Puppy Potting Training in Cold Weather

As we all know, potty training puppies can be quite the challenge. What doesn't make it easier? Cold weather. Here are some tips to help potty train your puppy in the cold weather.

Layer Your Pup Up

While your puppy might not enjoy wearing a coat or booties, it will certainly help them stay warm. Your pup might not want to go potty if their feet are too cold, or if they're shivering. When you look for a jacket for your dog, just make sure there's space for them to potty without messing up their jacket. 

Clear a Path

Puppies are tiny, and they can sometimes feel overwhelmed by snow! If your area has snow, be sure to clear a path so that you pup can go potty without rifling through the snow. Same with leaves - if there are any leaves in your yard, try to clear them so that your dog can still smell the grass and have a clear spot to go potty.

Shorten Potty Trips

Try to work on shortening potty trips. You can achieve this by using spray that encourages your pup to go in one spot, or waiting just the right amount of time after dinner. Even if your puppy wants to play outside, try to limit this time, as it will encourage a shorter potty run for other, colder days. 

Change Up Your Schedule

You might want to change your puppy's potty time schedule to a time that is slightly warmer (later in the morning, earlier at night). While this might not be feasible, it does help keep your pup a bit warmer, so consider shifting potty time by just a couple hours.

Try a Fresh Patch!

It might seem like an obvious tip, but make use of that Fresh Patch in cold weather! Many times, your puppy might have to go potty in the middle of the night, which can be quite the cold adventure. Instead, give them access to a Fresh Patch. This will help develop good habits (going on the Fresh Patch instead of the carpet) and will help you and your pup stay cozy and warm!