Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Dogs

Golden Retriever training 101: Potty training

By

Golden retrievers are family dogs through and through. They’re eager to please, intelligent, and always up for something fun. Training your golden retriever puppy is a matter of working with its strengths and having the patience to see it through.

Your golden retriever puppy’s first order of business is learning to go to the potty outside. Not only can you train your golden to go outside, but you can train it to use the same, designated spot on command. Let’s go through some necessary steps to get the ball rolling.

Woman petting golden retriever
skynesher Simpson/Getty Images

Stay positive

Before you start any kind of training, you should understand the personality of dogs. The balance should always tip toward the positive rather than the negative. If you happen to catch your dog going to the bathroom inside, you can correct him firmly yet gently, but it does no good to punish your dog for something you don’t see happen.

Recommended Videos

Instead, focus on what your dog is doing well. If your puppy goes outside whether you commanded or not, whether you were in the middle of training or not, that’s a reason for praise. Tell your golden what a good boy or girl it is and offer a treat right after the deed is done.

Be consistent

If you want to teach your golden to go outside, you must be consistent. Set an alarm for certain times of the day to go out, so your golden has plenty of chances to get it right. Be realistic about how long your golden can hold it.

If you’re home, going out every two hours could be an excellent place to start. If you aren’t home, coming back at lunch may be a suitable alternative, especially if you plan to crate train your puppy.

You may want to wait to get your puppy when you’re going to be home for a week or so or if you have some time off. That will allow you plenty of time to help your puppy make the transition to following the rules of your house.

Use the potty command

To help ensure your golden does its business, add in the potty command. It can be as simple as “go potty” or you can make it your own, but it should be a consistent command.

Each time your dog eliminates after the command, offer praise and treats. After a few weeks, your golden should get the hang of the command, and you’ll be able to help things along even when your golden is super energetic or curious.

Be realistic

Your puppy won’t learn overnight. It could take some consistent practice for it to go outside, and it may arrive in stages. Your puppy may have trouble at night for a little bit until it understands the schedule and is able to make better decisions.

If you find that your puppy is having a lot of trouble getting the command, take a look at your process. Are you expecting your puppy to go too long between potty breaks? Are you inconsistent with your praise or timing? Sometimes, a simple change in your process could finally help your pet over that hurdle.

How do I train my golden retriever?

Man with golden retriever
Mvltcelik/Getty Images

Here are the necessary steps on how to train your golden retriever to go potty outdoors or in a designated spot.

• Decide where and when your puppy needs to go. It’s essential to establish a consistent routine to help your puppy learn.
• Set an alarm to take your puppy out or to its spot. Offer praise and treats each time your puppy is successful.
• If you catch your puppy going to the bathroom in the wrong place, gently command “no” and move your puppy to the right place.
• When your puppy finishes in the right place, offer treats and praise.
• Never withhold water to help train your puppy. This is unhealthy and dangerous.
• Stay consistent and be realistic about your puppy’s training. Your puppy will need time to get things right.
• Stick with the positives so your puppy doesn’t associate bad things with going to the bathroom. If you only punish your puppy, it may hide to go to the bathroom to avoid the punishment.

Gentle, positive training works

Man hugging golden retriever
Nevena1987/Getty Images

Golden retrievers want to please you. They’re intelligent family dogs, and with the right mixture of patience and consistency, you should have your puppy trained sooner rather than later. If it doesn’t seem to be happening, take a look at your methods to see if you can do something different to help it along.

The training process may take patience, but goldens are highly trainable dogs. Your puppy is ready to be part of the family and needs a little encouragement to understand the rules and behavior you want to see. Don’t be intimidated by the training process. It’s time to bring your puppy into your household as a full member.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
PawTracks
PawTracks
Best guard dogs: These 7 breeds will protect you with their life
These dog breeds are some of the best personal guards you'll find
An Akita sitting on the bed

Most dogs are loyal and loving animals. That’s why we know them as humans’ best friends. They’d do anything for us. For some dogs, “anything” means protecting us with their lives. And these breeds make the best guard dogs. For many of them, it’s instinctual. They’ve evolved to protect the family they love. You’ll notice these pups keeping a watchful eye on your property. They may bark to alert you when your company arrives or the mail gets delivered.
Remember, guard animals mean well. They aren’t trying to be vicious, but instead, they want to keep you and your home safe and sound. Some prospective pet parents want this quality in a dog. If that’s you, consider these breeds that make the best guard dogs.

What is the easiest guard dog to train?
There's a whole group of beasties that are often referred to as the guardian breeds — many of them make this list. Those animals with a predisposition toward defending and alerting will likely also learn their duties quickly. However, you'll also need a pup who has been properly socialized. Remember, you only want your guard to go into protection mode when there's a serious threat, not every time the mailman stops by.

Read more
Why does my dog follow me to the bathroom? (It’s not as weird as you think)
Your dog has a reason for this behavior
A Yorkshire terrier sits in the bathroom and is seen reflected in the hallway mirror

If you're wondering, "Why does my dog follow me to the bathroom?" -- you're certainly not alone. Most pet parents are used to having a four-legged shadow no matter what room in the house they're in, but making eye contact with your dog while you're on the pot can feel a little bit strange. So what's behind this canine behavior, and is it a bad thing?

We've looked into this funny phenomenon and what it means to your dog, and it turns out that it's not as strange as you think. Remember -- your pup has a very different way of viewing the world, so while having company in the restroom may seem odd to you, your dog doesn't think twice about it.

Read more
Why do dogs dig into their bed? An annoying behavior, explained
This dog behavior is common, but can be cause for concern
A brown dog in a dog bed

You hoped your dog "dug" their bed when you spent hours researching the top brands with the comfiest products. Maybe your pooch took to their bed immediately — success. Alternatively, perhaps they decided your bed was a better fit, and you chose to roll with the choice. Regardless of which option you two settled on, you may notice your pet has an interesting bedtime and naptime routine: digging into their beds.

The digging is usually accompanied by some walking around in circles, nosing at the bed or any blankets, and repeating until they finally settle down and enjoy some sweet slumber. Why do dogs dig on the bed, though?

Read more