If your dog does not like snow, it is likely that he will not be enthusiastic about going outside in such weather. Additionally, it may be challenging to locate his usual spot for relieving himself.
Regrettably, this typically results in creating additional messes and the subsequent need to clean up after your dog inside the house.
Don’t worry, it can be easier than you think to adjust your methods to the climate by thinking step by step.
Continue reading to discover four straightforward and efficient suggestions that will assist you with toilet training your puppy during the winter season, while also utilizing the weather conditions to your benefit when it comes to training.
How can the following text be rephrased step by step while keeping the same meaning?
Firstly, your puppy’s inclination to stay indoors presents an excellent chance for you to concentrate on indoor potty training.
Many owners unfortunately neglect indoor potty training, which results in unnecessary accidents when the puppy has to stay home.
The cold weather outside can motivate your puppy to learn to go to the bathroom quickly.
Unless he has an intense passion for snow, he should be just as eager as you to complete and return indoors.
Let’s approach the topic of potty training a puppy in the winter with an optimistic mindset and go through the following tips step by step.
4 Great Tips for Potty Training Your Puppy in Winter
1. Teach Him to Go Quickly on Cue and Not Stay Too Long in the Cold
To ensure you can promptly take your puppy out for a potty break, you should first make sure you are prepared yourself.
Make sure to have everything prepared in advance, including the leash, poop bags, warm clothing for both of you, and so on.
When it’s cold, postponing chores can feel quite discouraging, but preparing ahead of time greatly boosts enthusiasm.
When you set off, avoid playing or wandering and proceed directly to elimination.
Using a cue such as “Go potty” whenever your puppy goes to the bathroom will also eventually help speed up the process.
Remember to express affection and treat your puppy whenever they respond quickly or follow a command.
2. Clear a Regular Path, and Possibly Mark His Regular Spot to Make Trips Quicker
A path that is regularly cleared and maintained to your dog’s usual elimination spot will also greatly aid in speeding up the process.
When preparing the spot, ensure that you clear any snow or ice as close to the ground as you can, leaving enough space for your dog to move and explore by sniffing.
Keeping the designated area clear will assist dogs as the scent of previous eliminations serves as an excellent cue for them.
3. Adjust His Schedule in Winter to Time Potty Breaks for Good Weather
To facilitate trips, attempt to modify your puppy’s feeding and walking schedules during winter to coincide with favorable weather conditions.
One possible way to rephrase the text while maintaining the same meaning is: You can plan multiple trips during the day, particularly around noon when it’s warmer, and adjust dinner time to be earlier than in the summer.
It is important to adjust mealtimes for puppies soon after they eat, considering the need to eliminate.
During the adjustment period, it is important to carefully observe your puppy for any indications or signs that may arise.
Teaching her a signal, such as ringing a doorbell, when she wants to go, is even more effective.
4. Insure Yourself Against Indoor Messes – Use Puppy Pads!
Indoor messes and accidents are nearly impossible to prevent, particularly when your dog dislikes going outside in the cold.
Training her to only eliminate in designated spots – whether it be indoor puppy pads or other designated areas – is highly beneficial in such circumstances.
If you’re skilled in tools and construction, or have the necessary resources, building a potty shed or shelter in your yard is a great alternative to taking walks, provided you think methodically.
A puppy that is effectively trained to eliminate indoors can be a significant time-saving benefit when it comes to cleaning up.
These situations can be effectively addressed by using Bulldogology’s 6-layer premium puppy training pads, available in both regular and XL sizes.
Once your puppy learns to hit the spot, they become highly absorbent, odor-blocking, and easy to clean-up, making them quick and convenient.
To save yourself trouble, make sure to have a sufficient supply of puppy pads stocked in your house when the weather becomes inclement.
BONUS: Potty pad training your dog
Indoor potty-training can be beneficial, especially for small breeds residing in high-rise apartment buildings or cold climates such as Minnesota winters.
Instead of typical potty training outdoors, you have the option to teach your dog to use a designated potty pad for going potty.
Below are a few steps that can aid you in getting started, by thinking step by step, in rephrasing the given text while keeping the same meaning without adding or removing any information.
- Restrict Fluffy’s access inside the house. Keep her on leash with you, in a free-standing pen on an easy-to-clean floor (while supervised), or in a properly-sized kennel. When she looks as though she’s about to pee or poop, say “potty” (or whatever word you choose) and take her quickly to her pad. Give her lots of praise and a small treat when she “does her business” there. Do not allow her free access to the house yet, as that will only result in making housetraining mistakes. If she pees or poops in the wrong areas, she will return to those areas more and more.
- No punishment. If Fluffy has an accident, simply take her quickly to her pad. No yelling, no “bad dog” or other punishment: all that will do is teach her to poop and pee when you are not around (when it’s “safe”). Clean any soiled areas with an enzyme-based cleaner such as Nature’s Miracle and follow label instructions carefully.
- Set up her “alone” room. When you can’t watch her, or when you are away from the house, leave Fluffy in a small bathroom with pads covering the entire floor: leave her some water, toys and some bedding to lie on. Do this for 2-3 days, then take away one of the pads (leaving all the others). In two more days, take another pad away. Two days later, remove another, and so on. The idea is to wean Fluffy off of each pad until there is only one left in the room. If she pees outside of the remaining pads, put the rest back and start over.
- Feed Fluffy on a schedule. For dogs that eat twice a day, we recommend putting the food bowl down in the morning, wait 15 minutes and then remove it, regardless of how much or how little she ate. She will learn to eat when her food is available, and be less likely to have accidents during the day.
- Take her to her pad regularly and wait for her to go. We recommend every 2-3 hours, as well as following sleep, play and eating periods. Once again, reward her generously when she goes. I would keep her on leash to prevent her from wandering away: simply stand with her at her spot, on-leash, and ignore her until she goes. Give her 5 minutes, then take her away from the spot.
Continue with this routine for approximately two weeks. If, after this time period, she is not experiencing any accidents, gradually increase her freedom and continue to provide rewards for successful trips to the bathroom. However, if she starts soiling again, revert back to following the aforementioned steps.
