Potty training… the topic everyone dreads when having a new Rottweiler puppy, or any puppy for that matter. It is really not that painful if you can commit a few weeks of nonstop attention. I know that is the hardest part since most people works more than two hours a day. 🙂 The most important part of potty training is being consistent. With consistent effort, and a few tips, you will be on your way to having a house broken Rottweiler in no time.
Obviously, the first step, is to let you puppy out in intervals, all day long. Remember, puppies are small and therefore, have a very small bladder. They can only hold so much before it needs to come out. We started by letting Bella out every two hours. Even if she did not have to go, we made sure we let her out. It quickly became a routine and she started relieving herself automatically. As your puppy becomes more used to relieving them self on the grass, stretch your intervals out to every three hours and then every four hours and so on. If you notice your puppy beginning to relieve them self in the home again, then the interval might be too long.
Second, be sure to acknowledge and correct accidents as soon as they happen. You cannot correct a puppy thirty minutes after an accident happened and expect them to understand what they are being yelled at for. If I catch Bella relieving herself on my floor, I tell her “no” in a deep, firm voice and instantly bring her outside, even if she is already done. She knows she did something wrong, and by bringing her outside immediately after, she understands that she can only do that outside. If you find a mess on the floor and you do not know when it happened, just clean it up and move on. At this young of an age, puppies should be monitored constantly. Keep them in common areas of the home where clean up is easy. Also, when I say clean up the mess, don’t just wipe up with a paper towel; yuck. Keep an antibacterial cleaning spay on hand at all times and clean any soiled areas well. Remember, dogs will return to scented areas and relieve them self again just because of the scent, so be sure to clean up accidents well, if you want to be successful with potty training.
Third, limit water intake in the late evening hours. If Bella constantly drinks water all night long, she will have to use the rest room all night long. Sometimes, the most common sense tips are over looked. The same goes for food. I do not leave food out all day for my Rottweilers. I have learned in the past years, that leaving food out all day, turns my Rottweilers into picky eaters. They begin to pick at their food all day long, and as a result, I never know when they need to relieve themselves. This is how accidents happen in the home. By leaving your Rottweiler’s food out for a specific amount of time during each meal, you are teaching your Rottweiler there are specific meal times. I leave the food out for a specific time frame and then the food is removed. This is a great help when potty training Rottweiler puppies because you know your Rottweiler puppy will have to relieve them self when they are done eating. It also prevents having to search your home for a mysterious foul smell… gross!
Last, be sure to reward good behavior. This does not have to be in the form of food every time. Personally, I do not believe in rewarding with only food. When Rottweilers are puppies, I do begin with using treats simply because puppies love food. However, my rewards quickly change as my puppy get older. Rewards can be in the form of playing with a favorite toy, playing fetch, or as simple as an enthusiastic praise. Rottweilers respond to voice tones and they know the difference between an enthusiastic praise and a deep, firm correction.
I hope these tips help you potty train your puppy much quicker. Again, just be as consistent as you can with the hours you have available, correct accidents immediately, limit water and food intake in the evenings, and always reward good behavior! Before you know it, you would have made it passed the horrible house breaking stage and onto more fun obstacles, like chewing! 🙂
~ Written by Liz Gutierrez | DKV Rottweilers
DKV Rottweilers | Rottweiler Blog 2020 