Potty Training a Pup in the snow

[Puppy Madness]

Hello All,

We are bringing our pup home in 15 days!  We already have a ton of snow and I'd love any tips/tricks/suggestions on potty training in the cold winter months and snow.

I am equipped with several Dirty Dog Mats and Dirty Dog Gloves for drying up once inside.  I'm more concerned with actually getting him outside in the snow and cold to do his business.

Thanks!

[Haley, Yeti, and Phin]

I'm so excited for you! I have major puppy fever right. We shoveled a huge area for yeti (9 mo) to go potty in however he would just rather go in the snow to play. This isn't usually a huge problem unless it's in the morning before I go to work (I usually don't have time to blow dry his snow balls out ... hopefully puppies cost won't be too long and this won't be a major concern for you for awhile). It does take a lot of coaxing to get him to potty in the designated shoveled spot because he would rather play of course! If you are able to clear an area I would and have him or her only outside to potty right now. I'm not sure if others would recommend it but when we first brought yeti home we would only take him out back to potty and then out front to play so he knew out back was for potty time (until he got the hang of it). If he accidentally poops inside you could try moving his poop to the designated potty spot outside so he knows that he is supposed to relieve himself there! Good luck and I hope it goes smoothly for you!

[Haley, Yeti, and Phin]

Yeti pooped in the house honestly the minute we got him (he was probably holding it in the whole way home haha). We moved it outside and he has never pooped inside the house ever again. Pee is another story unfortunately haha. I think he will do great! One more tip is to maybe keep the potty breaks short, but always encouraging. Sometimes Yeti doesn't even go potty but I refuse to stand out for longer than 10 minutes with him. I never want him to mistake potty with play. So I always make it really clear which were going to do. "Lets go potty!!!" or "Lets go play!!! (usually grabbing a ball or frisbee) If we go out to potty and he wants to play after i usually bring him in for a minute, and then back outside to play, and if he pottys while he is playing i always make sure to say "good potty!" or something along those lines. Now that he is older it isn't too big of a deal, but when he was still learning i always thought it was key!

[Lori, Winnie, Bob and Indie]

Leave a pair of slip-on shoes (or boots) and a coat at the back door so that you quickly jump into them when you scoop your pooch up to take him outside (on leash). It's not fun to potty train in the winter, but in some ways it's a little easier because the cold usually makes them pee quicker! 

[Missy]

Congratulations!!! You will have a blast this Christmas!  

I was able to potty train in the Spring, so I didn't have to deal with snow.  

I doubt you have trouble getting your pup outside, these pups LOVE the snow. I too recommend shoveling a pad area (I do a section off the back porch that is about 20 x 10.)   Keep the pup on the short leash and walk only in that area. 

Coming in from the snow.  I have large cups that I can fill with water and dip each paw into the cup and a beach towel ready to dry the paws off.  Snow sticks to these dogs fur!  you can use a hair dryer, but going outside 15 times a day...water is faster. :) 

if you use salt to melt snow and ice, be sure to wash pups paws anyway...some can get skin irritation. 

Potty training anytime tips: 

Lots of praise. Even give treats outside right after they potty. (and make these treats very special like chicken and only give these special treats when they potty) think of having a hierarchy of treats. low level and high level. for low level treats, I even used pups kibble, as I didn't want the pup to have a tummy ache. 

Set up a schedule. Write everything down. We went out after every nap, meal and  playtime. Sometimes he potty and sometimes not. But because we kept to a schedule and wrote everything down, we were able after several weeks to see a pattern and know how our pup likes to eliminate. 

There is a difference in 'outside to play' and 'outside to potty'. And if you are consistent, the pup will learn quickly. The key is to stick to the plan!  These pups are adorable and bring lots of joy and it is hard to keep to the PLAN! 

Our door we use for outside is our staging area in the Winter. I have a boot mat for my boots. Lots of towels for when we come in (pup has to go to his towel and sit)  Then we go thru the dipping of paws. wiping. etc. of course pup gets a small treat after that too. 

After snow playtime: I usually just run the dog to a bath.  as snow is stuck everywhere and dog is like a frozen popsicle.  have fun and take lots of pictures!! 

[c zoomer]

Here's an update. Madness indeed ensued.  We only got a dusting of snow.  I was disappointed that it disappeared so quickly.  The really low temps did the 3 lb Wonder in.  She would not eliminate outside after it reached 27 degrees. Eventually it dropped to 15 so I hoped a potty pad like the one she had at her breeders would be the answer.  Didn't help.  I couldn't tell if the stress got to her and she got a urinary infection, but she went all over the gated kitchen ignoring the pad for at least 4 days. I even bought a duplicate of what her breeder actually used.  The reason I don't know if she has an infection or not is she will potty on the grated pan when she's had a lot of exercise and we've had a "good day".  "Anything goes"  when we don't.  Today's nice weather got us a long walk and perfect potties, both outside and inside!  She has also turned into Dinah the Dinahsaur, chomping on my arms, and attacking my pant legs. Someone had advised me to spray Bitter Green Apple? on the things she might chew...so I sprayed my wrists and pajama bottoms.  only worked when first sprayed and wet...once it dried it didn't stop her.  She got pretty excited at puppy class tonight. G'night all

[Murph and Me]

I set up a strip of fake grass with a plastic pan underneath for Murphy to do his stuff. I have a deck but no backyard. The plastic pan is one of the ones you would get for a washing machine. Just make sure to rinse both the grass and pan as after a while and a little warm weather it will stink. But with constant pottie breaks and don't worry about the cold your house will be kept fresh and dry. Good luck.

[c zoomer]

I will be getting my pup in a week, so I appreciate having back up methods just in case the one the breeder mentioned isn't working in the snow.  At the moment the little ones are using a low lipped pan with absorbent beneath and a grid on top.  Could be the grid is needed to accommodate the "raking" they sometimes do after they eliminate.

Her suggestion is similar to the poop placement.  She said to take a handful of litter and place it in the area you want them to go.  Being it's so cold out, I may permit some litter pan use at night for a short time, until the bladder can be held for more than 3 hours.