How To Potty Train Your Puppy If You Live In An Apartment!

Homeroom Day School Program Details FAQs Campus Info Our Story Online School Puppyhood Made Easy® Blog Puppy Help FREE MASTERCLASS Store Contact Us

Living in a medium-sized or big city has plenty of work and social opportunities. When it comes time to get a new puppy, you may find yourself thinking, wait I don’t have easy access to a yard or park! Don’t worry, in this blog, we’ll cover what you need to do to successfully potty train your puppy!

Potty training is usually at the tippy top of every new puppy parents’ agenda when they bring home a new puppy. If you have a home with a fenced-in yard or easy access to a grassy area, logistically it’s much easier for you to get your puppy outside to do their potty. Apartment living presents the challenge of where and how to potty train. The good news is, with a little preplanning on your end and the right tools, it’s totally achievable!

STRUGGLING TO TRAIN YOUR PUPPY? GET PUPPY EXPERT COACHING, ON-DEMAND VIDEOS, AND MORE IN THE ONLINE PUPPY SCHOOL!

Potty Training 101

First things first, go back to the very basics to set yourself and your puppy up for potty training success. Understand long your puppy can go in between relieving themselves and the signs and get your puppy into a crate training routine from day one or as soon as possible!

How to “tell” if your puppy needs to go

As a general guiding rule, we recommend that you take your puppy’s current age in months and divide it in half to determine how long they can go in between potty breaks (For example, a 3-month-old puppy should be taken out every 1.5 hours for a potty break). At night puppies can go longer while asleep so depending on their water intake and age, they may be able to last longer through the night. Knowing this can help you anticipate when your puppy needs a potty break before they have an accident.

Some puppies, not all, may also give you some warning signs that they need to go potty–whining, sniffing the floor, stopping whatever they are doing to run to a corner, etc. In this case, it’s really up to the puppy parent (you!) to supervise your puppy when they are playing, especially after eating or drinking, to catch them before they have an accident on your floor!

Start crating your puppy during the day and at night

Crate training is a great tool for all puppy parents starting the potty training process! A crate creates a safe and cozy space for your puppy to sleep and hang out in when they can’t be supervised. When used regularly, they can help speed up the potty training process since puppies are naturally not inclined to soil where they sleep and instinctively will learn to hold it. Introduce your puppy’s new crate in small intervals throughout the day. Feeding your puppy in their crate will also help them associate a positive experience while they are inside of their crate. For more help crate training, be sure to check out our blog “Step-by-Step Guide to Crate Training Your Puppy!”

WE’VE TRAINED THOUSANDS OF PUPPIES…NOW WE CAN TRAIN YOURS, RIGHT FROM HOME! LEARN MORE!

3 Key Things to Succeed at Potty Training in an Apartment

Now that we’ve covered the basics for all puppy parents starting the potty training process, here are the things you need to succeed in this important puppy milestone if you are living in an apartment! We recommend that you can use these tools together, in combination with a daily potty schedule, for the best and fastest results!

Teach your puppy to go on potty pads

Logistically, for apartment-dwelling puppy parents, getting to an outdoor space can be tricky, so a great option is to start potty training your puppy indoors with the help of potty pads! They are extra absorbent, moisture-locking, odor-wicking (depending on the brand), and depending on where you want your puppy to go potty, you can lay down a few sheets of potty pads to create their potty space and also protect your floors. One of the most functional parts of potty pads is they are super quick and easy to clean up. And, there are a variety of options available out in the market to fit your puppy’s needs.

If this wasn’t your ideal option, hear us out: you can always transition your puppy to go outside after they’ve learned to go on potty pads! ​​

Teach your puppy to use all-natural grass patches

If you plan to transition your puppy to go potty outdoors, a great option is all-natural grass patches for indoors! Many online sellers will ship fresh sod to your apartment and these patches can be placed on your balcony, terrace, or courtyard. Some options come with plastic containers that can be cleaned and reused.

Create a potty schedule for your puppy

Success at potty training whether you have easy access to the outside or not comes down to consistency. The best way to achieve this is to get your puppy on a regular potty schedule every day. Remember how to determine how long your puppy should wait? Here’s a formula to help you out: Your Puppy’s Age ➗ ½ = Wait period in hours between potty breaks!

The next step would be for you to determine your wake-up time every day, and when your puppy has breakfast, lunch, and dinner time (for this breakdown, we’re following a younger puppy’s feeding which is usually eating three small portioned meals throughout the day) so you can plot out your schedule!

Check out our blog, “Puppyhood Made Easy for New Owners: Create a Puppy Potty Schedule!” for our sample schedule!

Potty training your puppy in an apartment

You know the basics, you’ve got the key tools to success, so now you’re ready to start working on actually teaching your puppy to potty in their designated area whether it be a potty pad or a grass patch!

At The Puppy Academy, we teach our puppy parents’ to use the command “Go Potty!” to encourage their pups to go, and also get them to go when asked as they get older. Take them to their designated spot, say “Go Potty!”, and allow them up to 3-5 minutes to relieve themselves. During the early stages, we recommend that you keep your puppy on a leash and harness while showing them where they can go potty. You can also enclose the potty pad or grass patch area with a pen to help your pup stay in that area and teach them to target!

Wait for about 5 minutes total and if your puppy still hasn’t gone yet, bring them back to their crate or playpen for another 15-20 minutes, then try again! Don’t let them free roam just because it seems like they don’t need to go. You may be surprised if they try to go potty immediately once you bring them back inside! By guiding your puppy to their potty area at each potty break time, you're creating the association of where you'd like them to go.

Are you still not sure what is the best way to potty train your puppy when you live in an apartment? Join us each Wednesday on @thepuppyacademy Instagram for a live puppy trainer q&a at 1 pm PT!

JOIN THE ONLINE PUPPY SCHOOL TO TRAIN YOUR PUPPY FROM HOME! JUST 15 MINUTES OF TRAINING EACH DAY!

Check out these blogs related to puppy training and more!

Should You Let Your Puppy Sleep in Bed With You?

A Guide to Puppy Breeds: Siberian Husky!

The Puppy Academy Online School: How to Train Your Puppy From Home - The Easy Way!

Newer Post A Guide to Puppy Breeds: Bernedoodles!Older PostA Guide to Puppy Breeds: American Pit Bull Terrier! Jan 27, 2026 Why My Puppy Only Whines in the Crate When I’m Home Jan 27, 2026 Jan 27, 2026 Jan 7, 2026 I Got a Puppy Over the Holidays! Now What? Jan 7, 2026 Jan 7, 2026 Dec 21, 2024 Christmas Safety Tips for Your Puppy! Dec 21, 2024 Dec 21, 2024 Nov 21, 2024 Tips for Your Puppy’s First Thanksgiving! Nov 21, 2024 Nov 21, 2024 Oct 30, 2024 Halloween Pet Safety: 7 Tips to Protect Your Puppy! Oct 30, 2024 Oct 30, 2024 Oct 16, 2024 Help! How Do I Get My Puppy to Sleep Through the Night?! Oct 16, 2024 Oct 16, 2024 Sep 26, 2024 How to Stop Your Puppy From Sniffing Everything on Walks! Sep 26, 2024 Sep 26, 2024 Sep 12, 2024 How to Teach Your Puppy Good Manners! Sep 12, 2024 Sep 12, 2024 Aug 28, 2024 How to Introduce Your New Puppy to Your Dog! Aug 28, 2024 Aug 28, 2024 Aug 15, 2024 How to Teach Your Puppy to Walk on a Leash! Aug 15, 2024 Aug 15, 2024 Jul 25, 2024 Hot Weather Safety Tips for Your Puppy! Jul 25, 2024 Jul 25, 2024 Jul 1, 2024 How to Keep Your Puppy Calm and Safe During Fireworks! Jul 1, 2024 Jul 1, 2024 Jun 5, 2024 How to Calm an Over-Excited Puppy! Jun 5, 2024 Jun 5, 2024 May 9, 2024 A Guide to Puppy Breeds: Golden Retrievers! May 9, 2024 May 9, 2024 Apr 24, 2024 Puppy First Aid: What Every Puppy Parent Should Know! Apr 24, 2024 Apr 24, 2024 Mar 21, 2024 10 Ways to Celebrate National Puppy Day! Mar 21, 2024 Mar 21, 2024 Feb 20, 2024 Puppy Training 101: Giving Your Puppy Commands -- the RIGHT Way! Feb 20, 2024 Feb 20, 2024 Feb 6, 2024 Activities to do After Spay or Neuter! Feb 6, 2024 Feb 6, 2024 Jan 25, 2024 Puppy Training 101: Starting Your Puppy with the Basics! Jan 25, 2024 Jan 25, 2024 Dec 7, 2023 2023 Puppy Holiday Gift Guide! Dec 7, 2023 Dec 7, 2023 Oct 12, 2023 Complete Puppy Training Schedule by Age! Oct 12, 2023 Oct 12, 2023 Sep 6, 2023 How to Train Your Puppy to Use a Potty Pad! Sep 6, 2023 Sep 6, 2023 Aug 24, 2023 How to Train Your Puppy for Car Rides! Aug 24, 2023 Aug 24, 2023 Aug 15, 2023 Create a Daily Puppy Schedule! Aug 15, 2023 Aug 15, 2023 Aug 7, 2023 Why Puppies Bark and How to Stop it! Aug 7, 2023 Aug 7, 2023 Jul 30, 2023 10 Fun Things to do at Home with Your Puppy! Jul 30, 2023 Jul 30, 2023 Jun 19, 2023 How Can I Potty Train My New Puppy? Jun 19, 2023 Jun 19, 2023 Jun 4, 2023 Puppyhood and Puppy Training: 5 Tips for a Happier Pup (& Pup Parent!) Jun 4, 2023 Jun 4, 2023 May 1, 2023 Best Gifts for Dog Moms! May 1, 2023 May 1, 2023 Apr 7, 2023 The Ultimate Guide to Puppy Training: Tips, Tricks, and Techniques Apr 7, 2023 Apr 7, 2023

PUPPYHOOD MADE EASY.®