There is no doubt that housebreaking and potty training your chihuahua puppy is going to be the most challenging task of your pet parenthood. However, we can make it easy for you.
All you have to do is bring your patience, kindness, and consistency. Your dog will appreciate it, and you will find it much easier to work with your dog than against them.
Let’s look at Potty Training a Chihuahua Puppy and use these methods.
The thing to do is follow along with our tips, stay consistent, and be understanding when your dog makes mistakes.
Accidents can and will happen during this time, and how you handle them will impact your pup’s learning.
Potty Training a Chihuahua Puppy
Dogs do not pee in any particular spot because they aim to spite their owners or otherwise make them feel upset.
Instead, a dog goes to what they think will be a great spot to go. Dogs do not like to go potty in locations near their sleeping and eating areas but will do so if it is a dire emergency.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to figure out where your potty spot will be for your chihuahua puppy-it’s the critical first step in getting your Chi potty trained and ready to go.
Step 1
You are picking out a designated area where your dog will have his “bathroom.” This should be near your home, but not near where you as humans gather around.
We mean not to put it near a patio, swimming pool, deck, etc.
Make sure you take into consideration all seasons. What works in summer might not work in winter. Consider these the most Chis are not so ecstatic about snow thanks to their small coats.
Also, pick up any debris or sticks that might harm your puppy.
Patience is a virtue when you take your chihuahua out to poo. So, get ready to be patient.
Set up a folding chair outside or one of those camping chairs and take time to check your texts, read a news article, or send emails to family.
Your Chi will appreciate the time you give him to set up and then finally do the business he set out to do.
Step 2
It is going to be all about being ready to go. Make sure when you take him out that the lead is by the door, as well as treats and poop bags.
You also have to ensure you have your coat, shoes, and an umbrella if necessary. This way, you can minimize accidents that take place as a result of the learning process.
Step 3
It’s all about consistency. One fundamental element of potty training a chihuahua puppy is consistency in everything you do.
It would help if you aimed to take your pup out every two hours based on age.
Here is a table you can copy down and use as a reference:
| Age of Pup | How Often to Go Out |
| 2 months | Every two hr |
| 3 months | Every Tree hr. |
| 4 months | Every four hr |
| 5 months | Every 5 hr. |
Also, be sure you take your dog outside after playing, 15 minutes after eating a meal, and every morning and night after she wakes up and before heading to bed.
You should also instruct the last person to leave the house to take her out about 20 minutes before they go for the day if no other people are home all day long.
If your puppy takes a nap, take them out right after they wake up.
Step 4
This is where we will emphasize the need for patience in allowing your puppy time to learn to go to the potty in a way that makes them comfortable.
We mentioned the need for patience in letting the dog go at their own pace, and you will soon see why.
A dog will go through their rituals and actions leading up to the “go”-they may circle the ground, sniff the area, or paw at the grass.
They like to find the right spot to go, making them feel in control and good.
Give this time. It can take 20 minutes for a dog to finally relax to eliminate what’s in his bowels.
Going pee is shorter, but allow yourself about 20 minutes to sit in the center of the potty spot and relax while your dog goes poop.
This is important as many owners complain their dog goes poop right after they come back into the home.
Therefore, you must let the dog go at their own pace and give yourself something to do.
If your dog senses you are in a hurry or otherwise upset, he may fear to go, and you could end up with a more incredible mess on your hands.
Step 5
Make sure you give plenty of positive reinforcement and rewards. Some dogs like treats, others like praise, and others like toys.
These are another one of those fundamental ingredients in successfully potty training your chihuahua.
Your excitement and happiness about your dog’s progress will spill over onto your dog, and they will be more apt to potty in the correct spot.
What To Do If You See Your Chi Going In The House
Mistakes are part of potty training a chihuahua puppy, and they will happen. Your dog will greatly appreciate your patience and understanding.
If you see your puppy about to squat or lift a leg, make a noise that will startle but not scare the dog. If you can attach the lead and walk him out to the potty spot, do so.
If not enough time, carry the puppy to the potty spot and allow him to finish there.
Make sure you praise your dog after he finishes up in the correct potty spot and gives a treat for a well-done job.
It would help if you didn’t let accidents get the best of you and your dog. Accidents can and will happen as you potty train your chihuahua puppy.
The best thing to do is have an enzyme cleaner, like Nature’s Miracle. This is because the enzymes take away any smells of the dog’s urine that stayed behind.
Leaving behind any trace of the urine would lead the dog to think it is okay to go potty there.
These enzyme cleaners smell great and are also safe for use around your pet
Do not yell at or punish your dog if you see an accident. We have heard lousy advice to rub the dog’s nose or hit him with a rolled-up newspaper.
This is advised against because the dog doesn’t like to potty around you and then in the incorrect spots.
They will find a safe space to go and may sneak away to do it as they fear your actions.
A Note On Night Time Training
Respond only if it is warranted. Many pups get up in the night because they want to play. They may bark, whine or make noise.
Most of the time, they like some of your attention. Sometimes they have to go potty, where training your dog for the night comes into play.
Nighttime training will encompass two essential things:
- You will teach your puppy to get himself back to sleep
- You will teach your puppy to go potty only if needed
If you properly let your dog out for about 20 minutes to go potty just before everybody went to sleep, the likely explanation for the noise your dog is making is because of seeking attention.
You can likely ignore this and allow the pup to soothe himself back to rest.
However, you should evaluate each situation differently.
If you feel your dog needs to go out, take them out, allow them to do their business, give them a little bit of praise, and get them back to their crate or bed right away.
If you lavish praise or a toy, the pup may think it is time to play. Treat potty time at night as serious business and get them back to sleep.
Work Up To “Holding It”
As your puppy ages, it can hold its need to go. You can adjust the schedule as per the table we included earlier.
Not doing this can have adverse effects:
A dog taken out every three hours at age three months and continued to do so to age five months will never learn to tighten up the muscles of their bowels to “hold it.”
What To Do When You Are Not Going To Be Home
It would help if you were home daily while training the pup to go potty. However, sometimes this cannot be done.
Crate training is an option, but this can be stressful for young puppies learning to hold it.
If you know you will not be home, an option is to hire a dog trainer or have a friend or family member come over to help your dog learn.
If you can’t do this, you could gate off rooms of the house the dog is not to go and lay down pee pads.
This is not a recommended method, as a puppy cannot learn two ways of going to pee. They may become confused about where to go potty and cause accidents.
Therefore, the use of pee pads should be done with the understanding that it may not work.
A doggy door is another option for a puppy who has mastered the art of learning to go potty on its own.
By about 6 to 8 months, with consistent training, your pup should be able to hold it for a few hours while you do short errands or are busy at home.
Wrapping It Up
Potty training a chihuahua puppy is an easy task in and of itself, but patience, kindness, and understanding are critical to success.
You can train your pup in as little as 3 to 4 weeks. Make sure you are consistent in your routine.
Make potty training a positive experience, and you will be pleased with the results!
