When owing a puppy for the first time, it can be hard to understand what is normal and what is not! At what age a puppy should be potty trained and when to start. One question that is often asked by new dog owners is, “My dog is 6 months old and not potty trained.”
It can be hard to set up realistic expectations. Let’s just discuss everything specific to a 6-month-old puppy.
Why is a 6-month-old Puppy/dog still not potty trained?
My dog is 6 months old and still not potty trained. Is it normal? Yes, a 6-month-old puppy should be halfway through his journey of potty training. You can not expect him to be fully potty trained by now. However, if their potty training has not been started yet. You should start it right now.
It is normal for a 6 months old puppy to have potty accidents at home. There is nothing to worry about, just clean up the mess immediately and perfectly and continue with your puppy’s potty training.
There can be many reasons for this:
1- The owner is setting wrong expectations:
A 6-month-old puppy is very young to be fully potty trained. The owner needs to set realistic expectations.
2- The dog is from a puppy mill or is rescued:
If the dog is from a puppy mill or is rescued, he will not be on his potty training journey, whatever age he is.
So, when adopting a rescue dog, you need to understand that all the work is to be done by you.
Here’s our guide to potty training a puppy mill dog.
3- He is regressing his potty training:
Puppy potty training regression is common in dogs under one year of age and in older dogs.
Even in dogs who are not yet fully potty trained, it is very common for puppies to take a few steps back.
Puppy potty training is not usually a smooth process. It is usually two steps forward, one step back, and then 3 steps forward one step back.
Just like every other learning process, a dog will learn at his own pace.
4- The trainer is not following the right way of training:
It is also possible that the person who is potty training a puppy is not following the right way.
He might not be sticking to a fixed schedule, or maybe he is not watching for his cues.
The owner should learn first.
Here’s our complete guide to potty training a puppy.
5- The dog might be sick:
When everything is going fine, but the puppy is not showing any progress, it is possible that he might have any medical condition that might be hindering his process of potty training.
Just like UTI.
What to do if a 6 month old puppy is not potty trained?
If a 6-month-old puppy is not yet on his potty training journey, then start it right away. First of all, get him checked by a vet for any medical condition like UTI and then start his training.
Fix his eating and drinking schedule. Fix his potty spot and potty cue and take him there every time he needs to go.
Follow all steps in this guide to puppy potty training.
Is 6 months of age too late to start potty training a puppy?
Although a puppy should be halfway through his journey at this age, 6 months is still not too late to start potty training.
He might give you a little more tough time, but if you follow the right process, he will get it and start following the behavior you are expecting.
Is it easy to potty train a 6-month-old puppy?
A 6-month-old puppy should have enough control over his bladder muscles to hold it for some time, and this makes him easier to potty train.
However, if he has not been exposed to good potty habits earlier in his life, he will have a hard time understanding him.
So we can’t say if it is easy or hard to potty train a puppy at 6 months of age. Because it depends upon several factors.
- Dog’s breed
- Size
- From where he belongs
- Dog’s health
And many other factors make a dog hard or easy to potty train.
How to potty train a 6-month-old puppy?
1- Limit his space: First of all, confine him to an area that is easier to clean up.
2- Fix his eating and drinking schedule: The first and most crucial step for potty training a puppy is fixing his schedule. It will help you to understand and regulate his toilet routine.
3- Understand his schedule and cues: You need to understand that after how much time of eating and drinking he needs to go. 6 months is old enough for a dog to hold his bladder up to an extent.
You also need to understand what cues he shows before relieving himself.
4- Take him to the fixed potty spot regularly: After understanding his routine and cues, you need to take him to the potty spot right on time and say the command you have fixed for taking him to the toilet.
The secret to successful puppy potty training is “never give your puppy a chance to relive himself where you don’t want him to do so.”
This was just a summary of what you have to do. You better read out the full guide to potty training a puppy here.
For how long does a 6 months old puppy hold his bladder?
A 6 months old puppy should be able to hold his bladder for around 5-6 hours. You need to take him outside to pee 10-30 minutes after eating or drinking, right after a play session, right before bed, and right after he wakes up. Other than that you need to set an alarm form every 6 hours to take him out to pee.
How long does it take to potty train a 6-month-old puppy?
Usually, it takes around 1-4 months for a puppy to be fully potty trained when you start potty training at 3 months (12 weeks).
A 6-month-old puppy should show results sooner as he is already strong enough to control his bladder.
So we can say that a 6-month-old puppy should take less than 4 months to be fully potty trained.
At what age should a puppy be fully potty trained?
You cannot expect him to be fully potty trained from a 6-month-old puppy. Several factors determine that at what a puppy should be fully potty trained.
Ideally, a puppy should be fully potty trained by the time he is 8-9 months old.
Here’s how to know if your puppy is fully potty trained or not?
Conclusion:
My dog is 6 months old and not potty trained?
It is completely fine if your dog is 6 months old and still not potty trained. You can start his training right now without wasting any further time. With the right method, patience, and consistency, you should be able to potty train your puppy within no time.
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