Goldendoodle Potty Training: 4 Easy Steps (with supplies)
When it comes to Goldendoodle potty training, the most important thing to remember is that a good routine and a lot of patience will lead to great success. From my personal experience with Kai, Byrdie and Zuma, I’m a firm believer that it’s easy to potty train a Goldendoodle puppy if you follow these four easy steps (and have the right supplies):
Set Boundaries - crate, pen, or leash
Create Comfort - secure sleep area
Use Smells to Your Advantage - teach the correct areas to go potty
Set a Routine - stick to a schedule
If you follow these simple steps, potty training your Goldendoodle puppy should be as easy as it was for me.
How To Potty Train a Goldendoodle Puppy
Puppy Potty Training Step 1: Set Boundaries
When you're not able to supervise your puppy, he will need to be in a confined space. If he is allowed full freedom around the house, your puppy will likely choose a potty spot somewhere inside. When housetraining a puppy, choose a properly sized crate or pen as a boundary area.
Puppies will usually not go potty in the same area where they sleep. If the area is too large, your puppy will use a portion as a potty area. For this reason, you will need to start with a smaller size crate or pen and purchase a larger size as your puppy grows.
I prefer using a crate early on to get them comfortable in a crate. A pen is too large to avoid accidents. Please note: The Humane Society states that crate time for puppies under six months old crate time should be limited to three to four hours at a time.
I only used the crate during the times I could not watch my puppies. If they weren’t in the crate, I had them in a pen or on a leash.
Wire Dog Crate or Pen
Puppy Potty Training Step 2: Create Comfort
Their designated sleep area must be a place where they feel safe and secure, so they grow to love it. Puppies will usually not go potty in the same area where they sleep.
When crate training, you'll want to make sure you choose the right-sized crate based on the size of your puppy. A small dog, such as a mini Goldendoodle puppy, will need a smaller size crate than a standard-size Goldendoodle puppy. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to start your puppy getting used to the crate on the very first day. I talk more about how it worked for me here in this blog post.
How to Get a Puppy to Like His Crate
Get a snuggle puppy! The Snuggle Puppy is my absolute favorite product for the first few weeks. Both of my puppies loved this little comforting plushie that helps them feel like they were not alone.
Does Snuggle Puppy Work?
At first, I was skeptical about a heartbeat toy and asked myself, “Does snuggle puppy work?”. It made sense to me, but I wasn’t convinced it would really work. But after using it myself with two puppies, yes, it works! It was a lifesaver in getting my puppies to be comfortable staying in the crate. I talk more about this here in my experience with Snuggle Puppy here.
Puppy Potty Training Step 3: Use Smells to Your Advantage
Smells will teach your puppy where he is allowed to go potty and where he is not allowed to go. He needs a designated area where he goes each time. Once he smells the area where he has gone before, he will quickly learn to go there again and again. You'll want to make sure that you quickly clean up any accidents with an enzyme pet cleaning solution to discourage your puppy from going potty in the wrong places.
Your puppy will have accidents throughout the first year. In my experience, Nature’s Miracle is the best enzymatic cleaner. I firmly believe it’s an absolute must-have item for potty training. Using this when cleaning up accidents neutralizes the odor and prevents puppies from going back to unwanted potty areas inside.
Enzymatic Stain and Odor Remover
Use a puppy pad if you will not be doing outdoor potty training. If you live in an apartment or don't have quick access to an outdoor area, you can use an artificial grass pad in the same way you would use a designated outdoor potty area. You can place it on a patio, balcony, or any other area you choose as long as it’s away from his sleep area. Take your puppy to this spot every time, so that he learns that this is his potty area.
Artificial Grass Puppy Pad
Puppy Potty Training Step 4: Set a Routine
Dogs are creatures of habit, so the best thing you can do for your new Goldendoodle puppy is to begin house training as soon as you bring your new puppy to his new home. By setting a regular feeding schedule, you’ll have more control over when he needs to do his business.
Puppies usually go to the bathroom right after eating. By making sure your puppy eats at specific times, you can take him out for a potty break immediately after eating. A regular feeding schedule helps you understand your puppy's need for a potty break at the right time and helps minimize potty accidents.
Potty Training Through Positive Reinforcement
Rewarding good behavior is the best way to potty train Goldendoodle puppies. Give your puppy a treat and lots of verbal praise whenever he goes potty in the right spot. This is especially important in the first few weeks with your puppy. Never punish your puppy for having a potty accident. Expert dog behaviorists agree that negative reinforcement is confusing to dogs. When you react after the fact, a dog cannot associate the punishment with the behavior. If you happen to catch your puppy in the act of pottying in the house, point him in the direction of the behavior you want, rather than yelling or intimidating him. Instead, correct your puppy using a calm, yet firm voice and physically move him to the correct location.
Using a Potty Command Word
You can train your puppy to know a command word that lets him know that it’s time to go potty. Every time the puppy goes to the bathroom, decide on a cue word that you will say in a happy tone every time you take him out. Here are some examples: “go potty,” “good potty,” or our favorite, “potty, potty, potty.” When you praise your puppy each time using the same command word, he will have a positive connection to going potty in the right place. We used the command phrase, “potty, potty, potty” with Zuma, Kai, and Byrdie, and it worked every time with all three Goldendoodle puppies.
Never Trust a Puppy
In the first few weeks when your is very young, you will need to be prepared to let him out all the time. A 6-8 week old puppy will need to go outside about every hour. From about 8 weeks to 6 months old, you’ll need to take out your puppy about every two hours. After about 8 months old, your puppy should be able to go for longer stretches of time without an accident. Be realistic and know that throughout the first year, puppies will have accidents.
Be Patient
In my experience, you cannot trust 100% trust a puppy to have access to all rooms in the house without watching him. That’s why getting a puppy comfortable staying in a crate and sectioning off rooms with a baby gate is so important.
I also put each of my puppies on a leash in the house for the first year. I would attach the leash to my waist around the house so I could easily keep an eye on them. Using a leash in the house is a great way to keep a puppy from going off into another room to do his business when you’re not looking.
I can honestly say from my own experience, that we could not trust any of our puppies until they were at least 12 months old. Even though they were very good at potty training and learned quickly, they always needed some supervision that first year.
It’s a good idea to have someone at home throughout each day to let your puppy out when needed. An unsupervised puppy with no boundaries will have a lot of accidents around the house. Make sure that everyone in your household helps out in your puppy’s potty training. The more time you invest in the first few months, the better off your puppy will be down the road.
Stay Diligent
Dogs are creatures of habit. If you stick to a consistent routine in feeding your puppy and letting him outside, he will very quickly get the idea. If you’re not consistent, it will make potty training very difficult. The routine is time-consuming, but it’s pretty simple: Take your puppy out in the morning, after he eats, after he sleeps, and after he plays.
Learn How to Know When Your Puppy Needs to Go Potty
Most puppies will give you some clues that they need to go potty. Once you learn the signs, it’s easy to know he needs to go. Puppies may sniff the ground, circle an area, or lower their tail before they do their business. Keep in mind that even though you know these signs, you still may miss them. Young puppies have very little control, so they can piddle quickly before you even know it’s coming. Also, when we get busy or preoccupied with something else, we may not always be watching for clues. Puppies have accidents, and there’s no avoiding it.
As your puppy matures, you may want to train your dog in a specific way to let you know when he needs to go outside. Some dog owners find the bell method to be helpful. I’ve never used it myself, but I know people who have done it successfully.
Teaching Your Dog To Ring A Bell to Go Outside
Most puppies will eventually learn to sit or scratch at the door to let you know they need to go out. Instead, you can teach your puppy to use a bell hanging from the doorknob.
Here’s how dog behaviorists recommend teaching your dog to use a bell when potty training:
Begin by letting your dog get accustomed to the bell. Put it under his nose. Put some peanut butter or cheese on the bell to encourage him and get comfortable with it.
Give him a treat to reward him for showing interest in the bell.
Hang the bell on the door that you normally use to take him outside. Each time you take him out, ring the bell. By repeating this over and over, he will begin to associate ringing the bell with going outside. The key is to ring the bell every time you take him out. Stay consistent so that he can make the connection.
You can also teach a command for ringing the bell. Hold the bell a few inches from your dog’s nose and say a cue word. You can say “touch,” “ring the bell” or any other word you would like to use for the cue.
As soon as your dog’s nose touches the bell, say “yes!” Then give him a treat right away. The word “yes,” combined with the treat, tells him did the right thing. Repeat this process over and over. Eventually, your dog will touch the bell every time you say to command word.
Whenever your dog rings the bell, give him plenty of praise and take him outside right away.
What if Your Puppy Pees When He Gets Excited?
Excitement peeing can happen when playing, when greeting you after you've been away, or when meeting new people. Accidents are a normal part of a puppy’s growing up. Fortunately, most puppies outgrow peeing when they get excited. When your puppy has an excited pee accident, don’t punish him. Calmly clean it up and leave the puppy alone to calm down. Remember to clean the spot thoroughly using an enzymatic cleaner. This will remove the urine scent. You don’t want your puppy to think it’s ok to pee in that location again.
I have had varying experiences with excitement peeing. I’ve found that their gender, age, and temperament have a lot to do with it. For instance, Kai has a more anxious personality and is a male dog. To my embarrassment, he has lifted his leg inside someone else’s house a few times. He also will nervously lift his leg on our fence when our next-door neighbor’s dog is outside. He has not outgrown this yet. Byrdie is more confident and is a female. She has never peed when she gets excited or in new environments. On the other hand, Zuma has a more submissive personality and is a female. She will sometimes pee when meeting new people or new dogs. The older she gets, the less she does this.
So, no matter how often or when your pees when excited, you’ll still want to find ways to manage it. The American Kennel Club recommends the following:
Understand what makes your puppy get excited. Is it new people? Does he get excited easily when separated from you for a period of time? Understanding your puppy’s personality and properly socializing him will help build confidence and maturity in your pup.
If your puppy is over a year old and continues to lack bladder control, make sure your vet rules out any underlying health problem.
When you first come home, ignore your excited puppy for the first few minutes. This helps discourage the excitement. Give him a few moments to calm down. We naturally want to play and greet our dogs when we first see them, but it helps to allow them time to settle down first.
Get down at your dog’s level. This way he won’t see you acting in a dominant manner toward him.
Stay calm and quiet during greetings. Let’s face it, a puppy’s happiness is infectious! We want to react in the same playful, but stay calm to keep the energy level down.
Distract your puppy with a treat. This will help direct his energy elsewhere.
If your puppy has an accident, do not get angry or punish him. Simply take him outside to help him understand where to go potty. Keep in mind your puppy is simply excited and is not doing this intentionally.
Remind guests and other members of the household to keep calm when greeting your puppy. The more consistent you can be with calm greetings, the more he will begin to understand.
Keep practicing a calm greeting with new people at your home and when you’re out and about.
Make sure your puppy has frequent walks outside and potty breaks to keep his bladder as empty as possible.
Set aside certain times for play. Also, designate specific areas of your home for playtime. This will help your puppy learn that not it’s not playtime all the time.
Sign up for a puppy training class to socialize your puppy and build confidence.
Getting your puppy comfortable with meeting new people will help over time. Eventually, you’ll want to teach your dog to sit calmly when greeting new people. A puppy training class will help you learn how to train your dog on a proper greeting.
Submissive Urination, Marking, or Excited Urination? What's the Difference?
When your puppy reaches at least one year old, it's helpful to understand the underlying reason for potty accidents. They usually fall into three types of behaviors: submissive urination, marking, or excited urination (discussed above).
Submissive Urination Explained
Expert dog behaviorist Cesar Milan describes submissive urination as, “a subconscious reaction to another dog or human that is intimidating or perceived to be superior.” He says it’s an uncontrollable response and is not a housebreaking problem. While a puppy will usually outgrow excitement urination, training can help with submissive urination.
Milan explains that many dog owners can give off the wrong signals by mistake. If you respond in the wrong way, you can actually make the problem worse. Fear, nervousness, anxiety, and a lack of confidence are the most common reasons for submissive urination. Understanding the reasons for submissive peeing will help you respond in the right way.
You never want to punish your dog. It will only cause more fear and anxiety. Handle these types of accidents as you would any other potty accident. Avoid bringing your dog into situations that you cannot control until your dog becomes more confident and mature.
Marking vs Urinating
The American Kennel Club explains that marking is a normal behavior. Marking is a dog’s way of communicating by leaving its scent in a territory. It’s important to understand that marking is different than urinating. While your dog may be fully potty trained indoors, he may still want to mark his territory. This is because it’s a different behavior.
A dog will mark his area when he feels insecure and wants to let other dogs know that this is his territory. It is more common in unneutered males, but neutered males and spayed females will also mark their area. When dogs are in a new environment, especially where other dogs have been, they will often mark the territory.
Some dogs who are more anxious may mark areas of their home or yard. Dogs may mark inside the home when they feel anxious, or when a new object, human or other animal comes into the home. If your dog develops a habit of marking inside the home, you will need to determine the underlying reason. What is the cause of any stress or anxiety? Is it a change in your dog’s environment? A new dog in your house? A new animal in a neighbor’s yard? A new family member? Is he in a new location? Any of these situations can cause a dog to feel stress and anxiety.
What to Do About Marking Behavior in Your Goldendoodle
Cesar Milan recommends the following steps to prevent a dog from marking his territory:
Spay or neuter your dog to reduce marking.
Give your dog time to get comfortable with new people, objects, or other dogs brought into your home. This is your dog’s territory, so he will want to mark it.
If your dog is marking specific areas in your home, make sure to thoroughly clean the spots with an enzymatic cleaner to remove the scent. If you don’t get rid of it, he will go back to the same areas and continue to mark those spots.
Provide boundaries for your dog. Take him on regular walks. Make sure your dog understands you are the leader. Stay calm and in control around your dog. Make him earn his treats. Positive training will help boost his confidence and lower his anxiety level.
As with their Poodle relatives, some Goldendoodles can have a tendency to be excited and/or anxious. This will mean extra effort on your part to establish yourself as their “pack leader.” A lack of training or poor discipline can lead to problems down the road. Make sure to enroll in an obedience class or seek the advice of a professional dog trainer if necessary.
When is a Goldendoodle Puppy Fully Housetrained?
How long it will take for your puppy to become fully potty trained will depend on many things. Here was my experience with potty training three Goldendoodle puppies of 6-8 weeks old: After about 4 weeks they were already well on their way to being potty trained, with a few accidents from time to time. I would still keep them on a leash, in their crates, or in the sectioned-off area of the house for the first year. After one-year-old, I could trust them 100% and let them have freedom in the house. It was the same experience for all three Goldendoodle puppies. They are all very well house trained and never have accidents now.
Potty training will depend on you, and your dog’s age, personality, and living situation. It’s not always easy, but stay patient, be consistent, and your puppy will get the hang of it! Expect that there will likely be some setbacks, but usually, they’re just temporary. If you’re really feeling stuck, contact a trainer in your area, who can help you deal with persistent problems.