Said It Here

How do I start potty training when I don't have a yard?

Potty training without private outdoor space or with unique reliability needs makes the initial steps feel overwhelming. This lack of a clear starting routine leaves owners unsure how to begin without proper facilities, preventing them from establishing reliable habits from day one.

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

  1. 1
    Setting a timer every 15 minutes for a week with treats and praise
  2. 2
    Using tiny pieces of high-value treats like hotdogs immediately after elimination
  3. 3
    Marking the exact second the puppy finishes with a clicker or a word
  4. 4
    Taking the puppy straight to a designated shared grass spot on a leash every single time
  5. 5
    Offering books and toys specifically for the potty
  6. 6
    Asking which book she wants to read on the toilet
  7. 7
    Giving a toddler a break from potty training

In their words

Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.

“She is refusing to sit on the toilet despite having to go and signaling me.”source ↗

“My concern is she’s had a UTI a couple months ago, and with this refusal she is holding her pee for up to 8 hours.. STILL fighting me when I try to sit her on because she is doing a pee pee dance.”source ↗

“I am just having a hard time with finding a way to get her to willingly sit, and sit long enough to go.”source ↗

“She started holding her pee and I leaned into her holding her pee since she was doing elimination communication before this.”source ↗

eminovil · r/Parenting · 3 upvotes

“I want to potty train her, that would be convenient but I’m not exactly sure how…”source ↗

LifeLiver0725 · r/Parenting · 1 upvotes

“How do I start potty training when I don’t have a yard, only a patch of grass shared by me and all my neighbors.”source ↗

“She is going to be a service dog so I need potty training to be reliable, I feel overwhelmed and she’s not even here yet!”source ↗

Fit_Blackberry1109 · r/puppy101 · 1 upvotes

Where this came up

r/Parentingr/puppy101dog traininghousebreakingparentingpet carepotty trainingtoddlertoddler behavior

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