Training Guide
Training isn't hard.
It just takes the right system.
Your dog can absolutely learn to use Bark Potty. The method is simple — but it can take time. That's completely normal. Follow Zack's three-step system and you'll get there.
Free personal call included with every order.
Watch this before anything else.
Over 80% of dogs start using Bark Potty after their owners watch this first. It makes every step below easier.
Prefer to talk through it live? Schedule a free call with Zack →
Before you start — two things to know
Everything in this method is completely safe.
Hundreds of dogs have been trained this way. Not one has ever been hurt during the process.
Your dog can hold it far longer than you think.
Say this out loud: "My dog can hold it a lot longer than I think." This is the most important thing to understand before you start — because it's what keeps you from giving up too soon.
Three concepts. That's all.
Once you understand these three things, you can train your dog. Hands down.
Focused Training
Setting aside dedicated time — a full day, maybe two — specifically for this.
Training Session
Starts with a full bladder. Ends with a urination. Crate in between.
Training Event
What happens on the unit. Dog on, cue word, wait, reward. Repeat.
Set aside the time. Commit to it.
Focused training means you're not doing this on an ad hoc basis. You set aside a real block of time — a full day, maybe more — and you work the system start to finish.
Pick a day when you can be home.
A weekend morning is ideal. You need to be available to run training sessions every hour throughout the day.
Skip the morning walk.
If your dog expects a walk first thing, they'll hold their bladder for it. No walk until after the first successful pee-reward cycle.
Be ready for this to take more than one day.
Some dogs go within a few hours. Others hold it until 10pm on Day 1. Some go into Day 2. Dogs have been known to hold it for 22, even 30 hours. It's not common — but it does happen.
Remember this
Your dog is not in pain and they are not being stubborn to spite you. They have a strong desire to go outside and mark their territory — that's instinct. Your job is to redirect that instinct to the Bark Potty with patience and consistent reward. You're in charge. Don't let the dog tell you what to do. They will love you for it.
Full bladder in. Pee-reward cycle out.
A training session is one complete loop. It starts the moment your dog has a full bladder. It ends the moment they successfully use the Bark Potty. Everything in between is crate, wait, try again.
Start
Full bladder
Event
On the unit
No go?
Crate 1 hr
Repeat
Every hour
Done ✓
Pee-reward cycle
Start in the morning — dog hasn't gone yet.
Your dog has been sleeping all night. That's your best window — their bladder is as full as it's going to get. Don't let them go anywhere else first.
Run a training event. If they don't go — crate them.
Take your dog straight to the Bark Potty and run a training event (see Concept 3 below). If there's no pee-reward cycle, put your dog in their crate. This prevents accidents and lets the urge build back up. Wait one hour, then try again.
Repeat every hour until it clicks.
Uncrate → Bark Potty → training event. If they don't go, back in the crate. Over and over. It can take all day. That's completely normal — it's exactly how the system works.
The session ends the moment your dog goes. Once you have a pee-reward cycle — go on a walk, play, relax. You're done. Don't start a new session until your dog has had time to build up a full bladder again.
What happens on the unit.
This is where the pee-reward cycle lives.
A training event is what you do every single time you bring your dog to the Bark Potty. It's simple and repeatable. Done right, it leads to the pee-reward cycle — and that's the whole game.
The event — every time, exactly like this
Place your dog on the unit facing the same direction every time. Consistency in positioning matters — it builds the muscle memory of the spot.
Say "go potty." Say it 10 times, 20 times, 30 times if needed. If your dog walks off, place them back in the same direction and say it again. This is completely normal — keep going.
Keep the treat in your pocket — hidden. Do not show it to your dog before they go. It will distract them. Have it ready the instant they start going.
They go → treat immediately. That's the pee-reward cycle. Give the treat the moment they finish — not from across the room, not before they're done. Right there, right then. That timing is everything.
What makes the pee-reward cycle work
Treat comes from your pocket immediately — not from the kitchen, not from across the room
You wait until they are completely done — reward before they finish breaks the association
Same direction, same spot, same word — every single time builds the habit
The Bark Potty is a positive-only zone — never scold near it
30 repetitions in a single event is completely normal — don't stop
Your dog's training arc, day by day.
Every dog moves at their own pace. Here's what's normal at each stage — and exactly what to do next.
Your dog isn't being stubborn.
They're being territorial.
Understanding why your dog holds it is what keeps you going when you want to quit. Here's what's actually happening.
Dogs use urine differently than humans do.
You go because you have to expel waste. Your dog uses urine as a tool — to mark their territory, communicate with other dogs, and establish boundaries. They don't experience urgency the way you do. They can choose where they put it, and they can hold it for a very long time by design.
When your dog paws at the door, they're not in pain.
They have a strong instinct to go out and mark their territory in the wider world. That scratching and whining isn't urgency — it's desire. Your job is to redirect that instinct with consistent reward. The treat replaces the territory. And dogs are great at learning that trade.
Hold times that feel impossible are completely normal.
Dogs have been trained to go 22, even 30 hours before their first pee-reward cycle. If your dog holds it until 10pm on Day 1, or goes into Day 2, that is within normal range. It is not a sign the method isn't working. It is a sign the method is working exactly as it should — the urge is building. Stay consistent.
Still stuck after Day 2?
Try these.
These are optional techniques for dogs that need a little extra push. Most dogs don't need them — but they work when they're needed.
The scent trick
Use a foreign dog's scent to trigger marking.
Find a spot where a dog you don't know has urinated. Dab a paper towel on it, seal it in a zip-lock bag. At home, wring the bag out onto the Bark Potty surface — right under where your dog's nose goes during the training event. Many dogs go within minutes.
Note: use a foreign dog's scent, not a friendly or familiar dog. The territorial instinct responds to an interloper, not a friend.
Reset the session
Common reasons the cycle isn't completing.
- →Starting a session before the bladder is fully built up
- →Giving the treat before or during — not after they finish
- →Treating from the kitchen instead of your pocket
- →Placing the dog in a different direction each time
Still on Day 1 after several days?
Zack has trained hundreds of dogs — including some very stubborn ones. A 15-minute call usually cracks it, and it's free with every order. Reach out before you give up.
Book your free training callIt works — even for the stubborn ones.
"I tried it without the training video. Nothing was happening — my Yorkshire Terrier (Dutchess) would just sit there staring at me. I watched the video and it made it easier. After a couple of days she was using the Bark Potty on her own!"
Kim W. — Verified Buyer
Life saver!
"I've tried other similar things like the grass pads and this lasts much longer and is much easier."
Jennifer M. Verified
My Dog Likes It
"My 11 pound dog adapted immediately. I was using a fake grass system in the garage — this is easy to use."
Helaine C. Verified
Works if you follow it
"Works if you train. Lasts longer than pee pads — doesn't stink. Got my mountain bernese to love it."
Luzma R. Verified
Still need help?
Zack has worked with hundreds of dogs — including the ones everyone said were impossible. A 15-minute call is included with every order. No charge. No strings.
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