Just when you think you\u2019ve nailed potty training, accidents start happening\u2026 aaargh. Puppy potty training regressions are challenging and frustrating. You feel like you\u2019ve got this whole potty training thing cracked and then next minute, you\u2019ve stepped in a puddle of pee. Fear not, It\u2019s probably just time for a refresher course in potty training, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Here, we\u2019re going to delve into what a puppy training regression is, what causes a puppy potty training regression, if it\u2019s normal to have potty training regressions, and how to handle them for the greatest success and have your puppy potty-trained once and for all! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ll also look at age-related regressions, so if you have a new puppy that you thought had cracked it, or you have an older puppy, you\u2019ll know exactly how to fix it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Download the Zigzag app<\/a> for dedicated potty training lessons, and get your questions answered by our professional dog trainers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A puppy potty training regression is when a puppy that has been clean inside for a while starts to have accidents indoors again. Understanding the causes of puppy potty training regressions is key to getting them back on track. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Puppy potty training regressions typically occur for the following reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes! It\u2019s totally normal for regressions to happen when you\u2019re 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\u2019t completely reliable yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To re-train puppy potty training, let\u2019s get back to basics. Here\u2019s our step-by-step guide to get your potty training back on track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Roll up rugs or carpets that your puppy might be tempted to pee on, consider using a confinement area like a puppy playpen<\/a> or crate<\/a> to prevent access to areas you don\u2019t want them in. Puppies also don\u2019t like to pee near to where they sleep or eat, so confinement areas work well for this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your puppy needs to be taken to their bathroom area as soon as they wake up, after eating, drinking, and playing, and then at least every hour to begin with. This ensures they\u2019ll get lots of opportunities to go outside and in the right place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use the same area of the yard each time, so that your puppy\u2019s scent gets left there when they do finally pee, as it will serve to attract them in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 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 \u2018forget\u2019 why they went out there, as they\u2019re having too much fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If they pee or poop – throw a huge party, lots of praise, give them a treat and then head back indoors. Do this every time! Really make their tail wag, so they know they did a good job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take them back inside, put them in their confinement area and watch them closely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Any signs of sniffing, circling or wandering off and get them back out to the yard – fast! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Making a note of when you take your puppy to the yard, whether they pooped or peed or not, can help you see patterns in when they need to go that you can look back on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We know it\u2019s frustrating when you have potty training regressions, but taking it out on your puppy will cause more problems, as they can start to \u2018hide\u2019 where they go. It just hasn\u2019t quite clicked that they need to go outside, practice makes perfect! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read our full guide to puppy toilet training<\/a> to learn more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While we can often think a 4-month-old puppy is fully potty-trained, the likelihood is they will still have some accidents if we take our eye off the ball. Go back to basics and make sure you go to the yard and reward them when they potty outside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The terrible teens can be a challenging time for your adolescent pup. It is also a time we tend to stop rewarding them so much, so potty training regressions can be really common! Keep the praise and rewards coming for a while longer yet!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have a 10-month-old puppy who\u2019s having potty training regressions, it\u2019s likely that they\u2019re coming into sexual maturity, which can be stressful for female dogs as they have a rollercoaster of hormones to contend with, and for male dogs the desire to mark their territory can be super strong!<\/p>\n\n\n\n While puppy potty training regressions can be common, it is fixable. Get them back on track with a potty training schedule, and if you have to leave your puppy for a while, then get a friend, dog walker, or pet sitter<\/a> to come over to make sure they don\u2019t have accidents inside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Get back to puppy training basics with Zigzag <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether you need to potty-train your new puppy, or your older puppy is having potty training regressions, Zigzag<\/a> is here to help. We spill the beans on how to potty-train your puppy effectively, so no more stepping in pee or poop for you! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What is Puppy Potty Training Regression? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Causes of puppy potty training regression?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Is it normal for puppies to regress during potty training?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to handle Puppy Potty Training Regression?<\/strong> <\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Manage the environment <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Set reminders in your phone <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Take them to their potty area <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Give them time to go<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Reward them when they get it right<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
And if they don\u2019t potty\u2026.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Keep a potty training diary<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t be tempted to tell them off<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4+ month puppy potty training regression <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7+ month puppy potty training regression <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
10+ month puppy potty training regression <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n