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1. Start at the ideal age (7-8 weeks)

Merida's Mini Schnauzers actually starts potty training your pup around 5 weeks of age. When your pup leaves it is usually 90% housetrained.

2. Six-Eight times a day take your puppy outdoors to eliminate

Take your pup to chosen spot immediately after waking, after play sessions, and 15 to 30 minutes after meals. If you take your pup to the same spot every day previous odors will stimulate them to go. No playing until after pottying. You must watch the pup to see if they actually go potty. If they do not eliminate return them to their crate for 5-15 minutes. Then return them to the soiling area.

3. Use Key Phrase when puppy eliminates

If you are watching closely state your phrase just as the pup starts to eliminate. After 50-75 times the pup will be conditioned to go after hearing this phrase. ( Go potty, pee-pee time etc.)

4. Once your puppy eliminates outdoors immediately reward her/him.

Immediately after elimination reward your pup with a treat, praise, and or play. Remember no playing until after pottying!!! Reward needs to be immediate, not after you return to the house. IF you reward your pup when she /he returns to the house they think they are getting the treat for coming inside not for going potty.

5. Supervise your puppy indoors as well as outdoors.

Don't leave your pup unattended in the house. If you don't see her/him make the mess you cannot reinforce or punish the pup. If you are finding "presents" in the house you need to change your supervision plan so that you are not finding "presents" and may get the opportunity to pick up on the subtle clues that your dog may need to go.

6. When you leave home, put your puppy in a crate.

If you cannot be with your puppy then she/he should be in the safety of her/his puppy proof crate. Remember that a puppies bladder capacity is limited so be sure to let them out every 2-4 hours to eliminate. When you are taking a puppy out after being crated be sure to take them immediately out. Don't put the puppy down to put on your shoes or coat do those things before opening the crate.

7. Don't punish after the fact

You cannot punish your pup for "presents" they may leave around the house for you. If you don't see it happen it is already to late to punish. NEVER put your pups nose in the "present" this is not healthy or humane. When you catch your pup in the act STOMP your foot or CLAP your hands and say "outside" then take her/him outside to finish.

8. Thoroughly clean all areas where your puppy has eliminated in the house.

It is very important to clean and disinfect these areas or puppy may return to the spot to soil again. OR other family pets may soil in that area to cover that scent. Remember that puppies can pass parasites dead or alive in their feces and this needs to be cleaned thoroughly and promptly.

9. Be consistent

Decide your route to the outdoors and make sure everyone in the household uses the same route. Make the route and routine as simple as possible. IF you are bell training make sure everyone in the house understands how this system works. IF you are using a doggie door make sure everyone understands the pup needs to walk through the doggie door each time she/he enters or exits the home, AND that they still need to supervise outdoor time to see if elimination takes place. Most puppies are housetrained by 14-20 weeks of age. Most of Merida's Mini Schnauzers are completely accident free by 10 weeks of age.