Potty training a new puppy can be a bit of a challenge at the best of times but during the winter you are faced with many more obstacles for this task. So just keep in mind when you are potty training a puppy in the winter you are going to be faced with a few more challenges.
First thing you are going to need is some warm clothes for you and your puppy. You can get winter coats for your puppy and also some booties. There are a wide variety of coats that you can purchase but I would try to get a coat that you can get on and off quickly and easily. Also I would invest in the booties for your puppy. They will prevent snow and ice from getting on his/her paws and freezing. There could also be some type of foreign object hidden in the snow that the boots may protect him from.
Potty training a puppy in the winter also requires you to be more vigilant. Things that can be easily spotted in the summer may be hidden in the snow. Keep an eye out for things like spilled anti-freeze as just a small amount can cause death. Make sure you check the potty area for any sharp objects that could possibly cut your puppy’s paw.
If you have a lot of snow you may want to shovel an area out for the puppy. In the past we often cleared paths in the backyard for our dogs using the snowblower. Our one dog who has since passed did not like to get anything on her paws and the dog we have now likes to plow into the deepest snow possible to go pee. The look on her face when she is going is priceless.
So the next step to potty training a puppy in the winter is to get yourself bundled up and your puppy bundled up. Make sure you have a leash on your puppy when you take him/her out to go potty. Since your puppy will probably not like the cold all that much he may not want to go potty. If you see him shivering take him in to warm him up. Do not remove the leash. When he has warmed up take him out again. Keep doing this until he goes. There will come a time that your puppy will realize that the sooner he goes potty the sooner he gets back inside a nice warm house.
Always remember when your puppy does go potty you need to praise him very enthusiastically!
If you decide to take your puppy for a walk in order to get him to go potty make sure he does have his boots on. One of the hazards of winter is the salt and chemicals used on the roads to melt ice. I am sure you have noticed what it can do to your boots. Imagine what it can do to your puppy’s feet. It could actually burn them. If your puppy is not wearing boots then make sure to wash off his feet when you get home from your walk.
Also there are products available that you can put on your puppy or dog’s feet that will protect them from the salt and chemicals.
If we for some reason you are going to be out in the cold for a long period of time you should not have a metal type collar on your puppy. The metal in the collar attracts the cold and can actually burn your puppy’s neck.
So potty training a puppy in the winter does have its own set of challenges so remember be consistent and be patient and good luck with potty training your puppy no matter what the weather is like.
For more information on how to successfully potty train a puppy in the winter check out Secrets To Dog Training Review.
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Great point at the end Maureen about having a metal collar in the winter. it’s so obvious when you mention it but I didn’t think of it at the time about how a cold collar can burn the skin but I’ll remember that one for the future!
One thing that’s always a safe bet that you mentioned is to always praise your puppy when they’ve done something good! Lol, even if they haven’t got a clue what’s going on tell them they’ve done well and they’ll be over the moon!
Cheers and I look forward to your next post, Stephen
You are so right Steven, they get all excited when you praise them. I know when I praise my dog I sound like a totally goof but she does get wound up and it definitely works. I used to love a dog trainer by the name of Barbara Woodhouse. She was english and she has the most genuine enthusiastic way to praise dogs and the dogs really responded to her.
Hi Brownie
I have four dogs and one of them is called Brownie!! I have two females and two males and the two females just had liters of puppies. So now I have total of 9 puppies. They were 10 but we lost one. So finding this site was like finding gold! I’ve been around dogs since I was born so it’s always a pleasure to learn something new about puppies and dogs. Very well written article and I will definitely take all your suggestions on board as I struggle to raise 9 more little cute monsters! Have a great week!
Cheers
Jelly.
Hi Jelly I feel honored that you have a dog named Brownie. I wish you the best of luck finding homes for your babies. One thing that I really like about puppies is there breath. It is just so fresh and almost new smelling. Nothing like a good whiff of puppy breath.
I don’t own a dog but, I really enjoyed all of your articles. If I were looking into one, you brought up kennel cough, what is it and how do dogs contact it? What can be done to protect dogs that are boarded?
What relevance does the cost of vet care have to do with dog care? You covered that aspect in dog breeds also.
Hi Keith I’m glad you are enjoying my article. To answer your question about kennel cough, kennel cough or Bordatella is a respiratory infection that affects a dog’s airways. Kennel cough can occur when dogs are confined in close situations such as a shelter, boarding kennels even a vet’s office. It is not caused by just one thing but by a number of infectious agents.
Signs of kennel cough are a dry hacking cough, retching, gagging and also white foamy liquid coming out of the mouth.
If a dog does become infected a trip to the vet is in order. Depending on the severity of the symptoms some dogs may require antibiotics and a cough suppressant. It may last for up to 3 weeks but normally will clear up sooner again depending on the severity and depending on your dog’s health.
There are vaccines for kennel cough so if you know that you are going to be boarded your dog you should have him vaccinated at least two weeks prior to boarding him. Many kennels will require your dog be vaccinated and they will want proof.
As to your second question if you are going to properly take care of your dog you will need to take them to the vet for things like shots and heartworm. This alone would cost you about 200 to 500 dollars depending on your vet. Then there are the unexpected things that happen that can cost a lot more. Say your dog gets hit by a car and suffers a broken leg. Do you just let him suffer or to you take him to the vet’s. A good dog owner will take him to the vet. So all i am saying is to properly take care of your dog that sometimes you need to be aware that there may be some unforeseen vet bills.
I don’t have any dogs but am considering getting one soon and your site is very helpful. I will likely be referring back to it, particularly if we get a puppy. I had honestly never thought about the fact that potty training may be happening in the cold and snow. Just like I am not thrilled to go out in the cold, I cannot imagine the dog would be either!
Hi Ilyssa some dogs in the cold weather will go really quick so they can get back in to where it is warm while others just seem to hold it as long as possible. Let me know when you get your puppy. You should check out your local shelter, they normally have some amazing puppies and young dogs looking for good homes.
This is so adorable! My dogs have recently had their little pups and taking care of 5 of them sure isn’t an easy job – especially the potty part. I did find at times that they would wet their booties and they are not very considerative of where their little brothers and sisters did their thing. Lol, but besides for that, this is a great guide. Thank you
Thanks for your comments Mianka. You certainly have your hands full with five little ones to potty train. Good luck with that.