Today, we will be looking at some tips on how to potty train a puppy in an apartment fast. Potty training or home training your puppy is important if you want a good and enjoyable dog owner experience. The techniques shared here will show you how to house train your dog without a crate or other expensive equipment.
The first few months of training is essential as it should stay with your dog for a lifetime. So training your dog the right way is worth getting right from the start.
Table of Contents
How to Potty Train A Puppy In An Apartment Fast
An important thing to understand and realize about dogs is that they are pack animals. That means that they have to be taught to obey. This strategy is very much like teaching a child to obey their parents.
This post contains affiliate links. However all the information provided on this site are my own honest opinions. See more in Disclaimer.
There is no easy way that your dog can learn to obey without being taught first. If you want a housebroken puppy, you need to spend some time teaching it to make that happen.
Also, puppy dogs are not like adult dogs who have grown up and know all the rules. And if you think you know a lot about house training your puppy or think you may not need to potty train, if you truly want a hygienic home, you have to ensure you get this done.
Always remember puppies grow up into adult dogs, and the bad behaviors you don’t correct early will stay with him for life.
Best Way To Potty Train A Puppy In An Apartment
Many people think that this is a difficult task that will require months of hard work, and to be fair, you do have to be patient, but in reality, it is one of the easiest and fairly quick ‘dog training task’ to do once you have the right guidance.
Also See:
It only took me a few days, like seven days (because I was hardly home) to potty my puppy indoors in an apartment, commanding him to go to the bathroom, which he always responds to, and you can be just as successful with the methods below.
Since you are just starting with dog training, it may take one or two weeks, depending on your attitude, living conditions, and many other factors, but with patience and plenty of time and effort, you can have a perfectly trained dog for life at home.
How To House Train Your Dog Without A Crate
There are many different ways that you can use in potty training or housebreaking your puppy.
Some people like to use dog crates as they can be quite effective in training puppies.
What is a dog crate?
A dog crate is a large plastic, metal, or cardboard enclosure with a sturdy door that allows a dog to be securely kept for transport or protection. Dog crates are usually designed to resemble a dog’s natural cave and provide them with an area of shelter to live, potty, or rest in depending on your reason for purchasing the crate.
A dog crate comes in different sizes and styles, and you can even buy them in different colors depending on what you feel is best suited for your dog.
Types of Dog Crate
The most common types of dog crates are the ones that are made of nylon, plastic, metal or the kind that has a wooden frame that is secured together with metal bolts. For potty training, dog crates with trays are easier to clean, so they would be a better choice if you wish to purchase a crate. Here are some tips on crate training your puppy if you are interested in using crates.
However, dog crates can cause you to spend more money and take up space in a small apartment, which could be an issue. It is also not necessary to own one just for potty training your dog or just for dog training.
Here is a quick list of methods/steps you can use to house train your dog without a crate. These techniques can be done without ever hitting your dog, crating your dog, or doing anything physically. It can be done in small and large apartments successfully.
How To Potty Train A Puppy In An Apartment Fast
This main technique does not use a cage or crate. It is enough to regularly keep your dog in a certain area of the house, especially if he is not supervised.
It is best if the floor is easy to clean, such as a bathroom floor. You can also use linoleum in the bathroom, as accidents can initially occur.
When your new puppy arrives, you should not allow it to run around the house unsupervised as he or she will go to the bathroom anytime without having been trained to do so, and you will end up with stains on your floor, so its best to get set up correctly before you start the training.
Ensure your puppy has a good, comfortable dog bed in the area you choose and is happy to use. Once you’ve set the bed up as your own, it’s less likely to get injured up close.
Also, ensure your dog finds joy and is happy in this area – fresh water should always be available, play with, and petting it there, so it feels happy, safe, and protected.
The key to this home training method is observing your pup’s behavior. So you have to spend time with him initially. The other important factor is a regular eating routine. Puppies generally need to go to the bathroom after eating as a routine to help both of you in the long run.
Also, check that your food and water and amounts are appropriate for your dog’s breed, age, and natural digestive system. You cannot train a dog with diarrhea, so it must be treated early. Talk to your veterinarian if you can’t fix the problem yourself, or if your dog has urinary problems as it may be an infection.
So here is the procedure once everything is in place.
Easiest Way To Potty Train A Puppy In An Apartment
Imagine a slogan or word that you use when you see your pup go to the bathroom or when you want to encourage them to do so.
When you wake up in the morning, within half an hour of your dog’s eating and before bed, you need to bring it to your bathroom (it can be a newspaper on the floor, a puppy pad, or just a convenient spot on the floor).
It can also be out the back door into the garden for those who live in a house.) Once there, give the order. If you have the patience, she’s will likely go to the bathroom, and you can congratulate her with words of praise or a treat for doing it in the right place.
Always reward your puppy whenever it does something right. For example, if your puppy goes out in the backyard, bring it back inside. After your puppy follows your command and goes back inside, do give it a treat or dog toy to play with.
When a puppy is young, just a few months old, they have little control and capacity to handle urine and feces in their system. Therefore, you should take it out every two hours and make sure the bathroom is accessible to use it when it wants to.
See this video on potty training your puppy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axpQKYbhwNo
Observe Your Puppy’s Behaviour
If you are spending time with your pup (and should be spending a lot of time with him at this point in his life), it is good to observe him and become familiar with his behavior when he goes to the bathroom. – mine seems restless and goes.
The knees were slightly bent shortly before leaving and sniffed the ground in a circle. Once you know this, you can anticipate your own pup’s needs and quickly pick up the dog or call it to the designated bathroom area. Once your puppy is in the bathroom area, give the order to go in a friendly and encouraging tone.
Keep The Puppy Pad Or Bathroom Area Clean At All Times
If your pup is reluctant to enter this area, look for a reason why. There may be a good reason that needs to be addressed, such as being dirty or too near the sleeping area.
If your dog manages to use the bathroom in the right place, give him praise and maybe give him his favorite treat. Whenever your puppy does what you asked, give praise immediately in the bathroom area.
Use Positive Reinforcement To House Train Your Dog
Puppies and dogs, in general, forget quite quickly, so the praise needs to be fast and immediate so they correlate the action with the reward. This action is called positive reinforcement and the most important aspect of this training method.
Soon your puppy will be staring at you or whining when he tries to go to the bathroom. You have to be there, ready to react quickly, or it will have an accident. If you use newspaper pieces around the house, you can gradually move them outside, so your dog understands that this is the new bathroom area.
DO NOT punish your dog if she makes a mistake. She won’t understand why you’re talking to her, and that will only confuse her.
Also, get rid of accidents with a detergent that removes the odor. Dogs love to pamper where they left their scent and may come back and go in the same spot if they smell their urine. Thorough cleaning practices should deter this behavior.
A Final Note On Potty Training Your Puppy
To see success with the techniques on how to potty train a puppy in an apartment, you’ll need to spend a lot of time with your pup, learning his or her behavior before going to the bathroom, and giving yourself a warning. Take her to the bathroom or designated potty area and clean it up afterward. Give her great praise for doing it in the right place.
Keep your living space clean, comfortable, and fun for both of you. The most important thing is to be patient – home training and any form of dog training takes time, and your dog has a lot to learn from being a puppy at this point in his life. You need lots of love, treats, lots of fun, games, and lots of encouragement. Please share this if you enjoyed this.
