House Training
Maltipoo House Training
Overview
House training your Maltipoo will be the most difficult training, as it is with all dog breeds, but do keep in mind that in general, this dog is on the “easy” side of the scale in regard to this. If an owner follows the guidelines all of the time and has patience, this can go very well with minimal accidents and frustration.
Of course, a puppy is not born knowing that they are expected to go to the bathroom in a certain area. Some breeders will “pee pad” train puppies before they go to their new homes…But realistically, this is not actually training, as some breeders simply place down pee pads in a gated area, leaving the puppy no choice but to go to the bathroom on them. When you bring your Maltipoo home, you will need to begin proper training.
Kaci, 3 months old
Photo courtesy of MaryAnn McGaret
The Age Factor
You may begin training
when you first bring your Maltipoo puppy home, usually between the ages of 8 and 12 weeks old. With continual training, it usually takes 2 to 3 months for a puppy to be completely house trained.
Owners should have reasonable expectations, take their Maltipoo outside frequently and reward them for their successes.
It is important to know the limits of your puppy, by their age. A 3 month old puppy can only hold their urine for 3 hours maximum
A 4 month old has a limit of 4 hours…and so on…until your Maltipoo is about 8 to 9 months old and can hold on for 8 hours. No dog should be expected to hold on to their needs for more than those 8 hours.
Puppies tend to have bowel movements approximately 20 minutes after a meal which is something to keep in mind.
How Often to Take Your Maltipoo Outside
It is suggested that you take your dog outside or lead them to his pee pads (though outdoor training is usually easier):
- Immediately after any confinement (being in their playpen, being in a gated area, etc.)
- When he/she first wakes up (Morning bathroom time must be as SOON as your puppy wakes up, their bladder will not wait while you brush your teeth, etc).
- 20 minutes or so before bedtime
- 15-20 minutes after your Maltipoo eats (for bowel movements)
- Every 2 hours for a 2 month old, every 3 hours for a 3 month old, etc.
- Any time your puppy makes a motion to go. Some pups will circle around, act skittish or bark. Once you have your puppy for a few weeks, you'll learn to read his/her cues.
Housebreaking Tips
If you follow these rules, you'll be on your way to having a well-trained dog:
1) Choose one specific spot for your Maltipoo to use as the bathroom area. This should be close to the house but not an area that is used for any other purpose. Think about how accessible the area will be during different times of the year, especially if you live in an area that receives a good amount of snow in the winter.
2) Within the area that you have chosen, you will stand in the center, allowing your puppy to sniff around and decide on the perfect spot. This is one reason why outdoor potty training is easier than indoor; dogs like to have a say in the matter.
3) Any time that you or other household members are home, do not allow your puppy to run loose in the home. You must be close by in order to properly house train him. You can use the umbilical cord method, but looping one end of his leash to your belt (just be careful how fast you walk and where you walk) or keep him in his gated area if you cannot keep a close eye on him. Young puppies
can release their bladder in the blink of an eye.
4) Each time you bring him out, take note of the time and allow for good 10 minutes. Many puppies will have weak bladders, however on the flip side of the coin some spend their first 9 minutes sniffing and exploring and then will pee once they relax. Ten minutes can seem like a long time if you are not comfortable or if you are feeling antsy from being in a rush. Dress appropriately for the weather, bring along your phone and remember that while you may need to get ready for work or cook dinner, your puppy does need time to learn the rules.
5) Bring your puppy to this spot before any walks. When owners assume that their dog will pee or poo while out for the walk, this is a missed opportunity to teach the puppy where to go. Always head to the designated bathroom spot both before and after a walk.
6) Always give some type of reward any time your Maltipoo pees or poos in the correct area. This should be praise, pats and/or treats.
7) If your puppy wakes you up at night barking, only go to him and bring him outside if you really believe there is a legitimate bathroom need. 90% of the time, it will be a matter of the pup waking up and only wanting some attention. If you do suspect that he needs to pee or poo, bring him out with the lights kept dim and minimal speaking. You'll want to teach him that nighttime jaunts outside is a serious time and that waking is fine, but will not bring about any type of playing or attention .
8) If you must be gone during the day, keep your puppy behind a small gated area or inside an indoor canine playpen. This way, he will have enough room to play, sleep
and eat, but any messes will also be contained. Place down some pee pads but do not expect him to always hit the mark. It is confusing for a puppy to learn two house training methods... And in a few months he will be able to hold his needs while you are gone.
9) Clean any accidents
with a quality enzyme cleanser. Using dish soap or other household cleaners will not rid the spot of trace amounts of urine and fine matter that holds a urine or stool scent. If this is not properly cleaned, it can trigger a puppy to go to the bathroom in that very same spot the next day.
10) Each month, as your Maltipoo puppy matures, his bladder muscles and his bowel control will get stronger. This means that he will be able to hold his needs for a longer period of time. Keeping this in mind, you'll want to encourage this by extending the amount of time that passes between when you bring him outside again.
11) Never scold a puppy for housebreaking accidents. Despite how it may appear, puppies do not pee or poo on purpose. Going potty is a basic bodily function.
If you seem to be having some hiccups, reevaluate if you are doing all that is possible to clearly teach the pup that going potty in the designated area brings about good things and that going elsewhere does not bring about attention of any kind.
The "Puppy Pees"
It is normal for some Maltipoos to pee when excited or startled.
This is rather typical for young puppies with weak bladders; when happy, stressed or otherwise feeling a strong emotion, the bladder will let loose.
This is a temporary phase. However, in the meantime, you may find a couple of things helpful:
1. Try to play with your puppy outside.
2. Bring your Maltipoo to his bathroom area before playtime.
3.Puppies that display this behavior, should not be directly picked up. It is best to kneel beside your puppy, pat them a bit and then gently roll them onto your lap. This eliminates the sudden excitement of being picked up and hugged.