How to Potty Train a Weimaraner Puppy

How to Potty Train a Weimaraner Puppy
Medium difficulty iconMedium
Time icon1-6 Months
General training category iconGeneral

Introduction

Weimaraners are highly intelligent dogs who were originally bred as hunting dogs in Germany. They learn fast and thrive on positive reinforcement training methods. Treats make a great way to potty train your pup as it will help him to associate the reward and praise you give him with the reason you are doing so. Weimaraners need a lot of exercise and tend to be a bit on the stubborn side, so you will need plenty of patience to reach your goal. Until you are sure your pup is fully trained, you should always keep a very close eye on him or put him in a crate.

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Defining Tasks

The last thing you want is a full grown Weimaraner who still thinks your house is his bathroom. Yet, if you don't take the time to train him from the start, you can expect nothing less. The younger your pup is, the easier it will be to train him. While you can train an older dog, it will take a lot more work. Keep In mind you need to choose a spot in your yard that will become his "bathroom" and stick with it. You also need to be very patient and ready to work with your pup for several months before he will have completely mastered the fine art of going potty outside. 

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Getting Started

Before you can start potty training your pup, you need to make sure you have plenty of time on your hands to work with him. During the early phases, you need to be able to take him out every half hour. If you cannot dedicate this much time, you can use a crate, but even then he must be taken out every couple of hours at the most or he will not be able to hold himself.

For training you need:

  • Crate
  • Treats
  • Leash

Along with this, you need plenty of patience as Weimaraners can be quite stubborn. The most important things to remember are to never punish your pup for an accident and to take your time and let your pup set the pace, he will learn faster this way. 

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The Crate Training Method

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1

Pup in crate

Set your pup up in his crate with a bowl of water, a couple of his favorite toys, and a nice bed to nap on. Set a timer so that you can take your pup outside to go potty every hour. As you head out the door use a cue like "let's go potty" so that he can associate the command with the action.

2

By fives

Take your pup to his spot in the yard and give him no more than five minutes to go potty. If he doesn't go within those five minutes, go ahead and take him back inside and pop him in his crate. Reset the timer and try again the next hour. If at any time he starts to whine and fuss like he needs to go potty, take him out immediately, otherwise wait for the timer to go off and try again.

3

Woohoo, he went potty!

Whether he goes potty the first time, the second time, or whenever, be sure to praise him and give him a tasty treat. The more fuss you make, the more he will associate good things with going potty.

4

Extended time in

Start slowly increasing the time between outings until he can stay in the crate for up to two hours.

5

Door open

Now you can try leaving the crate door open. Just remember to keep an eye on your pup. If he starts to indicate that he needs to go potty, take him out and make a huge fuss because this means he is figuring out the whole going potty outside thing.

The Eyes of an Eagle Method

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Effective

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1

Fill your pockets

Fill your pockets or a bag with plenty of your pup's favorite treats.

2

Eagle eye

Whenever your pup is not in his crate, you need to keep a very close eye on him. If he starts circling a spot and sniffing at it, scratching at the floor or the door, whining, whimpering, or showing any physical signs of needing to go potty, tell him "No!" in a firm voice.

3

Straight outside

Then pick him up or hook him to his leash and take him straight out to his spot in the yard.

4

Patience

Give your pup plenty of time, he may need to "get back in the mood" before he can go. When he does, be sure to praise him and give him a treat.

5

It's all about time

Start working on making your pup wait longer between trips outside, be sure to keep an eye on him to make sure you take him out if he shows signs of needing to go. Be patient and keep working with him, in time he will master this vital skill.

The Pee Zone Method

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1

Shopping time

Believe it or not you can buy a spray at your local pet supply store that can be used to mark an area of your lawn to entice your pup to go potty in a specific spot.

2

Mark the pee zone

Use the spray to mark a small area of your lawn, one that is close enough to your door that your pup won't have an accident on the way and one that is easy to clean up.

3

Hook up the pup

Hook your pup on his leash and using your cue, take him out to the area you previously marked on the ground. Give him up to 15 minutes to go potty. If he doesn't go, take him back inside and keep an eye on him. Take him back out in 15 more minutes.

4

If and when he goes

When your Weimaraner goes potty, be sure you praise him and give him a treat or two.

5

On and on

The rest is all about continuing to work with your pup, extending the time he stays inside between potty breaks. In time, messes in the house will be a thing of the past.

Written by PB Getz

Veterinary reviewed by:

Published: 03/02/2018, edited: 01/08/2021

Training Questions

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Training Questions and Answers

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Harley

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Weimaraner

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11 Weeks

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Question

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Hi, this is our second day with Harley. Harley is an 11 week old Weimaraner puppy. We take him outside to play and do his business. But sometimes he comes inside and pees on the floor. Never in the same spot. Thoughts?

Aug. 2, 2020

Harley's Owner

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Alisha Smith - Alisha S., Dog Trainer

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257 Dog owners recommended

Hi! I am going to send you information on both potty training and crate training should you decide to utilize a crate to aid in potty training. Potty training: Know Your Pup. As you spend time with your puppy, learn your puppy’s love language. Just as some people prefer gifts, touch, or time spent together, puppies can be the same way. Some puppies love praise or pets, while others prefer treats. As you get to know your puppy, consider what reward your puppy loves the most. Create a Daily Schedule. It is best to have a routine for your puppy. A schedule helps them understand when to eat, play, and “go to the bathroom.” Your puppy should go out frequently and the routine should be the same every time. When? Start the day by taking your puppy outside, and repeating based on age and ability. They should also go out after napping, chewing, playing, and within 10 to 15 minutes of eating. Although some puppies can sleep for seven hours, it is important to set an alarm and take your pup out during the night. When you do, don’t make a fuss about it. Quietly take them outside with minimal stimulation and light. Praise them if they go to the bathroom and gently return them to their bed or crate. You don’t want them to get stimulated and ready to play in the middle of the night! As you get to know your puppy, you will become aware of their individual habits. Click here to learn more about house training schedules for puppies. Where? Take your puppy to a specific area to urinate or defecate. Be consistent. You can create an area by using urine-soaked paper or bowel movements to help create an aroma to stimulate your puppy. How? Take your puppy out on a leash so they can focus on the desired activity. This will help prevent them from wandering off to play. Once your puppy is in the selected area, use your verbal cue, such as “Hurry Up,” “Poopies,” “Go tinkle,” or any phrase your puppy responds to. What? Know the signs that your puppy has to go to the bathroom. Every animal may have a different “I gotta go” gesture, which often include restlessness, sniffing around, circling, scratching at the door, barking, and, eventually, squatting. At the first sign that your pup has to go, calmly and quickly take them outside to their bathroom spot. Deal with Accidents. Accidents are a normal part of house training a puppy. What to Do If you see your puppy in the process of urinating or defecating inappropriately, calmly and quickly interrupt them in the act. Tell them to stop (either by a jarring sound or command), and immediately take them to an appropriate location for elimination. After your puppy goes to the bathroom, lavishly praise them and offer a treat. Thoroughly clean up accidents, so your puppy is not attracted to this area again. Create a consistent feeding and watering schedule. Depending on the age of your puppy, they will eat three to four times a day. A consistent feeding routine can create a regular bathroom schedule. Take away water about 2 hours before bedtime. Learn more about ideal dog schedules here. What NOT to Do Don’t punish your puppy when they have an accident. At that point, it is too late. When a puppy has an accident in the house and they walk away, within seconds they have already forgotten about what they did. Taking them to the scene of the crime and yelling and/or rubbing their nose in it does not help and, in fact, can harm your puppy! Supervise. The best thing you can do is to prevent accidents and the best way to do this is to supervise your puppy at all times. You can tether your puppy to your waist with a five or six-foot leash and carefully observe them for signs that they need to go to the bathroom. If you can’t supervise, then crate or confine your puppy. The more accidents your puppy has in the house, the more confusing it will be for them and this can delay house training. Reward, Reward, Reward. It is important to give your puppy a reward for their good behavior. This can be for commands such as sitting and coming to you, or for appropriately eliminating outside. In a puppy, a reward can be a couple kibbles of puppy food or a treat, such as a small piece of meat. The treat should be exciting for them and only available as a result of good behavior. Crate training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog's age, temperament and past experiences. It's important to keep two things in mind while crate training: The crate should always be associated with something pleasant and training should take place in a series of small steps. Don't go too fast. Step 1: Introduce your dog to the crate Place the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time, such as the family room. Put a soft blanket or towel in the crate. Take the door off and let the dog explore the crate at their leisure. Some dogs will be naturally curious and start sleeping in the crate right away. If yours isn't one of them: Bring them over to the crate and talk to them in a happy tone of voice. Make sure the crate door is open and secured so that it won't hit your dog and frighten them. Encourage your dog to enter the crate by dropping some small food treats nearby, then just inside the door, and finally, all the way inside the crate. If they refuse to go all the way in at first, that's OK; don't force them to enter. Continue tossing treats into the crate until your dog will walk calmly all the way into the crate to get the food. If they aren’t interested in treats, try tossing a favorite toy in the crate. This step may take a few minutes or as long as several days. Step 2: Feed your dog meals in the crate After introducing your dog to the crate, begin feeding them their regular meals near the crate. This will create a pleasant association with the crate. If your dog is readily entering the crate when you begin Step 2, place the food dish all the way at the back of the crate. If they remain reluctant to enter, put the dish only as far inside as they will readily go without becoming fearful or anxious. Each time you feed them, place the dish a little further back in the crate. Once your dog is standing comfortably in the crate to eat their meal, you can close the door while they’re eating. The first time you do this, open the door as soon as they finish their meal. With each successive feeding, leave the door closed a few minutes longer, until they’re staying in the crate for 10 minutes or so after eating. If they begin to whine to be let out, you may have increased the length of time too quickly. Next time, try leaving them in the crate for a shorter time period. If they do whine or cry in the crate, don’t let them out until they stop. Otherwise, they'll learn that the way to get out of the crate is to whine, so they'll keep doing it. Step 3: Practice with longer crating periods After your dog is eating their regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or anxiety, you can confine them there for short time periods while you're home. Call them over to the crate and give them a treat. Give them a command to enter, such as "crate." Encourage them by pointing to the inside of the crate with a treat in your hand. After your dog enters the crate, praise them, give them the treat and close the door. Sit quietly near the crate for five to 10 minutes and then go into another room for a few minutes. Return, sit quietly again for a short time and then let them out. Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the length of time you leave them in the crate and the length of time you're out of sight. Once your dog will stay quietly in the crate for about 30 minutes with you mostly out of sight, you can begin leaving them crated when you're gone for short time periods and/or letting them sleep there at night. This may take several days or weeks. Step 4, Part A: Crate your dog when you leave After your dog can spend about 30 minutes in the crate without becoming anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving them crated for short periods when you leave the house. Put them in the crate using your regular command and a treat. You might also want to leave them with a few safe toys in the crate. Vary the moment during your "getting ready to leave" routine that you put your dog in the crate. Although they shouldn't be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate them anywhere from five to 20 minutes prior to leaving. Don't make your departures emotional and prolonged—they should be matter-of-fact. Praise your dog briefly, give them a treat for entering the crate and then leave quietly. When you return home, don't reward your dog for excited behavior by responding to them in an enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals low-key to avoid increasing their anxiety over when you will return. Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you're home so they don't associate crating with being left alone. Step 4, Part B: Crate your dog at night Put your dog in the crate using your regular command and a treat. Initially, it may be a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom or nearby in a hallway, especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to go outside to eliminate during the night and you'll want to be able to hear your puppy when they whine to be let outside. Older dogs should also initially be kept nearby so they don't associate the crate with social isolation. Once your dog is sleeping comfortably through the night with the crate near you, you can begin to gradually move it to the location you prefer, although time spent with your dog—even sleep time—is a chance to strengthen the bond between you and your pet. Potential problems Whining: If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be difficult to decide whether they’re whining to be let out of the crate, or whether they need to be let outside to eliminate. If you've followed the training procedures outlined above, then your dog hasn't been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from their crate. If that is the case, try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, they'll probably stop whining soon. Yelling at them or pounding on the crate will only make things worse. If the whining continues after you've ignored them for several minutes, use the phrase they associate with going outside to eliminate. If they respond and become excited, take them outside. This should be a trip with a purpose, not play time. If you're convinced that your dog doesn't need to eliminate, the best response is to ignore them until they stop whining. Don't give in; if you do, you'll teach your dog to whine loud and long to get what they want. If you've progressed gradually through the training steps and haven't done too much too fast, you'll be less likely to encounter this problem. If the problem becomes unmanageable, you may need to start the crate training process over again. Separation anxiety: Attempting to use the crate as a remedy for separation anxiety won't solve the problem. A crate may prevent your dog from being destructive, but they may get injured in an attempt to escape. Separation anxiety problems can only be resolved with counterconditioning and desensitization procedures.

Aug. 4, 2020

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noah

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Weimaraner

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3 Months

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potty training

July 11, 2020

noah's Owner

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Alisha Smith - Alisha S., Dog Trainer

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257 Dog owners recommended

Hi there! I am going to get you started with some basic potty training tips, and ideas to keep your puppy from going in the house if you aren't able to keep an eye on him. When potty training a puppy, it is important to understand both what you can do to help train them, as well as what they are able to do. Just as you cannot expect a 3-month-old baby to walk or use the toilet, you also cannot expect a young puppy to be housebroken. One thing to keep in mind is that dogs can typically hold their bladders for as many hours, as they are months old. So he should be able to hold his bladder 3-4 hours after his last drink of water. Also, dogs typically have to go #2 within about 20 minutes after eating food. This includes treats! Here are 5 tips on how to properly potty train your puppy: Know Your Pup. As you spend time with your puppy, learn your puppy’s love language. Just as some people prefer gifts, touch, or time spent together, puppies can be the same way. Some puppies love praise or pets, while others prefer treats. As you get to know your puppy, consider what reward your puppy loves the most. Create a Daily Schedule. It is best to have a routine for your puppy. A schedule helps them understand when to eat, play, and “go to the bathroom.” Your puppy should go out frequently and the routine should be the same every time. When? Start the day by taking your puppy outside, and repeating based on age and ability. They should also go out after napping, chewing, playing, and within 10 to 15 minutes of eating. Although some puppies can sleep for seven hours, it is important to set an alarm and take your pup out during the night. When you do, don’t make a fuss about it. Quietly take them outside with minimal stimulation and light. Praise them if they go to the bathroom and gently return them to their bed or crate. You don’t want them to get stimulated and ready to play in the middle of the night! As you get to know your puppy, you will become aware of their individual habits. Click here to learn more about house training schedules for puppies. Where? Take your puppy to a specific area to urinate or defecate. Be consistent. You can create an area by using urine-soaked paper or bowel movements to help create an aroma to stimulate your puppy. How? Take your puppy out on a leash so they can focus on the desired activity. This will help prevent them from wandering off to play. Once your puppy is in the selected area, use your verbal cue, such as “Hurry Up,” “Poopies,” “Go tinkle,” or any phrase your puppy responds to. What? Know the signs that your puppy has to go to the bathroom. Every animal may have a different “I gotta go” gesture, which often include restlessness, sniffing around, circling, scratching at the door, barking, and, eventually, squatting. At the first sign that your pup has to go, calmly and quickly take them outside to their bathroom spot. Deal with Accidents. Accidents are a normal part of house training a puppy. What to Do If you see your puppy in the process of urinating or defecating inappropriately, calmly and quickly interrupt them in the act. Tell them to stop (either by a jarring sound or command), and immediately take them to an appropriate location for elimination. After your puppy goes to the bathroom, lavishly praise them and offer a treat. Thoroughly clean up accidents, so your puppy is not attracted to this area again. Create a consistent feeding and watering schedule. Depending on the age of your puppy, they will eat three to four times a day. A consistent feeding routine can create a regular bathroom schedule. Take away water about 2 hours before bedtime. Learn more about ideal dog schedules here. What NOT to Do Don’t punish your puppy when they have an accident. At that point, it is too late. When a puppy has an accident in the house and they walk away, within seconds they have already forgotten about what they did. Taking them to the scene of the crime and yelling and/or rubbing their nose in it does not help and, in fact, can harm your puppy! Supervise. The best thing you can do is to prevent accidents and the best way to do this is to supervise your puppy at all times. You can tether your puppy to your waist with a five or six-foot leash and carefully observe them for signs that they need to go to the bathroom. If you can’t supervise, then crate or confine your puppy. The more accidents your puppy has in the house, the more confusing it will be for them and this can delay house training. Reward, Reward, Reward. It is important to give your puppy a reward for their good behavior. This can be for commands such as sitting and coming to you, or for appropriately eliminating outside. In a puppy, a reward can be a couple kibbles of puppy food or a treat, such as a small piece of meat. The treat should be exciting for them and only available as a result of good behavior. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. Thank you for writing in!

July 18, 2020


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