For new puppy owners
Get Ahead of Puppy Accidents With a Simple Day-by-Day Potty Plan
Know exactly when to take your puppy out, what to do outside and how to handle accidents calmly. No scolding.
- 18 short video lessons, 68 minutes in total18 video lessons, 68 minutes in total
- Know when to take your puppy out, by age and after every nap, meal and playKnow when to take your puppy out
- A four-step outdoor routine with no scolding or punishmentA four-step outdoor routine, no scolding
- Printable workbook with a 21-day potty log and summary trackerPrintable 21-day potty log and tracker
One-time payment · No subscription · 30-day refund policy
- 30-day refund policy
- Instant access
- Lifetime access
The problem
Sound familiar?
- You take your puppy out, nothing happens, and two minutes after you come back inside there's a puddle on the rug.
- You're not sure how often a puppy this age really needs to go out, so you're guessing or setting random alarms.
- Accidents keep happening in the same spots, even after you've cleaned them.
- You've heard conflicting advice: pads or no pads, crate or no crate, scold or ignore. It's hard to know what to trust.
- Nights are a blur, and you can't tell when your puppy needs to go until it's too late.
None of that means your dog is bad, or that you've failed. Your dog has learned a routine, and routines can be re-learned.
The key insight
Why waiting for your puppy to "tell you" is usually too late
Most puppy accidents follow predictable triggers: waking up, eating, drinking, play and excitement. A young puppy's bladder control is still developing (the RSPCA notes dogs don't reach full bladder capacity until around 12 months), so waiting for your puppy to 'tell you' often means you're too late. When you take them out right after those moments, reward the right spot within seconds, and supervise or confine the rest of the time, most puppies gradually build the habit. Punishment tends to teach puppies to hide when they go, not where to go.
How it works
The 3-part Puppy Potty Training method
- 1
Get ahead of the triggers
An age-based schedule plus a trip right after waking, eating, drinking and play, so you're outside before the accident, not after it.
- 2
Make every trip count
The four-step "boring business trip": same spot, stand still, and reward within a second or two of your puppy finishing. Then the fun.
- 3
Close the accident gap
Supervision, tethering, gates and a comfortable rest area in between, plus calm cleanup and no punishment when an accident happens.
The goal
The routine you'll build
Your puppy wakes, you head straight to the same spot, wait quietly, and reward right at the spot the moment they finish. Your potty log shows the pattern, and freedom grows one room at a time as the log shows a run of accident-free days.
- Know when to take your puppy out, instead of guessing
- A simple outdoor routine everyone in your home can follow the same way
- A printable potty log that shows patterns you'd otherwise miss
- Calm, humane steps for accidents that protect your relationship with your puppy
One-time payment · No subscription · 30-day refund policy
Everything included
What you get today
18 video lessons
Short, narrated lessons with clear on-screen steps
Printable workbook
20 sections: checklists, schedule templates, troubleshooting
21-day summary tracker
Trips, successes, accidents and longest dry stretch, in 30 seconds a night
4-page quick start
Do-today checklist, trigger times, the four-step trip and accident steps
Puppy Potty Training Plan
$39one-time
- 18 video lessons across 7 modules
- Printable workbook with schedule templates and a 21-day potty log
- 4-page quick start and 21-day summary tracker
- Lifetime access on any device
- 30-day refund policy
One-time payment · No subscription · 30-day refund policy
Inside the program
7 modules, 18 short lessons
1Start Here: Why Accidents Happen2 lessons
- ▸ Why Accidents Aren't Random · 4 min
- ▸ Health Check First: When to Call Your Vet · 4 min
2Set Up for Success2 lessons
- ▸ Your Home Setup: Rest Area, Crate or Pen, and Potty Spot · 5 min
- ▸ Supplies and the Potty Log · 4 min
3The Puppy Schedule3 lessons
- ▸ Building Your Daily Potty Schedule by Age · 4 min
- ▸ Meals, Water and Timing · 3 min
- ▸ Nights and Early Mornings · 4 min
4The Outdoor Routine3 lessons
- ▸ The Boring Business Trip: Your Outdoor Routine · 4 min
- ▸ Rewarding in the Right Moment and Adding a Potty Cue · 3 min
- ▸ Apartments, Bad Weather and Pee Pads · 5 min
5Bathroom Signals and Supervision2 lessons
- ▸ Reading Bathroom Signals (and an Optional Door Signal) · 3 min
- ▸ Supervision: Tethering, Gates and Pens · 3 min
6Accidents Without Punishment2 lessons
- ▸ When an Accident Happens (and Why Punishment Backfires) · 4 min
- ▸ Cleaning Up Accidents Properly · 3 min
7Your Plan, Freedom and Troubleshooting4 lessons
- ▸ Your Three-Week Plan · 4 min
- ▸ Earning Freedom and Keeping It Going · 3 min
- ▸ Setbacks and Troubleshooting · 4 min
- ▸ Excitement Peeing, Marking and Adult Dogs · 4 min
Your options
How it compares
| Potty Training Plan | Scolding after accidents | YouTube videos | Private trainer or behavior pro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule built around your puppy's age and trigger times | Varies | |||
| Humane, reward-based methods | Varies | Varies | ||
| Step-by-step plan you follow at home | ||||
| Printable log to track your puppy's pattern | Varies | |||
| Learn on your own schedule | ||||
| Best for anxiety-related or alone-time soiling | ||||
| Cost | $39 one-time | Free | Free | Usually much more per session |
If accidents happen mainly when your puppy is left alone, or you see signs like blood in the urine, straining or very frequent peeing, start with your vet and a qualified behavior professional. The program's second lesson helps you check.
The plan
Your first 3 weeks
- Days 1–3
Set up and observe
Rest area and potty spot ready, health check done, every pee and poop logged, and a trip after every trigger.
- Days 4–7
Your puppy's schedule
Review your log, write your puppy's own schedule, start pairing a potty cue, and tether or gate whenever they're loose.
- Week 2
Tighten up
Fix the gaps where accidents cluster, spot your puppy's signals, keep supervision high, and stretch night trips if nights are dry.
- Week 3
Review and expand carefully
Compare week 3 with week 1, then take one small freedom step only after a run of accident-free days.
A framework, not a deadline. Your puppy sets the pace, and full house training often takes weeks to months.
Honest fit check
Is this right for your dog?
A great fit if…
- New puppy owners who want a clear daily structure
- Owners whose puppy is having frequent indoor accidents and who want a calm reset
- Apartment and high-rise dwellers deciding between outdoor trips, pads, or a mix
- Anyone who wants a reward-based approach without scolding or punishment
Not the right fit if…
- Puppies or dogs with signs of a medical problem (blood in urine, straining, very frequent peeing, diarrhea, sudden regression, excessive drinking). Please see your vet first.
- Dogs whose accidents happen mainly when left alone, or are linked to anxiety or fear. Consult your vet and a qualified behavior professional.
- Anyone looking for a guaranteed 'potty trained in 3 days' promise, or for punishment-based methods.
Try it for 30 days
30-day refund policy: if the course isn't right for you, contact support within 30 days of purchase.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long until my puppy is fully house-trained?
It varies a lot with age, size, history, health and consistency. Welfare organizations describe anything from a few weeks to several months, and setbacks are normal. The course gives you a structured three-week starting plan and clear progress criteria, but we can't promise a timeline or a specific result. Your potty log is the best way to see real progress.
How often does my puppy need to go out?
The course uses the UC Davis veterinary behavior service's age-based starting points (for example, about 8–10 breaks a day from 6 to 14 weeks), plus a trip after every trigger: waking, eating, drinking, play and excitement. Young puppies who are awake and active often need a trip every 1–2 hours, and more often during play. These are starting points that you adjust with your log.
What about the 'one hour per month of age' rule?
It's a popular rough guide that some sources mention, but it isn't reliable for every puppy, and many puppies need to go much sooner when they're awake and active. The course uses triggers, age-based starting points and your own log instead.
Should I limit my puppy's water so they have fewer accidents?
No. Puppies need access to fresh water, and PDSA's vets advise never restricting water to control accidents. The course treats a big drink as a trigger for a potty trip and uses a calm, consistent evening routine. If you're considering any change to water access, especially for a very young, small or unwell puppy, talk to your vet first.
Do I need a crate?
No, but you do need a safe, comfortable rest area for times you can't supervise: a crate, a playpen, or a small puppy-proofed room. If you use a crate, it's a short-term management tool, never a punishment, and daytime stretches are kept short (PDSA advises never more than three hours at a time, and young puppies usually need a break much sooner).
Can I use puppy pads or an indoor grass tray?
Yes. Pads and turf trays are legitimate options, especially for very young puppies, high-rises and long absences. The honest trade-off is that if your goal is outdoors, you'll later teach a second location. The course shows you how to use pads consistently and how to transition gradually to outdoors.
What if I catch my puppy in the act?
Calmly interrupt, for example by saying their name or a cheerful 'outside!', or gently scoop up a small puppy, then go to the potty spot and reward if they finish there. If they're already mid-pee, let them finish, then take them out. Don't scold, shout, clap or startle them. That tends to teach puppies to hide when they go.
My puppy was doing well and suddenly started having accidents. Why?
Regressions are common and are often about freedom expanding too fast, a schedule slipping, or a change at home. But a sudden change can also be medical, especially with very frequent peeing, straining, blood, more drinking or diarrhea. In those cases, see your vet first. The troubleshooting lesson walks you through both.
I work during the day. Can I still follow this plan?
Yes, with planning. The course shows you how to fit trips around your day and what to do when you'll be out longer than your puppy can manage: arrange a sitter or neighbor, or use a pen with a bed at one end and a potty area at the other. Crates shouldn't be used for long daytime stretches.
Does this work for adult or rescue dogs?
The same principles apply, and the course includes a short lesson on adult dogs, though it may take longer. An adult who was house-trained and starts soiling, who soils only when left alone, or who seems anxious should see a vet first, and may need a qualified behavior professional. The course doesn't treat those problems.
My puppy pees a little when people greet her. Is that a training problem?
Usually not. Excitement or submissive dribbling is common in young puppies and isn't a house-training failure. Many outgrow it. The course covers calm, low-pressure greetings. Never scold it. If it's frequent, isn't easing, or your puppy seems generally fearful, talk to your vet.
Is this course reviewed by a vet or certified behavior professional?
No. It's an educational course researched and written with AI assistance from published veterinary and animal-welfare guidance, which is cited on every lesson. It hasn't been reviewed by a credentialed veterinary behaviorist or certified behavior professional, and it isn't a substitute for advice from your vet.
What's your refund policy?
We offer a 30-day refund policy. If the course isn't right for you, contact support within 30 days of purchase.
Get ahead of the next accident, not behind it.
Start today with lesson 1. If the program isn't right for you, contact support within 30 days for a refund.
One-time payment · No subscription · 30-day refund policy
Where the methods come from
- Built from published guidance by veterinary and animal-welfare sources, including the UC Davis Clinical Animal Behavior Service, VCA veterinary behaviorists, PDSA, RSPCA, Blue Cross, Dogs Trust, The Royal Kennel Club, San Francisco SPCA and Humane World for Animals. None of these organizations has reviewed or endorsed this course.
- Reward-based methods, in line with the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior's Humane Dog Training position statement (no endorsement implied).
- Every lesson lists its sources, and we flag where sources disagree (for example, on night trips and when to expand freedom) or where something is our practical convention.
- Health topics are flagged and referred to your veterinarian, not treated as training problems.
- Housetraining Your Puppy (client handout) (UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine)
- Position Statement on Humane Dog Training (AVSAB)
- House Training for Puppies and Dogs (VCA Animal Hospitals (LifeLearn))
- Dog Behavior Problems: House Soiling (VCA Animal Hospitals (LifeLearn))
- Canine House Soiling (Clinician's Brief)
- Dog Behavior Problems: Submissive, Excitement, and Conflict Urination (VCA Animal Hospitals (LifeLearn))
- Why is my dog drinking lots of water and weeing more than usual? (PDSA)
- How to Toilet Train Your Puppy or Dog (RSPCA)
- Puppy toilet training and house training (Blue Cross)
- How to toilet or house train your dog (Dogs Trust)
Honest limits
- There's no fixed timeline. Puppies vary with age, size, history and health, and setbacks are normal. Full house training often takes weeks to months.
- The plan takes daily consistency and supervision, especially in the first few weeks.
- It doesn't diagnose or treat medical causes of accidents. If you see warning signs, see your vet.
- It's designed for puppies. It includes only brief guidance for adult dogs, marking and excitement peeing. Long-standing, anxiety-related or alone-time soiling needs a vet and a qualified behavior professional.
- Educational content only. It has not been reviewed by a credentialed veterinary behaviorist and isn't veterinary advice.
- No results are guaranteed.
Results vary with practice and with each dog.