You're late for work. It's raining, snowing, or brutally hot. You don't want to wait half an hour for your dog to potty; you want him to go, and go now. Teaching your dog to eliminate on command is a way for you to make your life with your dog a little easier.

Going to the Potty on Command

Before you start, decide what command(s) you're going to use. You can use one command for both, or teach separate commands. “Hurry up,” “Do your business,” and “Get busy” are popular choices, but as always, the words you use aren't important. Using them consistently is. Plan on taking two to four weeks of consistent reinforcement to teach your dog his new command.

When you take your dog to his potty area, be nothing more than an observant post. Don't talk to him, or your neighbor, or let your dog entice you into taking him for a walk before he potties. The moment you see your dog assume the position, repeat your command several times, calmly and quietly (you don't want to distract him from his task) “Hurry up, Gooood Hurry up, Hurry up.”

After he finishes, give him praise and a treat, then give him some playtime or take him for a walk. Repeat the process for at least a week every time you take him to his potty area before you test your command.

To test it, take him to his potty area and give him his command once. If he starts looking for a spot and produces right away, give him praise and a treat like he's the best dog in the world (well, he is, isn't he?). If he doesn't start looking for a spot, just continue as you were for another week before testing again.

Why Not Take a Walk to Potty?

If the object of your walk is for your dog to potty, rather than to exercise and spend quality time with her, then you'll probably end the walk as soon as she goes. This teaches her to hold it so she can prolong the walk. Let's say you walk her until you're tired, whether she's gone or not, and head for home. By the time you're back in house, she either has no reason to, or can't, hold it anymore and does exactly what you were trying to prevent. By making the walk part of the reward for pottying, you can encourage her to potty quickly and in the right place.