Having a new puppy or kitten in your family is so exciting! Asides from ensuring it is socialised and settled into your family, toilet training your puppy or kitten will be high on your list of priorities. If you are lucky, your kitten may come able to use a litter box most of the time. Puppies on the other hand, are slightly trickier. Today we’re going to discuss the ins and outs of toilet training your new pet.
Stopping Little Accidents: How to Toilet Train Your Puppy
Everyone knows that young puppies have accidents inside, it goes with the territory. But what we don’t like is when those toileting accidents continue past the first few weeks. This is where toilet training your puppy early on becomes very important. That makes it vital to learn the best and easiest puppy toilet training methods and we’re here to share them with you!
During the day, your puppy will have to go outside to the toilet many times. These times are often just after it has eaten, woken up, been in the car or is hyped up from playing. Take your puppy outside and use a special word or phrase to remind them it is time to go. Using worlds like, ‘be a good boy,’ ‘go wees,’ or ‘go toilet’ will help you cue them up on when it’s toilet time.
Once your puppy goes, reward it with a treat and lots of praise and attention. Remember that being consistent is very important, so take your puppy outside every hour and use the same cues each time. If they do have an accident, growl in a loud voice and then take them outside immediately. At night-time, confining your puppy to a crate or pet playpen helps to contain any accidents that may occur.
Toilet Training Your Kitten
Kittens are generally easier to toilet train as they have usually been taught by their mother to use a litter tray before they left home. The problem can be that when arriving at a new house, they ‘forget’ everything they have learnt and start weeing and pooping on the floor or in cupboards.
When you bring a new kitten home, try to also bring some of their poo from the litter tray. Put this into their new tray and put your kitten next to it. By smelling their faeces, they quickly learn this is the acceptable place to go toilet. Use the same type of kitty litter in their tray for the first few days, before swapping to a different kind if you must.
Signs that your kitten is ready to toilet include sniffing and scratching the ground, plus the little squat which you may arrive at too late to stop. When you see these signs, put your kitten immediately into their litter box.
Patience is key when toilet training your puppy or kitten. Remember, a gentle voice is far more effective at teaching new habits than one which growls. If you get stuck and need some help, we’re more than happy to work with you! Send us a message with your concerns or questions and let’s solve your pet’s toileting issues today.
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