Potty Training Schedule

Several people have asked if potty training a litter trained puppy is different than any other puppy.  The answer is the schedule is the same.  But one tip is to dump the soiled saw dust litter in the place in your yard where you want your puppy to soil.  Then your puppy will immediately recognize this as a good potty spot.

The following training schedule is taken from "The Art of Raising a Puppy" by the
Monks of New Skete.

General guidelines:
Feed the puppy wait 15 minutes, offer water, and then take him/her out to go potty, then spend 30 minutes to play with puppy.  Puppy soils about every 1 1/2 hrs. Always give water before taking pup out to soil.
6:30 am  Rise walk pup briefly

7:00 am  Feed & water pup
              Walk pup
               Play briefly with Pup
              Pup stays in Crate

Mid morning:  Walk pup
                     Pup stays with you 15 min
                     Pup returns to crate

12-1pm        Feed pup second meal and offer water
                    Walk pup
                    Go back inside and stay with pup
                    Pup returns to crate

Mid afternoon:  Offer water
                        Walk pup
                        Pup returns to crate

5:00 pm        Feed pup third meal and offer water
                    Walk pup
                     Allow pup to play in kitchen while making dinner

7:00 pm   Walk pup briefly
                 Offer water  (these breeders remove water at this time for an older puppy.)
                Go inside and play with pup
                Pup returns to crate

Before Bed   Walk pup
                     Pup sleeps in crate...or tether in your bedroom

My advise for working folks:
If you must leave your pup for many hours, and do not have a friend who can watch the puppy, do not lock him in his crate all day.  Keep his open crate in a puppy pen or enclosed safe area in kitchen.  Put the litter box in one area so he has a good alternative.

As your puppy matures you can increase the time between potty breaks.  Do not leave your puppy or adult dog in a crate for over 4 hours (adults dogs can stay in crate all night...young pups need a potty break)