Inside the puppy pen, Day 25, the Pride and Prejudice litter.

Today was a big step forward. We introduced their potty tray with pine pellets. We typically use pine or alfalfa pellets because they have a natural scent that puppies are instinctively drawn to, which helps guide them to the right place.

It usually takes about a week to a week and a half for them to really understand and consistently use it, but some of them have already started choosing the tray today, which is exactly what we want to see this early.

This is truly the beginning of potty training. At this stage, we are not expecting perfection. What we are doing is starting to create a concept. Not every space is a potty space. There is a designated area for it.

That early understanding makes a big difference when they transition to their new homes. Instead of thinking the entire house is fair game, they already have a foundation that helps them grasp that pottying happens in a specific place. From there, it becomes much easier for their new families to guide that instinct outside to a designated potty area in the yard.

These are small steps now, but they set the stage for much smoother training later on.

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