Housebreaking Your Puppy

Submitted By: Geoffrey English

Housebreaking can be one of the most frustrating parts of having a new puppy. Here are some tips to help you.

Routine

Puppies are easily confused. You must provide a consistent routine. Take him out the same door every time he has to "go". Walk him to the same area. Use one word to tell him it's time to "go". He'll soon begin to connect the word with the action.

Learn when your puppy will most likely need to "go".
First thing in the morning
After a nap
Right after eating or drinking
During or after play times
After being confined
Right before going to bed

Your weekend and weekday routines should be the same. Keep a "housebreaking journal" so that you can get an overall picture of your puppies bathroom schedule. Everyone in your household needs to follow same the routine. If one person says "out" when it's time to go outside, and someone else says "go potty", your puppy will get confused.

This probably won't destroy your housebreaking attempts. However, it will take longer to housebreak your puppy. Do the same thing at the same time everyday, and he'll quickly learn what is expected of him.

Time To "Go"

Your puppy will do certain things when he needs to "go". Here's what to watch for:

Sniffing and circling
Stops playing or wanders off.
Whining and wiggling when you're holding him
Standing at the door
If you see your puppy doing any of these things, take him outside right away.

Traditional Housebreaking

With traditional housebreaking, your puppy learns to "go" outside. Let your puppy sleep in a crate or kennel. It feels secure, like a "den". Puppies have small bladders. So you'll have to get up early in the morning to take him outside if you choose this method.

You can't and shouldn't leave your puppy in his kennel all day. For daytime, you'll need to buy a play pen, like the ones made by Pet Gear or Jeep. Or you could use a pet gate to confine your puppy in one room when you can't watch him.

Take your puppy out on a leash to his potty spot. Give your cue ("Go potty!") and wait for him to do something. Praise him, reward him, and wait for him to "go" again. Puppies don't usually empty themselves right away. If you take him inside now, he'll have an accident in the house. When he "goes" again, praise him, reward him, and let him off leash to play. If you're taking a walk, wait until he finishes before you continue your walk.

Be generous with your rewards in the beginning. Offer verbal praise, petting, treats and play time whenever your puppy eliminates in the right place. Don't punish him for accidents. If he "goes" in the house, clean it up with something containing an odor enzyme remover, such as "Nature's Miracle". Don't use bleach or harsh chemicals. These can make your puppy very sick.

Other Options

What if you live in an apartment or have no yard? Consider paper training. Follow the same housebreaking routine. But train your puppy to "go" on a paper instead of outside on the grass. Nature's Miracle makes grass scented puppy pads to help with this type of training.

You can also train your puppy to use a litter box. Check out the Pet Patio Potty by Doggy Solutions or go to your local pet store for ideas.

Training your puppy to go on paper or in a litter box doesn't mean that he'll never learn to "go" outside. It simply offers you and your puppy another option when traditional housebreaking isn't possible.

Have patience. Be consistent with your training and routine, and your puppy will soon learn where to "go".