Toilet Training A New Arrival

Why trained dogs have accidents

A new home smells like nothing your dog knows. Stress changes digestion, their old toilet spot is gone, and they have no idea which door leads where.

Accidents now are confusion, not spite, and they almost always settle within a few weeks of quiet consistency.

The calm way through

Consistency does the work, not correction. The goal is simply to make the right choice easy, over and over, until it becomes the habit.

• 1Take them out often at first, every hour or two, plus after every meal, every play session and every wake-up.
• 2Choose one toilet spot outside and use it, the scent helps them understand what the trip is for.
• 3When they toilet outside, mark it softly with a quiet 'good' and carry on. Big parties can worry a nervous dog.
• 4Supervise indoors when you can, and if you catch them mid-accident, interrupt gently and take them out. Never punish, punishment teaches them to hide from you, not to stop.
• 5Clean accidents with an enzymatic cleaner, ordinary cleaners leave a scent invite behind.

A rhythm for the early nights

Before bed, a calm last toilet trip, and somewhere easy to clean overnight if you are not sure of them yet.

Keep water available during the day. If you are thinking about limiting water before bed, ask your vet first.

If it doesn't settle

Accidents that continue beyond a few weeks, or come with straining, blood, unusual frequency or excessive drinking, always go to the vet.

Physical causes are common, easy to miss, and never your fault.

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