My 3-month-old puppy has potty accidents and chews furniture. What to do?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | American Staffordshire Terrier | Male | unneutered | 3 months old | 17 lbs
Jax was supposed to be 6 weeks old when we got him so that would put him being 3 months today but I swear he's either younger than they told us or he's just HARDHEADED AND MEAN LOL .. I can't get him potty trained even though he knows the concept cause he'll tinkle in the floor and when I fuss he goes straight to the door ans scratches and he drinks gallons on water and pee pees every 25 minutes unless he's in the time out kennel. He's eaten half my couch. I need some help on what to do?????
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on January 17th, 2020
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jax. Dogs do not gain physical control over urination and defecation until 4-5 months of age. So at 3 months of age, he should not be expected to be potty trained yet. Continue to be consistent with him and praise him when he goes outside. He will have more accidents, but you want him to learn the routine. This way when his body is physically able, he will know to go outside. Puppies can be destructive so he needs to be carefully supervised when out of his crate. Redirect him to something positive such as a toy if he goes near the couch. Then reward him for playing with his toys. I hope this information helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on April 22nd, 2017
The key to potty training any young puppy is repetition and patience. You should not expect miracles at this age and you should definitely expect accidents in the house. This is particularly true for small breed dogs like a Frenchie. If at all possible, I would try and take Bentley out at least every 90-120 minutes for potty break whenever you and he are awake together. If you do not intend on using puppy pads for the larger portion of his life, I would try and shy away from using these during his training. I would also take him out immediately after every meal and every time you see him at the water bowl. Anytime he goes outside, you should reward him with praise and treats profusely. Do not punish him for accidents as pups do not understand this kind of reaction. They will only interpret it as attention. Try not to lose your patience with him. If you stick with it and work hard, he'll be trained in a matter of time!
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on January 27th, 2018
Congratulations on your new puppy! Very very wise of you to keep Turbo indoors until he is fully vaccinated. Housetraining is not accomplished for many puppies until 3-4 months of age so I am not surprised that Turbo doesn’t have it down perfectly yet. It is important to remember that he is not acting out at all, he is simply still too young to realize his urge and act appropriately yet. Keep patiently praising him when he does go on the potty pads. If you catch him peeing/pooping on the floor simply move him to the puppy pads and then proceed to praise him. Scolding or spanking does not work and will only cause anxiety about using the bathroom. If the mess is an issue, consider confining him to a bathroom or laundry room that is easy to clean. Good luck!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on January 28th, 2018
I would recommend crate training Coco. I would keep Coco in the crate when you cannot keep 100% watch on him. When he comes out of the crate I would then walk him or put him on the pee pad (depending on where you want him to go). If he goes then I would play with him and once you have to turn your back he goes back in the crate. If he does not go to the bathroom when you take him out of the crate I would put him back in for 20 minutes and try again. Remember he is only 2 1/2 months old so he will still have accidents. If you catch him going to the bathroom tell him no and take him and put him where you want him to go and praise him for going. If you just see the accident then clean it up and do not say anything to him. Coco should only be crated for 3 hours right now at a time. How ever many months he is plus 1 is the number of hours you can leave him in at a time. A crate should be big enough for him to stand up, sit down and turn around. The crate is a very safe option and dogs end up loving their crates, it's their safe house. This process takes time, but remember he is still a baby. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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