The convenience of living in an urban city is that you get to just walk out of your doors and there are tons of activities, restaurants, and stores in your walking distance. That is the most convenient thing about living in a city. You don’t even need to own a car since transportation is so convenient. However, there is always a downfall to that aspect, unless you are super rich. People typically will live in a small apartment when you live in a city. So when it comes to adding a new puppy to your family, you will have a lot of things to consider. Of course, you and your family will be very excited to have a new puppy joining your family. You will have a lot of things in your mind; from naming your puppy to planning on how the puppy will blend into your life routine. This blog post will talk about one of the first things you will need to do in order to blend your puppy into your daily life. This is to potty train your puppy. This will need to be almost the very first thing you will need to do when you welcome your puppy to your home. Here are tips, advice, and methods to ease up your puppy potty training. So let’s get started.
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Potty Training in an Apartment
When it comes to house training a new puppy in an apartment, working with more of a confined space might be rougher than the luxury experience our parents had where there was always easily accessible grass-literally-in-hand. A major obstacle is the absence of outdoor space. Coming from a townhouse without much of a backyard, meaning every potty break was literally through the building and maybe even down several flights or an elevator ride. That can be difficult when your puppy needs to go out.
If you live in an apartment, your dog’s potty training experience will be fairly unique; it is imperative that he has regular breaks outdoors to help streamline his elimination schedule. They have tiny bladders and when they wake up from naps or after eating, drinking or even playing will need a lot of potty breaks. Keeping up with their need to go outside is a lot of work and takes serious dedication. Indoor accidents are pretty much a foregone conclusion when potty training first begins. This can be especially problematic in an apartment, where living spaces are shared and neighbors might complain. Be sure to clean accident areas well so that a lingering odor doesn’t encourage your puppy to go to the same place more than once.
When potty training a puppy that lives in an apartment, the key things are patience and consistency. Keeping a regular feeding, play and potty schedule will teach your puppy about when/where it is ok to go. Using the same door and walking route for potty breaks is another good chance your dog will connect.
The earlier you commence the better! Young puppies are adept at learning and early training will enable it to learn good habits from the start. Creating a schedule with set potty times and places helps the process tremendously. The more you begin and the extra continuous that is, higher your puppy will learn what’s anticipated of them which turns up to an awful lot fewer mishaps and a way better living environment in apartments.
What You Need to Potty Train Indoors
Apartment living may require some thinking about where your puppy will go potty. Potty training a new puppy in an apartment has its own set of challenges, but the right products can help the process go more smoothly and effectively. Potty Pads are one of the main accessories required in indoor potty training. These highly-absorbent pads create a specific place for your puppy to go potty, keeping messes contained and preventing accidents. If you want to use potty pads indoors, start by confining them to one place and then move progressively closer towards the door while your puppy gets used. Durable and absorbent, AmazonBasics as well as IRIS Training Pads are top favorites among pet owners.
Puppy playpens are another great tool for those potty training indoors. A puppy playpen creates a small area for your dog to learn and explore but keeps them away from the whole of your apartment. The potty trainer also offers the advantage of a controlled environment, so that your puppy can be trained for those times without you having to worry about accidents around the house. AmazonBasics Dog Play Pen, FXW HomePlus Dog Play Pen and MidWest Homes for Pets are just some brands that provide adaptable playpens suitable in all corners.
We also love odor-neutralizing sprays to keep everything feeling fresh and clean. These sprays remove old odors that can encourage your puppy to do a wee in the same spot over and over. Nature’s Miracle Advanced Stain & Odor Eliminator and Rocco & Roxie Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator are both considered some of the best pet stain removal products on the market.
Artificial grass patches are the greatest pals for all of you who would like to create a similar experience as outdoor potty. Like real grass, these patches are more natural feeling and looking for your puppy to use as a potty surface. They are even ideal for apartments with no easy access to the outdoors like a balcony or terrace. A couple of popular options include the PetSafe Dog Potty and the DoggieLawn, both which have received good reviews from users for being a convenient easy-to-clean solution.
Utilizing these necessary products will help you with a smoother potty training experience for both of you. This will make a relatively easy transition from indoor potty pads to outdoor pottying so that you can have confidence in accomplishing fast & successful results when it comes to living with an apartment puppy.
Potty Training Schedule and Routine
A puppy will not be properly house-trained, especially in an apartment environment without a consistent potty training schedule. A consistent routine will train the puppy to know when and where to pee so that fewer inside accidents happen. Your best schedule is one that jives with this biological routine and sets you up for maximum success based on your lifestyle.
The first step is to know when your puppy needs to go! Some of the most common signs that your dog may need a toilet break are sniffing around on the floor, circling and/or pacing, whining or barking at you out of nowhere when it has not been doing this before.
For just one second and they stop playing, they are jumping up in excitement indicating their urgency! When you notice these signs, immediately pick up your puppy and bring him/her to the potty spot, otherwise it will be an accident. After taking your puppy on a regular interval, your puppy should be relieved at that place.
Potty training works best when the child is consistent. Early morning, right after eating and last thing at night are the times to take your puppy out. Puppies often need to empty their bladder after a meal or drink, so the best time for potty breaks will be right after. Similarly, pups have to pee more frequently, like needing a break about every 30 minutes because they still have such tiny bladders and no real control.
When you take your puppy outside, confine it to a specific spot. This will train your puppy to start associating that spot with going potty, therefore making them easier to be trained. After the puppy goes potty where you want, give your puppy a treat and praise right then. Positive reinforcement works, your pup feels rewarded and will want to do it again.
They should also be fed on an exact schedule to coincide with when the puppy goes to the bathroom. This can also help you stick to a potty training regiment by making it more predictable when your puppy will have to go out.
Ultimately, formulating a toilet training plan means being realistic about your pup’s natural proclivities, committing to consistency and praise as you go. Adding these in everyday life will enable you to potty train the new puppy living in your apartment making it a cleaner and better place for you.
Dealing with Accident and Setback patiently
The occasional accident is a natural component of the potty training process, especially when housebreaking an apartment-dwelling puppy. The key here is to bear with these mistakes and help them in overcoming them. If your puppy is punished for accidents it can make them fearful and anxious, which might actually slow down the potty training progress. Instead, lean on positive reinforcement and if necessary an immediate calm discipline.
In case of any accidents it is important to keep the area clean. Enzyme-based cleaners are recommended for getting rid of pet odors. These truly absorb the proteins in urine/feces to reduce any odiferous temptation for your puppy to visit that same spot. Many household cleaners are not enough as they leave behind scents and such that our human noses do not detect but a puppy can, so some people may have to use specific cleaning products.
Both patience, and a positive outlook are required during retrenchment. There is also a possibility that even well housebroken puppies will have occasional accidents if they are in an unfamiliar situation or something has changed up their routine. Establish a routine for meals, bathroom breaks and play time. This setup helps your puppy to know that potty time is at the same place and likely close to a certain timeframe.
Positively reinforcing your puppy will encourage good behavior. Reward their accomplishments with treats, praise and even some love. Woodnines If they have an accident, explain this is where you should be going and take them to their designated potty area. It falls to one’s willingness and persistent effort.
This is a common shared experience for so many pet owners. One city pet owner noted his puppy had many accidents in the beginning but with a proper schedule and rewards, their pup learned to go outside for potty. Another owner mentioned the necessity for patience, noting that their puppy had finally “got it” with regard to potty training after several weeks of hard work.
Crate Training
Teaching potty training in an apartment, crate-training becomes your secret weapon. The crate gives your puppy a sense of security and a confined space to teach them how to control their bladder. Make sure the crate is an appropriate size, small enough that your puppy has room to stand up and turn around but not so large they can use one corner as a toilet while sleeping in another. Start by associating the crate with positive things; like feed your puppy in it (e.g., small toys or treats). As your puppy gets used to the crate, extend the time gradually. Always bring your puppy to her potty spot just before and then 5–10 minutes after crating.
Nighttime Potty Breaks
Most young puppies cannot go through an entire night without urinating. To manage nightime potty breaks, give your puppy less water in the evening and remember you may need to wake up during the middle of the night to take your puppy to their potty spot. The midnight potty trips should be short and quiet so that you don’t disturb your puppy too much, because it will also make it difficult for your puppy to sleep again.
City Fitness and Recreation
If you live in a city, then chances are there may not be as much open space but it is crucial that your puppy gets plenty of socialization and exercise. Going on regular walks or exercising can be a good way for your dog to get exercise and relieve themselves. Take him to local dog parks and let everyone play. To keep your puppy inside active and entertained, use interactive toys games.
Keeping the Process Fun
Potty training doesn’t have to be harrowing. Encourage each successful potty trip with enthusiasm, and your puppy will feed off the positive vibes. Your routine should also include compliance games such as hiding treats by the potty spot and waiting for your puppy to find them after he relieves himself. Make potty training a family affair and have other canine clan members help out in making learning fun for your puppy.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Even with the best plans, you may encounter some curveballs. This may be due to not enough consistency, as well as lack of patience on your end. Review your morning routine and make any necessary changes. Sometimes your puppy will regress in their training, this is normal and usually just a phase. Get back to square one and repeat the training. If your dog is having accidents in the house and not responding properly to consistent reinforcement, check with the vet for other health issues.
How Long Is The Potty Training Process?
It can take an extremely long time to potty train a puppy. A lot of puppies can learn it in a few weeks, whereas for others that might take several months. How long does the process take on average? — 4 to 6 months Practice along with using patience and positive reinforcement will accelerate the process.
In conclusion, potty training a puppy in an apartment without a yard is really hard and challenging but soon totally within your reach with the right attitude of patience. Do not forget to reward the baby step victories and keep up a liking, kind of living environment for your pup. The relationship you create through the learning of oriented instruction will aid as an ideal base for a very happy and well-adjusted hound.
If you follow these tips and tricks, along with using some of the suggested products then not only will your puppy be potty trained — but it’ll also have been an awesome experience for both of you! Enjoy the process, and your puppy will be potty-trained before you know it — exploring the city beside his or her best friend.
