How to train your dog to potty on command

Why on earth would you need to teach your dog to go potty on command? Seems a bit over the top, does it?

My husband Jim and I  travel with our dogs a lot and I have found it useful to have them go potty on command. For one, we are in unfamiliar surroundings, and the dogs are so distracted by all the new smells, and they are so excited to explore, that they just forget to do their thing.

At other times, we are going into a crowded event, like a Farmer's Market, where we don't wish for them to go potty in the midst of things. So we take them to a suited area and tell them to empty their bladder before we go to the main event.


Have you ever stopped at a rest area on the highway for food, gas and for everyone to use the bathroom, but your dog is too excited to think about peeing? You are walking around and around and everyone is waiting for the dog to go, so the trip can continue.  You may want to teach him to relieve himself on command!





Having your dog trained with the "do your biz" command is super helpful in many ways. Teaching your dog to potty on command is actually easy to do and it does not take any extra time. You can teach your dog every time you are out for your walk!

 Here is how you train your dog to potty on command:
 After you have taken him outside on a leash and collar, walk him to the area that you want him to relieve himself.  Let him sniff around and use the command “do your biz” (or whatever you decide the command for going to use the bathroom is).

 To keep him and yourself focused on the business at hand, do not play with him or walk around a lot. It is best to remain in a certain area, where you want him to relieve himself. While he is sniffing around, repeat the command: "Do your biz." Every time he pees or poops, meaning right when he is in the process, use the command: “do your biz” and then, when he is done, praise him: “good dog!” - Do this every time you walk your dog and pretty soon he will remember that "do your biz", means he should relieve himself.

You are teaching him to go to the bathroom on command. Keep your manner calm, don’t get the dog all excited by using the high pitched voice or excited body language. Excitement will distract your dog. He will get hyper and you will need to calm him back down to be able to do any training.

After he has at least done one of his businesses, praise him and then go for a walk for exercise. You can now start using the new command every time you take your dog for his walk. Just follow the usual routine of taking him to an area where he does his business and use the command “do your biz” when he is relieving himself. Pretty soon he will associate the command with the act of relieving himself.

 If you are traveling with a small dog, or a puppy, you may want to consider training your dog in the same way to do his biz on a piddle pad. This allows you to let your dog use the bathroom inside, in a designated area. You can purchase piddle pads at many pet stores and even in some grocery stores.


thank you for coming over, I hope you find these blog posts both interesting and educational.
I value your feedback, so please comment below.