Potty Training Tips

Nothing beats the pure joy of a new puppy… but they can bring so much mess & stress, too. Puppy potty training requires consistency, patience, and determination, but even seasoned …

How embarrassing! Have you ever brought your totally, long-ago potty-trained dog over to your friend’s house, only for them to pee or poop in their home? This is something I’ve …

[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”] [et_pb_row admin_label=”row”] [et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] Indoor potty systems for dogs are controversial. Some people, experienced trainers included, feel that puppy pads and other indoor potty areas can confuse …

When your dog keeps peeing in the same spot in your home, it can be tough to convince them that no, that specific area in your closet, on your prized …

It’s cold out, and I might hate being outdoors even more than my Cali-born, short-haired pups. But when you don’t have a backyard, you’ve got to stick it out and …

With the cold weather brings backslides on potty training. All that work, tirelessly taking your little dog outside, teaching them perfect potty manners, finally going accident-free all summer… Just for …

Potty bells are a blessing and a curse… but mostly a blessing. Without them, I’m not sure how I could have gotten the once-timid Matilda to let me know when …

Are puppy pads only for puppies? Or is it okay to continue using puppy pads when your dog is all grown up? Having a dog use puppy pads is not …

Your dog is going to love her potty bells. It’s amazingly empowering for her when she has a clever and reliable way to get your attention. You’re going to be …

Tethering – or umbilical cord training, if you want to make it weird – is when you leave your dog’s leash on inside your home. Usually, you’ll hold the leash …

If you’re a regular reader of Little Dog Tips, this blog post is probably not for you. You most likely have learned a lot about potty training from my blog …

If your dog has spent weeks, months, even years without having a potty accident, then suddenly dropped a log in an unexpected place… you might wonder if they pooped in …

Potty pads are a helpful training tool when you’re not able to take your puppy outside frequently. Maybe she has not had all of her vaccinations yet, or you live …

Housebreaking a small dog can be difficult; doing it in the winter is a heroic feat.  No matter how cold it gets, and even if the snow is taller than …

Puppy pads are incredibly useful for dogs and puppies that are left alone for longer than they can “hold it,” senior and disabled dogs, people who live in apartments, do …

It makes a lot of sense to use puppy pads in the first phase of house training. When your puppy is very small, her bladder control may be very weak, …

This week, Matilda pooped inside the house. Twice. As a dog blogger, I was at first ashamed, then appreciative for the opportunity to explore an issue that I know a …

Does your dog love her crate? If she doesn’t, don’t worry… she’ll let you know. Make your dog’s crate her sanctuary, and she’ll be less likely to have separation anxiety and potty …

If you’ve been following Little Dog Tips for a while, you may have noticed that I’m a huge fan of using Potty Bells. It’s easily the best training tool you’ll …

Crates are widely acclaimed as the ultimate, totally necessary puppy potty training tool.  It’s true – by confining your puppy to her bed, you can take advantage of her natural instinct …

Do you ever look at your dog and think to yourself, “How on earth did I get to be so lucky?” Maybe you’re not quite there yet because your pup …

At the 7-month mark, I was exasperated. “Should it really be taking this long to potty train my puppy?” I wondered. Matilda was good at using her potty pads, and …

The other day, I caught Matilda just as she was pooping on a plastic shopping bag I’d left on the floor. She looked up at me, quivering, her ears crooked, as …

Is it time to transition from puppy pads to outside? Pad-training was easy. All you ever had to do was put some of her poo and pee on the pad. …