Living in an apartment poses a few challenges for potty training your new puppy since your smaller space will make it harder to take them outside for restroom breaks.
Yet, it is possible to help them learn how and when to use the restroom with minimal messes even during the first few weeks. The most important thing is to be consistent as you show them your preferred place for using the potty and use positive reinforcement every time they display the correct behavior.
As you use these strategies, remember to enjoy this bonding time with your new pet so that they will continue to work toward learning this important part of their training.
Provide Frequent Trips Outside
As a new puppy owner, it is important to understand that young dogs are limited regarding how long they can hold their urine.
Typically, an eight-week-old puppy will need to be taken outside every 20 to 30 minutes.
Keep in mind that this also includes during the night. As your puppy grows bigger, you can extend the time between breaks outside according to how well they hold their bladder. Eventually, your dog will be able to hold their urine for several hours, and you will learn how to adjust your timing according to their eating and drinking habits.
While it may get tiring taking your dog outside this often, remember that it is only for a short time during the training period.
Repetition is critical for reinforcing positive behavior so each one of these trips outside is another opportunity to reward successful potty attempts with praise.
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