As the old adage goes, ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.’ While this may hold true for some dogs, it’s not too late to teach your basset hound puppy how to properly potty train. With patience, consistency, and a few key tips, you can have your puppy in the habit of going outside in no time.
First and foremost, setting up successful potty breaks is essential. This involves setting up a routine and sticking to it. Take your puppy out first thing in the morning, after meals, and before bed.
Also, make sure to take your puppy out every 2-3 hours throughout the day. It’s also important to choose a designated potty area and consistently bring your puppy to that spot to reduce confusion and promote successful potty breaks.
With a little effort and determination, potty training your basset hound puppy can be a success.
Supplies You Will Need
Here is a small list of supplies that you should have when preparing to potty train your golden retriever puppy:
- Collar or harness
- Hands-free 3-4 foot non-retractable leash
- 15-foot non-retractable leash
- Two dog litter boxes
- Puppy pads
- Tasty small-sized treats
- Carpet cleaner for pet stains
- Mops and floor cleaner
- Love and patience!
How To Potty Train a Basset Hound Puppy
There are various ways to approach potty training your basset hound puppy. The most common ways are:
- Tethered
- Confined
- Crated
Let’s look at each of them in a little more detail:
Tethered
Being tied to a leash may seem restrictive, but it’s the best way to keep your basset hound puppy from making a mess all over the house. Plus, it’ll make him feel like a VIP – very important pooch!
Tethering your puppy to you or a piece of furniture will help you keep an eye on him and prevent accidents. Here are some tips to make tethering a positive experience for both you and your pup:
- Make sure the leash is long enough for your puppy to move around comfortably, but not so long that he can wander off and get into trouble.
- Keep some puppy pads nearby in case your puppy needs to go potty while he’s tethered. This will help reinforce the idea that going potty outside is the preferred option.
- Use tethering as part of a larger house training plan that includes crate training, potty breaks, and positive reinforcement for good behavior.
Remember, tethering is just one tool in your house training toolbox. Be patient and consistent, and your basset hound puppy will soon learn where and when it’s appropriate to go potty.
Confined
It’s important to create a safe and comfortable space for your basset hound puppy when they’re confined, especially during potty training.
Crate training is a popular method for potty training puppies, as it allows them to establish a den-like space that they can call their own. When choosing a training crate, make sure it’s large enough for your puppy to stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably.
During potty training, it’s important to take your puppy outside for potty breaks frequently. However, when you can’t supervise them, the training crate can be a safe space to keep them in.
Make sure to provide your puppy with toys and treats to keep them occupied while in the crate. Remember, never use the crate as a form of punishment, as this can create negative associations with the crate and make training more difficult.
After consistent puppy crate training and positive reinforcement, your basset hound puppy will learn to love their crate and become potty trained in no time.
Crated
You can help your basset hound puppy feel safe and secure by creating a cozy den-like space for them in their crate.
Crate training is an important part of the potty training process, as it teaches your puppy to hold their bladder for longer periods of time and to only go potty outside. (1)
Make sure the crate is big enough for your pup to stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably, but not so big that they have room to eliminate in one corner and sleep in another.
To begin crate training, slowly introduce your puppy to the crate by placing treats or their favorite toys inside and leaving the door open. Gradually increase the amount of time your puppy spends in the crate, starting with just a few minutes and working up to longer periods of time.
Be sure to take your puppy outside for potty breaks before and after crate time, and never leave them in the crate for more than a few hours at a time.
Here are some great dog crates if you’re interested.
Outdoors
When you take your basset hound puppy outside, it’s important to establish a consistent potty spot. This will help them understand where it’s appropriate to relieve themselves and make potty breaks more efficient.
You can choose a specific area in your yard or a nearby park, but make sure it’s easily accessible and away from high traffic areas. Take your puppy to the potty spot every time you go outside for a potty break, and use a specific command like ‘go potty’ to signal what you want them to do.
With time and repetition, your puppy will start to associate this command with the act of relieving themselves and will begin to initiate the behavior on their own.
As you establish your potty habits, remember that consistency is key. Stick to a routine when it comes to taking your puppy out, and make sure you’re supervising them closely to ensure they’re going in the right spot.
It’s also important to reward your puppy when they exhibit good behavior, so make sure you have plenty of treats and positive reinforcement on hand.
Supervision
Keeping an eye on your furry friend is crucial during the potty training process, as they may have accidents if left unsupervised for too long.
Basset hound puppies have a tendency to wander off and explore, which can lead to accidents indoors. To avoid this, it’s recommended to keep your pup on a leash or in a crate when you can’t keep a close eye on them.
Be sure to take your pup out for potty breaks frequently, especially after meals, naps, and playtime. With supervision and consistency, your basset hound puppy will be on their way to being potty trained in no time.
Setting Up Successful Potty Breaks
There are some steps you have to take in order to maximize how successful you will be when it comes to potty training.
Here are a few:
Take Your Puppy Outside Every 30 Minutes
You’ll want to set a timer for every half hour and head outside with your basset hound puppy to give them a chance to do their business. This is especially important during the early stages of potty training.
Frequent trips outside will help your puppy establish good potty habits and prevent accidents in the house. If you’re crate training your puppy, it’s important to take them outside immediately after they’re let out of the crate.
Puppies have small bladders and can’t hold their urine for very long, so taking them out as soon as possible is important. As your puppy starts to get the hang of potty breaks, you can gradually extend the time between trips outside.
Remember to praise your puppy when they do go potty outside, and give them a treat to reinforce good behavior.
Wait 5 Minutes While Watching Your Puppy
After taking your basset hound puppy outside for a potty break, it’s important to wait for five minutes while keeping a close eye on them.
This is a crucial step in the potty training process as it allows your puppy to fully empty their bladder and bowels. Waiting for five minutes also helps your puppy understand that potty breaks are for going potty and not just for playtime.
If your puppy does not go potty within the five minutes, bring them back inside and try again in another 30 minutes.
During the potty training process, it’s important to establish a strict routine for your basset hound puppy. This includes taking them outside every 30 minutes, waiting for five minutes, and rewarding them with praise and treats when they go potty outside.
Praise or Offer a Treat If Your Puppy Uses the Bathroom
When your basset hound puppy successfully uses the bathroom outside, it’s important to praise them or offer a treat as a reward. Positive reinforcement is an effective way to encourage good behavior and reinforce good bathroom habits.
Make sure to give them lots of verbal praise like ‘good boy/girl’ or ‘way to go!’ and offer them a small treat like a piece of kibble or a training treat.
If your puppy is having trouble with outdoor potty training, you can also use puppy pads as a temporary solution until they get the hang of going outside. Make sure to place the pads in a designated area and encourage your puppy to use them when they need to go.
Reward With Off-Leash Time
Once your basset hound puppy successfully uses the bathroom outside, it’s important to reward them with some off-leash time. This is a great way to reinforce positive behaviors and make the experience more enjoyable for your furry friend.
Not only will they appreciate the extra playtime, but they’ll also associate going potty outside with having fun and getting rewarded. When it comes to puppy potty training, consistency is key.
While it’s tempting to let your puppy roam free around the house, it’s important to remember that accidents can happen. To prevent these mishaps, consider crate training your puppy and taking them outside for regular potty breaks throughout the day.
By sticking to a routine and rewarding positive behaviors, you’ll be well on your way to successfully potty training your basset hound puppy.
Tips To Speed Up House Training Your Basset Hound
Who doesn’t like tips to speed up the process of potty training?
Here are a few that can help your basset hound puppy as they learn:
Keep Track of Your Puppies Potty Habits
Monitoring your basset hound puppy’s potty habits is essential for their potty training process. By keeping track of when they need to go, you can help them develop a routine and make it easier for them to hold their pee or poop until they’re taken outside.
One way to keep track is by using a journal or notepad to log their potty breaks. Record the time of day, if they urinated or defecated, and how much they did. This information will help you predict when they’re most likely to need to go and set a schedule for potty breaks.
Another way to keep track of your puppy’s potty habits is by using puppy pads or crate training. Puppy pads can be placed in a designated spot in your home, and your puppy can be taught to go there when they need to eliminate.
When they’re not in their crate, they should be supervised, and when they need to go, they can be taken outside.
Take Them Potty During the Habitual Times As Well
It’s important to consistently take your basset hound puppy outside during their habitual times to reinforce their routine and promote successful elimination.
Potty breaks should be scheduled at regular intervals throughout the day, such as first thing in the morning, after meals, and before bedtime. Sticking to a strict schedule will help your puppy develop bladder control and reduce the likelihood of accidents inside the house.
When taking your puppy outside for potty breaks, choose a designated spot in your yard or nearby area. This will help your puppy associate that spot with elimination and make it easier for them to go quickly and efficiently.
Be patient and wait for your puppy to finish before bringing them back inside. Over time, your puppy will learn to hold their bladder until their next scheduled potty break.
Consistency is key in puppy potty training, so take them potty during the habitual times as well and stick to the puppy potty training schedule to ensure your furry friend learns good habits early on.
Get Your Puppy on a Feeding Schedule
Make sure you establish a feeding schedule for your basset hound puppy to help with their potty training. Have you considered what time of day works best for both you and your puppy to establish a consistent routine?
It’s important to feed your puppy at the same time each day to help regulate their digestive system and make it easier for them to predict when they need to go outside.
Keep in mind that puppies typically need to go outside after they eat, so make sure you take them out for a potty break shortly after feeding time.
Be consistent with feeding times. You can help your basset hound puppy learn good potty habits and make the potty training process a little easier for both you and your furry friend.
Clean Up Accidents Thoroughly
Cleaning up accidents thoroughly is crucial in ensuring that your home smells fresh and clean, and it also helps prevent your basset hound puppy from making a habit of going potty indoors.
When cleaning up after potty accidents, it’s important to use an enzymatic cleaner, as it breaks down the proteins in the urine and eliminates any trace of urine smell.
This is important because even if you can’t smell it, your puppy can still detect it and may be more likely to go potty in the same spot again.
To clean up a potty accident, start by blotting up as much of the urine as possible with a paper towel. Then, use an enzymatic cleaner according to the instructions on the label.
Be sure to saturate the area well, as the cleaner needs to penetrate deeply to break down all of the proteins in the urine. If your puppy has repeated accidents in the same spot, you may need to restrict access to that area until they are fully potty trained.
In the meantime, you can use puppy pads to help contain any accidents and make cleanup easier.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve successfully learned how to potty train your Basset Hound puppy. With patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement, you can teach your furry friend to do their business outside.
Remember to set up successful potty breaks, establish a routine, and reward good behavior. But wait, there’s more! House training your Basset Hound may take some time, but don’t give up hope.
Every dog is different, and some may take longer to learn than others. Keep up with the training and don’t get discouraged if there are setbacks. With determination and perseverance, you and your Basset Hound will soon be enjoying a clean and accident-free home.
Happy training!