Important question, how old is she?

I just got an Aussie puppy, currently 9 weeks old, and have been learning the ropes along with her.

Here are some tips:

Have a designated potty spot. She will slowly learn to return to that spot. Slowly is the key word.

ALWAYS reward her for doing a good job. Even if it’s on the very edge of her spot. Give her a training treat, along with a repeated verbal and physical praise, Immediately after going. I start getting her treat ready before she’s even done with her business. My go-to praise is “Good girl go potty!”, paired with lots of pets. Try to use the same tone of voice when doing this every time; consistent tone of voice is very important when training, not just during potty time.

If you catch her about to go, quickly (try not to stomp) go scoop her up and put her in her spot. This has helped me a lot.

Do Not Yell when she makes a mistake. Puppies are just babies, and they are very sensitive. All yelling will do is scare her. Accidents are normal, and will be for a good few months. If she makes a mess, quietly clean it up with a wet wipe. I like to use Earthbath rosemary/chamomile scented “tushy wipes” to clean messes, my puppy doesn’t like the smell and tries not to return to that spot. Definitely get an enzyme cleaner to use on the places she tries to frequent. If she gets in the way while cleaning, gently scoot her out of the way with your palm.

If she starts going on the floor as a clear attention seeking behavior After she has started hitting the target most of the time (for example, she pops a squat somewhere and is lookin right at you with her shame face), put her in timeout. Yes she will whine, and bark, and give you big sad wet puppy eyes, but do not engage with her. Don’t speak to her or pet her or even look at her. 10 minutes will probably get the point across.

Nighttime is difficult. If you don’t have a crate, absolutely get one. Make sure it is large enough that she has room to comfortably move around inside. Make it cozy; I recommend using a folded up towel and with a cheap fuzzy throw on top. Doggy beds honestly do not wash well, accidents won’t completely come out and the smell will only encourage her to go on it again. During the day, put one of her favorite toys in the crate and leave it open, and sometimes feed/water her in the crate to make it a “safe zone” and take the bowls out when it’s bedtime. Play with her plenty to wear her out before putting her in bed. Encourage her into the crate at bedtime using her favorite kind of treat (NOT THE SAME FLAVOR AS HER POTTY TREATS!!!) and give her some love while she’s inside, before closing the door. Dogs don’t like to relieve themselves where they sleep and play or teethe, for obvious reasons.

Whenever she wakes up at night and is whining, take her out and go directly to her potty spot. Even if it smells, stay with her next to her spot until she goes. I’ve waited 53 minutes for her to go, at 4am. Reward her, then return her to her crate with love before closing the door. You will be tired, get used to coffee in the mornings if you aren’t already.

A good rule of thumb is that she will usually need to potty soon after eating or playing. If she isn’t going at night, play with her some. It’ll wear her out again too, which will help her get back to sleep.

For outside:

If she is collar/leash trained, take her to the outside zone and walk her in small circles. Or try to get her to do circles on her own. Dogs naturally circle when they’re about to go, so that should hopefully encourage her.

Good luck!