Potty training a new puppy can be a challenge, and potential Leonberger owners may be curious about the difficulty level of potty training this large breed. So, are Leonberger puppies easy to potty train?
Potty training a Leonberger puppy is relatively easy, however, it requires patience and dedication. To facilitate the training process, you should pay attention to your puppy’s body language and focus on consistent feeding routines. Positive reinforcement and the use of command words will help your puppy learn these new behaviors.
Thankfully, in this article, we will share with you everything you need to know about training Leonberger puppies, and the best tips and tricks to make this process as smooth as possible!
When Should You Start Potty Training a Leonberger?
A Leonberger can be potty trained at any age, but it is best to begin between eight and twelve weeks old. Potty training your puppy can be a time-consuming and often frustrating task, but it does not have to be if you incorporate a few methods.
Understanding your Puppy’s Body Language
Learning to read your Leonberger’s body language is only possible by paying close attention. If you notice that your puppy is beginning to squat or sniff around, immediately take him outside and see if he goes to the bathroom.
Not all dogs give the same clues. So, pay attention if your puppy goes to the door and scratches or paws at the door. The probability that your puppy has an accident at some point in the house is high, so take notice if you see him returning to an area that was previously soiled. All of these are signs that he needs to go out.
If you think that you have read the signs accurately take your puppy out but if he does not potty within 3-4 minutes bring him back inside and then try again. However, if your puppy uses the potty right after bringing him back inside it is possible that you need to give him more time outside due to puppies sometimes becoming distracted.
Limit Access to the Entire House
A definite way to ensure accidents will be made by your Leonberger puppy is to provide free roaming of the house.
An efficient way to prevent this is by limiting their space by use of a crate or a small area of confinement in the house. Some have found baby gates useful in sectioning off parts of the house.
Not only will this reduce the mishaps inside the home, but it also helps the puppy develop his language of signaling you that he needs to go out.
Do not worry; your Leonberger pup does not have to be confined forever. This is only until they are house-trained which can sometimes be as long as a year.
While this may seem cruel or unfair, this will in fact only make your job easier when it comes to training your new Leonberger puppy.
It is also one of the top tips for potty training across all dog breeds as it is shown to have a positive effect on the progress that your dog will make with their training.
Using Command Words
Command words are highly effective in potty training because it alerts your puppy to what is needed. It also keeps them from being unnecessarily distracted. To begin you will teach your puppy the command word and then the expected action.
Choose separate potty commands, one for pee and one for poop. You can choose your terminology, but simple terms such as “go pee” or “go poop” easily work. You may also choose to say “potty” or “do your business”.
When using the command words repetition is key. As soon as your Leonberger puppy starts to pee, immediately begin repeating your chosen phrase, such as “potty” until he is finished. The same goes for when he squats to poop, repeat your chosen phrase until he is done.
After a week of repeating the command, evaluate your puppy by taking him out and giving the command word.
If he gets distracted and doesn’t potty, then you may need to repeat the commands for a few more days. Repetition is the key to training.
It will help them remember important commands and know how to react the next time they hear the phrase.
Use Positive Reinforcement
People appreciate positive reinforcement and the same is true with your puppy, especially when potty training. Positive affirmation quickly teaches your puppy that they will be rewarded when they go to the bathroom outside.
These rewards can be as simple as verbal praise, or you may reward them with treats. However, it needs to be immediately after the behavior so that they associate the reward with successfully going to the bathroom.
Avoid Negative Reinforcement
Negative reinforcement can entail different aspects including verbal and physical punishment. Your puppy is learning to trust throughout this process.
By imposing negative consequences such as a swat with a newspaper or shoving his nose in his accident, trust will be difficult to achieve.
Instead, look at the accident as a learning experience. This will enable you to see what could have been done differently to prevent the accident.
There are additional key considerations for successful potty training of your Leonberger puppy.
Food Quality
The quality of what you feed your Leonberger puppy directly impacts house training.
Low-quality food results in more poop and more often. Low-quality food usually contains fillers which make your puppy eat more to get the needed nutrients.
“Cheaper fillers consist of ingredients that are barely digested which means a high proportion will pass through.“
Contrasted with high-quality food which contains a higher nutritional value, less has to be consumed and much more is digested. This results in a lower output from the other end.
Feeding Schedule
Your Leonberger puppy needs a regular schedule for feeding because what goes in on a schedule comes out on schedule. If you feed your puppy at the same time daily, you will observe when they go to the bathroom. You can then pick up on a pattern outlining when they need to be taken out.
Dogs love having a schedule and are creatures of habit and will thrive when knowing when and what to expect. Having a schedule also lets your puppy know that a potty break is coming soon. He will not be left wondering when or if he will be able to get outside.
If you do not have a feeding schedule this means you are free-feeding or leaving their bowl out for them to graze as they wish.
This will promote unpredictable bathroom times because random eating means random pooping.
This is especially important to avoid while house training. When you feed your Leonberger puppy, leave the food down for about 15 minutes and then remove it until you feed them again.
Scheduled Bathroom Times
Start your day off each morning by taking your puppy outside to do their business. Having your puppy confined during the night is advisable.
This will also allow you to hear any whimper or whine if they are needing to go out during the night.
“If you are crating your Leonberger puppy then you may want to carry the entire crate outside in the morning. This will prevent them from stopping along the way to use the bathroom on the floor.”
Consistency is paramount including using the same door each day. This also includes going to the same area to potty, and keeping them on a leash.
Another scheduled bathroom time is after feeding your puppy, only waiting about 30 minutes to take him outside.
The younger they are the sooner after a meal they will need to be taken out. As your puppy ages, it will gain more control over its bodily functions. When this happens, they will be able to hold out a bit longer.
Remember to monitor when your puppy drinks water and treat it as you would a meal. After drinking water, they will need to be taken out soon.
Treat naptime as a mini version of your morning routine. When your puppy wakes up from a nap take them outside immediately.
Final thoughts
Potty training your Leonberger puppy requires patience. Remember that accidents will happen. Implementing what is needed in training your puppy may take time, but it will not take forever. The end result is a wonderfully housetrained Leonberger.
By following the tips and tricks we provided in this article, you will already be off to a great start when it comes to training your Leonberger to go to the bathroom outside!
