Potty Training 101

Potty training a puppy can feel like one of the most exhausting parts of bringing a new dog home. The accidents, the constant trips outside, and wondering, “Do they need to go again already?” can definitely test your patience.

But I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to take months!

Using the same basic strategy with both of my German Shepherds, Turbo and Nova, I was able to potty train them in less than two weeks.

Now, every puppy is different, and some dogs will take longer than others. Age, breed, previous training, and how consistent you can be all play a role. But if you’re willing to put in the work during those first couple of weeks, you can make the process MUCH faster.

Here is exactly what I did.

1. Show Them Where You Want Them to Potty

The first thing you need to establish is where you want your dog to go to the bathroom.

For us, that meant outside.

When Turbo or Nova had an accident inside, I didn’t punish them. Instead, I would immediately take them outside.

The goal is to help them make the connection:

Bathroom = outside.

If you catch your puppy having an accident, calmly interrupt them and take them directly outside. If they finish going outside, that’s your opportunity to celebrate and reward them.

The more consistently you reinforce where they’re supposed to go, the faster they’ll begin to understand.

2. Skip the Nose Rubbing — Praise Them Like Crazy Instead!

Let’s talk about something you should NOT do.

Please don’t rub your dog’s nose in their pee.

Not only is it unpleasant and unnecessary, but it doesn’t actually teach your dog what you want them to do. Your dog isn’t going to suddenly think, “Ah yes, I understand the household bathroom rules now!”

Instead, focus on positive reinforcement.

When your puppy goes potty outside and you SEE them do it, immediately praise them.

And I mean HARDCORE praise.

“GOOD GIRL! GOOD BOY! YES! GOOD POTTY!”

Then give them a really good treat.

These are some of our favorite training treats : https://amzn.to/4z6MaR7

The timing here is important. You want the reward to happen immediately after they potty outside so they begin associating the behavior with something positive.

You are essentially teaching them:

I potty outside → My human gets VERY excited → I get treats → Pottying outside is awesome.

And honestly, who doesn’t love a good treat?

3. Take Them Outside CONSTANTLY in the Beginning

This is probably the biggest commitment you’ll have to make during potty training.

Take your puppy outside frequently.

When I say frequently, I’m talking about every 30–60 minutes in the beginning whenever you’re able to do so.

Yes. It is a lot.

Yes. It can be annoying.

But it works.

The reason you’re taking them out so often isn’t necessarily because they need to go every 30 minutes. You’re creating as many opportunities as possible to catch them doing the right thing.

Every time they successfully potty outside, you get another opportunity to reward them.

The more successful repetitions they have, the faster they learn.

Think of it as an investment. A couple of weeks of being extremely consistent can save you months of dealing with accidents.

4. Clean Accidents REALLY Well

Accidents are going to happen.

Your puppy is learning, so don’t expect perfection immediately.

But when an accident does happen, make sure you clean the area very thoroughly.

This is especially important because dogs have a much stronger sense of smell than we do.

If they can still smell urine in that spot, they may think:

“Oh, this must be my bathroom!”

Use a good enzymatic pet stain and odor remover designed specifically for urine.

[https://amzn.to/4ctr05V – OUR FAVORITE PET ODOR/ENZYMATIC CLEANER]

Don’t just wipe the area down and call it a day. You want to eliminate the odor as much as possible so your puppy isn’t encouraged to keep returning to the same spot.

5. Teach Them to Ring a Bell — If You Want!

This is something I did with Turbo but didn’t actually need to do with Nova.

I put potty bells by the door and taught Turbo to use them when he wanted to go outside.

The idea is pretty simple:

Bell → Door opens → Go outside → Potty

Eventually, the bell can become a way for your dog to communicate that they need to go outside.

It’s definitely not a necessary part of potty training, but I thought it was a nice little tool to have.

There was just one problem…

Turbo eventually figured out that ringing the bell = Mom opens the door.

And suddenly, the bell became his personal doorbell.

“Mom, I want to go outside.”

Ring ring.

“Okay, let’s go.”

Runs outside.

Five minutes later…

Ring ring.

😂

So while I definitely think teaching a dog to use potty bells can be helpful, just be prepared for your dog to potentially decide the bells are also an excellent way to request outdoor playtime.

6. Learn Your Dog’s “I Need to Potty” Behavior

One of the best things you can do is learn your individual dog’s signals.

Dogs will often give you clues that they need to go.

Watch for things like:

• Sniffing around excessively
• Circling
• Wandering away from you
• Going toward the door
• Suddenly becoming restless
• Looking for a spot to squat
• Pacing or acting distracted

If you notice your puppy doing something that looks like they’re searching for a bathroom spot, take them outside immediately.

The goal is to catch them BEFORE the accident happens.

The more you pay attention, the easier this becomes because you’ll start recognizing your dog’s individual signals.

7. Pay Attention to Their Routine

Dogs are creatures of habit, and establishing a routine can make potty training SO much easier.

After a few days, start paying attention to when your puppy usually needs to go.

Maybe they always need to potty:

• After eating
• Shortly after drinking
• After playing
• Before bedtime
• First thing in the morning
• After a nap
• After getting excited

Once you start noticing their patterns, you can get ahead of them.

Instead of waiting for an accident, you can say:

“I know what’s coming. Outside we go!”

A consistent daily routine can make potty training much more predictable.

8. ALWAYS Take Them Out After a Nap

This one is huge.

Puppy wakes up? Go outside.

Don’t wait.

Don’t think, “I’ll let them wake up for a few minutes first.”

Take them outside immediately.

After sleeping, they will very often need to use the bathroom, making this another great opportunity to catch them doing the right thing and reward them.

Our routine was basically:

Wake up → Outside → Potty → HUGE praise → Treat

And then back to whatever we were doing.

The Secret to Faster Potty Training? Consistency.

If I had to narrow my potty-training strategy down to one word, it would be:

CONSISTENCY.

You can’t take your puppy outside every 30 minutes one day and then barely take them out the next day and expect them to completely understand what you’re asking.

During those first couple of weeks, you need to make potty training a priority.

Take them outside frequently.

Watch their behavior.

Learn their routine.

Immediately reward successful potty trips.

Clean accidents thoroughly.

And most importantly, don’t punish them for making mistakes.

They’re learning.

Your job is to show them what you want them to do and give them plenty of opportunities to get it right.

How Long Did It Take Turbo & Nova?

Using this method, I was able to potty train both Turbo and Nova in less than two weeks.

Turbo also learned to use potty bells, although, as I mentioned, he eventually decided that the bells were basically his personal customer service button. 😂

Nova didn’t need the bells because she became very good at communicating when she needed to go outside without them.

Of course, every dog is different, so I wouldn’t promise that every puppy will be completely accident-free in exactly two weeks.

But I absolutely believe that frequent potty breaks + immediate rewards + watching their behavior + consistency can dramatically speed up the process.

And trust me…

The day you realize your puppy has gone an entire day without an accident?

BEST. DAY. EVER.

Then eventually you realize you haven’t cleaned up puppy pee in weeks.

And suddenly, all those 30-minute trips outside were totally worth it. 🐾❤️

Quick Potty Training Checklist

If you’re starting potty training, save this list:

☑️ Take your puppy outside frequently
☑️ Go outside immediately after naps
☑️ Take them out after meals and playtime
☑️ Watch for sniffing, circling, and restlessness
☑️ Reward immediately after they potty outside
☑️ Use lots of praise
☑️ Clean accidents thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner
☑️ Establish a consistent routine
☑️ Consider potty bells if they’re useful for you
☑️ Never rub their nose in an accident
☑️ Be patient and consistent

And remember: you’re not just trying to prevent accidents. You’re teaching your puppy where you WANT them to go.

That mindset made a huge difference for me with both Turbo and Nova.

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure

Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, including links to Amazon. This means that if you click a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

I only recommend products that I genuinely believe may be helpful for you and your dogs. Your purchase price is not affected by using my affiliate links.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.