A Simple Puppy Potty Training Schedule By Age

If you don’t want your new puppy to feel neglected and stressed when he can’t go outside, creating a schedule is a great way to reduce his feelings of anxiety. It also eliminates accidents on the carpet!… Check out our short, simple puppy potty training schedule by age – it will help you through every step of this process while still scheduling enough time for playtime and walks.
Puppy potty training can be a challenging task, but it’s important to start early and be consistent. A good puppy potty training schedule will help your puppy learn to hold it until he can go outside.

Here is a simple puppy potty training schedule by age:

Age 6-8 weeks: Puppies this age typically need to go out every 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Age 8-10 weeks: Every 2 hours

Age 10-12 weeks: 3 hours

Age 12-16 weeks: 4 hours

Older puppies: 5 hours or more

When you finally take home your new puppy and bring him back home from the animal hospital he should be healthy and eager to please. Tired from his journey, he will probably sleep through the first day. Once he wakes up, you can give him a thorough outdoor outing in a safe place with a long leash. This will be an “area” you designate as his final destination if he needs to go potty during the night or after being outside during the day.

-Week One

Puppies are little balls of energy that are always on the move. They are exploring their surroundings and trying to figure out what is going on. During this time, they are also learning about potty training. It is important to start training your puppy as soon as possible so that it can learn the proper way to relieve itself.

The first week of potty training is all about getting your puppy used to the concept of using a designated area to relieve themselves. You will need to be patient and consistent during this week. Here is a simple schedule that you can follow:

-Take your puppy outside every two hours, even if they don’t need to go potty. This will help them get used to the idea of going outside to relieve themselves.

-When your puppy does go potty outside, make sure to praise them and give them a treat. This will reinforce positive behaviour.

-If your puppy has an accident inside, do not punish them. Simply clean up the mess and make sure to take them outside more frequently so that they can have a successful potty break next time.
Week Two

During the second week of potty training, you will need to continue to take your puppy outside frequently. They should now be getting used to the idea of going to the designated potty area. You can start to increase the intervals between potty breaks slightly, but make sure that they still have plenty of opportunities to relieve themselves.

-If your puppy has an accident inside, make sure to clean it up immediately. Do not punish your puppy as this will only make them fearful and less likely to want to use the designated potty area in the future.

-Continue to praise your puppy when they go potty outside and give them treats as rewards.

Week Three

By the third week, your puppy should be getting the hang of things. They should be able to hold their bladder for longer periods of time and know where their designated potty area is. You can start to increase the intervals between potty breaks even more now.

-If your puppy has an accident inside, make sure to clean it up immediately. Do not punish your puppy as this will only make them fearful and less likely to want to use the designated potty area in the future.

-Continue to praise your puppy when they go potty outside and give them treats as rewards.

Week Four

By the fourth week, your puppy should be fully potty trained. They should be able to hold their bladder for long periods of time and know exactly where their designated potty area is. If they have an accident inside, make sure to clean it up immediately but do not punish them as this will only set back their training.
-Continue to praise your puppy when they go potty outside and give them treats as rewards.

If you’ve just brought home a new puppy, you’re probably wondering when the best time to start potty training is. The good news is, there is no definitive answer and it largely depends on your puppy’s age, temperament, and behaviour. However, most experts agree that the earlier you start, the better.

With that said, here is a simple puppy potty training schedule by age to get you started:

8-10 weeks old: This is typically when puppies are first brought home. At this age, they are still very much babies and are not yet able to control their bladder or bowels. For this reason, it’s important to take them out often – every few hours – and give them plenty of opportunities to relieve themselves.

10-12 weeks old: Puppies at this age are starting to gain more control over their Elimination System but they will still need frequent breaks. Aim for taking them out every 1-2 hours during the day and increase the interval between bathroom breaks at night. Be sure to take them out first thing in the morning and right before bedtime.

12-16 weeks old: By now, your puppy should be able to hold it for longer periods of time but will still need regular breaks throughout the day. At this age, you can start reducing the number of daytime bathroom breaks and should only need to take them out 2-3 times per day. Nighttime intervals can also be increased but continue taking

Monday – Thursday: The puppy is allowed to eliminate wherever, when and whenever necessary.

Monday – Thursday:

The puppy is allowed to eliminate wherever, when and whenever necessary. This includes during walks, in the yard, accidents in the house and so on. The idea is to keep a close eye on the pup so you can quickly take them outside when they show signs of needing to go.
Friday – Sunday:

The puppy is only allowed to eliminate in specific spots that you have designated. These may be in the yard, on a leash during walks or in a specific room or area of the house. If the pup has an accident indoors, it should be cleaned up immediately.

Assuming that you have already house-trained your puppy and they are now comfortable with their living space, you can begin to introduce a potty schedule. This will help your puppy understand when it is appropriate to eliminate and will make the process much easier for both of you.

Monday – Thursday: The puppy is allowed to eliminate wherever, when and whenever necessary. If you are home with your puppy, take them out every hour or so. If they have an accident inside, simply clean it up without making a big fuss. Puppies generally have no control over their bladder at this age, so accidents are bound to happen.

On Friday, begin to introduce the concept of “going potty” outside only. Take your puppy out first thing in the morning, as well as after meals and naps. If they go potty outside, praise them lavishly. If they have an accident inside, again, simply clean it up without making a big deal out of it.

By Sunday, your puppy should be getting the hang of things and eliminating mostly outside. Continue to take them out frequently and praise them when they do their business where you want them to. Soon enough, they’ll be fully housetrained!

Friday: Allowed to eliminate in one designated area

When it comes to potty training your puppy, Friday is the day you can let them loose in one designated area. This is where they are allowed to eliminate, and they should be able to do so without any accidents. Keep an eye on them, but don’t hover; if they have an accident, simply clean it up and move on.
Saturday: Last training day

If your puppy is still having accidents on Saturday, that’s okay. Puppies learn at different rates, and some may need a little more time to get the hang of things. Just keep up with the potty training schedule and be patient; with a little time and patience, your puppy will be an expert at eliminating in the right place!

On Friday, you are allowed to eliminate one designated area. This should be an area where your elimination will not bother others, such as in a quiet corner of the yard. You may also use a litter box on Fridays.
On Saturday, you may use any indoor or outdoor area to eliminate. If you have an accident indoors, simply clean it up and move on.

Saturday & Sunday Daytime hours: The puppy is allowed to eliminate around the house since they are the most active during this time

During the day on Saturday and Sunday, your puppy should be able to eliminate around the house. They are usually most active during this time, so it’s a good time to let them out to do their business. Just be sure to keep an eye on them so they don’t have any accidents inside.
Saturday & Sunday Nighttime hours: Crating at night

At night on Saturday and Sunday, your puppy should be crated. This will help them get used to being in a crate and will also prevent them from having any accidents inside the house. Be sure to put their crate in a quiet place where they can sleep peacefully.

Puppies are most active during the daytime hours on Saturday and Sunday, so they are allowed to eliminate around the house during this time. If you have a backyard, we recommend taking them out there frequently to do their business. If you don’t have a backyard, taking them on walks around the block or to a nearby park will suffice. Just be sure to praise them lavishly when they go potty in the appropriate place!

Saturday Night (8 pm- 1 am): The puppy is not allowed to eliminate in any location other than one designated spot

For the Saturday Night slot, we’ll be focusing on getting the puppy used to only eliminating in one specific spot. This is important for two reasons: first, it will make potty training easier in the long run, and second, it will prevent your puppy from having accidents in the house when you’re not around to watch them.

To start, choose a spot outside that you want your puppy to use as their designated elimination spot. It can be in your backyard, at a nearby park, or even just a small patch of grass on your front lawn. Once you’ve chosen a spot, take your puppy there every hour or so on Saturday night and let them eliminate. While they’re doing their business, use a cue word or phrase (like “go potty” or “do your business”) so that they associate that word with eliminating.

After your puppy has finished eliminating, praise them enthusiastically and give them a treat. Repeat this process every hour or so throughout the night, and eventually, your puppy should get the hang of only eliminating in their designated spot.
If your puppy has an accident in the house, simply clean it up with an enzymatic cleaner (like Nature’s Miracle) and do not punish them. Punishing your puppy will only confuse them and make them more likely to have accidents in the future.

If you work long hours during the week or are otherwise gone from home for extended periods of time, you may find that designating a specific location for your puppy to eliminate is necessary. This will help to prevent accidents in the house and keep your puppy on a regular potty schedule. Try to take your puppy out to their designated elimination spot every few hours on Saturday night, and praise them heavily when they do their business in the right location.

Sunday Night (1am- 8pm): Allowed to eliminate in any

Assuming that you have already house-trained your puppy and they are now living in your home, the following is a suggested schedule for eliminating during the night.

1am-3am: Puppy should sleep through the night without having to eliminate. If they do wake up and need to go, take them outside immediately.

3am-8am: Puppy should be able to hold it for at least 5 hours by this point. Take them out first thing in the morning, as well as every few hours throughout the early morning/pre-dawn hours.

8am-12pm: Puppy can probably hold it for 6-7 hours at this point. Take them out right before bedtime, as well as first thing in the morning and every few hours in between.

12pm-1am: Puppy should be able to hold it for at least 8 hours by this point. Take them out right before bedtime, as well as first thing in the morning and every few hours in between.

Sunday nights are allowed for elimination in any manner desired, including outside, inside, on pee pads, or in a litter box. This is the perfect time to let your puppy relieve themselves before bed and get a good night’s sleep.