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Let the fun begin! You have recently added a cockapoo to your family. Now you need to potty train this adorable little puppy. The job requires patience, kindness, consistency, and praise. Fortunately, Cockapoos are smart as a whip and easy to potty train.
So, here is a step-by-step guide that will help you to have your little canine housebroken in as early as two weeks.
The 7 Steps on How to Potty Train Your Cockapoo
1. Help the Dog to Succeed
The more times you take the dog out to where you want it to pee or poop, the better the chances are that it will get it right. When the dog does its business in the right area, reward it with praise and a treat. The more you reward the behavior, the faster the dog will learn.
2. Do Not Punish for Mistakes or Accidents
Use positive reinforcement, and do not punish the dog for mistakes. Punishment leads to worry and confusion, and it will hinder the training process.
3. Give the Pup an Accident Friendly Area
While the Cockapoo is being potty trained, there will be times when you are unable to supervise it. In these instances, the dog needs a safe place to have accidents. For instance, you can put the pup in a crate or kennel. An area in the kitchen can also be closed off with a baby gate, and the dog will be less likely to go to the bathroom in the small area. This is also a good place to feed the dog and give it access to its bed and water. We do not recommend leaving the pup in a crate or small area for extended time periods, however.
4. Morning Potty
Your Cockapoo will need to relieve itself first thing in the morning. It should need to poop and pee, so give it time to do both. Stand outside with the dog until it relieves itself. You will want to be sure not to interrupt the dog until it finishes its business. Once it is done, praise it and give it a treat as a reward.
5. Engage With the Dog
Once potty time is done, return the pup to the house and spend some time cuddling and playing with it. The dog should be able to roam around the room if you are present and able to supervise it. If you are busy or distracted, the puppy should be returned to the accident-safe area until you are free to give it your undivided attention.
6. Hourly Potty Breaks
Your Cockapoo should be taken outside once every hour. That means every hour of the day until it is time to go to bed at night. The routine should be done after every meal, playtime, and exercise.
7. Reward and Praise
Every single time the dog goes potty in the designated area, it needs to be praised and rewarded with a treat. To establish a potty pattern for your pup, keep a record of what it did and what time it did it. If you establish a pattern, you will be able to figure out its schedule. In about a week, you will have established a pattern, so you can reduce the trips outside.
When Your Pup Has an Accident
When Your Pup Has an AccidentYou must know that with puppies there will be accidents. Give the dog the two to three weeks it requires to learn what it needs to do. In the meantime, here are some things you can do when accidents happen.
- Thoroughly clean up the accident. Be sure to remove any odors or spray from the mess. You can purchase a product that is specifically designed to neutralize pet odors so the dog will not be drawn to the spot again.
- Remember it was an accident, and do not make a fuss. In most cases, dogs aim to please and will not make a mess on purpose. If the messes continue or increase, it may be because it is not being properly supervised. If you are distracted, the dog needs to be in an accident-safe place. It is not fair to set the dog up for failure.
- If an accident happens outside of a safe area, calmly put it in the crate or safe place, and thoroughly clean up the accident. Afterward, bring the pup back out to the shared area as though nothing happened.
Don’t Set Yourself Up for Failure
Yelling at your Cockapoo if it has an accident in the house will only make the problem worse. If you continue, the dog will begin to be afraid and worrisome. This can result in the dog avoiding going potty near you and it will learn to go inside the house but out of your view, so you don’t yell.
Things to Consider When Potty Training a Cockapoo Puppy
Cockapoo puppies may need to be taken out more frequently when they are young. Since their bladders are too small to hold out for longer time periods, you may need to wait until their bladders are mature before you make them hold out a bit longer.
In cases of diarrhea or runny poo, your Cockapoo may need to go out more often. If the diarrhea or soft poop continues, you may want to seek the advice of your veterinarian. You can talk to the vet about changing your pup’s food or have it checked to rule out any medical issues that may be causing the dog to have accidents and hindering the training process.
Training difficulties may also be the result of the environment and habits that were formed in its previous home.
Conclusion
Remember that you are an important part of your Cockapoos success. You will need to be diligent and consistent with your potty training if your dog is going to get it right. It will require patience and positive reinforcement to get the job done. If you follow these steps, your Cockapoo should be pooping and peeing outside in no time. Congratulations and good luck.
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Featured Image Credit: Bartlomiej Rybacki, Shutterstock
