Potty Training: We Need to Talk About Poop.

Okay, let's talk about something every new puppy parent faces: potty training! Bringing a new furry friend home is super exciting, but getting them house-trained can feel like a big challenge. Here at Bigfoot Doodles, we've spent a lot of time working with our puppies and have developed a system that really helps them make a smooth transition from our home to yours. In this guide, we'll share our proven approach, some key insights we've learned along the way, and practical tips to help your puppy master potty training with ease.

The Bigfoot Doodles Kiddy Pool System

Our puppies learn their first potty habits in a kiddy pool filled with wood chips. This method is incredibly effective because it’s based on two key principles of puppy behavior:

• Texture Association: Puppies learn where to eliminate based on the texture under their feet. The wood chips provide a unique and consistent surface that is distinct from the soft surfaces of your home, like carpets and rugs. When they transition to your yard, the feel of grass and soil is similar enough that they recognize it as an appropriate place to go.

• Scent Cues: Puppies are naturally drawn to go to the bathroom where they've gone before. By using the kiddy pool, we establish a designated scent that tells them, "This is the spot!"

This system helps prevent confusion and makes the transition to your home much smoother. What’s more, our system is very sanitary; poops can be easily covered and the wood chips changed out frequently. The entire setup is also easy to replicate at home, allowing you to gradually transition your puppy to their new situation with a familiar potty spot.

Happy Pooping!

Foundational Principles for Success

• They Want to Please You: Puppies instinctively want to keep their "den" clean. It's your job to let them know where their potty spot is and give them consistent, easy access to it. Dogs also want to eliminate in a “designated” area where dogs a have gone before. You’ll notice adult dogs tend to poop in certain areas of the yard, neighborhood, park, etc.

• Prepare Your Environment: Minimize the chances for accidents by preparing your home. Keep puppies supervised and consider using baby gates to limit access to certain rooms, especially those with soft surfaces like carpet, which can be hard to clean and can feel confusingly tempting to a puppy at first.

• Leave a Scent Marker: Your puppy will be more likely to go in the right spot if they can smell a previous success. Leaving a small piece of their poop in the designated potty area can trigger a reflex that tells them, "This is the right place."

• Recognize Their Signals: Puppies will often give you subtle clues when they need to go. If they suddenly become squirmy, restless, or try to escape from your lap or climb out of the car, it's a strong indication that it's time for a potty break. Learning to identify these signals will help you prevent accidents.

• The "Hour Per Month" Guideline (with a caveat): A common rule of thumb is that puppies can hold their pee for roughly as many hours as they are months old. While this is a good starting point, remember it’s a general guideline, not a strict rule. A puppy's bladder capacity can vary based on their size and activity level. It’s always best to take them out more frequently than you think they need, especially after waking up, eating, drinking, or playing.

• Keep an eye on their poops!: Maybe it sounds gross, but this is one of the best ways to monitor your puppy’s health. They have tiny systems, and they are exploring new environments where any number of things can upset their tummies. You can keep an eye out for parasites, things they may have ingested, color, consistency, etc. Think of it as a regular push-notification about their health. Dog owners get a lot of happiness from perfect poops.

  
  

Dealing with Accidents and Relapses

• Clean Up Thoroughly: If an accident happens inside, clean it up immediately with an enzymatic cleaner designed for pet messes. This is crucial because a puppy's powerful sense of smell will draw them back to the same spot if the odor isn’t completely eliminated.

• Don't Punish: Never punish your puppy for an accident. They don't do it out of spite; they simply don't have full control of their bladder yet or didn't have access to the right spot at the right time. Punishment can make them afraid of you and can lead to them hiding when they need to go, which only makes training harder. Sometimes accidents can be an indication of intestinal upset that you may need to address.

• Adolescent Relapse: It’s common for puppies to experience a temporary setback in their potty training around six months of age. This can be due to developmental changes, like hormonal shifts as they enter adolescence. If your puppy seems to forget their training, don't worry—this is a normal, temporary phase. Simply go back to basics, increase supervision, and be patient and consistent.

Tips from Renowned Trainer Zak George

We're big fans of positive reinforcement, and Zak George's methods align perfectly with our philosophy. He recommends:

• Supervise and Control: Managing your puppy’s environment is key. While many people believe in crate training to provide a safe, den-like space and prevent accidents, it’s not the only way. You can achieve the same goal by keeping your puppy on a leash attached to you in the house or by using a puppy-proofed area like a playpen. The goal is to prevent them from having accidents without your supervision.

• Reward Success Immediately: As your puppy finishes going to the bathroom in their designated spot, reward them with high-value treats and enthusiastic praise. This makes the correct behavior a positive experience.

• Use a Command Word: Pick a command like “go potty” and say it as your puppy is eliminating. Over time, they will learn to associate the word with the action, which can be incredibly helpful for getting them to go on command during walks, road trips, or rainy days. We wanted to have something a little more subtle to say in public, so we have the codeword “It’s Hammertime” for our dogs. You can also do different words for pooping and peeing.