When the weather outside is frightful, potty training a pup is not exactly delightful—unless your pup is a St. Bernard or Alaskan malamute. But let's not forget about you. A skimpy bathrobe at 3 a.m does not a happy pup parent make. Here's how to keep warm and potty on.
Step 1
Dress your puppy in a coat and booties if you are training her in extremely cold climates or if there is snow on the ground. Take her outside for as long as she needs to go potty. The clothing will keep her warm enough to get the job done. As with any potty-training exercise, praise her when she relieves herself, then bring her back inside. Remove her outerwear.
Step 2
Take your pup outside frequently for short periods if she refuses to potty outside or shows displeasure at the cold. Confine her to a crate or exercise pen or keep a close watch on her; she will most likely attempt to potty inside.
Step 3
Create an indoor potty system by placing fake grass, puppy pads or newspaper on one side of an exercise pen, and your pup's bed on the other. Ensure that the two textures are distinctly different. Once the pup recognizes her soft bed, she'll prefer to keep her sleeping spot clean and potty on any surface other than her bed.
References
- Perfect Puppy in Seven Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right; Sophia Yin, DVM, MS
- Training Your Pug; Brenda Belmonte
Warnings
- Stay outside with your puppy in the cold. Depending upon where you live, she can become very cold or lose her scent and become lost.
Writer Bio
Elle Smith has been an advertising professional for more than 25 years. Her work for ABC, CBS and Sony Pictures Television has appeared on radio, on air, in print and outdoors. In addition, Smith has more than 20 years experience in marketing, graphic arts, commercial photography and print production, and is a licensed real estate agent with property management certification in California.