Some dog breeds are notorious for being difficult to potty train. Stubborn breeds like Dachshunds, Dalmatians, Jack Russell Terriers, and Pomeranians can be downright resistant to potty training. But what about the English Springer Spaniel? How hard are they to house train?
English Springer Spaniels are generally quite easy to potty train because they are working dogs that naturally learn quickly. Depending on an individual puppy’s personality, it may take as little as a week or two or as long as a few months for it to be completely potty trained.
Potty training is the first thing that you must achieve when you bring your new English Springer Spaniel home. This article explains why English Springer Spaniels are easier to house train than other breeds and discusses the process of potty training a puppy.
Are English Springer Spaniel Puppies Easy To Potty Train?
English Springer Spaniels are a working and sporting dog breed that have specifically been bred for hunting. Working dog breeds are generally more intelligent than toy dogs because they need to be able to learn quickly.
English Springer Spaniels’ readiness for learning is what makes them easy to potty train. By nature, English Springer Spaniels are obedient and eager to please their owners, so you should have no trouble teaching these puppies where they are allowed to pee.
Dogs are individuals, and just like humans, each has its own personality. Certain English Springer Spaniel pups may take a little longer to house train than others.
However, you will never find the English Springer Spaniel on any list of “top 10 most difficult dogs to potty train”!
Can You House Train An Adult English Springer Spaniel?
If you adopt an adult English Springer Spaniel and find that it has never been potty trained, there is still hope! The maxim that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” does not hold true for English Springer Spaniels.
It is certainly possible to house train an adult English Springer Spaniel, but the process does take longer than with puppies. Adult dogs have learned habits that need to be broken, and this takes time.
Potty training an adult English Springer Spaniel follows the same process as potty training a puppy. You just have to take them to their designated pee spot frequently and praise them handsomely when they go potty in the appropriate place.
How Often Do English Springer Spaniel Puppies Need To Pee?
The key to successfully potty training any puppy is giving them every opportunity to do the right thing. This means that you need to take your puppy out for a potty break often.
How often, you may ask? How frequently do English Springer Spaniel puppies need to pee?
Generally, puppies can hold their bladder for the same number of hours as their age in months.
For example, an eight-week-old English Springer Spaniel puppy can hold its bladder for about 2 hours, and a six-month-old pup can hold its bladder for about 6 hours.
This is a useful rule to remember when you are developing a potty training schedule for your new English Springer Spaniel puppy.
You must take an eight-week-old puppy to its designated potty area every two hours. A twelve-week-old puppy needs to go potty every three hours, and so on, and so forth.
The more often you take your puppy outside for a potty break, the fewer accidents they will have inside and the quicker they will learn.
Do English Springer Spaniels Need To Be Crate Trained?
There is no one correct way to house train a puppy. Many vets and professional dog trainers feel that crate training helps to speed the process along, but you can house train a puppy without a crate.
If you feel resistant to crate training because you feel bad about leaving your dog in “puppy jail,” – don’t! Crate training is not cruel to the puppy, especially if you use the crate properly.
Dogs are naturally den animals, so to a puppy, being in a snug crate makes them feel secure. You’re not supposed to leave them in their crate for extended periods.
Puppies always need supervision, so a crate provides a place where your puppy can stay when you can’t keep an eye on them. They won’t get up to mischief, and they won’t have accidents in the house.
Dogs like to sleep in a clean environment, so they will not pee in their crate. In this way, crates can support potty training a puppy.
How To House Train English Springer Spaniel Puppies
Potty training an English Springer Spaniel puppy is much like house training any other breed of dog. You just have to be consistent, and the puppy will quickly learn the house rules.
Lay Down The House Rules
You need to get some basics right from the day you bring your new best friend home:
- You must establish a potty area. Your puppy will learn where they should pee and poo more easily if you have one designated place.
- Establish a potty routine. Depending on the puppy’s age, work out a schedule for taking your dog out to their potty area. Yes, this includes some midnight trips to the potty area.
- Control the puppy’s diet. If you feed it at set times, you will roughly know when it will need to go potty.
Stick To A Routine
Puppies learn the quickest when you follow a schedule. They will quickly learn what it means when you take them out to a particular spot at a certain time.
The routine will change as the puppy grows, but generally, you need to take them out to potty at the following times:
- When they wake up in the morning
- After eating or drinking
- After waking up from a nap
- After a play session
- After crate time
- After chewing a toy or a bone
- Before bedtime at night
Observe Your Puppy Closely
All dogs behave in a certain way when they need to go outside to potty. They may walk around and sniff at the ground or go and stand by the front door.
You must learn your dog’s body language by observing them. If you see behavior that means they need to go, you must take them out immediately and praise them enthusiastically when they do the right thing.
Conclusion
Potty training an English Springer Spaniel puppy is relatively easy. They are not commonly a breed that is resistant to training. On the contrary, English Springer Spaniels are eager to learn and please their owners. As long as you stick to a regular potty routine and use loads of positive reinforcement, your puppy will soon be potty trained.
