Potty training a Bullmastiff can be a challenging task, but it’s an essential step in raising a well-behaved and happy pet. So how exactly do you potty train this breed?
Potty training a Bullmastiff is similar to potty training any dog. It just requires patience and a lot of positive reinforcement. Take them outside frequently and reward them with treats and praise whenever they go to the toilet outside of the house.
Unfortunately, it can take more than just that for some Bullmastiffs. That’s why we’ve written up a longer explanation of the tips and tricks we’ve learned to help you out. Follow them, and within a few months, you’ll have no more accidents.
What is potty training?
Potty training for dogs is when you move from using pee pads or similar items indoors as a puppy to taking them outside to expel waste.
Like children, puppies have difficulty controlling their pee and poop when they are young and need a simple way to deal with it. But within a few months, you can transition them into telling you when they need to go and taking them outside to do it.
Why should you train your Bullmastiff to go outside?
Teaching your dog to go potty outside for the first time is a difficult task for most dog owners. It’s not something encoded in their doggy-brains to ask for permission to go outside to go to the bathroom.
They need to be taught how and when to go outside with patience and positive reinforcement.
Once they do learn, you’ll have a much easier time taking care of them, so it’s essential to work through it when you get the chance!
How do I start the process of potty training my Bullmastiff?
The basics of beginning house training with your Bullmastiff is easy. Take them outside much more often than they have to go and keep them supervised between trips.
For some dogs, it’s just that easy. For others, it isn’t so simple.
One step further you can take is to put a leash on your Bullmastiff each time they go out and wait for them to empty their bladder before playing with them. By making sure you catch them at least sometimes going to the washroom outside, you can give them positive reinforcement for doing so. With this, they’ll start to want to go out to do their thing.
What are some tricks for making the process easier?
One of the first things to do is to make sure you have designated an area outside that is dog-friendly—that way, you and your Bullmastiff both know where to go when nature calls.
After that, here are some tips and tricks for further training:
1. Get the timing down
It’s essential to know in general how often your Bullmastiff needs to go to the washroom. That way, you can pre-empt them and take them out often enough so that they go outside as much as possible. This will also help to prevent accidents.
Some behaviors might indicate they need to go, such as pacing and whining, whimpering, sniffing the ground, or simply following you. A classic one is getting your attention and then trying to lead you to the door to go outside.
There are also vital moments to go outside that can help establish a routine:
- Before bed
- Prior to being crated
- Before people come to visit
- Prior to going to the vet
- After eating
- Following a training session
- After a stressful event
- Following a long rest
2. Using a Bell
This is a little more drastic, but it can help! You can use a bell attached to a string near the door for your dog to ring when they need to go out. It can be annoying for you but can have very positive results in the long run.
Training using a bell can be done in 3 easy steps:
- First, teach your Bullmastiff to jingle the bell. To do so, hold the bells close to their nose. Then, if they sniff or touch the bell, give them a treat. After several repetitions, move the bell away, so they have to move to get to the bell.
- Once they are used to ringing the bell to get a treat, hang a bell on any door, they might use to get outside. Encourage them to use these bells now for treats.
- Finally, it’s time to teach them that the bell means it’s time to go outside. So when they ring the bell by the door, open the door for them, take them out, and give them a treat.
- If they go so far as to go potty, give them extra treats and a lot of positive reinforcement. Keep repeating this until they understand the connection.
3. Stay Positive
When learning to poop and pee outside, you’ll need to provide treats and praise constantly. Avoid punishments or harsh corrections, as this will only confuse your dog. They’ll likely begin to hide their accidents if you punish them for it.
You want to reinforce that they are internally motivated to go outside when they need to go to the washroom. Give them treats whenever they are making progress.
Another significant factor is consistency. They should be getting treats every time they go to the washroom outside, so you’ll likely want to keep treats right by the door or on your person at all times.
“Try to remember that your dog doesn’t inherently understand that this patch of grass or area outside is meant to be their washroom.”
They need that regular training to get the circuitry in their brain right. If you stay patient and positive, eventually, the training will work.
Now we’ll look at a few more steps in detail.
The first step is to make sure your house is puppy-proof.
There are a few items you’ll want to control the situation as much as possible.
Baby Gates
If there are areas you don’t want your Bullmastiff having accidents in; baby gates are a great solution. Especially when you are busy or away, they can help stop them from causing problems when you aren’t looking.
Pee Pads
Pee Pads help when potty training your Bullmastiff. Especially if they are not good at asking for permission to go outside yet.
The pads let them go on their schedule and provide a great intermediary to prevent worse accidents as you teach them to go outdoors.
Kennel or Crate
A kennel or a crate makes for a good resting place after they’ve had a big play session or when you aren’t able to supervise them. Just make sure it’s a good size for your Bullmastiff and that they’re comfortable in there before you leave them inside for long periods.
4. Make sure you have a designated area for potty training
When you do begin taking them outdoors, make sure there’s a designated spot for them to go and that you are leading them to it. If they are just given the whole yard, it may be hard to avoid stepping on their poops later.
5. Put newspapers down on the floor
Newspapers or pee pads both work for the transitional period. It’s a myth that if you train your dog to use newspapers or pee pads indoors that it’s harder to train them to go pee outside.
Instead, think of these as tools to help you in the intermediate period when they are still having a lot of accidents.
6. Give Lots of Praise and Encouragement
Positive reinforcement through treats is a great method when potty training a Bullmastiff. You want to reinforce every step of the way as your dog learns to get your attention to go outside and eliminate their waste.
Adding positive, encouraging words also helps a lot. Remember, they are paying attention to your tone more than anything else, and you want to make going to the washroom a positive experience for them.
Otherwise, they may try to hold in their waste as much as possible, which can cause problems for their health.
Be patient with yourself, and you will be rewarded in the end with a well-trained pup.
You have to remember that successful potty training takes lots of time and patience.
It may be months before your Bullmastiff is consistent with their asking to go out. However, it is undoubtedly worth it, as you’ll both live happier, cleaner, and smell-free lives together once you’re done.
Consistency is a key factor here if you do not see results.
“The reinforcement mechanism doesn’t work if the treats and words of encouragement aren’t consistently provided.”
It can be just as hard for you to get into the habit as it is for your pup, but it’s just as important.
If they come inside from going potty, don’t scold them – take them back outside, so they know what’s expected of them.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to scold them when they don’t go potty outside, even after you’ve taken them out. Unfortunately, they can’t understand what this punishment is for, and it will only teach them that going outside may lead to them getting punished.
Instead, you can lead them back outside either right then or a little later to give them more opportunity to do their thing. Then, whenever they go to the washroom outside, give them lots of praise and a treat. Done consistently, this will work within a few months.
When can I expect my Bullmastiff to be thoroughly trained?
There may never be a time when they have no accidents at all. Dogs can have medical conditions or get stressed or frightened some days and have an accident.
However, if we are talking when they are fully trained, you can expect them to have occasional accidents by six months. So most dogs will already be very consistent by three months, but don’t expect that in all cases.
Final thoughts
Potty training your Bullmastiff doesn’t need to be difficult. However, the consistency required and the various steps involved are a large chore for many people. They also can’t stand that their dog has a bunch of accidents around the house.
But once you know the basics, it’s just a matter of getting it done. Follow the steps above, and you’ll have a potty-trained dog in no time.
