Potty training is one of the most important lessons when a new Beagle puppy is in the house. But knowing how to potty train a beagle puppy can be one of the most difficult and frustrating jobs for a new puppy owner.
To make the process a little smoother, we’ve written this article to guide you through potty training your Beagle quickly and efficiently.
How long does it take for potty training a Beagle?
Patience is a beautiful gift. For some puppies, it can take up to a year. With other puppies a few months, and if you go outside with your puppy consistently, it can sometimes only take a few weeks.
If the potty training is consistent and your puppy is given ample opportunities to potty training throughout the day, he can realistically learn to be mostly potty trained in a month or two.
But if you don’t pay close attention, or if he doesn’t get enough time to potty training, an occasional accident in the house is to be expected.
How potty training a Beagle puppy
Choose his pipi place.
Introduce your puppy to his peep spot immediately after returning home. Praise him when he shows an interest in the area, and especially when he is potty trained there.
Make sure the location is practical and easily accessible. The desired spot should be away from dangerous or poisonous plants. Find a safe spot: not by a pool or pond.
If you live in the city or don’t have a yard of your own, you can still encourage and train your pup to be housetrained in a specific area where you walk him. In a safe place, where not too many strange dogs come.
Please note that puppies under 16 weeks of age should not be placed on the floor in public due to the risk of illness. Consider housetraining on puppy pee pads until your puppy has completed their vaccinations (around 16 weeks of age).
Take your puppy outside every time and praise him enthusiastically when he has done pee or poop in the desired spot. Reward him/her with a dog treat.
Plus, take him to the same spot every time so he learns to potty train only in that one area and you can keep the rest of your yard clean!
Using Verbal Commands
A good tip for housetraining 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 pipi or kaka, use another specific word or phrase (such as “great pipi!”). He’ll eventually associate that word with the deed, and as your puppy grows into a potty-trained adult dog, you can use that phrase to make him peep on command.
Have a regular feeding schedule
Maintaining a consistent feeding schedule will be key to potty training a puppy quickly and efficiently. Here are some tips for maintaining consistency in your beagle puppy’s eating routine:
- Offer food only two to four times a day (depending on his age) and offer each meal at the same time each day. This will help your puppy establish a timed and predictable housetraining schedule.
- Until your beagle puppy has grown a bit, leave his food alone for 30 minutes or until he walks away.
- If it takes longer for you to potty train him: only give him water with his food .
Take him to his pipi spot at fixed times
In addition to a consistent feeding schedule, how active your puppy is during the day will determine how often he needs to be walked. Additionally, you would expect a young Beagle to need to be housebroken at these key times:
- First thing in the morning
- After playing and exercising
- Within 30 to 60 minutes after meals
- After waking up from naps
- After he gets out of his crate
- Before he is put in his crate
- And just before going to sleep
These are times when puppies are most likely to need to relieve themselves, so make sure you give your puppy the opportunity to go to his place.
Bench and check
If no one is available to keep a close eye on him, it’s best to place your Beagle puppy in his crate or a safe, puppy-proof (and accident-proof) area.
A crate can do wonders for potty training a puppy. The crate is a safe, comfortable place for your Beagle. After a few weeks they automatically start looking for their safe place to rest. When you can control your puppy: give him his freedom. You can punish him immediately (just raise your voice). Punishment at the right time is the best lesson! You can also clean the ‘accident’ immediately, so that the smell does not linger on the carpet or on your floor.
Pay close attention and stay alert for signals your dog gives to show that it is time to go for a walk:
Such as whining, circling, sniffing or barking/scratching at the door. When you see these signs, immediately take him to his spot. By recognizing your puppy’s pre-elimination signals, he can be trained to wait to be potty trained outside without the need for punishment, and can quickly learn to communicate when nature calls.
