VIRAL! Katy Perry's Tiny Pup Nugget Is Stealing the Spotlight—You Have to Meet Her!

Puppy primer: exactly what to do to land house-training success

Katy Perry's dog Nugget knows the spotlight well, regularly tagging along with her famous pop-star mom to big-deal events and shows.

Last refreshed: March 10, 2026

Katy Perry's cute micro teacup Poodle, done sitting on the sidelines, is now a star in her own lane! Nugget just made her TV debut headlining a national ad for Citi's Double Cash card. Has Nugget's fresh fame made Katy's other dog, Butters, jealous? Likely not—both Butters and Nugget pile up some serious likes whenever Katy posts pics of the adorable duo, so Butters is still soaking up the love! Catch more of the cuties on Katy's Instagram!

1. You catch your puppy eliminating in the right spot.

Nice! Wait until he fully finishes (don’t break his concentration), then praise like he just won an award. Hand over a treat immediately—right there on the spot. To pair the treat with the act, it must come at once. If you bring him inside first and then treat, you’ve just rewarded coming indoors.

Chance of house-training success: Excellent

2. You catch your puppy eliminating in the wrong spot.

Whoa! Interrupt with a “No!” or “Eh-eh!” and hustle him outside to the proper place. If he finishes out there, praise and treat. Don’t scold again once you’re back inside—it won’t help. And never use your hands to punish a puppy; that won’t house-train him, it’ll just teach him to dodge your hands.

Chance of house-training success: Excellent, especially paired with #1.

3. You walk in and find pee or poop, but didn’t see it happen.

Oops—that one’s on you. A puppy can’t leave your sight until fully trained. Rewards and corrections only work if given the instant the act happens; if you didn’t witness it, you’re too late. Clean it up and watch him closer. When you can’t supervise, confine him (a crate works well).

Chance of house-training success: Poor. This puppy has too much freedom too soon. He needs tighter supervision to learn where to go.

“If you only want your puppy to eliminate on grass, don’t also keep pee pads indoors. That’s a confusing, mixed message.”

Visual by Andrey Sayfutdinov / Stock photo

The Hands-Off Rule for Polite Dog Greetings

Ever heard you must pet your puppy while he eats—or poke your fingers in his bowl, or randomly snatch his food and hand it back—to prove you’re the ‘alpha’? Nonsense. Those moves can actually cause and worsen aggression. When your dog eats, keep your hands off and let him dine in peace.

First published in Modern Dog magazine. Get your subscription today!