How To Help Your Puppy Ace Potty and Crate Training
Plus, how to teach them manners
By
Reviewed by
Dr. Judi Stella, PhD
Head of Standards & Research at Good Dog
Dr. Judi Stella, PhD is Head of Standards & Research at Good Dog. She earned her bachelor's degree in Animal Sciences from The Pennsylvania State University and her Ph.D. in Comparative and Veterinary Medicine, with an emphasis on applied ethology and animal welfare science, from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She was a USDA Science Fellow with the APHIS-Center for Animal Welfare and a visiting scholar at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Queso has learned to love his crate. (Credit: Rae Paoletta)
Reviewed by
Dr. Judi Stella, PhD
Head of Standards & Research at Good Dog
Dr. Judi Stella, PhD is Head of Standards & Research at Good Dog. She earned her bachelor's degree in Animal Sciences from The Pennsylvania State University and her Ph.D. in Comparative and Veterinary Medicine, with an emphasis on applied ethology and animal welfare science, from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She was a USDA Science Fellow with the APHIS-Center for Animal Welfare and a visiting scholar at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Reviewed by
Dr. Judi Stella, PhD
Head of Standards & Research at Good Dog
Dr. Judi Stella, PhD is Head of Standards & Research at Good Dog. She earned her bachelor's degree in Animal Sciences from The Pennsylvania State University and her Ph.D. in Comparative and Veterinary Medicine, with an emphasis on applied ethology and animal welfare science, from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She was a USDA Science Fellow with the APHIS-Center for Animal Welfare and a visiting scholar at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Housetraining your puppy should be one of your top priorities after bringing them home.
There are a few things you can do right off the bat to set your puppy up for success: first, set realistic expectations. As much as we’d all like our puppies to have zero accidents from day one, the truth is it may take up to six months to fully potty train your pup. That’s perfectly okay!
Next, be sure to keep a close eye on your puppy at all times. Crate training is a great way to keep your pup in one place for easier supervision — plus, it teaches them bladder control. Your breeder may have started crate training before you picked up your puppy so be sure to discuss this with them, as it’ll be important to continue their training so your dog doesn’t get confused.
You should also teach your puppy manners during their first few months at home. Be consistent and set expectations early, because what your puppy learns first they will learn best.
Start by establishing house rules. For example, is your puppy allowed on the sofa? Because if you allow your puppy on the sofa, your dog will always feel welcome on the sofa.
Working with a professional dog trainer from the start will give you the tools to be your puppy’s best teacher.
For help on the fundamentals of training, check out:
AVSAB Position Statements:
Avidog
- Puppy Potty Training Solution
- The Six Biggest House Training Mistakes Puppy Owners Make
- Davis Housetraining
- UPenn Housetraining
Books
- Family Friendly Dog Training by Patricia McConnell, PhD
- Way to Go! by Karen London, PhD and Patricia McConnell, PhD
- Love is All You Need by Jennifer Arnold
- Dog Smart: Evidence-Based Training with the Science Dog by Linda Case
- Decoding Your Dog: The Ultimate Experts Explain Common Dog Behaviors and Reveal How to Prevent or Change Unwanted Ones by Deborah Horowitz DVM and John Ciribassi DVM
Rae Paoletta is a staff writer at Good Dog. She is a science journalist and editor who has worked at Gizmodo, Inverse, NBC News and National Geographic. She's the proud mom of a pup named Queso.