Quick answer: Puppy potty training regression is when a puppy who has been reliably going outside starts having accidents indoors again. It’s common, and it’s fixable. The usual triggers are rewards tapering off too soon, long gaps between potty breaks, stress, anxiety, adolescence, hormones, or illness. The fix is to go back to basics for a while: a tighter schedule, the same potty spot, big rewards, and no scolding.
Just when you think you’ve totally nailed potty training, you step in a puddle. Ugh. Dealing with a potty training setback is frustrating. You feel like you’ve got the whole routine down, and the next minute you’re back to cleaning up accidents. Don’t worry. You haven’t failed, and neither has your dog. It’s likely just time for a quick refresher course.
In this guide, we’ll walk through why regressions happen, whether they’re normal (yes), and exactly how to get your puppy back on track so you can ditch the paper towels for good. We’ll also look at how age changes things, so whether you have a brand-new puppy or a teenager acting out, you’ll know what to do.
Download the Zigzag app for dedicated potty training lessons, and get your questions answered by our professional dog trainers.
What is puppy potty training regression?
A regression happens when a puppy who’s been doing great with going outside suddenly starts having accidents indoors again. It can feel like a step backward, but it’s usually a sign that something has changed in their routine, environment, or body, rather than a sign that training hasn’t worked. Find the root cause and it gets much easier to fix. on track.
Why is my puppy regressing in potty training?
Setbacks usually happen for a few common reasons:
- Inconsistent rewards – it’s really easy to sit back and think ‘yep, my pup’s potty-trained’ when you’ve gone a few days with no accidents, you stop watching them as closely, or taking them out so often, then whoops accidents happen!
- Too long between potty breaks – young pups can’t hold it for long, so need regular potty breaks, even if you think they’re potty-trained.
- Stress – a really common factor in potty training regressions. This could be as simple as a change in environment, pups like routines and predictability!
- Anxiety – scared of fireworks? Struggling with being alone? Or does your puppy seem to be scared of everything? Stress can often make house-trained dogs have slip-ups in their potty training.
- Illness – if your pup has a tummy upset or a UTI they will need to go more frequently and quickly, this can be a common reason for potty training regressions.
- Age and hormones: Adolescence and sexual maturity bring their own setbacks. We cover these by age below.
Is it normal for puppies to regress during potty training?
Yes! It’s totally normal for regressions to happen when you’re potty training your puppy. Mostly for the reasons we outlined above, but also because we can often try to rush things along, and their potty training just isn’t completely reliable yet. You’ll get there.
How to fix puppy potty training regression
With plenty of patience. To get potty training back on track, go back to basics for a little while. Here’s a step-by-step plan.
1. Manage the environment
Restrict access to the rug or room your puppy keeps targeting. Roll up that rug for now, or use a puppy playpen or crate to keep them in a safe space when you can’t watch them like a hawk. Dogs generally don’t like to soil where they sleep or eat, so a smaller space can help them hold it.
2. Set reminders in your phone
Take your puppy to their bathroom spot:
- as soon as they wake up
- after eating or drinking
- after a play session
- roughly every hour in between
It sounds like a lot, but it gives them plenty of chances to get it right. Our puppy house training schedule can help you plan the day.
3. Take them to their potty area
Use the same part of the yard every time. Your puppy’s scent acts like a signpost telling them, “This is the spot.”
4. Give them time to go
Too often, we rush this bit, stay outside for 10 minutes and be quite boring, no need to get them riled up as they might ‘forget’ why they went out there, as they’re having too much fun.
5. Reward them when they get it right
If they pee or poop outside, make a huge fuss: lots of praise and a high-value treat immediately. Make sure they know they did a fantastic job.
6. And if they don’t potty…try again shortly
Head back inside and put them in their crate or playpen for 10–15 minutes, then try again. In the meantime, watch for sniffing, circling, or wandering off. Those are your cues to get back to the yard fast.
7. Keep a potty training diary
Jot down when your puppy eats, sleeps, and poops to spot patterns. You’ll quickly see exactly when they usually need to go.
8. Don’t scold your puppy
We know it’s frustrating when you have potty training regressions, but taking it out on your puppy will cause more problems, as they can start to ‘hide’ where they go. It just hasn’t quite clicked that they need to go outside, practice makes perfect!
Read our full guide to puppy toilet training to learn more.
Potty training regression by age
The reason behind a regression often depends on how old your puppy is.
4+ month puppy potty training regression
At 4 months old, we often think our pups are fully trained, but they’re still very much babies. It’s likely they just can’t physically hold it as long as we think. Just tighten up the schedule and make sure you are going out to the yard with them to reward every single success.
7+ month puppy potty training regression
Ah, the teenage phase. Adolescence can be a challenging time. Your pup’s brain is rewiring, and they’re easily distracted. We also tend to stop rewarding them as much at this age. The fix? Bring back the treats! Keep the praise high and the rewards frequent for a while longer.
10+ month puppy potty training regression
At 10 months, hormones might be at play. As they reach sexual maturity, female dogs go through hormonal shifts, and male dogs develop a strong urge to mark their territory.
Annoying? Yes. Fixable? Also yes. Get back on a strict schedule, and if you need to leave the house for a while, consider asking a neighbor or pet sitter to stop by so your pup isn’t left too long.
Get back to puppy training basics with Zigzag
Whether you’re potty training a brand-new puppy or your older dog is having a setback, Zigzag is here to support you. Our dog training app has bite-size potty training lessons tailored to your dog’s age and breed, all written by accredited professional trainers and behaviorists using science-backed positive reinforcement. Got a question mid-regression? Ask Ziggy, our AI consultant, or upgrade to Premium for 24/7 access to our expert dog trainers.
We’ll show you how to handle potty training effectively and stress-free, so you can stop looking at the floor and start enjoying your dog. Download Zigzag on iOS or Android.
Puppy potty training regression FAQs
It varies from pup to pup, but most improve quickly once you’re consistent with the back-to-basics routine above. If you’re not seeing progress after a couple of weeks, or things are getting worse, check in with your vet to rule out a medical cause.
If your goal is for your puppy to go outside, it’s usually better to tighten up the outdoor routine than reintroduce pads, which can blur the message about where to go. If pads are part of your long-term plan, for example in an apartment, our guide to puppy training pads explains how to use them well.
No. Puppies don’t pee indoors to get back at you. Accidents come down to age, physical need, gaps in the routine, stress, or health, which is why scolding doesn’t help and a calm reset with plenty of rewards for success does.
Book a vet visit if your puppy is peeing much more often than usual, straining, drinking more, has blood in their urine, or has diarrhea. These can point to a potential health problem rather than a training issue.
