Espresso Dog Training

Over the years, countless people – friends, family, clients – have asked me one question:

“Why does my puppy pee inside after he’s already peed outside?”

First of all, please allow me to ease your mind and tell you that this is completely normal. There are several possible reasons why a puppy may be peeing inside again, and several things you should consider and watch out for.

Urinary Infections

Puppies can get bladder infections just like adults can, so it’s important to keep that in mind! If your puppy is drinking a lot of water and peeing a ton, he may have a bladder infection or urinary tract infection. A vet check is always a wise decision to rule out anything medical.

Not Emptying

Some puppies aren’t completely emptying when they’re outside. With our busy lives, sometimes we rush things along, or jump to reward. As a general rule, I always mark(click a clicker or say “Yes”) as the puppy is finishing up. Some puppies do well with rewarding or praising in the middle of them using the bathroom, but if you aren’t sure how your puppy will react, ask yourself if it’s worth the chance that you might have to clean up puppy piddles!

If this is problem, the solution is pretty simple: Come inside for only a minute or two, keep eagle eyes on puppy. After about a minute or two, or when puppy looks like they’re about to go, take her back outside for another 5-10 minutes. Repeat this process as needed, until you’re sure your puppy has completely peed.

Too Much Time?

This may be news to some people, but if a puppy is used to just going whenever they need to, wherever they are, there’s a big chance that said puppy won’t really learn that they need to potty outside. This is commonly an issue in puppies that are kept outside all day, and given too much freedom when they are inside. If you have an outside dog, it’s important to limit that dog or puppy’s freedom inside until he or she is reliable indoors.

And most importantly…

No Bladder Control

Your puppy is a baby! You don’t expect your infant, toddler, or sometimes young child to always use the bathroom in the toilet. For starters, infants and toddlers can’t always hold it. Some children – and puppies – have medical issues that affect the size of their bladders. Young children occasionally forget because they are engaged in something really interesting for them. Your puppy is the same way! As they are learning, puppies do not always think “I must use the bathroom here.” They are puppies! They are thinking about exploring their world, and figuring out how to coexist in a world with creatures who don’t even speak their language. It’s certainly a big experience! Who has time to worry about when you need to use the bathroom?

And let’s face it. Even as adults, sometimes we get so wrapped up in our business that we can find ourselves rushing to the bathroom, too. We don’t make an embarrassing mess, however, because our bodies have matured! Our muscles work better and are much stronger than when we were infants, toddlers, and children.

Now, onto the part that you’re probably reading this for. If your puppy has had bladder or urinary issues ruled out, then the truth is, your puppy simply doesn’t know that she needs to eliminate outside. In order to teach her, you need patience, lots of treats, and a simple reminder that she is still a puppy. (Just a quick note: If you have an adult dog that is peeing inside, then she may also be unaware of where she’s “supposed” to use the bathroom. If she has just recently started having accidents, she needs to see a vet to rule out health problems. If health problems have been ruled out, you would simply go back to basics and re-teach her where to pee using the steps in this post.)

So, what do you do if your puppy (or adult dog) is peeing inside after being brought in from outside?

STEP ONE: FIGURE OUT HER SCHEDULE!

Puppies have to eliminate, depending on age, about 10-30 minutes after eating or drinking, and almost immediately after playing or waking up. Set up times for feeding, exercise, and training, and take your puppy out afterwards. Figure out how long it takes her to pee or poo after these activities, and you will be able to tell when you need to take her out.

As a general rule, a puppy of 8-12 weeks old should only be expected to hold it 2-3 hours, 12-16 week old puppies should only be expected to hold it for about 4 hours, and 16-20 week old puppies should only be expected to hold it for about 5-6 hours. Remember, puppies’ bladders are not fully functional at 8-9 weeks old, so you must consider that when your puppy does make a mistake. She simply may not be able to help it! If you are struggling with an adult dog peeing indoors, begin with two hours, and work up gradually as your dog’s reliability increases.

Just a quick note again: When you take your dog or puppy out to potty, I suggest not interacting with them AT ALL until they potty. If you’re out there for 30+ minutes, and she still hasn’t used the bathroom, bring her inside and crate her for a few minutes. This is NOT punishment! This is ONLY so that she doesn’t potty in the house! If you don’t have a crate, tether her to you. If you’re able to keep eagle eyes on her, a tether or crate isn’t necessary. The point is, ABSOLUTELY NO unsupervised time indoors until she’s more reliable.

STEP TWO: YAY POTTY!

In my opinion, this step is just as important as the first step. It is incredibly important to remember to reward your puppy when she does what you want her to do – potty outside! Most puppies love treats and praise, so use this to your advantage. When puppy potties outside, throw a party! I like to give several treats to puppies just learning, as this really shows them that peeing outside is just about the best thing ever! Note: If your puppy is shy, do not be loud or overly excited in your praise! You could accidentally scare her, and instead of it being fun, pottying in front of you is now scary!

Throwing a party is perfect for adult dogs as well, because they are also now learning that peeing outside earns them a reward. If you have previously been punishing your dog, she may be hesitant to pee in front of you(this, of course, depends on the type of punishment and the dog’s personality in general). If she is, then all the more reason to throw a big party when she finally does pee in front of you!

The idea behind this, is to show your puppy or dog that pottying outside is the best thing she could ever do!

BONUS: You can also say the words “Go potty” when your puppy potties, and mark(click with a clicker or a verbal “Yes”) and then throw a party. With several repetitions a day, you can begin to say “Go potty” just before your puppy potties, and eventually, as soon as you walk outside. This then teaches puppy to potty when you say the words “Go potty!” This also works for adult dogs!

STEP THREE: CLEAN IT UP!
If your puppy or dog does pee inside, simply clean it up. The important thing is to completely get rid of the smell for your dog. She is more likely to pee where it smells like pee(to her, not you; remember, her nose is much better than yours), so keep that in mind!

For more information on cleaning up pee, check out these links:

Humane Society: How to Remove Pet Stains

Mercola: What’s that Smell? Cleaning Up After Pet Accidents

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS:

Rubbing your dog’s nose in her mess does not teach her not to potty inside. Puppies around the ages of 8-10 weeks should not be corrected physically, anyway, and many trainers feel that even puppies as old as 16 weeks should not be corrected physically. Using physical corrections such as this can actually teach your puppy to fear using the bathroom in front of you, as well as human hands. Depending on your puppy’s temperament, this could create a dog who nips, bites, and growls when handled as an adult – especially if no other handling has been done.

If you do plan on using corrections, please contact a knowledgeable trainer who can show you how and when to apply them.

Please note that I do not use physical or verbal corrections in my training, nor do I think they are “necessary” for any dog. However, there are many amazing trainers who implement them beautifully and skillfully. These trainers also agree that potty training is not the place for physical corrections. Please keep this in mind in your search for a professional trainer.

Best of luck on your potty training! Remember, feel free to contact us with any questions!