How to Train a Rottweiler to Pee Outside
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Introduction
There is a lot more to bringing home your new Rottie pup than you might think, so many things to teach him, so many habits he might try to pick up that you have to prevent. Oh, and of course all those nice little puddles and piles all over the house until little McGruff learns this is not the way a civilized dog behaves. In the wild, McGruff's mother would be the one to teach him not to use the den as a potty. In your home, the job falls to you and should be one of the very first things you train your pooch to do.
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Defining Tasks
There are several reasons why wild dogs will not go potty in their dens, ranging from cleanliness (yes, in the wild dogs are clean animals) to helping keep predators far from their dens. In your home, there are several similar reasons to teach young Mr. McGruff not to pee in your house and by virtue of this, not to poop in the house either. Start with no more little surprises on the floor, no damage to carpets or hardwood floors, no more stinky piles of poop, just a well-trained pup who comes to you and let you know he needs to go potty.
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Getting Started
The best time to start training McGruff is the moment you step out of the car with him bringing him home for the first time. Take him out of the car and straight over to the place in your yard where he can go pee. Once you choose a spot be sure to stick to it, this will help reduce confusion. You need a few supplies to train your pup to pee outside, including:
- Treats
- Crate
- Leash
Along with these three items, you need a very generous supply of time and patience. Teaching McGruff not to pee in the house is going to take quite a bit of time and repetitive training. But, in the end, watching McGruff start asking you to go outside will make it all worthwhile.
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The Put the Crate to Work Method
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Into the crate
Place your Rottie's crate in a convenient location where you can keep an eye on his behavior. Make it comfortable for him with carpeting, a bed, a water bowl, and some toys. When it's ready, go ahead and put him inside and close the door.
The kitchen timer
Set the kitchen timer for 30 minutes, and when it goes off, take him straight out to his spot in the yard. If he pees (or pees and poops) be sure to praise him and give him a treat.
If he decides the answer is no
If for some reason your pup decides that this is just not the right time for him to pee, that's okay. Go ahead and take him back inside to his crate.
Reset
Reset the timer for another 30 minutes and keep a close eye on his behavior. If he starts to move like he is going to pee, open the door and take him outside. When McGruff pees, praise him and give him a treat.
Add endurance
Finally, start leaving the crate door open and keeping an eye on the pup. The moment he looks like he needs to go, leash and go. In time he will start coming to you to let you know he needs to go pee.
The I Spy Method
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Start by getting the treats
No good training method ever works without an ample supply of tasty treats.
Go into 007 mode
At this point, you need to be more vigilant than James Bond. Your eyes should never leave your pup for more than a second or two. He will give physical indications that he needs to go pee. These might include, circling a spot on the floor, sniffing at the floor, scratching at the floor, or whining.
Oh, there he goes
The moment you catch your Rottie behaving in a manner that indicates he needs to go, say "No!" in a loud voice. Leash him up and take him straight outside. When he goes, give praise and treats.
He might be shy
Or he simply might be having a bit of trouble restarting his works after being startled. No matter what reason he has in his mind, it can take him a few minutes to get his mind on his business, so to speak.
Off into the sunset
The rest, as they say, is all about repetition. The more reps you put in with your pup, the sooner he will master this vital skill.
The Time to Pee Method
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Check your schedule
For this, you will need to clear a large part of your daily schedule for the next few weeks. The more time you can spend teaching your little buddy the joys of peeing outside, the faster he will master this strange new skill.
The roaring twenties
Set a timer for twenty minutes. When it goes off, take the pup outside to pee.
Sounds of success
Ah, the sweet sound of your pup relieving himself on the ground. This is a time to celebrate with lots of praise and a tasty treat.
No, no, no, I ain't a gonna go
But, wait. There is no sweet sound of success. The only sound the wind in the grass. That's okay, Take your pooch and head on back inside.
Reset
Reset the clock and keep a close eye on your pup. If at any time during the next 20 minutes he even looks like he is thinking about peeing, take him straight outside. When he pees, be sure to praise him and give him a treat.
Replay
Keep repeating the training process until your young Rottie finally starts coming to you to let you know he needs to go outside and voila: you have one potty trained pooch.
Written by PB Getz
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 04/02/2018, edited: 01/08/2021
