Transitioning to a Dog Litter Box: Training Techniques

For the past 16 years, I have been teaching puppy kindergarten and adolescent-dog classes at The Canine Connection, my training center in Chico, California. The number of graduates of my classes is likely more than 1,000 puppies – but it feels like I’ve answered client questions about potty training at least a million times. What’s one more time, if it helps someone live more happily and harmoniously with their new dog or puppy? Potty-training situations are of three types: (1) dogs who have never learned the appropriate place “to go,” (2) dogs who were once housetrained but are having a training regression, and (3) dogs who are pottying involuntarily – that is, they have no control over their urination or defecation. It just happens without any intent and often without the dog even realizing it is happening at all. Let’s look at these in order. Housetraining For the Never-Housetrained Dog Perhaps you have a brand new pup or a newly adopted teen or older dog. One thing that is vitally...

 We never could have predicted the enthusiasm for our litter box training protocol, and now after years of raising litters with our method, and teaching it to other breeders, we have converted this blog into a fully updated, media rich, course for breeders and fosters. We even designed a detailed, step by step, house training course for those who purchase puppies raised with our Poop School methods. You can find the Poop School: Litter Box Training For Breeders and Fosters course as an on demand course on our training website. If anyone had told me I could raise a litter of German Shepherd puppies from birth through 10 weeks in my home without going stark raving mad,  I would never have believed them! Too big! Too many! Too much poop! Prior to Puppy Culture, we raised puppies inside our home for the first six weeks. Then, when the poop got too much, we moved them outside to a large indoor/outdoor puppy pen and yard. Good enough, right? We thought so, and indeed this worked oka...

You may know from experience that it can be quite a challenge to potty train a small dog. Small dogs have smaller bowels and bladders, yet have to process more food and water for their size than larger dogs. As a result, they may need to eliminate more often—and that means more responsibility for you. It's not surprising that house-training failure is the #1 reason small dogs lose their homes. That's why many owners of small dogs have adopted the litter box as their training method of choice. Those who support litter box training say it can virtually eliminate 'accidents' since these dogs are free to go to the bathroom anytime during the day as needed. Litter box training provides greater convenience for owners, too. There are no inconvenient trips outside, no braving the cold, wind, and rain, and no tracking in dirt and mud. Owners simply clean the litter box once a day. How to start litter box training Look for a litter box designed especially for small dogs—they'...

At LillyBits  we litter box train our puppies and have found that it makes the potty training process much easier on their new families.    We begin litter box training at three weeks old and by the time they are eight weeks old they are little pro's. It is very nice because the puppy has always known that there is a place to hold it and a place to go potty. They never have slept, played or ate in their own 'mess'.  We have found that this makes the completed potty training process much easier for them and their new homes.    At LillyBits we use a specific method we have developed over the years to raise our puppies. Our potty methods begin at three weeks old and we believe this gives our puppies the best head start possible. We carefully watch each litter to know when to graduate puppies to the next phase. No litter of puppies is EXACTLY the same and we make small adjustments to set up our pups for success. Phase One    This is the first phase o...

Is it Really Possible to Litter Box Train a Dog? Absolutely!  Small dogs can be trained to use a litter box.  My personal experience shows that small dogs, once trained, actually benefit from using a litter box.  Small dogs have small bladders, and the opportunity to "go whenever" is a big plus!  It's also possible to train a dog to use a litter box that previously used papers or went outside.  Dogs can also travel using the litterbox in other locations, and are able to use the litterbox during the day, as well as "go outside" at other times. How Do I Start?  What do I Need? You'll need several items to get started.  Of course, a litter box is required.  I suggest a Purina dog litter box -- or get the largest cat litter box available, and cut the top off the hood.  Removing the top makes it much easier for the dog to use, and for you to clean.  Use very rough sandpaper or a smoothing tool (i.e. a Dremel) to round the edges.  Dogs ...

Learning how to potty train puppies at the right time and place is one of the most important first steps you can take for a long, happy life together. House soiling is among the top reasons why dogs lose their homes or end up in shelters. Few people are willing to put up with a dog who destroys rugs and flooring, or who leaves a stinky mess that you have to clean after a hard day at work. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that you do some research in advance on how to house train a dog , decide what will work best for your situation, and make a plan. There are tried-and-true methods for training your puppy, says Mary Burch, Ph.D., director of the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen and S.T.A.R. Puppy programs. These include:     Crate training     Paper training     Indoor potty training Also, frequent walks outside help. Dr. Burch says that there are pros and cons to each, but they all can be successful if you follow a few basic tips, including:   ...