Congratulations! You've just brought home your Mini Aussie puppy and they've quickly emerged as the new family favorite! No surprises there.
They're incredibly cute and loving. The bad news? They're highly active and not potty trained! Everything is fast, fast, fast! When you take your new puppy outside, they run in circles and do everything except relieve themselves.
It becomes apparent that they're not going to, so you dutifully let them back indoors having frozen your toes off waiting for 5 minutes in the darkest depths of winter.
You turn your back on your new family favorite for 10 seconds and - what's that? It's a turd! On your floor! And your Mini Aussie puppy is wagging their tail at you, over-the-moon and proud of themselves for finally doing the business.
Except you're not happy, because they should've gone outside, and you're frustrated, and your dog is confused, because they just don't know any better. Let's fix that.
Your Mini Aussie puppy is intelligent and easy to potty train. They frequently pick up commands quickly and observe closely. However, you must do your part as an owner in training it with some hard work. Potty training them should be easy if you are dedicated to the process.
How Long Does Potty Training Take?
Potty training a dog typically takes 4-8 weeks, but in some cases it can take longer. Regardless of how long it takes, they will surely get better over time if you're consistent and diligent. However, dogs can encounter unanticipated setbacks, frequently due to stress or routine changes, which can lead to regression in a dog's training. They might go from being almost wholly trained to rarely using the outdoors as a bathroom.
You can't always tell why your dog is regressing. Sometimes, underlying medical issues like UTIs are involved. You should take your dog to the vet if he suddenly starts to have a lot of accidents, or if there are significant changes in their frequency, coloring, smell, or similar drastic shifts to their urine or bowel movements.
How to Potty Train Mini Aussies
1. Consider its Den Instinct
Dogs are typically tidy and avoid soiling in their sleeping and eating areas. This is what the phrase "den instinct" means. Even though you may be aware that your entire house serves as your "den," your puppy sees it as an ample space with many places appropriate for bathroom breaks, so long as they aren't going in the places they sleep: a crate, bed, mat, or elsewhere.
One suggestion is to begin limiting your puppy's surroundings. Installing doggie-doors and restricting an upstairs or downstairs will prevent you from finding your dog's unwanted smelly gifts in places you would hate to find them.
Designate a space that is strictly for your puppy: a place where they can call their own. Then designate a space where your puppy can be a puppy: sniff, play, be curious, socialize, and more. This should ideally be done on a floor that is easy to clean in case of an accident.
2. Avoid Punishments
When your Mini Aussie puppy has an accident inside, it's often because they are confused about where to go or can't hold it until they can leave. Don't worry, they'll get better at this!
Punishment won't address either of these underlying issues, and it might even damage your bond with your new puppy.
Instead, encourage good behavior! When they successfully use the outdoors as a bathroom, that's a good time to give them a pat on the head, an encouraging "good boy" or "good girl," and a small training treat. These actions will reinforce good behavior in your puppy.
Catching accidents where your puppy urinates outside is the primary goal. Give your dog lots of praise when they go potty in the right place.
3. Take Them Outdoors Often
Err on the side of caution: take your puppy out more frequently than you normally would, and expose your new puppy to as much outdoor air as you can.
You should expect to take your Mini Aussie outside roughly every two hours. They might be able to contain it for about four hours until they're older than 20 weeks, but to be safe (and safe means no cleaning up spills in the middle of the night), you should understand that your puppy has quite a small bladder.
Due to their high activity level, mini Australian Shepherds frequently "forget" to go outside alone. Most likely, your Mini Aussie puppy is too busy playing and exploring to use a dog door. They need to be "reminded" and taken out frequently!
Conclusion
There are a few things you might be doing wrong immediately if you are having trouble potty training your Australian Shepherd. You can potty train your pup by following the guidance in this article. It’s worth noting that it is never too late to begin training your dog, regardless of how old they are.
What do you think about these tips for learning how to potty-training a mini Aussie? Let us know what's worked for you.
If you're looking for puppies for sale, North Lake Aussies have them for you! Bred and born here in our home, they are raised with love and careful attention as we prepare them for their home with you.
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