Easy Steps for Bloodhound Puppy Potty Training: A 6-Week Plan That Works

A Bloodhound’s nose contains roughly 300 million scent receptors, about 50 times more than yours. That is exactly why easy steps for Bloodhound puppy potty training look different from the generic advice you find for a Labrador or a Poodle: your puppy will smell every accident long after you have cleaned it, and will treat the spot as a bathroom forever unless you remove the scent completely. This guide gives you a week-by-week plan, exact schedules, and fixes for the problems that trip up most Bloodhound owners.

Why Bloodhound Puppy Potty Training Is Different From Other Breeds

Bloodhounds are scent hounds, bred for over 1,000 years to follow a trail for miles. That heritage shapes every part of house training.

The nose problem

Your puppy does not just notice an old accident. Her nose pulls her back to it like a magnet. Standard household cleaners leave traces she can still detect, so she keeps returning to the same corner. You need an enzymatic cleaner, a product that uses enzymes (natural proteins that break down waste) to destroy the odor molecules rather than mask them.

The distraction problem

Take a Bloodhound puppy outside and she may spend 15 minutes tracking a squirrel trail while forgetting to pee. Then she comes inside and relieves herself on your rug. This is the single most common frustration, and it is fixable with a leash and a timer (covered below).

The stubborn streak

Bloodhounds are affectionate but independent. They do not work to please you the way a Golden Retriever does. They work for rewards, so your treats must be worth their attention.

Realistic expectations

Most Bloodhound puppies need 4 to 6 weeks of consistent training to become mostly reliable, and up to 6 months before they hold it through a full workday. Large breeds mature physically slower than small ones. A Bloodhound reaches about 80 to 110 pounds as an adult, and her bladder control develops on a longer timeline than a Chihuahua’s.

The Gear You Need Before Day One (and What It Costs)

Buy the right tools before your puppy comes home. Scrambling mid-accident leads to mistakes.

1. A divider crate, 42 inches long ($60-$110). Brands like MidWest Homes for Pets or Impact Collapsible Crates sell sizes that fit an adult Bloodhound. The divider panel lets you shrink the space now and expand it as she grows.
2. Enzymatic cleaner ($15-$25). Nature’s Miracle and Rocco & Roxie are two reliable brands. Buy two bottles.
3. A 6-foot leash ($10-$20). Use it for every potty trip so your puppy cannot wander off on a scent trail.
4. High-value treats ($8-$15 per bag). Small soft treats such as Zuke’s Mini Naturals or freeze-dried liver, pea-sized so you can give 20 per day without overfeeding.
5. A treat pouch ($8-$12). You must reward within 3 seconds of finishing, so treats need to be on your body, not in the kitchen.
6. A pen or baby gates ($40-$80). Keep your puppy in sight or confined at all times during the first 3 weeks.

But what if you cannot afford everything at once? Prioritize the crate, enzymatic cleaner, and treats. You can use a hallway and a cheap baby gate in place of a pen.

Step 1: Set Up the Crate So It Teaches Bladder Control

The crate works because dogs avoid soiling the place where they sleep. The trick is getting the size right.

What to do: Install the divider so the crate is just big enough for your puppy to stand, turn around, and lie down. For an 8-week-old Bloodhound (about 12 to 15 pounds), that usually means about 24 inches of usable length. Success looks like a puppy who curls up and sleeps, not one with a spare corner to use as a bathroom.

But what if she cries? Crying for the first 3 to 5 nights is normal. Place the crate next to your bed so she hears you, and add a snuggle toy or a worn T-shirt with your scent. Never let her out while she is actively whining, or she learns whining works. Wait for a 5-second pause, then open the door.

But what if she soils the crate anyway? Check two things: the crate may be too large, or she was left in it longer than her bladder can handle. Reduce the space and shorten the intervals.

Use the crate for naps and overnight, not as a punishment. Never confine her for more than the time limits in the next section.

Step 2: Follow This Hour-by-Hour Schedule for an 8-Week-Old Bloodhound

A general rule: a puppy can hold her bladder for roughly one hour per month of age, plus one. An 8-week-old (2 months) manages about 3 hours at most, and only while sleeping. Awake and active puppies need to go far more often.

When to take her out, every time

• Immediately after waking from any nap or from overnight sleep
• Within 5 to 15 minutes after eating or drinking
• After 10 to 15 minutes of play
• Before crating and right after release
• Every 1 to 2 hours during the day while awake

A sample day

6:30 a.m. wake and potty. 7:00 breakfast. 7:15 potty. 8:00 supervised play. 8:30 potty then nap in crate. 10:30 potty. Repeat through the day, with the last water at about 7:30 p.m. and a final potty trip right before bed.

The overnight plan

Set an alarm for one 2 a.m. trip (some pups need two in the first week). Keep it boring: leash on, no talking, no play, back in the crate. By week 3 or 4 most Bloodhound puppies sleep 6 hours straight.

But what if you work full time? Hire a midday dog walker ($15-$25 per visit) or ask a neighbor. A puppy under 12 weeks cannot wait 8 hours, period.

Step 3: Use the Leash-and-Command Method to Beat Scent Distractions

This is the step most owners skip, and it is the one that matters most for a scent hound.

1. Carry her to the same spot. Pick one patch of grass 20 to 30 feet from the door. Carry her there so she cannot get distracted on the way (and cannot have an accident en route).
2. Put her on the 6-foot leash and stand still. Let her sniff within the leash length, but do not walk. Walking encourages tracking, not peeing.
3. Say your cue once, calmly. Use a phrase like “go potty” in a flat voice. Repeating it 10 times teaches her to ignore it.
4. Wait up to 5 minutes. Be boring. Look at your phone, not at her.
5. The moment she finishes, reward within 3 seconds. Give a treat and quiet praise, then 2 minutes of play or a short walk as a bonus.

But what if she does not go in 5 minutes? Take her back inside, crate her for 10 to 15 minutes, and try again. Do not let her roam free indoors after a failed trip. This “try, crate, retry” loop prevents the classic Bloodhound pattern of holding it outside and releasing it on your carpet.

But what if it is raining? Use the same spot under a covered area if possible. Bloodhounds dislike wet paws, and a pup who refuses to go in the rain is common. A pop-up pet umbrella or a covered porch solves it.

Step 4: How to Reward and Cue Without Confusing a Stubborn Hound

Timing is everything. Praise delivered 10 seconds late rewards sniffing, not peeing.

Make treats worth working for

Bloodhounds ignore boring kibble when scents are competing. Save your best treat, such as freeze-dried liver or small cubes of cheese, for potty rewards only. She should never get it any other time.

Mark the moment

Use a short, consistent marker word like “yes!” the instant she squats or begins to pee. Then deliver the treat as she finishes. The marker bridges the gap between the action and the reward.

Keep the party outside

Give the treat outside, not at the door. If you wait until you are back in the kitchen, she connects the reward with coming in rather than with going potty.

Fade treats gradually

After 3 to 4 weeks of consistent success, reward every other time, then every third time, then occasionally. Never stop completely. Variable rewards keep behavior strong in independent breeds.

But what if she is not food motivated? Try a favorite squeaky toy or a quick game of tug as the reward. Some Bloodhounds value play or affection more than food. Test three options and keep whichever gets the fastest response.

Step 5: Clean Accidents the Right Way (Your Puppy’s Nose Will Know)

Accidents will happen. How you respond decides whether they repeat.

1. Interrupt calmly. If you catch her mid-squat, say “oops” in a neutral tone and carry her outside. Do not yell, scold, or rub her nose in it. Punishment teaches a puppy to hide from you, so she will sneak behind the sofa instead.
2. Blot, do not rub. Press paper towels onto the spot to absorb liquid.
3. Saturate with enzymatic cleaner. Soak the area well beyond the visible stain, since urine spreads sideways into carpet padding. Let it sit for the time on the label, typically 5 to 15 minutes.
4. Air dry, no vinegar or ammonia. Ammonia smells like urine to dogs and can attract her back. Success means no smell at all when you kneel and sniff the spot.
5. Block the spot for 24 hours. Put a chair or a baby gate over it so she cannot revisit.

But what if you find the accident an hour later? Just clean it. Dogs cannot connect a scolding to something that happened an hour ago. Then tighten your supervision and shorten the intervals between trips.

But what if she keeps going in the same spot? A UV blacklight ($10-$15) reveals old urine stains you missed. Re-treat those spots with enzymatic cleaner.

Bloodhound Potty Training Methods Compared: Which Works Best?

Not every method suits every household. Here is how the three main approaches compare for this breed.

Method	Time to Reliable	Cost	Best For
Crate + leash outdoor training	4-6 weeks	$100-$180 startup	Most owners; houses with a yard or easy outdoor access
Indoor pad or turf patch	6-12 weeks (plus transition time)	$30-$60 ongoing	Apartment dwellers on high floors, owners with limited mobility, severe winters
Doggy door or open yard access	8-16 weeks	$150-$400 for installation	Adult-trained dogs and fenced yards; not recommended for young puppies

Recommendation: Go with crate plus leash training. It is the fastest and the most reliable for a scent hound. Choose pads only if you live in a high-rise, and be warned that Bloodhounds struggle to switch from pads to outdoors because the pad scent teaches them that indoors is a bathroom. A doggy door works only after your dog is already reliable.

The Most Common Bloodhound Potty Training Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

These three errors account for most failed house training with this breed.

Mistake 1: Letting her roam the house too soon

Free access before 4 to 5 months, or before 4 weeks of accident-free days, hands her unsupervised chances to fail. Fix: Use the “umbilical cord” method: tether her leash to your belt while you are home so she is always within sight. Expand her access one room at a time.

Mistake 2: Using ordinary cleaners

Household sprays smell clean to you but still smell like a toilet to her. Fix: Use an enzymatic cleaner every single time, even on small spots.

Mistake 3: Treating a walk as a potty trip

A Bloodhound on a walk is on a scent mission. She will follow smells for 30 minutes and then pee the moment you get home. Fix: Do the 5-minute stand-still potty trip first, reward, then start the walk as the prize.

Bonus mistake: Moving the schedule around

Feeding at random times produces random potty times. Feed at the same times each day and pick up water 2 hours before bed.

What If It Is Not Working? Answers to the Hard Questions

Even with a perfect plan, puppies hit setbacks. Here are the scenarios owners worry about most.

“She was doing great and suddenly regressed.” Regression around 4 to 5 months is common, often tied to teething, growth spurts, or a change in routine. Return to hourly trips and full supervision for 7 to 10 days.

“She pees every 20 minutes.” Frequent small urinations can signal a urinary tract infection. If it continues for more than 2 days or you see blood or straining, call your vet. A urine test typically costs $50 to $100.

“She only poops inside.” Pay attention to timing. Most pups poop 10 to 30 minutes after meals. Give her a longer outdoor window after eating and take her out on leash for a short walk to stimulate her bowels.

“She pees when excited or scared.” This is submissive or excitement urination, and it is not a training failure. Greet her calmly, keep hellos low-key, and let her outgrow it, which usually happens by 12 to 18 months.

“Does age matter if I adopt an older puppy?” A 4-month-old pup who has lived in a kennel or pet store may have learned to eliminate in her living area. Retrain from scratch with a small crate and strict schedule. Expect 6 to 8 weeks.

“When should I worry?” If she is still having daily accidents after 4 months of age despite consistent training, book a vet checkup to rule out medical causes.

Your 6-Week Bloodhound Potty Training Timeline

Use this as a benchmark, not a deadline. Puppies progress at different speeds.

• Week 1: Potty every 1 to 2 hours, one night trip at 2 a.m. Expect 4 to 8 accidents per day. That is normal.
• Week 2: Extend daytime intervals to 2 hours. Accidents drop to 2 to 4 per day.
• Week 3: She starts signaling by going to the door or circling. Reward those signals. Accidents drop to 1 or 2 per day.
• Week 4: Intervals reach 3 hours. Most nights pass without a trip. Begin giving short supervised freedom in one room.
• Week 5 to 6: Aim for 7 straight accident-free days. Then add a second room.

A good rule: only expand freedom after two full weeks without an accident. Skipping this rule is the number one reason progress stalls.

Start Tomorrow Morning With This One Action

Tomorrow, set your phone alarm for 30 minutes after your puppy’s breakfast, clip on the 6-foot leash the second she wakes up, carry her to one spot in the yard, say your cue once, and stand still for five minutes with a treat ready. The moment she finishes, mark it, reward it, and note the time on a sheet of paper. Do that every trip for seven days, and by the end of the week you will see her pattern in black and white and know exactly when to take her out next.