You may know from experience that potty training puppies indoors in a litter box can be quite a challenge. Small dogs have smaller intestines and bladders, yet they have to take in more food and water than larger dogs. As a result, they may need to relieve themselves more often than usual, which means more responsibility on your shoulders. Therefore, we present to you in this guide an effective and guaranteed method that will make this task easier for you, in addition to the most important tools you will need to achieve this, which are available on our Petaholic store at the best prices.
What are the most important tools needed to potty train small dogs indoors?
Below are the most important supplies you must provide to start potty training small dogs in a litter box indoors.
Litter box
You should provide your dog with a dog litter box or something that looks like a box. The important thing is to use something that your puppy can easily get into. You don't want to set him up for failure by asking him to use a difficult tool that he can't get into in the first place. But you also don't want a box that will clutter your home. As your puppy gets older, he may need a slightly larger crate. Fortunately, you can visit our store and choose the size that best matches your puppy's size.
Safe sand for dogs or any alternative to it
Do not use cat litter, or any clumping type of litter. In general, do not use any type of cat litter unless it is 100% natural. This is because puppies will eat anything, you don't want them to eat that sand. So you can choose some butterfly rabbit cages, compressed sawdust type. They are in the form of granules and dissolve on contact with anything wet. This means that if your pup eats this wood it won't hurt him, and you won't have to worry about him choking on it. Also do not overfill the box. Simply place a plate about 5cm deep, maybe a little less.
Newspapers or alternative bathroom mats for toilet training small dogs
Once your puppy knows you want him to use the litter box, he will try, but he may not always do so. If he starts relieving himself near the crate, you still want him to do so away from the floors and bedding. Therefore, you can use newspapers or alternative mattresses, such as the ones we provide at Petaholic, which are leak-proof. These mats aren't just for aesthetic purposes, you don't want him to think it's okay to put the litter box on tiles or carpet and that means it's okay for him to relieve himself on those carpets. However, if he thinks the bedding or newspaper is an acceptable alternative because it is near the crate, it will be better than relieving himself on the floor.
Pet stain remover
We at Petaholic recommend this organic cleaner over regular household cleaners, because it really gets rid of pet odor, and your pup won't want to relieve himself outside the litter box in the same place he did once he cleaned it with something made for dog stains.
Among the most important supplies that we provide exclusively at Petaholic for toilet training dogs are:
What are the steps for training puppies to use the litter box to relieve themselves?
It is worth noting that the litter box is best suited for small and medium-sized dogs. For larger dogs that raise their legs to urinate, the sides of the litter box should be very high to avoid staining surrounding objects in the house.
Find the right place for your dog
Ideally, if you have a detached house with an outdoor balcony or garden, you can place the litter box in this outdoor location. But if it has to be inside the house, you can place the litter box in the bathroom so it's easier to clean.
Let your dog know that this is his new place
Just as when you first start potty training puppies outside, you should indicate that this new area is where they urinate. You can do this by getting a paper towel or bathroom mat that has a little bit of your puppy's urine on it and placing it where you want him to relieve himself. It doesn't have to be a lot, but do it as frequently as possible so your dog knows it's okay to urinate in that particular spot.
You can lead your puppy into the crate whenever possible. Put him in and let him feel the grit under his feet, this is important; Because he will begin to associate this feeling with urination, and he will realize that the tiles and carpet do not feel the same way as they do in the area he expects to use.
Praise the dog for using the correct spot
Again, just as you would if you were training your dog to pee outside, be sure to give him plenty of praise and some tasty treats available in our store when he relieves himself in the right place. This takes consistency and patience, and you can probably expect some other accidents inside the house while you're doing this and urinating in the house. But over time, your dog will understand how to use the new pee spot. You can tell your dog “go to the litter box” or something similar, and when he does this, praise him often and several times. Eventually he will learn that you like it when he relieves himself in the litter box.
Keep your dog's toilet area clean
While you want your dog to understand that this is his new place to pee, you don't want him to stop using it because the place is too dirty, and of course you want your home to be hygienic. Therefore, you should always clean the litter box and ensure that it is free of any liquid or solid waste, and make sure that the place around the litter box is clean as well.
If your dog is relieving himself elsewhere, you need to think about why. Was he on his way to the litter box and couldn't get to it in time? In this case you should hold him, pet him in the crate, and praise him once he is there. If he sits cross-legged on your carpet without glancing at the box, you must say “no” very firmly, and pick him up and put him in the box immediately.
Among the distinctive products that we recommend to you for toilet training small dogs:
Finally, you need to keep in mind that potty training puppies does not have the innate behaviors of cats to use a litter box and bury their waste. So you need to be very patient while training your puppy to use the litter box, and by following the instructions in this guide, you will be able to do it successfully in no time. The products you provide in our store will make this process much easier for you.
You may also be interested in:
- How to bathe small dogs for the first time in the simplest steps
- How to prevent dogs from urinating on carpets