October 7, 2026
Potty training is one of the first things new Xoloitzcuintli owners think about. Especially when a small puppy has just left its breeder and arrived in a completely new home.
At Sine Metu, we introduce our puppies to an indoor toilet from an early age. They learn to use a litter tray with suitable pellets, so by the time they leave for their new families, this is already a familiar part of their routine.
For us, this is an extremely practical system. It is particularly useful during the first months of a puppy’s life, when it cannot always hold its bladder for long, and when weather, family schedules or other circumstances make going outside immediately difficult.
But there is one important point to understand:
An indoor toilet does not replace walks.
A Xoloitzcuintli is still a dog. It needs movement, new smells, new environments, socialization and daily interaction with the world around it. The indoor toilet is simply one part of a practical toilet routine — not a replacement for outdoor life.
Yes.
At Sine Metu, our puppies become familiar with an indoor toilet before they leave for their new families.
One of the most convenient options is a litter tray with an appropriate substrate. In our book Living with a Xolo, we recommend pellets because they absorb moisture and odors well. Depending on availability, suitable options can include wood, oat, corn, buckwheat and other appropriate pellets.
A washable puppy pad can also be used. It is practical because it can simply be washed and reused.
For a new owner, this makes the transition much easier. The puppy does not have to learn everything from the beginning. It already understands the basic principle: there is a specific place for going to the toilet.
A young puppy simply does not have the same bladder control as an adult dog.
That is why even a puppy that already goes for walks may still need to use the toilet indoors during its first months. In Living with a Xolo, we note that this can sometimes continue until around 6–8 months of age, and this can be normal for puppies.
This does not necessarily mean that the puppy is “not toilet trained.”
It means that the puppy is still developing.
For this reason, we find it much more practical to provide a clearly defined indoor toilet area rather than expect a very young puppy to hold it longer than it physically can.
The most important thing is consistency.
If the tray is in the bathroom today, moved to the hallway tomorrow and then placed in the kitchen the next day, it becomes harder for the puppy to understand the system.
Choose a permanent location and try to keep it there.
The toilet area should be easy for the puppy to reach, with enough space for it to approach, turn around and use the tray comfortably.
If you use a washable pad, keep it in one clearly defined place as well.
There are several moments when a puppy is particularly likely to need the toilet.
This is one of the first moments when you should offer the puppy its toilet area.
Meals can stimulate the digestive system, so it is useful to give the puppy an opportunity to go after eating.
Running, playing and other physical activity can also make a puppy need to go.
Do not always wait until the puppy starts looking for a place to go.
During the first months, it is much more effective to offer toilet opportunities regularly.
Our approach is simple: after sleeping, after eating, after activity, and regularly throughout the day. This is also the routine described in Living with a Xolo.
Even when a puppy has an indoor toilet, we gradually build the habit of going outside from the first days.
This is important.
The litter tray solves the immediate toilet need, but it does not replace walks.
A simple routine is:
wake up → go outside
eat → go outside
play → go outside
When the puppy toilets outside, calmly praise it.
Positive reinforcement helps strengthen the desired behavior, while punishment for accidents is not recommended. Modern puppy housetraining guidance also emphasizes consistency, supervision and rewarding the behavior you want.
In our opinion, you do not have to choose only one.
For a young puppy, both skills can be useful.
So our approach is simple:
The litter tray is convenience. Outdoor walks are part of a dog’s life.
The most important rule is:
Do not punish the puppy.
The puppy is not doing it deliberately.
If you see that it is about to go somewhere inappropriate, calmly redirect it to the designated toilet area.
If the accident has already happened, simply clean it up.
Do not rub the puppy’s nose in it, shout at it or punish it several minutes later. The puppy will not understand what the punishment is connected to.
It is much more effective to notice the right moments and reward the correct behavior.
Because it is still a puppy.
That is the simplest answer.
You should not expect a three-month-old puppy to behave like an adult dog.
Toilet training depends on:
The first months should therefore be viewed as a period of building a habit, rather than a test that the puppy must pass within a few days.
This is especially important.
Even if your puppy used the litter tray perfectly at Sine Metu, moving to a new home means entering a completely new environment.
New house.
New smells.
New people.
New routine.
So accidents can happen during the first days.
That is normal.
Show the puppy where its toilet is and try to maintain the familiar system.
If the puppy is already used to a particular type of pellet or tray, there is usually no reason to change everything immediately.
First give the puppy stability. You can adapt the routine gradually once it has settled in.
This is particularly practical with a Xoloitzcuintli.
During very cold or wet weather, an indoor toilet gives you an additional option. You do not have to expect a very young puppy to stay outside for a long time simply because it needs to go to the toilet.
At the same time, outdoor walks remain important.
You can shorten a walk when the weather is uncomfortable, use appropriate clothing when necessary, and allow the puppy to use its indoor toilet for part of its needs.
This is one of the reasons we find early litter-tray training so convenient for Xolo puppies.
There is no universal deadline.
One puppy may understand the routine very quickly. Another may need more time.
And even after a puppy has become very reliable, occasional accidents can still happen for months. In Living with a Xolo, we note that indoor toilet accidents can sometimes continue until around 6–8 months.
The key words are:
consistency and patience.
We introduce our puppies to toilet training before they leave for their new families.
They become familiar with:
This means that the new owner does not have to start from zero.
They simply need to continue a habit that the puppy already knows.
This is why we consider a litter tray and pellet system particularly convenient for young Xoloitzcuintli puppies.
Do not expect a very young puppy to do something that it is not yet physically capable of doing.
Create a clear toilet area.
Keep a consistent routine.
Take the puppy outside after sleeping, eating and playing.
Praise correct behavior.
Do not punish accidents.
And give the puppy time.
At Sine Metu, we believe that successful toilet training is not about fighting with a puppy. It is about creating a clear and understandable system.
A litter tray and pellets give a young Xolo a practical toilet option at home, while regular outdoor walks gradually build the habit of going outside.
This is how we establish the first everyday habits of our puppies.
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