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Recently, a reader asked, in the comments to this article, about some potty training issues she struggles with.

We got a dog. He is about a year and a half. He has been with us for about 2 months now and he has adapted well. When we got him, he was potty trained. He was doing fine at first, going outside and not in the house. Then, after a while, it started fading away. Now, he wil go outside to pee, but he waits until he gets in the house to go poop. What do we do? We have tried a lot of stuff like letting him stay outside all day but he just waits until he comes in to go to the bathroom. We have also tried a spanking but, he just does it again. I’m pulling my hair out because I don’t know how to make him go outside, instead of inside. Can you please help me?

Photo courtesy of Pat Thomas of Photo Phetish

This story is a very common one.  Many people tell you that their dog is a potty trained angel, as they try to give him away.  In fact, a lot of people classify their dog as “potty trained,” but if he pees on the floor, or he poops on the floor…  Guess what?  He IS NOT potty trained!  Potty training is a very black and white issue.  Either a dog IS or IS NOT potty trained.  There is no middle ground or room for qualifiers.

If your expectation is that your dog will consistently wait twelve hours inside before “getting busy,” you should reconsider your situation with your schedule, your dog, or your expectations.  If he cannot hold it that long every day, it is not his fault when he goes in the house before you let him out.  If your schedule does not allow you to be home for your pup more often than that, consider getting a professional dog walker or pet sitter to visit your house during your work day.

Specifically for this commenter, I suggest that you revisit the basics of potty training, for both your sake and your dog’s.  Also, examine your potty routine with your dog by asking yourself these questions:

• Do you have an established potty spot?  If not, establish one and take your dog out to that same spot every time.  Dogs like consistency and routine.
• Are you immediately praising each successful outside #1 and #2?  If not, carry some treats in your pocket on your walks and totally overreact positively when your dog does something you want.
• Are you walking your dog on a leash?  Naturally, you will need a leash to control that he stays in his potty spot until he does his business.  Give him up to 15 minutes to do his business.  Since this is not a walk (for fun and exercise), do not walk around.  You have taken your dog to his potty spot for him to get down to business.
• Are you confining him to his crate, if he does not “get busy” outside?  If he is not successful outside, take him back in the house and put him in his crate or confine him to a small room.  Dogs do not generally like to soil the area they sleep in, and most potty training dogs spend their nights in a confined area or crate.  After five or ten minutes, take him back outside for another opportunity, going out the same door, to the same spot, and give him a command to potty.  Mom uses “get busy” to pee and “big busy” for poop.

If he continues having accidents in the house, he has lost his privilege to roam the house freely.  Remember Potty Training Rule #1: If you cannot physically keep your eye on the dog while he is in the house, he must be put in his confined area.  He must also wear a leash so that when you catch him soiling, you can say NO very sternly and take him immediately outside to his potty spot.  You must catch him in the act of soiling or you cannot correct it.  It is also important to note that you should never allow your dog to see you clean up his mess.  Speaking of cleaning, use Simple Solution, or something like it, to completely eliminate the odor from his past indiscretions in the house.

As with all training, you must be consistent with this until you have successfully eliminated accidents inside.