If you’ve got a puppy who is 9 months old and still having accidents in the house, what can you do about it? First, ask yourself a few questions; is your 9-month-old puppy still not potty trained? What breed is he? What is his routine?
Many things can cause your puppy or dog to have potty accidents in the house. Let’s discuss this in detail.
Why Is your 9 month old puppy still not potty trained?
Ideally, a 9 month old puppy should be fully potty trained but if at this age your puppy is still having a hard time going to the toilet in time, there can be multiple reasons behind it, like he still needs a little more time or maybe the trainer is lagging somewhere. You may need to get your dog checked for good health and consistently train him until he shows satisfying results.
Here are a few possible reasons why your 9 month old puppy is still not potty trained.
1- He still needs time:
Just like humans, every puppy learns at his own pace. Typically, when you start potty training a puppy at 12 weeks old, he will show excellent performance by the time he is 9 months old, but that might not be true in your case.
Give your puppy a few more months. Continue the potty training. You must be with him, take him to the toilet in time, and avoid every potty accident in the house.
2- Small dog breed:
A small dog has a small body and small bladder size. He eats and drinks more often as compared to a large dog. He needs frequent toilet breaks. Small dogs take more time to mature and develop muscle strength later.
These factors make a small dog harder to potty train. They can take much more time to hold their bladder for longer.
If your nine-month-old puppy belongs to a small breed, give him more frequent potty breaks and a few more months.
3- In-adequate potty training:
This is the most common reason dogs are not potty trained because the trainer does not know what he is doing.
The trainer must learn first. So many small details and tricks are often ignored. You can read our complete puppy potty training guide here. This website is dedicated to dog owners struggling with potty training their puppies. So, go ahead and bookmark this website. Learn as much as you can.
4- Your puppy doesn’t have a routine:
Having a routine is so crucial in your puppy’s potty training. I always recommend dog owners to be organized and write down the schedule. Note down everything: the routine, when and where the puppy had a potty accident, what your puppy’s potty pattern is, and what signs he shows before peeing or pooping.
Writing down everything will make it easier to observe the patterns and stick to a routine.
This is the key; do not let your puppy pee in the wrong place. You must know his routine and take him to the potty spot in time before he relieves himself in the house.
5- He is potty trained, but there are some other reasons:
Besides incomplete or improper potty training, there are a few other possible reasons your nine-month-old puppy still has accidents in the house.
Urine marking:
Puppies start urine marking as early as three months old. It’s a natural dog behavior to mark their territory. If your puppy lifts his leg while peeing and the urine amount is so tiny, it’s more likely to be urine marking instead of potty accidents.
Regression:
Dogs regress in their training; it’s a regular part of their brain development. You need to be with him. He is still a young puppy. All you can do is keep up with the training. Take him to the potty breaks on time and prevent accidents in the house.
Click here to know more about potty training regression in puppies.
He smells pee there:
If you have been tracking your puppy’s potty accidents in the planner, and you notice that your puppy has potty accidents in a specific area in the house, it could be possible that he smells urine there.
Get a UV flashlight, turn off the lights and check your house with the flashlight. If there are urine stains, clean them with only enzyme cleaner.
He is sick:
Do you find your puppy lazy and weak? Get him checked. UTIs are ubiquitous in dogs and puppies, and they can cause your puppy to lose control over his bladder.
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How to stop a 9 month old puppy from peeing in the house?
After ensuring that your puppy is doing well, you must get back to basic potty training.
First, confine him to a particular area where the floor is easier to clean. Then, do not let him explore the house until he is fully potty trained.
Check your house with a UV flashlight and figure out if there are urine stains that can invite the puppy to pee in the place again. Get a good enzyme cleaner that destroys pet urine stains and smells. Clean up the house.
Click here to find the best enzyme cleaner for dog urine.
Read the guide “how to potty train a puppy” and follow it step by step. Stick to a routine and be with your animal. Do not let your puppy pee in the wrong place.
What to do if a 9-month-old puppy is still pooping in the house?
If your 9 month old puppy is potty trained but still pooping in the house, it can be improper potty training or an irregular feeding schedule.
Also, make sure that it is not any medical condition.
Confine your puppy in an area and put him on a regular feeding schedule. First, note down when and where he poops. Then, clean that area with an enzyme cleaner and restrict your puppy’s access to that area.
Notice the signs he shows before pooping. Common signs are squatting, restlessness, and barking. Keep a hawk-eye on your dog and notice what he does.
Be with your dog; whenever he needs to poop, take him outside and let him do the deed. when he does, give him a treat. Make sure to build a positive association with the environment by not yelling at him and giving him treats.
Repeat this for many days, and do not let your puppy into the house until he is fully trained to poop outside.
Essential potty training supplies you must have in hand:
| Supplies | Shop |
|---|---|
| Printable Tracker | Free Download |
| Leash | Check price on Amazon |
| Enzyme cleaner | Check price on Amazon |
| Training Treats | Check price on Amazon |
| Poop bags | Check price on Amazon |
| Paper towels | Check price on Amazon |
| UV flashlight | Check price on Amazon |
| Potty bells | Check price on Amazon |
| Potty training spray | Check price on Amazon |
| Pee pads (optional) | Check price on Amazon |
| Pooper scooper (optional) | Check price on Amazon |
The following information might be helpful for you when your nine month old puppy is not potty trained.
Do 9 month old puppies regress?
Regression is a natural part of a dog’s brain development, especially in puppies younger than 1 year old. So, yes! 9 month old puppies do regress in their training.
But with simple basic training, it’s easy to re-train those regressed dogs.
Can a 9 month old puppy be potty trained?
A 9 month old puppy can be potty trained easily. Because at this age, your puppy can control his bladder for a long time and understand the commands and processes.
For how long a 9 month old puppy can hold his bladder?
A 9-month-old puppy can hold his bladder for more than 8-9 hours. So, he requires only 2-3 potty breaks a day. The best news is that the puppy should be able to sleep through the night without a potty break at this age.
A small breed puppy may need more frequent breaks.
Final thoughts:
A 9 month old puppy still having potty accidents in the house may not be fully potty trained yet. Or maybe he is not being appropriately trained. Having a fixed schedule is crucial if you want a well-behaved puppy in your house.
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