Training guide
Puppy Potty Training
How to teach a puppy where to go: take them out often, reward them the moment they finish, and supervise them in between. A practical guide for owners whose puppy is new to housetraining.
Short answer
Housetraining works through a routine: take your puppy to the same outdoor spot often, reward them the moment they finish, and keep them supervised or confined in between so indoor accidents have few chances to happen.[1][2] Punishing accidents does not teach a puppy where to go.[1][3]
This guide fits you if your puppy is new to housetraining or is still having regular accidents indoors.
Look elsewhere if your puppy seems unwell, or a puppy that was doing well starts having repeated accidents. Ask a veterinarian first.[4]
How housetraining works
A young puppy cannot wait as long as an adult dog. Puppies lack the bladder-muscle development needed to hold urine and feces for long periods, and how long a puppy can wait is strongly linked to age.[1] Puppies also tend to avoid soiling the place where they sleep, which is why a small, comfortable resting space is useful.[1][2]
So most of the work is on your side: give your puppy frequent chances to go in the right place, make going there pay off, and prevent practice in the wrong places. There is no fixed timetable. The ASPCA notes that house training is not an exact science and that no formula or timetable works for every dog,[3] so expect progress to vary and plan to adjust.
Age-based rules of thumb for how many hours a puppy can wait are widely repeated, but puppies differ, including by breed.[1] This guide gives outing frequency by age as an example instead of a holding-time number, and asks you to watch your own puppy.
Set up the routine
These steps are the core of the method. They work together, so try to put all of them in place rather than choosing one.
Take your puppy to the same spot every time
Use the same outdoor area for each visit. Stay calm and wait until your puppy has gone before any play or excitement.[1]
Reward immediately, outside
Praise your puppy while they are going, and give a small treat right then.[1] Keep treats with you: a reward given after you have gone back indoors is too late for your puppy to connect it with going.[2] Go out with your puppy rather than sending them out alone, so you do not miss the moment to reward.[1]
Supervise, or confine when you cannot watch
While your puppy is loose indoors, keep them in sight so you can interrupt an accident and take them out. A leash attached to your waist is one way to do this.[1][2] When you cannot watch, use a small, comfortable confined area such as a crate or pen.[1][2]
A sample outing schedule
One veterinary school handout gives this example of how often to take a puppy out as they grow.[1] Treat it as a starting point rather than a rule, and adjust it to your puppy. Reduce outings gradually as your puppy matures, and go back a step if accidents increase.
| Puppy age | Breaks per day |
|---|---|
| 6 to 14 weeks | 8 to 10 |
| 14 to 20 weeks | 6 to 8 |
| 20 to 30 weeks | 4 to 6 |
| 30 weeks and older | 3 to 4 |
When it is not working
- Accidents keep happening indoors
Check How often your puppy goes out, whether outings follow meals, naps and play, and whether your puppy is ever loose indoors without being watched.[1]
Try Add outings, tighten supervision or confinement, and keep rewarding right when your puppy goes outside. Incomplete housetraining is a primary cause of house soiling in adult dogs, so it is worth finishing properly.[1]
- Your puppy goes indoors soon after coming back in
Check Whether play or distraction came before your puppy went, and whether you stayed with them until they finished.[1]
Try Keep outings calm until your puppy has gone, reward at once, and keep them in sight or confined for a while after coming in.
Housetraining problems usually have training fixes, but not always. Dogs with medical conditions can urinate and defecate inappropriately,[4] so if your puppy seems unwell, or a puppy that was doing well starts having repeated accidents, ask a veterinarian before changing the training plan. A veterinarian can rule out an underlying medical condition. If your routine has been consistent and there is still no progress, a qualified behavior professional can look at your setup. This guide cannot tell you which applies to your puppy.