Potty Training Schnauzers: A Comprehensive Guide

Potty training any puppy, including Schnauzers, can be challenging at times. After you experience the excitement and glow of anticipating a new puppy, the reality of housebreaking and potty training can quickly set in…along with some potential frustration. While the steps for potty training any puppy are essentially the same, it’s worth having several specific strategies for your bright, potentially stubborn Schnauzer.

Schnauzers are highly intelligent and can learn anything quickly. However, they are also known to be willful and stubborn at times, so potty training needs to be positive and consistent. Straightforward potty training methods include The Crate Method, The Specific Spot Method, and the Pee Pad Method.

This article covers all three methods.

I recommend choosing one that seems like the best fit for you, your Schnauzer, your schedule, and your living situation. Stick with it, be patient, and consistent.

First, we’ll look at an overview of each method, cover how to prepare for potty training, and then go over each method in more detail.

An Overview of Three Potty Training Methods

There are three basic methods that you can use to house train your Schnauzer.

We are going to look at each method briefly to help you understand each of them and later decide which is more suitable for your Schnauzer.

I cover the steps for each method later in this article.

Overview of Method #1: The Crate Method

Crate training refers to a practice that utilizes the instincts of dogs as den animals. It can, and should be done in a humane, gentle manner that utliizes your Schnauzer’s denning instincts but doesn’t punish or inhumanely confine him.

Instinctually, a puppy will not soil his den or bed. Therefore, if you set the crate as his safe, gentle resting area he will wait until the time he is away from the crate to go potty elsewhere. That will put you in control (more or less) of when and where your Schnauzer relieves himself.

Although a den animal likes to have a place that’s all his, it will take some time to get used to a crate. There are many good reasons and benefits to crate train your Schnauzer, and potty training is one great reason.

Overview of Method #2: The Specific Spot Method

Whether you reside in an apartment with potty rules or you are just trying to save your back yard from your Schnauzer’s urine, it’s good to have a Schnauzer that will reliably pee in one place.

Training your Schnauzer to pee in a specific spot is not necessarily hard, but it takes a level of patience and dedication.

Since dog urine can lead to brown spots in your yard, discolor wood, and also make children sick, training your Schnauzer to pee in a specific spot is a good idea.

Overview of Method #3: Pee Pad Method

The objective of potty training can be simple and easy, but the details involved can be confusing and challenging, like whether to utilize potty pads or not.

Having your Schnauzer go outside might be an ideal solution, but using potty pads can also play a significant role in effective potty training.

For example, with very young puppies, it is necessary to make frequent trips outside, and that might be quite challenging for apartment dwellers or elderly owners. Or, if you do not have a backyard or cold weather is an issue, a pee pad might be a great option.

“Schnauzers are highly intelligent and can learn anything quickly. However, they are also known to be willful and stubborn at times, so potty training needs to be positive and consistent.”

THE SCHNAUZER COLLECTIVE

How Long Can Puppies Hold Their Pee and Poop?

The general rule of thumb is that puppies can control their bladder for one hour for every month of age. For example, if your puppy is three months old, he can control his bladder for about three hours. However, it’s best to take your puppy to the bathroom within about 30 minutes after eating, and then several times after that to avoid accidents.

In addition, even puppies can often sleep through the night without a trip to the potty. Just be sure to limit evening water and plan to include a specific potty trip before bedtime.

Generally speaking, dogs will have a bowel movement between 1-5 times per day! Puppies and older dogs who eat several small meals over the course of a day will be at the upper end of the spectrum.

Prepare to Potty Train Your Schnauzer

Benjamin Franklin may not have been a dog trainer nor a new puppy parent, but he is believed to have said “by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

As a timeless quote and philosophy, it’s even relevant to puppy potty training.

Having a plan and the products, as well as committing to patience and consistency, will help the potty training experience move along more smoothly.

Essentially, you will want to cover the basic steps, know signs that your puppy needs to potty, and purchase basic supplies.

Make the Basic Preparations

Action	Purpose
Select a Method	Selecting a potty training method and having a plan in place will provide much-needed structure, especially when you feel discouraged.
Select a Potty Spot (Indoors or Outdoors)	Decide exactly where your want your Schnauzer puppy to go potty. This article covers three options, so choose whether you are using a pee pad or a specific spot outside.
Decide on a Potty Command	Use the same word(s) each time you take your Schnauzer to potty. Like any other command, your Schnauzer will quickly learn to associate the word with the appropriate action. Your command can be anything you plan to use consistently, such as “potty” or “bathroom.”
Create a Housebreaking Schedule	Housebreaking and potty training a puppy requires patience and consistency. Creating a schedule that works with your lifestyle and family routine ensures better success.
Develop a Feeding Routine	There are many reasons to create regular mealtimes for your Schnauzer, and one of them is for successful housebreaking and potty training. Feed your Schnauzer small meals between 2-4 times per day (depending on her age and weight), and take her to the bathroom between 30-60 minutes after eating.
Prepare Mentally to Be Consistent and Patient	When you know there will be accidents and that potty training is a learning process for both you and your pup, you will be better prepared for the experience.
Spend Time with Your Schnauzer	Remember that your new Schnauzer pup has just been removed from her mother and siblings. She is also now required to learn new skills and adapt to a new living environment. Take time to bond with her through play, training, and loving attention.

Know the Signs that Your Puppy Needs to Potty

Many signs that your Schnauzer puppy needs to use the bathroom are fairly obvious.

If you haven’t taken him out for a couple of hours and you begin to see these behaviors, immediately take him to your chosen potty spot and reward him for waiting.

• Barking
• Sniffing
• Circling
• Scratching
• Squatting
• Any restless behavior

Purchase Necessary Products

To make the process of potty training go as smoothly and quickly as possible, you are going to need a few products and items.

Some of the common product needs are:

• Dog Collar and Leash
• A Puppy Exercise Pen
• Baby Gates or Pet Barriers
• A Dog Crate
• A Dog Crate Bed
• A Timer
• Healthy Treats
• Puppy Pee/Potty Pads
• A Pooper Scooper and Poop Bags
• Cleaning Products

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Now that we’ve covered some basic preparation information, let’s detail each of the three potty training methods.

6 Steps for the Crate Potty Training Method

Once you have decided that you would like to potty train your Schnauzer using the crate method and you have the best crate that suits him, it’s time to understand the process.

Remember from the overview of the crate method above that all dogs have the instinct to keep their dens and sleeping areas as clean as possible. In a potty training situation, the crate humanely leverages your Schnauzer’s instincts in a way that helps him to strengthen his bladder and bowel muscles.

Here are the steps you should follow:

Step #1: Introduce the Puppy to the Crate

Place the crate in a room where he spends most of his time. Open or remove the crate door to help your Schnauzer feel secure about exploring his new den.

Place a comfortable bed and blanket inside, and use gentle, positive encouragement to enter the crate to rest and play.

You should also decide on a crate command to use as the signal to enter the crate. Most of us seem to actually use the word “crate.”

Step #2: Serve Meals in the Crate

Once your Schnauzer is comfortable exiting, entering, and even spending some time inside her crate, you can begin serving him meals inside his new den. When your Schnauzer is eating comfortably inside the crate, begin closing the door and open once after he finishes. From there, you can work your way up to having your Schnauzer spend up to ten minutes in his new den with the door closed, especially after finishing his dinner.

Step #3: Go to the Designated Potty Spot

Depending on your Schnauzer’s age and bladder control, take him to the bathroom in between 30-60 minutes after each meal, or when you notice signs that he needs to go.

Use your cue word to then take him out to the bathroom. He will learn that he can relieve himself after eating in the crate. This reinforces the training that his den is a positive, nourishing experience and that he will always have an opportunity to use the bathroom elsewhere.

Step #4: Increase Time in the Crate

When your Schnauzer is eating and spending short periods in his crate following meals without any signs of distress, then it’s time to begin crating him for short durations while you are at home. You can call your Schnauzer over to his crate with a small, healthy treat and an accompanying cue.

Once he is inside, you can give him another treat, close the door, and then sit quietly with your Schnauzer for several minutes before letting him out, give him praise and offer another treat. You can slowly add in time when you’re away from the dog crate until your Schnauzer is comfortable with you or other people being out of sight for around 20 to 30 minutes.

In addition to being part of overall crate training, this is another opportunity to take him to the bathroom and reinforce your potty training routine.

Step #5: Crate for an Extended Period or Overnight

There is no specific timeline for when your Schnauzer may achieve this comfort level, but this is an ideal point to reach in your crate training process. As long as the entire training process has been positive and gentle, your Schnauzer probably views his crate as his own safe, relaxing, private space.

Continue encouraging him with meals and healthy rewards in the crate and continue taking him to the bathroom after eating.

Step #6: Use a 6-foot Leash, Gate, or Playpen

When you Schnauzer puppy is not in his crate, consider attaching him to a railing or chair leg with a 6-foot leash, or otherwise confining him in a gated area or playpen.

This enables him to explore within a specified area while you still watch him for signs of needing to potty.

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6 Steps for the Specific Spot Potty Training Method

Teaching your Schnauzer to relieve himself in a designated spot is not only beneficial for your yard’s grass, but it’s also a solid training strategy to use in combination with the crate training method. As a bonus, it make clean-up easier for you as well!

Whether or not you have used a crate to train your Schnauzer to sleep, rest, and eat in his “den”, and then use the bathroom elsewhere, you can still train him to use the potty at a specific outdoor area.

Here is a step-by-step process to train your Schnauzer to poop and pee in one spot.

Step #1: Select a Spot

Select a Schnauzer potty spot away from the high traffic places of your yard. The area you designate must be suitable for the size of your Schnauzer, and sometimes he will gravitate towards a specific, private location. If your Schnauzer seems to prefer a specific location, and it works for you as well, make that the toilet area.

Step #2: Go to the Designated Potty Spot

Depending on your Schnauzer’s age and bladder control, take him to the bathroom in between 5-30 minutes after each meal or if you notice signs that he need to go.

Use your cue word to then take him out to the bathroom. He will learn that he can relieve himself after eating and that he will always have an opportunity to use the bathroom outside of the house.

Step #3: Confine Your Schnauzer to the Selected Spot

Until your Schnauzer is trained to go potty in one spot, he should not have free run of your yard.

One of the best ways to keep your Schnauzer from relieving himself outside of the designated potty spot is to simply keep him on a leash and stay at the spot until he uses the bathroom.

The bottom line is that during potty training, do not allow him to freely explore other areas in your yard.

Step #4: Use Your Potty Command and Reward

The best way to train a Schnauzer to go only in one specific spot is to teach him to go on command.

Take your Schnauzer on a leash to your chosen potty spot and use your cue word.

Keep him in that spot until he goes, then give a reward.

Step #5: Keep the Spot Clean

It is vital to keep your Schnauzer’s toilet area clean. If the area becomes too soiled, your Schnauzer might look to relieve himself in another place.

It’s best to pick up his poop right away. As for urine, he will most likely be willing to pee in the same spot as long as you are consistently taking him to the same location.

Step #6: Use a 6-foot Leash, Gate, or Playpen

If you are not crate training along with potty training, consider attaching him to a railing or chair leg with a 6-foot leash, or otherwise confining him in a gated area or playpen.

This enables him to explore within a specified area while you still watch him for signs of needing to potty.

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6 Steps for the Pee Pad Potty Training Method

Although most pet owners prefer training their Schnauzers to go potty outside, utilizing pee pads to train your puppy is potentially ideal for anyone who resides in a condo or an apartment building without a yard. It’s also an option for anyone cannot take their Schnauzer outside regularly.

Here is the process you should follow:

Step #1: Select a Suitable Pee Pad

The initial step is to select suitable size and thickness for the size of your Schnauzer.

In addition, select one brand and stay with it through the potty training process. Your Schnauzer’s sense of smell is incredibly sensitive and switching to another brand of pad could confuse him, ultimately causing him to avoid the new pad and derailing the potty training progress.

Step #2: Designate a Potty Spot

Select the location for your pee pad. Try selecting a place in your home that is convenient for you and private for your Schnauzer. In addition, choose a location that can act as a long-term area for the pee pads. Moving them around can interfere with the entire process of training your Schnauzer.

Step #3: Introduce Your Schnauzer to the Pad and Potty Spot

After selecting a spot, take your Schnauzer to the pee pad and often because a puppy cannot hold her bladder for a long time. Since the objective is to train your Schnauzer to go to the pad whenever she needs to, you might want to utilize a leash to guide her to the designated place.

Step #4: Go to the Designated Potty Spot

Depending on your Schnauzer’s age and bladder control, take him to the pee pad between 30 -60 minutes after each meal, or whenever he shows signs of needing to go.

Use the leash to lead him to the pee pad, then repeat your cue word and stay with him while he uses the bathroom.

Step #5: Leave the Pee Pad in Place

Believe it or not, it’s more effective to leave the same pee pad in place for an entire day (or two).

Your puppy will use his own urine scent as a cue for where to use the bathroom. Puppies will generally only urinate a small amount each time, so using the same pee pad throughout the day should be fine, and it will help the training process.

If you have small children, keep the pee pad in a location that is not accessible to them.

Step #6: Use a 6-foot Leash, Gate, or Playpen

Consider attaching him to a railing or chair leg with a 6-foot leash, or otherwise confining him in a gated area or playpen.

This enables him to explore within a specified area while you still watch him for signs of needing to potty.

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Additional Potty Training Tips

Potty training any puppy, including a new beloved Schnauzer, can be a frustrating and challenging for all involved, but you don’t have to throw in the towel after a few disappointments.

Here are some reminders and additional tips to help you house train your Schnauzer effectively.

Limit Evening Water

Put the water bowl away several hours before bedtime. This will help your Schnauzer puppy (and you) sleep better throughout the night with limited potty interruptions. In fact, even a puppy can often sleep through the night without needing a bathroom trip.

Interrupt and Clean Up

Clean accidents immediately, and even try to interrupt the accident process by quickly and gently getting his attention, then immediately take him to the potty spot. It may sound obvious to say that clean up is necessary, but I add it here as a reminder that your Schnauzer’s urine “marks” his spot and he will return to it as a potty spot, if allowed.

Develop a Routine

Potty training a Schnauzer takes time, effort, and patience. Develop a feeding schedule and stick to it, and always take your Schnauzer out shortly after she drinks, chews, or eats.

Be Consistent

You should avoid changing your schedule because mixed signals will only confuse your Schnauzer. Consistency is vital to establishing good habits. With consistency, even a stubborn Schnauzer can be house trained effectively.

Be Patient

Some Schnauzers can take longer than others to house train. Be kind and patient to your Schnauzer during the process. If necessary, take him out every hour and reward after elimination to help create good habits.

Reward Good Habits

Reward your Schnauzer enthusiastically each time he goes potty in the designated. Give him attention or a heathy treat and positively reinforce his behavior.

Be Realistic and Prepared

If you go to school or work, it might not be practical that you be around the clock to house train your Schnauzer. You can devote a few days or weeks of at-home training once you bring a new dog at home, or employ the help of a friend, family member or neighbor to help maintain your Schnauzer’s schedule.

Good luck, and Happy Schnauzering! It will all work out.

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