Getting a new puppy entails a number of responsibilities. Aside from feeding, grooming and exercise, it is also your responsibility to train your pup to pee and poop outside the house.

Just like humans, dogs need to eliminate. However, puppies are not born with the knowledge that peeing or pooping on the couch, carpet or sofa is unacceptable. So, it’s up to you to teach them where they should eliminate. Also, since it is impossible to train your dog overnight, you’ll need to have lots of patience and build your routine around your puppy’s needs.

Follow these steps and potty train your dog the easy way.

Pay attention

Pay close attention to your puppy and watch for signals to see when it prepares itself to pee or poop. At this stage, your pup may need constant supervision. So, we suggest that you let him stay in one room, where you can watch him most of the time.

When you notice your dog sniffing around, lifting a leg or starting to squat, gently tap the dog, say “no” and take him outside.

Build a schedule

Puppies have very poor bladder control, and need to urinate every one to two hours. It is also normal for them to urinate immediately upon waking up. That being said, you need to bring your pup in the same general area first thing in the morning. If you can, take your dog outside every hour after that to prevent soiling inside the house.

A puppy will usually need to urinate within 15 minutes of eating, and defecate within 30 minutes of eating.Take your puppy outside 10 minutes after eating and make sure not to use this time to play.

Positive reinforcement

Once your puppy has successfully gone outside, talk to him in a happy tone and use words of praise to show him that you are pleased. You can also give him a treat to get the message of a job well done across.