Potty training is one of the most important lessons when you bring home a new Beagle puppy. But knowing how to potty train a Beagle puppy can be one of the most difficult and frustrating jobs for the new owner.
To make the process a bit smoother, we have written this article to guide you in quickly and efficiently potty training your little Beagle.
How long does it take to potty train a Beagle puppy?
Patience is a wonderful virtue. For some puppies, it can take up to a year. For others a few months, and when you consistently take your puppy outside, it can sometimes take only a few weeks.
If the potty training is consistent and your puppy is given enough opportunities to stay clean throughout the day, he can realistically learn to be mostly potty trained within a month or two.
But if you don’t pay proper attention, or if he isn’t given enough time to become potty trained, accidents inside the house are to be expected occasionally.
How do you potty train a Beagle puppy?
Choose his potty spot.
Introduce your puppy to its pee spot immediately after arriving home. Praise it when it shows interest in the area, and especially when it becomes potty trained there.
Make sure the spot is practical and easily accessible. The desired area should be away from dangerous or toxic plants. Find a safe spot: not near a pool or a pond.
If you live in the city or don’t have a garden of your own, you can still encourage and train your pup to be potty trained in a specific area where you take it out. In a safe spot where not too many strange dogs visit.
Keep in mind that puppies younger than 16 weeks should not be placed on public ground due to the risk of illness. Consider potty training on puppy pee pads until your puppy has completed its vaccinations (around 16 weeks old).Â
Every time you go outside with your pup, praise it very enthusiastically when it pees or poops on the desired spot. Reward him or her with a dog treat.
Also, always take him to the same place so he learns to be potty trained only in that one area and you can keep the rest of your garden clean!
Using verbal commands
A good tip for potty training a beagle puppy is to choose a verbal command that means it’s time for a potty break, such as “Outside!”
While your beagle puppy is peeing or pooping, use a specific word or phrase (such as “good pee!”). He will eventually associate that word with the action, and as your puppy grows into a house-trained adult dog, you can use that phrase to have him pee on command.
Maintain a consistent feeding schedule
Maintaining a consistent feeding schedule will be key to quickly and efficiently house-training a puppy. Here are some tips for keeping consistency in your beagle puppy’s eating routine:
- Offer food only two to four times a day (depending on his age) and serve each meal at the same time every day. This will help your puppy develop a timed and predictable bathroom schedule.
- Until your beagle puppy has grown a bit, leave his food down for only 30 minutes or until he leaves it.
- If it is taking longer to house-train him: give water only during mealtimes.
Take him to his pee spot at fixed times
Alongside a consistent feeding schedule, how active your puppy is during the day will determine how often he needs to be taken out. Additionally, you would expect a young Beagle to be potty trained at these key moments:
- First thing in the morning
- After playing and exercising
- Within 30 to 60 minutes after a meal
- After waking up from naps
- After coming out of his crate
- Before being put into his crate
- And just before bedtime
These are times when puppies are most likely to need to relieve themselves, so make sure your puppy has the opportunity to go to his spot.
Crate and monitoring
If no one is available to watch him closely, it’s best to place your Beagle puppy in his crate or in a safe, puppy-proofed (and accident-proofed) area.
A crate can work wonders in house-training a puppy. The crate is a safe, comfortable place for your Beagle. After a few weeks, they will naturally seek out their safe space to rest. When you can supervise your pup: give him his freedom. You can also immediately correct him (simply raise your voice). Correcting at the right moment is the best way to teach! You can also immediately clean up the ‘accident’ so the smell doesn’t linger on the carpet or floor.
Pay close attention and stay alert for signals your dog gives to show it’s time to go outside:
Such as whining, circling, sniffing, or barking/scratching at the door. When you see these signs, take him immediately to his spot. By recognizing your puppy’s pre-elimination signals, he can be trained to wait to go outside to be house-trained without the need for punishment, and will quickly learn to communicate when nature calls.
