Potty Schedule
If and when he goes, have a party, with lots of smiles, praise, and even a few treats. Allow him a few minutes of play or exploration as a reward for going quickly. If he doesn’t go, bring him back inside, but keep him under very close supervision, either tethered to you or in his crate, for twenty minutes or so, then try again.
Sample Schedule for Puppies Under Six Months
- 6 A.M — Potty time (Some puppies will just need to pee; others will have to do everything). Supervised play until breakfast.
- 6:30 — Breakfast (in crate if you need to shower or accomplish anything).
- 6:45 — Potty. After potty, supervised play until crating.
- 7:45 — Crate (one last pee before crating is a good idea, especially for young puppies).
- 11 — Potty, play.
- 11:30 — Lunch.
- 11:45 — Potty, supervised play until crating.
- 12:30 — Crate.
- 3 — Potty, then supervised play or back in crate until dinner.
- 5:15 — Potty.
- 5:30 — Dinner.
- 5:50 — Potty, play, potty, crate, potty, play, etc. until bedtime.
- 7 — Take away water (give ice chips or water a sip at a time if necessary).
- 10:45 — Potty.
- 11 — Bedtime.
It takes patience and careful supervision to prevent accidents , but it can be done.
Most 8–12 week old puppies won’t make it through the night without at least one potty trip. This should be as uneventful as possible. Just let your puppy potty and then put her right back in the crate, with no treats or playtime.
During the day, most puppies can be crated for about an hour for every month they are old. You may need to enlist the help of a friend, neighbor, or dog walker to make sure your puppy gets out often enough if you work outside of the home. Physical control comes in leaps, not steps. You’ll just notice one day that your puppy can wait until after breakfast to go out that first time, or suddenly can wake up from a nap and not have to pee immediately. Adjust the schedule as your puppy physically matures.
