How to Train a Dog to Go Potty on Command

Training a dog to go potty on command can turn out very helpful in various circumstances. For instance, many dog owners may find it helpful during the winter when minutes may feel like hours awaiting for Fido do his business. Another great circumstance, may be when traveling. It is a fact that dogs do not generalize well, therefore a dog who tends to go potty on the grass, may have a hard time going potty on gravel, or a dog used to potty off-leash may have trouble going when on leash. Stopping for a potty break during travel with a dog who does not want to do its business, may put a significant dent on your travel projects.

By putting the action of going potty on cue, you will help your dog generalize, upping the chances for going in areas that do not look much familiar. The dog will therefore hear the familiar command, and associate it with the process of eliminating. The familiarity of the command may therefore help bypass the unfamiliarity of different places and different surfaces.

You can teach your dog to potty on cue by taking your dog to his usual potty place. Watch him very carefully and right when you notice he is positioning himself to relieve himself say ''go potty''. Timing is of the essence; you want to be precise enough that when you say ''go potty' your dog is actually urinating or defecating. Immediately after going potty say ''good boy'' followed by a treat. The cue will help your dog associate the command with the action of peeing and pooping, while the treat will make your dog more eager to do business. This is positive reinforcement training, therefore it will increase the chances the behavior will repeat with time.

Repeat this every time your dog is taken out and goes potty in the same area. At some point, you may no longer have to wait to see he is about to go, your words ''go potty'' will be enough to cause him to automatically do his business. Remember to always praise and reward.

Now, you can move on and try to apply the command to new areas slightly away from the original potty spot. As your dog gets good at this, you can then introduce new surfaces, new places, on leash and so forth. This will help your dog generalize the action of going potty in different scenarios.

If you want to kick the training up a notch, you can also train two different commands: ''go pee'' and ''go poop''. It is fundamental that you use the cue with the right actions so you have to be very careful with this. Most dogs will pee first and poop after, so knowing this may make the process of discrimination easier.

Training a dog to pee and poop on command can save considerable time and prevent you from freezing in the cold winter months. It could also turn out helpful if you need to collect a urine or a stool sample for your vet. There are several other circumstances such as emptying your dog's bowel and bladder before you head to work or before boarding your dog on a plane. As seen, teaching the command is very well worth over all.