Dog Advice - Toilet Training

It is key to give your dog lots of opportunity to go to the toilet in the right place. Take him outside frequently, especially after meals, when he has woken up, first thing in the morning and when you have been out. Reward good behaviour and ignore unwanted behaviour. Rewards can come in the form of treats, part of their food allowance or a favourite toy or game.

Never punish your dog if he has an accident — simply clean it up as if nothing has happened. Ideally, the accident should be cleaned up out of sight of your dog as some dogs may find this activity rewarding, leading to a repeat of this behaviour to get a reaction.

Always clean up accidents with a non-ammonia based detergent (ammonia can smell like urine to dogs, causing them to mark over it). These principles are the same whether you are training a puppy or adult dog.