How To Potty Train a Husky Puppy

One of the first, and often greatest, challenges to getting a beautiful new puppy is always going to be potty training. Dogs don’t naturally understand what places they can and can’t use as a toilet, so making sure they learn quickly is obviously a top priority for new owners. 

Huskies can feel like a handful at times but knowing how to potty train a Husky puppy is not as complicated as it may seem.

As with all training, you need to be patient and consistent. To start with, you’ll want to identify a specific place for your Husky to use and take them there immediately after long journeys, naps, or meals. Give lots of positive praise when they go in the right place and maintain a structured routine to allow your dog to understand where the toilet is.

The potty training process is pretty universal for most dog breeds, but Huskies can be a little free-spirited.

This article will go into detail about what it’s like to potty train a Husky puppy, the steps to follow so that you’re getting the job done right, why they might make a few mistakes along the way, and what to do when that happens.

Are huskies difficult to potty train?

Huskies are intelligent dogs that appreciate a strong authority figure, so they take very well to effective and appropriate training.

Unfortunately, they can also have a bit of a stubborn streak, so they can require a little bit of extra patience and stability from you.

When it comes to bathroom habits, in particular, Huskies are easier to train than many other breeds and as long as you are doing all of the right things, your dog is going to start doing the right things too. 

How to potty train a husky puppy (6 simple steps)

If you’re bringing a little Husky home soon and you want to know what the potty training process should look like, these are the key steps to follow.

1. Choose a place that you want your puppy to use as a toilet.
2. Take them to that spot as soon as you get home and let them check it out, they may even use it straight away if you’re lucky.
3. Start a routine immediately, where you take your puppy to that spot straight after they have slept or eaten – when they are most likely to need to go.
4. As part of their routine, feed your puppy at the same times every day, so they get used to when they will eat and when they will need to go.
5. Every time they go to the toilet where you want, give them lots of praise. Make sure your pup knows that they’ve done the right thing.
6. Listen to your puppy’s needs. If they start sniffing around intensely and looking apprehensive, get them outside to their spot straight away! You don’t want to leave your puppy unsupervised for any length of time while they are still learning.

Consistency in following these steps is key. Mistakes are bound to happen, and there are many other things to be aware of and understand along the way, but these few things will form the core of your potty training process.

Do I need to crate train my husky puppy?

Nighttime can be a real challenge during the potty training process because you have to leave your puppy unattended while you’re asleep.

You will probably need to get up in the night at some point to let your dog outside, but what if they go to the toilet inside without telling you?

Using a crate (like this one) is a very handy tool to help with this. Even very young puppies learn not to make a mess where they sleep, so if you have an appropriately sized crate, they won’t go inside of it.

This means that they will either wait until you give them an opportunity or let you know that they can’t hold it anymore.

Be careful, though, because you don’t want to teach your dog that making noise in the night will get you to come whenever they want. You are much better off scheduling a specific time, like 3 am, to take them out – at least during those first few months when they can’t hold it as long. 

Why Won’t My Husky Puppy Pee or Poop When They’re Outside?

If your puppy is seeming a little anxious and unsure about using the toilet area that you have designated, there are a few things that you can do.

1. Clean up after their last visit. Dogs don’t like to attract too much attention to one spot as it can draw in unwanted predators in the wild, so they prefer a clean toilet.
2. Give them some privacy. Dogs feel quite vulnerable when they are going to the toilet, so staring at them or maintaining intense eye contact can put them off.
3. Give them time. Things don’t always happen straight away, so be patient with your pup.

How long can husky puppies hold their pee?

When you’re developing the right routine, it’s important to know how often you can expect to be taking your dog out to their toilet spot. Obviously, going to the bathroom doesn’t happen on a strict schedule but most Husky puppies can be expected to hold their bladders for as many hours as they are months old, plus one.

If your puppy is 3 months old, they can be expected to hold their bladder for a maximum of 4 hours, and when they are 4 months old, they may be able to hold it for 5 hours. 

Of course, there is a limit to how much any dog can handle, and even adult Huskies can only wait up to 10 or 12 hours at the absolute most before needing to pee.

How many times a day do huskies poop?

It is very normal for Husky puppies to poop up to five times a day, and you can usually have a good idea of when that is likely to happen.

Your puppy will normally want to use the bathroom around 15 minutes after they have had something to eat or drink, which is why a carefully planned mealtime routine is so helpful.

Also, you can expect your dog to need to go just after they’ve had a lot of excitement or just after they have woken up.

Why is my husky peeing and pooping in the house?

As we all know, accidents happen and understanding why can make all of the difference when you are training.

There are many different reasons why your dog may be having accidents indoors.

• They don’t know that it is wrong yet. For puppies and newly adopted dogs, the most likely cause of accidents is that they simply haven’t been properly shown that they should be going elsewhere.
• They don’t understand where their toilet is. Even for older dogs, a new environment will mean that they don’t know where the right place to go is without you telling them.
• They’ve been poorly trained in the past. This can seem like a really big problem, but good training never fails. As it turns out, old dogs actually can learn new tricks.
• They’ve used a puppy training pad. Any potty training that encourages your dog to go to the toilet indoors is setting them up for failure. They need to know that outside is the right place for them to use.

How do I get my husky puppy to stop peeing/pooping in the house?

When an accident does happen, what can you do to stop it from happening again?

First, don’t shout at your dog or show them that you are frustrated when they have an accident. This will only upset them and give them more anxiety and uncertainty around going to the toilet. 

Instead, take your dog out to their designated bathroom spot as soon as you can. If you’re lucky, they may go again, and you can praise them for doing the right thing. If not, you’re still helping them to associate that place with using the toilet, and you’re showing them where you want them to be when that happens. 

You also want to clean up after them very thoroughly. This is not only important for hygiene reasons, but it will also show your dog that their waste is not supposed to be there.

A solution made from 3 parts vinegar and 1 part water can be an effective way to discourage your dog from making a mess indoors.

Spraying this on the floor will make a smell that will put your dog off when they start sniffing around for somewhere to go.

Final thoughts on potty training a husky puppy

The most important things to remember with any kind of training are patience and consistency.

It can be very frustrating while your little Husky puppy gets used to a new environment and starts to learn where they can and cannot go to the bathroom, but you need to stay calm and persistent if you want them to understand.

No matter what background your Husky puppy has, the success or failure of potty training will ultimately come down to you.

Your dog is looking to you to understand the rules of the world, so you need to be a kind, knowledgeable, and dependable teacher.

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