Hands down, the best trick my dogs know is to potty on cue. Gone are the days where I stand outside in blistering sun or frigid wind & rain waiting for my dog to just pee already! Now, I send the whole group outside with a quick “Hurry up!” or “Get busy!” and within 60 seconds they’ve done their business and run back to me so we can move on to the next thing. It’s especially useful with young dogs still perfecting their potty training and when taking dogs into public places or traveling with them.
This is a surprisingly easy cue to teach, especially if your dog is new to your household or you have a young puppy. We are just going to add in two things to your normal routine of integrating a new dog – a cue and a reward.
Your dog knows this skill when you give the cue and they immediately head out to find a spot to eliminate, then look to you for the next cue.
Set Up Your Scenario
- Choose a time when you know your dog is going to have to pee. Not sure when that is? Check out our potty training post.
- Have a few cookies ready to go. Food is easy – it’s cheap, fits in your pocket, and is consumed quickly. Long term, you can use life rewards!
Add Your Cue & Reward
- Take your dog out to pee, either in a small fenced potty-only yard or on a leash.
- Give your cue – “Get busy!”
- If your dog usually pees pretty quickly, give your cue immediately once you are outside.
- If your dog usually takes some time to sniff around first, wait to cue until they’ve found the right spot.
- As soon as your dog is done with their business1, mark “Yes!” and reward! For dogs who are still struggling with indoor accidents, throw them a party! Peeing outside should be the best part of their day.
- (Optional) Cue the next event that will happen, even if it seems obvious – like “Go inside!”, “Go play!”, or “Go sniff!”.
- This builds a habit of your dog looking to you for direction after they’re done with their business, so you know whether or not they are done. If your dog normally looks to you after they pee and one day they ignore you and keep sniffing, they might have more left in the tank!
Maintain Your Cue
- Practice this skill any time you take your dog out to pee.
- Start adding difficulty to the cue by asking for it in new situations, like before walking in to the vet or pet store. Each time your dog pees on cue in a new situation, reward heavily!
- As your dog gets good at this and is reliably peeing on cue, you can eliminate treats as part of the pattern. Instead of treats, transition to using functional life rewards like play time, a few minutes of sniffing, or getting to go in to the exciting new place you’re visiting!
- If you cue and your dog doesn’t have to pee, don’t sweat it. Just move on with your day, and try again later.
- Don’t interrupt your dog mid-pee by saying “Yes!” too early! We want them to fully empty their bladder on cue, not just a few drops. ↩︎
