Buying a new Pitbull puppy can get exciting but messy if you have no prior dog owner experience. Potty training a Pitbull puppy is very easy as they are intelligent, but if you are a new dog owner and need help getting started, you have come to the right place.
Let’s see how you can potty train your Pitbull puppy in no time and without any experience.
Understanding Pitbull Puppies and Their Potty Habits
To train your Pitbull correctly, you first need to understand your Pitbull and its potty habits. American Pitbuls are solid and muscular dogs with a lot of energy.
To maintain that strong body and fulfill the energy requirements, a Pitbull has to consume lots of calories daily by eating frequent meals. The heavy diet, age, and exercise or activities heavily affect the pooping frequency of your Pitbull.
On average, most adult dogs have one bowel movement daily, whereas some healthier Pitbulls are known to go twice or thrice a day. Puppies that eat several small meals daily go potty more, almost four to five times daily.
Similarly, young teen dogs can go thrice per day, but old dogs may go a whole day without a potty break due to a more inactive lifestyle and the not-so-best digestive system.
Pitbulls often go potty shortly after waking or roughly half an hour after eating. So, if you feed your Pitbull twice a day, he might poop twice, once in the morning and once in the evening.
Tools You Will Need
You must have some items a Pitbull puppy will need before potty training. You will need to have the following:
- Toilet tissues/wet wipes (to prevent odor)
- Potty pads/puppy pads
- Treats
- A crate or gate
- A bell to hang on your door (if you want to bell-train them)
And make sure you possess some qualities like:
- Patience
- Humbleness
- Positivity
You’ve got everything that you need. Now let’s dig deep step-by-step to make ourselves the best dog trainer.
Pitbull Puppies & Positive Training
The most important part of potty training is understanding what works best for your Pitbull puppies when teaching them any desired discipline.
Since you want to promote the ideal potty behavior within your house, you must ensure that your Pitbull feels comfortable and engaged throughout the training.
To accomplish any training, your Pitbull puppy needs positive reinforcement style training. Positive and encouraging training is the best way to housebreak your puppy. Dogs respond poorly to fear and punishment tactics, so never using these methods during potty training is important.
The best way to help your Pitbull puppy succeed is by rewarding them for correct behavior and ensuring they enjoy the training process.
Now that you understand the importance of positive training for the success of your Pitbull puppy, let’s discuss the step-by-step potty training process.
Step 1. Special Potty Spot
To help your Pitbull puppy establish a routine, you will need to select a designated potty spot inside your yard.
By establishing a special reserved spot to take your Pitbull puppy each time they go outside, they will soon understand that this is the only place they should be relieving themselves.
To do this, put your puppy on a leash and direct them to his potty spot each time you go outside. And when your Pitbull puppy finishes their business in the right spot, reward them immediately with praise or a tasty treat.
By linking a positive response or reward with using the bathroom in the set area, your puppy is more likely to repeat this from now on. Continue walking your Pitbull puppy to the potty spot until they learn to walk to this area without any directions.
Once they have learned this step, you can remove the leash and let them walk to the potty spot independently.
Step 2. Take Your Pitbull Outside Regularly
The best way to help stop your Pitbull puppy from having any “accidents” inside the home is by making sure they go outside regularly and frequently during the age they are still learning to control their bladder.
Taking your Pitbull puppy outside after every 3 to 4 hours will make sure they don’t have to fight the urge to relieve inside the house and will help associate the link between the set special potty spot and the correct behavior.
Repeating is the best way to teach your Pitbull puppy new tricks, and potty training is no different. Make sure you have plenty of treats and praise ready each time your puppy goes outside.
Step 3. Set A Feeding Schedule
Designating a set feeding schedule is the best way to help your Pitbull create a regular potty routine. Feeding your puppy at the same time every day can help you better understand what times they usually need to go.
Training your Pitbull puppy is about creating a routine they will learn to follow. Routine and repetition will help your puppy become the trained dog of your dreams.
Step 4. Consider Your Schedule
If your schedule does not allow sufficient time to train your Pitbull puppy, it will impact the potty training process.
To ensure your Pitbull understands what is expected of them with potty training, it is your job to make this as effortless as possible for him.
You cannot expect your puppy to hold his pee/poop for long periods while they are still learning, so make sure your schedule contemplates that.
The most efficient way of helping your pit bull puppy succeed in potty training is by having a schedule that allows you to take him outside every 3 to 4 hours or keeping him in a small area with a potty pad in case of accidents.
Step 5. Control Their Water Intake
We all know it is hard to hold pee after a large drink of water. While humans know not to drink much water before getting into bed, a growing Pitbull puppy may need help understanding this.
Due to their urge to drink lots of water at any time of the day, removing their water bowl is best when you know they may not have access to their potty spot for some hours.
To help your puppy hold it, remove all water bowls from their crate between potty times and before heading to bed.
If they drink sufficient water throughout the day, they will do fine for a few hours without any water.
Step 6. Thoroughly Clean Up any “Accidents.”
Though your growing Pitbull puppy may be learning to be an adult, their noses and sniffing powers are fully developed. Because of this, any leftover urine or stool scent can entice your puppy to use the bathroom in previous accident spots in your home.
To prevent any future accidents in your home, it’s important to thoroughly clean any accidents with powerful disinfectant and odor removal tools.
Removing lingering smells makes these areas less likely to entice your Pitty.
You can use any fragrance or enzymatic cleaner to wipe out stains.
Step 7. Teach Your Pitbull Puppy A Potty Signal
Now that your puppy has mastered all the previous steps, it is time to teach him a signal for going potty. A specified signal showing you when your Pitbull puppy has to go outside is important to ensure he is not forced to poop inside your home.
This signal can be a simple bark at the door, a ring of a bell, or any other gesture you may like him to master.
I prefer going by the bell as it sets it apart from normal behavior, and usually, dogs bark at the door when someone is at it.
You can do this by creating a pattern of action and result. For instance, hang a bell on a wall or the door that your puppy can reach easily. Ring the bell each time you take your Pitbull puppy outside, helping him associate the sound of a bell with his potty break.
After a few times, teach your puppy how to touch the bell before going to the bathroom outside every time.
Before you know it, your Pitbull will ring the bell each time they need to go. You can repeat this method with any potty signal you want your furry little companion to learn.
Crate Training Tips For A Pitbull Puppy
When potty training your Pitbull puppy, it is best to give him a crate or another small box to stay in when you are away or unable to watch them.
Having free access to roam around the house is just too tempting for a small puppy when it comes to pooping inside the house. So, keep them enclosed in a safe space to prevent any “accidents.”
Keep the following tips in mind when setting up a crate or enclosed area for your Pitbull puppy:
- Ensure his crate is big enough for him to stand right up and turn around to get comfortable. Also, remember that the crate is manageable, or it will encourage them to go potty.
- Ensure to line his crate with potty pads in case he has accidents.
- Clean up any accidents in their crate or enclosed area thoroughly since any left-behind scents may encourage your Pitbull puppy to go in that area again.
- Never associate any punishment or fear with their crate. The crate should be their safe place.
- If you use a gate to block off an enclosed area for your puppy, make sure the gate is not easily escapable, i.e., having large spaces or easily opened.
Use Patience With Your Pitbull
The last but most important component of potty training your Pitbull puppy is patience. Some dogs take longer than others to grasp the training process fully, so try your best to keep calm if your puppy does not catch your instruction immediately.
Your puppy will likely poop inside the house before they are fully housebroken. This is normal for a growing puppy experiencing new behavior for the first time.
Patience and positivity is the best way to train your Pitbull on any new trick or behavior and strengthen the bond you will have in the future. Your new furry little friend will show their appreciation for your patience and love through their unconditional love and affection.
When Should I Start Potty Training My Pitbull Puppy?
When potty training your dog, you shouldn’t bother by starting at an early age. Your Pitbull puppy will not know when and where to pee and poop when it arrives as a new baby in your house.
Start your Pitbull puppy house training when they are 11 to 17 weeks old. Training him too early is unnecessary, as a very young puppy can only understand things slowly.
When your Pitbull puppy is too young and comes to your house for the first time, you should only teach him obedience commands and nothing much. You should slowly help teach them all the necessary tricks and manners, leading towards more complex tricks.
How Long Does it Take Potty Train a Pitbull Puppy?
Every dog yearns for love, care, affection, and attention from its owner. Pitbulls are eager to please their owner, and with incredible intelligence, they are fast learners.
So, you can potty train your Pitbull puppy completely within 4 to 6 months. It all depends on you as to how you are going to teach your Pitbull and treat him. Remain calm in all situations because you will face many challenges, hurdles, and accidents during training.
If you live in an apartment, it will be difficult to take your puppy to the designated potty spot quickly as it will most likely be outside, and you must go down to the ground floor first.
If this is your case, take the elevator to reach the ground floor quickly and teach your puppy to hold it until you reach the potty spot.
Dealing with Pitbull Potty Accidents
Remember, accidents will likely happen with your Pitbull puppy, so you must understand never to punish them. Clean the accident with an enzymatic cleaner to remove the odor that can indicate to your puppy that this place is ok for pooping.
Between regular potty intervals, if you catch your Pitbull dog sniffing around, circling, whining, or indicating some other way he must go, take him out immediately to his potty spot.
And if you catch your Pitbull dog in the middle of pooping inside the house, say “no!” to startle him and immediately take him outdoors to finish. Praise him when he finishes outside.
The best way to prevent nighttime accidents when you can’t keep an eye on him all the time is to take away your dog’s food and water bowl two hours before bedtime.
In the end, if you do not face any accidents for 5 weeks, congratulations, you have succeeded in potty training your Pitbull puppy.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
How Often Do Pitbull Puppies Need to Pee?
Puppies may often pee 4 to 6 times daily if they frequently eat small meals and drink water. Teen Pitbull puppies may go for a pee 3 to 4 times a day, whereas an adult may go 2 times.
If your Pitbull is old and lazy, he may go a whole day without needing a potty break.
How Do You Train a Pitbull Puppy at Home?
To train your Pitbull puppy at home, you first need a firm yet calm mindset to understand that a puppy does not understand the world fully and needs your guidance to grow.
Afterward, always keep a positive mindset, keep the essential tools, give praise and treats when your puppy accomplishes any command correctly, and ask any experienced friend or trainer for help if you have any problem.
How Long Does It Take to Fully Potty Train a Pitbull?
Despite being an intelligent breed, it still takes almost 4 to 6 months to fully potty train an American Pitbull. So go forward with patience and expect some accidents during this process, as young puppies dont have any control over their bladder.
Are Pitbull Puppies Easy to Train?
American Pitbull puppies are easy to train thanks to their high intelligence level and the need to please their owners. Easy training is not flawless; you may face hurdles and accidents once your Pitbull puppies are fully trained.
Conclusion
I have said this throughout the article, and I will say it again, if you want to train your Pitbull puppy or any other dog, you need to keep a positive mindset and know that you and your puppy will make some mistakes ok to do so.
If you have any problem or get stuck with your puppy in a process, dont feel ashamed to ask for professional help from a trainer. I hope this article helped you in some way.
