House training your puppy is a rewarding journey, and this guide will help you take the next crucial step: teaching your dog to communicate their need to go outside. This advanced stage builds upon the foundation of consistent potty breaks and aims to foster independence and clear communication between you and your canine companion. It’s important to ensure you have successfully completed the initial house-training phases before introducing these techniques. If you’ve consistently followed a schedule with no accidents and your puppy has begun to show signs of needing to go out, you’re ready to progress.
The Goal: Encouraging Your Puppy to “Ask”
The primary objective of this phase is to encourage your puppy to signal their need to go outside. We achieve this by strategically leaving the door used for potty breaks slightly ajar. This creates a situation where your puppy realizes they need your assistance to fully open the door and access the outdoors, prompting them to communicate their desire.
An Add-On Procedure for Supervised Time
This technique is designed to be integrated into your puppy’s supervised indoor time. Ensure your puppy has access to the designated door for potty breaks during these supervised periods.
Let Your Puppy Smell the Outside
During this transitional training, keep the door you use for potty breaks cracked open just enough for your puppy to smell the outside without being able to exit independently. For sliding doors, simply pull it open an inch or so. With swinging doors, a traditional wedge stopper can be effective. Alternatively, a security door chain can allow the door to be slightly open while still providing security. Some owners have also installed security bolts in sliding doors to achieve the same effect.
Encouraging “Going Outside” Signals
When your puppy begins to sniff the air through the slightly open door, initiate your established “going outside” ritual. Ask, “Do you want to go outside?” and pause for a moment, allowing your puppy to offer a signal. This might be a whine, a small bark, or pawing at the door. If you notice your puppy moving away and intently sniffing the floor, gently guide them to the door and wait for their signal. Have the leash ready to take your puppy outside promptly. Crucially, ensure you supervise these potty trips by keeping them on a leash, rather than letting them wander freely.
Utilizing Bells for Communication
If you’ve chosen hanging bells as a communication method, the process remains similar. Once at the partially open door, wait for your puppy’s sniffing to jostle the bells. As soon as they ring, praise them, offer a treat, and open the door. Remember to have these bells consistently jingling throughout the initial house-training phase so your puppy associates them with going outside.
Separate Bathroom Trips from Playtime
It is vital during this training period to exclusively use the “outside” ritual for bathroom needs. Avoid mixing “business with pleasure” by not playing extensively in the potty area immediately after your puppy has relieved themselves. When your puppy signals to go outside, ensure they understand this is for bathroom purposes. After they finish, return inside. If you plan to play outside, do so in a separate session. Avoid using the same phrase (“Do you want to go outside?”) for both bathroom trips and playtime. While it’s perfectly fine for your puppy to eliminate outdoors during play or walks, explicitly separating the “bathroom” ritual helps solidify the “asking” skill and the prompt phrase.
This next stage of training is an exciting step towards a well-communicative relationship with your puppy. You are almost there!
Useful Resources:
- House Breaking 101
- Crate Training 101
- Your Puppy’s First Couple of Weeks: Tips to Make the Transition Easier
Best of luck with all your puppy training!
