Why Won’t My Puppy Toilet on Walks?
This is a question I am asked frequently. If your puppy refuses to toilet whilst out on a walk and instead waits until they return home, you are certainly not alone. Many new owners assume that going for a walk will naturally encourage a puppy to relieve themselves, but for young puppies, the situation is often more complex.
For puppies, toileting outdoors is not just about physical need - it is influenced by confidence, environment, routine and learning history. Understanding the reasons behind this behaviour will allow you to respond appropriately and support your puppy in developing reliable toileting habits in a variety of settings.
Below are the most common reasons why puppies may not toilet on walks, along with practical guidance on how you can address each one.
️1. Your Puppy Is Too Distracted
The outside world can be overwhelming for a young puppy as it is full of new and stimulating experiences. New smells, sounds, people, traffic and other animals all compete for their attention. When a puppy is overstimulated, their brain prioritises processing their environment rather than relaxing their body enough to eliminate.
What you can do:
Slow things down and give your puppy time to adjust to their surroundings rather than expecting immediate results. Avoid rushing the walk and instead, pause in a quiet, low-distraction area and stand still. This will give your puppy the opportunity to decompress which often creates the right conditions for toileting.
Scatter feeding can also be particularly helpful here. Gently tossing a small handful of your puppy’s food or sprinkling some small treats onto the ground encourages natural sniffing and foraging behaviour, which can help lower arousal levels and promote relaxation - a calmer state of mind often makes toileting more likely.
2. They Don’t Feel Safe Yet
Toileting is a vulnerable behaviour for puppies and if they don’t feel safe or secure in their surroundings, they may instinctively hold on until they are back in a familiar environment such as their home or garden.
Common signs that your puppy may not feel safe enough to toilet include:
🐾 Hesitation or cautious movement
🐾 Nervous body language
🐾 Constant scanning of the environment
🐾 Pulling toward home.
What you can do:
Focus on building your puppy’s confidence gradually but keeping walks short, calm and predictable. Choose quieter locations and avoid overwhelming environments. Reinforce relaxed behaviour with gentle praise and avoid placing pressure on your puppy to perform.
You can also use gentle activities such as scatter feeding to help your puppy feel more at ease in the environment, encouraging calm, relaxed behaviour.
Also, have a read of our blog ‘Why won’t my puppy walk’ for ways to help build their confidence.
3. They’ve Learned to Go Indoors or In Their Garden
If your puppy has become accustomed to toileting indoors (including on puppy pads) or exclusively in the garden, they may simply associate those areas as the correct place to go.
Puppies learn through repetition and reinforcement and without guidance, they do not automatically generalise this behaviour to new environments.
What you can do:
Gradually teach your puppy that toileting can happen in different locations. You can do this by:
🐾 Taking a small piece of soiled grass or a used pad scent (if applicable) to an outdoor spot to create familiarity
🐾 Visiting the same quiet outdoor location regularly to build a new association
🐾 Rewarding immediately and calmly when your puppy toilets outside
🐾 Phasing out indoor options (such as pads) once your puppy begins to understand the new routine
Consistency is key and over time, your puppy will learn that any outdoor environment is an appropriate and safe place to toilet.
4. The Walk Itself Is Too Exciting
Some puppies become so excited by the anticipation of a walk that they are unable to settle enough to toilet. Instead, they remain in a heightened state of arousal until they return home, where the environment feels predictable again.
What you can do:
Introduce a structured pre-walk routine by taking your puppy to a designated toilet area before the walk begins and wait calmly until they have gone. Only start the walk afterwards and this will help create a clear and consistent pattern: toilet first, then walk.
If your puppy is struggling to settle due to excitement, scatter feeding can also be helpful. Gently scattering a small amount of food on the ground encourages sniffing and foraging, which naturally lowers arousal levels. This can help your puppy transition from a state of excitement into one where they are more able to relax and toilet.
5. They Are Holding It In
Some puppies develop a habit of holding their bladder or bowels for longer than expected. This can sometimes happen if they have been unintentionally rewarded for doing so (for example, if the walk ends quickly and they are taken straight home).
What you can do:
Stay outside slightly longer than you think is necessary, but keep the environment calm and uneventful. Avoid excessive movement or stimulation as this can delay toileting. Encourage quiet, still moments as these are often far more effective in encouraging a puppy to toilet.
6. The Surface or Location Matters
Dogs can be surprisingly particular about where they toilet and if your puppy is used to going on grass, they may be reluctant to use other surfaces such as pavement or gravel.
This preference is often linked to comfort and familiarity.
What you can do:
Start by providing access to a surface your puppy already prefers, such as grass. Once they are confidently toileting outdoors, you can gradually introduce different textures and environments.
Using a consistent toilet spot initially can also help build confidence. Many dogs prefer grass as it absorbs urine and prevents it from running onto their paws, which can make the experience more comfortable.
7. The Timing Isn’t Right
In some cases, a puppy not toileting on a walk has nothing to do with behaviour, confidence or training - it simply comes down to biological timing.
Puppies typically need to toilet:
🐾 Shortly after waking up from a sleep or nap
🐾 After eating or drinking
🐾 After play sessions or any form of excitement
If a walk takes place outside of these windows, your puppy may not feel any physical need to go, regardless of how long you are out.
What you can do:
Begin observing your puppy’s natural rhythm over several days. Take note of when they typically toilet and align your walks with those times where possible. For example, scheduling a walk shortly after a meal or nap can significantly increase the likelihood of success.
It can also help to think of walks not just as exercise, but as part of your puppy’s toileting routine.
8. Lead vs Off-Lead Differences
Some puppies find it difficult to toilet whilst on a lead, even if they are otherwise comfortable walking. This can be due to a number of subtle factors, including physical restriction, mild tension on the lead or the awareness that they are being closely guided.
Toileting requires a certain level of relaxation and even low-level restraint can interfere with that process.
Additionally, some puppies prefer to move, circle or sniff extensively before choosing a spot - behaviours that may feel limited on a short lead.
What you can do:
Where it is safe and appropriate, allow your puppy more freedom of movement. This could mean:
🐾 Using a long training lead (if safe to do so)
🐾 Ensuring the lead remains loose with no tension
🐾 Standing still and allowing your puppy to explore rather than directing them
It’s also helpful to avoid hovering directly over your puppy. Giving them a bit of space - both physically and psychologically - can make them feel more comfortable as they feel less pressured.
9. Weather and Environmental Factors
Environmental conditions can have a surprisingly strong impact on a puppy’s willingness to toilet. Rain, wind and cold temperatures particularly can create discomfort or distraction.
Young puppies are still developing resilience to different weather conditions and may be hesitant to engage in vulnerable behaviours like toileting when they feel physically uncomfortable.
What you can do:
Introduce your puppy gradually to a range of weather conditions and environments, rather than expecting immediate adaptability. If your puppy is reluctant in poor weather then start in more sheltered or familiar locations, allow extra time and patience and keep your own behaviour calm and unhurried. Avoid rushing them or immediately returning indoors, as this can reinforce the idea that holding on leads to a return to the home environment. You could also consider a coat or jumper for them to wear to help them feel more dry and warm.
Over time, consistent exposure will help your puppy become more adaptable and confident.
10. Inconsistent Routines
Consistency plays a significant role in how quickly and effectively a puppy learns where and when to toilet. If feeding times, walk schedules or toileting opportunities vary widely from day to day, it can make it harder for your puppy to develop clear expectations.
A lack of routine can lead to confusion, which in turn may result in your puppy defaulting to familiar habits such as waiting until they are back at home.
What you can do:
Establish a predictable daily routine that includes:
🐾 Regular feeding times
🐾 Scheduled toilet breaks
🐾 Consistent walk times
Try to visit the same or similar locations for toileting initially, as this builds familiarity and confidence. Repetition is key though and when your puppy can anticipate what happens and when, they are more likely to relax and respond appropriately.
11. Owner Influence
One of the most commonly overlooked factors in puppy toileting behaviour is the influence of the owner. Dogs are highly attuned to human body language, tone and emotional state.
If an owner becomes overly focused on the puppy toileting (i.e. watching intently, repeating cues or showing frustration), the puppy may feel pressurised and this can inhibit their ability to relax, making toileting less likely.
What you can do:
Adopt a calm, neutral approach and instead of actively encouraging your puppy to go, create the conditions that allow it to happen naturally by standing still or moving slowly, giving your puppy space to sniff and explore and avoiding constant verbal cues.
When your puppy does toilet, offer quiet, positive reinforcement rather than overly excited praise, which can interrupt the behaviour.
Your role is to provide the opportunity - not to force the outcome.
12. Medical Considerations
While most cases are behavioural or environmental, it is important not to overlook potential medical factors.
If a puppy is consistently holding their bladder or bowels for unusually long periods, or only toileting in very specific circumstances, it may indicate discomfort or an underlying issue. Conditions such as urinary tract infections, digestive upset or constipation can affect normal toileting behaviour.
What you can do:
Monitor your puppy for any additional signs, such as:
🐾 Straining or discomfort when toileting
🐾 Changes in frequency or consistency
🐾 Accidents despite otherwise consistent training
🐾 Lethargy or changes in appetite
If anything seems unusual or persistent, seek advice from a veterinary professional. Ruling out medical causes ensures that you are addressing the correct issue and not attributing a physical problem to behaviour alone.
In most cases, the behaviour of not toileting on walks is usually linked to distraction, confidence, learned habits or environmental preferences.
By remaining patient, consistent and supportive, you can help your puppy feel comfortable enough to toilet in a variety of settings and over time, this will become a natural and reliable part of their routine.
Every puppy develops at their own pace and what matters most is creating a calm, predictable environment where they feel safe to learn. With time, experience and the right guidance, most puppies will naturally begin to toilet on walks as their confidence and understanding grow.
