Puppy Potty Training & Kennel Training Guide

Potty Training & Kennel Training Go Hand in Hand!

Bringing home a new puppy is exciting, fun, exhausting… and yes, sometimes a little messy! The good news? Puppies learn incredibly fast when they are given consistency, structure, and clear routines.

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The #1 secret to potty training success is simple:

Timing + Consistency = Success

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First Thing in the morning.... when your puppy wakes up in the morning, bladder control depends entirely on how quickly you move.

 

Here’s the routine:

• Calmly walk over to your puppy

• No baby talking

• No excitement

• Pick the puppy up immediately (don’t let them walk around)

 

Remember… you are already the most exciting thing in their world! The calmer you stay, the calmer your puppy stays.

 

Carry your puppy outside to the designated potty area and happily say:

“Go Potty!”

 

Once they go, celebrate BIG for a moment! Act excited, praise them, make it fun… then calmly head back inside.

 

Most puppies will also poop first thing in the morning if you stay outside for 5–10 minutes.

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Morning Routine = Building Good Habits

Once back inside:

1. Head straight to fresh water

2. Allow your puppy to drink

3. Prepare breakfast

 

We love building excitement around mealtime because it helps create puppies with excellent food drive and healthy eating habits.

When the puppies hear the bowls coming out, they usually come running to “help” in the kitchen!

 

We recommend soaking kibble in warm water for about 5 minutes to soften it slightly before feeding.

 

Feed in the Kennel! One of the BEST things you can do is feed your puppy inside their kennel with the door closed.

 

Why?

 

Because puppies quickly learn:

Kennel = Food = Happy Place

This creates puppies who LOVE their kennel instead of fearing it.

 

We recommend:

• A kennel in the main living area

• A second kennel in the bedroom

 

If your puppy struggles with kennel training, placing the kennel nearby where they can see you often helps tremendously.

 

After meals, allow your puppy to relax in the kennel for about 10–15 minutes before going back outside.

 

After Meals = Right Back Outside!

Immediately after eating:

➡️ Outside to potty again!

Stay outside until your puppy goes potty.

Living in the Pacific Northwest means we potty train in rain, sunshine, mud, and everything in between, so using a verbal command like:

“Go Potty!” helps puppies quickly associate the words with the action.

 

The 30-Minute Rule

If your puppy has gone potty and poop outside, they can usually have supervised freedom in the house for about 30 minutes.

And here is my BEST advice:

 

SET A TIMER!

Seriously. Do it.

Life gets busy. We all get distracted. Most puppy accidents happen because humans lose track of time — not because the puppy is being naughty.

 

Water Management Matters

Puppies absolutely need water, but remember:

What goes in… must come out!

We recommend:

• Unlimited water first thing in the morning

• Adding water to kibble at mealtimes as well as water bowl access

• Water halfway between meals

• Water access before meals

• Final water access around 7 PM

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Unless it’s extremely hot or your puppy has been highly active, limiting late evening water helps tremendously with nighttime potty training.

 

Recommended Feeding Schedule

We typically feed puppies at:

• 8:00 AM

• 12:00 PM

• 5:00 PM

After dinner, we do not offer additional food or treats.

 

Leaving the House is IMPORTANT

One of the best ways to raise a confident, emotionally healthy puppy is to teach them early that being alone is safe and normal.

Yes… leave the house!

 

Turn on:

• Disney Channel

• Music

• A TV

• White noise

 

Then leave your puppy safely in their kennel for short periods.

Our puppies are already used to spending about one hour daily in a kennel before going home.

 

The ideal setup before leaving:
✔ Full belly
✔ Gone potty
✔ Ready for a nap

 

Perfect time for a quick errand run!

Coming Home Calmly

 

When you return home:

• Stay calm

• No squealing

• No overexcited greetings

• No baby talking

Why?

Because excessive excitement can accidentally create submissive urination (“happy peeing”).

Instead:

• Calmly take puppy outside

• Set them down

• Say “Go Potty!”

• THEN celebrate and love on them once they potty outside

 

Calm humans create calm puppies.

What If I Need To Leave for 2–3 Hours?

 

Life happens!

For longer periods, we recommend using a:

• Playpen

• Hex pen

• Puppy-safe enclosed area

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The ideal setup includes:

• Water

• Toys

• Open kennel

• Potty station

• Safe chew items

 

⚠️ IMPORTANT:
Avoid puppy pens with horizontal bars or slats. Puppies are surprisingly talented climbers and escape artists!

 

My FAVORITE Potty Training Trick

This method works FAST.

Use a lightweight 6-foot leash and keep your puppy attached to you while they are awake and inside the house.

Benefits:

• Prevents sneaky accidents

• Helps puppies learn bladder control

• Builds leash confidence early

• Creates easier house training overall

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At first, you can allow the puppy to drag the leash until they adjust to wearing it.

This simple trick dramatically speeds up potty training success as well as leash training.

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Kennel Bedding Tips

For young puppies, we do NOT recommend placing blankets or dog beds inside the kennel until the puppy is fully potty trained. Soft bedding often encourages puppies to potty in the kennel.  A simple kennel setup helps puppies naturally learn to keep their sleeping space clean.

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Final Thoughts

Potty training takes patience, consistency, and routine. Your puppy is learning an entirely new world, and every successful potty trip outside builds confidence and understanding.

Be consistent.
Be calm.
Celebrate the wins.
And remember…

Accidents are part of puppyhood!

You’ve got this — and your puppy does too