Potty Training Puppy In Winter: How To Do It Effortlessly

Your friendly guide for potty-training a puppy in winter.

Potty training is an essential training part of your pet dog. It is because once you are successful, you need not have to worry about your dog making a huge mess while you’re out. 

When it comes to potty-training a puppy, it can take you around four to six months. Sometimes even longer if your dog begins to display signs of potty-training regression. Now, if you start around the winter season, you may have to continue the potty-training sessions in winter too.

So, the question arises – how can you do it? Well, keep reading to get all your answers. 

Things You Require For Potty-training Your Puppy In Winter

Before you start potty-training your puppy, there are certain things you need to keep handy. This will help you save time and have a clear idea.

Let’s take a look at them. 

1. Get Some Puppy Treats

During winters, you don’t want your puppy to stall a lot or else you could end up freezing your butt off just waiting for them to do their thing. So, consider getting some handy dog treats like Wellness Puppy Bites (Link to Amazon). This will encourage your puppy to get done with their potty business fast. 

2. Keep Some Warm Clothing

Along with taking care of your dog, ensure you also have warm clothing such as mufflers and winter caps to keep you healthy. 

3. Get Other Items Such as Cleaners and Puppy Pads

Odor and stain removing sprays and some Glad Carbon Puppy Pads (Link to Amazon) can definitely come in handy if your puppy gets into mischief. 

Potty-training your puppy means mess. So, instead of cleaning the mess all the time, try to go for these products that may help you in getting rid of the stains and odor of your puppy’s poop!

4. Keep a Leash

In case the weather gets too rough, you can quickly help your dog inside the house using a leash. 

How to Housebreak Your Puppy In Winters?

When it comes to housebreaking your puppy in winters, it may not be as easy as it is during dry seasons. 

However, there are certain ways you can do it without getting your little puppy sick. 

1. Keep the Path Clean

The first step to help your puppy in potty training in winter is by keeping the area near their elimination spot clean. 

For example, if your puppy does their business near a tree, ensure that the path between your home and the tree is clean. There shouldn’t be any snow or ice that may cause some harm or difficulty to your puppy. 

Also, it can make the process quicker. The reason is that puppies know their old spot and finish their potty business easily. 

2. Modify Your Puppy’s Potty Schedule

If the old schedule isn’t working properly and causing inconvenience during winter, try to modify it. 

You can try taking your puppy out more during the day than the night, especially at noon when there’s still sun. 

You can also make certain changes in the mealtimes. You can try to finish dinner earlier than during the summer. 

Now, keep in mind that your dog needs to go out every 15-30 minutes after they drink or eat anything. So, plan things that way. 

Also, keep a close eye on your puppy during this period as they won’t be used to this schedule. It may take time to get accustomed to the winter schedule. 

3. Get Done With It As Soon As Possible

You may want to play around with your puppy but try to finish up their potty business soon. 

For this, you may need to keep certain things handy such as a dog leash, warm clothing, poop-bag, or any other thing you require. 

Make sure your puppy doesn’t keep roaming around and goes straight for their elimination spot. You can do this by having a cue/command word or gesture. This will help in communicating with your puppy. 

When your puppy does so, reward them with a puppy treat to encourage them!

4. Have a Backup Plan

You definitely don’t want to take your puppy out on a stormy day. Instead, have a backup plan. 

You can either go for crate training or use puppy pads. Crate training allows your puppy to finish their business in the crate without making a huge mess. 

Alternatively, you can place a puppy pad in a few spots and let your puppy poop/pee there without getting your house dirty. See how to use them in the video below.

Lastly, have patience and stay consistent. 

Is it Hard to Potty-Train a Puppy in the Winter?

Yes, it is a struggle to potty-train your dog during the winter months. However, it is not impossible. You just need to stay alert to the risks and change your ways a little. 

Potty-training your puppy during the winter season may cause them to get sick due to the cold. So, it becomes extremely necessary to see if the weather is bearable or not. 

Your puppy may also get reluctant to leave the house if it’s too cold outside. If that’s the case, don’t push your puppy too hard. It is okay to skip one day out of plenty of others. As mentioned above, you can go for the alternatives.

Meanwhile, don’t forget to take care of yourself too!

Can a Puppy Go Outside in the Winter?

Small, newborn puppies are very vulnerable to extreme cold weather. So, you should keep them inside all the time during the winter season. A good-quality litter box will help you let them finish their business.

Older puppies can be taken outside for a short period of time and return home as soon as possible. 

If you own a husky or a breed that can handle cold, your dog will be less vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. However, you still should return them home right after their potty time is over. 

Final Thoughts

Potty-training your puppy in winter could be very challenging and time-consuming. It may take a lot of time and effort. Yet, don’t give up. Once you have made a proper schedule, just follow it right, and your puppy will learn everything. 

You can also try following our tips and stay patient to make it much easier for you and your puppy as well.