Does my puppy signal when it has to go potty?

Hey folks! This is Frank from Sit Happens Dog Training.

Welcome to another Q&A session where I answer questions from y'all on the internet.

Today's question is:

"Does my puppy signal when it has to go potty?"

Answer

It's like running four or five miles to some dogs. And of course, some dogs are smarter than others, so they learn quicker, too. So, there will be signs. They will not go up to you and say and give you a look like, "Please let me out. I have to go." When they're puppies, they have no clue where the right place is to go. So, potty training is about potty management. That means you have to watch your puppy all the time if you're going to give them freedom in the house. Um, the crate is a great tool for potty training to teach your puppy, okay, you're going to stay in the crate until you go potty outside. Once they go potty outside, good boy, good girl. And then they can come in the house and have more freedom. That doesn't mean that you can't. You have to still monitor them though. Even in the house, they will find areas until they learn that outside is the way to go.

Summary

For potty training, puppies will not signal when they need to go out; instead, it is about potty management, which requires the owner to monitor the puppy constantly if they have freedom in the house. Signs that a puppy needs to go out include sniffing and circling, and the owner should immediately take them outside on a leash, saying, "Let's go potty," because owners often fail to manage their puppy in the early stages.