This is the first in a series on early socialization and training that breeders can do with young puppies to help them adapt to life in their future new homes.
Housetraining is almost always the number one concern of a new puppy owner. While puppies are still in the whelping box, they begin to learn preferences for where to eliminate. Taking advantage of this instinct by encouraging them to eliminate in a litterbox can go a long way to helping owners have quick potty-training success.
When the puppies are 3 weeks old (this is when they start eating puppy mush and are able to eliminate without the dam’s help), put a shallow pan filled with litter up against the sleeping area. It should be large and obvious to start; they need a big target and just two choices: bed or potty. The whelping box can be half bed, half litter area. At a very young age, puppies instinctively crawl away from their nesting spot to relieve themselves, and if it’s easy for them to land in the litter area, that’s where they’ll take care of business.
Just about any type of metal or plastic pan will work to hold the litter. A sturdy cardboard box cut to size will work well, too. Make it the same height as the sleeping area so even the littlest puppies will be able to get in.
This whole process used to be done with old newspapers, but anymore most people don’t accumulate those in the quantity needed to train puppies. Litter pellets made of recycled paper or pine pellets are good choices; clay kitty litter not recommended.
Once weaning is under way, the puppies are eating solid food and have moved from the whelping box to their big-puppy pen, they will already know to make their way to the litter box when they need to go. This is because they have become familiar with the material they potty on. At this point, it won’t be necessary for it to take up as much of the pen area. It still needs to be nearby; puppies won’t yet be able to “hold it” if there is a long journey to the potty area. If it’s a big litter you may need more than one litter pan.
Feeding puppies on a schedule helps to regulate their developing GI tracts. What goes in on schedule goes out on schedule; predictability of bowel movements will help owners with establishing their potty-training routine at home. Always follow your veterinarian’s advice on how often to feed puppies.
In their new homes, they will need to be taken outside for potty breaks very often, but the process of learning to eliminate in a special place, away from their living quarters, will help the training go more smoothly. If a new owner is opting to teach the puppy to go inside in a litterbox, then you have done the work for them!