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My new 8-week puppy has accidents. How do I potty train her?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Shih Tzu | Female | 2 lbs

I just got my 8 week old Shihtzu yesterday and she had a few accidents in the house and I try to correct them every chance i get but her poop and pee schedule is weird. I cant tell when to take her out because she just pees and poops at different times everyday since I had her. I want to know am I failing her in potty training her? Is it to late

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on July 19th, 2018

Hi there. At 8 weeks old, Mimi is still a tiny baby - puppies have very little bowel or bladder control at this age, so it's normal for her to urinate and defecate frequently at random times throughout the day. You need to take her out every 20-30 minutes at this age, so give her plenty of opportunities to do her business outside. Praise and reward her with a treat each time she goes. Inside, supervise her constantly and take her out immediately if you see any signs that she's thinking about using the bathroom - circling, sniffing the floor intently, etc. Don't scold or punish her for having an accident in the house, as this will only make her afraid to go to the bathroom in front of you - which then makes potty training much harder! Here is an article with more information on housetraining puppies, which should help to get you on the right track: https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-rules-for-effective-housetraining/

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on December 19th, 2019

    Penelope is a very cute pup! Here is an article that gives a good basic overview of how to housetrain your puppy. If you have additional specific questions after reading it, feel free to post again or request a one-on-one consultation with one of us if you wish - we would be happy to try and help. https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-rules-for-effective-housetraining/

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    Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on May 3rd, 2017

    I think it is best to tell us what you want to achieve so we can give you specific advices about it. This is a good website with general rules and instructions http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/getting-a-dog-or-puppy/general-advice-about-caring-for-your-new-puppy-or-dog/toilet-training-for-puppies/ Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on March 23rd, 2017

    Hi there! We actually have a great article on the PetCoach site that explains this in detail. Feel free to check it out - then post again if you still have questions :) https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-rules-for-effective-housetraining

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