How to Potty Train a Chihuahua: A Breeder's Step-by-Step Guide

By Rev. T. Stringer, Lead Researcher, SIPGS

Chihuahuas have a reputation for being hard to housebreak.

They are not hard.

They are small.

Small bladders, small messes that are easy to miss, and a strong dislike of cold, wet grass.

They are also smart and stubborn.

A Chihuahua learns fast.

It also learns fast what it can get away with.

If the rules change from day to day, it will pick the rule it likes best.

Plan for all of that, stay consistent, and potty training gets much easier.

How our puppies are trained before they go home

At A & A's Chihuahuas, every puppy starts potty training with us.

By the time they are adults, our dogs know 2 or 3 ways to potty:

1. A washable potty mat

This is where every puppy starts.

Our mats are made for us by a textile company here in New York.

They wash and reuse, so there is nothing to throw away.

They are for sale in our online store.

2. An automatic pad system

Puppies also learn to use a BrilliantPad-style automatic pad.

3. A dog door to go outside

Older puppies learn to use a dog door.

Why more than one way?

• Bad weather does not mean accidents.
• Travel is easy. Bring the mat.
• A senior dog who can no longer manage stairs or cold still has an indoor option.
• A new home can pick the method that fits their life.

Your puppy comes home already knowing the mat.

Keep using it at first, even if your goal is outdoors.

How long can a Chihuahua puppy hold it?

A common rule of thumb:

About 1 hour for each month of age

So a 3-month-old puppy can hold it about 3 hours.

For a Chihuahua, plan on less.

A tiny bladder fills fast.

Play, excitement, and drinking all shorten the time.

Plan for a potty break:

• right after waking up, including from naps
• 10 to 20 minutes after eating
• after playing
• after drinking a lot
• before bed
• every 2 to 3 hours in between for young puppies

A sample day for a young puppy

• Wake up: straight to the mat
• Breakfast: potty 10 to 20 minutes later
• Play: potty after
• Nap: potty as soon as they wake
• Midday meal: potty 10 to 20 minutes later
• Afternoon play and nap: potty after each
• Dinner: potty 10 to 20 minutes later
• Before bed: last potty trip

Toy puppies need frequent meals to keep their blood sugar steady.

Do not cut food or water to reduce accidents.

See our post on hypoglycemia in Chihuahua puppies.

Set up the space

Puppies do not like to potty where they sleep.

Use that.

Use a playpen, not the whole house.

• Bed on one side
• Potty mat on the other side
• Water and toys in between

When you can't watch, the puppy goes in the small space.

A puppy left loose and unsupervised will have accidents, and every accident sets training back.

It can also get into trouble:

• chewing cords
• swallowing things it should not
• getting stuck behind furniture
• falling off a couch or down stairs

If you are not watching, the puppy is in the pen, with the bed and the mat.

This is not a punishment.

It keeps the puppy winning while you are busy.

Give freedom slowly.

Add one room at a time, once the puppy is using the mat reliably in the pen.

A puppy with the run of the house will find a corner behind the couch.

Step by step

1. Take the puppy to the spot.

Carry or walk the puppy to the mat at every potty time.

2. Use one word.

Pick one cue, like "Go potty."

Say it every time.

3. Wait.

Stand quietly.

No play until the puppy goes.

4. Reward right away.

Praise and a tiny treat the moment the puppy finishes.

Not after you walk back to the kitchen.

5. Watch for signs.

Sniffing, circling, or walking off mid-play means "now."

Pick the puppy up and take them to the spot.

Night time

A young puppy will need 1 or 2 night trips at first.

• Keep the mat close to the bed.
• Keep night trips quiet and boring. Potty, then back to bed.
• Most puppies can make it through the night by 4 to 6 months.

Accidents

Accidents happen.

How you handle them decides how fast training goes.

Do:

• Clean with an enzyme cleaner. It removes the smell that draws the puppy back.
• Interrupt calmly if you catch it, and carry the puppy to the mat.
• Go back a step: smaller space, more frequent trips.

Don't:

• Punish, yell, or rub the puppy's nose in it. The puppy learns to hide from you, not where to go.
• Clean with ammonia. Ammonia smells like urine to a dog.

Moving to outdoors or a dog door

If your goal is outdoors, move in small steps.

1. Move the mat toward the door, a little each day.
2. Then put the mat just outside the door.
3. Then take the puppy out to the same spot, with the same word.
4. Keep an indoor option for cold and wet days.

Chihuahuas get cold fast.

A sweater and a covered or cleared potty spot help a lot in winter.

Common problems

My puppy was trained, and now has accidents again.

Regression is common at 4 to 6 months, after a move, or after a change in routine.

Go back to the basics for a week or two.

If accidents come with straining, blood, or frequent small puddles, see your vet. A bladder infection can look like a training problem.

My male is lifting his leg in the house.

That is marking, not a full bladder.

Clean every spot with an enzyme cleaner.

A belly band helps while you work on it.

My puppy will not go outside in the cold or rain.

That is normal for the breed.

That is exactly why our dogs learn an indoor option too.

How long does potty training take?

Most puppies are reliable by:

4 to 6 months of age

Toy breeds can take longer, sometimes up to a year.

Consistency matters more than the method.

Quick answers

How do you potty train a Chihuahua puppy?

Pick one spot, take the puppy there at set times, use one word, and reward right away.

Are Chihuahuas hard to potty train?

No, but they have tiny bladders, dislike cold, and are smart and stubborn.

Plan for frequent trips, an indoor option, and the same rules every day.

How long can a Chihuahua puppy hold its bladder?

About 1 hour per month of age, often less for a Chihuahua.

Should I use pads or train outside?

Both.

Our dogs learn 2 or 3 ways to potty, so weather and travel never cause problems.

How long does it take?

Most puppies are reliable by 4 to 6 months.

Some toy breeds take up to a year.

Key takeaways

• Chihuahuas are not hard to train. They are small, smart, and stubborn. Plan for it and stay consistent.
• Our puppies go home already using a washable mat.
• Our adults know 2 or 3 ways to potty: a mat, an automatic pad, and a dog door.
• Plan a potty trip after waking, eating, playing, and before bed.
• Use a playpen with the bed on one side and the mat on the other.
• When you can't supervise, the puppy goes in the small space.
• Reward right away. Never punish.
• Clean with an enzyme cleaner, never ammonia.
• Most puppies are reliable by 4 to 6 months.

Sources

• American Kennel Club. How to potty train a puppy.
• A & A's Chihuahuas. The Chihuahua Handbook (2025).

© 2026 A & A's Chihuahuas and Rev. T. Stringer. All rights reserved.

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