Cavapoo Potty Training Guide [5 Simple Steps]
Loving a Cavapoo is easy, but potty training one can feel like an impossible task. I know the feeling and am here to help you out with tips on how to get your Cavapoo to use your backyard instead of your kitchen floor.
It’s All in the Timing
Your first question is likely this-how soon can you start potty training a Cavapoo?
Ideally, you should start potty training at around 12 weeks. However, sometimes it takes longer for a dog to develop bladder control. So, as you can imagine, you’ll need to practice some patience.
If your Cavapoo is more than 12 weeks old, potty training is still possible. However, the saying “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” may apply the older your dog is. Nevertheless, Cavapoos are an intelligent breed; with time and lots of treats, your older dog will likely catch on.
Potty Training a Cavapoo: Time It Takes to Learn
If you start potty training your Cavapoo as a puppy, you can expect it to take several weeks for them to learn. The older your Cavapoo is, the more time it will take them to become potty trained based on their age and habits.
Dog training in general is easier started before the puppy turns into an adult dog.
Among accidents here and there in your home, you might be wondering-how can you know for sure when your Cavapoo is fully potty trained?
If your Cavapoo pup goes one month without any accidents in the house, it’s safe to say that your hard work paid off.
How to Potty Train a Cavapoo
Now that we covered the basics, below are proven tips for how you can potty train your Cavapoo. Your messy floors will thank you!
Set Up a Schedule
Dogs thrive with a routine, so arranging a feeding, exercise, and potty schedule will help them learn to use the great outdoors faster.
I recommend giving your Cavapoo-in-training food at set times throughout the day. Once you do, let them outside within five to thirty minutes of them finishing.
Of course, water makes the situation trickier since your Cavapoo should always have access to it. However, whenever possible, try to keep track of when your dog drinks and let it outside shortly after.
Monitor Them Closely
I know it’s easier said than done if you work outside your home, but one of the quickest ways to get your Cavapoo potty trained is to stay near them.
Cavapoos understand a firm “no” and, therefore, will be less likely to go to the bathroom in your house if they know you’re watching them.
When you understandably have to leave home, it’s best to put your Cavapoo in a crate. That way, you don’t have to worry about accidents on your floor.
However, if you don’t like the thought of putting your dog in a crate, another option is to use baby gates. That way, if they have an accident, it’ll be contained to a single area (that’s hopefully easy to clean!).
Get Ready to Go Outside Often
When nature calls, your Cavapoo is going to need to go outside, regardless of what you’re doing or what the weather’s like. In fact, you can expect to take your dog outside about every two hours until they’re around eight months old.
Once they reach the eight-month mark, they should be able to withstand up to six hours without having to go outside.
While your Cavapoo will undergo a learning curve during potty training, its success is primarily dependent on you. Therefore, it’s critical that someone is always home during the training process. That way, you’re not forcing your Cavapoo to have an accident indoors when they would have otherwise begged to go outside.
Teach Potty Commands
If you ever heard someone telling their dog, “Go pee,” they’re on to something. You can teach your Cavapoo to associate the words “pee” and “poop” in the same way that they associate the acts of “sit” and “lay down.”
To teach your Cavapoo potty commands, say the word or phrase as they’re going to the bathroom. Over time, they’ll recognize those words. So, someday when you’re walking them in torrential rain, you might be able to encourage them to stop smelling the fire hydrant and relieve themselves instead.
Cavapoo training is about consistency, patience, and reward.
Understandably, some people might not want to shout the commands, “Go pee” and “Go poop” in a neighborhood. So, feel free to use any word that you’d like your Cavapoo to associate with going to the bathroom. It’ll work the same!
Train with Love
Using harsh reprimands for your dog having an accident in the house or taking too long to go to the bathroom outside will only make him afraid of you. Instead, positive reinforcement is the key to building a trusting and effective relationship when potty training your Cavapoo.
Make sure to offer tons of praise whenever they go to the bathroom outside. Following it up with a treat is an excellent way to put the icing on the dog cake and incentivize your Cavapoo to repeat the process in the future.
That said, you certainly don’t have to use praise if your Cavapoo goes to the bathroom inside your house. In that case, using a firm “No” or clapping your hands as they’re doing it is an effective way for them to learn that it’s not behavior they should be doing.
Managing a Mess Inside Your Home
Potty training accidents inside your home will happen. When it does, consider using an enzymatic pet cleaner. Such solutions have ingredients to discourage dogs from going to the bathroom in that same place in the future.
Speaking of which, if it’s possible, try to block off the area where your Cavapoo had an accident in the house, especially if it’s a place where they have accidents often. Dogs tend to go to the bathroom in the same area. So, by preventing them from getting to their favorite indoor spot, they might consider using the outdoors instead.
Turning Your Yard Into a Bathroom
It may sound like an off-putting title, but hear me out-just like Cavapoos gravitate towards relieving themselves in the same places of your home, they’ll pick their favorite spot in your backyard to do the same.
The great thing about this is that when potty training your Cavapoo, you can control the area of the yard where you want them to use it as a restroom.
To do so, lead them to that specific area every time you take them outside to use the bathroom. Before long, they’ll associate that portion of your yard as their restroom. Your future self will thank you when you don’t have to hunt around your entire yard in search of your Cavapoo’s droppings!
Make Training Fun
Everything you do when it comes to potty training your Cavapoo should boil down to making them excited about going to the bathroom outdoors. Therefore, after your Cavapoo does its business outside (and hopefully in the spot you chose), make sure to play with him.
Whether it be throwing a ball, pulling out a dog swim pool, or playing tug of war, if your dog knows it’ll get to play after doing its business, you’ll get him excited about going to the bathroom outside.
Another idea is to play music when your dog goes to the bathroom and during the playtime that follows it. Some studies found evidence that music may help dogs relax, so that can help with your potty training.
How to Handle a Dog Playdate
If your Cavapoo is still undergoing potty training and you want to take them to a friend or family member’s house, you’ll need to do a little preparation.
First, you’ll want to make sure they have an easy-to-access area for your frequent trips outdoors with your dog.
Secondly, consider bringing some baby gates so you can confine your Cavapoo to a smaller space. Preferably, that smaller space shouldn’t have carpet so that accidents are easier to clean. Bring a potty pad or puppy pad as a backup.
That said, as a general rule, it’s best to hold off on bringing your Cavapoo to an indoor space until it knows to ask to go outside to use the restroom. That’ll avoid confusion for your furry love and, once it knows to go outside, you can safely take your Cavapoo anywhere with confidence that it shouldn’t have accidents.
Identifying When Your Cavapoo Needs to Go Outside
There’s little point in potty training your Cavapoo if you can’t determine when they need to do their business outdoors. Luckily, the signs are easy to detect.
Your Cavapoo will likely whine or bark when it needs to go outside. It also may walk in circles, indicating that it has a full bladder. If it gets desperate, an otherwise well-behaved Cavapoo may even scratch at the door.
Whenever your Cavapoo shows these behaviors, let him outside immediately so he can go to the bathroom.
Ready to Potty Train Your Cavapoo?
With a bit of preparation, house training your Cavapoo dog can be fun and a great way to bond with your new family member. The essential items to take away here are that consistency, positive reinforcement, and patience will soon produce a potty-trained new puppy.
