Bringing home a Pit bull puppy will prove to be a delight as they are bright and intelligent canines. But, before you bring one home, make sure you know how to potty train a Pit bull puppy. Learn all the details that will help you avoid potty accidents in your house by going through the following pet training article.
Pit bulls are not aggressive or genetically ill-tempered. The truth is actually quite the opposite. Pit bulls are actually well-mannered dogs and extremely lovable. Train them with positive reinforcement methods only and do-no-harm. It is important to socialize your Pitbull. This will help make them friendly and less weary towards strangers, passing cars and other pets. Correct training will make all the difference in supporting the loyal and sweet temperament of a Pitbull or for that matter any dog.
When we bring home a young pup, he is anxious as well as excited about the new surroundings. You may shower him with love and kids will love carrying him all around the house. The puppy will enjoy the play and attention but will remain confused about the rules of the house. Like every human kid, it will also have problems controlling its bladder and bowels. Just like potty training a human kid, it is necessary to train a Pitbull puppy to go potty only in the designated area.
How to Potty Train a Pit bull Puppy
A puppy may pee and poop anywhere in the house. There is no way for it to understand that its actions are considered wrong by its owner. You have to teach it the correct way of going potty in a very patient and humane way. Do not scold, beat or torture your puppy, if it has an accident around the house. Think of it as a human kid, who needs to be guided about the etiquette of using a bathroom. Consistency, persistence, and patience are the three golden keys that will help you potty train a Pitbull puppy.
The first thing you need to do after introducing the puppy to the house and its new family is to take it to potty. You need to make it wear a leash and guide it to the exact spot outside the house, where it can go potty. You need to come up with a cue or trigger word, like ‘go potty’ or ‘go poo’. Use this cue word, every time you tie it to the leash and step outside for potty. While the pup is carrying on with its business, make sure you use the cue word. This will help it associate the word with its action.
Now, remember a puppy has a small bladder, therefore, its holding capacity is less. It will need to empty its bladder every couple of hours in the day. Thus, you need to schedule frequent potty breaks during the day. After you take him for potty, wait for some time for the pup to carry on with its business. Wait for about 15 to 20 minutes. If he goes pee-pee or poo-poo, praise him widely. Give the pup a treat and verbally praise with a “YES!” and even some play! Let them know you are very happy about their behavior and pay them! This will help in positive reinforcement of your training. Bring it home and make sure you confine the pup to a limited area within the house. This area should be near the kitchen, living room or a place that receives maximum house traffic. You do not want the pup to feel isolated or lonely at any time. This will help avoid accidents around the house as dogs avoid soiling their sleeping area.
Half an hour before you feed your Pitbull puppy, take him/her for potty. Feed him his meal and take him back to potty after half an hour. Short playtime of about half an hour should be followed by a potty break. Place him in his crate afterward and allow him to rest for some time. After about half an hour, bring him out of the crate and take him back for a potty break. You see, after every half an hour you need to take your Pitbull puppy for potty. This will help teach him that potty means going outside. Also, puppies cannot control their bladder for too long, so this will help avoid accidents within the house.
The minute you wake him up in the morning take him to do potty. Make sure you take him for potty exactly half an hour before a meal. Then, take him back after half an hour of eating a meal. Take the Pit bull pup potty after playtime and before he goes to sleep. In some cases, you may have to take him every half an hour at night for some weeks. Yes, this is a tedious job, but will help teach your pup not to pee or poop in the house. If you observe the usual signs of potty in the pup, immediately take him to his designated spot to pee. If you catch a pup trying to go potty within the house, make a loud noise and take him outdoors. If you catch him after an accident, do not scold, punish or scream at the dog. He won’t understand what’s going on and will just influence the dog negatively. Every time your pup goes potty in the right place, praise him and give him a treat. You will soon find that this will become a habit for the pup. Then gradually stop giving him treats. Finally, he will start going out on his own.
How Long Does it Take to Potty Train a Puppy?
Potty training a Pitbull puppy takes a month or up to three months. If you remain consistent and persistent with your training schedule, your puppy will soon learn. Never ever beat, scold or punish your pup. Do not even lock him up in the bathroom or leave him alone for bad behavior. You are just making things worse for you and your pet. Positive reinforcement like praise, treats, and proper guidance will help house train your pet sooner. If your pup does not have a single accident for about 5 weeks continuously, you have succeeded in housebreaking your pup.
These were some tips related to how to potty train a Pitbull puppy. Love, affection, attention, and care will help you bring up a sweet-tempered and obedient dog. Potty training is a tedious method, but be sure that its results will last for life.
