ll be to do it again.
Go for a Second Round
Puppies will often only empty their bladders enough to take the edge off. To stop them from finishing off their business indoors, take them back outside ten minutes after your first trip.
Keep Them Under Supervision
Allowing a puppy free reign of the house before they’ve been potty trained is asking for disaster. By keeping them under constant supervision, you’ll be better positioned to spot the signs they need to pee and get them outside, pronto.
Talking of signs…
Learn to Spot the Signs
If your puppy forgets or doesn’t know how to ask to go out, it’s helpful to learn the signs of an impending pee break. If your puppy starts circling, sniffing around, or acting restless, take it as your cue to leash them up and head outside.
Set Your Clock
Puppies tend to pee at set times. Usually, this will be when they first wake up, after eating or playing, or after they’ve had a drink.
If you can create a schedule of pee breaks around these times, it’ll make a big difference to how much pee ends up on your carpet and how much ends up in the yard.
Keep Yard Visits Frequent
It takes a while for a puppy to gain full bladder control. To minimize the risk of any accidents in the meantime, keep your yard visits frequent. A trip outside every hour should do it.
As they get older, you can gradually work on increasing the length of time between visits.
Get Rid of Any Suspicious Smells…
Puppies like to revisit the scene of a crime. If they can detect any hint of urine on your carpet, they’ll not hesitate to treat it to a fresh helping of pee.
By eliminating any existing odors with anenzymatic cleaner,you’ll go a long wait to preventing any further accidents in the same spot.
…Then Add Some New Ones
Once you’ve got rid of any suspicious smells from inside, add a few fresh ones outside.
Pups often like to pee and poop in places they’ve used for those purposes before. Using a pee and poop training spray that mimics the smell of fresh puppy do-da can encourage them to use their designated outdoor spot.
Just bear in mind that some dogs don’t like to ‘go’ where other dogs have gone before. The only way to find out if this method works for your pup is by way of trial and error.
Summing Up
No one ever said that raising a puppy was going to be easy. There’s going to be poop, pee, temper tantrums, and days you’re going to wish you’d stuck to a goldfish.
But stick with it.
Regardless of how many accidents your puppy has had so far, they won’t be having them forever. With time, patience, and the right technique, any puppy can be successfully potty trained.
It’s going to take a bit of work and a bit of time, but keep going. You’ll be home and dry before you know it. Even better, so will your pup.
