If you've been working on house training for weeks and your dog is still having accidents, even though you feel like you're taking them out a million times a day, it might not be about how often you're going out, it might be about when you're going out. Here's what a lot of people don't realize Potty needs aren't just about the clock, they're mostly about activity level. The more active your dog is, the more often they'll need to go out. And active doesn't mean sprinting laps around the yard, it just means anything other than laying dormant. So, for example, if your dog follows you around or they play with a toy, bark out the window, chase their tail, that all counts as activity, and that activity usually triggers their digestive system, their bladder. So if you're sticking to a strict every hour or every two hour schedule, but your dog has that big burst of energy in between those times, if you don't take him for a potty break, you may miss your window, and that's when accidents happen.

It's not that they aren't getting it, it's that we're not aligning their breaks with their activity levels. So, instead of just watching the schedule, watch for transitions, nap to play, take them out Calm to excited. Take them out If something changes in their body movement, excitement stimulation. It's a good time to give them a chance to go. Did you have company? Come over, take them out. That is a lot of excitement greeting new people into the house. So if you're thinking I'm doing everything right and my dog still isn't house trained, look at their activity patterns, not just your timer. It's not about taking them out constantly, it's about taking them out strategically. That's the game changer.