This can be the most frustrating thing for new puppy owners. It is not easy and there can be many ups and downs, it will take patience and consistency. Puppies cannot hold on for long as they are still growing and their bladders are small. Here are my top ten tips to help with toilet training:

1. At eight weeks you need to take them out every hour, as they get older it will be less frequent.

2. When you take them out you need to go out with them so you can mark the behaviour/ toileting with “good dog”, you can only do this when you see them toileting. Leaving the puppy to go on their own does not teach them anything and often they will just stand at the door wanting back in again.

3. There are times your puppy is likely to need to toilet, as soon as they wake up, shortly after eating and drinking, and often during play. Use these opportunities to take them out.

4. Always take them out the same door, that will be the door you always let them out to toilet in the garden.

5. Feed at regular times and do not leave the food out, regular feeding leads to regular toileting.

6. If you catch your puppy toileting take the pup out, if you miss it just clean it up, the puppy will not remember toileting.

7. Make sure your puppy has limited access to different rooms in the house as they will wander off and toilet somewhere else, you may not catch it. Keep the puppy with you or the room where they sleep.

8. Puppies usually toilet away from their beds, so keep the bed away from the door they go out to toilet. The puppy is more likely to use a pad at the door.

9. Other signs of needing to toilet are restlessness, being fidgety, sniffing or circling, take the puppy outside.

10. Keep your puppy in a warm sleeping place in winter.