The “must-go” times: 

• Always take your dog out after sleeping, eating, and an energetic playing or training session.

• When you wake up in the morning, take your dog out right away (don’t wait to shower, have coffee, breakfast, etc.). Naps count as sleep, so take your pup out after they rise. 

• If you see any behavior that looks like it’s signaling an imminent pee or poop—like sniffing around and circling or seeking to walk away/get away—take them out.

• Keep mealtimes at the same times every day, and after they eat, wait no longer than 15 minutes to take them out. Dogs process food faster than we do. Take them out after they’ve had a drink of water too. 

An example Schedule, modify times to accommodate your schedule

• 6 AM - wake up. potty, play, breakfast, water

• 6:30 AM potty, naptime

• 9 AM potty, water, play, naptime

• 12 PM potty, play, lunch, water

• 12:30 potty, naptime

• 3 PM potty, water, play, naptime

• 6 PM potty, play, dinner, water

• 6:30 potty, naptime

• at your bedtime potty, maybe a small drink, and to bed.

Modifications I make

• I use an exercise pen with toys for unsupervised times to allow more freedom while remaining contained.

• I use a crate at least twice daily to teach self-soothing - it’s the key to raising a settled dog.

• I feed evening meals early to avoid potty breaks in the middle of the night.

• Puppies urinate prior to eating. After their meal, they need a bit of time before the remainder processes.

• If you hurry the second potty time, you’ll have an inside mess. Be patient and give them time with distractions.