So your dog wants company to pee…

Scout has lived his entire life with me in an apartment, where I took him out to potty on a leash. Now we live in a house, with a yard, and he’s still pretty sure I’m supposed to walk out with him when he goes to potty. Mind you, he’ll take himself out to sniff, lay in the sun, trot along the fence, and so on. But time to go to the bathroom? He wants company.

A lot of people have this same issue, especially when your puppy is learning to potty in the right spot and you’ve been walking them out to it, but now they don’t need your company… and yet they still expect it. So here’s how to wean your dog off having you there.

First, don’t go all the way. You’re still going to go about 90% of the way, and you’re going to do that for the next four to ten times they go out. You’re waiting for them to get comfortable going that last 5% on their own; not glancing back to see where you are. When they go potty, reward. (Treat, pets and praise, play.)

Then go 80% of the way with them. Keep decreasing the amount whenever they get comfortable with you going just that far.

Now here’s the hard part: this isn’t linear progress. As you go, there will be times you’re only going 50% of the way, and then suddenly they’re acting bajiggity about it and you have to go all the way with them. The next time, don’t go back to 50%; go 75% of the way. Then 60%. Then go back to 50%.

It’s very much two steps forward, one step back.

Here’s the next hardest part: while some dogs make the switch quickly, others will take a month. (I’m pretty sure that’s the track Scout is on, ugh.)

Have patience. I’m not good at patience, but this is one of those times there isn’t really a short cut. But you’ll get there; just keep working on it. You can do it! (I have to say that, to remind myself I can do it, too!)

Jenna