Labradors are a very common and popular dog breed, especially in America. They are very warm, friendly, and great babysitters.
Labs are medium-sized but look like large dogs because of their strong and sturdy body. They were first bred in Newfoundland in the 1800s.
When it comes to potty training, their body strength, intelligence, and loyalty to the owner make them easier to potty train.
Here we are going to discuss a few things about potty training lab puppies
Are Labs Easy To Potty Train?
Are labs easy to potty train? Labs are highly intelligent dogs, they are eager to please their owner and they have enough strong bladder muscles to control the urine for longer. These factors make labs very easy to potty train.
With the use of the right method and positive reinforcement labradors are potty trained very easily.
What is the best age to start potty training the labrador puppy?
Labrador puppies gain muscles strength earlier than smaller puppies so the best age to start conscious potty training at around 10-12 weeks of age.
At this age, a lab puppy is almost able to understand the process and he must have enough bladder strength to start learning to control it.
However, it is also important to start setting good potty habits by taking the puppy to the potty spot and keeping his place clean from the very first day.
What is the best way to potty train a lab puppy?
The best way to potty train a lab puppy is to train him to go outside instead of using puppy pads. Because this dog breed is capable of holding the bladder for enough time (when he is older) and they can withstand cold weather too.
So there is almost no reason left to train a lab to use puppy pads.
We are going to discuss the potty training process in a while.
How To Potty Train A lab Puppy?
Lab puppies are easy to potty train this doesn’t mean that their training doesn’t require enough work.
By not following the proper training method, you can still make their housetraining hard.
Here’s a short overview of how you can potty train your lab puppy
- Make sure to set good potty habits by taking him to one potty spot and keeping his area clean and tidy from the very first day.
- Choose a potty spot and one potty command for your puppy.
- Take your lab puppy to the potty spot everytime he needs to go like 15-30 minutes after eating (lab puppies can hold it for longer after meal), right before and after the “sleep”, after a play session, and when you think that he can’t hold the bladder anymore.
- For how long a lab puppy can hold his bladder? On average a puppy can hold his bladder for one hour for every month of the age. Labradors can hold it for a little longer.
At 12 weeks old, a lab puppy should be able to hold his bladder for like 3-4 hours. And this time increases with the age. - Every time he does the deed in the right place, give him the treat to show encouragement.
- Do not let any accident happen, but if it happens, clean it up with a good enzyme cleaner immediately.
It was a short intro to the whole process of potty training, but our full step-by-step puppy potty training guide is much better. Find it here.
How long does it take to potty train a lab puppy?
There are no specific answers to this question. It depends upon many factors like
- If he is exposed to good potty habits from the beginning because if he is not, he will take much longer to be potty trained.
- If the trainer is using the right method and treats and praises because labs respond really well to positive reinforcement.
- By creating a good schedule and taking him to the potty spot on time will speed up the process.
How long does it take to potty train a lab puppy? A Labrador puppy understands the process quickly. On average it takes around 7 days for him to start showing good progress and around 1-2 months to be enough potty trained. But it is best to follow up with the training until he is 7-9 months (when his bladder will be strong enough to hold it for the most part of the day.)
Potty training regression is common in dogs under the age of 1 year old, so following up with the training is a good thing till this age.
Labrador Puppy Potty Training Tips:
Here’s are a few tips that can really help you in your labrador puppy potty training.
1- Use a properly sized crate:
A crate should be enough for a puppy or dog to sit, stand and turn around. A bigger crate can be a hurdle in your puppy’s potty training.
So choosing the right size is important.
We recommend this Midwest iCrate Kit, it includes a dog crate, crate cover, 2 dog bowls, and a pet bed.
When your puppy is small, the Midwest iCrate 30-inch kit should be good as it is for dogs weighing 26-40 pounds. This size is good until your labrador is 7-8 months old.
And when your labrador grows up, the 36-inch or 42-inch kit should be good.
2- Keep him near the area where he can easily go outside:
When you are training your puppy to go outside, make sure he is confined near his potty spot and his way to the spot is open.
This way, it will be easier for the trainer to take him there on time and it will save the dog from having accidents in the wrong place.
When your puppy will start to understand, he might try to go on his own too.
3- Positive reinforcement:
Labradors respond really well to positive reinforcement.
Whenever he performs well, you must give him a treat. These milky bone treats are awesome for dogs as they are tasty and filled with calcium and real bone marrow.
Conclusion:
Labs are not hard to potty train because they are intelligent, obedient, and strong. It should take no more than 1-3 months to potty train your labrador. But it is best to keep up with the training until he is 8-12 months old. This will save him from potty training regression.
It is best now to read the full puppy potty training guide to walk you through it step-by-step.
