There is no new puppy owner who doesn’t ask questions about the potty training of his new puppy. Some people even want to start potty training their canines right after birth. Potty training an unvaccinated puppy in an apartment can be challenging. Not only because he is unvaccinated, but he is just too little to be trained.
Can I potty train an unvaccinated puppy?
You can potty train an unvaccinated puppy with extra precautions. It is not advisable to take your unvaccinated puppy outside to pee where he could get exposed to germs. Otherwise, you can end up having a sick puppy. So, the best practice is to use puppy pads.
However, the real answer depends upon the puppy’s age. Most puppies are vaccinated when they are 10-14 weeks old. While the right age to start potty training, a puppy is between 12-16 weeks.
Say your puppy is less than the recommended age for starting potty training; you are setting good potty habits at this time instead of potty training. You cannot expect the results to be amazing.
This article might be helpful for you: When to start potty training a puppy?
How to potty train an unvaccinated puppy in an apartment:
Potty training an unvaccinated puppy in an apartment is very basic. Let me just break down the steps for you.
1- Gather your supplies:
Get puppy pads for your new puppy. You cannot take him outside, so the puppy pads are the best choice. You will see the list of all necessary supplies in your printable bundle. Or you can find them here.
2- Fix the schedule:
Put your puppy on a fixed schedule of eating, drinking, sleeping, waking up, and playing. This point is super crucial.
Make sure to confine your puppy in an area of your apartment where the floor is easier to clean. A playpen is a good choice.
3- Notice:
Notice his schedule and after how much time of a certain activity he pees or poops. These printable sheets might be a lot of help for you.
4- Write down everything:
Notice and write his schedule and what signs he shows before peeing or pooping. Normally puppies bark, stare, squat, circle, or scratch. Whatever signs he shows, you must note them down.
5-Fix potty spot and command:
Fix a potty command like “go potty” and fix a potty spot in your apartment. It means that you will place the puppy pads only in one area. Avoid spreading puppy pads all over the house. Use only one spot where you will put the pads. Don’t put a pad in every room.
Use 3-4 pads to make a large square or rectangle for your puppy to use as a bathroom. It is important to avoid leakages. When your puppy learns to use one corner of the pad, you can gradually reduce the number of puppy pads.
This article must be helpful: How many puppy pads should I put down?
6- Take action:
Now you are ready. Every time your puppy needs to urinate or poop (it must be written on your sheet), take him to the potty spot on a leash.
Normally puppies need a potty break
- Right after they wake up
- 5-10 minutes after eating or drinking (you will notice your puppy schedule and write it down)
- Right after a play session
- Right before bed
- When you know that he needs to go potty (generally one hour for every month of a puppy’s age; say a 3-month-old puppy should go to the toilet every 2.5-3 hours).
7- Avoiding potty accidents is the key to success:
Track every potty training accident on your sheet. Note the time, area, and activity your puppy was doing before having the accident. Note it down if you noticed his gesture before peeing or pooping in the wrong place.
8- Clean up with an enzyme cleaner:
If you encounter a potty accident anywhere, immediately clean up with an enzyme cleaner. Dogs have a nature of urinating where they smell urine, so you need something to break down the urine smell completely. A normal household cleaner won’t work.
9- Keep repeating:
You need to take him to the potty spot by yourself every time he needs to go. You even need to set nighttime alarms for every few hours (according to your puppy’s age)
Tips to potty train the puppy in the apartment:
Here are a few tips that will help you out.
- Keep your puppy in a clean and disinfected area of your apartment as he is unvaccinated.
- Choose the potty spot near a window (preferably a balcony). That will help you keep your house from smelling.
- Use an air purifier.
- Use baby gates or a playpen to confine your puppy in an apartment area.
When can I take my unvaccinated puppy outside to pee?
You can take your puppy outside to pee when he is fully vaccinated. Don’t forget to ask his vet before taking him to other dogs’ areas.
However, puppy pee pad training works best for dog owners who live in high-rise apartments. As it can be super tiring to go up and down every time just to provide your dog a toilet break.
Taking a puppy outside to pee every time from an apartment also increases the risk of potty accidents, and as I always say, “every potty accident in a wrong place is one step back in your progress.”
Conclusion – Potty training an unvaccinated puppy in an apartment:
Potty training an unvaccinated puppy in an apartment is doable. You just need to take extra precautions to save your puppy from germs. Use pee pads to train your canine. Set realistic expectations. Usually, the right age to start potty training a puppy is between 12-16 weeks. Puppies are normally vaccinated at this age.
Here are a few more articles that will help you in your puppy’s potty training journey.
