How to Potty Train Your Puppy During Cold Weather
- 1). Give your puppy a treat for glancing out into the cold weather when you open the door. Step out of the door yourself and coax it outside just a few steps by bribing it with another treat. If it ventures out into the chill, reward it with the treat and praise it for being so brave. Teach your puppy that cold weather is not a negative experience by rewarding it for going outside.
- 2). Clean up any messes you find in the house without scolding or punishing your puppy. You can't correct your puppy unless you catch it in the act, and even then yelling or swatting can make your puppy afraid of going potty around you. Fear can create other behavior issues, such as aggression or it can encourage your puppy to find secret places to do its business. Don't confuse it by simply teaching it where you don't want it to go.
- 3). Put your puppy on a leash and walk with it outside. The leash leaves your pup unable to escape back into the warmth of the house. It also signals to your puppy that this is not playtime. Encourage it to "go potty" and wait for it to do its business.
- 4). Praise your puppy for going potty outside in the cold. Give it a puppy treat as an additional reward. Your puppy will learn that it pleases you when it potties outside, and you will reinforce the idea that going out in the cold can be a positive experience.
- 5). Make a noise to interrupt your puppy if you see it going potty inside. A clap or a whistle should get your puppy's attention and stop if from finishing. Once you have its attention, pick it up or attach its leash and take it outside. Encourage your puppy to "go potty." This verbal cue will eventually help it to know that you want it to finish its business.
- 6). Reward the pup for finishing its business outside instead of in the house. Teach your puppy that this is where you do want it to go so that it learns to go outside to potty in the future. Praise your puppy in an excited voice to emphasize that you are happy with it and give it puppy treats or play a game with it.
- 7). Confine your puppy to a crate when you are not at home. Puppies don't like to potty in their beds and the crate can keep your pup from making a mess in the house. However, since puppies don't have full bladder control, they can't hold it for more than two or three hours at a time. Hire a dog walker or ask a friend or family member to let your dog out every few hours if you will be gone any longer than that.
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