Are you sick of picking up steamy piles and soaking up smelly stains? Wouldn't it be great if you could learn how to potty train a Chihuahua in 3 simple steps? I'll show you just how to do it in this article.

Chihuahuas are the only dogs that were bred specifically to provide companionship to their owners. They are smart, playful and sometimes demanding, but are fiercely loyal and have an almost human way about them, making them some of the most unique and fun breeds to own.

While small in stature, Chihuahuas require training in order to become well-behaved members of your household. Regardless of whether you choose to paper train your Chihuahua or train him to use the potty outside, there are three simple steps you can take to make potty training easier and more enjoyable for both of you.

How to Potty Train a Chihuahua

Chihuahuas, as with all small breeds and toy breeds, have tiny bladders. This means that they can't hold their bowels for long - especially if they're puppies. So this breed needs special attention. You're going to have to take your dog out more often than the regular, larger breeds. If you've got a puppy, you can look forward to taking him out at least 7 times a day! As your pup gets older, they'll have learned how to hold their bladder resulting in less trips to the toilet.

Step One: Get and Use a Crate

Learning how to potty train a Chihuahua requires being open to certain methods. Some methods may seem cruel to you, like the crate. While you may think your dog finds his crate to be a prison, I assure you, he doesn't (unless you've traumatized him with it).

Here's the deal. There's no more useful tool than a crate. The crate should be just large enough for your Chihuahua to lay down in and turn around. Any larger, and your dog may use one end of the crate as a toilet and the other as a place to sleep. It might be difficult to find a crate small enough, so you might want to consider using a carrier designed for cats.

Your Chihuahua should be in his crate whenever you're unable to be with him. This will prevent him from using the bathroom anywhere in your home. The more times he uses the bathroom in the house, the harder it will be to break him of the habit. So, be diligent in your use of the crate when you can't watch your dog.

Step Two: Know When to Use Positive Reinforcement and Correction

When learning how to potty train a Chihuahua, anticipation is key. You need to know the warning signs that your dog needs to poop and pee. You also need to know when your dog most likely needs to go to the toilet. Take him to the appropriate potty spot after he wakes from a nap, after he eats or drinks and right after he begins to play.

Become really adept at spotting visual clues that your Chihuahua is about to use the potty. Sniffing around on the floor, circling and acting anxious can all be signs that your Chihuahua is about to use the bathroom. Take him to his potty place as soon as he begins exhibiting signs of needing to go and praise him profusely for the right behaviors.

If you catch your Chihuahua in the act of relieving himself in an inappropriate place, it's appropriate to scold him. By scolding, I don't mean hitting him. Make sure you say "NO" firmly and loudly as he begins to pee or poop in the wrong place.

This will help reinforce that there are only a few places where using the bathroom is appropriate. Only when you catch your Chihuahua in the act is it OK to scold him for an accident.

Step Three: Clean Up Accidents

As with all dogs, Chihuahuas will have accidents during potty training. How these accidents will affect your potty training efforts will depend on how you clean them up. Chihuahuas will potty in areas where they have used it before.

If an accident isn't cleaned up using an enzymatic cleaner to remove all traces of the smell, your Chihuahua will be encouraged to use that spot again, thwarting your best efforts to train him. Find a good quality enzyme cleaner and make sure that you immediately clean up any accidents to prevent recurrence.

Toilet training your dog takes time, patience and consistency. If you follow the 3 steps, you'll have a toilet trained dog in no time.

When it comes to potty training a Chihuahua, by following these simple rules, you'll get your Chihuahua potty trained quickly.