How to Train a Beagle Puppy to Pee Outside
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Introduction
Beagles are intelligent dogs but easily distracted by their nose. It is a common mistake made by many Beagle puppy owners, that they pop their pup in the yard for half an hour and expect them to potty train themselves. Unfortunately, the chances of a Beagle learning that outside is the place to pee, when left to his own amusement, is very slim indeed.
Once outside, the beagle pup is far more likely to fine-tune his digging skills or track that intriguing scent around the garden. Indeed, his ability to be distracted is such that he'll probably forget all about that achingly full bladder...until he's brought back indoors.
Down this road lies disaster with a puppy who comes back inside to toilet on the carpet. Instead, follow our training tips so he successfully learns to toilet outdoors.
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Defining Tasks
Training a puppy to pee outside is part of potty training. It is of great benefit since when a dog pees on earth or grass, there is no clearing up to do. Most of the work lies in teaching the puppy that the appropriate place to relieve himself is outside. Once he understands this, most dogs will go and sit by the door or scratch at it to tell the owner they need to go out. Thus, specific training to ask to go out is usually not needed.
Each dog is an individual and some learn this skill relatively quickly, while others take weeks or even months. What is clear is that the more consistently you apply the rules, the more likely the dog is to learn. However, if the dog is extremely resistant to potty training, then he should be checked by a vet in order to rule out a medical or physical problem.
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Getting Started
To teach a Beagle to pee outside, it's helpful to have:
- A yard that is close to the house, preferably with an area sheltered from the wind and rain
- A collar and leash
- Tasty treats
- A treat pouch so that rewards are always close to hand.
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The Basic Potty Training Method
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Understand the idea
The backbone of teaching any puppy to pee outside is basic potty training. This teaches the young dog to control his bladder and bowel, and hold until he has access to the appropriate place to toilet.
Prevent peeing in the wrong places
Peeing is habit forming and pups love to go back to a place they previously soiled. This can work for you during training (by presenting the pup with the correct place) or against you (when the pup pees indoors and marks out his own toilet. Prevention depends on thorough deoderization of previous accidents. Blot up as much of the pee as possible with disposible towel and then clean and disinfect with an appropriate product.
Constant vigilance
The other part of prevention is watching the puppy for signs of needing to toilet, and immediately taking him outside. Any sniffing or sidling up to furniture can be a prelude to peeing, so don't take any chances and take him straight out to the toilet spot.
Confine an unattended puppy
Dont give the puppy the chance to pee in your absence. Crate train him and pop him in when you need to leave the room or leave him unattended.
Praise a pee in the right place
When puppy does pee outside, say "Yes" in an excited voice and then reward him. This helps him link peeing outside to good things happening, so that he wants to save up his pee and spend it for treats outside.
The Do's and Don'ts Method
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Don't: Use a cleaner containing ammonia
Many household cleaners contain bleach or ammonia. Unfortunately, both of these contain constituents of urine and can accidentally amplify the scent of a puddle rather than remove it. Be sure to chose a cleaner that is ammonia or bleach-free.
Don't: Punish accidents
Puppies live in the moment. If you punish him for peeing in the house, he won't understand what the punishment is for. This will only serve to make him wary of you and could even inhibit him from peeing in your presence, thus making training harder rather than easier.
Do: Give plenty of opportunity to pee
Young puppies have poor bladder control and when they've gotta go... they've gotta go. Increase the chance of this being in the right place by presenting him with the toilet spot outdoors every 20 - 30 minutes. Also increase the 'hit' rate by taking him out immediately when he wakes up and around 15 - 20 minutes after eating. These are all peak times that puppy may need to relieve himself.
Don't: Leave puppy outside by himself
A puppy outside alone equals puppy playtime. He's likely to get distracted and find a stick to play with, and forget to do his business. Then when you do eventually bring him indoors he's even more desperate for the toilet and uses the carpet. Instead, accompany him outside and gently focus his mind by encouraging him to toilet and discouraging playtime.
Do: Be patient
Puppies are all individuals and learn at different rates. Some learn quickly, other more slowly. It is a rare pup that is properly potty trained ahead of 12 weeks, so don't be discouraged if your baby dog seems slow on the uptake. Also, if he suffers a setback, such as being sick or having vaccinations, his potty training may slip for a few days. If, however, the dog doesn't seem to be catching on at all, then have him checked by a vet in case he has a urinary infection or an anatomical problem.
The Wider Outdoors Method
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Understand the problem
Sometimes we can be so good at teaching a puppy to use a toilet spot outdoors in the yard, that they believe the yard is the only place they are allowed to toilet. This can make walks frustrating as the dog holds on for the entirety of the exercise, only to return home and toilet. Careful planning and a wider strategy can prevent this over-clean habit.
Up and out
Once your puppy is protected by vaccination and allowed to walk on the sidewalk, adopt a slightly new strategy. Immediately when he gets up, (and his bladder is full from overnight) pop on his collar and leash and take him outside into the street. Hopefully he will relieve himself out of urgency. At which point say "Yes" excitedly, and when he's finished give him a tasty treat. This helps broaden his horizons to the concept of peeing outdoors in general, rather than outdoors in one spot.
Praise peeing on walks
Beagles have a fondness for sniffing and following scents. Many of those enticing scent messages require a reply in the form of a quick pee on top of them. When your young Beagle does this, let him know how clever he is so that he decides this is a great idea in future.
Avoid returning immediately
However, there is a flaw in rewarding pees on walks. If you praise the pup and then immediately turn to home, he may reason that emptying his bladder means an end to the walk. The clever chap then decides not to relieve himself until the last possible moment, in a bid to get the longest walk possible. This is easily avoided, by making sure you continue walking for a while after he's peed, so that he doesn't make this connection.
Use a collar and leash
It helps toilet training (be it in the yard or on walks) if the pup is on a collar and lead. This is a good way of concentrating the dog on sniffing for a pee rather than investigating an interesting leaf or digging a hole.
Written by Pippa Elliott
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 02/06/2018, edited: 01/08/2021
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Training Questions and Answers
Stella
Beagle
3 Months
Question
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
She will owe outside for a treat but will often come straight back in and pee. She is taken out every 30 minutes and 1st thing in the morning etc, but she pees every 5 minutes indoors. I realise she is young and we have been working at this for 5 weeks but there is no progress. She will play with her toys and there will be 5 puddles around her after 5 minutes. Can you offer advice please?
May 1, 2022
Stella's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1133 Dog owners recommended
Hello Sarah, I recommend a visit to your vet. A puppy should be able to hold it for 30-45 minutes after going potty outside even when not fully potty trained yet. Unless pup is getting distracted while outside and not really going potty (take pup potty on leash and watch her to ensure she is really going potty while out there if you aren't already - that could be the issue), then I would suspect a medical issue that's causing some form of incontinence. I am not a vet though so speak with your vet. I would also use the crate training method from the article I have linked below, and when pup isn't in the crate, keep pup tethered to you with a hands free leash, to help pup learn to hold it for enough weeks to begin forming that potty training - keep your home clean habit. The crate can help motivate a puppy to try to hold their bladder when set up correctly. If there is incontinence, pup will still have accidents in the crate too though, so if that's suspected a trip to your vet is in order, since that's more of a physical ability rather than training issue. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
May 4, 2022
Leo
Beaglier
10 Weeks
Question
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0 found this helpful
he used the bathroom in my room only the first time we held his pee all day until he got in my bed and peed then he only peed on puppy pads after that. i take him outside 7 times a day and still no potty. he usually goes right after he eats for the second time so i figured that’s what i’d go off of i took him outside after he ate for the 3rd time and he still hasn’t went potty. i tired taking him out on a leash. i’ve tried to sit outside with him and i’ve tried to bring the puppy pad he used outside so he’d know that’s what he’s outside to do.
Aug. 16, 2021
Leo's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1133 Dog owners recommended
Hello Toccara, I highly recommend follow the Crate Training method from the article I have linked below. I would take pup outside on a leash every time for the next three months. If you have a fenced yard and put pup outside on their own, they normally don't go because they haven't learned that that's why they are out there yet. When you do take pup on a leash, tell pup to "Go Potty" (this pays off later) and walk pup around slowly. The movement is important for helping pup feel the urge to go. When you first do the crate training method, pup will probably hold it a lot the first three days, but by following that method, puppy's only potty option will be outside until their bladder is emptied, so pup should eventually go outside. After pup goes potty outside, you will reward with seven treats, one at a time, and lots of praise. This should be really fun for pup. After a few successes going potty outside due to following this strict protocol pup should start to learn that Go Potty means go potty, and that if they go, they get a treat, to help motivate pup to go quickly. You an also purchase a potty encouraging spray to spray on the area you will be taking them to, so that the smell encourages them to go there also. Keep pup moving, on leash, reward when they go, crate for a while if they don't, then try again. Crate Training method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Be sure not to put anything absorbent in the crate or pup may have an accident in there. If you want to put a bed in there, use something non-absorbent like www.primopads.com or k9ballistics crate mats until pup is older and fully potty trained. Never put a pee pad in a crate. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
Aug. 17, 2021