How to Train a Russian Toy Terrier to Use the Toilet

Training a Russian Toy Terrier to use the toilet is not complicated at all, as long as the dog does not have any issues with its urinary system. Yes, every dog is unique. The training process can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of months. But it all depends on you.

When to Train a Toy Terrier to Use the Toilet

You should start showing and explaining to your pet where it should go to the toilet from the very first days of its arrival in your home. Many breeders train puppies to relieve themselves properly. So, if you have this long-awaited miracle, you won’t have problems with training.

The main thing is to ask the breeder what the puppy used for its natural needs. This could be a litter box, a pad, a newspaper, or outside (if the animal was kept in an outdoor enclosure). However, keep in mind that when changing its living environment, the little dog experiences significant stress, and the skills it learned from the breeder may be temporarily blocked due to fear and anxiety.

The sooner you start the toilet training process, the more time you will have for live communication with your pet.

Where Toy Terriers Go to the Toilet

There are many more options for common toilet spots for decorative breeds than for larger dog breeds.

• Street. A standard place not only for walking the animal but also for satisfying natural needs, both big and small.
• Litter box. A device for cats that has become widely popular among owners of small dogs. The dog accessory and care industry offers a wide variety of litter boxes for you to choose from.

Even if you don’t consider the color range, litter boxes differ in sizes, shapes, heights of the sides, and the absence of sides. The included tray and grid allow waste to seep into the tray. If your dog uses the litter box several times in your absence, it won’t dirty its paws and spread the results of its activities all over the apartment.

For male decorative dogs, there are litter boxes with posts. This is for those males who have already learned to lift their leg when emptying their bladder. A male who has never mated will relieve himself like a girl – by squatting.

• Pad. A pad that absorbs urine is an excellent option. The paws stay dry, and there’s no smell in the apartment.
• Newspaper. A cheap alternative to pads and litter boxes. However, since the printing ink can cause an allergic reaction in dogs, using newspapers for the toilet should be under your control.

How to Train a Toy Terrier to Use the Toilet

Usually, experienced dog breeders and owners of decorative breeds like the Toy Terrier are not troubled by the question of how to train them to go to the toilet in one place. These are the concerns of owners of miniature dogs. It doesn’t matter which variety of Toy you have. Whether it’s a smooth-haired or Russian Toy Terrier, training it to use the toilet is easy if you follow these rules.

But be sure to consider the individual characteristics of your pet. So, we will tell you how to train a Toy Terrier to use the toilet depending on the type of toilet, and you can choose what suits your dog and you personally.

How to Train a Toy Terrier to Use the Toilet Outside

Let’s start with the most challenging option compared to other types of toilets – outside. Even if you live in a private house, you probably can’t boast of having a special door for your dog that would allow it to go out into the yard freely.

In training a Toy Terrier to use the toilet outside, the main thing is that all your actions are consistent. Only then will the process not take much time, effort, or nerves, and the dog will happily run to the door, asking to be let out for its natural needs.

• Train the Toy Terrier puppy to go for walks. If your little one is a couple of months old, be patient and take it outside every half hour. Otherwise, little streams will run through your apartment. Frequent outings will create an association in the puppy’s mind that this is the only place to pee and poop.

Soon, you will find it easier to understand when the little one needs to relieve itself. As soon as the first signs of needing to go appear, take the puppy outside. During this period, it’s important that the puppy is not left alone at home too often; otherwise, it simply won’t know where to go to the toilet. Enlist the help of your family members for this.

• Feeding the puppy should be on a strict schedule. Agree, a routine has never harmed anyone. In addition to the fact that the pet will develop a reflex for when it’s time to eat, you will clearly understand when it’s time to take the dog out. The frequency of feedings should depend on the puppy’s age.

Your task is to take the Toy Terrier outside immediately after eating or when the pet has drunk a lot of water.

• Decide on a spot outside where you will take the Toy for its needs. To help the little Toy Terrier quickly get used to where its toilet is, take it there immediately after going outside. If the dog walking area is far from your home, naturally, the pet won’t be able to hold it and will relieve itself along the way. Therefore, let the lawn or a bush near the entrance be the place for its natural needs. It goes without saying that you should clean up after your Toy Terrier’s defecation; we believe you know that.
• Come up with a command for the dog. Use this command only when you go outside. It could be “walk!” “potty!” “toilet!” or something similar.
• Every time the Toy Terrier does its business outside, reward it with a treat, praise it, and pet it.

Of course, next time the puppy will be more eager to relieve itself. Don’t skimp on praise for the little one, as only a reward system will develop the correct behavior regarding natural needs.

How to Train a Toy Terrier to Use a Litter Box

To train a Toy Terrier to use a litter box, you will need to buy two or three litter boxes with low sides, or better yet, without any sides.

Next, limit the space for the dog. The smaller the area available to the pet, the easier it will be for you, and the faster the puppy will learn to use the litter box.

Arrange the litter boxes together in such a way that they create a larger area for the toilet. A kind of toilet room. Do not place the litter boxes in the kitchen near the food bowls, and the pantry and bathroom are also not suitable places for this.

After the puppy has eaten, pick it up and carry it to the litter boxes. Place it there and say the command. You can come up with a word yourself (like “potty” or “toilet”). If it tries to escape, catch it and place it back in the litter box until it pees or poops.

Praise and reward the puppy that has relieved itself. All of this should happen patiently on your part, without shouting or getting nervous. And in no case should you force the dog to stay in the litter box. It’s better to catch the runaway several times than to make the process uncontrollable.

Watch the VIDEO “How to Train a Toy Terrier to Use a Litter Box” to better understand how to do this.

How to Train a Toy Terrier to Use a Pad

If you’ve decided that your pet will use a pad, the principle of training a Toy Terrier to use a pad is similar to the previous method.

First of all, remove carpets and rugs from the floors. In the room you’ve designated for the puppy to move around freely, cover the floor with sheets of newspaper or pads. Everywhere. This is the most important thing. No free space. Yes, it’s not aesthetically pleasing, but it’s temporary. Don’t forget to lay pads on the kitchen and hallway floors as well. This way, the puppy will have a large area for its toilet.

Next, just like with the litter box – if it pees or poops – it gets a treat. Then gradually move the pads to the spot you’ve chosen for its toilet. And again – if it pees or poops – it gets a treat.

This procedure may take some time, as it’s recommended to move the pads no more than five centimeters every two days. Don’t rush. Speed is not on your side in this matter. Gradually, the Toy Terrier will learn to run to the pad. After it clearly understands what the pad is for, you can place it on top of the litter box. We recommend watching the VIDEO “How to Train a Toy Terrier Puppy to Use a Pad.”

Has your Toy Terrier been using the toilet in a specific spot for two weeks? Put the carpets back in their original positions. Congratulations – your Toy Terrier has learned to use its toilet.

Frequently Asked Questions

At what age can you start training a Russian Toy Terrier to use the toilet?

Training can begin from the first days of the puppy’s arrival in your home.

What toilet options are suitable for a Toy Terrier?

Toy Terriers can use the street, a litter box, a pad, or a newspaper for their needs.

How long can the toilet training process take?

The process can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of months, depending on the individual characteristics of the dog.

What to do if the puppy doesn’t understand where to go to the toilet?

It’s important to show the puppy where it should go and to consider that stress from changing its living environment may temporarily block its skills.

Is it necessary to use special litter boxes for a Toy Terrier?

Yes, there are special litter boxes for small dogs, including those with sides and posts for males.