Oopsies and Red Flags.  

One of the most unfortunate things a puppy can learn is that relieving themselves in front of humans is a bad idea and something to avoid doing.  

Why would anyone teach their puppy to be afraid to potty in front of them?   Well, the truth is that nobody does this intentionally.  Instead it’s something we don’t mean to teach our puppies, but we do accidentally, AKA Unintended Learning and this one is a bother.  

And no wonder, some very common advice recommends things that actually scare puppies.  

Things like, if you see a puppy about to go, or having just had an accident..... 

Now, depending on if your puppy is of a sensitive breed, or even a thick skinned breed but during a fear imprinting period, ALL of those things may scare your puppy.  

Your puppy won’t learn what you had hoped (that going inside is “bad”) but what it will learn is that going potty in front of YOU is bad.   Thus effectively teaching the puppy to avoid relieving itself in front of humans is potentially scary and something to avoid.

This can cause: 

• Puppy who won’t potty when you take it out for potty breaks, because it’s worried about your reaction.

• Puppy who won’t potty on walks either, because of worry. 

• Puppy who may not want to potty in front of you when you travel.

• Puppy who only potties in front of humans when it physically can’t hold it anymore.

• Puppy who avoids pottying in front of people on potty breaks, but then when it can no longer hold it, hides behind furniture, in another room, or otherwise out of sight and relieves itself inside.  

So, at all costs, avoid the common mistake of over reacting to accidents.   Puppies are very likely to have accidents during house training.   This is ok and it won’t become a habit unless managment is allowed to fail.  If you have taken proper precautions to protect valuable porous surfaces they won’t be harmed by the occasional accident! 

But teaching your puppy to be concerned, or afraid, to potty in front of you can cause lifelong house training problems.   Do your best to use management to protect valuable carpets and surfaces during house training and for weeks after.    Use good management and schedules/routines.   And if an accident does occur, be calm and neutral.

• Using a happy yet calm voice call the puppy and run to the potty door and encourage the puppy to follow you.  if you have taught your puppy this game they should happily race with you to the door if they can. 

• Take them immediately outside, don’t take time for leashing (assuming you have a secure area) or treats at the door. 

• Continue the potty routine. 

• If the puppy has already starting relieving itself, just let it finish in place, otherwise you will have a trail of poop and pee all the way to the door.  Let the puppy stay in place and contain the mess to one spot.  

• Put the puppy up, and clean up the mess.  No muss, no fussing at the puppy, just clean it up.